A one-day visit from my friend Pedro, who was recently commissioned Brazilian ambassador to Sri Lanka, was an excuse for opening a few 2001 red burgs with cheese and salad. They were preceded by a dry white and postceded (coined for symmetry) by a dessert wine.
2005 Bachelet-Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet La Grande Montagne Premier Cru
Pale gold color. Attractive nose of honey, acacia, vanillin and, later, gunpowder. Good acid/fruit balance, nice minerality, slightly bitter finish. Delivers the Chassagne experience. Would have waited a few years before opening, but Pedro loves Chassagne, and this was the only one I had lying around.
2001 Philippe Pacalet Gevrey-Chambertin
Transparent ruby with some cloudiness, suggesting premox. Mildly funky aromas, with raspberry, cranberry, and a touch of quince. Tasting confirms a mild amount of premox, acidity overwhelming the dilapidated fruit. Towards the end of the evening, the remnants in the glass undergo a remarkable transformation, generating a fabulous perfume of violets and bergamot. The magic of burgundy, coming back from the moribund. From an untainted bottle, this must be really excellent.
2001 Michel Lafarge Volnay Clos de Chêne Premier Cru
Darker transparent ruby. Subdued nose of violets and a hint of bacon. With aeration, additional notes of caramel, tobacco and chocolate. Taste is predominantly cherry, with good acid, and a sensation of regal youthfulness disturbed in it s sleep. Perhaps not the standard I expect from Lafarge, but still solid and pleasurable.
2001 Tollot-Beaut Corton-Bressandes Grand Cru
Deep garnet color. Flowery aromatics, with cherry, blackberry and cassis. The first mouthful was one of those little epiphany moments, with utterly satisfying body, perfect acid/fruit balance, and a mild and agreeable astringency in the long finish. Delicious, though without much aromatic evolution in the glass.
2001 Château Nairac Barsac
Have enjoyed several half bottles of this over the last three years, so bought two full bottles recently. Classic golden Sauternes hue. Equally classic nose of honey, apricot and botrytis. Additional notes of orange rind in the mouth. High quality, but every aspect appears primary and unevolved. Will revert to whittling away the half bottles, and wait a few years before opening the other full bottle.