TN: 1985 Philippe Leclerc Gevrey-Chambertin Combes Moines

[Baby Chickpea]

<b>1985 Domaine Philippe Leclerc Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Combe aux Moines</b>
13% alcohol. Cork in excellent shape. Mid orange hues and no real reds left. Clearly aged but lovely “clean” colour. Nose is very meaty and gamey, with herbal and spicy aromas like German sausages. All sorts of secondary characters, very complex with every sniff revealing another dimension and another aroma. Some stewed red fruits amid some subtle floral aromas – really quite superb in every way. Upon opening the alcohol was evident. After 15 minutes, it had all but disappeared. The nose was simply extraordinary – harmonious, elegant, exotic, powerful yet so, so complex. One of the best I have smelt from Burgundy. At this stage I was damn excited. Now to taste. Glorious mouth feel and texture. Almost full to medium-bodied. Excellent length. Fair whack of tannin at the end suggests it will hold for many years. Coats the mouth with a 30-second aftertaste. Tastes much younger on the palate than on the nose – not as complex and multi-dimensional. Much discussed oak not a problem and in fact barely noticeable after nearly 20 years. After double-decanting after 30 minutes, very deep and rich. Next day? Some Arabian bastourma and toffee sweetness on the nose (!!) – palate lovely balance. Still tasted undeveloped and young. I was mightily impressed but the palate was a slight letdown from the amazing nose. <b>Excellent 18.0 / 20</b>

[Attila]

What an excellent note, I really felt like opening my Gevrey-Chambertin I have for an upcoming tasting. I must control myself a little bit more.
Seriously, very good description Danny!
Cheers,
Attila

[David Lole]

Danny,

I have tried this wine twice.

First at my 40th birthday dinner (seven years ago) where I rated it at 19+ points - an outstanding wine verging on perfection and of such hedonism you'd crawl over razor blades for another glass. Possessing amazing lushness of fruit and exquisite balance on the palate, this came close to 'Holy Grail' status. Enough said.

Second bottle was opened 2002 - top nose but marred by aggressive savoury meatiness and considerable tannin on the palate. A very good to excellent wine but not in the same class as the first bottle. Your TN sounds very similar to my recollection.

[Rob]

I got the 98 vintage, so a looooooooooooong wait for me. If the 20 years old is still young, then the 6 years old is just a new born.

[Michael]

Danny,
it sounds to me as if you are very lucky or curiously tolerant to oak.

when I have had this wine, it was smothered in oak, tannins dominating and drying out the wine, leaving it without any panache or style. close to unbalanced.

cheers
M