Good Burgs and a very tasty Sauternes

WINE TALK
1
  • 1990 Château de Fargues - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (8/3/2014)
    Just about bang on for mine. Complex aromatics of cinnamon, crème caramel, truffled honey and vanilla. It envelops the mouth with sweet nectar but is by no means sweet and cloying. It has good presence and power but is light and airy in the mouth with a high degree of freshness. Flavours build through the palate and it is very long with a clean finish.
  • 2006 Comte Armand Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru (8/3/2014)
    Raw, dark, surly and clamped down hard. There are notes of prune, iron, earth and meats. It is dense, blocky and chunky with plenty of depth. It is a forceful, savoury wine, in no mood to be toyed with at this stage and monsters one’s saliva on the finish by way of saying f*ck off and don’t come back for a decade or two.
  • 2006 Domaine de Courcel Pommard 1er Cru Grand Clos des Épenots - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru (8/3/2014)
    Tight and deeply pitched with but a faint whiff of aniseed, black cherry and earth to begin with. It unlocks in the glass somewhat and has an engaging scent of rose petals. It is dense and compact with abundant yet relatively sophisticated tannins. There’s some enjoyment to be had now but it is far too young.
  • 2008 La Pousse d’Or Santenay 1er Cru Clos Tavannes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Santenay 1er Cru (8/3/2014)
    Quite a bit of spicy oak on the nose along with fresh cherry fruit and a hint of flora. It has good depth and plenty of rocky detail. It builds through the palate and has a high degree of minerality. It finishes with a big lick of the vintage’s fine acidity and is a wine in need of plenty of more cellar time.
  • 2012 Patrick Piuze Chablis Terroir Découverte - France, Burgundy, Chablis (8/3/2014)
    I reckon this would give many a 1er Cru a decent run for their money. It is so pure and so very Chablis with all of its saline and geological matter. Fruits are of the citrus persuasion and it is direct and focussed with just a touch of glycerol protecting the gums from all of the sharp edges. It finishes with good cut and length of flavour is excellent.

Posted from CellarTracker

2

Great notes! Love Clos des Epeneaux… too bad they need 20-odd years to come around.

3

Thanks Jeremy, great notes as usual. I know what you’re saying about the 2006 Comte Armand. I’ve had the 2001 and 1996 Clos des Epeneaux in the last fortnight and they were excellent, but the wines need time (those two could have each used more).

Cheers, Howard

4

The 93 is just coming around now IMO.

5

Thanks for the notes Jeremy (and also for your mention of the '93 Nick as my most recent bottle 5 years ago was hard as nails and I was wondering when to try one again).

I really like armand’s epeneaux, but it is perhaps the most mystifying burgundy of them all to me. I think of it as sometimes open early (the '01 was very much like that) and then it always shuts down very, very hard to…what? I’m not sure. Never had one that seemed close to ready. Most burgs seem to age in a non-linear fashion for at least 50 or 60 years, but epeneaux seems to be linear in the sense that it is closed - and I assume it is trending toward being open. But I can’t be sure.


Flatiron has an '88 for under $200 that I’m very, very tempted to buy. I know I would likely be drinking it too young, but would it show anything? I wonder.

6

Thanks for the note on 2012 Patrick Piuze - I’ve had the 2012 Patrick Piuze Chablis Grand Cru Bougros very good and more forward will try one again soon …

7

I remember having the 90 epeneaux a few years back and it was as hard as a marble. No idea when it would ever open up again!