Burgundy Dinner: Pre-Paulee with Zachys

Wonderful dinner with the great folks from Zachys and a number of their other Burg-lovin' clients.

• 1997 Bouchard Père et Fils Corton-Charlemagne Domaine 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

  Light color. Nose shows some apple and spice, but rather simple and already showing age. Better on the palate where fruit comes off fresher but still not much depth. I'd suggest drinking these soon.

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• 1994 Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

  Darker color gave some initial cause for concern, but that was immediately put to rest when smelled. Rich and powerful aromatics seem rather fresh with bright fruit. Concentrated fruit on palate is just starting to show some age. Lots of stone fruit and plenty of spice. Slightly more advance after 30 minutes in glass. I wouldn't keep this a lot longer.

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• 1990 Maison Leroy Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru

  Musty at first, but that evolved quickly into a nose that combined secondary character nicely with the smell of apples and pears but mostly floral notes. Great fruit and spice on palate as well. Flavors were very showy and flamboyant, very indicative of the vintage and producer more than Meursault Perrieres (at least to me).

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• 1999 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru

  Spectacular nose starts with lemon, orange ans spice (both from fruit and oak). Rich flavors of citrus combines with white stone fruit on the palate. Flavors are rich, powerful with lots of depth. Really good acidity provides ots of energy and texture. A really outstanding wine that is still tasting young tonight from this bottle.

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• 1995 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Cuvée Vieilles Vignes 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru

  Very nice red fruit on the nose with mild spices. Fruit a bit more dense and concentrated on the palate with better spice. Tannins less dominant than for many 1995s at this stage in their evolution, so this is starting to drink well. A very good Burgundy that didn't necessarily show a lot of "Musigny" character to me tonight.

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• 1991 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Cuvée Vieilles Vignes 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru

  Nice combination of fruit and mushrooms, with sous bois a bit dominant over the fruit on the nose. Very nice fruit on the palate that seems to take back control from the emerging earthy flavors. Really good spice. Very consistent with a couple of other times I've tried this wine the past few years. Drinking nicely right now, probably not going to improve, so don't cellar much longer.

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• 2002 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Cuvée Vieilles Vignes 96 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru

  Dazzling array of aromatics with blackberry, black cherry, anise, allspice and cocoa powder. Big and broad on the palate with the flavors continuing perfectly from the nose. While the fruit is certainly ripe, this wine shows no negative sappy or jammy character, but just solid and dense fruit well complemented by spice. Decanted for an indeterminate (but insufficient) period, this wine needs another decade to reach its full potential.

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• 1998 Domaine René Engel Grands-Echezeaux 87 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru

  Flavors of raspberry and cherry with just traces of spice. Reasonably well advanced at this early stage. Didn't have the nuance I have come to expect from Rene Engel top cuvees. Short, simple finish.

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• 1988 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru

  Really sensational wine that had come out of its long 1988 hibernation well rested and energetic. Still showing lots of dark fruit, supplemented with emerging sous bois. Palate is also dark fruit and concentrated spice of long-braised meat, slightly more sous bois than on the nose. Tannins are still ever-present but provide an integrated structure that adds another dimension to this wine. Powerful, long finish.

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• 1998 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru

  Ripe black cherry on the nose with anise, allspice and its fair share of oak. Palate is fruit dominated with lots of tannins quite prominent. Wine is still relying more on power than nuance, I would probably still give this another 5+ years before trying again.

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• 1989 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Rochioli Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Charming nose of dried rose petal, dried herbs, leather and black pepper. Flavors are quite elegant, showing some well preserved red cherries along with some roasted meat and spice. A bit too much overt cola flavors also emerged in the middle. Lots of good energy on the end helping provide a strong finish with good textures.

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• 1978 Domaine G. Roumier / Christophe Roumier Bonnes Mares 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru

  Nose was mostly secondary with mushrooms and leather, combined with charming and elegant spice. Flavors also very earthy with some baking spice in the background. Flavors interestingly started with taste than seemed all finesse, then ended with something showing some roasted meat and power. I would have liked to smell or taste some more hints of primary fruit to complement this wine's primary and tertiary charm and elegance, but this was still beautiful.

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• 1993 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru

  Great Asian spice on nose with lots of red fruit. I don't know how long this was decanted before serving, but it wasn't enough. We decanted this for about 3 hours for a dinner six months ago, and that wasn't enough. Fruit getting more concentrated with more time in glass, spice kept getting bigger as well. I know I have a bunch in the cellar and while I'm sure some will get opened in the interim, I think the drinking window opens in 2020.

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• 2002 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru

  Good red fruit on the nose but with far more spice, oddly a bit too much licorice (?). Red cherry and black cheery on palate with the same spice mix continuing, again a bit too much dominated by licorice. This is clearly a sensational wine and I'm curious to see how the spice will evolve with more time in bottle.

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• 2001 Domaine Anne Gros Richebourg 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru

  You rarely have a flight of three with 2 DRCs and the 3rd wine showing best, but this is one of those flights. Black cherry and red cherry on the nose with lots of savory spice and dried herbs. Intoxicating perfumed aromas - this is a very sexy wine. Similar fruit on the palate, also with great spice and amazing textures. Long, nuanced finish. This bottle is very consistent with others I have tasted before.

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There were a number of other wines for which I had no notes, just almost legible wine names. Oh well.