The wines were poured double blind for the other 8 participants, they were not blind for me. Notes should be taken with that in mind.
Despite most of the flights being based on a single village (while Flight 2 had 3 different villages represented, all 3 winemakers are very much associated with Morey), the village characteristics were quite hard to tell apart at this stage of the evolution of the wines. As always, all notes free or your money back.
Starter:
Bereche Campania Remensis, 2019 base
I like this wine a lot, and the 2019 base is a bit more vinous and less sharp than the 2018/2017. Vinous and with good power and a nice sense of fruit; to me Bereche’s winemaking has only gotten better with the change in climate.
Flight 1:
- Domaine Claude Dugat Gevrey Chambertin
The most classic of the wines with what I thought was a somewhat dark cherry and harmonious profile. Not the most powerful wine, but quite pretty and most in balance on this day. Either first or second for everyone in this flight, and generally one of the bigger surprises on the night for those who don’t drink a lot of Dugat. - Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey Chambertin
Somewhat odd on the nose with what I thought was a nutty (??) affect; this recovered on the palate to have a nice pomegranate core of fruit but was then marred by an overly sweet finish. A somewhat strange wine, though the village is rarely a Rousseau bottling I look for.
3.Domaine Fourrier Gevrey Chambertin VV
The darkest wine in the flight, this was quite aromatic, but those aromas turned somewhat brown sugary with air, leading someone to joke if this was raised in bourbon casks. Shows hotter than I’d like on the nose and a bit on the palate. - Domaine Duroche Gevrey Chambertin “Les Jeunes Rois”
Initially quite reduced, but the longer it developed in the glass the more it revealed some dense dark fruit with a similar core on the palate. The most concentrated wine in the flight, even if one that might not be quite knit together at the moment. The other contender for the best wine in the flight; the lieu dit here may be contributing some extra concentration - this is not an especially lithe 17.
Flight 2:
- Comando G “Tumba del Rey Moro”
Deeply unhappy on being opened. At their best, these wines are extremely red fruited and pretty, somewhat in the style of Rayas (which is why it was included as a blind), but this was dark, tannic, reduced and somewhat shrill - a distinct failure of a blind (a theme). - Domaine Cecile Tremblay Nuits St. Georges Albuca
The wine of the night, for most by a clear distance. A beautiful nose that made many think of Chambolle, the best way I can describe this wine is the sublime balance. A mix of dark red and lighter red fruits, with barely perceptible oak it transitions into a long wide finish that hints of further development to come. A beautiful wine that shows no rusticity despite being an NSG. The only shame is that it’s far and away the rarest wine in the flight - only one barrel produced each year and it’s typically not imported into the US. - Domaine Dujac Morey St. Denis
Possibly suffering due to being poured right after the Tremblay, this felt nice without being especially notable. Surprisingly to me there wasn’t all that much stem influence - unlike a 20 I opened blind last month no one called this Dujac blind, though someone who stopped by later did call this Dujac blind after it picked up more of the typical aromatics. I must admit I think I liked this more than most, though there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. - Domaine Hubert Lignier Gevrey Chambertin “Regnard”
Quite different from the other two wines, this had an absolutely massive core of sweet dark red fruit on the palate that verged close to overwhelming the wine without ever doing so; assuming this settles down a little bit, this should be a fascinating wine that will probably drink well on the younger side (unlike the Dujac) while I wait for all of Lignier’s 19 1er crus and grand crus to mature. The red fruit on this was interesting; I don’t drink a lot of Lauren’ts Gevrey (either village or Combottes) but his MSDs and Chambolles are usually quite dark and fascinating.
Flight 3:
- Domaine Sylvain Cathiard Vosne Romanee
Very Cathiard - showy oak, showy wine, but more in balance than the one I opened last year and is now integrating nicely. Very pretty, though as always with younger Cathiard, you have to have a reasonable tolerance for oak (and don’t open Malconsorts or RSV young, that’s just silly) - Domaine Forey Vosne Romanee
Since about 2017 the Forey wines have been really good, and this is another example. There’s quite a bit of oak, and it’s a bit sleek, but it’s also very well balanced and aromatic with a nice long finish. The oak doesn’t particularly stand out - would have called this a bit of sexy oak - it’s there, it’s pretty, though not quite to Cathiard levels. - Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne Romanee
I did the blinds and I actually had to double check if this or the previous wine was the Gibourg. Very similar wines, super pretty, slightly oaky but with no doubt that this will integrate and both have the stuffing to go quite a long way.
The first three wines made this the most consistent flight of the 4, I believe most people guessed this as Chambolle, though that may reflect the pretty oak (being done very well) more than anything else. - Domaine Hudelot-Noellat Vosne Romanee
An odd bottle, honestly - the nose had a touch of tomato and the palate was a little flat. It wasn’t bad, but stood out in comparison to the first 3 wines. It’s possible this wasn’t the best bottle, but provenance isn’t the issue here - this came straight from the importer to storage to the dinner.
Flight 4:
- Domaine Jacques-Frederic Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny
Probably my second favorite wine of the night, this was just so pretty. A bit darker than I typically associate with Mugnier, but while the nose wasn’t as expressive as I hope the palate was, other than the Tremblay, just incredibly pretty, with a gorgeous mouthfeel. Already at this stage the wine is beautiful; I would say this, the Trembly and the Dugat are wines I’d drink now. - Egly-Ouriet Coteaux Champenois Ambonnay Rouge VV
Corked. So much for ringers! - Domaine Georges Roumier 1er Cru Clos de la Bussiere
Surprisingly open for a Roumier MSD! The nose is not quite the super pretty Roumier Chambolle I’ve experienced at times, though the palate isn’t shut down hard as nails, so a mixed blessing. There’s still some structure on the finish, but overall drinking reasonably well now.
4.Domaine Ghislaine Barthod Chambolle-Musigny
Definitely some vanilla and oak on the nose together with some bright fruit and then the palate is fruit forward with some vanilla and a slightly short finish. I think Clement has worked out the newer style better for the 1er Crus I’ve tired so far than the village, where the oak felt somewhat unintegrated at the moment.
