Dinner at a local Italian restaurant with friends.
1999 Domaine Michel Niellon Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
This should have been decanted but wine service was lacking at the restaurant and it was hard to even get Burg stems. It slowly unfolded over the 1.5 hour in the glass while it lasted. Started out tight and restrained on the nose, with a palate that exploded like a mushroom cloud. As it evolved the precise but simple notes of fresh citrus, crunchy orchard fruits and nuts took on ever evolving tones of herbs, toast and riper fruits. The wine stayed precise and interesting on its full bodied frame the whole way through, showing some true pedigree.
1998 Domaine Jean-Jacques Confuron Romanee St Vivant Grand Cru
Ruby in color the nose soared from the glass with tomato leaf, smoked/dried meat, tart red fruits, wet and dried leafs. Medium in body, it had flavors that were intense straight from the bottle with medium plus acidity and great complexity. Initially the aromatics and the concentration were the highlights as the wine faded quickly on the back palate and the vintages tannin came on quick and grainy. With more air though the palate filled out (though some wood became more apparent), the nose continued to evolve and the tannin softened (though still a detractor).
1988 Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Monprivato
Splash decanted and rebottled at 2pm, the wine upon uncorking at 8:30ish was still shy. Fortunately I think all it needed was its’ second wind (breath) to get going. The color density was quite pale ruby moving to garnet/orange as expected with 20+ years. Quickly the nose opened showing at first smoked meat, blood, smoke, purple flowers and anise. It continued to morph with tart/dried/fresh red fruits jumping to the fore front with a great deal of leather, tea, truffles/mushroom adding to the the other notes that had continued from the nose. Acid was high and the tannins were still high at this point too allowing this wine a long life ahead. After having a bunch of '89 Nebbiolo a few weeks ago, this showed marvelous in comparison. The '89 are and will continue to be the better wine, but when you catch one in a great phase such as this, no complaints. Might splash out 8 hours ahead next time though.
Can I ask, did you actually like the Confuron RSV or not, it’s not exactly clear from your notes here…I have had this before and thought it was very ordinary (like most of his RSV’s).
Like, yes. Love no. I would like to try this wine from a different vintage as I found the level of tannin slightly out of balance for the rest of the wine and in turn, distracting. It had good, pure flavors, a broad texture and was delicious. I thought it did smell very RSV like, just without the density and precision of say DRC or Hudelot-Noellat.
Thanks, Sarah, great notes there. I like Confuron’s 2005’s a lot, but have had pretty mixed results otherwise. Of course, a lot of domaines made great wine in 2005…
Agreed. On its own it is a very good (ie “tasty”) wine, but when you taste it side by side with Leroy or DRC the difference borders on the absurd. Classic case of going for volume and show instead of letting subtle detail shine through.
And it wasn’t side by side with any of those. I never said it was a transcendental experience, an 89 pointer perhaps at best. It was enjoyable between a fine white Burg and a fine Barolo. This bottle wasn’t overripe or cola driven, the only true issue was the rough, over exerting tannin. Other then that, yes I too would take DRC, Leroy, H-N, Dujac over it.
I didn’t mean my question quite like that, but thanks for the qualification…sounds pretty much like the bottle I had.
The '05 was the vintage that really had that cola driven thing going on, generally I just find his RSV’s lacking in the complexity, layers and perfume of the great RSV’s. A straightforward sort of wine that doesn’t see to do justice to the greatness of the vineyard as DRC, Leroy, Cathiard, Dujac, Hudellot-Noellat, and Arnoux seem to…