Hey, just noticed this! Thanks for the pointer. I’ve got a six pack of 2009 Mallard Corton Renardes on pre-arrival from Grapes the Wine Company. It’s been nearly a year. They always have an excuse, dog ate my homework, etc. not sure what to do. Funny thing is they still are offering the same wine on their site for pre-arrival.
Thanks again!
Take no prisoners, Sarah!
Manuel Olivier Pommard 2019
Manuel Olivier is a grower & producer in the hills of Corboin that we stopped at a few years back. This 2019 Pommard was drinking nicely; juicy and fresh with raspberry, cranberry, red cherry and a hint of greenness.
Very lucky to enjoy a fabulous set of 1999s on the weekend, plus an extra. All served blind.
Anne Gros Clos Vougeot Le Grand Maupertui 1999: Enjoyable but probably the most backwards of these Burgundies. Great structure and balance, dark-fruited. Still on its way up.
Anne Gros Richebourg 1999: Evolved in the glass to showcase a range of dried floral, fruit and spicy savoury notes. Lovely texture and fanning-out finish. Ready but no rush.
Mugnier Musigny 2002: Lighter coloured, took a little while to open. Great florals with quite a steely, mineral core. Filigreed structure and quite delightful. Ready but no rush.
Rousseau Clos St Jacques 1999: Sweetness on nose and palate, for me the simplest of the six wines. Some savouriness, medium intensity. Ready.
Rousseau Clos de Beze 1999: Powerful but balanced, very “Gevrey”. Dark fruit, earth, blood, brilliant structure and balance even though there’s a lot going on. Still on its way up but very, very enjoyable.
Rousseau Chambertin 1999: More elegant and restrained than the Beze. Easier to appreciate, not a hair out of place. Bach on the piano rather than Bach on the organ! Quite complete and a fantastic finish. Ready but no rush.
Anyone have any recent experience with Gouges’ 2019s?
Thanks Rauno. Fabulous line up. The Anne Gros wines sound good. Any thoughts Anne v Gros F and S stylistically?
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This Des Croix is totally lovely with a huge Corton-like, soaring nose of dark fruits, animale and florals. The darkness continues to the palate, with even a whisper of raisins and prunes, but really rich and deep with a significantly glycerin mouthfeel. A big, plush wine with a long finish. Punches way above its $130 weight.
Are Beaune wines often like this? The ones I’ve had (Ursules, some other Jadot and Bouchard 1’ers) are, like, in a different universe than this wine - 92
Not sure what you mean. Des Croix is very polished and nuanced. Jadot more rustic? Is that what you mean?
Rather shocked by this, particularly with this board to help guide. But I’m still trying to get a feel for your palate. Thinking you like more structured tannic style? Darker fruit and color.
Maybe it’s an odd bottle? But the texture of this wine was like a completely delightful sludge, with plenty darkness and brooding. But with (maybe counterintuitively) an overall takeaway of being rich and plush.
The other Beaune wines I’ve had (and I’m far from having a seasoned palate for this kind of wine) have been more forward, fresh and fruity.
This Des Croix was a Bete Noire, closer to a 2010 Grivot NSG ‘Boudots’ for which I posted a detailed review some months back. Dark and savorty, even with a hint of umami,
It wasn’t tannic though, that’s for sure, in that respect it was lovely. But, I’m not sure this will even make sense, to me it seemed to have a number of the kinds of flavor notes as I find on wines that ARE particularly tannic (especially Cortons), but….without being tannic per se.
I am not a person who favors the dark and tannic. Scroll back and see my glowing reviews of Bertheau CM’s and Volnays that are totally ethereal and lifted. But it seems to be that I like the whole spectrum, from the fairy to the ogre, as long as the bottles aren’t flawed I love them all. I’d like it to stay this way for as long as possible.
Marcus Goodfellow’s wines were the bright spots, every other one has been a dud.
That is a nice bottle of wine! David Croix trained initially at DRC and spent time at Camille Giroud as the main winemaker before starting his own domaine . (If I understand correctly) He is so intellegent and his Beaune/Corton wines are in that group of small producers who know how to use the terroir. Michel Mallard/ Chandon des Brailles and a few others here. This terroir in Beaune is always the most stern to me but David turns it into a beautiful symphony. This bottle will age an almost infinite number of years.
Re: Beaune. The usual suspects are always great. Clos des Ursules (Jadot) , Clos des Mouches (Drouhin), etc.
There are a few folks like David that are producing more early accessible wine but I can’t think of many that are at this level. Beaune Greve is a very special site and highly ageworthy. Aged Beaune is a special event. I had a few bottles of Jacques Lardieres first vintage at Jadot 1971. These plus some older bottles of Ursules and Clos des Mouches remain some of the best older burgundy experiences including older DRC wines. FWIW.
His Corton La Vigne aux Saint is a special terroir in Corton that fits his style. He often uses whole bunch (whole clusters) in his vinification and he doesn’t extract hard. The wines from this site are always mineral and very feminine in character. Lighter in color and very red fruited. This was the bottle that MIchael served to me blind. It was stupendous.
Paul. So happy you enjoyed this Beaune from David. He really is a genius wine producer. His 2019s were a total home run all the way around.
Drank the Gruyaches last month. My group was really amazed at how well this opened up with time.
I think this producer is a bit underestimated, had mags of the 2017 chevalieres that was absolutely singing recently. However I am not a big fan of the label design 
Out of curiosity, any common thread in the wines you didn’t like? Structure, ripeness levels, etc?
In my mind Martin Woods, Kelley Fox, and PGC all present such different takes on WV Pinot that I’d be modestly surprised if you hated all three. But then that’s what makes the world an interesting place.
I’m curious on which producers were visited as calling most of them duds is very surprising to me
He posted somewhere up thread, I know those I noted were on the list at least.
I 100% agree with your abvoe .
I miss-judged ( or estimate wrongly ) David Croix’s entry and low level reds : for example his A/C Les Boutieres and his Les CV. I tought they would not aged well and gained complexity as they were priced reasonable in the good old days by SAQ. They are so lovely and delicious when young,
Boy - was I ever wrong, especially his Les CV.
Sadly, in Montreal, QC, Canada we only get his 4 reds : AC, Les CV; Les Bressandes and Corton Greves. Worse, the last 3 are always on Lottery.
Curious to hear as well, Paul
