2015 VS 2016 RED BURGUNDIES - (30/8/2024)
Wanted to do a vintage comparison for either '15/'16 or '09/'10, went for the former to be more accessible (for others to source) but probably was a mistake since most of the wines were clearly not ready.
Nonetheless, the tasting confirmed that '15 and '16 were top vintages; all the wines had a solar note but were well-balanced compared to post-18s. Clearly excellent matière, just that they need a lot more time so would drink the surrounding vintages before broaching any more of these two vintages in my cellar.
- 2018 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d’Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d’Abruzzo
Worrying golden colour for a young wine. Not as fresh as I would’ve liked (compared to Valentini’s rendition), a little flabby with honey notes. Guessed Loire SB. (90 pts.) - 2019 Steve Bettschen Arvine phusis Arvine Vieilles Vignes sur Falaise - Switzerland, Valais
Guessed Jura Chard. A little woolly with tropical fruit, fresh and pleasurable. (91 pts.) - 2015 Michel Magnien Chambolle-Musigny Aux Argillières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny
Very pretty red fruit at first but oak became more prominent and the wine turned darker with air. Guessed top maker at first but after it evolved I said it must be one of the Magnien Gevreys that uses too much new oak - close enough. (90 pts.) - 2016 Faiveley Corton-Clos des Cortons Faiveley - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Ripe and candied, but structured at the same time. Rather closed, not the most cohesive showing but very good potential. (92 pts.) - 2015 Arnaud Ente Bourgogne - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne
My contribution. Opened three hours before dinner, and continued improving over the course of dinner. Light, pretty new-school style with stem use. A crowd favourite but I would have liked more structure. Excellent Bourgogne nonetheless but an eye-catching price. (92 pts.) - 2016 Domaine Dujac Morey St. Denis - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis
Brought for a friend. Similar impressions to the bottle at the end of last year, preferred this to the Ente Bourgogne alongside. Delicate, but serious dark red fruit; superb balance and showed the vintage characteristic well. (93 pts.) - 2015 Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay 1er Cru Les Mitans - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Brought for a friend. Glorious, perfumed nose, agree with previous notes that this had a distinct minerality and purity to the fruit. Slightly rustic tannins that belied its Volnay origins. Approachable now but also has the potential to be a long-ager. (93 pts.) - 2016 Hubert Lignier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Baudes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
Brought for a friend, this was less open than previous notes suggested. Perfumed Chambolle nose but palate was more masculine with spicy cherry and blueberry fruit. Needs a lot more time, I find young Ligniers have powdery tannins that need time to soften. (92 pts.) - 2016 Domaine Drouhin-Laroze Chambertin-Clos de Bèze - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Clearly Gevrey but thought top 1er cru like CSJ. Loved the traditional feel to this wine, quite surprised at how restrained and the high acidity for a 2016. Not the most showy wine but then again I lean towards understated, iron fist in velvet glove sort of wines. My favourite of the night. (94 pts.) - 2015 Henri Magnien Ruchottes-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Others liked this more than the '16 Drouhin-Laroze CdB but felt this was a little too polished and dark-fruited for me. Clearly GC depth though, just dominated by wood at the moment. (92 pts.) - 2016 Domaine Marquis d’Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
More sweet red fruit and polished than the Lafarge, but had a deeper structure. Excellent potential but needs a lot more time, quite brooding at the moment. (92 pts.) - 2015 Dominique Laurent Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaumonts Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Modern, jammy and extracted; heavy-handed winemaking that made this not very Vosne-like. This producer really needs a minimum of 20 years for wines to integrate. (90 pts.) - 2016 Dominique Laurent Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Similarly over-extracted and heavy-handed as the 2015 Vosne from the same producer that came before, but this had a serious brett problem. NR (flawed) - 2016 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Volnay 1er Cru Santenots-Du-Milieu - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Masculine with powerful black fruit, unsurprisingly nowhere close to being ready. But interestingly this was more old-school in style compared to the '19 I had earlier this year which was less extracted and made in a post-modern style. (90 pts.)
Very lucky to have generous friends who shared these bottles over great food and company. I loved the Rousseau (fortunate that it showed well but unfortunate that I won’t be able to attain it), and the ‘00 Dujac (in the minority here).
- 2012 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut Rosé - France, Champagne
Brought as an aperitif to start. Very pretty, pale pink colour. Slightly muted at first but improved tremendously with air as it gained precision. Fresh, filigreed strawberry fruit, good balance between the warm vintage and the steeliness of Cristal. Superb verve and tension, but I do think the 2013 that I had last year edged this. (94 pts.) - 1996 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
The centrepiece wine and it lived up to expectations. Slightly worried at first as it wasn’t showing much, but when we revisited it had clearly pulled ahead of the pack. Perfumed, floral nose with sweet toffee notes, so delicate and beautiful on both the nose and the palate. I look out for texture in wines and this was absolutely it, so sensual and seamless; the tea-like tannins reminded me stylistically of Giacosa. Truly grateful to have tasted this. (96 pts.) - 2000 Domaine Dujac Clos St. Denis - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos St. Denis Grand Cru
A bit ho-hum at first, was worried it might be a litte over-the-hill but I fell in love when I revisited this. Classic, old-school Burgundy with lots of character; sweet stemmy fruit that was also plush and spicy. I do agree with some flaws that others raised - a little over-ripe, some rough tannins etc, but this had the magic that puts a smile on your face when drinking it. A sensational wine but I was in the minority. (95 pts.) - 2007 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Bonnes Mares - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Supremely floral and sensual nose, not surprising this had the best nose of the night. Palate was a little more challenging for me, rather masculine and coiled up but when it flitted towards opening up this was an absolute beauty. Texture was pure silk, but unfortunately the pretty red fruit never fully unveiled itself. Agree with Burgnick’s comment that this was more BM than Mugnier. Conservative score but definitely 97+ potential. (94 pts.) - 2013 Domaine Duroché Chambertin-Clos de Bèze - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
My contribution, opened two hours before dinner. Slightly lean at first but fleshed out over the course of dinner, definitely a wine for classic Burgundy lovers that don’t mind acidity. A distracting mint note emerged but thankfully disappeared quickly. Texturally I thought it didn’t match the more esteemed makers at first but the last glass was ethereal and complete. A more feminine expression of CdB that I loved. (94 pts.) - 2014 Domaine Dujac Echezeaux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru
Explosive, sensual nose and an equally seductive palate. Rich, dark and spicy fruit, agree that it became more closed over dinner. Others liked this a lot but this was a little too dense for me despite its evident quality, lacked the ethereal nature of the other wines in the line-up. Stylistically this was also a little too masculine for me, compared to the incredibly pretty, red-fruited '08 CDLR that I had last year. (93 pts.)
