Thoughts on 1995 Red Burgundies?

WINE TALK
1

Last week, I opened and aerated a 1995 Rousseau Ruchottes Chambertin. My notes: after plenty of aeration this is a lean, somewhat charmless bottle of maturing, though not really advanced, red Burgundy. Nothing wrong with it, nothing really captivating about it. Next day a little better, but still not that appealing. The vintage?

At this point, the vintage is still too young, IMO, so I’m only trying to get a bit of an idea. The other wines I have notes for are:

Thanksgiving 2005: Daniel Rion Vosne villages: This wine is too young. there is nice cherry fruit lurking underneath the structure…but, it needs 5 more years to mellow out better. It’ s not bad now… for what it is. But, it is a little somber at this point. I think most 1995s probably are.

2/10: Daniel (Patrice) Rion Chambolle 1er cru “Les Charmes”: deep cherry/cassis and roses- really mutifaceted nose; softer on the palate, fuller bodied than the Gille. But, tannins noticeable and somewhat intrusive. This wine has more grand cru “presence” than the first one. Still not all that mature, though the color is certainly on its way.

2/10: Daniel (Patrice) Rion Nuits St. Georges 1er cru “Hauts-Pruliers”. Deep redcurrant nose with some chocolate. Fruity and noticeable tannins. This wine will ultimately be a struggle between the fruit and the tannins. I think the fruit will win, but am not positive.

5/10: Rion Nuits 1er cru Argillieres: needed lots of aeration; nice enough at dinner after 7 hours, but better next day…and warmer…licorice red-fruit nose; a tiny bit hollow/tannic on the palate with only med-long…med fruit finish. I think this will be 3- with 5 more years. I wouldn’t touch any more '05s til 2015…

I am beginning to wonder about the 1995 red Burgundy vintage and its future for two reasons: 1) The Rion wines usually show great balance in finesse and do so relatively early on (they were monsters in their infancy) and 2) Because I see a small pattern here…of concern.

I don’t own that much 1995, relatively speaking. But, I think that age will not be a panacea for this vintage, as aeration hasn’t helped them become more charming, which can be, IMO, a sign of what’s in reserve.

Thoughts/experiences on 1995 as it approaches 16 years old? Will it ever really deliver? Or will they be forever lean and mean…and iffy.

2

I haven’t opened any of myh own small stash yet above Bourgogne level (and the Bourgognes just started to come around in the last 1-2 years). Had a Roty Charmes or Mazys about six months ago (can’t remeber which) that actually drank quite well, with charming fruit and tannins not at all objectionable.

3

I am a fan of many '95s but it is important to be selective. The '95 Reds have always had terrific detail and aromatics with good concentration and acidity. The only problem is the coarse drying finish on some wines. At age 16, this has resolved (to my tolerances) for many wines but I am in no hurry to open them yet.

4

Well, I have to say, I’ve yet to be “charmed” by a 1995. Maybe they are “intellectual” wines…to admire and analyze and appreciate, but not fall in love with. Hopefully. They are lean and somewhat mean, I think. I just hope they aren’t like 1975 Bordeaux: always promising…never fulfilling.

5

I pretty much agree with Kevin, but the bugger is that it is important to have been selective a long time ago, and that is the really hard part. Well, there is always the auction market, I suppose. My stash of the '95s is tiny, just a couple of cases in total, and in no hurry to open most of them. I do have a '95 Bertheau Bonnes Mares standing up, for soon. I opened one three years ago, but it was corked.

6

Stuart, I hear what you are saying, but I do think '95 Burgs are have more redeeming attributes than most '75 Bdx. Just my opinion. Some wines are impressive, but not pleasent. I do think many '95 Burgs will be both. But you are right that it will never be a “lush fruited” vintage, for the most part.

7

What were they like as babies?

8

BERRY, see my first post.

Not charming then either.

9

Haven’t had that many. A Camille Giroud Volnay Carelles 1er a few months ago: “Metal fist in a velvet glove…a relatively thin glove”. Although I tend to love their Clos Vougeot, the '95 Mugneret-Gibourg Clos Vougeot was “rough”. In the plus column: '95 Roty Gevrey Fontenys 1er.

RT

10



Talking about Vintage generalization is not that useful to real Burgundy-nuts as we all have different preference.

I am sure Stuart ( and Paul ) will find 95 red needs few more years. ( No offence is intended ).

I gambled against 96 reds and hence I bought mutiiple bottles of high-end g-crus red from vintage 1995. For example : 4 Musignys - Lerory ( 4 bs ), case of 12 of Vogue, Drouhin and Prieur each; 3 Richs - Leroy,DRC & AF Gros; 4 Chambertin/CdBeze - Rousseau, Trapet, R-Trapet & Prieur and 4 Ech - DRC, Faiveley, AF GRos and Drouhin.

I am now down to my last bs of them and love them all since day 1. I wish I own more…

11

Roumier really nailed the vintage and so most of my small stash were made by christophe - chambolle village (really excellent vintage for that wine), cras, and ruchottes. I have also had the m-g clos vougeot in the past 15 months and it was delicious; I still own a couple of those and one of the chambolle. And that’s it for my small stash (used to own truchot charmes, which was excellent, but drank those way too young).

12

Maureen…my stash of Roumier is a lot less than usual in '95, so I haven’t tried any. I actually remember that Christope R. did well then. But, I also thought Rousseau did really well…and their Ruchottes was lean. Nothing wrong with it, just lean and charmless.

And, Peter, I don’t think age (or aeration) is a panacea. Sometimes, the “stuff” just isn’t there for greatness…though surprises do happen with age (e.g., most people’s experiences with 1983).

My concern with 1995 is whether even with age, they’ll turn out well. I’m not sure. That’s why I asked on this thread.

13

That describes a number of 1995s I’ve had, but every so often I stumble on a bottle that is so detailed and full of character that I’m hard-pressed to think of a better vintage. A 1995 Michelot Vaucrains was the first bottle that did this and I’ve been on the lookout for 1995s ever since. 1995 Clos des Ducs also comes to mind.

14

I concur. Out of the wines here I have had all the DRC’s other than RC, top Rousseau’s, the GC Trapet’s, the odd Faiveley… recently had a Hudelot-Noellat VN Les Beaux Monts which was superb with still years ahead of it. I have finished my Rousseau’s but still have some DRC and De Vogue BM and Musigny and a few others like de Montille, l’Arlot… none of which I am in a hurry to open.
Stuart, I think you may just have had some bad luck with Rion, I find their 96’s hard going compared to say Hudelot-Noellat. In regards to the Rousseau, I just got CSJ, Beze and Chambertin, all great and drunk way too early. Cheers Mike

15

Hope you’re right, Mike. The Rions from that year were hard early on…but so were almost everyone’s.

One of the main reasons I posted this thread is that I don’t want to do any more experimenting with Rousseau, Roumier, Mugneret, etc…I’d rather learn from others’ experiments. But, the Rousseau and the Rions were pretty darned similar. In fact, the Rions Chambolle-Charmes was more charming than the Ruchottes.

RE: '96 I think Rion made some beauties, so…

I can vividly remember when Patrice Rion was in Philadelphia in the fall of 1997…showing his '95s…which I had tasted in barrel the previous year. I was surprised at how they had hardened up after bottling. Having said all that, based on my tasting of the vintage in summer 1996 at many places, I limited my purchases of 1995 in general , compared to many other vintages.

16

Really tough to generalize here. I think the comments above about being selective are spot on - and so typical of burgundy.

Recently I’ve had Drouhin Clos des Mouches (lovely in its usually understated way), Barthod Charmes (not so much),
Laurent Echezeaux (really quite nice) and Clos des Ducs (still young but very promising).

17

Recent bottles of Bruno Clavelier Vosne Romanee les Brulees and Naddef Mazis-Chambertin were quite adequate with the Clavelier showing classic Vosne notes straight from a cold cellar. I expected the Naddef to be tannic and over oaked, but I was wrong. Paired well with a mushroom and qoat cheese tart. I had a bottle of the '95 Rousseau Ruchottes Chambertin about a year and a half ago and found it to be a bit closed down. My conclusion was that it that particular wine just needs more time in the bottle.

18

Stuart,
I looked through my notes and if you haven’t already, you might want to try '05 Rion Vosne Beaux Monts. I thought it was quite good last June. It had brisk acidity (so it might be lean) but it wasn’t tough or jagged on the finish at all (so it won’t be mean).

19

A bottle of 1995 Laurent Clos de la Roche on the weekend was utterly charming, great perfume and intensity with some of the muscle of the vintage lending support to some sweet, dense fruit.

20

I had the '95 Patrice Rion Chambolle Cras recently and it was showing nothing. It was hard to read if the wine would improve or not. I’ve got a couple more, and will hold patiently for another 5 and hope for something good.