WTN: Île des Vergelesses

Recent red Burgundies have included several Île des Vergelesses:

2009 Rapet
Soft juicy and friendly but also pretty fresh focused and with its share of mineral detail. For my tastes I prefer the 2008 for drinking now but I see no reason not to follow this in the future.

2008 Rapet
For the first few hours this is actually pretty soft, not what I was expecting from 2008. But with air it gains structure and distinction and really comes into its own, showing much more precision than the 2009. The dark yet clear cherry crystal flavors are very similar to those of the 2008 Chandon de Briailles (who said there is no terroir stamp) but the mouthfeel is just a touch more generous and fleshy. I go back and forth between preferring each one and in the end refuse to choose.

2008 Chandon de Briailles
As mentioned above, this has a similar flavor profile to the Rapet but is a bit woodsy and earthier in the mouth (is that the stems everyone talks about). It may be less generous in terms of weight and flesh but it almost seems more generous in terms of zest and vibrancy. With time the wine gets deeper but the tannins get stronger and I’m sure its best days are ahead. But I’ve really enjoyed a couple of recent bottles and would happily drink more now if only I had the time!

2007 Chandon de Briailles
Softish and pretty-ish with all the typical CdB IdV flavors and structures but in a lighter gentler mode. I guess it’s going through a shutdown/transition phase because it shows well at various moments and in different ways but it doesn’t all come together and sing harmoniously right now.

2006 Chandon de Briailles
I enjoyed a few bottles of this back in 08-09 and it’s still approachable although by the end of the evening it gets darker, thicker, harder, more tannic, and more difficult. But for the first few hours it shows a lovely soft clear trembling jelly quality that is fun to roll around the mouth. I only have limited time/money so am not sure I would invest my resources in lots of this. But I’d still love to taste it again and again in the future.

2001 Chandon de Briailles
I remember enjoying this wine back in 07-08 and was excited to hear recent reports of people drinking stellar bottles at the domaine. Unfortunately the two recent bottles I’ve had in Nyc have been far from stellar: dull, muddy, austere, and simple. Hopefully it’s a stage that it will grow out of.

[David M. Bueker]

Ddin't we share a rather forlorn bottle of the '01 Chandon de Brialles in London?

Ddin't we share a rather forlorn bottle of the '01 Chandon de Brialles in London?

I didn't think of it as forlorn. Young perhaps, but still enjoyable. And you claimed to enjoy it as well!

Here's what you wrote in a thread at that time: "The Chandon de Briailles was perfumed and well balanced, but really had not developed at all. Still ever so young. I wish I had bought some when it was available (for a long time) near me, but alas I will console myself with the 2005."

I had similar thoughts about that and other bottles around that time.

[David M. Bueker]

Bad memory...all I recall was it being quite closed. Or was that the Clemens Busch? I suppose I could do a search.

Bad memory...all I recall was it being quite closed. Or was that the Clemens Busch? I suppose I could do a search.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=16137&p=135652&hilit=Briailles#p135652

Thanks for notes. I know IdV is the most prized parcel in Pernand-V, but no real sense of it. Thanks for the glimpse, Mark, er, I mean Rahsaan.