TNs: A Good Saturday: Mostly Burgundy: Niellon, Lafon, Jadot, HN, Le Moine, Mugnier, Patty Green, Trimbach...

[Dennis_Atick]

We got together some of the usual berserker suspects and a couple new friends for a real nice Saturday evening. Good people and a lot of really nice wine. We’ve been on a hot streak lately with wines showing well when we get together. I tried to jot down some notes throughout the night. I missed some of the wines as the night wore on as we had more than a few bottles open.
Thanks to all for a good time and good wines.

A GOOD SATURDAY: MOSTLY BURGUNDY - Decatur, GA (8/22/2021)

[*]2015 J-M Seleque Champagne Soliste Infusion Meunier Rose Extra Brut - France, Champagne
Excellent stuff. Vinuous. Herbal and wild with rhubarb and meaty/yeasty flavors and a long penetrating finish. A great Rose with bubbles.

• 2016 Domaine Michel Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champs-Gain - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
  Can’t ask for much more at this level white Burgundy. Really excellent. Hints of smoke/matchstick on the nose. Clean white fruit and green apple with minerality for days. Oily texture that coats the palate. Terrific. Youthful.
• 2015 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
  Maybe not showing it’s best self on this night. It was good, no doubt, but felt a bit tight and not quite fully expressive. Felt rather big-boned and modern. Preferred the Niellon that followed.
• 1998 Domaine Guillemot-Michel Mâcon-Villages Quintaine - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Mâcon-Villages
  Interesting treat to try this at 23 yrs. Deep golden color. Boytritis. Almost an aged Chenin character to me. Honey. Baked apple. Cool wine.

We did the following 6 wines blind in flights of two. Always educational and fun to taste blind.

• 2002 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
  Blind…Hints of stem/smoky herbal and iron thing on the nose. Integrated, mature. Mostly silky palate. Still coming on with waves of red fruit and spice as it sat in the glass. Very good.
• 2000 Alain Hudelot-Noellat Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Murgers - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
  Blind. Darker red in the glass. Evolved and mature. Some guesses of 15 year old Chambolle. Tart red fruit. Hints of mint and herbal notes.
• 2011 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Maréchale - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
  Blind…Very pretty nose. Burgundy. Tea, spice, stems. So fragrant. Youthful, but elegant. Beautiful wine. Why people chase Burgundy. Brilliant in a not brilliant vintage.
• 2010 Lucien Le Moine Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
  Blind…we have a winner. Awesome. Lovely, clean, pure, precise. Balanced. Tea and spice and silky fruit and just on and on. Yes!
• 2017 Pierre Cotton Côte de Brouilly Les Grillés - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Côte de Brouilly
  Blind…a ringer with the Burgundies this is clearly more natty, more earthy, some menthol and candied red fruit. Seemed like gamay. Young.
• 2008 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Estate Old Vine Ribbon Ridge - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge
  Blind…slightly funky, reductive nose. Shows a good bit of tart red fruit and lively acidity. Minerality. Straddles new/old world. Outclassed a bit by the Mugnier next to it, but drinking well and should drink for some time still.
  
  
  
• 1989 Trimbach Pinot Gris Sélection de Grains Nobles - France, Alsace
  Last bottle after a long evening of wine. This is what I wrote: Wow. Just wow. Great freaking wine. Still so full of life and acid and lift. Amazing. Thanks, Mike!

Posted from CellarTracker

[dcornutt]

Nice job guys! Some interesting wines.

[bradkaplan]

Some really fantastic wines.

The Seleque Infusion Meunier was a treat, a producer I’ve never had and an unusual (and delicious and complex) take on rose champagne. I was tempted to go out and buy a bottle today.
The 98 Macon was indeed very similar to an older coteaux du layon, aged gouda notes, honeyed on the nose but not at all overly sweet or syrupy, some fascinating fruit and herb notes that were hard to pin down.
And the Trimbach pinot gris was a show stopper to end the night. I don’t get enough Alsace, and am consistently thankful when I do.

As for the burgundies, the Niellon chassagne was gorgeous, plentiful flintiness but well in balance with the florals and fruit. It was up there for wine of the night honors in my book.
My memories blur a bit on the blind reds, but the 02 Clos St Jacques and 10 Le Moine Chambolle were in especially beautiful shape. And the 11 Mugnier surpassed my expectations, no sign of a “lesser” vintage at all. Also glad the Cotton showed well and that the table was able to peg it pretty closely as a natty-leaning cru boo (though I don’t think we had any Cote de Brouilly guesses). Most of the reds worked very well alongside the leg of lamb that our host (who makes an appearance as a cyclops in the photo you posted!) cooked perfectly : ) including the gamay.

[Dennis_Atick]

Some really fantastic wines.

My memories blur a bit on the blind reds,

Ha. Me too. Hoping I attributed the correct notes to the specific wines
Pretty sure that Mugnier and Le Moine were tops.

[Mike_Evans]

I’m both impressed by and appreciative of your consistent ability to produce quality notes from wines consumed in a social setting. It was a memorable night of food and wine but the real highlight was meeting some great new people.

[Richard_T_r_i_m_p_i]

Thanks for sharing Dennis. Some lovely wines…and very stiff competition for that poor Patty Green. Would’ve been interesting if the Bojo had more age. I’ve got a bias for Chamonard which can do a pinotter thing about 10+ years in.

RT

[Doug_Lee]

Dennis,

Great write-up on some excellent wines. I’ve sampled the 2011 Mugnier Marechale a couple of times and agree with your assessment. Love those unexpected surprises (to the upside) from unheralded vintages.

Cheers.
Doug

[Dennis_Atick]

Thanks for sharing Dennis. Some lovely wines…and very stiff competition for that poor Patty Green. Would’ve been interesting if the Bojo had more age. I’ve got a bias for Chamonard which can do a pinotter thing about 10+ years in.

RT

Thanks, Richard. It is often unforgiving to pit very good wines against great wines, or other very good wines. Any of the Pinots would be a stellar bottle to make any night/meal special. The Patty Green included.

Dennis,

Great write-up on some excellent wines. I’ve sampled the 2011 Mugnier Marechale a couple of times and agree with your assessment. Love those unexpected surprises (to the upside) from unheralded vintages.

Cheers.
Doug

Thanks, Doug. The Pinots did some right up your alley. And one can never go too wrong with Mugnier

[Dennis_Atick]

I’m both impressed by and appreciative of your consistent ability to produce quality notes from wines consumed in a social setting. It was a memorable night of food and wine but the real highlight was meeting some great new people.

I’m the anti-social guy in the corner on his phone As always, it’s some of my thoughts and the collective wisdom of the group. Like you calling pet nat and Brad pegging the rhubarb on the Champagne. Good times.
And +1 on a good crowd and some nice additions to the group.