WineLovers Discussion Group

2005 Sylvie Esmonin Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques
Red Burgs from this vintage are not particularly made for early enjoyment in my view.
However, we (a group of wine lovers and me sitting in a restaurant) were just too curios about this wine given its high Parker rating.
Deep, rich purple-red. Red fruits on the nose with notes of smoke and oak. Rich yet delicate. Modern styled wine where purity is prioritized over complexity.
It confirms the aromatics on the palate: mouth-watering warm fruit, rather low acidity, some oakiness. The tannins are giving a good structure, beautiful mouth-feel. Fairly long finish. It's a pleasure to ejoy this although there are far better representations of this fantastic terroir, e.g. from Rousseau and Fourrier.
I'd drink this from now on until about 2025. - My subjective rating: 92/100.

2005 Domaine Joseph Roty Gevrey-Chambertin
Roty wines reward those who are patient. In general it makes no sense to drink them young. Sometimes it works nevertheless.
The color is deeper and more impressive than the one from the above wine. At first rather vague on the nose with notes of griottes, rustic Syrah, rotten wood, fresh meat, smoke and resin from pinetrees.
Roty lovers know: let airing fix the problem. It works in most cases.
After 2-3 hours of airing the wine is demonstrating much better integration, the nose is now focused, cleaner and fruitier.
Impressive showing on the palate for a Villages wine: highly aromatic, powerful, racy minerality, persistent with a complex finish.
Roty's old vines deliver consistently superior results (if compared to peers). This old-fashioned authentic type of Burgundy is really unique.
I'd drink this between 2018 and about 2030. - My subjective rating: 92+/100.

Cheers,
Rainer

I was expecting a bad wine in there.

David M. Bueker wrote:I was expecting a bad wine in there.

Me too. Indeed, young Roty wines are not everybody's cup of tea. (e.g. like Heitz wines made in the 80's)
One could even argue they have similarities with flawed bottles.
However, Roty wines age exceptionally well and - once matured in the bottle - turn out to be superior examples of their respective terroir.
Thanks to David from Switzerland I know how great the 1993 Roty Charmes-Chambertin TVV tastes. The most complex Red I've ever had, and for sure the best red Burgundy I know.

I was interested in your note on the Sylvie Esmonin wine. I have a single bottle of 2005 Sylvie Esmonin Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvee Vielles Vignes. I was thinking because of the vintage I should not open it for a couple more years but in your opinion do you think it might be ready to open now?

JC (NC) wrote:I was interested in your note on the Sylvie Esmonin wine. I have a single bottle of 2005 Sylvie Esmonin Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvee Vielles Vignes. I was thinking because of the vintage I should not open it for a couple more years but in your opinion do you think it might be ready to open now?

It depends on the phase in which you like your wines best. Three reasons suggest me to drink Esmonin wines sooner (e.g. at the age of 15) rather than later:
1) I want to enjoy the fruit in a phase where it is still fresh and not yet faded.
2) I understand Esmonin wines are modern styled (made for early enjoyment), and it seems to me they are not robust enough for long-term cellaring (30+ years).
3) I have no clue how Esmonin wines age hence I'd prefer to stay on the safe side.
Conclusion: There's no rush to open your bottle now. My guess is it could be in full bloom in about 5 years from now.

Thanks for responding, Rainer.