Thought this was one of the best of the 12 H-Ns soon after release and this bottle reinforces the view. Now nicely mature with density and complexity.
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Just picked up some of that in 2017, I hope it’s just as good!
Going through some boxes in my locker, I found a 2010 version, now showing signs of the notorious 2010 Hudelot leakage. So pulled for a future dinner. I’ve actually had pretty good luck with leakers, seems like they are more or less self-sealing, at least the Hudelot wines. Wish I knew what happened to such a high fraction of the bottles that year, I assume some problem with the bottling line.
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Roumier 22, 1er cru Les Cras (notes copied from my instagram post)
Bought of a restaurant list. Decided not to decant but just let it breathe a bit (after having a small pour for taste)
About an hour later the nose bloomed. Perfumed and lifted, with ripe cherries at the core, layered with baking spices and subtle stem influence. There’s a sense of aromatic completeness here. So open and expressive, yet finely detailed.
On the palate, the wine is very close to perfection in its precision. It carries a glacial, almost weightless texture, despite the ripeness of the fruit. The tannins sit at a deceptive medium level, but are so fine they barely register, giving the wine its remarkable sense of elegance, delicacy and refinement. Notes of cherry, licorice, and fresh mint unfold seamlessly, carried by a structure that feels more like flow than frame.
Wow that is a F*** wine. The best red of 26’ for me by far. Roumier not delaying malo in 22’ makes this really accessible already!
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Talk about a wine I didn’t expect to turn the corner!
Jean Noël Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet rouge 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jean 2012
Well it absolutely needed time! 7 years later, this is much better. Showing slight bricking at the rim, the nose was a little muted on opening (at 16oC) so we let it come up to temperature and unfurl with air. It then became very expressive: plenty of ripe red berries, cardamom and florals, some sous-bois and coffee (oak) notes. The palate is light but never lacking with nice medium+ acidity and mostly integrated tannins (coarse grained when they do show up though). Long finish with a tad of earthiness and savouriness calling for another sip. Good to very good and I would drink up. I don’t see this improving for my taste.
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2008 Domain Marc Roy Gevrey-Chambertin “Cuvee Alexandrine”
Quiet powerful dark and sooty satsuma plum fruits, some spice and herbal inflections, with resolving acid backbone. Finish a little metallic and clipped, but there’s lots of material here.
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Good to know. I last opened one in March 2021. Here’s my note: Still a bit young but attractive. A tiny bit feral w/acid on finish.
Does anyone need a ‘95 check-in? lol Last bottle of a series of Camille Giroud wines I bought years ago from Envoyer. Previous bottle about 5 years ago was a little more lively, but this one was a soundly mature Burgundy, in an old-school style. A fine pairing with a simple roast chicken. There’s a finishing dryness as the fruit hasn’t survived the structure. If you enjoy a sound, aged Burgundy over a meal it works, despite the fact its best days are in the rear view.
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Not sure who made the 95 Giroud; Giroud was a sneaky value play for awhile because David Croix was making the wines (02-16)
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Yep. I was buying a bit from the Croix -era when I first starting buying Burgundy 15-16 years ago. Not sure on this one.
According to C.Coates it was ran by the founder’s two sons Bernard and Francois Giroud.
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I haven’t seen a Camille Giroux old label in ages! Love it!
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Groffier Chambolle Musigny Sentiers 2008
Wow, this was simply amazing. Pure love in a bottle. Oozing sexy mature notes of strawberries, cherry and rose. Velvet in the mouth, layered silk, sparks and magic, goosebumps. Best wine moment for a while. Love mature Groffier, but was not expected this level.
At the fantastic restaurant Compartir in Barcelona - the Panchino with caviar (Disfrutar) and t-bone was simply magic.
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This is well before David Croix. I love the old Giroud wines(I like the newer ones too but there is no stylistic connection whatever) but the new regime started charging a ridiculous amount for them.
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Domaine Gille NSG 1er Les Cailles 2020
Very good. Obviously young, but a really satisfying bottle. Plenty of red and black fruit that makes it easy to enjoy already; cherry, some strawberry, plus a faint smoky note on the back end. A bit of spice, earth, and mineral drive too.
Improved with air…I would not be in a rush to open many if I had a case, but no regret drinking one now.
Domaine Gille might not be a name many have come across all that often, but my wife and I visited the domaine a couple of years ago and were really taken with the wines. We tasted through the lineup from the small wine fridge in the family kitchen with the winemaker’s wife, looking out over the Burgundian hills beyond their back garden. Hard not to root for bottles like this after that.
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• 2008 Barthod Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras
Frankly not all that great. The wine was not flawed but had a bit too much brett for my taste. High acidity, fine tannin, good structure, but a bit sour and simple on the palate. It was just OK and I was hoping for more.
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Yes as I stated Croix made the wines from 02-16.
I do wonder if that’s a useful yardstick with a wine like this, whose mature state has nothing whatever to do with fruit.
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Given the vintage reputation I was expecting a lush forward wine. I haven’t had many 15’s myself. But this was acidic and bright, and a little disjointed. Really not ready for prime time.
- 2015 Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Murgers - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru (4/10/2026)
I think this is in a between stage. Shows hints of mature pinot notes but also very bright red fruits. Nose was quieter than expected. Acidity was very forward on the palate, red and bright. Palate has a rather coarse tannic backbone, but rather refined and polished. Shorter finish.
Just seems a little clinched and tight. Better to hold.
(92 points)
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Thanks for the note. I have a few bottles of this wine that I purchased from a Giroud cellar release almost 20 years ago. The last bottle I drank was a few years ago and didn’t seem to be in danger of falling off. The 1995 vintage can be tricky in general due to many of the wines having dry tannins. I will pull a bottle soon to see how it matches up with your experience.
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