The autumn tasting season is here again. For the next few weekends, it will be quite difficult to choose between the various tasting opportunities and next weekend is particularly crowded. For me the season kicked off last Sunday when four Brussels importers got together to hold a tasting in a large car showroom.
A large number of estates were pouring their wines, including Deutz, Henriot, André Lurton, Delas, Perrin & Fils, William Fèvre, Bouchard Père & Fils, Léon Beyer, Jacques & François Lurton, Cazes, Ch. Pennautier, Axial Vinos, Salentein, Montes and Delaforce. I decided to limit myself to about 35 wines, mainly to European classics, and was rewarded by a still fresh palate at the end.
William Fèvre and Bouchard Père & Fils
Both these firms are under the ownership of Champagne Henriot and their wines were presented by the same person, an authoritative lady whom I took to be one of their senior managers. In addition to their many “négoce” wines, these firms have large holding in many of Burgundy’s best sites; I have indicated wines from these by “domaine”.
The William Fèvre Chablis range is outstanding. First a delicious SAUVIGNON DE SAINT-BRIS, was crisp, fresh and fragrant with smoky and gooseberry notes; 15.5/20. CHABLIS 2006 (négoce) was bone dry and mineral with subdued aromas of flowers and meat; 15.5/20. CHABLIS 2006 (domaine) showed more amplitude and fruit in addition to minerality while remaining bone dry and crisp; 16.5/20. CHABLIS 1er CRU “Fourchaume” 2005 showed a richer and deeper body quite subdued, at this stage, aromatics and marked flinty minerality; 16.5/20. CHABLIS 1er CRU “Montée de Tonnerre” 2005 was fruitier and richer with the minerality more in the background but still deliciously clean, crisp and fresh; 17/20. These are definitely wines with which I find myself on the same wavelength.
Moving on to the whites from Bouchard Père & Fils, BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY “La Vignée” 2006 immediately showed more body and “gras” than the Chablis but was coarser; still a nice generic; 14.5/20. SAINT-VERAN 2005 was fragrant, mineral and long (in a different class from Louis Latour’s astringent Saint-Véran 2006 – 10/20- which I opened but could not finish the previous evening); 15.5/20. POUILLY-FUISSE 2005 was richer, more ample and structured than the Saint-Véran and showed an attractive fragrance; 16/20. CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET 2005 was less to my taste; the nose was fragrant with cigar box touches and the palate was ample but the butter, vanilla and even some toffee notes were too much for me; 14/20. MEURSAULT (domaine) 2005 was lovely showing the gentle fragrance of white fruit (pear and peach) and an ample silky mouthy-feel enlivened by appealing acidity and minerality; 16.5/20. I approached BEAUNE 1er CRU “Clos Saint-Landry” (domaine) 2003 with misgivings because of the vintage but liked its round subdued fragrance and mouth-feel balanced by commendable acidity and minerality for 2003; 16/20. I liked MEURSAULT 1er CRU “Genevrières” (domaine) 2003 much less; it showed generous fruit and amplitude but was marred for me by malt touches on the nose and frankly caramel notes on the finish; 15/20. The presenter conveyed that I was out of line on this last Meursault and claimed that these notes are typical of the terroir; I wonder – I think exaggeration comes from the vintage as I don’t recall being troubled in this way by Genevrières in the past.
And now for the reds from Côte de Beaune. MONTHELIE 1er CRU “Clos les Champs Fuillot” (domaine) 2004 was attractively fruity, fragrant and tangy with sour cherry and tobacco notes; 15.5/20. The aromatics of BEAUNE 1er CRU “Marconnets” (domaine) 2002 were more subdued but there fruit was round and deep slightly marred for me by orange peel notes on the finish; 15/20. VOLNAY 1er CRU FREMIETS “Clos de la Rougeotte (domaine) 2002 showed aromatics of complex sweet and sour cherry with a rancid hint and richer body and more structure than the previous and good length; 16/20. POMMARD 1er CRU “Les Chanlins” (domaine) 2002 represented another notch upwards in body and structure; 16/20. BEAUNE 1er CRU “Clos de la Mousse” (domaine) 2003 seemed to come from a different hemisphere; round, rich and velvety with little burgundian typicity but, unlike many 2003s, not marred by candied notes; so, a good wine, if not typical; 16/20.
And now for Côtes de Nuits. NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES 1er CRU “Clos Saint-Marc” (domaine) 2004 showed attractively bright fruit laced with charcoal and good body and length; 15.5/20. NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES 1er CRU “Les Cailles” (domaine) 2004 showed similar qualities allied to more structure and power; 16/20. GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN 1er CRU “Les Cazetiers” (domaine) represented another step up in richness, power and mouth-fill slightly marred for me by caramel hints on the finish; 16/20.
This is altogether an impressive range with most of the wines showing an effortless frank elegance and eminent drinkability. And, all these wines, except perhaps the 2003s, have improvement potential. On this showing, it seems to me that the red 2004s may be under-rated; they will never be luscious burgundies but they showed lively bright fruit, good style and drinkability.
ANDRE LURTON
I concentrated here on the reds. The wines were presented by a competent young lady who spoke with such a low voice that she was a little difficult to hear.
CHÂTEAU GROSSOMBRE – Bordeaux – 2003 showed attractively round soft fruit; 14/20. CHÂTEAU BONNET “Réserve” – Bordeaux – 2003 was both smoother and more complex; 15/20. DIVINUS DE CHÂTEAU BONNET – Bordeaux- 2003 showed more structure and more clear wood influence but it was well integrated into some rich, almost jammy, fruit; 15.5/20. CHÂTEAU COUCHEROY – Pessac-Léognan – 2003 was rich and plummy and, I felt, not very typical; 15/20. All these 2003s should be commended for the absence of strong candied or cooked flavours so frequent in that year.
LA BASTIDE DAUZAC – Margaux – 2004 showed extremely pretty fragrance, fruit and stylishness and is drinking very well; 15.5/20. CHÂTEAU DAUZAC – Margaux 5ème grand cru classé- 2004 is bigger, richer, longer and creamier (wood influence?) and needs more time to integrate properly; 16.5/20 and potentially more.
Very competently made wines but not inspiring, except for Dauzac potentially.
Guicciardini Strozzi – near San Gimignano
The most interesting thing about this estate was the strikingly but unconventionally pretty and lively young lady presenting the wines. I overheard her being introduced as “Principessa Natalia Strozzi”, subsequently did a Google and discovered that, amongst other things, she is a trained ballerina, is descended from Leonardo’s la Gioconda, has dined with Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street and has already written an autobiography at the age of 29.
As for the wines, CHIANTI DOC 2006 was quite meaty, rich and round but a bit short; fair QPR at EUR 8,50; 13.5/20. CHIANTI COLLI SENESI “Titolato” DOCG 2005 is better with more complex liqueur like aromas, slightly candied and spicy fruit and better length; also better QPR at EUR 9,70; 15/20. The aromas of SODOLE (100% Sangiovese) 2003 were even richer and more candied but attractive, nevertheless, and the palate was round and rich with, however, some unwelcome, for me, toffee notes on the finish; 15/20 and I guess I would like it better from a cooler vintage.
I should have tried the Vernaccia di San Gimignano, for which I read subsequently that the estate is more famous.
Champagne Deutz
I was sorely tempted to taste the ranges of Delas and Perrin & Fils but I have tried and liked them before, particularly the latter, and it would have meant another 20 or so powerful wines. So I decided to call it a day and finish off with some cleansing champagne.
BLANC DE BLANC BRUT 1998 showed a fragrant nose with biscuit and malt hints and a surprisingly full, rich and tangy palate. I think it needs more time; 15.5/20. CUVEE WILLIAM DEUTZ 1998 was on a different plane; rich, complex and long with potential to deepen and become even more subtle with time; 17/20 with potential .