Darker almost Sauternes colur. A nose that grows and grows, eventually becoming smoky, almost marmalade, apricot, some nuts and dried fruit – that’s so special. A line of lavour, starting tight, sowly melting tiny complexities over the palate. Vibrant, complex, superb finishing. Maybe the 1998 is the most impressive finishing of all these Bouchards, but all the same, this is simply great wine. In the context of such a poor vintage, can there be a greater wine?
Montrachet
2009 Ramonet Noel Montrachet
2008 Baron Thénard Montrachet
2007 Bouchard Père et Fils Montrachet
A little deaper colour. The aromas start a little heavy and more forward, at the core there is fine complexity but this builds additional dimensions and balance as it aerates – a few minutes in the glass, and the heavyness is gone replaced by a ’roundness’. Really beautiful texture, complex, and with mind-changing mid-palate complexity. As it builds in power it develops an almost buttery texture, but at its core rather than over your teeth and cheeks. Only eventually does the acidity leach from the side of your mouth to prolong the finish. Really special and very approachable today!
2006 Picard Michel Montrachet
2002 Romanée-Conti Montrachet
Tasted blind. Medium colour. The nose starts a little tight with some barrel notes, then marzipan, pear-drops slowly becoming a little spicy and creamy. The palate just makes you say ‘Ooh!’. It’s amazingly complex, long, long, long and ever-changing. Gorgeous texture, simply a tour de force. The multidimensional palate was exactly as I remembered the 2002, but the acidity seemed less gushing than when last tasted, so I made a flying guess at a lower acid vintage – 1997 – I was wrong it was the 02!
1991 Remoissenet Père et Fils Montrachet
Golden. Real depth on the nose, but initially it’s a little diffuse – certainly vs the two Domaine Leflaive wines, hints of butterscotch. Where this wine excels is in it’s length, certainly longer than the Leflaive wines, but without their overall class and texture. Still a fantastic wine by ordinary measures.
2002 Romanée-Conti Montrachet
Less than half the production of Romanée-Conti. Pale gold. Gives up a wide, indeed panoramic nose with a medium butterscotch depth and a spicy – though not detracting – wood note. The most striking aspect of this wine (for me) is the sweet, almost gushing, acidity, you’re washed along the rapids (my wife points out that it’s cheaper to go white-water rafting) followed by a momentary lull before the wave that is the finish hits you. It’s a really fit wine, no added fat – all my analogies seem to involve speed – like a racehorse and one that sprints rather than slows to the line. The finish lasts fully 2 minutes, this is a special experience.
1988 Remoissenet Père et Fils Montrachet
Medium golden colour. Very high toned and somewhat volatile, estery notes dwarfing a ripe, deeper and interesting core. Initially disappointing in context, but this wine improves leaps and bounds as the volatile edge leaves the scene. Wide, panoramic palate with an extra burst on the mid-palate. Long and very interesting. I don’t think the valatility will aid longevity, but the show’s pretty good today.