Thanks
I haven’t opened many '98s as of late, but a recent bottle of '98 Maurice Ecard Les Peuillets was a real stunner.
Serpentieres was also quite nice recently.
OTOH, Bachelet Gevrey VV still needs a fair amount of time.
Domaine des Perdrix, NSG 1er aux Perdrix drank last night. This has been my 4th or 5th from a case over the past several years and this bottle has reached a very tasty stage of tertiary flavor and maturity. Since my last bottle 3 years ago this wine has taken on more weight and has developed the aromas and texture of a mature Nuits St. Geoeges. I’ll probably finish off my remaining bottles over the next couple of years. Quite a bit of sediment. Perhaps slightly rustic, which could be more in how the bottle was not stood up at all prior to dinner, very appropriate finish, just a very nice bottle.
This thread prompted me to open a '98 this week…this one was the first wine I found. I’ve always been curious about the Rousseau “lesser” wines, never believing that they are “lesser” except for oak treatment and esteem given by consumers and by the estate (I also think CSJ is overrated by both, esp. the estate).
Anyway, fwiw, I think '98 will eventually be good…not yet…like a '96 vintage with structure also/more from tannins than acidity, maybe. But…good fruit, as I remember it. Based on the below, note…I fear that this is a full 20 (maybe more likely a full 25 year vintage to reach peak). Bummer…though quite a beautiful showing ultimately.
Rouuseau Clos de la Roche 1998: duck breast cream/white peppercorn sauce (delicious)…opened aerated for 7 hours or more…and the fruit was good, the structure intrusive a bit, though not with the duck. The '98 structure, a little more tannic than the '96, needs great fruit and this one had very good fruit that night.
Two days later, when left in decanter, it had morphed into a beauty…or a potential beauty. earthy, sl smoky fruit on the nose; delicious succulent sweet fruits on the palate with a long, decently fruity finish. This wine needs a decade more…or tons of aeration. But, it will be a beauty for this vintage…and this vintage, as shown through this wine, will repay holding it to show the lovely fruit fighting with the pronounced structure. Nice stuff…
And, from September 2014, a Daniel Rion Chambolle “les Charmes” 1998: 9/14: ribs. This wine seemed young and a bit varnishy at first, but had good fruit. After a day+ in bottle aerating, that went away…black fruits appeared, and a lovely, though a bit tannic, spicey pinot noir black fruit came out w/black pepper. Decently long…though a little on the hollow side, with the finish showing that element and some tannins. This wine will be very good in 5 years…maybe longer. It will never be great, but…won’t disappoint.
Recently had a 1998 Rossignol-Trapet Chambertin that was really good, although probably still a bit young.