Some Clos de Vougeot (2006 – 1985)

Update 25.5.2016(23.5.2016)billn

DSC09751Tasted in the Clos de Vougeot, during the Grands Jours de Bourgogne, 22 March 2016.

This is always a tasting to look forward to, the only problem is the queue to get into the Chateau du Clos de Vougeot, due to the big Vosne tasting at the same time – a tasting which I’d decided not to attend – but I still had to deal with the queue!

2006 Anne Gros
A nose that’s tending to but not quite achieving, floral top notes, a subtle deeper bass too – as you can see, interesting but not such an overt nose. Nice scale in the mouth – grand cru scale – staining flavour with very fine complexity. I am liking this very much! Sweet and long finishing. Easy to appreciate already! Sleek and medium bodied compared to the 05s that follow.

2005 Meo-Camuzet
Here is are some more focused floral references. Large scaled, a hint more structured than the 06, really fabulous dimension of flavour here – this is simply excellent. There’s an undertow of tannic structure, but packed sufficiently to not spoil the fun. Simply top class! Great length, today on a slightly bitter oak tannin.

2005 Gros Frère et Soeur Musigni
Not so obviously pure as the Camuzet, but the nose has a certain, always impressive, vibration. Very wide, super concentration with fine texture – the more obviously tannic, great flavour too. In truth, rather rustic in comparison to the Camuzet. flavour packed, but less gorgeously flavoured…

2005 Domaine Daniel Rion et Fils
A pretty nose hinting at flowers over a red base, but really rather discreet. The palate more than makes up for the nose – impressively mouth-filling with a great texture. A floral component to the fruit too. Less sleek than the Camuzet, less rustic than the Gros – super wine! Lovely flavours in the finish!

2005 Jacques Prieur
Deeply coloured. Deep, dark fruit, a certain aspect of maceration to it, high tones too but not yet overtly floral. Mouth-filling, massively concentrated wine – a base of lightly grained tannin – but plenty of it. Here the fruit does have some floral complexity. Really a wine that I’d wait longer for than the other 05s, given the overt structure and concentration. A long and very fine finish…. Though some coconut.

2004 Gerard Raphet
A clearly older colour than any of the 05s. Floral, complex, modest intensity nose, but really it’s very inviting. Supple, wide, complex, absolutely super, indeed à-point today. Very yum, though very much a modest 1er cru level vs the 05s… floral finishing with faint tannin. Yum!

2003 Bouchard Père et Fils
Rather powdery, indistinct nose – if I had the time, I’d leave it in the glass to see how it develops. A surprisingly direct, lithe, high-toned complexion in the mouth – really very lovely. Younger than the 04, for sure, but tasty wine with a lot of potential.

2003 Michel Gros
Deeper colour than the Bouchard. A certain freshness of aroma, though the fruit below is more roasted in character. Cool, direct, not unlike the Bouchard, very nice flavour complexity here. A baby and a very successful one – much more floral complexity to the fruit here. Super!

2002 Clos Frantin
Nice depth of fruit here, a little tight, but really very pretty indeed. Mouth-filling with finer energy than the 03s, seemingly more obvious tannin too! Lovely width of flavour in the mid-palate. Very tasty wine which from some aspects seems younger than the 03s… Super but to wait for.

2002 Château de la Tour
Ooh, that’s beautifully floral – really gorgeous. In the mouth too, this is very fine – young wine, but with super flavour complexity. This is my favourite so far. Excellent! A great finish too. Just one problem – my discipline to wait.

2002 R. Dubois
Really rather deeply coloured. A certain freshness, but little else – it’s a tight nose. Large-scaled in the mouth. A fine growing, mouth-watering growth of flavour. Certainly grand cru, a wine of scale, but today little overt wine pleasure – also no defects – to wait for.

2001 Francois Gerbet
Quite pretty, with some lovely sweet top notes. Here is more structure and less sweetness – very large-scaled, but today at least I would say wait, because despite seemingly having everything it needs. The final result is not so appetising.

2001 Faiveley
A big, floral aromatic, less sweet than some – but inviting, all the same. Super energy, and dimension too. Still rather tannic, modestly grained but still astringent. Lots of potential here, but typically old-style Faiveley – wait until its 20 years old, preferably 25! Super, despite that.

2000 Mugneret-Gibourg
A wide-open, dirty, sous bois nose with a backing of sweetness – whatever that sounds like – it’s very inviting. Mouth-filling. Good sweetness of fruit, lots of flavour dimension. Less structured than all the previous wines. But very tasty – luncheon Clos de Vougeot!

1999 Bernard et Armelle Rion
Super colour. Nice wine – lovely floral complexity with a depth of dark fruit – super. Like it should be, large-scaled, a certain tannin, faintly drying, complex, baby , excellent Clos de Vougeot – close to the best, but not quite.

1999 Capitain Gagnerot
A little lighter colour. Wide but a little discreet aromas. A certain warmth to the flavour, but I have to say very good texture, plenty of tannin, still, complex, with high and low tones. More obviously drinkable than the Rion today, whilst still young. A faint chocolate in the finish – a first. Very good!

1996 Confuron-Cotetidot
Rather deeply coloured. Open, overt nose of a vegetal-led red fruit. Deep but less inviting than many. That vegetal element is here on the palate too, but less overt – still, there is super flavour dimension, and an impression that the tannin is coming together towards the first plateau of drinkability. I tasted the 93 2 years ago, and whilst this is good, it’s a long way behind that wine! A super finish that almost saves it though!

1990 Joseph Drouhin
Deep colour with plenty of age at the rim – looks great. Whilst rather discreet, it smells great too – a deep blood aspect to the fruit. Big, with sweet fruit, a tannin similar in style to the Cotetidot, entering a first plateau of drinkability. – lots of flavour complexity, dark flavour, not obviously fresh but with good complexity. A good 1990, but obviously a 1990 all the same….

1985 Louis Jadot
A deep and bloody nose, of dark fruit, slowly adding some higher tones in the glass. Really nice shape and flavour dimension – the first with an edge of salinity too – this is excellent – if I’m picky (and sometimes I am) I’d like a little more freshness and energy – it’s not bad in those respects though, and overall it’s just a super wine!

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