Rick Dalia
Member
bmcq said:
I reminded myself of Digioia-Royer bourgogne the other night.What a serious wine; dark, brooding and dynamic, changing from the first pours toughness into beet and dark fruit silk. Great value.
BMCQ - ?vintage? I've got some 1ers from this producer in cellar, but wondering how the village bottles might be young. I get the feeling the Fremieres may be best after a few years (I'm referring to '08's)? (I suppose I could just pop a cork and find out for myself)
emile
Member
Rick, I encourage you to visit Arlequin Wine Merchant in SF and pick up a bottle of Domaine Potel "Maison Dieu" Bourgone Rouge VV 2007 for $25. It is by the glass at Evvia in Palo Alto; begins on tasting menu at Benu in SF next week; is by the bottle at Nopa in SF; and is by the bottle at Range in SF as well. 80+ year old vines from Pommard commune; certified organic since 1993; ambient yeasts; 1/2 whole cluster and 1/2 destemmed; no racking prior to bottling; 2nd and 3rd year barrels. It is quite refined for the money from a delicious vintage, which far too many folk have over looked. Most who taste it agree the wine out performs it's humble Bourgone Rouge classification.
Goughie13
Member
Domaine Arlaud's 2008 Bourgogne Roncevie. Lovely balance of stone cherry damson sappy fruit & mineral with lifted acidity. Would never normally look a Burg so young but this slips down soooo easily and the same 2005 are closed tight and unyielding.
Won't be the same after 2009 as the old vines here were very badly frosted indeed in the winter of 2009/10 with the 2010 yield less than four fifths of the norm. Romain Arlaud told me wholesale replanting will be required. Was like a vine desert when we made a single quick pass one afternoon through 'Roncevie' in the 2010 vendange with just odd grapes & bunches here and there (weird), few leaves on the vines, very sad.
Goughie13
Member
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey 2009 Bourgogne Chardonnay.
Took me a frustrating minute or two to get to the cork via taking a pen knife to the impressive wax type bottle top covering, half of which I seemed to end up chipping onto the kitchen floor (any one know a quick way to get past this stuff ?) whilst avoiding getting any bits into the glass vase of the wife's goldfish or cutting my fingers. Impressive seal though !
Pale green water-white, very cool wet stones mineral nose, very slight hint of sulphur. Initially, for a split second a reserved, almost austere, up slope St Aubin type mineral front palate then 'bang', a quite concentrated, complex 'hit' of green apple type, slightly limey, medium acid, flavours over a rocky base with just hints of cream spread quickly flooding wide across the mid palate. Then narrow to a (nice level of) acid, mineral, and slightly leesey, reasonable length, without being uber long, finish. Very easy to drink and like, love this style - wait, with hindsight more acidity than first thought, not bad value either.
Pretty impressive for what it is & would put many allegedly superior level (village, premier cru) wines to shame. Go compare ? On this first bottle showing think I'd take Alex Gambal's ace 2008 Bourgogne Blanc if I had a choice but maybe need to try side by side - might just do that soon.
Sounds like a good one Mark. I have a few of those on order so I'll look forward to trying them over the Summer
Filobianco
Member
I recently had 1997 Bourgogne from Lafarge, certainly from exceptional provenance as levels were almost into the capsule. It was mature/enjoyable and displaying only little of that warm character I often find in 1997s. This is to testify that Bourgognes can age when the year is a little warmer than average (so the Bourgogne to GC gap is a touch tighter than usual) so they have enough (ripe) fruit ub them.
My other drinking Bourgogne is 2006 from Roumier. Well here is another example of something drinking beautifully. It's so fresh that makes me wonder all those worries about 2006 being flabby and weak. Yet another lesson not to trust what you read or they say but rather what you have in the glass.
Rick Dalia
Member
emile said:
pick up a bottle of Domaine Potel "Maison Dieu" Bourgone Rouge VV 2007 for $25.
The city is only 10 min away (though it is $5 to get over the GG bridge). I finally made it over to grab a bottle of Potel's '07 Maison Dieu. Well worth the $23. Absolutely wonderful nose and mouthfeel to this wine, easily reaches the quality of some other producer's villages. I'll be buying more, esp at the price.
emile
Member
Rick,
I can assure you the price was originally much higher. Nicholas' Ex-Cellar prices for his 2007 Domaine wines were not cheap. Then you tack on importer, distributor, and retail mark-ups. Grab what you can now from Arlequin because the wine is disappearing.
I am about to taste his Domaine bottlings in 2007 from Savigny Les Beaune VV, Santennay Blanc Charmes Desus, and Savigny Les Beaune Blanc in the next couple weeks and will report back with my impressions and if they will be available in the SF bay Area.
GrapesofMath
Member
Nicolas' Domaine wines were very nice in 2007. I am liking his 2009 wines, and am a big fan of the 2009 Savigny Les Beaune VV. I think he has some very nice offerings, and look forward to more of his wines (both Domaine de Bellene and Maison Roche de Bellene) in the US. His wines are quite limited, but I can't say I've ever been disappointed with anything I've come across.
Emile, you are correct - the wines were initially much higher, also partially due to historic exchange rates. But the price of $23/bottle Rick lists is a steal. Rick - where did you find this?
emile
Member
The Savigny Les Beaune VV 2007 showed fantastic yesterday and is being ordered for Northern California. The wine is a blend of 4 plots with vines from 1913, 1923, 1930, and 1950. One plot is massale selection from Beaune Greves. 900+ cases produced counting 375mls. Wine would probably cost $35.99-$39.99 retail, although this is *significantly* discounted from what the wine would have cost a year ago. Again, regardless of the Exchange Rates when 2007 wines were purchased in 2009, the Ex Cellar prices were high despite the quality being fantastic.
Rick Dalia
Member
GrapesofMath said:
where did you find this?
K&L in San Francisco. They're more of a Bordeaux importer, but have been dipping more into Burgundy. Emile mentions another merchant above, I've not shopped there but maybe I should!
So Arlaud's '09 Roncevie has arrived (a bit of a price markup I think from last couple years), seems like it'll be the last of this plot for awhile. I've always loved this wine, maybe time to stock up.
GrapesofMath
Member
True true. I think I paid like $33-34 for the Rouge. I was interested in trying it given that it was produced by Potel. So I was piqued by my interest. Working in the industry, I often get discounts as it is, so when I have a genuine interest in trying a wine, even if it seems a bit high, it doesn't deter me.
emile
Member
Correct. $33-$34 is roughly(still probablyly on the low side by a few bucks) where the Bourgogne Rouge VV 2007 would have been priced after normal importer, wholesale, and retail mark-ups. While I agree the wine outperforms it's supposed category in the hierarchy of classification, most Consumers have a psychological block regarding purchasing a Bourgogne Rouge priced as high as some village bottlings and even 1er Cru bottlings after discounting occuring over the last few vintages.
chambolle
Member
Rick Dalia sez: "K&L in San Francisco. They're more of a Bordeaux importer, but have been dipping more into Burgundy. Emile mentions another merchant above, I've not shopped there but maybe I should!"
Yes indeed, you should. K&L for decades was (and remains) the 'go to' spot for Bordeaux, but my dear friend Keith Wollenberg has been their resident Burgundy man since the late 90s and has built that side of the business into a serious contender with the Bored d'Eaux. You'd do well to dip into the K&L Burgundy selection often and get on the email distribution list for small lot offerings that may never make it to the bricks and mortar shop shelves or the web site, or don't last long if they do.
chambolle
Member
But more on topic, I've still got the remains of a case of 1999 Denis Bachelet Bourgogne rouge, which is at its peak about now. Also 2002 Lafarge Bourgogne rouge, which could easily use another year to three to reach full maturity, but it's showing nicely now. The 2002 Burguet "Pince Vin" was also very satsifying, but that was so slurpable young that the last bottle went under the knife a couple of years ago. All three I picked up in case lots at auction for a song - under $200 per case with premium and shipping included. One can drink very well for very little money if a tony appellation is not a prerequisite!
Michael Warner
Member
Just finishing the second half of a 2007 Bourgogne Rouge from Tortochot. I really enjoyed their wines when I visited 6 weeks ago, and the couple of 2007 and 2009 Bourgognes I've tried since I'm back have been really good too. Fresh red fruit, good acidity which gives it nice length, but plenty of fruit richness for this level. I'll be going back for more !
Goughie13
Member
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey 2009 Bourgogne Chardonnay.
Another one of these opened last night for a couple of small glasses & fridged overnight for finishing today. Similar to the one posted on about a month ago (see above)but today (different light ?) maybe pale lemon, subtle nose of pear, blossom & just a faint hint of vanilla oak. Front / mid palate is stony with the 'action' on the finish which is chewy, lime / lemon over, again, just very subtle light toast barely noticeable wood - lemon meringue finish, wide, plenty of nuance. Very nice right now. Not sure how it might develop but think I'd prefer to drink now whilst saving my 08's and 07's to let their acidity 'calm'. By implication guess this means this 09 has less acidity, some might call soft (that might be unfair) but that's not a criticism, quite the contrary. Bottom line - a very nice drink - which I guess what its all about.
Lafon's 1997 Volnay Santenots to come soon with chicken and avocado wrapped in bacon with rice.
Mark,
Thanks for the note (again). Did you find an elegant way of getting through the wax yet? I think I'll put a bottle of his 09 St Aubin on the drinking list for next weekend.
Cheers,
Will
Goughie13
Member
Will,
I've tried 2 or 3 methods. Bill's straightforward advice was to insert the corkscrew and just pull the cork out through the breaking wax. That worked on an earlier bottle but on the one from the weekend as I went to make the initial press of the corkscrew through the wax into the cork the rather brittle wax on that one cracked apart atop the cork in a slightly messy way. I then turned to my now preferred technique which is to use the tip of my corkscrew to chip the wax covering off, it comes away in bits, some quite large, until its below the 'collar' of the bottle (or whatever one calls the glass 'lip' ) and then just pull the cork as usual.
I should maybe have added to my notes above that I was more prepared, than I migt otherwise have been, to start my way through a case of the 09 Bourgogne as I have 2 more cases of 12 in storage. The case I'm on now was an afterthought (prompted by a thread on W-P.com) and was I believe the UK importers last case of the 09.
Think I have a case of the St Aubin 09 (En Remilly ?)in bond along with a case of the St Aubin 2007 Le Banc. My principal interest is PYCM's C-M 1er Caillerets which I've got in 06,08, and 09 but they can slumber a while yet.
My St Aubin is the 1er Champlots. I'll let you know how I get on after next weekend...
Wax - so covetable in the shop - is always a damn mess. If it's very hard stuff I think it's best to chip it off with something hard as softer corks might just have the worm drill a hole and not extract - but 80% of the time the direct (forget it's there) approach seems to work for me.
Goughie13
Member
So many lovely & interesting Bourgogne's around at the moment.
Recently drunk, no particular order :-
Alex Gambal's BB 2008 Cuvee Prestige - consistently excellent. A real go to, thanks Bill.
PYCM's Bourgogne Chardonnay 2009 - showing much more '09 (softer but still nice) than
the above
J-P Fichet's 2008 BB (not the VV). like this a lot but seems to have a fair degree of
bottle variation and nothing like as consistent, bottle to bottle, as Alex G's.
Mugneret-Gibourg's 1996 BR - an auction purchase as otherwise it seems so hard to get hold of. Excellent, if very atypical '96, which I love, deeply coloured, bags of bright mouth watering cherry acidity. Very fresh & v classy. A delight.
Arlaud's 2005 Bourgogne 'Roncevie' - aka a Gevrey village. This has been closed down very hard & unyielding for me for a year or two but opened one last weekend. Was 'class in a glass' and super enjoyable over two evenings. A bottle or two of the '08's have been yummy but reckon the '05 has more about it than the '08 & '09 combined. For me, with my village and 1er 05's slumbering, this was a first proper glimpse of what the 2005 might be all about !
Enjoy your Bourgognes.
MG
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