and that was 2006 – my awards

By billn on January 03, 2007 #annual laurels

So that was 2006!

Not such a bad year (provided you have no association with a ‘war zone’), many good wines were drunk and they easily outweighed the number of disappointments. The 2005’s tasted throughout the year in barrel were harder to taste than (for instance) the 2002’s but really started to come together at the end of of 2006 – a great vintage for both colours that should provide a lot of fun drinking this year and beyond. The quality of the grape harvest was was patchy but many super wines will be made in Corton and further north.

My favourite post of 2006 belongs to Bert Celce of wineterroirs who took us through a tour of wine additives – quite an eye opener.

Transfer of the year in 2006 can only be the coup by Robert Parker when he hired Neal Martin for eRobertParker. It was a far-sighted move to bring the the pithy, witty writing of Neal to a new stage – it’s just a shame that Neal is now lost to those who do not pay…

My best value wines from 2006 were very easy to choose – and that despite close to 600 wines tasted/drunk during the year:

1999 Francois Gay, Ladoixtry to find this wine... and 2002 Louis Jadot, Bourgogne Chardonnaytry to find this wine...
The red punches way above it’s appellation and was a joy to all that drank it, likewise the plush rather than steely white with its coat of perfectly judged oak was often mistaken for a grander wine. Approximately 16 Euros for the red and 8 Euros for the white provide a true education in burgundian value.
 

My favourite 1er Cru wines from 2006 were the ones that really stood out from the crowd, I will choose two reds and two whites, first the reds:

2004 JC Boisset, Chambolle Charmestry to find this wine... and 2003 Leroy, Gevrey Combottestry to find this wine...
Both wines show a mind-bending concentration and yet balance. The Charmes is an unbelievably complex and long wine, whereas the Combottes is about its crystalline delivery. The Charmes is not cheap, but a bargain when compared to the Leroy – note that both of these wines will ‘better’ most grand crus.
2002 Bouchard P&F, Meursault Perrièrestry to find this wine... + 2004 Amiot, Chassagne Vergerstry to find this wine...
If both of my red picks major on power, then here we look at subtlety and joie-de-vivre. The Bouchard is subtly concentrated but understatedly multidimensional – a wine to marvel in its many reflections. The Amiot was one of my first bottled 2004 purchases, and during the first 6 months of its life stunned in its vivacity, encapsulating all the fresh, citrus infused minerality that 2004 can offer. It’s still fun now, but already just a little less forward – my last three bottles are now sleeping.
 

The most impressive Grand Crus of 2006 are 2 reds and one white:

1990 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, La Tachetry to find this wine...
This can only be described as ‘ultra-wine’, unfortunately its price is pretty much unaffordable for anyone who didn’t buy in the first 3-4 years from release. The icon of a generation.
2003 Domaine des Chezeaux, Chambertintry to find this wine...
Because of the domaine’s metayage arrangements you will also find exactly the same wine under the Ponsot label for a few dollars more. The Chezeaux/Ponsot Chambertin is usually quite a lacy and understated wine – at least for a Chambertin – but 2003 brings extra density and a peacock’s tail of complexity to the finish. Worth an extra search.
2002 Antonin Guyon, Corton-Charlemagnetry to find this wine...
Few grand cru whites really stood out from the crowd in 2006, but this forthright ‘take me as you find me’ powerhouse won-over all who drank it this year. Well balanced, but with quintessential Charlemagne power.
 

Just in case you were interested, the best wine I tasted from barrel in 2006 was Comte Liger-Belairs’ La Romanée.

I’m already looking forward to wines yet to be drunk in 2007…

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only two christmas disappointments…

By billn on January 02, 2007 #the market

Back to reality – Christmas is over – it seems in a flash!

Lots of friends were seen and surprisingly few bottles were drunk as I was mainly the chauffeur. My first disappointment is that I’ve finally given up trying to match red burgundy with the traditional Christmas meal – it doesn’t work – there are just too many sweet and salty elements on the traditional plate – white burgundy can continue, but next year I see something more cabernet-based!

My second disappointment was the sad case of UK wine prices. I will use the local (UK) Oddbins as my example, but note that I’m using them as a prime example of the UK wine trade and what (it appears) they can charge rather complaining specifically about them. I always liked Oddbins and even did a stint behind the counter at various branches in 1999 when I was on ‘gardening leave’ – it was great fun – though despite my staff discount, I always owed them money at the end of each month! The disappointment is that currently everything is overpriced, and even amplified when you want only one bottle – buying six will bring you a discount, but in the case of all their burgundy and most champagne even the ‘6-price’ is woeful. Berry Bros should also be in the firing line here – their ‘full-case’ prices are often reasonable, but just look at the price of anything less! Anyway, back to Oddbins, I won’t go into the list of burgundies that (as 6’s) are 50% more expensive than continental drinkers would pay – no value there – but a simple example was hammered home by an email from the swiss Co-Op the same day I visited Oddbins. ‘Oddies’ were offering Laurent-Perrier Rosé Champagne for well over £40 per bottle, but buy six and the price was (approx) £36.6. My local Co-Op had a Xmas reduction from 59 to 56 chf – that’s £24.3 per bottle – oh and I could just buy one if I wanted!

Oh, and please don’t anyone waste my time by blaming the higher level of tax and duty in the UK, that would simply bring the price of the swiss bottle to (less than) £27…

Anyway, tomorrow I’ll post my ‘highs’ of 2006 i.e the best wines and the best things I’ve read.

Happy new year

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three christmas wines (fevre m-gibourg mugnier)

By billn on December 25, 2006 #degustation

Christmas lunch was a long, leisurely affair. First we took the 2002 Fevre Chablis Bougros as an aperitif, then with food took two Piesporter Goldtropfchens – a 2004 and a 2003 from St.Urbans-Hof – then a couple of new reds:
2002 William Fevre, Chablis Bougrostry to find this wine...
Pale golden. The nose is a pungent mix of faint shoreline notes and heavy, lime-inflected fruit. Super minerality and intensity coupled to really good length. This seems much tighter than the last bottles – must be time to think about laying down for the future. An impressive bottle still.
Rebuy – Yes
2004 Mugneret-Gibourg, Echezeauxtry to find this wine...
Medium-plus cherry red colour. The nose shouts red berries, starting in a very soft, powdery red fruit way. Time adds faint cedar and a kind of wet-metal note. Very understated entry, instantly giving the impression of a nice ride along the acidity before moving into a very, very long finish – that was impressive! The mid-palate has a small burst of interest, but this wine remains very understated – not aloof – just very understated and very well made.
Rebuy – Yes
2004 JF Mugnier, Musignytry to find this wine...
The colour is medium-plus red, but halfway between ruby and cherry – already starting to lose some that youthfull robe. The nose starts deep and complex with a strong cedar note at the top, and all-spice below. It takes quite some time to open out into a more fruit dimension – mainly a redcurrant note that develops a baked tart effect. The palate has perfect texture – ultra-smooth – and excellent acidity. Really exceptional length, though currently edged with some faintly bitter oak tannin. Interestingly the cedar of the nose is mirrored on the palate. Just a little more intense than the Echezeaux, but I find that cedar note intrusive. Lots of positive aspects, but a wine that is less ‘together’ than the Mugneret-Gibourg today. Take an overnight rest in the refridgerator and the last glass has a more floral nose and the palate is more ‘together’ – still a little cedar though. 5 more lay in the cellar for the long-term.
Rebuy – Maybe

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domaine des varoilles, 2003 la romanée

By billn on December 21, 2006 #degustation

gevrey romanee varoilles
There are a number of La Romanées, and all have a good reputation. This one hides it’s light under a bushel as it’s a monopole of a relatively little-known producer – but take it from me, the quality is right up there with that of many better-known producers. The vineyard itself is at the ‘end’ of the same hillside that starts with the Clos St.Jacques if you walk with your back to the village of Gevrey. The last thing after La Romanée and Les Veroilles (which La Romanée sits above, and is also a monopole of the same producer) is a small strip of ‘village’ vines called La Bossière, then it’s only trees!
2003 Domaine des Varoilles, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er La Romanéetry to find this wine...
At first glance and sniff, this looks and smells like a 2003 – blind tasting to that level of accuracy need hold no fears! Medium-plus cherry-red with not a hint of lightening or ruby colour. The nose starts very ripe with plenty of powdery red fruit, but time opens quite a distinct coffee note and eventually a very well defined and intense red cherry/cranberry impression. In the mouth this is concentrated, soft, intense with a good burst of fruit on the mid-palate – it’s a very ‘worthy’ 1er Cru – the finish is quite long and the only part that hints of some oak. The tannins are very well covered. This is a great success for the vintage, and even if you are just a little agnostic about the character of 2003, I think you will find plenty of fun here – and that’s not to say there is no longer-term serious side to this well-priced wine.
Rebuy – Yes

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homeward-bound on airbus linked by boeing

By billn on December 20, 2006 #other sites#travel

boeing connexionThis is a rather cool thing – I’m heading back to europe and am writing (and publishing) this at 30,000 feet in a Lufthansa Airbus but with broadband connection by Boeing. Until the end of the year this mid-atlantic high-speed connection is totally free – then it will be discontinued; seems Lufthansa are not impressed:

Lufthansa deeply regrets Boeings intention to discontinue the Internet broadband service Connexion by Boeing (CBB). This will not have any immediate consequences on Lufthansa FlyNet users. Boeing has given assurances that it will continue the service until the end of the year. Lufthansa FlyNet is enjoying increasing popularity and has proved to be technically very reliable. The level of customer interest is indicated by figures of up to 40 users per flight on North Atlantic and Asian routes. Most recently, around 30,000 Internet users were active on board Lufthansa flights each month. Surveys have shown that 94 percent of the CBB customers plan to use the service again; 92 percent want to recommend it to others.

It’s a funny old world – and it works so well too…

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still travelling, more news on mortet

By billn on December 18, 2006 #the market#travel

I’ve left New York behind and find myself in Philadelphia – well the airport Marriott anyway, and it’s definitely not grubby! The bar of the hotel throngs to quite a number of people cheering an (American) football team, on (as far as I can see) 6 TV screens in the bar area – maybe it’s a local team – turns out it’s Philly vs the NY Giants. Downtown Philadelphia looked like it might be quite nice with the sun setting on its tall glass buildings, but all I saw was the cab-ride from the quite impressive train station to the hotel ($46 just in-case you need to budget).

Regarding the domaine Denis Mortet, it seems it is all-change again: The excellent Claire Forestier is once-more without portfolio as the 24 year old Arnaud Mortet is now assuming the full-time role of technical director, his mother Laurence, will continue to manage the administrative side of things. I hope that Claire will find a more ‘stable’ role soon – unless of-course she is intentionally following the (helicopter piloting) path of the flying winemaker!

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burgundy – the home of pinot noir

By billn on December 17, 2006 #the market

bivb burgundy advertisingApparently the ‘Brits’ like to name wines by their varietal. I’m not sure who came up with that statement, or how it applies to Chablis, Châteauneuf-du-Pape or ‘claret’ for instance, but someone was convinced enough to pay for a series of adverts in ‘lifestile magazines’ and the ‘colour supplements’ of the weekend newspapers in the UK and Ireland in the last months of 2006.

Apparently the campaign “helps to simplify the Burgundian appellation system and so makes the wines more accessible to the British, while serving as a reminder of the unique quality conferred by terroir.”
bivb burgundy 2007 event guide
Perhaps the money spent by the BIVB would have found a better home researching a solution to the white burgundy premature oxidation syndrome…

Much more useful from our friends at the BIVB is their guide to the Burgundian wine festivals of 2007, detailing almost 80 wine-related events throughout wine-growing Burgundy in 2007. It’s bilingual (French and English) and can be found in the regions tourist offices, hotels etc., etc. The same information can also be accessed through the BIVB’s website.

Tha Fabian Cobb seems a very cynical chap when it comes to this stuff – much more so than me…
😉

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New York with friends

By billn on December 16, 2006 #travel

bodies exibitionYesterday I started out from the red-brick station of Wilmington Delaware; almost 2 hours in the relative darkness of the ‘quiet carriage’, and 40 pages of the latest John le Carre later, my train arrived at Penn Station.

New York is so vibrant, it can be grubby, high-tech, friendly or disdainful – but it’s seldom dull – where else would I find a taxi (cab, sorry!) driver called Ramon who sings along with every song the radio offers on our way to the hotel – he was particulary good on the Christmas songs! Home for the next 2 nights is the large Holiday Inn on West 57th Street – did I already mention grubby(?) – okay the room is actually pretty good, but don’t look too closely at the mould in the bathroom.

The evening is spent chez Vinotas and his lovely wife Catalina plus Drew, Paul and Sandy. If my (still a little cloudy) memory serves, I remember 5 white burgundies and at least 8 red burgundies, though mein host’s mischievous inclusion of the de Vogüé 1997 Chambolle 1er Cru is thwarted by a badly corked bottle. There was also a Sine Qua Non pinot that was very enjoyable and bore a passing resemblance to the 1996 Leroy Savigny 1er Narbantons that we also chugged. A really great night with top-class company – thanks to Michel and Catalina.

Now I can see the sun shining so I’m heading for breakfast. Ahead a day of shopping, and perhaps a visit to see some dead bodies (picture above) or the equally ‘exhumed’ Spamalot. Let’s see how the day develops…

UPDATE: I didn’t get to Spamalot, but I did ‘do’ bodies ($27.50 I think). All I can say is that fascination slowly gave way to faster and faster ‘appraisal’ of the exhibits before I basically walked past the cases displaying various tumors. There were a few tables at the end of the exhibition which turned out to have ‘comments’ books – I had wrongly assumed (this being the US) that the tables were where you would wait for your counciling(!) I had never realised that I was squeamish, but one or two exhibits gave me a the impression that their inclusion was gratuitous, rather than educational…

Anyway, here is a more thoughtful discussion of the subject of ‘plastination‘

PS, sometime later I managed to eat, but I only ordered fish!

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jadot 2004 clos des ursules

By billn on December 15, 2006 #asides

jadot 2004 ursules
2004 Louis Jadot, Beaune 1er Clos des Ursulestry to find this wine...
Medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose is deep, soft red fruit, more berry than cherry – just a little high-toned estery aspect too. Sweet fruit, packed with effusive acidity and tannin showing a little grain. The overall aspect is just missing a little 1er cru intensity and the finish is only medium plus. Very well made with no unripe facets and just a small impression of oak. Just a little too understated I think, but given that I bought a six-pack I’m hoping that it gains a little something with time.
Rebuy – Maybe

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