Notes from a small group tasting of Burgundies.
Fortunately the weather cooperated and we could do a tasting outside. I started them out with a blind starter that had them guessing one white Burgundy or another, but it was a ringer I had evaluated and thought would pass as a decent replica of what they would have expected.
2016 El Enemigo Chardonnay – this Argentinean chard made as a joint venture between Ale Vigil as winemaker and Adrianna Catena of Catena Zapata. I had read reviews that stressed the buttery character, which is not something I want to see in a white Burg, so I popped a cork on one a week ahead to check it out and found a very even handed approach with only mild vanilla in the nose, nowhere near as much as many US examples, and some excellent apple and pear fruit notes. Mid straw colour, and resembling a Burg (not enough flint to be a Chablis). Relatively low terminal acidity and very tasty with at least medium length. Good!
2001 Prince Florent de Merode Corton-Bressandes –mature mahogany colour, and a very pretty tea based nose with some violet, smooth and medium bodied on palate with elegance and decent length. Decent showing from a middling vintage. No point holding this much longer.
2009 Thibault Liger-Belair Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru La Charmotte – slightly darker wine with excellent fruit in the nose, sweet and long in the mouth with some nice spice showing up toward the end. It added some floral and cocoa notes to the nose as it opened up.
2005 Domaine Jean-Marc et Thomas Bouley Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens – darker again, with a sweet Pinot nose, soft tannins, lots of black fruit and medium length. Very decent.
2010 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru – dark wine, bright fruit, Sweet entry with lots of strawberry fruit, and good length. Bit closed perhaps right now – monitor over the next decade.
2007 Bouchard Père et Fils Chambertin – interesting brown sugar nose with red fruit. Medum body, good up front acidity, tasty and with medium length.
Can’t think of a better way to spend a sunny afternoon these days. Next month – Brunello!