23 wine-lovers met in Graz in the restaurant „Im Fünften“ (On the Fifth Floor) on April 1 to taste through the vintage 2008 in the regions of Burgundy and Rhone Valley, with the addition of one or another 2007.
All vintage 2008 (except when stated), the points are mine, groups vote for the WOTF in addition.
1st flight:
#1: Chambolle-Musigny „Les Charmes“ 1er Cru - Hudelot-Noellat: medium bright ruby, red berried fruit with some dried herbs, good texture, really enjoyable but not very long, 88p (12 votes)
#2: Chambolle-Musigny (Village) – J.F.Mugnier: slightly sweeter on the palate, but a bit simple, 86p (0 votes)
#3: Chambolle-Musigny „Les Fuées“ 1er Cru – J.F.Mugnier: darkest colour (but still not very dense), v.g. structure, slightly herbaceous, but good length … and a certain potential, 89p (9 votes)
#4: Vosne-Romanée „Clos du Chateau“ Monopole (Village) – L-M. Liger-Belair: brightes colour, but good intensity, nevertheless a bit of oak and quite prominent acidity, attractive and tasty, 87p (0 votes)
This 1st flight was a bit disapointing, showing the limitations of the vintage on this medium level, the wines were much brighter than from cask, and dispite a certain dryness quite accessable, the potential remains a questionmark …
2nd flight:
#5: Gigondas „Les Hauts de Montmirail“ – Domaine Brusset: sure much darker that the whole 1st flight, real concentration, hints of toast, good dark fruits, but a certain dryness in the finish, 87p (1 vote)
#6: Minervois „Les Carretals“ Jean-Paul Tollot & Anne Gros: still darker and slightly sweeter, soft and ripe tannins, mouthfilling, good length, 88p (6 votes), expensive for what it is …
#7: Vosne-Romanee „Aux Malconsorts“ 1er Cru – Sylvain Cathiard: more saturated than #3, very good concentration and really elegant and long, nevertheless a bit brittle compared to other vintages, 91p (14 votes)
#8: Trollinger „Handwerk Rot“ vintage 2010 – Weinwerk Württemberg (Germany): this was not meant to be an April-fools-joke … produced by a friend who sent me a bottle to taste, so I though „why not in this tasting“ … ok, quite bright „rosé“ ruby, mix of sweet and sour (although dry), slightly bitter almonds and hints of v.a. - people thought it to be a „bad Burgundy“ … but not a bad wine, only very simply, nevertheless for 7 Euro and chilled a nice summer wine for the terrasse … around 79p (13% alc. – dry, several months in a used barrel).
#9: Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2008 – Dom. de Marcoux: medium dark ruby, full of red and dark fruits with some spices, sweet mouthfeel, balanced with medium length, very good and already very accessable, 89p (1 vote, but 2nd best of the flight by far)
Sure it was a bit unfair to combine these different origins, but some tasters spotted the Gigondas and Minervois (the had a list of the available wines in advance – and of course the Burgundy, although they guessed Clos Vougeot). Nevertheless a cdertain dryness of the vintage was still there (except Marcoux).
1st plate: three kinds of Styrian beef: Carpaccio, Aspic and creamy Beef Tartare – stunning!
3rd flight:
#10: Chateauneuf-du-Pape „Combe de Fous“ 2008 – Clos St.Jean: quite full ruby with hints of brown, open nose, a bit cedar, nice palate if with a tiny bitterness, 90p (4 votes)
#11: Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2008 – Charvin: slightly more saturated, indeed very elegant and balanced, good acidity, fine mouth flow, can develope further, 91p (0 votes)
#12: Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2008 – Pegau: very dark ruby, animalic nose with the typical Garrigue and hints of brett (I like it), mouthfilling, chewy though elegant, reminds me on 2004, real intensity and length, 92+p (10 votes)
#13: Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2008 – Ferrand: medium ruby, full of fruit, slightly jammy but also complex with floral and mineral hints, sweet on the palate, excellent depth and balance, good potential, 91p (7 votes)
Certainly some of the best CdPs of the vintage, although the Combe de Fous is far away from the 94p RMP awarded … A Beaucastel 2008 tasted two weeks ago would be app. on the same level (90-91 p and well balanced).
4th flight:
#14: Clos Vougeot GC – Dom. Arnoux-Lascaux: medium depth, quite plummy fruit, very good, lacking a bit complexity, 90p (0 votes)
#15: Latricieres-Chambertin GC – Dom. Arnoux-Lascaux: very similar to #14, only a hint brighter and slightly more acidity, 90p (0 votes)
#16: Clos Vougeot GC – Dom. JJ Confuron: slightly more saturated colour, but much deeper fruit with great elegance and perfect balance, perfect integrated acidity, great Clos Vougeot, 94p (4 votes)
#17: Clos Vougeot „Le Grand Maupertui“ GC – Dom. Anne Gros: darker fruits, typical decent toast, fine concentration but less finesse than Confuron, wood more obvious, 93p (19 votes)
This flight was much more convincing than the Burgundies #1 to 4.
main plate: Really great roasted rosé duck breast with vegetables etc.
5th flight:
#18: Chateauneuf-du-Pape „Reine des Bois“ (2008) – Dom. de la Mordorée: saturated dark ruby, obviously modern style with toast, coffee, cedar, but quite balanced if a little bit dry in the finish, reminds me on the (excellent) 1996, 90p
#19: Cote-Rotie „Lancement“ (2007) – Dom. M&S Ogier: slightly brighter, more red fruits, decent oak, very elegant and aromatic (I don´t think there is any Viognier in the blend, but it smells similar), excellent balance, 93p (3 votes)
#20: Hermitage (2007) – Domaine JL Chave: this is really very serious, full, deep, concentrated, multidimensional, with great texture and excellent bite, youthful but perfectly balanced, great success, made for decades, 95+p (15 votes)
#21: Cote-Rotie “Cote blonde“ (2008) – Dom. René Rostaing: nice decent cherry and olive scented nose, slightly sweet, good follow-through, mouthfilling, medium length, the usual tiny dryness of 08 in the finish, 90p (René declassified almost all of both crus into his „Cuvee Terroirs", bottled only a tiny quantity seperately)
Slightly unfair pairing 08 versus 07, but nobody really recognized the different origins. 2008 will be mature much earlier! Sure I also could have put in Rostaings 2007 which are very fine … No special cuvees produced in 2008 at Ogier.
(to be continued soon with last flight, dessert wines and summary)
Please post your comments heavily !