A rather random selection of Burgundies. We went through older Chardonnays, a bunch of Chanterêves lieu-dit Aligotés and some red Burgundies ranging from way too young to somewhat too old.
Although Chanterêves wines can be somewhat variable in quality, at times lacking focus and precision due to their slightly natty overall character, this time all the wines were on point. Curiously the one that was the cleanest (aka. least “natural”) was also the least impressive one!
That one '95 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru was quite badly over the hill, but all the other whites were in superb condition. I was surprised how vibrant and energetic the '95 Louis Latour was and that '95 Louis Jadot was simply exceptional!
- 2021 Domaine Dandelion Pétillant Naturel - France, Vin de France (22.8.2023)
A blend of biodynamically farmed Gamay and Pinot Noir from vineyards in Côte de Beaune. Fermented spontaneously, bottled before the end of the fermentation so that the wine ferments dry inside the bottles. Bottled unfined, unfiltered and without any SO2. As the wine is a Vin de France, it doesn't bear any vintage designation - only the lot number "LV21". 11,5% alcohol.
Hazy to somewhat cloudy yellow color. The nose feels rich and sweet-toned with expressive aromas of apple jam and unripe banana, some mushy peach purée, a little bit of herby spice, light primary notes of sweet grapey fruit, a hint of pineapple, a touch of leesy creaminess and a reductive whiff of swimming pool rubber toys. The wine feels crisp and zippy on the palate with a brisk yet short fizz, a medium body and dry flavors of fresh red apples and leesy creaminess, some herby tones, a little bit of sweeter peachy fruit, light saline mineral notes, a ripe yet tart hint of lemony citrus fruit and a primary touch of apricot candies. Although the carbonation blows off quite quickly, the high acidity keeps the wine bright and refreshing. The finish is crisp, long and palate-cleansing with flavors of ripe Granny Smith apple, some leesy tones, a little bit of sappy herbal spice, light tart lemony nuances and a hint of saline minerality.
A bright, refreshing and surprisingly clean effort for a murky naturalist pét-nat! I'm normally not a big fan of pét-nats, because they can be so all over the place, but this was a pleasant and well-executed effort. Nothing particularly complex of ambitious, mind you, but still a thoroughly enjoyable and positively energetic little fizz that works nicely on its own or with light fare on a hot summer's day. Or perhaps as a welcoming toast, if you want to risk it and pour something murky and ugly but still tasty!
(88 points) - 2011 Domaine Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc (22.8.2023)
12,5% alcohol. Bottle #16927.
Pale and surprisingly youthful yellow-green color. The nose feels nuanced and attractively evolved with layered aromas of ripe citrus fruits, some chopped nuts, light creamy tones along with some browned butter, a little bit of ripe nectarine, a hint of butterscotch and a pleasant, slightly sweet touch of sautéed onion. The wine feels ripe and somewhat evolved yet wonderfully firm on the palate with a medium body and nuanced flavors of ripe red apple and creamy oak, some nutty notes of wood, a little bit of browned butter and panna cotta, light stony and saline mineral nuances, a sweeter hint of wizened white fruit and a touch of ripe grapefruit. The high acidity lends good sense of structure and freshness to the wine. The finish is long and somewhat evolved with a complex aftertaste of ripe grapefruit-driven citrus fruit, some nutty notes of wood, a little bit of creamy panna cotta and browned butter, light saline and stony mineral nuances, a sweeter hint of dried white fruits and a toasty touch of brioche.
A lovely, nuanced and wonderfully evolved Bourgogne Blanc at its plateau of maturity. Based on this bottle, the underwhelming - almost mute - bottle we had in 2017 was just very slightly corked, because the wine was this time simply delightful! I guess the wine might develop some additional complexity with further aging, but perhaps at the cost of freshness and precision - at the moment the wine shows a terrific combination of developed complexity, youthful and fresh fruit flavors and cool mineral overtones. Although the wine will probably keep for many years more, I think the wine will stay on its apogee for some years more, then develop into less fresh and more tertiary direction. Terrific stuff, a first-class example of lowly Bourgogne Blanc with some age.
(93 points) - 2020 Domaine Chanterêves Bourgogne-Aligoté Les Monts de Fussey - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (22.8.2023)
100% biodynamically farmed Aligoté from a 45-yo vineyard in the commune of Fussey. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 12 months in old 228-liter oak pièces and larger-format casks, then blended into stainless steel tanks with the fine lees. Bottled unfined, unfiltered and with minimal to no SO2 additions. 13% alcohol.
Pale and very slightly hazy lime-green color. The nose feels sweetish, somewhat wild and quite fascinating with aromas of ripe nectarine and funky waxy tones, some freshly pressed apple juice, light zesty notes of citrus fruit, a little bit of creamy oak along with a subtly reductive suggestion of smoke, a faint volatile hint of nail polish, a touch of honeyed richness and a whiff of banana marshmallow. The wine feels ripe yet surprisingly crisp, brisk and intense on the palate with a light-to-medium body and very focused flavors of freshly pressed apple juice and juicy nectarine, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of creamy oak and some buttery richness, light honeyed character, sauvage hints of waxy funk and nail polish VA and a touch of stony minerality. The bracing acidity lends a lot of structure and electric energy to the wine. The finish is brisk, dry and somewhat wild with a long, nuanced aftertaste of sharp lemony citrus fruits and tangy salinity, some leesy tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light honeyed nuances, a hint of ripe nectarine and a lifted touch of sweet nail polish VA.
A ripe and somewhat wild yet remarkably brisk, zippy and not at all natty Aligoté with an almost electric spine of brisk acidity. The wine shows lots of nuance, depth and intensity - all which are characteristics people typically don't associate with Aligoté. This is a very serious and impressive effort, really driving the point home how Chanterêves is one of the makers of single-vineyard Aligoté today. As the wine is quite wild and sauvage, it's somewhat hard to assess whether the wine will benefit from aging and improve with age, but it is pretty darn terrific right now. Superb, characterful stuff.
(93 points) - 2020 Domaine Chanterêves Bourgogne-Aligoté Mainbey - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (22.8.2023)
100% biodynamically farmed Aligoté from Mainbey, the biggest Chanterêves lieu-dit that consist of two parcels of Chardonnay and one parcel of Aligoté in the commune of Fussey, all planted in 1980. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 12 months in old 228-liter oak pièces and larger-format casks, then blended into stainless steel tanks with the fine lees. Bottled unfined, unfiltered and with minimal to no SO2 additions. 13,5% alcohol.
Pale, slightly hazy lime-green color. Ripe, sweet-toned and a bit wild nose with aromas of fresh peach and sweet Golden Delicious apple, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of lemon zest, light reductive notes of flint smoke, a hint of ripe gooseberry and a touch of exotic fruit. The wine feels ripe, broad and somewhat concentrated yet surprisingly crisp and incisive at the same time. The wine is medium-to-moderately full-bodied with vibrant flavors of peach and apple jam, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light tangy notes of salinity, oaky hints of coconut and vanilla and a primary touch of grapey fruit. The high acidity lends good sense of structure to the wine and keeps the wine brisk and refreshing despite its rather high ripeness. The finish is ripe yet crisp and refreshing with a long, somewhat sweet-toned aftertaste of peach and apple jam, some creamy oak notes, a little bit of cantaloupe and tart passion fruit, light saline mineral nuances, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a lifted touch of VA.
A rather impressive single-vineyard Aligoté that is still super young and at times almost primary with rather sweet and slightly grapey nuances. The oak does show a tiny bit, too. All in all, I'd say that the wine is quite impressive and maybe not as "natural" or sauvage as some Chanterêves wines, but at the same time quite ripe in its own way, making the wine feel still a bit awkward. The overall feel is very good, but I'd rather say it's promising than firing on all cylinders now. I'd let the wine age at least a few years more so that it would lose its most obvious primary fruit flavors and integrate what still remains of those oaky nuances. A fun and fine wine, good value at 30,90€.
(92 points) - 2020 Domaine Chanterêves Bourgogne-Aligoté Miarlons du bas - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (22.8.2023)
100% biodynamically farmed Aligoté from Miarlons du Bas, a vineyard in the commune of Fussey planted in 1980. This lieu-dit was the last one piacked at Chanterêves in 2020. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 12 months in old 228-liter oak pièces and larger-format casks, then blended into stainless steel tanks with the fine lees. Bottled unfined, unfiltered and with minimal to no SO2 additions. 13,5% alcohol.
Pale, slightly hazy lime-green color. The nose feels a bit closed and slightly reduced with aromas of fresh pineapple, some reductive notes of struck match, a little bit of leesy creaminess, light oaky nuances of vanilla and coconut flakes, a sharp hint of Granny Smith apple, a touch of plantain and a sauvage whiff of waxy funk. The wine feels surprisingly ripe and concentrated for an Aligoté with a moderately full body and somewhat wild flavors of tart green apple and pomelo-driven citrus fruits, some mineral notes of wet rocks and salinity, a little bit of fresh pineapple and plantain, light oaky nuances of vanilla and coconut, wild hints of waxy funk and lifted VA and a leesy touch of creaminess. The brisk and zippy acidity makes the wine feel crisp and structure, although the noticeable ripeness and somewhat wild and funky notes take a fine toll on the focus and freshness of the wine. The finish is crisp, long and a bit funky with a tangy aftertaste of ripe Granny Smith apple and lemony citrus fruit, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of leesy richness, light mineral notes of sharp salinity and wet rocks, wild hints of waxy funk and ethery VA and a touch of vanilla.
A nuanced and surprisingly substantial Aligoté where the combination of warm vintage and late harvest shows in the ripe, somewhat exotic fruit flavors and relatively big body of the wine. However, despite the ripeness, the wine is still very true to Aligoté with its brisk, structured acidity and zippy overall character. The overall feel is somewhat bigger than in other Chanterêves Aligotés, but still thoroughly impressive and enjoyable. If anything, the wine is still somewhat awkward and a bit all over the place - although the producer uses old oak barrels exclusively, there's still a tiny bit of sweet oak spice here that sticks out at times. I'd let the wine age for at least a few years more, just to let it settle down and integrate the flavors better together (and hopefully blow off that reduction). Good and promising stuff.
(91 points) - 2020 Domaine Chanterêves Bourgogne-Aligoté Les Chagniots - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (22.8.2023)
A single-vineyard Aligoté from an old 0,17-hectare parcel. Fermented with indigenous yeasts using a pied de cuve. Aged for 12 months in used oak barrels ranging from 228 to 600 liters in size. Bottled unfined, unfiltered and with minimal to no SO2 additions. 12,5% alcohol.
Pale and very slightly hazy straw-yellow color. The nose feels clean, ripe and juicy with youthful aromas of sweet Golden Delicious apple and nectarine, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of cantaloupe, light creamy notes of oak, a hint of banana and a touch of woody oak. The wine feels somewhat understated and delicate on the palate with a light-to-medium body and slightly restrained flavors of ripe golden apples, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of savory wood spice, light tropical notes of cantaloupe and borderline unripe banana, a hint of orange and a creamy touch of vanilla custard. The medium-plus acidity keeps the wine in balance, but feels lower than what I'd expect from an Aligoté. The finish is clean, somewhat crisp and a bit mellow with a moderately long aftertaste of lemony citrus fruit, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of cantaloupe, light creamy notes of oak, a hint of saline minerality and a touch of banana.
In the past, Les Chagniots has been a very lovely effort with great sense of intensity, freshness and depth of flavor. However, this 2020 was somewhat lighter, more restrained and even a bit thin compared to the other three 2020 Aligotés we tasted at the same time (Les Monts de Fussey, Mainbey and Miarlons du Bas). Conversely, this was a surprisingly clean and vibrant effort for a Chanterêves, too: typically these Chanterêves wines show some funky naturalist tones and can be somewhat reductive in their youth, whereas this wine was clean as a whistle, not showing any funky or lifted tones nor any reduction. But even if I do value purity of fruit and vibrant flavors, the comparatively light - even a bit diluted - flavor profile and somewhat lower acidity in this cuvée left a bit lukewarm impression. This vintage of Les Chagniots is a nice, enjoyable and balanced everyday Aligoté, but it lacks that special something I find in many Chanterêves wines.
(89 points) - 2020 Domaine Arlaud Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits (22.8.2023)
Bottled under the "Cyprien Arlaud" name. Made with organically farmed Pinot Noir grapes. Aged for 14 to 18 months in 228-liter French oak pièces. Bottled without fining or filtration. 12,5% alcohol.
Youthful, deep and dark cherry juice color with a faint blueish hue. The nose feels ripe, dark-toned and somewhat sweetly-fruited with somewhat sunny aromas of juicy black raspberries, some red plums, a little bit of sweet bilberry, light candied primary tones and a hint of savory spice. The overall feel is so fruity and primary that any obvious Pinosity is somewhat masked by the sweet fruit aromas. The wine feels ripe, focused and surprisingly intense with a medium body and bright, acid-driven flavors of fresh cranberries and tart lingonberries, some crunchy crowberry tones, a little bit of tart red plum, light gravelly mineral tones, a hint of brambly raspberry and a sweeter, primary touch of blueberry juice. The wine is noticeably high in acidity with supple, light and mellow tannins. The finish is long, dry and crunchy with a bright aftertaste of tart lingonberries and crunchy cranberries, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light crowberry nuances, a hint of fresh red plum and a touch of savory wood.
The nose didn't promise much - the wine felt like a generic, sunny and fruit-forward entry-level Pinot Noir with its sweet primary fruit aromas. However, on the palate you realized how much those fruity fermentation aromas masked away the true character of the wine; although this is a still very primary and thus somewhat awkward little wine, it shows remarkable freshness, intensity and purity on the palate with very fresh, focused and quite acid-driven fruit and lovely mineral undertones. At the moment the wine is still a bit all over the place, but despite the rather sunny vintage, this is anything but a lush, solar Pinot Noir. On the contrary, this is a wonderfully fresh, poised and surprisingly acid-driven effort with lots of vibrant red-fruited flavors and tons of upside. I'd let the wine wait at least a few years more, but most likely this wine will continue to age and improve harmoniously for at least another decade, if not more. Highly recommended.
(92 points) - 2020 Bruno Lorenzon Mercurey Le Chapitre - France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Mercurey (22.8.2023)
100% organically farmed Pinot Noir from a very densely-planted vineyard in Mercurey. Fermented spontaneously and macerated for 4 weeks with the skins. Aged for 13 months in oak barrels, a small part of which were new, then blended into tanks and aged for another 6 months. 13,5% alcohol.
Dark yet translucent, luminous and quite youthful ruby-red color. The nose feels youthful and rather dark-toned yet pretty attractive with aromas of brambly black raspberries and blueberries, some cherry tones, a little bit of savory spice, light floral notes of violets, a hint of peppery character and a candied primary touch of black Bassett's wine gums. The wine feels youthful, firm and very juicy on the palate with a medium body and vibrant, nuanced flavors of sweet black raspberries, black cherries and spicy Pinosity, some savory notes of meaty umami, light peppery tones, a little bit of tart lingonberry, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of earth. The overall feel is pretty structured, thanks to the high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is dry, crunchy and somewhat tannic with a long and quite intense aftertaste of tart lingonberries and brambly raspberries, some peppery tones, a little bit of spicy Pinosity, light stony mineral notes, a hint of chopped aromatic herbs and a touch of sweeter cherry-driven fruit.
A still very youthful but also very promising and wonderfully structure-driven Mercurey red. The overall feel is relatively ripe and quite dark-toned for a Pinot Noir, but the wine is still very true to the variety with its wonderfully fragrant and spicy notes of Pinosity and bright, refreshing acidity that acts as a perfect foil to the ripe, darker-toned fruit flavors. This is a lovely and super serious village-level Burgundy that is definitely punching above its weight - although the wine feels like it could really use at least a handful of years more, the wine is pretty delicious already now. However, if you're not in a hurry, I'd let the wine mature for another 5-10 years. Thrilling stuff, highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2018 Fanny Sabre Pommard - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard (22.8.2023)
Whole-bunch fermented spontaneously in stainless steel tanks or tronconical open-top oak fermentors, depending on the source. Macerated for 4-5 days with the skins, then pressed and moved into oak barrels to finish the fermentation. Aged for 16 months in 228-liter oak pièces, of which a small portion was new. 13% alcohol.
Rather pale, translucent and luminous blood-red color with a slightly evolved pomegranate hue and a wide, colorless rim. The nose feels a bit restrained and slightly sauvage with characterful aromas of brambly raspberries, wild strawberries and zesty, Campari-like notes of chinotto, some meaty tones, a little bit of cherry marmalade, light brooding notes of coniferous forest, a hint of allspice, a touch of stony minerality and a faint green-toned whiff of pickle relish. The wine feels ripe, silky and somewhat mellow on the palate with a medium body and somewhat sunny flavors of sweet black raspberries and juicy Bing cherries, some red licorice tones, a little bit of strawberry, light fragrant chinotto notes reminiscent of Campari, a hint of earthy spice and a touch of wood. The medium-plus acidity feels a bit soft, but it is sufficient enough to keep the wine in balance - however, most of the structure relies on the firm, moderately grippy medium tannins. The finish is juicy, moderately grippy and a bit soft with a ripe, sweetly-fruited aftertaste of strawberries and juicy raspberries, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of allspice, light earthy nuances, a wild hint of lifted character and a touch of fresh black cherry.
A pleasant and vibrant but also maybe a bit too soft Pommard that lacks some of that necessary acidity a wine this ripe really could use. The overall flavor profile shows good sense of vibrancy and the tannins are as firm as one can expect from a Pommard, but the solar vintage nevertheless shows in the modest acidity and noticeably ripe fruit flavors. I feel this could be a lovely wine in a cooler vintage, but this kind of very delicate and fruit-forward winemaking style doesn't really go that well together with warmer vintages, in which the lush fruit flavors are going to be to the fore in any case. I feel the wine can not just keep, but also evolve for years more, but I'm not sure if the wine is going to get qualitatively any better with further aging. As the wine is already pretty vibrant, nuanced and accessible, it is pretty much ready for business right now, and any further aging isn't going to help with the elevated sense of ripeness or modest acidity.
(89 points) - 1995 Louis Latour Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru (22.8.2023)
Labeled as "Maison Louis Latour", ie. made at least partly with purchased grapes. 13,5% alcohol.
Old, pale amber color. The nose feels noticeably old, somewhat stuffy and even a bit cheesy with aromas of bruised apple, some honeyed tones, a little bit of Brie cheese, light melted butter notes, oxidative hints of roasted nuts and rancio and a touch of toffee. The wine feels old, moderately oxidative and a bit tired on the palate with a rather full body and very tertiary flavors of nutty oxidation and rancio, some toffee, light sweet notes of dried apricots, a little bit of mushroomy funk, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of apple jam. The moderately high acidity lends pretty good sense of structure to the wine. The finish is old, tired and moderately oxidative with a long, tertiary aftertaste of salted nuts and caramel, some sweet notes of dried apricots, a little bit of mushroomy funk, light browned butter tones, a hint of wood and a touch of bruised apple.
This was quite past its peak, but apart from its somewhat cheesy and mushroomy notes, the wine was still quite enjoyable. The oxidative qualities have abolished the finer nuances and the wine tastes like just generic old white Burgundy, if not just anonymous old white wine. However, it is not entirely unpleasant. Drinkable, yes. Worth the price at approx. 50€? No. Leaving the wine unrated. - 1995 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru (22.8.2023)
14% alcohol.
Medium-deep yellow-green color; surprisingly youthful for the wine's age. The nose feels somewhat evolved yet still relatively youthful with attractive, somewhat smoky and very complex aromas of roasted nuts, some lemony notes of ripe citrus fruits, a little bit of candied ginger, light smoky nuances of struck flint and fireworks, and hint of woody spice and a creamy touch of panna cotta. On the palate the wine feels evolved yet not old, medium-bodied and concentrated by the age. There are very intense flavors of ripe Golden Delicious apple and fresh pineapple, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of developed nutty character, light mineral notes of salinity and incisive steely character, a sweeter hint of dried yellow fruit and a touch of browned butter. The bright, high acidity lends good sense of freshness, structure and focus to the wine. The finish is dry, zippy and moderately evolved with a long, complex aftertaste of tertiary nuttiness and saline minerality, some candied ginger tones, a little bit of bruised apple, light lemony notes of tart citrus fruits, a hint of browned butter and a sweeter touch of wizened yellow fruits.
I have never been the biggest fan of Louis Latour wines and I had no high expectations of this wine, but it managed to surprise me big time - although quite evolved, the wine turned out to be still surprisingly youthful, focused and energetic for its age, showing remarkable sense of freshness, structure and precision in addition to its more aged savory notes. This was a terrific old Corton-Charlie, but I'm not even sure if the wine was at its peak yet! Although the wine was immensely enjoyable now, I got a feeling there was still a little bit of potential for further evolution here. As long as the bottle is in great shape and not prematurely evolved, this is top-notch stuff. Super value at approx. 90€.
(95 points) - 1995 Louis Jadot Corton-Charlemagne Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru (22.8.2023)
13,5% alcohol.
Medium-deep burnished golden yellow color. The nose feels evolved, ripe and sweet-toned with complex aromas of acacia honey and bruised apple, some browned butter tones, light smoky nuances, a little bit of creamy custard, a hint of nutty wood and a touch of dried apricot. Enormously attractive overall feel with so many intermingling nuances! The wine feels evolved yet not old but very harmonious and complex on the palate with a rather full body and nuanced, layered flavors of wizened apricots and creamy oak, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of toasty and smoky character, light browned butter nuances, a hint of dried exotic fruits and a mineral touch of tangy salinity. The mouthfeel is rich, concentrated and somewhat viscous, yet the wine comes across as pretty precise and structured, thanks to the high acidity. The finish is long, rich and complex with a layered aftertaste of developed nuttiness and toasty complexity, some salted lemon notes, a little bit of bruised Granny Smith apple, light dried apricot tones, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of stony minerality.
A fantastic and classically styled Corton-Charlie at its peak. Although the wine is not showing any signs of immediate decline, I don't feel the wine is going to benefit from any additional aging. This is as good as it gets - and fortunately that's pretty darn good. An excellent old white Burgundy. Great value at approx. 90€.
(97 points) - 2007 Domaine Jean-Marc / Thomas Bouley Volnay 1er Cru Les Carelles - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru (22.8.2023)
100% Pinot Noir from the 1er Cru vineyard Carelle Sous La Chapelle. Fermented and macerated with the skins for three weeks in open-top fermentors. Aged for 20 months in 228-liter oak pièces, of which one third are renewed annually. 13% alcohol.
Quite translucent yet moderately dark cherry-red color with a maroon, developed dried-blood hue. The nose feels sweetish and somewhat evolved with a bit dark-toned aromas of black cherries and cherry marmalade, some meaty tones, a little bit of boysenberry, light balsamic notes of VA, a hint of salty liquorice, a touch of ripe strawberry and a whiff of sous-bois. The wine feels silky smooth, harmonious and somewhat evolved on the palate with a medium body and savory flavors of crunchy cranberries and brambly raspberries, some strawberry tones, a little bit of wizened dark fruit, light balsamic notes of VA, a hint of gravelly minerality and a touch of tobacco. The wine retains quite impressive (and, for a Volnay, surprisingly tightly-knit) structure with its high acidity and still moderately ample and grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, savory and moderately grippy with a quite dry and a bit evolved aftertaste of ripe raspberries, some tart cranberries, a little bit of balsamic VA, light wild strawberry tones, sweeter hints of cherry marmalade and dried dark fruits and an earthy touch of forest floor.
A sophisticated, tasty and attractive Volnay that has evolved gracefully and is now, at the age of 16 years, in a pretty lovely spot. The wine doesn't feel particularly old, but it definitely shows some age and isn't young anymore in any way. I guess this wine can be kept for many more years and most likely it will continue to evolve, but for me, this is in a very enjoyable and thoroughly drinkable phase right now. Fine stuff, highly recommended.
(92 points) - 1997 Moillard Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (22.8.2023)
13,5% alcohol.
Deep, luminous and still surprisingly youthful blackish cherry-red color. Contrasting the vibrant color of the wine, the nose feels rather aged and tertiary with savory aromas of meat stew and soy sauce, some crunchy cranberries, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light autumnal notes of damp leaves, a hint of crushed lingonberries, a touch of salty liquorice powder and a pungent whiff of rancio. The wine feels aged, savory and somewhat concentrated on the palate with a rather full body and intense, quite tertiary flavors of tart lingonberries and crunchy crowberries, some earthy tones, a little bit of licorice root, light salty notes of soy sauce and beef jerky, a hint of smoke and a touch of meat consommé. The overall feel is rather stern and tightly-knit, thanks to the high acidity and still rather assertive, grippy tannins. The finish is long, dry and quite tannic with an evolved, savory aftertaste of beef jerky and soy sauce, some crunchy cranberry tones, a little bit of crowberry, light salty liquorice tones, a hint of sous-bois and a touch of meat stew.
A stern, muscular and quite extracted Clos de Vougeot where the fruit hasn't survived as long as the structure. The wine is still pretty drinkable and it does show quite a bit of aged complexity, but the overall feel is nevertheless quite tertiary and the first oxidative signs of soy sauce and beef jerky have set in, too. The somewhat rough and rustic tannins, however, show relatively little resolution and could probably need another decade or two before they would start to soften up - and it's obvious that the fruit department won't survive for that long. I'd say it is better to drink this wine sooner rather than later, but also best to pair it with something that can tame its rather tough and assertive structure. All in all, this was a nice, aged Burgundy, but not really what you'd expect from a 25-yo Grand Cru - this might've been a more impressive wine back when the fruit was just evolved but not yet turning oxidative and this tertiary.
(90 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
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