TNs: Grands Echezeaux and other great wines

WINE TALK
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A group of us met at Cornerstone Restaurant to enjoy some beautiful wines. The food was fantastic, the wines all showed well, and the company was the best.

Champagne Flight:

2005 Cristal (en magnum)

This was fresh as a daisy, and tasted like a brand new release. White flowers, lemon zest, and lightly toasted brioche on the nose, with more citrus and stone fruits on the palate and a super long finish. This was great.

2005 Bereche La Cran

This had very interesting oxidative notes as well as some fruit, with a sherried, savory finish with some beef bouillon and slate. Very fun comparison with the Cristal which was much fresher in mag.

White flight:

2020 Beaux Freres Chardonnay

Lovely fresh Chardonnay, with beautiful stone fruits, crisp acidity, and some exotic tropical fruits on the finish. This was drinking very well.

2021 Keller Kirschpiel GG

A hint of petrol on a somewhat otherwise shy nose. This did open up a bit and blossomed into a lovely wine that paired nicely with the crab cakes.

2013 Boillot Puligny Montrachet Clos de la Mouchere

Stunning, with struck match on the nose, super fresh explosive white peach aromatics, intense palate presence with great acidity and grand cru weight, and a superb finish. I love this wine when it’s sound, and this bottle was fantastic.

Interlude:

2023 Tempier Bandol Rose

A bit more clean than past versions, but still lovely and a good transition to the reds.

GE Flight 1:

2002 Gros Frere Grands Echezeaux

Absolutely stunning aromatics, similar to those from the 07s we had last year, but this wine had quite a bit more structure and fruit than the 2007 Echezeaux, quite a bit burlier wine, without quite as much elegance/litheness. It had some dark currants and some 5 spice on the nose, crisp acidity, and a long finish. It didn’t quite have the extra gear of the 07 Richebourg, but overall this was a great showing, perhaps my favorite of the GEs today.

2008 Mongeard Mugneret Grands Echezeaux

Opened about 4 hours before serving. This was a bit flawed, perhaps heat damaged, and was a bit turbid, but still had some lovely red cranberries on the nose and palate. With some air and time it did end up drinking better. Sad, would likely have been fantastic if not flawed.

2009 Joseph Drouhin Grands Echezeaux

Opened about 4 hours before serving. This had less spice, and more beautiful red and dark fruits on the nose, with intense fruit on the palate and significant structure. The finish was pretty and long. This likely needs a bit more time, but may have had the most potential of any of the wines served tonight.

GE Flight 2:

2014 Mongeard Mugneret Grands Echezeaux

Opened about 4 hours before serving. This likely needed the most time of any of the GEs. There were beautiful dark fruits on the nose, with significant structure. There is crisp acidity and a tannic backbone, which started to open with time.

2016 Mongeard Mugneret Grands Echezeaux

Opened about 4 hours before serving. Surprisingly open, with beautiful dark and red currants, a hint of spice on the nose, with a bit less structure than the 14, but a surprisingly long finish.

GE Flight 3:

2017 Mongeard Mugneret Grands Echezeaux

Opened about 4 hours before serving. Wide open for business with joyous red and black currants on the nose. A hint of 5 spice on the nose. Mouthwatering acidity and more rich fruits on the palate and super long finish. To me drinking the best of the MM wines tonight with a long future ahead of it.

2018 Mongeard Mugneret Grands Echezeaux

Opened about 4 hours before serving. Surprisingly open, a bit more opulent than the 17. This was super fresh with some acidity and an avalanche of black currants, and a very long finish. This was great tonight but will be monumental in time.

Fin:

2020 Yquem

Lovely, crisp passion fruit and apricots on the nose with almond brittle on the palate and endless finish. Another great Yquem.

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Nice lineup and notes.

Good to see the sound Boillot. Recently bought some 13s/14s from BWC- hoping for the best. Love them when on.

I don’t drink much MM- look forward to those notes.

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On the Boillot front, we had a magnum of 2014 Corton-Charlemagne last night that wasn’t premoxed but was massively corked.

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I was very impressed by all of the MM wines, except for the flawed 08, although even that had its charms. The wines weren’t rustic, they were quite elegant and lovely. I wonder if Justine has been making changes in the winemaking.

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That’s great news.
Was able to squirrel away some ‘19s at decent prices

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Yeah I was expecting them to be more rustic or clunky but they really weren’t. The 18 was fabulous too, glad I have a lot of them. I sold all my 18 Richebourg, unfortunately.

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Yeah, that ‘14-’17 trio sounds great. Thanks for the notes.

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I had a vertical of the MM GE going back to 14. I drank most of them, but stopped buying because they really don’t do well with all the recent solar vintages. Way too much alcohol and ripe fruit.

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I didn’t find the 18 to be overly ripe at all. Haven’t had 19-22 though.

Regarding the 14-18 MMs, I would say that the 14 likely needed the most time. It had a lot of acidity, but the fruits weren’t that well developed. The 16 was actually drinking better which was a bit surprising; it was structured, but also had more and riper fruit. The 17-18 were both bigger wines but also more open, and quite elegant and balanced. I was surprised by how well all the MM wines showed.

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I had a similar impression of the '19 En Orveaux. Almost California in style with opulent fruit. Gave me some pause about the '19 Ech/GE’s. But haven’t opened one yet to find out.

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I had thought that about 18s a few years back, but the last few 18 grand crus we’ve opened have been really good. I think the vintage was initially thought really good, then people switched to thinking it was weak compared to others, and the pendulum has swung too far in that direction.

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Showing once more that in most respects vintage is the least important parameter in Burgundy.

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I generally agree producer is most important, but I think this type of tasting where you’re exploring multiple vintages from the same producer at the same time is very instructive.

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My opinion of Mongeard Mugneret was formed in the early 2000s, and haven’t had any since, as I felt they were too big and modern. It seems like opinion has changed - but some still find it too Californian.

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I think the wines were blockier before, but the ones we had this weekend were elegant, vibrant, and delicious. Prices have ticked up a bit unfortunately. I believe the 17 and 18 GE were <200 and the new vintages are more than twice as expensive. Btw we had the 2000 Echezeaux VV last summer and it was wonderful and had no resemblance to a CA wine.

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Don’t have too much to add to MC’s notes. I will reiterate it was a good event, lots of great wine and even better company!

As for the GE, my impressions:

2002 Gros: of the GE, the wine most fully showing its potential - complex and beguiling nose, herbal spice notes undergirding red fruit on the palate, a pleasant tannic astringent finish

2009 Drouhin: still primary, highly pleasurable, still holding plenty in reserve, just beginning to unwind into full expression

2014 MM: a tad more dark fruited than the 2002 Gros or 2009 Drouhin. While not unbalanced, its components appeared more in succession as opposed to the unified impression of the 2009 Drouhin. Those components were quite tasty: plums, spice, a touch of what seems like stem inclusion. Certianly a long life ahead.

2016 MM: evolved in the glass. I had one sip which was weightless and amazing. With time in the glass more weight developed. The least full-throttle of the MM.

2017 MM: Nick pointed out a darker quality to the taste and feel of this wine and I concurred. A step up in the level of fruit concentration, as compared to the 2014 and 2016. With time a pleasant sour cherry quality appeared on the finish. I have confidence this will age and age well.

2018 MM: an extremely impressive attack, the most powerful attack of the MM. Justin called this the most opulent of the MM - and I thought that was a good assement, in that the wine was intense and complex but still harmonious in its high-powered way. Like the 2017, a pleasant sour cherry quality appeared later on the finish. I too expect this to improve and remain impressive - do not doubt it has ripeness which will help later tasters understand the quality of the vintage.

Would be fun to taste the same set some time in the future . . .

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Great notes; I think it was a really fun tasting because you don’t often get to try so many GE in one place. Thanks everyone for bringing great wines!

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Some after-the-fact research:

MM makes approx 4,000 btls GE/yr.

MM website says this about 2018 vintage: “the exceptional 2018 vintage flirts with the mythic 1947”

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I mean, I think that was one of the most impressive 18s I’ve had, along with that 18 lignier CDLR.

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Happy to have the 18’ CDLR in the cellar waiting.

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