Nigel Platts-Martin kindly organised a group of us to host Ray and his lovely wife, Christian, in the private room at The Square last night for dinner. This was the best meal I’ve had there since the very first time I went nearly 15 years ago. We started with some canapes and a walk around tasting of some of Ray’s 2010s and an 09 whilst he expounded on his wine making philosophy…
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2010 Maison Ilan Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Monts-Luisants - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis 1er Cru (5/3/2012)
Lots of reduction on the nose and a fair bit on the palate too. However, underneath you could sense the lovely balance and supple, pure, dark fruits. -
2010 Maison Ilan Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Les Chaffots - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis 1er Cru (5/3/2012)
Still some reduction on the nose but the palate was much cleaner than the luisants. Reassuring to be able to taste the true underlying wine as it was completely reduced when I tried it from the barrel in August. Very supple and open dark, red fruit. Doesn’t have the weight in the mid-palate of Ray’s GCs but fabulously drinkable! -
2010 Maison Ilan Charmes-Chambertin Aux Charmes Hautes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru (5/3/2012)
No reduction but a hint of spritz still on the palate. Dark, deep, seductive, pure. Some cough medicine and spearmint initially on the nose. Tannins completely masked by the ripe, elegant fruit. A lovely savoury quality to the wine. Great wine. -
2009 Maison Ilan Charmes-Chambertin Aux Charmes Hautes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru (5/3/2012)
Much darker colour, riper and richer than the 2010. Hedonistic and downright sexy. Developed a more focused, high toned nose with air but Ray’s more of a spartan so I’m not sure he really likes this wine! 2nd bottle served over dinner in riedel burg stems was even riper and showed a little heavy/blowsy.
With grilled lobster and rosemary butter a mixed performance from the whites… -
2008 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru (5/3/2012)
Like a barrel sample! Hardly any colour development yet. Explosive palate presence. Very impressive. Would love to try this in 10 years time. -
2002 P. Dubreuil-Fontaine Père & Fils Corton-Charlemagne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru (5/3/2012)
Quite a bizarre showing. Colour was appropriate for its age. Palate and nose were a bizarre, floral concoction of oranges, apples and tropical fruits with no acidic structure or corton charlemagne typicity whatsoever. Not unpleasant, just not a corton charlemagne! -
2002 Bouchard Père et Fils Corton-Charlemagne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru (5/3/2012)
Perfect, very light yellow colour. However, the wine was clearly faulty - angular, spiky, surly. Was called as TCA in the end. NR (flawed)
With roast quail, ravioli of morels and savoury onions… -
2001 Domaine Georges Mugneret/Mugneret-Gibourg Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Feusselottes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru (5/3/2012)
Pretty, floral, high toned. Developed a gorgeous earthy and savoury tone with air. Really lovely. -
2008 Mark Haisma Morey St. Denis 1er Cru La Riotte - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis 1er Cru (5/3/2012)
Like a lot of 08s, seemed to be in a delayed, open, primary phase before shutting down which was good news as it was lovely to drink. Superb balance of earthy sweet and savoury red fruit. Interesting and good! -
1999 Domaine Perrot-Minot Morey St. Denis 1er Cru La Riotte Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis 1er Cru (5/3/2012)
Ripe, dark, hot, heavy and clumsy…
With risotto of mousserons… -
1999 Domaine Denis Bachelet Charmes-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru (5/3/2012)
Really deep and earthy. Great intensity and vibrancy of fruit. Just had an extra gear of energy. Clear WOTN for me. -
1996 Domaine Denis Bachelet Charmes-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru (5/3/2012)
As you would expect for a 96, this needed a good decant and quite a bit of time in the glass for the acidic spine to come better into balance. Noticeably ripe, sweet and powerful but still balanced and elegant with that acidity holding everything together beautifully. Couldn’t live with the 99 but still very good indeed and runner up for WOTN for me.
Things were getting a bit hazy by this time! With breast of pigeon with a croustillant of the leg and cabbage… -
2007 Domaine Rossignol Trapet Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru (5/3/2012)
Fresh, regal nose with very nice, primary red fruit on the palate. Doesn’t carry the weight and power of a top vintage chambertin though. -
2001 Louis Jadot Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru (5/3/2012)
More serious, blacker, meatier and more powerful than the 07 rossignol-trapet served alongside it. Surprisingly open and supple with a lovely savoury quality to it. My bargain buy of last year! -
1976 Camus Pere & Fils Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru (5/3/2012)
Still in fine fettle. Lots of soy sauce and sweet, dark red fruit. Lovely and persistent finish.
Posted from CellarTracker
Tragically, the last flight of d’angerville 99 clos des ducs and 93 champans was a wash out as both were wrecked with TCA. We grabbed another bachelet charmes (2002) off the list to go with a superb cheese course but I’d lost any note taking competency by that stage.
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