Pre-Burgundy BBQ

With our trip to Burgundy a couple of week's away, the group took the opportunity to have a little catch-up over a few blind, BYO bottles including a serendipitous Clos de ls Roche, Clos St Denis pairing. Roy and Soo Yar kindly hosted and put together a lovely BBQ meal. We had great time - really looking forward to the trip.

• 2004 Domaine Taupenot-Merme Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Bel-Air 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  Decently good, but not outstanding. One first nose, there were lots of bramble, herb and spice notes that pointed to the vintage, along with a whiff of dark cherries and a bit of smoke. The palate had a lot less green to it though. Here, ripe, sappy flavours of black cherries were dusted with slightly powdery tannins and lifted by bright acidity. Generous on the attack, but it got more gravelly, tougher, almost a bit austere past the midpalate, with some brambly notes at the finish. Pleasant enough without being special. Like many 2004s, a bit advanced, so this should be one for the near to medium term rather than for longer aging.

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• 2005 Bernard Van Berg En Busigny Rouge 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Grand-Ordinaire

  A very solid Bourgogne, but not anywhere near the fireworks you would expect at its frankly ridiculous price tag of some $200. The nose was pretty attractive, with sappy cherry aromas at the fore, along with some earth and meat scents, and a bit of spice and bramble at the sides. The palate had admirable depth, along with a clean, focused feel, all showing in a lovely balance between sappy flesh and clear purity in the wine's juicy cherry notes - the type of balance that one would expect from a good 2005. There was quite a muscular feel to the wine, quite beyond what one would normally expect from a Bourgogne for sure, along with a solid sense of structure lent to it by firm, chewy tannins with a slightly powdery shape to them. Shades of blueberry and some floral tones on the midpalate added a bit of complexity. I enjoyed the wine quite a bit up to that point, and would in fact have thought more of the it if not a strange, almost bitter knot of herbal, stemmy notes at the finish. A pretty good wine, and one that should age well - if only that strange herbal tone will ease off a bit. No way I would stump out the asking price on this though.

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• 1990 Thibault Liger-Belair Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Saint Georges 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

  A nice wine. It had a very pretty nose for an NSG, with clear cherry tones wed to bits of earth, some spicy, brambly notes and a bit of mature black tea notes. The palate was about as clear a 1990 as I have had in some time, with a rich attack showing cooked cherries and ripe blackberry flavours lifted by bright, limpid acidity. While neither the most complete nor complex wine at its age, there was a supple, muscular strength to this that one would expect from a Les Saint Georges along to a nice clarity to its flavours. With velvety tannins lending the wine a nicely textured feel, this was really enjoyable. It finished nicely too. While the fruit leaned out a bit, it lingered nicely on the backpalate with sprinkles of spice and earth. Good stuff. Probably at the right place to drink now, with perhaps a couple or more so years of development ahead of it.

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• 1982 Peirazeau Clos St. Denis 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos St. Denis Grand Cru

  Excellent. One would expect a good deal of bottle variation at this age, and this bottle certainly bore little resemblance to Alex H's note from last year. It had a lovely complex nose, with deep wafts of ripe cherries and berries showing a slightly roasted edge with some scorched earth and dried flower notes. The palate was quite delicious and showing quite a bit fresher and more alive than many 1982 Burgundies that we have had in recent times. Sappy fruit in the shape of plums and black cherries was wed to fresh acidity and lovely silky tannins that still lent the wine a good sense of structure. In fact, it seemed to get more lifted with time and air, with more red fruited notes drifting out of the glass, backed-up with bits of earth and nice floral notes towards the finish. This was such a complete wine for something of its age. Given the heat of the vintage, it was perhaps less elegant than I would have liked, but it had all the other archetypal Clos St Denis characteristics of quiet power, clarity and purity. Very nice indeed and drinking just about perfectly.

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• 2006 Nicolas Potel Clos de la Roche 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru

  Excellent. Still young, still with years of development ahead of it before it is anywhere near ready, but this has certainly come around very nicely since I last tried it upon release some four-and-a-half years back. It had a lovely nose, with a ringing clarity to its sour cherry notes, lovely perfumy florals and a generous seasoning of undergrowth and peppery spice. The palate was youthful but very delicious, with bright, juicy flavours of sour cherries and sweet blueberries with a nice lilt of fresh cut flowers. Still rather primary, but one could just about pick up a nice earthy depth beneath the more lifted flavours. This was another very complete wine, with both power and elegance aplenty. Solid finish too, bright, juicy, with supple tannins wrapped around lovely sour cherry and flower notes laced with a good amount of spice. While not the most complex of wines, it had such a lovely texture and feel - quite the iron fist in a velvet glove. I really enjoyed this, and it has the potential to grow into something special. My wine of the night.

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• 2009 Domaine Ludovic Belin Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Lavières Très Vieilles Vignes 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru

  The most modern of the wines on show, but with the benefit of three hours in an open bottle, this was actually very enjoyable. Lots of sweet plums and strawberries on the earth, with an edge of funky earth and bramble, and maybe a bit of chalky mineral - almost like a marriage between Savigny and a Kiwi relative. The palate had a satisfying firmness undergirding its sweet flavours of black cherries and strawberries. Again, it was a bit modern here with a candied edge to its fruit, but there was a fine purity and balance to it. Long finish too, with fine, grippy tannins leading the wine into a tail of bittersweet bramble and herb. Enjoyable young, but this should continue improving with time.

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