Community Tasting Note

Cailles wrote:

Sunday, October 24, 2021 - Complete DRC Vintage Horizontals 2017 vs 2018: Since Covid didn’t allow for a proper arrivage tasting last year, we tasted the 2017s in direct taste-offs vs their 2018 counterparts this year. All bottles were opened a few hours earlier, not decanted but we got enough time to follow each wine over 45+ minutes in the glass which allowed for proper aeration and analysis. A few observations: 1) The 2017s are disarmingly easy to drink, charming, soft and open. 2) The 2018 show more depth but will need more time to flesh out, open up and become rounder. 3) Best ever Cortons. Slowly but surely they grow into their allocation (not market) price. 4) The showstopping RSVs edge out the Richebourgs with the purest fruit expression vs raw and today a bit unintegrated power. 5) The La Taches and RCs are playing in their own category in terms of complexity but the RCs are a bit closed. 6) The Montrachets are fabulous with a sharp, complex and complete 2017 as a consensus WOTN and a 2018 which is a bit broader but still amazing.

TN: Slightly reductive and powerful nose with lots of dark and red fruit. Seductive sweetness and high precision. An explosion of the purest, freshest fruit with a potpurrinof strawberries, raspberries, red currant, blueberries, blackberries, along lots of herbs, stems and crushed rocks. Lots of power and substance but the wine carries it well and remains on the pure, fresh, elegant and light side of things with an ultra fine structure, good freshness, light and creamy structure, superb balance and good length. Both RSVs where outstanding, cementing their status as No 3 red wine in the DRC stable ahead of the Richebourg. The 2018 was a touch ahead for me due to a bit more substance, even though the 2017 is the slightly more open and elegant wine today.

Post a Comment / View Cailles's profile
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue (4,546 views)