I last remember attacking some 1999 Clos de Vougeots some 7 years ago – they were all young but some were still drinking enjoyably. Time to try another:
1999 Jean Grivot, Clos de Vougeot
This from a cheeky half-bottle – but not such a cheeky wine! The cork is tightly in place and needs some energy to remove – it’s robust but embarrassingly short for a grand cru – 44mm – did it have a role to play in my lack of enthusiasm? Probably!
Still deeply coloured though starting to show some browning. The nose is powerful and deep – but faintly oxidative and there’s a suggestion of brett too. Mouth-filling and with a super texture despite the structural architecture of the wine – impressive but also with a modest suggestion of oxidation in the flavour. Very concentrated and a little saline. For the first glass, I remain impressed by the shape and texture but not by the grace or any of the flavours of the wine. The finish is impressively long if also lacking any semblance of deliciousness. The second glass brings no relief. On the positive side, I didn’t pay for a whole bottle of this – though presumably, those longer corks may have done a better job…
Rebuy – No
There is one response to “Grivot’s 1999 Clos de Vougeot…”
Interesing… I am happy to read that other drinkers find Grivot less than convincing.
I have bought many bottles of theirs 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2002 at reputable dealers when the wines were still young (so cellaring was never an issue), and NONE of them were/are any good. I’ve had NSG Les Pruliers, Clos de Vougeot, Vosne Les Beaux Monts and Les Brulees… and ALL are very disappointing. At first I thought I give them some time. But even with 10, 15, 20 years they never matured to anything of interest or enjoyment. Considering the steep prices they fetched back then, I do not understand it in the least how they ever got the reknown they have. Back then I was relying very much on Clive Coates to guide my Burgundy shopping. But with Grivot, he got it completely wrong, probably together with many others.
I think the wines were all made too forcefully. They have no delicacy, no fruit, no refined texture. If they had no labels you would have distinct problems to guess where it orginates from or what grape they might be made of. I have not bought nor tasted any Grivot ever since, I don’t see myself doing it in the future.
Oh and I do know and have had excellent Burgundy, say from de Vogue or Angerville, Jadot, G. Roumier, also many “not-so-famous” domaines. Jean Grivot was totally overrated, perhaps it still is. For me it is definitely one to avoid.