This Mugneret-Gibourg was just an unbelievably sumptuous, delicious wine when young – I drank more than half a case in the first year without any pangs of regret. The wine then slowly began a diet, getting thinner and thinner – the last time I tried it – 3 or 4 years ago – it was rather meager. The Bichot 2001 was so good a few days ago that I was reminded to return to this – and this may indeed be my last bottle. It turns out that it was quite a good idea to enjoy these Vosnes when they were young.
2001 Mugneret-Gibourg, Vosne-Romanée
It has a medium-plus colour – a little age, but not too much. The nose is pinched – there is that faint Vosne-spice, and being courteous, I’ll say an implied depth of aroma. Essentially there’s not much here to see – or, rather, smell. In the mouth I have the impression of a hint of fat to the texture, but only a hint. The wine is rather acid-forward still with a very faint rasp of tannin – the two in combination are hardly delicious. The high-point – if I can call it that – is that there are still some nice layers of finishing flavour, if of rather modest intensity. I would say that today this is no better than a half-decent Bourgogne.
Rebuy – No
And just to test that suggestion….
2001 Ghislaine Barthod, Bourgogne Rouge
Still a pretty red colour, but the depth of colour is less than that of the Vosne. Here the nose is also a little tight, but there is both pretty red fruit and a modest and attractive floral too – age may have added a faint meatiness to depth of the fruit – but only that. In the mouth this has very good volume, plenty of acidity too – but it’s well-balanced compared to the ‘extra acid’ of the MG. I like the energy here and the mouth-watering way the flavour spills over into the finish – faintly floral, faintly tannic too. Tasty wine that’s the more attractive of the two today.
Rebuy – Yes
There are 2 responses to “some weekly wines…”
Interesting comparison there, Bill. Might the Vosne perhaps have been scalped by a low-level TCA taint?
I doubt it Mike.
The last bottles have been pretty consistent…
Wine making and pre-fermentation cold maceration techniques could have changed at Mugneret-Gibourg. I had some older Vosne MG wines dating back to 90’s which had held up pretty well.