WTN: 2002 Cote de Beaunes

I was pleasantly surprised by this blind tasting as I had expected many of the 8 wines to be shutting down.

Wine A
This wine started out with some dusty/powdery aromas and undertones of dark fruit. Pleasant, it tasted like it either needs lots of air or is shutting down. Over the course of the evening it kept improving. It was my favorite stylistically but because it never showed everything I thought it had to offer I ranked it #3. It was the group #2.
de Montille Volnay 1er Cru 'Champans'

Wine B
The bouquet is very kirschy and new worldly. Extremely ripe, tastes like a new world international styled wine. My #8 it was the group #4. I was surprised to learn that it was the Compte Armand Pommard, 1er Cru des Epeneaux. Has it always tasted like this when young?

Wine C
Pleasant aroma, good structure and nice cherry fruit. Lafarge Volnay Village Vendanges Selectionees
My #4, group #5

Wine D
Went back and forth on this as to whether it was corked, but by the end of the evening it was obvious the TCA was there, though in the times when it was dormant there was obviously some nice wine under there
My #7 groups #8 (though two TCA-insensitive people ranked it 2 and 3)

Wine E
Not much on the nose, a bit watery and dilute on the palate. What's there is nice but... It doesn't really taste shut down but I give it the benefit of the doubt when I learn it's the 2002 Chandon de Briailles Corton 'Bressandes'. My #6, group #6

Wine F
Rich, powerful bouquet with just a hint of pine. Almost as much ripe fruit as the Armand, but with layers of flavor and richness and complexity that make this a real treat. It's showing so much now that I'm skeptical that it will develop in the future. Unfortunately at the end of the evening as it got air and warmed up the oak started becoming quite prominent so keep this cool.
de Courcel Pommard 1er Cru Rugiens. My #1, group #1

Wine G
Good bright cherry fruit with nice underlyig richness. Got better and better as the night progressed.
d'Angerville Volnay 'Fremiets' My #2, group #3

Wine H
No real nose, a slight sourness, decent wine.
Faively Mercurey 'Clos des Myglands' My #5, group #7


My only real divergence from general opinion was on the Compte Armand 'Epeneaux' and that was stylistic since it was just too ripe and international for me.

thanks for notes, Jay. I recently discovered the Courcel Pommards based on Claude Kolm's FWR, and really liked. I did get the '02 Rugiens and Epenots, but were thinking more 15 years from now. Guess I should reconsider.

Thanks for the notes. Your description of the '02 Armand Clos des Epeneaux would not have been surprising had the wine been made during the long tenure of previous winemaker Pascal Marchand. But Pascal left in '99 and his successor since, Benjamin Leroux, was reportedly making wines of more finesse and elegance. Oh well.