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Becky Wasserman & Co: Icons & Rising Stars of Burgundy
E&R Wine Shop, Portland OR
Tasted April 2, 2019 by David Paris (dbp) with 248 views
Introduction
Timothy Davey of Becky Wasserman & Co. joins us again to guide us through some very interesting, under the radar Burgundy producers in the book, as well as some of the most well known in the whole region. It was certainly fun to explore some of these names which were entirely new for me, and Timothy again demonstrates his powerful knowledge of the area.
I had decided at the start that I wasn't going to write any notes, so the early notes were very slight from memory. A couple bottles in I decided I had nothing better to do but write, as I enjoy...
Flight 1 (22 notes)
White
2015 Hubert Lamy Saint-Aubin La Princée Blanc
88 points
Lean and soft, but with nice cut. Not too much depth.
White
2015 Hubert Lamy Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Clos du Meix Blanc
86 points
Lots of stone and minerals present, but quite lean throughout. Not very giving.
White
2016 Benjamin Leroux Saint-Romain Sous le Chateau Blanc
91 points
Very fresh. Nice cut with a very lean, mineral laced inflection. Very pretty and great texture throughout.
White
2016 Benjamin Leroux Meursault
90 points
Softer and rounder in the mouth, with some cut of acidity and a higher mineral content than we had seen in the prior wines. Nice cut on the finish, with really nice lingering acidity and minerality.
White
2015 Benjamin Leroux Meursault 1er Cru La Pièce-sous-le-Bois
91 points
Very pretty nice, but here in its youth it is expressing more of it's oak than ideal. Round in the mouth, with nice body and just the slightest it of acidity. Rich finish, with bitter and strong minerality carrying it for some time. Nice stuff.
White
2015 Domaine Sylvain Pataille Bourgogne-Aligoté Clos du Roy
89 points
Odd, strange sweetened nut aroma. Definitely noticed we weren't drinking Chardonnay anymore! Quite a bit of bitterness, and this wine comes across as quite strong. Nice stuff.
White
2016 Domaine Sylvain Pataille Marsannay Blanc
90 points
Quite light on the nose, but things open up on the palate, where this reveals itself to be much prettier, with lovely texture and ripe acidity. It offers killer sharpness on the finish, like drinking lemon juice. It's simple, but what it does offer is pretty and quite delicious. This would be a great daily drinker.
Red
2015 Domaine Sylvain Pataille Marsannay
83 points
This smells like clay soils, smoke, and a bit of funk. Soft and light in the mouth, with a round texture and slightly green inflected fruit. Pretty tight, with just light red berries showing through. Things very really bitter and oddly funky on the finish. Awkward as hell. Tastes like funky, butter old wood and a tire. Not enjoyable.
Red
2015 Domaine Sylvain Pataille Marsannay Clos du Roy
84 points
Some more odd funk here. Stony soil and grasslike notes. Smells a bit moldy and off putting. Better palate, on a round palate texture, offering ripe and rich fruits, some light bitterness, and a puckering sensation. Still feels fairly flat on the palate. Bitter mold shows up on the finish, and brings along with it its friend bitter funk.
Red
2015 Domaine Sylvain Pataille Marsannay L'Ancestrale
85 points
Another strange creature... I just did not like these Domaine Sylvain Pataille red wines, despite enjoying the whites. This one is very dark in color and offers more heavy funk on the nose, which comes across as rich and thick, offering some strange notes of anti-bug spray. Round texture in the mouth, with sweet big fruit, but still tons of funky bug spray, some tannins noted, and a funky apple skin. Funky tartness on the finish with really strong bitterness carrying it long into the finish. Incredibly dense.
Red
2016 Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet Fixin
89 points
Pretty, lean and light notes, with lots of high tones on the nose, but they are simple notes. Ripe and soft on the pretty palate, which is again nice, but simple. Ripe and richer on the finish, with smooth, pretty texture. Not much distinguishing this wine from a flavor or complexity standpoint, but what it offers is nice.
Red
2016 Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet Vosne-Romanée
90 points
Rich and funky on the nose. Tight, like the outside skin on a nut. Some red apple skin, too. Rich and ripe on the palate, with stony fruit tones. Soft, pretty texture and an interesting bit of acidity. It seems a bit bitter, but still pretty. Stony acidity on the finish, with some green tones. Bittersweet green strawberries are the dominant flavor you're left with. I like the bitterness as it is balanced nicely with acidity and soft tannins.
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Red
2015 Domaine Denis Bachelet Côte de Nuits Villages
90 points
Rich and dense on the nose; like creamed red apples. Very interesting. Rich, soft fruit enters the palate, with good purity. Pretty, with a slight hint of candy. Pretty nice, but overall fairly light in flavor. Bitter finish with tons of acidity. The finish comes across as quite tight, but very powerful. Needs some years.
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Comments (3)
Red
2015 Domaine Denis Bachelet Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
91 points
Very nice and rich nose. Precise. Soft and elegant, but really grabs your attention subtly. Still, feels tight. Really smart attack right away on the palate. Nice and complete, but not overtly complex. I love its composure, though. Pretty intensity on the finish, where its again quite composed. A complete wine that is drinking well as is, right now. If I had these I'd go for it.
Red
2014 Simon Bize Bourgogne Les Perrières
89 points
More funk on the nose here, and smells of stems. Still pretty, though. Rich and ripe on palate entry, but showing a pretty elegance. Tannins and acid build rapidly as its held in the mouth. Bitter acid strength on the finish, and you're left with a gritty, chalky soil notion. Quite a strong wine for Bourgogne. This one needs time.
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Red
2014 Simon Bize Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Marconnets
90 points
Bitter wood shavings on the nose. This smells like wood chips at the yard supply store (and I don't mean oak). Rich and soft fruit on the palate entry. Much prettier than expected from the nose. There's certainly tons of grippy, intense tannins, though. Great intensity of structure on the tight, compact finish. This needs a lot of time. 90+
Red
2014 Simon Bize Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Guettes
89 points
Smells ripe and stony. Ripe, soft palate texture. It's very pretty in the mouth, but quite tight right now. Pretty on the finish, where it's a little softer than the palate. Quite light in what this reveals today. Needs tremendous time. 89+
Red
2015 Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay
90 points
Soft aromas... light, pretty floral notes are able to show some of its elegance, though. Still a little simple. Beautiful palate entry. A dial up in elegance for the night, with soft, pretty fruit and nice pretty texture. Again, a bit simple. Really really intense on the finish, with killer integration of acidity and light toned red fruits. Pretty, but not as much depth as desired. I guess that's what the 1ers are for...
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Comments (1)
Red
2015 Domaine Michel Lafarge Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Aigrots
90 points
Tight nose, but still pretty and complete, showing some elegance through its stone wall. Rich and intense on the palate, with soft, pretty red fruits. Again, incredibly tight today, as one may expect. Nice bloom of acidity on the finish, but this is just far too tight today for any kind of reasonable access point. Let it rest a few decades. 90+
Red
2013 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Maréchale
90 points
Soft, pretty, but tight on the nose. Really really sweet fruit on palate entry. Lovely and elegant on the palate. Rich and pretty intensity on the finish. It's tart, with nice acid lingering and a strong bitter intensity.
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Red
2014 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Maréchale
90 points
The 2014 is more giving than the 2013, but comes across as leaner, showing some pretty gravel and light berry notes on the nose. Rich and ripe fruit enters the palate, with mellow intensity and tight, structured tannins. Really strong, bitterly tannic finish. Tight as nails.
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Red
2015 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Maréchale
89 points
Perhaps the darkest wine on the table, and the aromas come across that way, tending towards the darker fruits. It's very intense and ripe. Rich ripe fruit on palate entry, sitting on a pretty, soft, round texture with big flavor. Bitter acid kicks in on the finish, where this shows quite a lot of strength. Quite bitter as it lingers.