Grand Cru (Perth) Tasting Group – Burgundy

[Waiters Friend]

G’day

This month we met at Lulu’s Little Bistro in Perth (now a regular of ours) where a French inspired menu fitted perfectly with a Burgundy tasting. Even Mark (the chef) contributed a bottle to the tasting. The brief was – any vintage, any style, any colour, provided it came from Burgundy, France.
We kicked off with two white Burgundies:

Jean-Louis Chavy Bourgogne 2022: Lemon colour. A modest but very clean nose, with lemon, nectarine, honeysuckle, nougat, and savoury oak. There’s more lemon on the palate, with grapefruit, orange blossom and one taster noted salinity. Acid is zippy and linear, and there’s a slight creamy texture (possibly from time on lees). Medium length and a very slightly astringent finish.

Domaine Robert Denogent Macon-Fuisse 2014. Gold colour. A developed nose with cheese, ripe stone fruits, honey, buttermilk, and bruised peaches. There’s more ripe (baked) peaches) on the palate, with cheesy, bready characters. Spicy oak and nuts. This is fully developed, and I would like to have seen it a couple of years ago.

Then onto the reds, which constituted the remainder of the tasting:

Domaine Germain ‘La Chaniere’ Pommard 2022: Garnet colour. Red and black cherries on the nose, with baking spices, rhubarb, brambles, and a little stalkiness. The palate is quite full for a Burgundy, with dark cherries, plums, sarsaparilla, more baking spices, and some leather. Acid is noticeable, and tannins are the prickly ones you notice on the gums.

Aurelian Verdet ‘La Pretiere’ Cotes Du Nuits Village 2020: Garnet colour. A stalky, stemmy nose, with bright red cherries, brambles, and a couple of tasters noted strawberries and cream. More stalks on the palate, with cola, cherry compote, and spices like cinnamon. A line of acid and fine but drying tannins lead to a medium finish. A more than medium finish.

Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin Vielles Vignes 2019: Deeper garnet. Red plums, raspberries, and dark cherries on the nose, with spices (nutmeg, coriander seed), smoke, stems, and earthiness. There’s ripe dark cherries on the palate, and this time the spice is cloves. Fine gummy tannins, noticeable acid, and some glycerol texture. Medium to long finish.

Jean Noel Gagnard ‘Clos De Tavannes’ Santenay 1er Cru 2019: Pale garnet. Stems on the nose, with red cherries, strawberries, and a hint of menthol. Dried herbs also, which some tasters opined were Italian (for a French wine!). There’s cola, red cherries, and a light dusting of spice on the palate. Tannins are modest, with medium acid, a touch of leather and medium length. A delicate wine.

Domaine Thenard ‘Clos Saint-Pierre’ Givry 1er Cru 2013: Pale garnet. There’s menthol, red and dark cherries, cloves, cedar, leather, and freshly tilled earth on the nose. Red fruits on the palate (cherries, raspberries) still primary to a degree, with mint, leather, and dried herbs (French ones this time!). Integrated tannins, supportive acid, and good length. Developed but holding in there.

Paul-Henri Thillardon Reserve ‘Les Blemonts’ Chenas 2010 (Beaujolais): Technically a Burgundy (just), but made from Gamay. Garnet colour. The red fruits on the nose are scaled back and a little stewed, and there’s a little menthol and forest floor. The palate is similarly developed, and shows sour red cherries and raspberries. Tannins are fully integrated, and there’s noticeable acid and a touch of almond. Medium to long finish.

Wine of the night was the Aurelian Verdet ‘La Pretiere’ Cotes Du Nuits Village 2020, closely followed by the Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin Vielles Vignes 2019.

This tasting demonstrated that classification doesn’t necessarily mean quality. Neither of the Premier Crus rated especially highly, and I observe that they were from lesser appellations (although still classified Premier Cru).

Many thanks to Mark, Jodie, and Brad at Lulu’s for their exceptional food and service, and to those that joined me for this tasting.

Cheers
Allan

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[felixp21]

thanks for the notes Allan, an interesting read.

the two "premier crus" are about the same price as a bourgogne from the Cotes de Nuits, so I'd be wary talking about the quality comparisons.

the most expensive bottle there is the Faiveley, probably $120 (in Australia, in HK closer to $60)

A macon villages from a middling producer like Denogent, $45 here in Aus, is designed to drink in the first 3-4 years after bottling at most, so no surprises there that it seemed past it.

[felixp21]

PS, I make a point of never buying red Burgundy from white Burgundy producers, they are virtually never much good.