December Wine Focus: Burgundy!

... with a lot of notes of iron, still present in fact - that I kidded it about it being a Bourgogne for Barolo lovers. It was, even then, very Nuits in character...

Definitely not the first time one has made that Barolo/Nuits comparison!

Actually, this is one of the few times I find similarities. Usually the differences are far greater than similarities. It's like everyone makes the comparison because both regions prize terroir and single vineyards, but the wines are usually not that much alike.

[David M. Bueker]

I don’t find much of a Burgundy/Barolo convergence until the wines are very old. The baseline aromatics of Pinot and Nebbiolo are too different. The tannins are texturally different.

Comte Armand, Clos des Epeneaux is a wine I have found Barolo like in the past.

It's like everyone makes the comparison because both regions prize terroir and single vineyards, but the wines are usually not that much alike.

I was thinking more of the black fruit, iron notes and hard tannins that one can find specifically in NSG. David makes good points if one really looks closer, but I do think I could be fooled on some blind tastes!

Jean-Marc Millot is not a high profile producer. I got to know his wines at tastings organised by the former La Vigneronne in Kensington, London, who stocked them alongside more prestigious and expensive producers. I particularly remember a tasting of barrel samples which were so delightful in that youthfully exuberant state that it seemed a pity to bottle the wines; they were either 1999s or 2000s but at this distance in time I can't be sure. On the showing of this bottle of Les Suchots, 20 years have not contributed enough complexity and grace to compensate for loss of that youthful bloom.

1999 Jean-Marc Millot Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru (12/24/2019)
There doesn't seem to be much change from my impression three years ago. Medium bodied and elegant showing nice Pinot fruit with a savoury complexion, some depth, smooth texture, fresh acidity and a firm finish. I was hoping by now for a bit more graciousness of the sort I recall from the '97 at about age 10, but very good.
Posted from CellarTracker

Nice note Tim. May I wish the whole family a Happy Christmas!!

Bob

Nice note Tim. May I wish the whole family a Happy Christmas!!

Bob

And to your family too, Bob.

[David M. Bueker]

Jean-Marc Millot is not a high profile producer. I got to know his wines at tastings organised by the former La Vigneronne in Kensington, London, who stocked them alongside more prestigious and expensive producers. I particularly remember a tasting of barrel samples which were so delightful in that youthfully exuberant state that it seemed a pity to bottle the wines; they were either 1999s or 2000s but at this distance in time I can't be sure. On the showing of this bottle of Les Suchots, 20 years have not contributed enough complexity and grace to compensate for loss of that youthful bloom.

1999 Jean-Marc Millot Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru (12/24/2019)
There doesn't seem to be much change from my impression three years ago. Medium bodied and elegant showing nice Pinot fruit with a savoury complexion, some depth, smooth texture, fresh acidity and a firm finish. I was hoping by now for a bit more graciousness of the sort I recall from the '97 at about age 10, but very good.
Posted from CellarTracker

1999 is one of those vintages that has never seemed to reach the heights predicted at release.

Judging by Wine Searcher, bottles of GCs from Armand Rousseau have become trophies. I have so far resisted selling my handful of bottles at the stratospheric prices they now command and have kept them back for special occasions like this Christmas with my son from Helsinki and daughter from Rome both present. I have to say that traditional Christmas fare is not the ideal pairing. Something more gamy would have been better but, even so, this bottle was not the great experience it should have been, i.e. close to my only celestial bottle of La Tâche (1962 drunk in the 80s), even allowing for an uneven vintage.


1997 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru (12/25/2019)
I did not enjoy this bottle as much as the previous some 4 years ago. In particular I didn't care for a rusty metallic steak on the nose but this element blended well with other features on the palate. This was quite full bodied for Burgundy with fruit and general complexion more savoury than I noted before with touches of ivy and gentle spice leading to a surprisingly firm finish for a soft vintage. The best feature was the long fragrant after-taste which lingered on as a I went to fetch a bottle of port. I'm not sure whether this overall showing represents the beginning of fading or simply a less open phase which might have been improved by decanting. Just about very good but not worth the members' average value of nearly $400 and still less the Wine Searcher quotes of >€1400.
Posted from CellarTracker

[David M. Bueker]

Rousseau much like Roumier has gotten out of hand. It becomes hard to enjoy a bottle for what it is when the cost is known. I still have two bottles of Rousseau in the cellar, and there is no way they can live up to their current billing. Same for my Roumier. The Roumier village Chambolle now runs near to $150. I paid $45. It’s not a $150 wine at all.

1995 Bonnes-Mares, Comte Georges de Vogue

I opened this last night with Christmas dinner. This is an example of everything a grand cru Burgundy should be. Wonderful, complex pinot noir aroma and flavors, married perfectly with oak. A surprisingly deep color for pinot noir, and surprisingly young-looking for a 24-year-old wine. Everything is in perfect balance, and there are no rough edges anywhere. Power and grace in one package. This wine is at or near its peak, but if you're lucky enough to have some in your cellar (alas, this was my last bottle), I don't think there's any hurry to drink it up. Triple Curly.

-Paul W.

Pouilly-Fuisse 2016 Vignerons Terres Secretes:

Beautiful nose with citrus, white (almond) blossoms, some flinty, chalky notes. On the palate toasted hazelnut, citrus, creamy and balanced. Medium finish. Excellent value at about 15€.

[David M. Bueker]

No Vogue Bonnes Mares in the cellar.

No Vogue Bonnes Mares in the cellar.

I have two of the very same 1995 Vogüé Bonnes Mares .

I've been holding off reaching for them because so many '95s from both Burgundy and Bordeaux have proved ungracious in their development up to now.

Thanks to Paul's TN, I'll be opening one at the next suitable occasion.

[Jenise]

I have two of the very same 1995 Vogüé Bonnes Mares .

We all wish we could say that!

On a much more humble note, three red Burgundies I opened this month:
2006 Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay. Labeled as 13% abv. Burgundy color with lighter shading at the rim. I find plum skin and berries on the palate (raspberries and possibly boysenberry), some "sous bois" and tannic material also present. Good.

2006 Domaine Michel Lafarge Beaune-Greves 1er Cru. Becky Wasserman Selection. Cote d'Or, Burgundy, France. Mix of dark berries and purple fruit. Pleasant but not what I had hoped for from a premier cru wine; not that much above the level of the village Volnay from the same domaine and vintage.

2011 Gilbert and Christine Felettig Vosne-Romanee. Dark purple-red color; semi-opaque. Faint floral aroma along with dark raspberry. The tastes include dark berries, slight earthiness and a pleasant lingering spiced fruit element. I think it improved after being open for three or four days. In my estimation a point or two higher than the previous wines, even the premier cru from Beaune-Greves.

I have a 2011 Felettig Chambolle-Musigny open now but want to compare it to the Chambolle-Musigny Clos du Village before I post my notes.

In the grand scheme of things, nothing humble about Lafarge or Felettig Vosne!

[David M. Bueker]

Nice to see notes on 2006, which has been a slow to evolve vintage.