Recently purchased from retailer who recently bought it on closeout from a distributor with good storage. I assume this means good provenance.
Medium gold color, normal for 8 years. Ripe aromas with surprisingly saline elements to the fore. Past that, something a little mealy, a little flowery, a little limey. Ripe but slightly light in body, there is fine fruit and balance, some nicely developed flavors with a hint of pear and some lively but not really citric acidity. This is subtle, yet the flavors are assertive and the finish is long. I’m thinking that this might make fairly old bones and be lovely, richer and more opulent in another five years. Think I’ll grab a few more and take the chance. Rated 90.44, up to 3.5 points of improvement possible.
I haven’t seen this wine in subsequent vintages. Does anybody know if this wine is still made?
Dan Kravitz
Do not hold C-D wines. They’ve had significant issues with premox. I’ve not had any of the 02s, so I can’t comment specifically, but I just wouldn’t buy any to hold.
Dan,
Starting with wther the 2004 or 2005 vintage, the domaine was split into 3 between sons Philip and Bruno, with Michel, the father, keeping a few vineyards for himself. Bruno got the Truffieres. Haven’t tried his.
C-D indeed has a very bad record of premox, but I haven’t yet had a bad 2002.
Colin-Deleger wines have had more than their share of problems with premature oxidation, but when the wines are on form I’ve liked them a lot; I feel the same way about Sauzet, and maybe like those wines even a bit more (when they’re correct).
Thanks for the replies. I haven’t had the time to follow the premox wikis and threads, and it’s good but sad to know that this Domaine has been so affected. I still think I’ll gamble on a few more and hold them. I’ve got a good deal on them. I love great mature white Burg so much, and it’s becoming so unavailable for both price and premox reasons that it makes sense to buy three more and hope that one or two will deliver the real magic in 2015+.
Dan Kravitz
Dan:
Yes, Colin-Deleger is one of the worst offenders on premox and is listed in my “Category 1” meaning that you’re looking at better than a one in three chance any given bottle of wine at least seven years old being oxidized. (With Colin-Deleger, I’d say that you’re looking at about a two out of three chance that the wine is oxidized). However, I will say that, much to everyone’s surprise, the 2001 Colin-Deleger Chevalier and 2002 Colin-Deleger Chevalier were not oxidized at my last two annual tastings. You’ll find the Colin-Deleger page of the wiki site here. http://oxidised-burgs.wikispaces.com/Colin-Deleger
