a clos du tart and a chevalier-montrachet

Update 6.1.2009(15.11.2006)billn

Enjoyment tinged with disappointment: Two top wines, if I hadn’t seen the labels I would have enjoyed them very much, but I did – one in retrospect was disappointing:
1999 Clos de Tarttry to find this wine...
Medium, medium-plus ruby-red core edging to a salmon pink. A nose of minerals edged with soft red fruit and the faintest trace of vanilla. The palate is wide but not fat, plenty of dry and grainy tannin and a real impression of expansion. Very long – again in a mineral rather than fruity sense. A young and impressive wine of quite some potential. Rebuy – Yes
2000 Domaine Leflaive, Chevalier-Montrachettry to find this wine...
Not so much full-on oak on the nose as many grand crus from Leflaive, but plenty of toasty bread, tight fruit and eventually higher alcoholic notes. In the mouth my first impression is disappointment; soft, rather unfocused but good acidity. The wine then wakes a little with an impressive burst of complexity on the mid-palate that holds into a long – if rather oak driven – finish. It’s long and has some undoubted complexity but maybe I’ve caught it on a bad day as there’s no real focus or spark. Rebuy – Maybe
Maybe – because it’s a very good wine, but if this bottle is representative, then it’s not as good as it should be!

Agree? Disagree? Anything you'd like to add?

There is one response to “a clos du tart and a chevalier-montrachet”

  1. Robert Tang6th January 2009 at 8:59 pmPermalinkReply

    Hi- I love your site. Do you think the 99 Clos du Tart is close to ready now?? I was thinking of having it with a black truffle dinner. Thank you!

    • billn6th January 2009 at 10:00 pmPermalinkReply

      Hi Robert
      A bottle I had beck in September showed surprisingly mature smells and flavours – I assume this to be an aberration as I expect 99 to be a 50 year (living) vintage – though the tannin still needed quite some time in the cellar.
      Bill

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