As promised some impressions post tasting.

A gathering of around 40 people for the tasting. Wines were all tasted blind and organised in two flights; 6 whites and 6 reds.

Our host asked us to taste through the whites first and to make a note of our favourite wine in the lineup; he would then take a show of hands for the favourite and rank them based on the number of votes per wine. This would then be repeated for the red flight. Our host also indicated that he had included two 'ringers' (non Bourgogne level wines); one ringer per flight.

Overall White Ranking (In order of preference)

1. Chavy Chouet Puligny Montrachet 2010
2. De Vogue Bourgogne Blanc 2006
3. Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc 2009
4. Coche Dury Bourgogne Blanc 2008
5. Sauzet Bourgogne Blanc 2007
6. Ramonet Bourgogne Blanc 2009

My impressions of the whites as follows in order of preference:

1. De Vogue BB 2006 / 18.5
Pronounced notes of toasty oak and spices, but also some herbaceous notes(Chablis esque!)Fresh mouthwatering acidity, slight medicinal quality to the flavour which is unique in the flight. Lush green apple flavours but taut with a distinctive minerally finish. Very exciting wine this.

2. Leflaive BB 2009 / 18
Lots of tropical fruit aromas(grapefruit,pineapple,lemon) and green apples as well as some nutty and creamy notes. Rich and juicy on the palate with lots of toasty oak flavours. Great freshness and savoury finish; amazing length.

3. Chavy Chouet PM 2010 / 17.5
Darkest coloured wine in the flight; brass colour rather than greenish/gold. Lanolin and pecan notes to the fore with stewed green apple fruits beneath. Fresh acidity but fairly light in terms of mid palate concentration, although this is not a bad thing in this case. Tight chalky/minerally finish. Lots of finesse here.

4. Coche Dury BB 2008 / 17.5
Bready/brioche notes, some hazelnut and fruits of green apple and nectarine. Fresh, lemon sherbet acidity which balances out the rich mid palate richness (apple and white stone fruit flavours). Lots of complexity with a long lingering finish.

5. Sauzet BB 2007 / 16.5
Attractive florals, slight sweaty/cheesy note(aged Pecorino)as well as some citrus fruits. Chalky, fairly tight acidity. Good fruit concentration on the palate. Salty finish.

6. Ramonet BB 2009 / 15
Very mute on the nose; not giving much up at all(delicate florals!). Palate comprising delicate pear/peach rather than apple/citrus. Very racy acidity which overpowers the fruit somewhat. No oak. Very lean style.

Overall Red Ranking (In order of preference)

1. Dupont Tisserandot Gevrey Chambertin Clos Prieur 2009
2. Dugat Bourgogne Rouge 2004
3. Leroy Bourgogne Rouge 2007
4. Cathiard Bourgogne Rouge 2009
5. Roty Bourgogne Rouge 'Presonniers' 2008
6. Dugat Py Bourgogne Rouge 'Halinard' 2008

My impressions of the Reds as follows in order of preference:

1. Cathiard BR 2009 / 18
Lots of ripe red fruit on the nose (strawberry,raspberry,cherry). Lush red fruits which really fill out the mid palate but with great texture and savoury flavours which keep changing in the glass. Fresh acidty carries everything along beautifully.

2. Dugat BR 2004 / 17.5
Ruby garnet in terms of colour. Earthy, spicy, medicinal notes. Some rose and violet notes(Barolo like). Dry, very serious style this - very coarse tannins. Lots of red cherry but also mushroom, briney flavours, dried fruits. Big savoury finish.

3. Dugat Py BR 2008 / 17
Bright cherry red colour. Gamey, meaty, some herbs and fruit notes of red cherry and redcurrant. Rich, lots of extraction. Juicy red fruits (rapspberry, plum, strawberry). Ripe but 'spiky' tannin strcture. Fresh juicy acidity balances everything out.

4. Dupont Tisserandot GC 2009 / 16.5
Bright ruby red colour. Fruit driven style this; first thing that hits you when you smell the wine. Fruit dominates the mid palate; well integated tannins. Needs much more complexity for me.

5. Leroy BR 2007/ 16
Ruby colour; slight reductive in style. Leafy/herbaceous notes. Some red cherry and redcurrant fruits; some spice. Light but good concentration of fruit. Chewy, savoury, dusty finish. Fairly unexciting

6. Roty BR 2008 / 15
Reddy/Purple tones. Gasey red fruits prominent(some carbonic maceration?). Very light red fruit notes (strawberry, raspberry); some tannin structure but on the light side. Very easy drinking style.

A very interesting tasting, particularly as all the wines were tasted blind. Funny how the two 'ringers' were picked out as the two favourite wines overall.

I found the quality within the White wines to be very high (Ramonet excepted), and for me the additional level of complexity within in the De Vogue marked it higher then the Leflaive. Red wise I found much more variation from more simple drinking styles to very serious wines indeed.

I would love to be stocking up on the De Vogue BB but that is probably unlikely given the hefty price tag! Some Cathiard BR could be worth a look though.

Thanks

Mark

Lliwiau Llachar said:
looking forward to the match up between the De Vogue and Leflaive Bourgogne Blancs

A good call...
Without pre-judging the outcome, I'm pretty sure I'd rather have the dV in the cellar (which isn't the same as drinking it!); The Leflaive is 'just' a Puligny blend of vines from here and from there, the dV? well it's just those special few rows isn't it...

Will

Sure looks a good line up; looking forward to the match up between the De Vogue and Leflaive Bourgogne Blancs in particular. I will certainly post some impressions on the forum post tasting.

Mark

Mark,

Sounds like a great tasting! I hope you will post some impressions after the tasting? I wonder will the Vogue Bourgogne stand head and shoulders above the other blancs?

Slightly tangentially, does anybody else bottle a grand cru white as a bourgogne?

No probs from me!

Dear All

Just been emailed some details of a Bourgogne Tasting in London hosted by Roberson Wine which I wanted to share as I thought it may be of interest; I will definitely be buying a ticket myself.

Host: Roberson Wine (see their website of how to book tickets)
Cost: £40
Date: Thursday 16th February
Time: 7pm
Producers to be tasted: Coche Dury, Sauzet, Ramonet, De Vogue, Leflaive, Cathaird, Dugat Py, Dugat, Roty, Leroy

Mark

Bill-Hope this is okay highlighting this tasting? As I said I thought it may be of interest to UK forum members as one of the longest running topics on the forum has been about Bourgognes. I don't work or have any affiliation with Roberson; I just buy a few bottles from them now and again.

Found something on a store shelf the other day and figured it was worth a tumble for 18$ : Ch. Philippe-le-Hardi "Clos de Philippe-le-Hardi" H CdB Blanc 2005.

Nice enough with edges of fresh apples and an appealing, slightly creamy dry-down. Overall flat profile though.

Never heard of this producer.

A.

a bunch of 07 red bordeaux - ugh (charity event) - although cos and ddc weren't bad (and the ddc blanc was very good) - the 07 climens was stellar and the coutet excellent

and last wednesday I was subjected to a bunch of italian wine, none of which I liked (including a 98 mascarello monprivato from my cellar) - not sure if that was because (1) I was fighting a cold (and losing); (2) it was a root day, or (3) they were italian wines.

perhaps some burgundy later this week! or at least a glass of good riesling.

Clos de la Roche 2000 from Rousseau very clean, lovely fruit, soft tannins, very fresh and long, really charming bottle. A 2007 Bourgogne Blanc from Roulot was rather closed, nice minerality though but not ready for 2 - 3 years.

Tonight the second of a quartet from 86. Lamarche Malconsorts. Clean aromas and flavours - but (and it's been open an hour) rather tight - it's going to make me wait...

I was hoping to drink a well priced bottle of 2005 Coche Dury Meursauolt this afternoon with lunch but unfortunately the restaurant was sold out so I had to settle with a simple 2007 Boillot Montagny 1er Cru. I also had a glass of 2004 Charles Thomas Savigny Les Beaune Les Planchots, which was actually relatively closed, although no GMs

A very good, taut, minerally Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuissé 2007 (down to £7 in my local Sainsburys, so bought the last 6 bottles). Non-Burgs include a Cissac 2000 (not opened yet) and a Colomé Amalaya 2008, Argentina (mostly Malbec with some Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Tannat). It's quite a fruity, easy drinking wine but with pretty good balance and structure and some savouriness on the finish.

Some non burgundians (Santa Duc / Penfolds Riesling / Bonnaire Blanc De Blanc 2004) as well as a bottle of Sauzet Puligny 2003. Fresher than you would imagine without being as good as this wine would be in a better vintage.

1986 Rebourseau Mazis-Chambertin (half) clean and satisfying - still some astringency - I bet this was real unfriendly for a lot of years! Only 23 more from this case....