WTN: Dom, Hune and Hune

[David M. Bueker]

A French law firm.

Dinner with some friends last night. I am just starting to recover my sense of smell, so things are still a bit sketchy (and the reds just totally overpowered my nose, so no notes on the Verset, Mugneret-Gibourg, Mouton or Chappelet), but there is definitely improvement.

1993 Dom Perignon
Golden hue, lots of toasty, bready elements, as well as a distinctly apple, almost cider element on the palate. Seems to be aging rather fast, though '93 was not so strong a vintage. Enjoyable to drink, but I would not hold it looking for some specialness to emerge.

1983 Trimbach Riesling Clos Ste HuneOh my! This is just perfect. There's not so much fruit left in this wine, but more of a silken texture of powdered stone with underlying hints of citrus and pit fruit that supports a bed of rock. I have never had a Hune that was so texturally rich on the palate, giving an impression of gentelness with precision. Amazing wine.

2001 Trimbach Riesling Clos Ste Hune
The baby. This is what I am used to with Hune - bright, focused, citrus forged into the shape of a blade. Yes it has notable lemony fruit, but the juice of that fruit is then squeezed into a paper cut on your tongue. All the pieces are there, but I will place a giant "do not disturb" sign on my remaining bottles, and curse myself for my curiosity. Greatness will have to wait a long time - perhaps 18 more years until the 2001 is the same age as the '83 is now.

Never had the '83 CSH, but the 73 and 76 are among my greatest dry white ever.
Re the '01 - sounds great, but I have reservations re aging recent Hunes- both the '96 and '99 have recently showed worst than I expected (00 too, but that softness might just be vintage). Not enough of a sample to worry as much as white Burgundy, but enough to make me a little cautious.

[David M. Bueker]

I do wonder a little bit, but '96 was so bizarre, and both '97 and '99 were such soft years (in Alsace and Germany) that I have not put a lot of stock in the results of any of those years. 2000 is a strange year, but I've been looking at those wines as excuses to have something to drink now.

The '98 CFE and CSH seem to be evolving in a normal way, and now that we're 10 years out (at least on the calendar) I see no reason to fear an unnatural evolution of the 2001s.

A very fun evening. My thoughts on the wines...

1993 Dom Perignon
Surprisingly mature in its flavour profile - savoury mushroom, earthy, toasty and caramel notes framing rich baked apple and pear fruit. This is quite gentle in the mouth with quiet effervescence and a polished, glossy texture. Very nice.

1983 Trimbach Riesling Clos Sainte Hune
Stunning aromatics; a really incredible scent here combining all sorts of honeyed, smoky, earthy and herbal flavour elements with mature apple and citrus fruits. Initially it seems a little frail and soft in the mouth, not showing the same complexity as the aromatics offer but with time it gains weight and depth as the flavours freshen up and combine into a really complex, seamless whole that carries itself with incredible finesse and balance. Quite the showing for a bottle Spencer feared may be dead!

2001 Trimbach Riesling Clos Sainte Hune
Made of the same stuff as the '83 Hune, but obviously a lot more primary with the citrus fruit flavours and minerality coming across much more prominently here and dominating the other nuances. Very precise and focused with tremendous acidity in the mouth that keeps it very light on its feet and really focused. Impressive right now, but more about long-term promise.

1999 Noel Verset Cornas
Not a great showing for a wine I've experienced quite a bit of variation with. Starts out with the classic Verset scent that's equal parts Syrah fruit and porky meatiness, but in the mouth it comes across a little thin with a strong acid bite that gives it a little sourness. Darn.

1993 Domaine Georges Mugneret/Mugneret-Gibourg Clos Vougeot
Tight. Very very very tight and unyielding right now, showing a core of dark fruits and earth and hiding a lot else in reserve.

1974 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Drinking beautifully right now with restrained red fruits and cassis flavours layered with mature cedary, earthy and herbal elements in a medium weight package with the structure fully resolved. There's a lightness of touch to the flavours and fantastic balance, really outstanding.

1997 Château Mouton-Rothschild
Mmm, lovely. A really pretty, exotic scent of sandalwood, spice, pencil lead and cedar around a core of primary cassis and blackcurrant flavours. Medium weight, conveying power with a sense of elegance and lightness with a bright acid spine underneath that gives the fruit a real sense of freshness and precision.

Lovely notes, gentlemen. I would have loved to have had any of those first three wines last night to help cut through the 11 bottles of 2007 Cali Cab we drank... (Actually, it wasn't as bad as I had feared...)

-Michael

P.S. The 97 CSH was disappointing to me. Sounds like I need to go older (somehow, someday).

[David M. Bueker]

Based on how the '97 CFE performed last summer I would say that you need to wait another 5 years or so.