TN: 1999 Dominique Laurent Clos de la Roche

WINE TALK
1
  • 1999 Dominique Laurent Clos de la Roche - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru (11/5/2010)
    What a fantastic wine. Crisp rasberry, minerality, light red cherry and a sense that you had a clump of dirt from the vineayrd in your hand and sniffed it while you sipped. Ample acidity and a very rich mouthfeel. Young, but delicious. (95 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

2

Love hearing that.

3

Nice note. Laurent seems to polarize the Burg-o-philes a bit.

4

Not always, but generally a fan. Thanks for the note, I think I have a few. Premier Cru sold Laurent 99’s for some just silly prices back in the depths of the last recession (2002) and I nabbed several cases. Oaky young, yes, but most have integrated it. The guy undoubtedly has some great fruit sources.

5

Speaking of silly, PC was selling his 06 Corton for $25/btl a year or so ago.

It would be interesting to see notes on more of his wines approaching maturity. There seems to be some disdain for him, but I keep running into notes on wines with age that praise them highly.

6

Did it say ‘Vielle Vignes’ on the label, Rich?

7

For reasons I don’t think he’s made public, Burghound has stopped reviewing his wines and I wonder why.

FWIW my take on Laurent, and I’ve had quite a few bottles back to 1993, 96, and 99 is that they age well and always taste “Burgundian” but sometimes the transparency of site specificity/terroir characteristics are pretty muddled and sometimes non-existant. Put another way, I think the wines are always tasty and non-Burg folks will really enjoy them, but the Chambolle is indistinguishable from a Gevrey etc.

8

My burgundy experience is somewhat limited and I loved it.

9

Tom,
What is the difference between bottles that say “Vielle Vignes” and those that don’t?

10

It did not say “Vielle Vignes”. But it did say yummy. I think, but I don’t read french and burgundy labels are difficult.

11

I can well believe it, Rich, Laurent I think will have the last laugh with many of his wines. I have had some that are simply weird but am perfectly willing to believe that they have been opened at the wrong time. I’ve had quite a few at all levels that are extremely compelling. Confusing business, though, I think there were three different cuvees of CDLR in 99, a ‘VV’, a ‘tradition’-these are designed for the French market for younger drinking- and another who’s name I forget.

12

Label is attached

13

Embarrased to admit that I spent over $100/bottle for a few of Laurent’s '99 GCs - before I discovered PC cut out the middle man.

I was going to sell them last year, but the reserve was too low. After reading your review, I’m happy I didn’t.

I’ve generally had a good experience with the few Laurent’s I’ve tried. A case of Suchot I went through about 10 years ago definitely had the Vosne stink, and at $40/bottle was quite lovely.

Thanks for the snapshot, I 'll be checking in on some of these in the next year…