I’ve rarely been taking, much less posting, tasting notes, so I was excited to open, compare and try to describe these burgs. I have don’t have very deep tasting experience across many producers, vintages and villages in Burgundy, so I put these out there without a lot of context. I do hope that others more familiar with these wines can comment on whether my impressions seem typical or seem unlikely.
Quick background, I’ve been laid up with a cold and tasted no wine in over a week, but checking through my cellar came across a bunch of bottles I had meant to try over the past year or so. Now that I can breathe again I pulled four burgs, different producers and regions, let them stand for a day, coravin’d a glass from each, and tasted right away, then two hours later, and again later.
1997 Mugneret-Gibourg Echezeaux
Dark color, deep lush nose, spice and anise. Deep fruit, just a touch burnt and rustic, silky tannins. After two hours, a fuller cherry profile on the nose, bright and cheerful. Very easy to drink, nothing breathtaking but down the center of my idea of a solid burg. After 4 hours, still great structure and panache. Rate 90-92
1998 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St. Jacques
Slight browning, and quite a funky nose, like sautéed mushrooms. Pretty earthy, not at all bright. I wondered if the wine is flawed, but there are no off tastes, it’s just unusual and interesting. Doesn’t taste like a burg, I might have guessed tempranillo. After 2 hours, some cherries under the mushrooms still a bit crazy but pleasantly drinkable. Similar after 4 hours. Rate 88-90
1998 Vogue Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
Good color. Very muted nose, hard to coax anything much. Taste of baked cherries and anise, some wet flowers. Very lush palate, some real weight. Tannins border on being too harsh. After 2 hours, still not much nose, and the fruit seems to have faded against the tannins. Same after 4 hours. Rate 88
1999 Robert Groffier Chambertin Clos de Beze
Deep purple color. The nose is so unusual I had to laugh, nothing like the first and third. Wet, vegetal, primary, the funkiness was profound, almost alien, demanding to be investigated. Beautiful palate, dark dense, damp earthy. Just a bit flabby on the finish. After 2 hours, still the strange herbal notes, but very open and great balance. After 4 hours maybe a bit of menthol and shoe polish on the nose, reminded me of the smell of a textile factory in which I once worked. Very nice overall. Rate 94-95
