Through auspices of a venerable gastronomic organization, with honored guests from Canada and elsewhere, local wine geeks tasted Musignys, then dined in the usual format, "en Paulée" (B. Y. O. Burgundy). The company was good, and bottles people brought were surprising and deliciously paired with dishes the restaurant* made for the purpose.
Tasted blind: Le Musigny of Georges de Vogüé (Vieilles-Vignes) 1989, 90, 91, 95, 99; Louis Jadot 1990; Joseph Drouhin 1999; Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier 2000. (All bought two years ago, for this tasting.)
Tasting highlights. Musigny is sometimes called the most elegant and balanced of red Burgundies: wines anyone would enjoy a lot, with or without experience. Always special-occasion wines (and figuring in some of my own peak wine experiences for 20-plus years), Musignys shot up radically in price lately. Breezy references to "the Moose" are seen on US wine-critic Web sites.** Clear favorite of the 28 blind tasters was the 2000 Mugnier (which he himself "actually preferred to his 99s, calling them 'wines of pleasure.' ") Mugnier is a gracious gentleman, by the way, and serious about his wines, always in limited supply. Bright fruit acid and anise in the aroma, deep and rich. Exquisite concentrated Pinot fruit, and truffly elements. This one I didn't spit, which is rare. The 99 Drouhin and 90 Jadot were next favorites, leaving the five de Vogüés, the 90 being least popular (dark, dense, tannic, enjoyable but less opulent than most) -- matching some earlier critical assessment of this wine in a generally excellent vintage.
Dinner Wines. People at our table brought great whites. 88 Bachelet-Ramonet Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet, 98 Bâtard-Montrachet from same producer, 2000 Dom. du Chateau de Puligny-Montrachet Chevalier-Montrachet. All concentrated, nutty, mineraled; I especially enjoyed BBM and 2000 CM which was passed around to other tables to share the experience. (With rouget with braised endive, greens, fennel, pear tomatoes.) With a crispy duck confit on wild rice cake and spinach we tried young reds. 00 Groffier Chamb.-Mus. "Amoureuses" was sadly, though barely, corked. My 98 Denis Mortet Clos de Vougeot, bought on release, was showing well, richer on the palate than the nose, concentrated, cherryish. With roasted lamb-loin slices and on to a well-chosen cheese plate we tried 83 Bruno Clair-Daü Bonnes-Mares, 2000 Frédéric Esmonin Clos de Vougeot (outstanding!), 78 LaBouré-Roi Grands-Échézeaux (aging well) and random bottles I can't remember, mostly very good, proffered by other tables as we passed things around. Good wines, good company, lively discussion incl. novel etymology of Échézeaux -- one diner (Burgundy buyer for a well-known wine dealer) described the French dissertation-book written about the lieus-dits of Burgundy -- kept in his car for emergency reference.
* 231 Ellsworth in San Mateo, California -- coincidentally also the longtime home of Morrison Wood.
** That breezy nickname evidently coincides with the price increase. I saw the phrase "the moose" for Musigny tossed off on the Parker forum, but had seen it in none of the major Burgundy books nor heard anyone use it ten years ago. Also, 10-15 years ago, though well known to Burgundy fans, these wines were far cheaper. (In early 1990s I found de Vogüé Musignys at restaurants below $100, inconceivable today.) Quick search disclosed "the moose" first used for Musigny on major wine newsgroups only in 2005 (by Dale Williams in fact); on WLDG originally for other meanings than Musigny; never on Chowhound's wine forum; and on Squires, first in July 2000 by Allen Meadows, the respected US Burgundy writer.
