1999 Montrachet and Friends: Lieu-dit Cru 3rd Annual Blind White Burgundy Dinner

The Lieu-dit Cru (my Chicago based burgundy group) convened for our 3rd annual "Blind White" dinner. Basic idea is that there is one theme that becomes obvious by the 2nd flight, sometimes the 3rd (as in this case). All wines are from one or two people, so everybody else is really guessing, excuse me, analyzing. Tonight's theme - 1999 Montrachet.

Since the dinner will be all Chardonnay (white Burgundy), I thought I'd throw a curveball to start by serving blind two bottles of well regarded non-vintages Champagne each made 100% from Pinot Noir.

• NV Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules 91 Points

  France, Champagne

  Very perfumed start, big fruit shows a reasonable amount of ripeness. Taste is also on the side of larger, bolder fruit. Lighter style carbonation really lets fruit come through. Most people prefers this of the two Champagnes served, but I slightly preferred the Egly-Ouriet.

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• NV Egly-Ouriet Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Les Crayères 93 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Bright color, nose shows lemon and flowers. Palate showed same lemon with lemon zest, orange and some baking spice. Great acidity comes out mostly near the end. This was served blind along with the Cedric Bouchard NV Roses de Jeanne les Ursules, both from Pinot Noir, but this Egly-Ouriet seemed more expansive and complex, so to my palate at least, more attractive.

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I figured I'd throw everybody off the scent with some warm up wine from next door.

• 1999 Bouchard Père et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet La Cabotte 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru

  Rich. lush, dense and powerful. Sensational minerality, length and finish. Group's WOTF, if not mine (probably 1 point behind the Jadot).

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• 1999 Louis Jadot Chevalier-Montrachet Les Demoiselles Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru

  Amazing aromatics of flowers, toasted nuts and lemon and lemon zest. Palate adds orange zest as well. Dense, but a bit compact. I'd hold onto this for a few more years. My WOTF, but most others disagreed by a point or two.

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• 1999 Georges Deleger Chevalier-Montrachet

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru

  Oxidizing, not oxidized, but lost in the company of the other great wines in this flight.

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• 1999 Domaine Thenard Montrachet 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

  Citrus, white flowers and oak on the nose. Big fruit with lots of fat and spice along with oak on palate. A bit simple on the finish. It is rare to see the Thenard labeled Montrachet since I believe it mostly goes to Remoissenet, so this was a nice treat. Not quite as good as another bottle from the same case I opened a couple of years ago.

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I thought this first flight of Montrachet might be slightly less exciting than the next; instead this might have been the greatest flight of white Burgundy I can recall trying.

• 1999 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Le Montrachet 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

  Single blind tasting. Another big surprise. Great perfume. Rich lemon and orange flavors. Just hints of well integrated oak. Wonderful acidity made it better with food than on its own. Intense spicy finish. Didn't display the modern characteristics that sometimes detracts from Girardin's wine.

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• 1999 Domaine Jacques Prieur Montrachet 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

  Single blind flight. Started with a spring flowers and bit of stone fruit, then mostly lemon and lemon peel on nose and palate. Elegant, oak still a bit prominent. Great length. Needs time.

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• 1999 Lucien Le Moine Montrachet 96 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

  Single blind flight. Started with lots of floral charm and lemon on nose. Flavors also showed lemon, almond butter and sensational minerality. Powerful and lush, with incredible finish. First time I have ever had their Montrachet - or any white! Amazing. I expected a modern styled Montrachet, but found a classic beauty.

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• 1999 Louis Jadot Le Montrachet 97 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

  Single blind flight. Never had this wine before. Starts with ripe peach on nose which continues on to palate, then evolves into flavors of lemon and lemon zest. Rich and (almost) tropical to start with incredible structure and acidity on the end. Staggering length. Will last for decades. Really fantastic.

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• 1999 Marquis de Laguiche (Joseph Drouhin) Montrachet

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

  Not a great bottle, a bit disjointed vs. other times I've had this wine.

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• 1999 Henri Boillot Montrachet Flawed

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

  Corked.

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That's white Burgundy - can you imagine any other wine for which you can have 30% of the bottles flawed or imperfect, but everybody still thinking this was an evening filled with spectacular wine?