weekend wines – week 2 2020

13.1.2020billn

2005 Gambal Dents du Chien, 1999 Bouchard Chambertin

2005 Alex Gambal, St.Aubin 1er Les Murgers des Dents du Chien
Golden colour though no browning. A perfumed roasted lemon is my first impression, a little spiced too. Time adds faint lanolin to the nose. In the mouth to my surprise, is a lovely sweeping line of freshness – waxily-fine textured and mineral. Such a difference in the delivery of flavour versus the Chablis of last week. The finish mineral and has some caramel aspects – probably the barrels talking here. Concentrated but alive, beautifully proportioned and very long. A point! Opened on Friday, this was completely stable/robust, such that still delicious on Sunday – narrower, but not a suggestion of tiring in either flavours or aromas. Bravo – I hope it’s not my last!
Rebuy – Yes

1999 Bouchard Père et Fils, Chambertin
Not a wine you see very often – it’s a domaine wine – but with only 0.15 hectares, it’s not a wine that they tend to (need to) show in tastings. A couple of years ago the 1998 was brilliant! Here a poor start, but only because the cork breaks in half – the second part coming out in a thousand pieces! I asked Frédéric Weber if he could tell me a little more about the plot and he responded right away! “Yes, it’s a plot of 0.15ha in the upper part of the Chambertin (close to Les Latricières) I think it is a very nice situation particularly in the hot years because we are close to the forest and that permits us to keep freshness and a good balance, the soil is poor and very thin, the yield is low in average, in the best year I produce only 2 barrels. I like to vinify with whole clusters and a soft maceration to express the aromatics and elegance of Chambertin, we do not produce a deep Chambertin in this part.”
What a beautiful nose – not the pure and powerful that I remember from the 1998, rather a beautiful and elegant floral bouquet. Rather silky in the mouth, still a grain of ripe tannin if you search hard enough. Elegant and floral here too – slowly becoming a little more mineral and mouth-watering. Very long. Not a powerful wine but such a beautiful thing – I would say ready but hold for as long as you wish. None of the overt structure remains that you can still see in many of the higher 1999s
Rebuy – Yes

Leave a Reply to Marko de Morey de la VosneCancel reply

There are 3 responses to “weekend wines – week 2 2020”

  1. robertkemmler@web.de13th January 2020 at 11:42 amPermalinkReply

    Hy Bill,

    very nice to read your commons about the Bouchard Chambertin. If it is a Chambertin from Domaine it is named on the label as Domaine, but I can not see it on the label.
    Best regards
    Robert

    • billn13th January 2020 at 11:44 amPermalinkReply

      Salut Robert – above 1999 it says Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils 😉
      Hope you’re well, Bill

  2. Marko de Morey de la Vosne13th January 2020 at 5:57 pmPermalinkReply

    I’m still mourning drinking the last of my 2008 Alex Gambal St Aubin Les Murgers etc – just one of my all time favourite white burgundy drinkings ever [bought after your mention Wiliam, merci 😉 ] . Don’t think I can recall knowing you had the 2005 ! I also have a 6 of the 2013 but will leave those for now. Super terroir, and super wine Chez Gambal. I must call in again soon on the Beaune Peripherique !

    • billn13th January 2020 at 6:37 pmPermalinkReply

      I bought each year from 2001 – only missing the 2003. I think 01 and 02 maybe finished now, but I’ve probably more of the others up until, and including, 2013…
      But you won’t find anyone at home on the periphique – Alex sold-up last year

  3. Marko de Morey a la Vosne14th January 2020 at 12:14 pmPermalinkReply

    Oh dear (re no one at home on the peripherique), thanks for saving a wasted call. I must, must have read your piece on the sale but then totally forgotten it – worrying ! I had wondered about an oblique reference you made recently about no visit this time to AG – all clear now. What a shame – super wines which I never fully/properly explored, ho hum.

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