I get together with a few medico mates a couple of times a year at Stamps restaurant in Adelaide. Yesterday’s theme was white Burgundy and Barolo, although two members didn’t read their email properly and brought red Burgundy and Bordeaux.
2010 Jean-Paul & Benoit Droin Chablis ‘Vaudesir’: Dense, sappy and compact. Has some white peach and floral notes along with a big squeeze of citrus and plenty of minerality. Finishes quite chewy. Very good.
2007 Olivier Leflaive Corton-Charlemagne: Has the steely mineral spine of the vineyard but far too much butterscotch and nutty oxidation traits plaining off the wines detail.
1994 Rouget-Dupin Le Montrachet: Probably a couple of years past its peak but most pleasant none the less. It has some mushroom development on the nose along with crème brulee and almond butter smells. It is quite nutty in the mouth with some creaminess and layers of preserved orchard fruit flavour. Length of flavour is good.
2005 Coche-Dury Meursault ‘Rougeots’: We always vote for wine of the day at the end of our lunch and I have never witnessed such a runaway winner as this wine, it smoked the opposition. Speaking of smoke there was the usual Coche struck match/gun flint whiff to the aroma. It also had notes of aniseed, pure white peach and citrus. In the mouth it had such density, concentration and focus with a cool mineral heart. It finished with chewy dry extract and a big puff of chalk. Supremely youthful and simply majestic.
1993 Louis Jadot Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet: A wine that is in the most perfect spot right now. It has complex aromatics of white mushroom, forest floor, toffee, preserved citrus and crème caramel. In the mouth it has a silky feel. Flavours fill the palate and have wonderful presence but a light airy feel. There is a touch of fruit rind adding piquancy to the finish and it is deceptively long.
2007 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet: I have seen so much bottle variation with this wine but this was an absolute ‘Barry Crocker’. A friend purchased it from auction and I’m sure it has been subject to light and heat. It poured out golden with a distinct cloudiness. It had more nuts than the Port Adelaide cheer squad and barely resembled its variety let alone place. Re-cork and sell it off to a bearded hipster as a funky Jura wine.
1979 Chateau Rouget: There was a bit of a dank cellar smell to this, perhaps some light tca but it did have a lovely core of sweet cassis fruit. Structural elements are completely resolved and the wine has a nice velvety feel in the mouth.
2008 Daniel Rion Echezeaux: Drinking really well with plenty of floral spice on the nose. It the mouth it has crisp red and black fruits and is lacy of texture. It finishes with good minerally cut and leaves a nice spicy perfume wafting around the gums once swallowed.
2006 E. Pira & Figli (Chiara Boschis) Barolo Via Nuova: Smells like red jelly crystals just as they are hit with hot water. There is some lovely rose petal perfume as well. It is beautifully balanced in the mouth and relatively fine boned. The wine builds right through the palate and I think it will be excellent in another decade or so.
2010 E. Pira & Figli (Chiara Boschis) Barolo Via Nuova: This is a clear step up on the 06, the ‘10’s are just so good. It has an aroma of red berries, tar, roses and liquorice. It is sweet, round and opulent in the mouth but not overblown. There are savoury elements just below the flesh and tannins are abundant yet sugar coated. Balance and proportion are immaculate. Magic now, legendary in two decades.
1996 L.Pira Barolo Margheria: Served blind, I asked the other 11 attendees if they thought this wine came from a modernist or traditionalist. 10 of them said traditionalist. Time tends to blur the winemaking technique and the good wines look like good aged Barolo. I bought a case of this wine on release and have tracked it over the years. It has never shut down and always been delicious. It has some truffle development along with plenty of tar and roses action. There is still good underlying, graphite structure and the wine becomes beautifully perfumed in the glass. There are some sweet cedar flavours and other subtle nuances and it is a wine that feels complete.
2004 Azelia Barolo Margheria: Big smoky nose with plenty of tar, truffle, sweet cedar and leather. It is very youthful in the mouth with dense sweet fruit and abundant sandy tannins. Needs time.
2006 Ceretto Barolo Bricco Rocche: Complex aromatics of balsamic, leather, peat, tar and red berries. It has good detail of raspberry and cherry fruit in the mouth along with plenty of meaty/savoury things. It is quite spicy and has plenty of structure underpinning the wine.
2004 Sordo Barolo: Only mid-weight but highly perfumed, pure and delicious. Smells of dried flowers and tar. There is some sweet cedar in the mouth along with red berry fruit and some earth. It finishes with bright minerally acidity.
1995 Chateau Climens: Drinking beautifully. On the nose you get apricot jam and lavender. It is sweet, rich and full in the mouth with some vanilla weaving through the flavour profile. For all of its opulence there is just enough acidity on the finish to keep everything clean and fresh.