Our “Bordeaux” group northeast last night, we met at Balvanera on Lower East Side for some 1999 Burgundies.
We started with bacalhau corquettas, sweetbreads, provellata, and salad
NV Taittinger Prelude Champagne
Clean white fruit, citrus zest, brioche and chalk. Long crisp chalky finish with elegant mousse. B+/A-
2002 Vincent Couche 'Sensation' Champagne Extra Brut
I found this more interesting than delicious. 20 years on lees. Someone described as lots of brioche, but to me the heavy oxidative notes overwhelmed most notes. It seemed to get a bit better with air- rye toast, rich apple- but never really sang for me. B-
Wonderful skirt steaks were accompanied by blood sausage, carrots, and fries
1999 Burguet “En Billard” Gevrey-Chambertin
C’mon, come see, we’ve got your, ass in a glass. Pretty bretty, but the brett has some leather and spice elements, and it’s within my comfort zone. Black cherry fruit, some coffee notes, I enjoyed this. B+
1999 Chevillon Roncieres Nuits St George 1er Cru
This had a bit of an odd nose- celery seed and maybe a little reductive note, better on palate, cherry and red plum with some herbs. Still pretty tannic. I’ve had better bottles. B
1999 d’Angerville “Champans” Volnay 1er
Young but inviting, red and black cherry, floral notes, elegant yet powerful. A-
1999 d’Angerville “Clos des Ducs” Volnay 1er
Also young and structured, also still inviting. Vibrant fruit, violets and smoke, very long. A-
1999 Bart Bonnes Mares
I really enjoyed this as well, especially as it got air, Broadshouldered but with Chambole elegance, nice blanbce of acid, tannin and fruit, soil tones. A-
1999 Raphet Chambertin Clos de Beze Reserve
I liked this less than rest of table, it still seemed marked by its wood. Black fruit, vanilla, a little char,lush fruit but still wood tannin, B-
1999 Jadot Chambertin Clos de Beze
Black raspberry and cherry, meaty and muscular, this is going to be really great but really could use some time. B?B+ for now, A- potential
Really fun night. Food, service and atmosphere at Balvanera were great (and reasonable), I was a little worried the wines would seem to need more time, but other that the Jadot I thought pretty open, though I expect most will drink well for decades.
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.