Andrew Hall
Member
Had the '98 Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny last night, motivated by a sequential commune tasting thread on Wine Berserkers. Felt like a tension between the '98-ness' and the Chambolle character. Certainly enjoyed it, but felt it was more of a bell-weather on the vintage. While fully acidic, that acid never grew even over the hours the wine was open. I consider that a good sign that this wine - and hopefully other '98s - have a really nice trajectory ahead of them.
Other thoughts?
A.
Good idea Andrew.
I've had 5 bottles / 4 wines in the last couple of months. Two had VA; Bruno Clair Marsannay and Serveau Amoureuses - a second Clair was fine. The others, Bourgognes in particular were lovely.
I'm hoping that I was unlucky and that there's no VA epidemic!
Tom Blach
Member
I find many 98s currently very exciting to drink, while recognising that there is a racy leanness which is not for everyone. Recent highlights have been Montille Rugiens, Barthod Beaux Bruns, Hudelot-Noellat Clos de Vougeot, Clavelier Nuits Cras(the good bottles, about half of them),Clair Dominode, Fourrier Chambolle,Geoffroy Fixin,Pavelot Dominode, Bize Vergelesses and particularly Laurent Beaune VV, an astonishing wine.
Regan McCaffery
Member
Thanks guys, interesting thread since I just picked up a couple bottles of Bonneau du Martray Corton 1998. Has anyone ever tried this before? Not sure if I should hold or drink.
My first ever bottle of Burgundy was some half bottles of their 1990 Corton around 2004 and I really enjoyed them at the time.
Mugnier's Fuees was a nice wine, but bigger and darker than I expected. Still with time in hand:
Deep ruby/garnet - some age showing on the narrow paler rim. Very dark toned nose - plummy with a touch of chocolate - but a lovely floral lift. Round ripe and plummy in the mouth, with just s tiny crunch of tannin on the finish. Not great, but a delightful wine. Top ***
24hrs on = has become broader and redder in character, quite meaty and spicy too. Almost Morey character, but with the elegance and floral perfume of a Chambolle. Very plump but fresh - lovely balance. Good acidity and structure, but a touch of coffee on the finish.
Oct 2009
maureen nelson
Member
I really like where most 98s are now and keep reaching for them when I'm not looking for a wine with significant age, but instead one that's ready yet still vibrant. I've had the Mugnier Fuees several times over the past couple of years, most recently late December where it showed really well against roumier's cras and a lafon champans. I might have slightly preferred the roumier with its marginally more apparent spine but the two both chambolles were really quite spectacular. The volnay might have seemed better had it not been in that company; as it was, it needed more precision.
Checking on cellartracker for other 98s recently consumed: well, last week I pulled a bertheau amourouses to pair with a friend's 96 - both really excellent (bertheau's 96s have never been marred by excess acidity), with my preference for the slightly more animale 96 but the group preferred the 98. I opened a couple bottles of Jadot's CSJ last fall - it's a terrific wine but whereas a couple of bottles opened in winter 2008 and even late last summer were relatively open and showed how great that wine is, a bottle opened last december made me vow to stay away from my couple of remaining bottles. Cathiard's Malconsorts needs more time, as does the Clos des Lambrays.
Burgundy Al
Member
Had the Mugnier 98 Fuees about a year ago. Agree it was big and powerful, really demonstrating Mugnier's masterful results form the vintage. With an hour in decanter this wine showed great spice and elegance. The "Morey" character referenced is probably symptomatic of the wine's power, but I considered the spice and floral character to be classically Chambolle.
Bert Bessems
Member
Had the Clos St. Jacques 1998 from Rousseau last week on saterday evening.
It really was something special truly magnificient it took me 4 hours to empty the bottle in my own this says everything I hope. I bought two bottles from a restaurant owner about 3 weeks ago so I have another one but will leave this one in the cellar for a couple of months probably until somewhere around the end of 2010.
thomasito2001
Member
+1 on the Michel Gros Clos des Réas, really a classy wine full of finesse. An Amoureuses from Groffier was more disappointing, nothing wrong with the acidity but the fruit tasted slightly jammed and cooked. I have still one bottle of Clos de Tart and one of Anne Gros' Richebourg that I have been contemplating for a long time now and for which I am considering to pull the trigger quite soon...
Rick Dalia
Member
Domaine des Perdrix - 1er Aux Perdrix.
I've had 2 of 12 so far (most recent was early this summer), and both were consistent and drinking very well. Perhaps not overly complex, but I'm happy I bought the case. It seems to me, the structure is there for a few more years at least.
Would you drink De Vogue CM 98 now or wait a little longer?
chambolle
Member
Here in the US the 98s were dumped unceremoniously on the retail market at fire sale prices. Didn't The Emperor Who Has No Nose, or his sidekick, trash the vintage in its entirety? I can't quite recall and never would have much cared other than to see it as a golden opportunity. The wines are indeed coming around, I esp. like the Clos des Cortons someone mentioned earlier; the Faiveley '98 Latricieres is a bit lean however. The '98 M. Gros Clos des Reas is definitely very nice too and I've seen it pop up at auction recently -- although someone seemed to want it badly enough to plonk down close to $100 U.S. a bottle for it so I decided I did not need to add to my existing stock all that badly.
Anyone tried the Rousseau 98 lineup of late, esp. the CSJ/CdB/Chamb trio at the top? Probably infanticide?
I recently (okay 6 months ago) met PAR and he (without my prodding) said he still stands by his 50 decent wines from the vintage, and if I understood correctly - not too much else.chambolle said:
Here in the US the 98s were dumped unceremoniously on the retail market at fire sale prices. Didn't The Emperor Who Has No Nose, or his sidekick, trash the vintage in its entirety?
But we're a broad church aren't we ;o)
Howard Cooper
Member
I really doubt the 50 decent wine remark - I probably have had that many that I like and I have not tasted a fraction of what he has. The best 98 I have had is the Rossignol-Trapet Chambertin. Still somewhat young, but I really like the wine. Two other producers that to me have stood out in the vintage (at least what I have tasted) are D'Angerville and Chandon des Briailles (beautiful Corton Bressandes).
Hell, I can name you more than 50 good wines from Vosne-Romanée alone.
Just last night, had some friends over and to teach them about the differences between Clos St-Denis and Clos de la Roche, we had the 1998s from Dujac with dinner. Splendid!
Claude,
Any chance of some notes? Or impressions regarding the differences between CSD & CdlR
Will -- Just typical of the two vineyards within the style of one given producer: CSD more sensuous and oriental spiced/sandalwood with red fruit; CdlR showed darker fruit, more tightly wound, somewhat more structured. CSD is looking to Vosne, CdlR is looking to Gevrey.
Claude,
Thanks for that, very well summerised. I have these wines from Dujac but only in the 2005 vintage, so i think It'll be 10/15 years before I'll be able to run a similar comparison.
Cheers,
Will
Claude Kolm said:
Hell, I can name you more than 50 good wines from Vosne-Romanée alone.
Amen!
But when PAR reviewed the vintage in WA didn't he actually have a list of the only 50 wines that he'd buy from 1998? - that was the impression he left me with, and he seems to be sticking with it...
I always took the standpoint that harsh and astringent as many of the tannins were, at the end of the day they were just tannins that year by year would reduce in significance. I think that's the way they have worked out; today you often get a little rasp but seldom astringency but that's part of the fun of drinking and enjoying many vintages...
Of-course looking at the old drinking windows of WA/RMP; PAR's list probably had some degree of viability in the context of drinking in 2-7 years !
I understand that Pierre-Antoine actually endorsed 57 wines from the vintage, and wouldn't discuss any others.
For what it's worth I had a really good experience from a 1998 Dominique Laurent Gevrey Clos St.Jacques this weekend - almost a double surprise ;o)
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