What fun it was to join Howard and Nancy Cooper, Kevin Shin, Ken Barr, Chris and Marjorie Bublitz, Ben Delancy, Charles Stewart, Randy McFarlane and Ben Giliberti to evaluate almost 20 wines earlier this evening, thanks in part to the generosity of Bouchard Pere & Fils (while in Beaune earlier this year, I asked if Bouchard Pere & Fils could send me some samples of the 2006 vintage to be tasted by the DC-based wine experts, and owner Henriot happily obliged). The participants also brought many other Bouchard Pere & Fils vintages as well as fine bubblies and late harvest wines… But with no further ado, let’s go to my initial tasting notes, hoping to hear from the finer palates of the DC crew, more experienced in tasting and describing the wonders of Burgundy than I am…
Thanks to Randy, we started with a very pleasant Rose Champagne – the Charles Orban Rose from Troissy. I had heard of this producer before but never tried. Retailing for about $50, this was – to me at least – a bubble gum pleasure. No, dear reader, do not think I am deriding this wine with a frivolous description. I like good bubble gum and this wine exuded rich and pleasurable fun. There was backbone and subtle tannin, all encased in a thirst-quenching package. I liked it – and I think most everyone else did, too.
Then came the second bubbly, thanks to Chris Bublitz, the Soutiran Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru Perle Noire – culled from Pinot Noir. More “serious” than the above Champagne, it possessed more substance for about the same price. I liked its toast like nose, broad shouldered palate texture with unobtrusive sweetness with a fine tonic finish. A lovely Brut.
There followed a slew of Bouchard Pere & Fils to taste – seven came from Henriot as contributions for us to taste – but just as many other Bouchard Pere & Fils from the DC tasters. Here goes.
WHITES
Bouchard Pere & Fils Meursault Les Clous 2006: Listed with 13.5% alcohol but tasting like it had perhaps a bit more, this was sweet and lush. Just enough backbone, it was OK as a village-based Meursault. I remember trying the 2008 in Beaune at Bouchard Pere & Fils last month, and preferred the 2008’s spine more, but the 2006 showed pleasing sweet red apple flavor and a pleasant aspect. A good village wine.
Bouchard Pere & Fils Meursault Genevrieres 2006: A premier cru worth its moniker. Herbal, mineral aspect, certainly a ripe vintage with red apple and a more subtle sweetness, but also happily balanced with good acidity and more precision than the above.
Bouchard Pere & Fils Meursault Genevrieres 2002: A contribution from Howard Cooper, this wine was either just slightly corked or perhaps in the throws of creeping premox? Honestly, I am not sure, but it was a bit off. Too bad, because – to me – it seemed to have more density than the 2006 (of course 2002 is a better vintage), but its off aspect negated any eventual advantage, and the 2006 tonight proved a far more enjoyable wine to drink, albeit young.
Bouchard Pere & Fils Corton Charlemagne 2000: Thanks to Ben Delancy for this wine, which I had also tried last month at Bouchard ahead of the Hospices. It was nice tonight: rich, toasty, young and substantial with a sweet apricot aspect coming no doubt from the rather warm vintage… Not a long-termer (that was the impression I had in Beaune, especially compared to vintages like 2002 and 2007, also tasted last month), but tasty and impressive.
Bouchard Pere & Fils Corton Charlemagne 2006: This was another contribution from Henriot. I know it is younger than the 2000 but I got more precision here than with the 2000. It seemed more linear, with a more pronounced acidity – in a good sense. The body was just as full, but I had a sense of better balance in this vintage, with perhaps more staying power, although the ripeness seemed just as high… I look forward to other opinions on this comparison. For me, the white wine of the tasting.
REDS
Bouchard Pere & Fils Beaune du Chateau Premier Cru 2006: Another Henriot contribution, this wine is made from vines in selected premier cru Beaune vineyards and showed a pleasing fresh strawberry aspect with lovely pepper notes. More elegant than full bodied, and in a good way: I really liked this soft red freshness… and this is a good bargain IMHO.
Bouchard Pere & Fils Nuits St. George Les Cailles 2006: Another Henriot contribution and one of my favorite Nuits St George vineyards, this wine was totally different than the above. The first adjective that popped in my head: violet. Then came velvety. A full bodied lush aspect - with very good sap, as Ben Giliberti appropriately noted. Rather beguiling and seductive, it was a pleasure to drink and I could think of any number of food pairings, from roast chicken to the steak I ordered. Yum! Could this be the red wine of the tasting? Certainly a candidate.
Bouchard Pere & Fils Volnay Caillerets Cuvée Carnot 2002: This was the first of a trio from this vineyard, thanks to Nancy Cooper, and my favorite overall of the three, because it showed the most precision and class. A cool aspect, with stone mineral notes, certainly tight – but a promising tightness, with a positive outlook for the future. Still, despite all that, it gave off pleasure in a sophisticated manner that I liked. Another candidate for the best red wine of the evening, IMHO.
Bouchard Pere & Fils Volnay Caillerets Cuvée Carnot 1999: Thanks to Ben Giliberti for this wine, which some tasters preferred to the 2002, perhaps because it was warmer, more initially giving. I liked it, too, but found it less precise – even a bit “fuzzy” in comparison. A fine wine, no doubt, but just lacking the focus of the 2002.
Bouchard Pere & Fils Volnay Caillerets Cuvée Carnot 1990: Thanks to Marjorie Bublitz for the third of this mini vertical of Bouchard Pere & Fils Volnay… Warm and tasty, slightly austere on the finish, but overall very pleasing, much in the same vein as the 1999, a tad rustic, but easily drinkable and more a point than the 1999, with more contours.
Bouchard Pere & Fils Beaune Grèves Vigne de L’Enfant Jésus 2006: This is the famous Bouchard Pere & Fils brand from the Greves vineyard in Beaune and another contribution from Henriot for our tasting. I got tannic richness. No foreboding tannins mind you, but rather broad and smooth overall, even a hint of ripe jam. Certainly young, primary. Perhaps just slightly less linear, less focused than the next vintage? I am not sure. The 2006 should develop nicely, yes?
Bouchard Pere & Fils Beaune Grèves Vigne de L’Enfant Jésus 2002: Thanks to Ken Barr for this contribution for another mini vertical… I found the 2002 more ‘disciplined’ than the 2006, more linear and focused. But just as deep if perhaps slightly less rich than the 2006? I love the pepper aspect and the length. Another fine 2002: lovely wine and another candidate for top red honors?
Bouchard Pere & Fils Vosne Romanee Aux Reignots 1999: Thanks to Randy for this wine, velvety and smooth. Not silky, velvety. It also had zest and a lingering, if not tonic finish. The overall memory for me with this wine was breadth. One of the best of the reds here, certainly. A point.
Bouchard Pere & Fils Le Corton 2004: Another donation from Henriot. Like most tasters, I was pleasantly surprised by the initial ripeness, and juiciness, of this wine, as 2004 was hardly an easy vintage, marked by disease and hail storms… Rather ugly weather in July and August made the 2004 harvest more difficult than the 2006, and yet Bouchard Pere & Fils pulled out a fine effort here, albeit with stemmy aspects. Kevin noted this first, and I did not initially, but further tasting showed it to come to the fore. But mind you, it is like the difference – to me at least – between raw green pepper and roasted green pepper. It was more the latter, and thankfully there was more to it than just that. A rather successful Le Corton, considering all the challenges of the difficult vintage.
After 14 wines from Bouchard Pere & Fils, we were ready for two dessert wines and they were both good, although I preferred the Gunderloch Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling Auslese 2001 offered by Charles Stewart. Just lovely aspects of subtle petrol with an at once thick and refreshing palate texture and feel, a smooth delivery and a long finish. The Monbazillac Cuvee Madame 1996 (a Sauternes-like mix of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, perhaps also a bit of Muscadelle?) proved a better match for my tarte tatin and vanilla ice cream; its peachy spice and cinnamon flavors nicely complementing the caramel ice cream coating and the apples caramelized in butter and sugar. Both wines were very good – and perhaps non comparable – but if I had to choose one, I would opt for the Riesling because it seemed more balanced.
Many thanks to Henriot for donating so many wines for us DC tasters to evaluate. Overall, I was pleased with the 2006 vintage both for the reds and the whites. It was a pleasure to try them with other Bouchard Pere & Fils wines brought to the dinner by the participants. Also, once again, the venue - Lavandou in Washington DC - proved to be cosy and super service oriented with no corkage (for so many wines) on a Monday evening. Thank you to Florence and her staff. So, nice to be back here in Washington and taste with and learn from the fine palates here in the nation’s capital. Looking forward to more tastings with you!