TN: Cristal, FG, Brun, Ygay, Burlotto, Produttori

WINE TALK
1

2006 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut - France, Champagne (7/10/2023)
I liked this but did not love it. Seemed to lack crispness and focus. Rich fruit, almost honeyed, with bruised apple. If the acidity perks up, this could be great. Others liked this more than I did.

2014 Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru (7/10/2023)
Fantastic wine! Complex, focused fruit, deep and energetic. Richness without fatigue. No mistaking this as anything but grand cru. Just singing after an hour. When they’re good, man are they good!

2009 Domaine des Terres Dorées (Jean-Paul Brun) Moulin-à-Vent - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Moulin-à-Vent (7/10/2023)
What a delightful and delicious bottle of MaV. This needed about 30 min of bottle decanting to really start popping. And pop it did. Crunchy red Pinotesque fruit framed by taut acidity. Very fresh and punchy. Served with roast pork done in a sweet Chinese style. Perfect pairing. Have two more bottles to consume in the next few years.

1986 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Ygay Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (7/10/2023)
This was just beautiful right out of the gate. Mature, complex, lithe and long. A beautiful mature Rioja, very ready to drink.

2012 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (7/10/2023)
Pop’n’pour. Very tight, barely budging over the 2 hrs we drank it. Trademark old school barolo with tea, leather, crushed flowers and dried red fruits. Well structured with firm yet not overbearing tannins and lifting acidity. Long on the finish with some depth. This is quite good. Give it 10 more years with many years of enjoyment to follow.

2017 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (7/10/2023)
My first time with the ‘17. This was terrific! Unmistakably Nebbiolo. While the fruit is very primary, a few years of cellaring should produce more complexity. Such a complete wine with every component in balance. A great future and just wonderful qpr here.

4 Likes
2

Super lineup and great notes!

Way to go giving this a number of years. That’s the one thing I kick myself about with cru Beaujolais… I always drink them too young! I had an old Château des Jacques a number of years ago that opened my eyes to how Bojo can age but even with that positive experience, I tend to drink them early.

I checked, and other than some 2010 Coudert I picked up at auction recently, my oldest bottles bought on release are 1 Lapierre Morgon from 2014 and then it’s all 2016 onwards. I’ll try to show restraint and thanks for reminding me.

2 Likes
3

Great lineup. Too bad about the Cristal.

4

Gregg, I share your antipathy for 2006 Cristal. Tied with a few others for weakest Cristal of this millennium.

5

Regarding the Cristal, I was in the minority among three others. I just feel, in weaker vintages, great domaines make great wines. I have not tasted many ‘06 champagnes so I don’t know the consensus. Perhaps, this bottle was not representative? I have certainly enjoyed great bottles in the past.