Had our annual doctors lunch at Stamps yesterday.
2007 Olivier Leflaive Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières: Very crisp and flinty with green apple and white peach fruit. It is direct and youthful with a dollop of almond butter rounding out the palate.
2007 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru: There was some mineral reduction, a touch of aniseed and something tropical yet restrained on the nose. The palate was dense and chalky with steely line. It is a wine that is so direct and precise and the finish is laden with dry extract. A superb bottle.
2007 Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos: Smoky reduction and grilled nuts a plenty. There are citrus fruits but the wine is too advanced.
2004 Henri Germain et Fils Meursault 1er Cru Charmes: There’s a bit too much bruised apple and some caramel is starting to show. It is round and voluminous in the mouth with some wheaten notes. The oxidation has planed off the wine’s detail.
2009 Coche-Dury Bourgogne-Aligoté: This wine is case in point why Coche are such a great producer. Served blind it was one of the wines of the day. It poured out such a fresh, clear colour. The nose had some struck match, lemon and minerals. It was cool in the mouth and textural. The finish had great cut.
2006 Chanson Père et Fils Corton-Vergennes Blanc Grand Cru: Drinking very nicely. Ripe round orchard fruits have a fresh quality to them and there’s plenty of underlying sap. It has some green walnut and a little toasty development. There’s a low acid feel in the mouth but it is fresh and energetic.
1992 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault 1er Cru Charmes: The colour indicates a wine of age but there are still fresh green hues. It has a rich and expressive nose of vanilla, apricot, lavender, ripe peach and flora. You get a suggestion of white mushroom with air. The palate is thick, bursting with heady orchard fruits. There’s a buttery feel against the gums and the whole mouth is enveloped with flavour. There is mineral below the flesh and balance is near perfect. A brilliant aged white Burg.
2007 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros: The nose was far too advanced, the palate was clean, lean and stony. Put the bloody thing under screwcap.
2000 Marchesi di Barolo Barolo: One of the boys thought he’d bring a Barolo along to our Burg lunch. This had some vanilla, tar, and cedar and tobacco leaf. It was sweet and round on the palate. The balance was good and it was quite a nice wine.
1986 Domaine de Montille Volnay 1er Cru Les Mitans: Wonderful old school red Burg drinking somewhere near its prime. Complex aromatics of pine needle sap, menthol, decaying leaves, freshly tilled earth and truffle. There’s vinous sweetness in the mouth and bright minerally acidity. You get excellent detail of savoury flavours and a finish that has some cold tea tannins and that melt away leaving a wonderful inner mouth perfume once the wine is swallowed.
1999 Niquet-Jayer Echezeaux du Dessus Grand Cru: Great perfume. Sweet, succulent and spicy. Vinous silk in the mouth. So sensual and finishing with a real juiciness. Seriously classy.
2002 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru: This is a meaty, muscular wine. There’s some moss and compost on the nose along with blood and smoked meats. There’s a bit of coffee from the oak and it is dense and deep in the mouth. The finish is quite chewy.
1997 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru: A wine of structure yet elements of prettiness. You get a little barnyard action on the nose. There’s some cherry, berry, decaying strawberries and earth too. It is dense in the mouth with a sweet liqueur cherry heart. The finish is savoury.