Horribly corked! Experiment time, I’d heard that polythene bags (not sure PE or PP) can remove TCA – so stuffed a clear bag into the bottle and recorked – next day TCA was gone! Truly amazing but as I had no vacuvin the wine was oxidised instead…
Griotte-Chambertin
2000 Chézeaux Griotte-Chambertin
Almost as deep colour as the 2001 – still cherry red. Compared to the 2001 the nose starts a little more diffuse, however, given aeration a really penetrating cherry note comes through, overlaying a little cream. Really silky mouthfeel and lovely concentration, despite this, there’s a little of the 2001’s vibrancy missing – which you don’t notice if you taste them the other way round! I prefer the previous wine, but only by a degree of course, this is still very good.
1992 Drouhin Joseph Griotte-Chambertin
Medium ruby with amber towards the rim. Again an understated red fruit nose with a little coffee and cedar. Absolutely nothing understated once the glass touches your lips, big red cherry fruit assaults the palate – after the exceptional 1993 the flavours are perhaps a little diffuse. There’s almost good acidity and medium, slightly grainy tannin. Neither the fat nor the extra length of many here, but drinking now, and supremely elegant. Probably the best 1992 I’ve tasted and no rush to drink up.
1999 Drouhin Joseph Griotte-Chambertin
1991 Ponsot Griotte-Chambertin
The weather was hot, so this wine overnighted in the fridge before being decanted. I left it in the decanter for an hour before drinking by which time it had already warmed up to 14/15°C. A medium-plus ruby core but moving to amber at the rim. Initially the nose gave a fabulous blast of bloody and aging tertiary fruit notes, then it started to close up giving only a cedar aroma – at this point I was starting to worry about taint. In the mouth there was lovely volume, just a little grain to the end of the tannins and lingering acidity, however, there are also waves of roast fruit and meat flavours that cling to your palate. Atypical in delivery, but very impressive none-the-less. The problem was that the suspicion of taint didn’t leave me for the first glass, so the wine that wasn’t fully enjoyed as I spent most of the while thinking, ‘what would this wine be like if . . . . ‘ In the end the day was saved, the cedar note receded to be replaced by raspberry jam and chocolate notes.
1999 Chézeaux Griotte-Chambertin
Similar colour to the 2000. The nose is quite reserved but similar style to how the 2000 develops. The palate shows perfectly delineated red fruits with fine acidity. There’s more than enough concentration to buffer the tannins. Despite the reserved presentation this is a 1999 that you could drink today but that would be such a waste. The flavours linger beautifully
1991 Drouhin Joseph Griotte-Chambertin
1998 Drouhin Joseph Griotte-Chambertin
Medium ruby with a cherry red colour at the rim. The nose is of red berries and a cedar note which grows with time. Lovely silky texture – more so than the 1999, though not instantly apparent there’s super fruit concentration – it’s just so well balanced with the acidity. Some slightly rasping tannin on the long and creamy finish – not quite as long as the 1999, but this wine is much more forward and drinkable. Lovely.
1990 Drouhin Joseph Griotte-Chambertin
A wine that I certainly enjoyed, decadent and voluptuous, but perhaps a little over-ripe and at this stage not really showing as Griotte. A deep core of ruby red, fading, but barely to the rim. The nose starts nicely rounded with high flowery notes at the top, reasonable fruity depth and some complexity providing the width – the depth improves with more time in the glass giving raspberry and a slightly meaty note, slowly starts to show some Griotte character. Gorgeous soft texture, super sweet fruit – perhaps too sweet – and completely buried tannins. A long, long finish with just a hint of bitterness 2 minutes(!) into the finish – but this is transient. Personally I find this wine a bit too 1990 and not enough Griotte – I’d rather have 1993, 1995, 1996 or 1999 in the cellar – but wouldn’t be too unhappy if I had some of this 🙂