Over the weekend, had a marvelous time at a tasting with Peter Weygandt, who’s got a precisely keen palate and is extremely articulate. It was a real treat to taste with him. All these were tasted with him, save for the two Rousseaus, which were tasted later, but I include them here since they’re in the same ballpark.
2007 Cecile Tremblay Chapelle-Chambertin- France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru (11/17/2010)
Light red color. A silky, floral bouquet that trumps the lovely red and black cherry fruit. This is a really expressive wine. And it’s like a ghost or a vivid dream on the palate – you know it’s there, but then you wake up and are left with only the memory, it glides down so easily. The red and black cherry fruit is so pure and seductive, you almost overlook the endearing violet, spice, and mineral notes. A stunning finish that just carries on the perfect balance of the wine. A
2006 Domaine des Lambrays Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets- France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru (11/13/2010)
Slightly herbal edge on the nose blew off with air. Fairly rich apple and pear notes, with some more overt oak on the nose. In the mouth, concentrated and viscous, with a tart edge added to the fruit profile. Brightly acidic, with a long finish that shows more oak. Grew on me as it opened up and warmed a touch. A-
2007 Bernard Dugat-Py Charmes-Chambertin- France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru (11/13/2010)
Dark black cherry color. Lightly smokey, with a touch of vanilla, on the brooding, powerful nose. It is cloaked in minerals and intoxicating, with gorgeous red and black cherry notes. Structured and masculine in the mouth, vibrant and explosive, with beautiful red and black cherry fruit, iron, spice, flowers, and powerful tannins. There is big acidity along the backbone, too. This needs significant bottle age. A-
2007 Bernard Dugat-Py Gevrey-Chambertin Coeur de Roy- France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin (11/13/2010)
This is right up my alley. Pure, clean nose of red and black cherry, spice, earth, and flowers. In the mouth, powerful, focused, and intense, but with a silky, almost juicy sensibility because of the pure, delightful cherry fruit. Complex and structured, this is just waiting for the acidity to smooth out a bit and the tannins to melt away to reveal its true glories. A-/A
2007 Bernard Dugat-Py Vosne-Romanée Vieilles Vignes- France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée (11/13/2010)
Mineral-laden nose of cherry stone, black cherry, and violet. In the mouth, earth and herb notes up front, with mineral-wrapped black cherry fruit. There is real power lurking beneath the tannic structure, but the mouth feel is endearing regardless. The purity of fruit and vibrant minerality makes for a terrific wine. A-
2007 Cecile Tremblay Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Feusselottes- France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru (11/13/2010)
Light red cherry color, with a very spicy nose, floral notes, and perfumed red cherry fruit. In the mouth, focused and caressing, with smooth cherry fruit. The mouth feel is feminine in style, but the complexity is masculine – with iron and minerals and rich earth. Long finish. A-
2007 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques- France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (11/13/2010)
Glorious wine. Light red cherry color. Stunning nose of the purest red cherry, flowers, and gentle spice. In the mouth, slinky and caressing, with incredible balance and femininity. The red cherry is so pure and delightful, it is hard to get past it. A very complete wine, with its floral and spice notes, this is just fantastic. A
2007 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers- France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (11/13/2010)
More rustic than the Clos st.-Jacques at this stage. Slightly darker cherry color. Feminine, with a floral and red cherry bouquet. On the palate, every-so-slightly disjointed – likely just in comparison to the Clos St.-Jacques – with pretty cherry fruit, spice, earth, and floral notes. Bright acidity. Strong finish. A-
2007 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays- France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru (11/13/2010)
Light red color. Exotic, spicy nose, with herbs, flowers, and sappy black cherry. This wine saw 100% whole cluster, but you would never know it except for a very light herbal note on the nose. Slightly smokey edget o the palate, with sappy texture and pure, delightful black cherry. Amazingly smooth, with a strikingly feminine mouth feel to go with a more masculine bouquet. Plenty of earth and hints of spice. Long finish. A-/A
2007 Domaine Rémi Jobard Meursault En Luraule- France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault (11/13/2010)
This is racy and outstanding. Very light yellow color, more just a kiss of yellow hue to the wine. Rocky, mineral-laden bouquet with zesty citrus and apple on the nose. In the mouth, vibrant and zingy, with a lime edge to the apple fruit. Bracing acidity and a lingering, mouth-watering finish. Terrific. A-
2007 Remi Jobard-Chabloz Corton-Charlemagne- France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru (11/13/2010)
Magnificent quality here. Light yellow color. A fruit- and mineral-driven bouquet gives way to stunningly weightless power on the palate, which is juicy and integrated. Green and red apple lead the way, with a round but linear mouth feel, terrific powerful, potent acidity and minerality, and a bare hint of oak on the finish. Concentrated and delightful. A
2007 Serafin Père et Fils Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Baudes- France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru (11/13/2010)
Spicy oak on the nose – betraying the 100% new wood this wine sees, but it’s not overdone just more noticeable – with brilliant red cherry fruit. In the mouth, velvety and linear, with gorgeous red cherry expression. The oak disappears on the palate, allowing baking spice to complement the fruit and the long finish and fine tannins to carry the wine to a happy completeness. A-
2007 Serafin Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Corbeaux- France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (11/13/2010)
Warmer, richer bouquet, with a floral, earthy, and black cherry profile. In the mouth, cherry and cherry stone mingle with warm spice. Earth and mineral notes spike the bright acidity. Quite tannic on the finish. A-
Nice notes Tom- you could have opened the Rousseaus for Peter, as he is a huge fan of the estate. In fact, the first time I ever visited Domaine Rousseau, it was tagging along on one of Peter’s appointments in the late '80s. 2007 is a beautiful vintage for red Burgundy (and of course, even better for the whites!) and my gut instinct that this vintage will likely be placed in the same niche in the marketplace as the 2000 red Burgundy vintage- i.e. snapped up by savvy Burgundy lovers for mid-term drinking and largely ignored by eveyrone else in the shadow of the 2009s. Am I correct in assuming that Peter is now representing the Serafin wines in the US- based on the inclusion of notes on some of their 2007s in the lineup?
first Serafin that rocked me was the 96 Charmes. I’ve read that the 96 Gevrey VV is awesome, too. I’ve been buying on and off since 96, but haven’t tasted more recent vintages yet.
alan
Thanks for the insight, John. Couldn’t agree with you more, too, on the assessment of 2007. They’re such pretty wines … I think Peter may have had a chance to taste the Rousseaus. They were at a larger tasting following his lineup. The Serafin wines indeed are his now. Just a great lineup. Not a weak not in the bunch.
I have only had a few of Cecile Tremblay’s wines (most when she visited Peter Weygandt’s store) but I was very impressed and now have a bunch aging in my wine cellar. I think she is a coming star from what I have tasted.
I have only had the 05 and 06 Tremblay Vosne VV and thought they were great. I was told she was the niece of Henri Jayer and inherited some of his vineyards. Can anyone add to this ?
Tom - what was the consensus opinion of the Burg 07 vintage in general? sleeper vintage? early drinker? Depending on which shop I go to I get everything from “horrid” to “awesome”…
Rob – I’ve been a fan of the 2007s I’ve drunk. They are quite open and have lovely mouth feels at this stage. Peter I thought hit the nail on the head – 2007 will be like 2001. A vintage overlooked because it preceded a really highly regarded year (2009 in this instance), but they are going to be really beautiful wines to drink while you wait for those 09s to age. An overlooked vintage that Burgundy enthusiasts can exploit.
I really enjoyed the few 07s I’ve had, but the main reason I can’t say they are like the 00s or 01s is that those two vintages were very, very well priced, whereas the 07 pricing seems more like the 06 plus a little.
Of course, the puny dollar may be he culprit here.
Cécile Tremblay is indeed related to Henri Jayer (I believe that he was her great-uncle, but I am not 100% positive on this), but she did not inherit any of his vineyards. Her family does own a touch more than three hectares of parcels in fine vineyards, but these are leased out under a mettayage agreement and Cécile will not regain access to them for many, many years. The Tremblay family does have a very well-placed parcel of Clos Vougeot amongst their holdings that are currently leased out, but beyond this, I am not sure what else they own. I am not certain if Cécile owns or rents the parcels that she produces wines from today (Vosne AC, Vosne “Rouge Dessus”, Vosne “Beaumonts”, Chambolle “Feusselottes”, Echézeaux and Chapelle-Chambertin), but I heartily concur with Howard and others here who have mentioned how superb her wines are- complex, perfumed and extremely elegant, with great intensity of flavor, beautiful vibrancy and stunning expressions of their underlying terroir. Great wines.
Thanks John. I had a feeling you would have the info. I’ve been considering adding her wines to my list of producers I collect. Not that I need another.
Tom, I popped the '01 Rousseau CSJ this past weekend. What a glorious wine - WOTN. We had Bertheau’s '06 Amoreuses and an '06 Bruno Clair Clos de Beze and a G. Rinaldi '06 Brunate/Le Coste. Was quite unfair, but the Rousseau just had that bit of extra clarity, precision, mouthfeel, floral notes. Went wonderfully with a roasted chicken with coq au vin sauce.
![[scratch.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/4/42a16863a8714da3c1604419e3eb9206bb87aa50.gif "scratch"){kind=small}
![[wink.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/04707e6a7bbb03e0153e349d8a9270d30e1e9525.gif "wink"){kind=small}
Thanks for the notes.