1998 Daniel Rion, Nuits St.Georges Les Lavières
Medium-plus ruby-red. The nose is deep with wider mineral notes, an edge of spice and just a little uncouth ‘lifted’ alcoholic top-notes. A little fat that overlays plenty of tannin – it’s quite fine though. Good depth and a good length. This is reminiscent more of 1997’s with a slight lack of freshness – though funnily most of Rion’s 97 are almost good. It’s okay but I wouldn’t buy more.
Rebuy – No
A surprisingly serious article – for a website – noting the ‘thriving English vineyards back in the 1200’s’.
My birthday – so I pulled out a ‘decent’ bottle that I hoped might have just a hint of ‘willingness’. Decanted mainly because of the sediment and drunk over the following 2-3 hours.
2000 DRC, Romanée St.Vivant
Medium, medium-plus colour – just a very faint edge of amber at the rim. The nose is a sniffer’s delight – though the stems are very forward – they overlay a deep and primary red-fruit nose that’s edged with softness and a faint, savoury, musky note. The more it develops in the glass the more savoury it becomes; the last drops showing an extra fineness. In the mouth the wine is clearly grand cru in texture though the concentration is not so up-front, it rather develops on the tongue in an understated way. The tannins are well covered though I find the acidity is the least perfect aspect – not bad, but just a little bright – at this level I demand seamless. There is a subtle extra dimension in the mid-palate and into the finish – which is also very understated. Apart from the nose and the entry, everything about the wine is subtle and low-key – it holds the interest amply though, even the acidity seems well-judged at the death. Very fine now, if not quite mind-bending. I expect it will only get better for at least the next 10 years but it was very much enjoyed – to the last drop!
Rebuy – Yes (at release price, but not the current $500-900 retail!)
Bought, it now seems, for a ‘song’ at en-primeur time at a mere 39 Swiss francs per…
2005 Dubreuil-Fontaine, Corton-Perrières
Limpid medium, medium-plus cherry red. The nose starts tight and unyielding. It slowly releases mocha/espresso high-notes and even over 2 hours remains stable without ever revealing more than a glimpse of fruit. The palate is lithe and athletic but with unforgiving concentration – there is much depth but this is clearly not a wine for today. The tannins are very well covered and the length is also quite espresso without ever becoming overly oaky. Not really all that closed, but an impressive and muscular wine that needs at least 5-10 years in the cellar. I think it will reward that wait
Rebuy – Yes
Friday was picture-postcard perfect weather. At this time of year you finally get the mix of red and yellow leaves on the vines that delineate the vineyards so well – perhaps it will last as long as this pleasant 20° heat before the leaves will finally fall – it’s very pretty while it lasts. The late heat of this Indian Summer can be seen with renewed growth on many vines – new green shoots showing on the top of many.
Tasting mainly 2006’s but a few early 2007’s for good measure too, we started our day in Fixin, had a short visit in Gevrey, moved to Morey for lunch, then there was Nuits before stopping just north of Ladoix and finally in Beaune. It wasn’t planned that way, but the last call saw us leaving the cellars at 8:15pm…
Lunch was a simple affair sat, watching the world go by in front of the Boulangerie/Cafe in the centre of Morey – it’s where many of the locals eat at 6 Euros for the ‘warm plate’. Here you can also join in a little sport; counting the potential routes for cars to circumnavigate the small cross that acts as a tiny roundabout in front of the shop – then as part B you can count the apparent ways to park too – it seems anything goes!
I’ll have to open a bottle (2005 Corton-Perrières looks the favourite) as it’s the 1,500th (day) anniversary of the Big Red Diary – hola! Anyway, today on the airwaves:
Tomorrow, visits in Fixin, Gevrey, Nuits and Beaune – I’m hoping for sunshine – even though I’ll be in cellars!
It seems like not much is happening – and you could be right.
I’m currently travelling in Holland, though on Friday I have some visits in the Côte d’Or and I expect my lingering cold will by then be forgotten. I tried to make a visit at one relatively well-known producer and was for the first time in about 12 years of making appointments, rebuffed – “he says he’s too busy said his wife” – that was at the point of the the third possible date. I don’t yet feel like ‘naming and shaming’.
Of-course some other things happen – I updated the NoteFinder, now to just under 1,750 notes. Also, buying opportunities often (too often!) present themselves; last week I received an offer that contained 6x Clos Frantin 2001 Vosne 1er Malconsorts. I’ve tasted that wine, and it’s a good one – for 36 Swiss francs each, I bought the lot. That’s a lot of value when set in the context of 2005 pricing…! There was also some 2000 vintage but I didn’t have the cash for both. Maybe they are still left next month!
Ciao for now…
As I have nothing useful to say for myself, and my (slowly abating) cold precludes opening bottles – and even worse, no travelling to the Côte d’Or this week – I shall instead scrape around for a few interesting stories for you.
For this site, I’m slowly updating the NoteFinder database. There are today about 50 notes more than last week, and over the next week or so I will be adding ~150 more. I should be close to up-to-date by then.
Looking further afield, I found some articles worth reading:
Lastly, let me recommend to you a site which is packed with info despite it’s ‘work in progress’ status. There has been little under this URL for the last months (years), but it seems that Becky has finally ordered her troops (or could it be vice-versa!) into line.
Already a great resource.
Cheers
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