My notes from a wine event back in March 2022
Theme was 'Burgundy' either Red or White
Wine #1 (Starter) – 2008 Arras Grand Vintage
Bright yellow in the glass with a tinge of green, bursting with energy though. Superfine bubbles, little soft clouds, each rising up to the top of the glass and tantalising the taster of whats to come.
Milky and creamy nose, slightly reductive as well. I got a whiff of sweaty socks, but that could have been my feet.
Very fresh in the mouth, belies the nose and feels quite young. 2013 or younger.
Definitely a vintage wine, from a good house.
Confusion among the group as to old or new world. Probably about 50/50 and you can see why.
Chalky minerals that you get in Champagne, lovely spine of pronounced Acid running all the way through the wine, BUT the fruit power and elegance is just slightly missing.
Zesty lemon fruits, grapefruit, citrus, wet stone, some nougat. I got a bit of old spice aftershave too.
Has some good crunchy green apple, maybe even a touch of fennel or green herbs.
Slightly short on the palate though. Its not clipped or faulty, just expected more.
Wine # 2-2017 Domain Jean Grivot Bourgogne Chardonnay
Dark yellow in the glass, nose has a fair hit of tropical fruits. Guava, green papaya and interestingly has a dusty/gravelly smell. Like when you are walking down an unsealed country road.
Palate has a chlorine/chemical taste I cant get over and doesn’t blow off or go away.
Some flinty and gun smoke traits, some slightly reductive characters and probably a bit too much oak at the moment. Acid isn’t nice either at this stage, the wine feels ‘green’ – like its still earning how to be a wine. I feel this needs a lot more time to come together, integrate and mature. Its all arms and legs. Could be a great wine. I have never seen this before and didnt even know Grivot had Chardonnay plantings!
Wine # 3 - 2006 Domain William Fevre Les Clos Chablis Grand Cru
Get a whiff of this! Can I call it JUST on the nose alone? – WINE OF THE NIGHT?!?!?!
The nose is so complex and inviting, its one of those you can just sit and smell all night. Each inhale revealing something different.
Leesy, fennel, Aniseed, lots of green herbs, briny and salty sea air.
Bright yellow in the glass, like morning sun…. its giving me morning glory that’s for sure.
This feels slightly younger maybe around 10 years or more.
Palate has intense and very high quality fruit. GC has to be.
Tropical fruits, yellow peach, mango, rock melon, but not over ripe or sweet. WOW
Perfectly balanced acidity tames the power of those fruits. The winemaker skill clearly on show, this had the potential to be a fruit bomb, but man this acidity is perfect. Oak again skilfully handled, complements the whole wine, creates a mouthfeel that really impresses. Length for days.
Wine # 4– 2018 Olivier Lafon Puligny-Monrachet
One whiff and you are instantly in Burgundy, it just has this unmistakable X factor you simply don’t get anywhere else.
Matchstick, flint, but you can see its young. Colour is light yellow and green. Not quite the boxing kangaroo…. Whats the French version? Whatever it is this is young, just on the colour and nose alone.
Grapefruit, white peach, white flowers and some spice right in the mid palate. Very interesting here, white pepper and something else…. Raw cashews perhaps.
Power is still developing, builds in the mouth. All encompassing, acid quite prominent… definitive is what a wrote, not dominating, but assertive. It knows what its role is and plays its part perfectly.
Length is wild. Opened WAY too young, has another 10+ easily. Almost vinicide, but better that than PreMox.
Wine # 5 – 2007 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
The dreaded Ox
Wine # 6 (Backup) 2013 Guy Amiot et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champagain
Dark Gold in colour, this has some age on it. Nose is very nutty. Very rich, very toasted.
Has a hardness about it, unrelenting, and steely.
Maybe a bit too advanced? Not great, wondering if its past it. Finish is dull
Wine # 7– 2009 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Bloody Ox Strikes again!
What a sad state burgundy can be when we have TWO Oxed Bonneau's from two
different vintages. These are very expensive wines
Wine # 8 - 2002 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits- St Georges Les Chaignots
Lovely red burg nose, can smell that all day. Lots of forest floor, damp earth type notes.
Colour is a dark cherry, acid very good and perfect older oak.
Gee this is spicy though. Not a vanilla spice, this is almost a Sichuan pepper spice… just
Without the heat. Dried orange peel…then those purple herbs and fruits rush the palate.
Lots of lavender, blueberry, dark cherry. This is a masculine wine, this makes a statement and its not delicate or feminine. Lots of power, liquorice at the then, coal and some dark minerals. Great wine
Wine # 9 – 2005 Rapet Pere et Fils Corton-Pougets Grand Cru
Crystal clear red here. Looks young.
Raspberry, cherry, black tea on the nose. Wonderful perfume that fills the room.
Dominating acid… probably too much this stage.
This is a weird wine. It appears feminine, but its not delicate. Its not powerful, yet there is
Something about it that is gentle.
I love the tannin here. Its dry, its dusty, it caresses the side of your cheeks. It tingles all the way down. I think its oak tannin, but not sure. Whatever it is…. Its seductive.
Like the nose lots of red fruits, red cherry, red currents, raspberry.
Another floral wine, but this time more dried roses, a touch stemmy as well.
If I have a criticism (apart from the harsh acid) is that it feels a little too hot and alcoholic. Maybe some more time in bottle or decanter would blow it off, but it’s definitely there at this stage.
Wine # 10 – 2008 Alain Hudelot-Noellat Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Suchots
Another serious wine here, again lots of perfume, but purple florals.
Dried violets, dried lavender.
Darker in the glass than the other wine. Think more plum, dark cherry type colour. Slightly blurry indicates this may have a bit of age on it.
Redskins on the palate. Sweet fruits. More wet & damp forest floor, feels like you are walking though the black spur in Autumn. Crushed wet autumn leaves, grilled nuts, Cherries are in the red spectrum of fruit, belies the colour… and then the whole bunch hits. Slightly stalky and a tinge of green there. Not greenie meanies, but it adds to the complexity.
Intoxicating purple aromas
Acid still prominent, and especially at the end. Will it overtake the fruit with time?, Not sure but its probably a bit too much right now. Hopefully it settles and integrates a little more.
Gravelly tannin, still a very long life ahead… hold with confidence.
Im going to say 2005 vintage?
Wine # 11(Extra) - 2005 Bouchard Pere et Fils Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chenes
Ok we have a ring-in. Something extra and for no reason other than we seem to have gone through the night rather quickly…and the night is still young.
Black cherry in the glass. Dark red and purple fruits. Rhubarb, raspberry, coal and some graphite. Acid dominates the whole palate. It’s a tough wine, prominent tannin and needs food. Feels very young, not integrated and definitely not comfortable with itself yet. It’s a lovely wine, but in the wine equivalent of awkward teenage years.
Wine # 12 (Fortified) - 2012 Quinta do Noval Porto Late Bottled Vintage Unfiltered Single Vineyard
Dark purple, almost black. Dense in the glass. Like a black hole, no light escapes its clutches, or is able to penetrate its defences.
Black fruits. Blackberry, plum, blackcurrants…yet it feel young, It has this vibrancy and life that
says im only just getting started. Spicy notes, very clean spirit…. Yet im very confused. The fruit and spirit have me in Australia…. But I get this nagging feeling its foreign. The nose and mouth feel are Portuguese…. Fruit and spirit are not. I go Aust………. Crap!
Aniseed and liquorice, lovely oak profile. Soft, not big but you can tell the fruit will swallow it whole.
As I think its young, feels a little disjointed at the moment. Its finding itself and needs a really good sleep for another 5-10 to develop.
Wonderful end to the night
