TNs: "Clos and Clos": The OC Does Les Clos and Clos St Jacques

WINE TALK
21

Great report, Frank. I’m with Mike on the '01 Fourrier CSJ in that I think it is bottle variation rather than just a phase of the wine on its journey through time. When the reports of oxidized, tired, advanced bottles began to surface perhaps 3 or 4 years ago, I had 3 bottles of this wine. I fast-tracked all of them. I was lucky. My first bot (January 2008) was stellar, a true grand cru experience. My second (May 2010) was a bit off that result, but still I rated it Outstanding. And the third of my bottles (June 2011) was just like the first. So I was lucky, but meanwhile there were many reports from folks I know pretty well with very poor experiences.

22

Is 2001 only good for Fourrier or for all Clos St Jacques? In particular Jadot CSJ?

23

How about a Ruchottes and Ruchottes tasting?

24

That will be dinner #3, and you will be bringing one of each [drinkers.gif] [wink.gif]


25

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Frankie’s notes are spot on. Both Fourriers were fantastic as were the older Dauvissats.

26

Done and done. An 03roulot charmes and 04 bachelet charmes are in you future :wink:

27

if you bring that what will dr. Wu bring!?

We should do that tho. Yum.

28

I was not aware of the Fourrier 01 issues so I can understand the frustration for those who found flaws and variation in some of their bottles, the VA. I simply approached that wine blindly with no backstory and found a superb expression of burgundy, repeated again in the 2006.

For the Ruchottes 1er in Chassagne, where does this climat stack up with respect to this commune’s other 1ers? I’ve drank a handful of C-M stuff but not enough to have context as to where Ruchottes fits. Looks like it’s higher up on the slope so…

29

I tend to think of Fevre below Raveneau and Dauvissat, but when I’ve tasted all three blind together, it’s much closer than I think. Don Cornwell has organized a series of premox dinners every year to check in on various vintages. One usually focuses on Chablis. It’s single blind and he collects the attendees top wines, all of whom are experienced Burg drinkers. The Fevres usually show at least as well as the Dauvissats and some are up there with the Raveneaus. So when drinking blind, I tend to like the Fevres more than I think I do.

The Henri Boillot whites can be really brilliant, big fan here, some of those are definitely toe curlers for me. This includes drinking them blind. Several years ago I went to a dinner where we did '01 whites mostly single blind. All grand cru stuff. Then we did a double blind (for most of us) flight that ended up being Ramonet Montrachet, Coche Perrieres (the one 1er of the night) and Boillot Corton Charlemagne. The Boillot not only held it’s own, but many of us (including me) thought it was a Montrachet.

So when I really test myself blind, Fevre doesn’t quite wow me like Raveneau, but it’s definitely in the discussion and the Boillot whites (not so much the reds) are up there with the best for me as well.

Cheers,
-Robert

30

Thanks, Robert. Great insight on Fevre/Dauvissat.

31

I’ve had two bad Fourrier 01s-a CSJ that was completely muted rather than VA riddled and a village VV that was oxidised(incidentally bottled with one of the ‘non-suspect’ corks), but several dozen that were in fine condition, and every bottle from the vintage showed well at a London dinner a couple of weeks ago.

32

Tom, if the '01 Fourrier wines just had a grumpy stage and then recover, don’t tell Mike de Lange… he might go postal or something…

33

I will shed a tear or two for sure, if thats how it pans out! However, at a friend’s house earlier this week, a Clos Sorbés 2001 was again rather volatile; even to the extent of muting the fruit. I’m still nowhere near convinced despite all the good reports.