Non-commercial post: I imported these, but haven’t worked with either producer in a long time.
Hadda grill some lamb. These went well with it. Conventional Wisdom prevailed.
’99 Domaine Doudet Savigny 1er Cru ‘Les Guettes’ – Translucent color showing hints of brown at the rim. Fully secondary aromas are pleasant but restrained, with some red cherries and sous-bois (hardwood forest after rain). The palate is fully mature, tannins resolved, nice texture with some solidity in a light-bodied format. The fruit is lovely and ripe, but there is something hollow in the mid-palate. A pleasant, refined glass, actually does not stand up very well to the lamb seasoned with cumin, rosemary and drops of tamari and sesame oil. Rated 88.5, my last bottle and not as good as the previous one a few years earlier.
’99 Derey Fixin ‘Vieilles Vignes’ – Conventional Wisdom: Cotes de Nuits is longer-lived than Cote de Beaune. Yessir. The color is a little more intense, there is no browning, the wine has a little more body and a lot more vigor. the aromas are less refined but much fresher, with red cherry and hints of strawberry, along with something pleasantly spicy and herbal. The palate is richer and younger, in rude adolescence. Sadly my last bottle, rated 90.5. If there is any left on this planet, I would suggest holding for another year or two for another point or two. It was also great with the lamb.
Dan Kravitz