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so
Just SO… The functional elegance of this rarefied speak is uniquely captured in one of its most inconspicuous words: “so.” This isn’t “so” the intensifier (“so expensive”); it’s not the “so” that joins two clauses. This is the “so” that introduces a sentence, as in “So as we can see, modified Newtonian dynamics cannot account for the rotation of any of the three observed galaxies.”
offer of the day…
Plenty of expensive offers around right now, many are for 2007′s already, but here’s one today for 2006 that I passed on: COMTES LAFON 2006 18 MEURSAULT 75cl 109.50 Swiss Francs 24 MEURSAULT Clos de la Barre 75cl 119.50 6 MEURSAULT 1er cru Goutte d’Or 75cl 198.00 9 MEURSAULT 1er cru Charmes 75cl 219.00 2 MEURSAULT 1er cru Perrières 75cl 249.00 2 MONTRACHET 75cl 1195.00 1ers and ‘the big one’ can only be bought with village wines. I haven’t checked the holdings, but interesting that the Perrières seems to be ‘allocated’ on the same level as the Montrachet…
budburst + 2001 montagny 1er blanc buxynoise
Ah, a warm weekend at last. So warm in fact that the vine in my garden started to burst its buds; that’s about five weeks later than the precocious Spring of 2007 – likewise it’s a more ‘normal’ Spring-time in the Côte d’Or – I’m looking forward to visiting in 2 weeks. Did I mention it was warm? – Better open up something white… 2001 La Buxynoise, Montagny 1er Eleve en fûts de chêne in bold type on the label. Medium yellow colour. A subtle and quite sophisticated nose that has very faint brioche and very nice yellow-skinned citrus fruit. In the mouth it’s round and soft but with super acidity that leaves the flavour lingering. Great value, I could drink this all summer long, [....]
ghislaine barthod 2001 and 2002 bourgognes
Clearly the 2005 bourgognes have spoiled us – intermediate age wines like these wither in the shadow of those 05′s – but like the recent Côte de Chalonaise, these really need to be judged in about another 3-5+ years time when they have started to show some more maturity. 2001 Ghislaine Barthod, Bourgogne Medium colour. A soft red fruit nose with a faint cedar top note, slowly develops more density to the red core and eventually a little redcurrant. Well textured with plenty of forward fruit and again a faint edge of cedar – but at this level it’s additive – I do though find the overall profile slightly jammy. A simple but balanced and quite tasty luncheon bourgogne that never quite gets the pulse [....]
2005 gevrey-chambertin 1er clos des varoilles
2005 des Varoilles, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Clos des Varoilles Medium-plus colour. The nose starts with a wild brambly black fruit – slowly goes deeper with faint caramel. Wide and intense – again with dark-hued fruit. Reasonably well-packaged tannin and very good length though the tannin resurfaces here. It’s still brusque and bruising in its intensity so will need a few years in the cellar – but I will buy a few for the ride. Rebuy – Yes
joseph voillot 2002 pommard les rugiens
2002 Joseph Voillot, Pommard 1er Les Rugiens Medium colour. Initially the nose is tight and thin, 10 minutes brings a savoury depth and faintly floral width. In the mouth it’s a narrow entry, the defining feature of this wine is it’s acidity – it’s slightly forward, but everything flows from it – soft texture and lovely expansion in the mid-palate before an impressively lingering finish. My kind-a wine. Rebuy – Yes
ghislaine barthod 2002 chambolle fuées
I know that for years I must have been unlucky, but finally, a Barthod that impresses me! I wouldn’t propose that you drink it now, but… 2002 Ghislaine Barthod, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Fuées Medium-plus colour. A heavily perfumed nose, high floral tones and low tones of good fruity depth – takes quite some time to take on a modicum of elegance. In the mouth it’s about balanced intensity – almost like the Bonnes-Mares which it borders. Deep red fruit, covered tannins and good acidity bubbling below the surface. It took a little time for me to warm to it but I really savoured those last drops. Leave it at least 5 years in the cellar as it’s close to grand cru quality. Rebuy – Yes [....]
meo-camuzet 1993 corton clos rognets
1993 Méo-Camuzet, Corton Clos Rognets I last opened one of these Méo’s about 3 years ago and it was a big wine, I expected nothing less tonight, but this was not bright in the glass. The nose started very earthy, then went through a mushroom phase before an understated red fruit impression. In the mouth the acidity is to the fore, though not too much so. The flavours are middle-weight and interesting but far below expectation. Shame. Rebuy – No (But other bottles have been much better – in fact I’d pay $25 for an 93 Aloxe-Corton that tasted like this – but not more)
guy roulot meursault perrières 00
Dinner with a friend who can really cook, so some digging in the cellar was required. If I’m honest I was a little disappointed to be opening one of these, but following the relative disappointment of my 2001 Henri Boillot Corton-Charlemagnes, I decided I would rather enjoy my last Roulot young than be disappointed in later years (or even now!) with p.ox. It wasn’t quite a 10 out of 10 performance, but it wasn’t too far away: 2000 Roulot, Meursault 1er Perrières Relatively young in colour, a nose that soared with brioche and eventually creme brulee. Not the tight minerality of 3 or 4 years ago, indeed a little too relaxed in the middle but the finish was super and mirrored the nose. No real [....]
half a million dollars – 12 bottles of romanée-conti
REUTERS The client bought 12 bottles of Romanee Conti 1978, two bottles of the 1961, 1966, 1996 and 2003 and single bottles of the 1981, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1999, 2001 and 2002. “It is the highest price that has ever been achieved for a single lot,” Managing Director Stephen Williams of the London- based Antique Wine Company told Reuters on Saturday. Amazing – and that together with the internet being full by 2010, and I think I need to go to the cellar!
advertising and weekends
No, I’m not advertising my weekend – though dinner tonight, cooked by a friend who can really cook, will be accompanied by Guy Roulot’s 2000 Meursault Perrières, and Méo-Camuzet’s 1993 Corton Clos Rognet from my cellar – can’t wait! Now, back to advertising. Burgundy-Report has remained a free resource and I have no plans to change that – yet at the same time, higher mortgage rates have cut my wine purchasing budget and my website (hosting) costs went up with a bump this month – and the latter cost is all you-lot’s fault! I have, over the last 2-3 years rejected offers of advertising on this site, but I think I may sell my soul to the devil and trial some from next month. I’ll [....]
berthaut fixin les clos 2005
2005 Vincent et Denis Berthaut, Fixin Les Clos Medium-plus colour. The nose is both wide and deep with higher-toned powdery elements and occasional flashes of deep cherry. Intense and mouth-watering with a decent finish – in-between is fruit with good depth and submerged tannin. For a humble ‘villages’ wine this impresses and is reasonably sophisticated. Rebuy – Yes
