My son is always asking me to serve old Burgundy or Bordeaux so, for a farewell luncheon before his return to Finland with grand-daughter Léonie, I pulled out a 1976 from Rousseau. I laid on a substitute bottle in case it proved defective like some others from the same source but in the event all was well and the substitute bottle also went down the hatch.
Beaune-Champimonts 1er cru 2007 – Récolte du Domaine Joseph Drouhin – Alc.13% was quite pale and light bodied like many from this vintage but also nicely fruity (some sour cherry), linear on the palate and elegant; 15/20+.
Charmes-Chambertin grand cru 1976 – Domaine Armand Rousseau Père & Fils. After a few moments while some impurities dissipated, a lovely pure Pinot bouquet emerged with notes of cherry and flesh. The palate was classically shaped and barely medium bodied but mouth-feel was round and velvety, the fruit mingled with forest floor was caressing and the long finish was gently supported by resolved tannins. After about half an hour, a metallic note crept into the bouquet but the palate remained pure until the bottle and glasses were emptied; clearly time to drink up, though; lovely and elegant 17.5/20.
Volnay-Santenots-du-Milieu- Volnay 1er cru - 1997 - Domaine des Comtes Lafon - Alc. 13.5% was much more primary in its fruit and more structured than the Rousseau. My son preferred it for these reasons. Its nose showed cherry with a slight tang. The palate was smooth and well shaped with medium body, slightly sweet Burgundian fruit, moderate acidity, little secondary development and some marked structural tannic support which seemed laced with liquorice and less dry than noted on a bottled opened a year ago. A fine vigorous Burgundy but, for me, less harmonious, pure and subtly elegant than the previous; 16.5/20+.
