A very interesting experience with this bottle, especially since it showed quite closed the last time I opened a bottle a couple years ago. It has turned into a much bigger wine than I thought it would be (bigger in a sense relative to how I would expect an '02 CdB red from young vines to evolve).
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2002 Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune 1er Cru Beaune du Château - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru (8/27/2009)
Double-decanted for about 4 hours. Beginning to show a hint of browning at the rim. On the nose, this has got dark cherries and an earthy/leathery note. The palate is fully of juicy flavor while being only moderately concentrated. It’s got a zippy acidity and a fair dose of somewhat rustic, chunky tannins showing up on the back end. Maybe it was the context (brought to a pizza place, less than ideal glassware), but this was the most Chianti-like burgundy I’ve drunk. It was missing the slightly bitter edge to the fruit that Chianti often shows, and it wasn’t as dense as most Chianti, but there was still a marked similarity. I didn’t enjoy the wine less for this, but it does lean towards the burly side for burgundy, especially an '02. In any case, still a very young wine, though it is beginning to open up.
Posted from CellarTracker