Cuvée Millianne. Lovely dark aromas of leaves and undergrowth – but clean aromas. Sweet, very good in the mid-palate, still some tannin as a backdrop to the melting flavours – a superb bourgogne!
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1998
1998 Gros Frère & Soeur Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits
Medium-plus ruby-red. The nose starts a complete jumble of dark wood, similarly dark fruit and some spice – fortunately it knits together rather well in only about 20 minutes; creamy spiced deep red plums and macerating cherry – not quite how I expect a bourgogne to smell, but it’s very, very nice, and frankly it gets better and better. Fresh and still quite astringent in its ‘attack’, yet the dark fruit mirrors the nose with some creamy packaging. Quite intense and, all-in-all, quite impressive in a burly Nuits sort of way. I was ready to dismiss it early-on, but clearly that would have been at my own loss! Definitely needs another 3 or-so years to mellow the astringent tannin – though it’s far from in the ascendant when taken with food – but it’s velvet tannin so ought to be worth waiting for.
1998 Lejeune Bourgogne
Medium ruby red with a slightly amber rim. Very nice, if relatively advanced aromatics, a core of sweet baked red fruit, hints of camphor and cedar. The palate is sweet, shows forward acidity and grainy but not astringent tannins. The finish lasts but somehow seems a little ‘thin’. It’s a reasonable burst of interest on the mid-palate too. Pretty-much mature and very drinkable, if not the most elegant glass.
1998 Leroy (Maison) Bourgogne Rouge
Medium ruby-red – still some cherry at the rim. The nose is a little unusual to start – freshly struck matches – not uncommon in whites, but rather rarer in reds. Slowly this dissipates to reveal sweet, meaty fruit of some depth. Very good texture and reasonable concentration, but the overall impression is mainly one of tartness coupled to medium length. None of the astringent tannins of the vintage but could still be better.
1998 Méo-Camuzet Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits Clos St. Philibert
Pale to medium gold. The nose is unlike all the other wines, high toned, pear-drops. Less fat than 2000/ 1999 but as long as the 1999. Penetrating fruit in an almost oxidised (but not) style. Well integrated and mouth-watering acidity. The wine starts in a completely different style to the others, but 3 hours later it’s obviously cut from the same cloth – no hint of oxidation and shows the characteristic nose – we were all impressed with the transformation.
1998 Gros Frère & Soeur Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits
Generously deep colour. The appealing nose is shaded towards black fruit, developing a few high tones. On the palate, there’s fresh acidity and tannins that are still astringent. For the appelation you’ll find slightly sour but well concentrated fruit and a medium length finish. I’d wait at least another year before drinking any more of these. Well above average for a bourgogne.
1998 Faiveley Joseph Bourgogne Rouge
From magnum. Deep red with no fading. The nose has lost some of the oak of its youth leaving mainly red cherry. The tannins are still this wines most obvious attribute, but the fruit gives reasonable balance. Good acidity that helps push the finish a little longer. A nice, quite ‘big’ wine that is borderline rustic – despite the bottle size still doesn’t last very long with 4 friends and a raging barbeque.