Impressions from the 2014 La Paulee Verticals Tasting

Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco
Tasted Friday, March 14, 2014 by drwine2001 with 1,110 views

Introduction

I skipped Courcel and Matrot due to wine saturation and included Clos des Lambrays in a separate tasting event focusing on that domain. I realize that with so many wines to taste and variation of bottles at the tasting, the notes may miss the mark at times, but they are honest if fleeting impressions.

Flight 1 - Louis Michel (3 Notes)

Flight 2 - Christian Moreau (3 Notes)

Flight 3 - William Fevre (3 Notes)

Flight 4 - Alain Gras (3 Notes)

Flight 5 - Bernard Moreau (3 Notes)

Flight 6 - Ballot-Millot (3 Notes)

Flight 7 - Comtes Lafon (3 Notes)

Flight 8 - Simon Bize (3 Notes)

Flight 9 - Carillon (3 Notes)

Flight 10 - Etienne Sauzet (3 Notes)

Flight 11 - Chanson (3 Notes)

Flight 12 - Genot-Boulanger (3 Notes)

Flight 13 - Hospices de Beaune (3 Notes)

Flight 14 - Marquis d'Angerville (3 Notes)

Flight 15 - de Montille (3 Notes)

Flight 16 - Jadot (3 Notes)

Flight 17 - Bouchard Pere (3 Notes)

Flight 18 - Hudelot-Noellat (3 Notes)

Flight 19 - Drouhin (3 Notes)

  • 2009 Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

    Pale. Enticing nose of faded dried strawberry. For its light color and weight, great delivery of flavor. Elegant, great purity, lovely acidity, gentle finish. Takes advantage of the wonderful fruit of the vintage without a trace of overripeness. Seductive wine that is the essence of Chambolle. My favorite, and I guess from this showing that we should be drinking these now, which is somewhat surprising. If I personally owned it, I would find it hard to pass up at this gorgeous stage. One of the most striking reds at the Verticals.

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  • 2002 Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

    Essentially the same color as the '09. More sous bois secondary aromatics. Cut from the same cloth otherwise with beautiful, delicate strawberry fruit, light bodied. A bit of tart acidity remains to be resolved, making the finish not quite as round and harmonious as in the younger wine. No matter, though; this is also a beauty that I'd drink any time.

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  • 1998 Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

    Curiously, the darkest color of the bunch. Harder to see the kinship with its siblings. Relatively speaking, a bigger wine (although no more than medium weight), much less of that glorious red fruit, and a chocolate/char component that I just don't find in the younger vintages. Hard to get excited about this after tasting 2009 and 2002, but not bad. Just less delicate.

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Flight 20 - Hudelot-Baillet (3 Notes)

  • 2010 Domaine Hudelot-Baillet Bonnes Mares

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

    Deep ruby. Dark red fruit and spice. Great length, zesty acidity. Wonderful cling and roundness without being heavy. So balanced and so much depth of fruit that it is remarkably open for a 2010 Grand Cru. Some might object and find it a little New Worldish, but I thought this was delicious. All it is lacking is complexity at this point.

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  • 2009 Domaine Hudelot-Baillet Bonnes Mares

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

    Also a beautiful deep color if ever so slightly lighter than the 2010. Excellent pure cherry fruit, aromatically forward. A touch of herbs which the younger wine doesn't have, sound acidity, not quite the length on the finish. No excess sweetness.

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  • 2007 Domaine Hudelot-Baillet Bonnes Mares

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

    Not in the same league as the 2 younger vintages. Lighter color, cranberry acidity, some earth, light red fruit that does not sing out. I'm afraid this could not overcome the limitations of the vintage; I would not have guessed Grand Cru quality.

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Flight 21 - David Duband (3 Notes)

Flight 22 - Alain Burguet (3 Notes)

Flight 23 - Fourrier (3 Notes)

Flight 24 - Armand Rousseau (3 Notes)

Flight 25 - Camille Giroud (3 Notes)

  • 2008 Camille Giroud Chambertin

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru

    Light color. Soil and some gentle wood. Really good savory flavors and complexity with a good Gevrey mix of delicacy and impact.

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  • 2009 Camille Giroud Chambertin

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru

    Fairly pale. Bigger, lusher than the '08 without the wood getting the way. A sexy, smoky tone, very sappy and long. Textural. Excellent if you can tolerate some oak on your Chambertin.

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  • 2010 Camille Giroud Chambertin

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru

    Light ruby. Darker fruit than the '09 and '08, more on the black side. Lean feel, especially compared to the 2009. More herbs than the others. Very different animal than the '09. Clearly needs time. Will it turn out better? I'm not sure it has the stuffing or balance, but it may be closed and a poor time to assess it.

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Flight 26 - Faiveley (3 Notes)

Closing

For my taste, the most exciting wines were from Sauzet in white, and Drouhin and Fourrier amongst the reds. Pleasant surprises included the whites of Alain Gras and Bernard Moreau, and by far the biggest sleeper was Hudelot-Baillet, a property with which I was completely unfamiliar and provided 2 gorgeous Bonnes Mares. Relative disappointments-Hudelot-Noellat Beaumonts, Rousseau Charmes, and Faiveley Clos de Beze. Bravo to Daniel Johnnes and his staff for bringing these producers together and arranging a flawless event.

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