TN: 2007 red burg tasting

WINE TALK
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Brief notes from the Magnum Society tasting of red Burgundies. All wines served (and noted) blind, with 50 ml pours. The last couple of wines want a bit more age, but the first four are pretty ready and tasty now.

2007 Pascal Lachaux Chambolle Musigny Les Cras: Lightest of the wines, colour showing some maturity. Pretty nose of red fruit, broadens a bit in the mouth with florals. Seems rather simple in this line up, with not much length or energy. 86

2007 Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges Les Pruliers: Shows more development from a darker core with bricking at the edge, but the nose is just perfect. Cheeky cherry fruit, almost a hint of cranberry, more savoury notes of porcini too. Feels a bit angular. 88

2007 Fourrier Gevrey Chambertin Clos St. Jacques: Bit of bottle stink on this one, which dissipates thankfully. Raspberry and forest floor, some gaminess. Solid layers of flavour, some medicine cupboard lending astringency to the finish. 90

2007 d’Angerville Volnay Taillepieds: Primary colour, though lighter (ruby vs garnet) than most. Very lifted nose at first, settles into a beautiful combination of red fruit and florals. Perfumed in the mouth too, some chalky minerals, lovely energy remaining light on its feet. My favourite of the tasting for drinking now. 92

2007 Liger-Belair Vosne Romanee Aux Reignots: Rich dark colour, strong nose showing some oak still but also rich fruit and dried herbs. Creamy in the mouth, and while there is sweetness it’s also a bit packed and blocky still. 92+

2007 Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots: Darker again, nose quite tight and also tending to darker fruit. Tannin could use some time, and I’m guessing some stalks went into the mix. Brambly flavours taking their time to come peek out. 91+

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Helpful notes. Thank you! Another good report on a bottle from Volnay in 2007. I’m planning on on pulling up a bottle of d’Angerville Taillepieds later this year.

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Nice notes Rauno. I pretty much agree with your rankings (but this is not surprising, I was sitting next to you at the tasting!).

The Pascal Lachaux was in a different, lighter style. It should not be underrated IMO but was the most straightforward of the wines. I preferred the energy and evolution of the Gouges, but its tannins were a little drying and the finish slightly harsh, for me. The Gevrey signature of the Fourrier was obvious. I liked its animale and sous bois character a little more than you. I also wondered if it needs a little more time.

Like most in the room, my WoTN was the Liger-Belair. It had quite a bit of oak but the high quality fruit and structure needed to carry it. The d’Angerville was very well balanced and, to me, Chambolle-like, only a little behind.

The Vosne seemed in a different category, much more primary, with dense, dark fruit. I wondered if it was over-extracted but I gave it the benefit of the doubt, thinking it needed more time.

An enjoyable tasting very ably presented by our own Mikey D!

Cheers, Howard

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Not surprised the d’Angerville was a favorite. I have had a lot of tasty 2007s from Volnay.

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I can’t help but wonder what the wines will be like in 4-7 years. Almost every one I’ve had has been pleasant and drinkable, but primary and a little simple. If you’ve got nothing else to drink, fine, but if that’s not the case, why not be a little patient?

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I think in a few years 2007 vintage will emerge and good forward drinking style with much charm (sans lot of depth).

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Thanks for the notes. I haven’t touched my case of the taillepieds but sounds like it might be worth broaching one.

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Magnum Society ? With 50 ml pours thats a gathering of 30 people per magnum. Is that your usual meeting ?

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No Anthony, it’s just a name.

We buy flights of 3 x 750 mls (eg 6 x 2007 Burgs) and cellar them until we think they are in the drinking window. We try to serve 2 bottles and hold a bottle back for corked wines or other spoilage. Thirty was a bumper turnout, including Martinborough pinot makers from over the hill. Fifty mls was the initial pour (it reflects the group size, obviously) but people could top up a little during the tasting.

You’d be welcome to come to one of our monthly tastings if you were ever in town [cheers.gif]

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John there are many ways to enjoy Burgundy wines.[cheers.gif]

One way is to track the evolvement of a certain wine from a given vintage year. Let say at an interval of 6 months or one year when young and at release; and then perhaps at 2, or 3 or 5 depending on how many bottles I own.

Let say if you just open a bottle of certain wine at age 10, you wold wonder that the wine was at age 5, or at age 7 ?

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Thanks - seems to confirm my opinion that Liger-Belair and Arnoux-Lachaux are absolutely top-class.
Had the Suchots in spring, and it was also outstanding - and tasted the Reignots from cask and from bottle in 2010 - has still has time.
I assume the Cras was a negoc-bottling).

I´m sure these and d´Angerville will still slightly improve and hold another 10+ years at minimum.

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I have had 3 or 4 bottles of d’Angerville Volnay this year and they have all been excellent. Very approachable after and a hour or so of air. They can also still be found for a “reasonable” price.

George

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Peter, I certainly get it. I don’t buy wines much by the case anymore so I’m less likely to do this. Plus, the only time that I open a red burg and wonder what it was like at an earlier age is when it seems over the hill, which is unlikely to happen with these good quality wines at age ten, even in a year like 2007. Nonetheless, one of the valuable functions of this board is that there are folks trying and giving reports on wines at a younger age so that we all don’t have to crack bottles to find out how things are progressing.

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John - I also tend to hang on to bottles til I’m pretty confident they are mature. There’s very few wines I have more than 3 bottles of, hence I want to maximise my chances of enjoying each in its prime. The benefit of organised tastings like this is it gives me data points on when to drink “my own” wine and the opportunity to talk to others - but this tasting was far from vinfanticide in my view. Yes, 2 bottles needed more time and probably at least four would develop positively in the next 4-7 years, but they were all enjoyable now, showing some benefit of development.

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Thanks great report and wines ! And a great showing of d 'Angerville …

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Thanks for the report. I was especially pleased with your thoughts on the D’Angerville Taillepieds as I am planning to take that one to an offline in a couple weeks from now. I have had two bottles of the 2007 Marquis d’Angerville Volnay “Les Champans” which I enjoyed.

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Thanks for the note Rauno. Pretty much agree with them. Think the d’Angerville will be as long lasting as the Vosne Romanee’s. Quite different in structure I thought, more dry and detailed, tighter on the palate though with lovely fruit. Not as immediately attractive as the VR’s, more demanding to like I thought. Cheers Mike

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Nonetheless, one of the valuable functions of this board is that there are folks trying and giving reports on wines at a younger age so that we all don’t have to crack bottles to find out how things are progressing.

Same for me too…cheers [cheers.gif]