Retrospective dinner at La Closerie, with the winemaker present, held at Noble Rot in London on Tuesday. The following vintages of the “Béguines” cuvée were served: 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019. I didn’t take detailed notes, but a few observations:
1998 — Jerome’s first vintage — was well on its way down: no bubbles left, oxidized.
2000 — still an interesting wine. Suffered a bit from the comparison with 2002/04/09, but good.
The trio 2002, 2004, 2009 was truly captivating. Granted, these are largely tertiary profiles with curry, spice, and dried fruit notes, but the wines are long, powerful (especially 2002 & 2009), and frankly delicious. They reminded me a bit of Selosse (in Anselme’s time).
2013, 2014, 2018 — fairly true to the estate’s reputation. Good and enjoyable but not the strongest vintages of the 2010s (2012, 2016, 2019 in my book!). Perhaps they just need more time? I drink his wines fairly often so getting hard to please, I guess.
2019 — starting to hit its stride, and will be fabulous in 2–3 years.
All of this reaffirms for me the beauty of the Jerome’s wines: delicious both (very) young and old, with a distinctive flavor profile (100% Pinot Meunier), suitable for both aperitif and the dinner table. How lucky we are to live in the grower champagne era, and how nice it is to get to explore the movement’s early years with one of its main protagonists.