WTN: Incredible night of 1993 Burgundy

Some fans of 1993 Burgundy met at Balvanera last night. Very generous group, digging out some real superstars. We had yellowtail crudo, bacalau croquettas, salad, carrots, skirt steaks, blood sausage, chicken, fries, and more.

1988 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne
Deep color, some distinct caramel notes, when first tasted I thought interesting but past it. Yet air actually revised it, and it got better through night. There was always a caramel note, but was matched by spice, nut, and brioche aromas. B+

1995 Charles Heidsieck “Blanc des Millenaires”
Young, a tad reduced at first, but opens nicely. Chalk, apples, and pastry dough, long and refined. A-

1993 Lucien Boillot Cherbaudes Gevrey-Chambertin 1er
The only wine I’d call truly ready- in the zone but in no danger of fading, Black cherry, deep Gevrey earth notes, a little coffee. B+

1993 d’Angerville Volnay Clos de Ducs
Even younger than a bottle I took to another ‘93 tasting earlier this year. Firm tannins, firm acids, deep black cherry fruit, smoky. Tasty but will need time to truly unfurl. A-/B+

1993 Michel Gaunoux Corton-Renardes
Another young wine,elegant for Corton, red fruited, earth and smoked meat. B+

1993 Dujac Charmes-Chambertin
Silky and supple.. Red fruits and spice, mustard seed, forest floor, sandalwood. Very long. A-

1993 Drouhin Musigny
Lovely, still a touch of tannin, bright acids, black raspberry with blood orange and coffee. Remarkable length. A-/A

1993 Drouhin Romanee St. Vivant
Comes across as a bit riper than other wines, very ripe red plum fruit, some chocolate, and a little hint of barnyard. Yet another wine that improves with air time. B+/A-

1993 Rousseau Chambertin
I was sure the Musigny was my WOTN, till I got to this. God wine, complex and deep. Fruit, flowers, spice and earthy mushroom/meat aromas. Long long long. Incredibly high expectations, surpassed. A

1993 Rousseau Chambertin clos de Beze
This was a really nice wine, but a little sharp and muddled compared to the Chambertin.Still, a firm and delicious wine with solid fruit, an interesting overlay of licorice and B+

Really incredible night. I was already a big ‘93 Burg fan, now I’m a bigger one. Nice group, and obviously very generous- the prices a few of these fetch are breathtaking (all of these were bought before huge escalation). One of the highlight wine dinners of my life.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

[Jenise]

I'm drooling. My '93's, including some DRCs, are long gone. I can but dream!

[David M. Bueker]

That does sounds like an amazing night. Sadly I was a little late to the Burgundy party. My first buys of anything more than a bottle or two were for 1999.

Very nice. I haven't had many 1993 Burgundies, but I can still remember the fine acid structure that was so compelling (and these days, so rare).

1999 was also the first year I bought Burgundy in any significant form. But we discussed how the 93s sat on shelves (except for a few top end things) for several years after release. Burg wasn't in hot in general, and Parker/Rovani panned. It was probably 2004/2005 before I was clear what voices in Burg aligned more with my tastes.
Rahsaan, the great acidic structure was the steady theme throughout night (which is why Rovani hated, and loved the ..gulp..97s)

[David M. Bueker]

Wasn't 1993 also the vintage where Rovani opined that most Burgundy is best consumed within 5-7 years from release?

Probably!
Actually I just looked at current WA vintage chart.
1993 CdB 80 caution too old Cdn 85 caution too old
1997 CdB 88 ready CdN 88 ready
Don't know any Burg head who prefers 97 to 93 (although I remain a fan of 97 Jadot)

[David M. Bueker]

Probably!
Actually I just looked at current WA vintage chart.
1993 CdB 80 caution too old Cdn 85 caution too old
1997 CdB 88 ready CdN 88 ready
Don't know any Burg head who prefers 97 to 93 (although I remain a fan of 97 Jadot)

Nobody at WA has enough comprehensive info to update the chart that far back. It's too bad. That said I bet WK has a very different take.

A very impressive lineup! IIRC the '93s were all structure when first released and clearly built for the long haul. No oodles of hedonistic fruit, which is why the WA panned them. I still have some of them. It's good to know they're coming around.

-Paul W.

Thanks for the notes!

I have always been much more of a Bordeaux fan than a Burgundy aficionado and the main reason is that it is much easier to keep track of expectations with any particular chateau in Bordeaux, whereas you might have a dozen different producers making wine from the same Burgundy appellation and while one producer might make a brilliant wine in a given vintage, the guy a couple of rows over in the same vineyard might produce (relative) crap. Which has always made buying Burgundy more of a (if you'll excuse the term) a pricey crap shoot. You can minimize risk by relying on the tasting notes of critics or other people in whose opinions you put your faith.

I am out of 1993 Burgs - sounds like I drank them earlier than need be, but it is nice to see notes like yours.

Interesting read, sounds like an epic night.

Any recent vintages still made like the 93s turned out, since, say, 2005? I guess, based strictly on the notes as I haven’t tried any, some 2013s might be a contemporary analog (?).

I ask in part because I just landed this lot at auction (being a fan in general of Chevillon, and Gilman’s notes on these wines in particular, I bid but expected to lose):
2013 Chevillon Les Cailles x 3
2013 Chevillon Les St-Georges x 1
2013 Chevillon Les Vaucrains x 1

Burgundy can indeed be a pricey crap shoot. The producer is usually the most important quality factor.

-Paul W.

I don't know what vintages might be compared to '93, but know people who are very bullish on '13 as a long distance runner- but only from good producers, apparently strict selection was often necessary.
As Paul said, far less a minefield if you concentrate on producers. My batting average is very high when I stick to Lafouge, Chevillon, Camus-Bruchon, Chandon de B, Lafarge, M Gaunoux,etc (leaving out those I can't afford now like Roumier, Mugnier, Rousseau, Mugneret-Gibourg). Although vintage matters, the only real strikeout I remember from these producers were '03 (even Chevillon was disappointing). And some green/ladybug 04s, though that seems to maybe be disappearing,

My batting average is very high when I stick to Lafouge, Chevillon, Camus-Bruchon..,

Is Camus-Bruchon one of your top producers for reliability, or one of your favorites overall? Can't recall if I've had their wines, but some very favorable comments from Sasha had me thinking they could be worth an exploration. I certainly enjoy their various neighbors!

I've been buying Camus-Bruchon for less years than most others I listed (first vintage was '07), but really like. For me, little difference between favorite overall and favorites for reliability. Although I guess there are a few producers where I love the highs, but know it's chancier (Ponsot anyone?).

For me, little difference between favorite overall and favorites for reliability.

Fair enough. I guess it does start to converge on the same preference dimension. Although some are riskier, especially when you add price into the equation. Regardless, good to know about Camus-Bruchon!

Jadot tasting downtown last evening with rep and Jadot marketing director for N USA....Tibault Marquis. He visits Edmonton every year so we are lucky to taste some fine wines, including some that only the favoured like me get to taste!!

Stay tuned for my thoughts.