Softer nose, just a hint animale and nicely round. This is a super 2001 with perfect texture and plenty of concentration. Long. Very impressive and complex too. I liked it a lot.
Comments for this entry
2001
2001 Vougeraie Vougeot Clos de la Prieuré Blanc
2001 Mortet Thierry Gevrey-Chambertin
Medium-plus red, still with a strong cherry-red hue. The nose starts quite masculine with a strong Gevrey-earth character supporting a melange of red and black berry fruit, slowly this becomes softer and a little higher toned if not better focused. The palate is full and concentrated and obviously started life with a real injection of oak, but the residual effect is more about soft, fat texture and a little bitterness in the finish. The bitterness doesn’t last long and is eventually replaced with a reasonable length and a more creamy aspect. The tannins have a little rasp right at the end, but this is a very accomplished wine, and quite concentrated for an 01. Really very good.
2001 Ponsot Morey St.Denis Cuvée des Grives
Medium ruby-red. The first impression from the nose is of soft, dark oak plus an equally soft red and black berry fruit. The palate is red fruity with a little tartness to the acidity, medium density and reasonable length. The texture is almost good, just a little grain to the medium-minus tannins. This is another (junior) Ponsot from 2001 that misses a little ripeness – or at least that’s the impression from the acidity – though it’s a lttle better than the village Gevrey. Rather like that Gevrey (who’s aromatics I prefered) it’s a wine that I can enjoy, but I wouldn’t buy it again.
2001 Ponsot Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvée l'Abielle
Medium ruby red. The nose starts with a little undergrowth then soil, both fade to reveal a diffuse red-fruit curtain – improvement is required and the patient are rewarded; first with a deeper plum fruit before a lovely high-toned and focused red fruit effect – very nice. The palate is much less ripe than the 01 Bachelet Gevrey that precedes it, providing a sour-cherry fruit which is not unattractive and mirrored by the balanced, mouth-watering yet somewhat tart acidity. The overall texture is excellent with understated velvet tannins. In the end this is a wine that even with food, is just a little too tart – I can enjoy it, but I wouldn’t rebuy it.
2001 Bachelet Denis Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
Medium-plus ruby red, but still hinting at cherry-red at the rim. A really impressive nose that starts a little reduced – but only for a minute or two – then red fruit, edged with mint, becoming ever-more intense and deep – wow! Fresh presentation, very understated tannin, equally understated in the finish despite being long-lasting. This is not a fat wine, rather a wonderfully detailed one. Superb quality for a villages, and with respect to its appellation impressed me far more than the Bachelet 1er of last week – possibly even better than Rousseau’s 2001.
2001 Confuron-Cotetidot Vosne-Romanée
Medium, medium-plus colour looks wonderful in the glass. The nose is wide and deep, lots of red fruit action that tends towards confiture. This is a lovely, ever evolving, involving nose – at times there is even a smoky, stem element. The palate starts a little racy and linear with forward but reasonably well-textured tannins, but the tannins also seem to have more than a hint of bitterness about them. There is a core of slightly bitter, tart fruit that is actually very long in the finish. Time in the glass slowly brings out a sweeter side to this wine – I started to warm to it. Lovely aromatics, but this is a wine that needs to improve to gain table space – hopefully it will come with age.
2001 Duband David Vosne-Romanée
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose is deep and reflects some oak toast and dark fruit. The palate is very smooth, also dark fruit and barrel influences – licorice and black olive – but what’s that on the finish – taint? – confirmed. 10 minutes in the glass and the nose is overwhelmed with TCA – shame. The wine certainly had potential.
2001 Bichot Albert Vosne-Romanée
Medium-plus ruby-red. On opening the wine has super red fruit in a Vosne vernacular, then in minutes tightens leaving just a few high tones. Wait about one hour and there is a softening; sweet fruit and a note that hovers between coffee and pipe tobacco. Good texture – fine tannins – real intensity in the mid-palate and excellent balance with the acidity. There is a good finish and a good feeling to match. I’ve liked this wine for a while and given that it seems to be tightening a little, the last few bottles will have to rest for a few years now. Still very good.