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Knightsbridge Annual Holiday Burgundy/Champagne Tasting and Sale
Northbrook, IL
Tasted November 8, 2015 by Burgundy Al with 801 views
Introduction
One of my favorite wine events of the year. Very brief notes given the number of wines I was trying to taste over several hours, while also catching up with many friends. The sequence of the notes is the order of Knightsbridge's list, not the sequence in which I tasted. I started with several Champagnes, then mostly went through all the red Burgundy, then mostly through the white Burgundy. I sadly never got to most of the Champagne.
Flight 1 (93 notes)
White
2013 Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
Tasting, brief note. Lush and ripe apple with slightly sweet spice. Very good now. Moderate energy and length, I'd suspect this best on the younger side.
Red
2012 Faiveley Mercurey 1er Cru Clos des Myglands
Tasting, brief note. Black and red berries throughout, modest spice. Very balanced for near- and medium-term pleasure. Very good value wine.
Red
2013 Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin
Tasting, brief note. Black fruit start-to-finish. Spice start, Brawny finish. Very good overall, very good textures for its level.
Red
2012 Faiveley Corton-Clos des Cortons Faiveley
Tasting, brief note. Slightly jammy start for now, but this has so much density and concentration that it will certainly evolve (decade+?) into a superstar Corton. Elegant structure here. Great spice finish.
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Red
2003 Faiveley Corton-Clos des Cortons Faiveley
Tasting, brief note. Very 2003 in terms of ripeness and modest acidity. Good concentration, but 2003 character really dominates. Not a personal fav today.
Red
1998 Faiveley Corton-Clos des Cortons Faiveley
Tasting, brief note. Firm, dense with lots of structure and lots of black fruit. Old school. Patience required.
Red
2008 Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
Tasting, brief note. Probably the top Burg at today's tasting. Red and black fruit with lots of complexity and nuance. Floral and spice start, then a dense, meaty middle and finish. Great potential in 5-10+ years.
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Red
2010 Domaine Jacques Prieur Corton-Bressandes
Tasting, brief note. Lots of ripe black and blue fruit that starts out so charming and accessible that I'd never have thought young Corton if served blind. Sneaky yet powerful structure really comes through at finish, finally showing its terroir. Good now, very good 91-92 point potential here.
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White
2013 Yves Boyer-Martenot Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières
Tasting, brief note. Floral and spice driven start with lemon and lemon peel. This has a charming weightlessness I truly enjoy. Better in a year or two, but most likely best on the early side of 2016-2023.
White
2013 Yves Boyer-Martenot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Le Cailleret
Tasting, brief note. Floral start with rich apple and pear. Moderate structure, nicely balanced. Good now. Not a wine I can recall from before, with Boyer-Martenot always associated with Meursault in my mind.
Red
2013 Bernard Dubois Chorey-les-Beaune Clos Margot
Tasting, brief note. All red fruit, lighter style, good textures for everyday, near-term drinking. Good value.
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Red
2013 Bernard Dubois Aloxe-Corton Les Brunettes
Tasting, brief note. Also all red fruit, bigger, denser vs Chorey just tasted. Spice hints throughout. Classic styling. Very good for its level and price for near-and medium-term. Not previously familiar with the producer.
Red
2013 Domaine Berthelemot Santenay 1er Cru La Maladière
Tasting, brief note. Floral start with good fruit throughout. Big step vs the Monthelie just tasted at the same price.
Red
2013 Domaine Berthelemot Pommard Les Noizons
Tasting, brief note. Forward fruit and good energy makes this a pleasant young-drinking Pommard. Good value.
Red
2013 La Pousse d'Or Santenay 1er Cru Clos Tavannes
Tasting, brief note. Red fruit with early emerging earthiness. Good in a slightly lighter and rustic manner. Nice balance.
Red
2013 La Pousse d'Or Volnay 1er Cru Les Caillerets
Tasting, brief note. a big step up from Santenay Tavannes, this shows more expressive red fruit complemented nicely with spring flowers and spice. Elegant start, broader finish. Very good.
Red
2013 Domaine Robert Groffier Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrées
Tasting, brief note. Sweet black fruit with good dollop of spice. Firm Gevrey structure to start, then more elegant finish. Good for its level. Medium-term drinker.
Red
2011 Domaine Robert Groffier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Hauts-Doix
Tasting, brief note. Leaner styled red fruit with moderate structure. Best to drink on the younger side. Like in most vintages I prefer this over the Sentiers.
Red
2011 Domaine Robert Groffier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Sentiers
Tasting, brief note. Also leaner styled, but with more structure vs Haut Doix just tasted. Moderate depth. Probably better in a few years, but best as a medium-term drinker.
Red
2013 Domaine Robert Groffier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Sentiers
Tasting, brief note. Red and black cherry throughout with subtle anise and thyme. Good energy and balance, but I'd expect better in a few years as tannins soften.
Red
2011 Domaine Robert Groffier Bonnes Mares
Tasting, brief note. Red and black berries throughout with savory spice. Good power and density for the vintage with no green traces. Slightly backward today, needs cellar time. This had been open for several hours and double decanted.
Red
2011 Domaine Anne Gros Echezeaux Les Loachausses
Tasting, brief note. Restrained red fruit with some background green notes. Perhaps shut down? Not nearly as pleasurable as it was a year ago. Consistent with another tasting from a few weeks ago.
Red
2011 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
Tasting, brief note. Lots of powerful black fruit that starts front-and-center, with structure that takes command for now at the end. Very good potential but this requires patience. A friend thought there a faint green streak, but I didn't find that at all.
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Red
2011 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes Mares
Tasting, brief note. Excellent aromas with floral, savory spice and black berry aromas. Texturally charming with a firm finish. Excellent 92+ point potential.
Red
2013 Frederic Esmonin Gevrey-Chambertin Les Jouises Vieilles Vignes
Tasting, brief note. Black cherry on nose and palate. Forward and fun with overall good balance. Best on the young side. Good value.
Red
2013 Frederic Esmonin Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Estournelles-St.-Jacques
Tasting, brief note. Black berry with some red hints, also forward and balanced. Finishes meaty and dense with some animale notes. Good now with upside and definite 90-92 point potential.
Red
2013 Frederic Esmonin Ruchottes-Chambertin
Tasting, brief note. Black fruit and meaty spice hints with clear concentration coming through on both nose and palate. Good energy, good balance. This will be a good young-drinking Grand Cru, but should also drink well for a couple of decades.
Red
2012 Jean-Marc Millot Echezeaux
Tasting, brief note. Nicely floral with lots of red fruit. Forward for Grand Cru, this is drinking well young with lots of elegant structure throughout. Good now, better in a decade.
White - Sparkling
2004 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs
93 points
Tasting, brief note. apple, lemon, lemon peel. Better now than right after release, i'm sure it will be better yet in another few years, even if not as ageworthy as the 2002.
Rosé - Sparkling
2002 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé
Tasting, brief note. Precise and very energetic, this shows mostly Chardonnay fruit character with Pinot Noir floral notes. Very cellarworthy.
White - Sparkling
2005 Dom Pérignon Champagne
91 points
Tasting, brief note. Poached pear, moderate energy, moderate depth. Very good, but seems more like a medium-term drinking vintage for DP (like 2003), vs those very cellarworthy (2002).
White - Sparkling
1998 Dom Pérignon Champagne P2
93 points
Tasting, brief note. Slightly bready with plenty of rich apple and pine nuts. While not a powerhouse Champagne, this is very nuanced, elegant and well textured.
Rosé - Sparkling
2004 Dom Pérignon Champagne Rosé
Tasting, brief note. My first time tasting. Subdued nose of flowers, apple and strawberry. More alluring flavors, great, great textures. Very impressive.
White - Sparkling
2003 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut
91 points
Tasting, brief note. Lush and very ripe, but with the acidity and overall structure to maintain excellent balance. Lots of ripe apple and some baked apple with classic Krug toasty charm. While this has the structure to age I would expect it best in the next decade.
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White - Sparkling
N.V. Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée
92 points
Tasting, brief note. The disgorgement with 2006 base. Like other times I've had this wine, it's one of the best versions I can ever recall at this early stage of its evolution. Very tasty.
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Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Krug Champagne Brut Rosé
93 points
Tasting, brief note. Also from the most recently released disgorgement. Flowers, marzipan and lots of fruit, mostly strawberry with some apple. Very fun right now. super elegant.
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White
2013 Garnier et Fils Chablis 1er Cru Montmains
Tasting, brief note. Lush start, followed by leaner, more classic, mineral-driven finish. Give another year in cellar, then drink medium-term.
White
2012 Buisson-Charles Meursault 1er Cru Vieilles Vignes
90 points
Tasting, brief note. I'm not particularly familiar with the producer, but was very impressed with this wine. Impressive floral start with apple and hazelnut. Identical flavor profile with good concentration and true old vine character. Excellent for its level, but also pricey for its level.
Red
2013 Domaine Morey-Coffinet Pinot Noir Bourgogne
Tasting, brief note. Fresh fruit, spice aromas. Nice enough fruit for its level, but more rugged on palate. Very Chassagne-like.
Red
2012 Monthélie-Douhairet-Porcheret Monthélie Clos du Meix Garnier
Tasting, brief note. As "old school" as it gets. Pure fruit, lighter in style, firm and slightly rugged. Ok.
Red
2008 Domaine Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
Tasting, brief note. Mostly black fruit, some red cherry hints. Slightly brawny and very Gevrey. Good power and concentration for its level. Nicely balanced. Good now and for the next decade+. Better today than when last tasted a year ago.
Red
2013 Domaine Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin Mes Cinq Terroirs
Tasting, brief note. Black cherry and berry with animale and roasted meat. Not a powerhouse Gevrey, but with everything in balance this is vibrant and charming already today, and best for the medium-term, 2017 forward.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Delamotte Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut
89 points
Tasting, brief note. Bright and energetic with lots of apple, some lemon hints. Consistent with other recent times I've tasted this wine this NV wine.
White
2013 Domaine Thomas Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot
90 points
Tasting, brief note. Fat, friendly start with plenty of ripe stone fruit. More minerally and dense from middle to finish. Very fun and enjoyable now, but with the spine to hold a decade.
Red
2012 Chanson Père & Fils Pinot Noir Le Bourgogne
Tasting, brief note. Red fruit, simple but good value for money for near-term at this price.
Red
2012 Mongeard-Mugneret Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Narbantons
Tasting, brief note. Nice floral start with bright red fruit and some earth hints. Firm red fruit flavors and good spice. Bit firm on finish. Cellar for a few more years. Good value with 89-90 point potential.
Red
2012 Domaine Chanson Beaune 1er Cru Bastion
Tasting, brief note. All red fruit, tasty now. Elegant but slightly simple. Consistent with prior note from the spring.
Red
2012 Domaine de la Vougeraie Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos de Thorey
90 points
Tasting, brief note. Very tasty. Red berry throughout with some spice hints that made me think there's some whole cluster here. Very nice and elegant, but I was surprised to see this as over $100, but I guess this is from the Clos.
Red
2001 Domaine Ponsot Griotte-Chambertin
Tasting, brief note. Moderate red fruit, better spice, lots of earth and mushroom. Good energy and length, even if overall subtle for Grand Cru. Slightly better than a bottle tasted this summer in Burgundy. Very generous of Heritage to bring this to the tasting.
White
2011 Benjamin Leroux Bourgogne Blanc
Tasting, brief note. Very good fruit quality here. Not quite as balanced as I recall from a year ago, today it showed a few jagged edges, but I think this will soften.
White
2012 Maison Leroy Bourgogne Blanc
Tasting, brief note. Fun and forward, very easy to drink and enjoy right now. I wouldn't cellar this more than a few years.
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White
2011 Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon Viré-Clessé
Tasting, brief note. Slightly ripe and forward that starts forward and fun, then finishes with moderate energy. Certainly good for the near-term.
White
2012 Château des Quarts Pouilly-Fuissé Clos de Quarts
90 points
Tasting, brief note. Lots of orchard fruit start-to-finish with a hint of ripe peach. Big and concentrated with good structure. Better in another year or three. Very good value wine.
White
2012 Benjamin Leroux Auxey-Duresses Blanc
Tasting, brief note. Ripe and concentrated for its level. Moderate depth. Much like another bottle from earlier this year. Good value.
White
2014 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Puligny-Montrachet
89 points
Tasting, brief note. Floral with forward fruit aromas, mostly peach with some Meyer lemon. Same flavor profile that comes across as fat to start, more energetic at the end. Excellent Villages level.
White
2012 Domaine Sylvain Langoureau Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Garenne
Tasting, brief note. Good fruit with pronounced structure. I tend to think of Langoureau wines as forward, but didn't find that true in this Puligny. But I often think of St Aubin when I think of Langoureau.
White
2009 Domaine François Mikulski Meursault
88 points
Tasting, brief note. Ripe with good structure. Very good for its level with the potential to drink well for another 5 years. Consistent with many other times I've had this wine.
White
2009 Jean Noel Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chaumées
Tasting, brief note. Ripe and forward with both orchard and tropical fruit. Seems a bit slutty to start, but structure and textures emerge at middle to finish. Still probably best through the next 3-4 years.
White
2009 Vincent Dancer Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Tête du Clos
Tasting, brief note. I haven't had this wine in a few years. Surprisingly bright and fresh for the vintage, with ripe apple and bit of citrus zest. Very good textures, very good upside from here.
White
2009 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne
Tasting, brief note. Rich and fleshy. Forward and very good now, but with very elegant structure so I expect this will drink well for well over another decade.
Red
2012 Maison Bertrand Ambroise Bourgogne
Tasting, brief note. Earthy fruit with some roasted meat and rustic character. OK.
Red
2012 Dupont-Tisserandot Bourgogne
Tasting, brief note. Fruit-driven with plenty of red berries. Good now, best young. My favorite of today's Bourgogne rouge selections.
Red
2005 Maison Leroy Bourgogne
Tasting, brief note. Nicely maturing red fruit throughout with earthiness and softened structure. Better now vs a few years ago, most likely at its peak now through 2020.
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Red
2011 Benjamin Leroux Savigny-lès-Beaune
Tasting, brief note. Red fruit, roast meat, some licorice. Better overall balance vs a year ago, and I expect this will be even better one year form now. Good value wine.
Red
2010 Camille Giroud Maranges 1er Cru Le Croix Moines
Tasting, brief note. Black and red cherry with some baking spice hints. Good length and concentration. Good now, but better in a few more years. Excellent value wine. The only Maranges in my cellar.
Red
2012 Camille Giroud Santenay
Tasting, brief note. Forward fruit with good acidity and minerality, with everything in good balance. While I slightly prefer Giroud's 2010 Maranges 1er just tasted, this is also a great value wine, and actually better for drinking right now.
Red
2009 Domaine des Croix Beaune 1er Cru Grèves
90 points
Tasting, brief note. Rich black fruit throughout, meaty spice and good concentration. I haven't tasted this since barrel tasting at Giroud in 2010, and I like it as much now from bottle. Very good right now, but also cellarworthy. Great value wine.
Red
2013 Comte Armand Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux
92 points
Tasting, brief note. Very good spice and black pepper aromas and flavors, nicely supporting moderate, elegant black fruit. Softer start, more firm finish. This wine requires 20+ years in the cellar in most good+ vintages, but I'd expect this to be drinking well within the decade.
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Red
2012 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Maréchale
tasting, brief note. Fruit slightly subdued today vs previous times tasted, but the same roasted meat and spice elements are there, as is the very good balance and elegance. Cellar for at least another year or three.
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Red
2012 Domaine Dominique Mugneret Vosne-Romanée Alliance des Terroirs
Tasting, brief note. Elegant red fruit, slightly lighter style than most 2012s. Classically Vosne spice. Good now.
Red
2012 Domaine Rion Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras
Tasting, brief note. Good red cherry and berry with subtle spice, but very good minerality and acidity, so highlighted overall by textures, giving this good nuance. Cellar at least a few more years, 90+ point potential.
Red
2009 Domaine Lignier-Michelot Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Cuvée Jules
89 points
Tasting, brief note. Ripe black berries that are lush, forward and fun, but with good enough concentration and subtle structure so that it will easily drink well for a long time going forward.
Red
2012 Domaine Lignier-Michelot Morey St. Denis Vieilles Vignes
Tasting, brief note. Very good red fruit comes across as ripe, but balanced nicely with elegant structure. I really like the spice and black pepper here as well. Very good for its price. 90-91 point potential.
Red
2012 Fernand Lécheneaut et Fils (Philippe et Vincent) Morey St. Denis
Tasting, brief note. Nice red and black cherry, moderate spice and concentration. Good.
Red
2007 Serafin Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Fonteny
91 points
Tasting, brief note. Maturing nicely with black berries on nose and palate, earth notes and woodsy spice. Good now, should drink well for close to another decade.
Red
2009 Pierre Damoy Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Tamisot
89 points
Tasting, brief note. Lots of black cherry and plum, very fresh, ripe and fleshy. Powerful, but slightly simple. Still backward on finish, so better off cellaring a few more years.
Red
2010 Maison Champy Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers
Tasting, brief note. Seemed musty, perhaps slightly off? Not consistent with prior times I've had this wine.
Red
2009 Maison Champy Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers
Tasting, brief note. Ripe black berries throughout, with moderate structure so nicely balanced for near-term enjoyment. Definitely a good value wine.
Red
2007 Maison Champy Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers
Tasting, brief note. Maturing red and black cherry with moderate density. Drink up.
Red
2012 Domaine Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers
Tasting, brief note. floral, chocolate and black berry aromas with delicious, ripe black fruit flavors. Some new oak seems slightly pronounced right now, but this is overall very tasty, should drink very well starting in just a couple of years, then age gracefully for a couple of decades.
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Red
2008 Domaine Dominique Mugneret Echezeaux En Orveaux
Tasting, brief note. Nice fruit, ok spice, emerging earthiness. I thought this was ok for near-term drinking, while others enjoyed it a lot more today.
Red
2012 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage
Tasting, brief note. Open and decanted for several hours. Huge black berry, roasted meat, fresh herbs. Powerhouse with excellent 95 point potential.
White
2011 Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly Blanc
90 points
Tasting, brief note. Lots of apple with some tangerine peel with a nice mineral edge at the finish. Lots of pleasure right now, this is an excellent value wine. After 5 years of drinking, tasting and visiting Moreau, this was my first St Aubin. Well done.
White
2013 Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet
90 points
Tasting, brief note. Orchard fruit throughout with charming spice. Incredible balance for its level. Completely consistent with all prior notes. Exceptional value wine.
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White
2013 Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes
91 points
Tasting, brief note. I have found this to be one of the more forward Moreau 1er Cru, and that holds true here in 2013. Floral start with lots of apple and some tropical notes. Acidity and minerality are subtly there in the background. Good already, but just a little more patience will be rewarded.
White
2012 Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Maltroie
Tasting, brief note. Much more austere, reserved and texture driven. This wine will need more time than the 2013 Chenevottes just tasted.
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Comments (1)
Red
2013 Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils Bourgogne Passetoutgrains
Tasting, brief note. Lean but very fun for drinking the next year or two. Tasty indeed for $17. A good Passetoutgrains.
Red
2013 Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils Bourgogne
Tasting, brief note. Lots of red berry with spice hints. Fun and easy now, but with good acidity and minerality to evolve nicely and drink well to 2020.
Red
2011 Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets
Tasting, brief note. All red fruit with modest spice. Riper than most 2011s with no green/ bitter notes at all. Moderate depth.
Red
2011 Domaine Roblet-Monnot Volnay Saint-Francois
Tasting, brief note. Earthy aromas with maturing red cherry. Similar flavor profile, coming cross in a very classic, old school style. Best for near-term consumption. Ok.
Red
2003 Bernard Dugat-Py Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
Tasting, brief note. All black fruit with good density for its level. Lots of fun, this didn't come across as particularly "2003" in terms of ripeness. More structure came through vs when tasted at this same event last year, so I enjoyed it much more this year.
Red
2005 Bernard Dugat-Py Gevrey-Chambertin Très Vieilles Vignes - Coeur de Roy
Tasting, brief note. Massive black fruit and roasted meat that couldn't be mistaken for anything but Gevrey. Very impressive Villages wine. but that's 2005 and old vine character. Also this is one of the most pricey Gevrey Villages cuvees. Needs lots of time in the cellar. Thanks for bringing this, Marc. It's a wine I rarely get to try from any vintage.