1994

1994 Mugnier J-F Musigny

By billn on September 05, 2010

Well the cork is in great shape; long, flexible and not a hint of seepage. Medium garnet red. The nose is a little dense – there’s depth certainly, but it’s a little cooked and monolithic – not really the elegance or complexity of Musigny to start with, but slowly a more penetrating and pure red fruit nose comes centre-stage – after 2 hours it’s quite engaging. There is plenty of balance, understated slightly astringent tannin and a finishing note that is mineral with a hint of tannic bitterness – well one thing’s for sure; this is far from a mature wine. In the end I drank it whilst admiring certain aspects of it but without ever warming to it. The flavours are certainly more mineral than fruit influenced and it’s far from a thing of beauty right now – actually it’s still an ugly duckling – but if I had a second bottle in such good condition I wouldn’t open it for at least another 5 years.

1994 Chandon de Briailles Corton Blanc

By billn on March 24, 2010

(Guessing) Rather deeply coloured, but a sniff shows that there is no overt oxidation. The nose has impact and power and reminds me very much of (a previously drunk) 83 Giroud Corton-Charlemagne, there is power and impact and some melting cream and lanolin in the background – I leave my guessing there! On the palate there is considerable power and quite some ripeness though it’s well-enough balanced (I think the 83 was much more mineral – but hey, it might turn out to be from Australia!). Very good complexity as it moves into the finish. Whilst not begging me to take a second (third!) pour – there are others to taste – this is rather good.

1994 Arnoux Robert Echézeaux

By on November 30, 2009 #asides

Bought at the domaine back in about 2003. A cork that falls into pieces, but is rescued by the ‘ah-so’. Quite deeply, dark ruby coloured. The nose straight away shows a murky toasty oak that slowly fades to a sweetened dark, licorice-wrapped fruit. The texture is of velvet, melded to decent concentration and good acidity. There’s a faint metallic edge to the flavours that are still largely toasty barrel derived. Medium-plus length. For my personal taste I may be deterred from a re-purchase because of the oak-driven presentation (at 15 years this is presumably a permanent mark), yet this remains relatively young for a ‘94 and I expect this wine would certainly improve for a few years more. With nothing (apart from (maybe) the oak) out of balance, this is a well above average 1994…

1994 Bichot Albert Chambertin

By on March 31, 2008 #asides

The aromatics remind slightly of the Bachelet (another Charmes?) with their slightly estery hints coupled to caramel and toffee. Not so concentrated as the last wine (no surprise!) but it more than makes up for that by it’s explosion of complexity and interest in the mouth that are pushed very long in the finish by the super acidity. Much more fun, interest and complexity than wine 4. If only I could combine that wine’s aromatics with the flavours of this!

1994 Maume Mazis-Chambertin

By on March 31, 2008 #asides

Medium, medium-plus colour – amber at the rim. The nose is like a junior version of the 1995 with a little added earth. The flavours are at quite a good level and the length is also rather fine. Medium-bodied, quite silky and totally open for business.

1994 Chézeaux Griotte-Chambertin

By on July 31, 2007 #asides

Good 94’s are hard to come by but I’ve never been disappointed by this cuvée – apart from one corked bottle. This Ponsot elevaged wine shows medium ruby-red colour and a lovely forward nose of sweet red cherry and faint sweat oak – eventually there’s a little strawberry confiture, finally a lovely pure red berry and a little mocha peeking out – there’s much more density than most 94’s show. The palate is well-textured with creamy flavour that clings to your mouth – it doesn’t have the length of a great year but it’s unmistakedly grand cru. The acidity is mouth-watering though could be a little smoother in the mid-palate, likewise the tannins are not perfect but their texture is not bad either. Coming close to, but not quite at maturity, this wine has very impressive fruit for the vintage, whereas the structure is just a little less sophisticated than normal. Still an easy 90pt wine and it provides a lot of love – that’s is quite a compliment for a 1994!

1994 Méo-Camuzet Richebourg

By on March 31, 2007 #asides

Medium colour. The nose is understated but very wide, interesting and clean. The palate is fresh, actually a little racy and mineral with delicate red fruit and a lovely, impressive – yet suble finish. It never comes close to the concentration of the 1990 Chaumes, but it is complex, delicate and lovely with a finish that lingers and lingers. It’s hardly a performance you would expect from Richebourg, but it’s a lovely wine ready for plucking!

1994 Chézeaux Griotte-Chambertin

By on October 31, 2004 #asides

Horribly corked! Experiment time, I’d heard that polythene bags (not sure PE or PP) can remove TCA – so stuffed a clear bag into the bottle and recorked – next day TCA was gone! Truly amazing but as I had no vacuvin the wine was oxidised instead…

1994 Drouhin Joseph Griotte-Chambertin

By on February 29, 2004 #asides

Mature looking medium ruby. The nose is wide if not deep with a lovely focused note of raisins and stewing griottes – not cooked though – quite lovely. The palate doesn’t have the depth of many here, but with food has more than enough fat, good acidity and tannins which could still run for a few more years. Yet another example of an excellent ‘off vintage’ wine from this climat. This was a super wine with food.

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