Summaries:
There were no wines here that I regret buying, and none that I would regret having more of!
Wine 1 – Like a beautiful lady watched across a room that I didn’t manage to speak with. This was (as many guessed) the Mugnier Amoureuses. The comment about not speaking referred to the fact it’s so primary that despite the obvious joy the bottle gave, there is so much more in reserve for the future.
Wine 2 – Tight, precise and quite haughty, but I’m just wondering what she (for this is another she) will be like if she lets her hair down and takes off those glasses. This was the one that confused everyone, it’s the Bèze from Jadot. It has a little of the mineral intesity of a good Bèze but would be better approached in another 6-10 years.
[Note; I’m regularly disappointed by Chambertin/Bèze from all producers, but I find virtually all I have samples from 2005 to be fabulous!]
Wine 3 – A soft-focus picture of a big brown bear. This is the only wine where I had a measure of disappointment. It’s full-packed but in soft-focus way and really needs to sharpen up to compete with the other wines here. It’s Drouhin’s Petits Monts.
Wine 4 – This is quite a wine; masculine and muscular of stance, with an obvious winemaker’s signature. I think Pascal Lachaux has turned down the oak a notch since 99, but I was surprised how the style really stuck out in this group. The Arnoux Suchots (of-course).
Wine 5 – Despite the concentration there is perfect balance, this wine is the ultimate in sophistication – monumental – it’s the best wine I’ve drunk this year. It made a bigger impression on me than the 2004’s from DRC, I can only think of Louis-Michel’s 05 La Romanée that has made such an impression in the last 9 months! Shame I can’t find any on winesearcher with either Ponsot’s or Chezeaux’s label – it’s the Clos St.Denis VV.
Now onto some (relatively) simple 2002’s…
Cheers
There are 2 responses to “the 1999’s unveiled…”
Our guesses are testimony to your notes – well, er, I think so as my mistakes make sense rereading your notes — gee, I should have known what Bill was tasting. I haven’t tasted a 99 Ponsot — actually got tired of the “hit and miss” nature of the domaine and having to buy blind from small allocations. I promise to keep an eye out for it. Your only curve-ball from my experience was the initial diffuse nose on Mugnier — his wines are so precise, intense, concentrated, linear and yet almost weightless — anyway, just one word as the rest of the note is completely Freddy. When are these wines going to peak?
When will these wines peak?
Good question Dan; I suppose they will start to plateau in about 8-12 years, the Jadot towards the end of that range and the 1ers at the front-end.
I don’t expect the performance of any of these to suffer if you wait 20 years.
Cheers