Burgundy Retrospective - 1996

Tasted Saturday, April 30, 2011 by AndrewSGHall with 1,015 views

Introduction

A group of Burgundy lovers, led by John Gilman, gather to do a 15 yr check-up on the contentious vintage of 1996. All the wines were shipped in advance and decanted at least an hour before service.

Flight 1 - Beaune 1er (3 Notes)

Disappointing.

Flight 2 - Volnay 1er (3 Notes)

  • 1996 La Pousse d'Or Volnay 1er Cru Clos de la Bousse d'Or

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

    Lovely flower and pollen nose. Beautiful texture - soiné. Good fruits with lots of push. Long, balanced finish. Gorgeous stuff and on point to drink.

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  • 1996 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Champans

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

    Not a lot on the nose - some Meyer Lemon and pine. Slight oxidized/furnace note in texture. Lashing of fruit and earth, but very incomplete. Not as bad as writing those descriptors sounds tho.

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  • 1996 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

    Whoa! nose. Woodsy with moss and bark that follows through on the front palate. Tight fruit. Really deep and pensive - called for me to bring out more of it than I was capable. Elegant. Long time to go here.

    Returned to it at the end - still very deep and challenging in a positive way. Delivered more on the fruit and more stuffing to it.

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Flight 3 - Chambolle / MSD 1er (3 Notes)

Flight 4 - Gevrey-Chambertin 1er (3 Notes)

Flight 5 - Echezeaux (2 Notes)

Disappointing.

  • 1996 Daniel Bocquenet Echezeaux

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru

    Slight funk to nose. Very raspy and rough on the palate. Acid-bile like edge combined with a not-fun wood element. Too linear as well. Did not like.

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  • 1996 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Echezeaux

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru

    Slight oxy-furnace on the nose. Has a nice upfront to finish with leather and fruits - consistent across. Gains some weight and ripe veg notes then goes back. Oscillates. Meh.

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Flight 6 - Clos St. Denis / Clos de la Roche (3 Notes)

  • 1996 Domaine Dujac Clos Saint-Denis

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru

    Fascinating nose with industrial notes - in a good way. Lovely integration of acids, fruit, minerals. Surfs an edge with incredible tight lines and a smartness. Then blows up with sappy style and an expression you did not expect to come from such a tight package. Insane good - so good that stripper metaphors failed me.

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  • 1996 Louis Jadot Clos de la Roche Flawed

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

    Slightly corked - enough to be wrong.

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  • 1996 Hospices de Beaune Clos de la Roche Cuvée Georges Kritter Méo-Camuzet

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

    Toast and split 2x4s on the nose. Some blood. Warped structure - very constricted. Nice macerated strawberry notes. No like. Not for me.

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Flight 7 - Bonnes Mares/Musigny (2 Notes)

  • 1996 Domaine Dujac Bonnes Mares

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

    Dark, rich nose with saucisson and dried herbs. Dusty and fragrant pollen textures on the palate. Smoked fish/curing spice elements place instead of beautifully muscled and graceful body - Serena Williams. Amazing stuff.

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  • 1996 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Musigny

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru

    Nose that drops down a full register in one sniff. Potting bark and dried flowers. Nice beats and harmonies make this a soulful wine. Not as powerful as I expected and a hollowness to the middle doesn't carry those broad shoulders. That is too harsh really - a really good and enjoyable wine and complimented by a lovely dry-down. A treat.

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Flight 8 - Beze (2 Notes)

  • 1996 Joseph Drouhin Chambertin-Clos de Bèze

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru

    Orchids and print shop nose (a la Commes des Garcons) - fabu! Lurking power like a great power forward who you don't notice until he slams the alley ooop home in your face. Fruits very much framing to the side. Dark on the finish, almost retreats and sulks. Overall the awesome stance of this wine makes it great and it was way enjoyable.

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  • 1996 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Domaine Louis Jadot

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru

    Coiled serpent nose that spirals between Maguey Pechuga (Mezcal filtered over a chicken carcass) and Chartreuse. Dark fruit, balanced, surprisingly subtle given the nose. Finish pushes out of its frame a bit much. Fascinating, quite enjoyable and very hard to read.

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Closing

It certainly was a mixed bag with the only real conclusion being - DUJAC!

I was really luck to be part of this tasting which was just a fantastic time. Thanks John for putting this together and inviting me.

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