Entries from 2017

a lesson in pruning musigny…

By billn on March 23, 2017 #travels in burgundy 2017#vineyard pestilence

Eric Bourgogne of de Vogüé graciously gave me a lesson in pruning in Musigny today – it’s impressive the attention to detail that Eric has; quickly removing spare buds and generally tidying the ‘pieds’ and spotting the camouflaged caterpillars. I think it was probably a good idea that he never actually handed me the secateurs!

Two things to note as they come to the end of their pruning; despite the cold snap in January, -10°C doesn’t seem to have dissuaded the caterpillars (pictured) that eat the buds of the vine – in some plots Eric has rarely seen so many. Also I could easily see the difficulties of both pruning and training the vines due to last spring’s frost – not all, but close to one in 10, of the cordon trained vines (one baguette) are very difficult to train in the required directions. It seems much easier in the vines which have the double cordons – which is about two thirds of de Vogüés plantings…
 

a quick jog around town

By billn on March 22, 2017 #travels in burgundy 2017

One or two buds are pushing, but nothing close to bud-burst at the bottom of the Beaune 1er Crus…
 

a little côte de nuits & much more côte de beaune – rugiens mainly

By billn on March 20, 2017 #travels in burgundy 2017

a new title…

By billn on March 20, 2017 #books, maps, magazines, films even podcasts!

Looks worth trying to get hold of a copy…

weekend wines, week 11 2017

By billn on March 20, 2017 #degustation

2012 Le Grappin, Beaune 1er Les Grèves Blanc
The problem with having the same label for all the wines is the following: Hmm – this is a deep and impressive nose – not the high-toned freshness that I remember. In the mouth too – big, opulent, layered and very long – hmm, better check the neck label – okay, it’s not the villages Savigny blanc that I thought I pulled out of the fridge, it’s the Beaune 1er Cru! But do you know what? I might prefer a little more zip, but it’s damn good!
Rebuy – Maybe

2000 Heritiers Louis Jadot, Beaune 1er Clos des Ursules
Hmm – a little sous bois and a lot of depth of dark fruit – this is brilliant! A sweetness on the palate but also layered, melting and slowly mouth-watering flavour too. Wow – great wine – this is a cuvée that has just got better and better with age. A wine that transcends its vintage. Bravo!
Rebuy – Yes

2005 Ardhuy, Pommard 1er Fremiers
Hmm – this is a rather nondescript nose – seemingly a little alcoholic too – apparently 13.5. In the mouth this is big and impressive wine, super-smooth and rather massive in all directions. Here also I have the impression of some alcohol but the wine remains rather tasty all the same – there’s a very lovely, indeed delicious dark fruit here. You might not guess burgundy, you might not even guess pinot(!) but it’s damn tasty wine.
Rebuy – Maybe

2014 Camille Giroud, Volnay 1er Lurets
Hmm – a much fresher nose than the Ardhuy, but with plenty of oak spice. In the mouth this has less weight and muscle – yet – in the mid-palate and finish the flavours are longer and wider – impressively so – though again still with an oak/caramel component. A wine to wait for – tasty as it is – I prefer my wine with less overt oak. Let’s see in another 2-3 years…
Rebuy – Maybe

and today a little monthèlie…

By billn on March 19, 2017 #travels in burgundy 2017

Considering the wet, wet, wet forecast for this weekend, we had only a little rain during Saturday morning’s market. Not much sun before mid-afternoon on Sunday though – i.e. only after my camera battery expired 😉
 

Burgundy Report

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