Knightsbridge Annual Wildman Burgundy Dinner

This is one of my favorite wine events of the year in Chicago. We start with an opportunity to taste some of the upcoming releases (in this cases mostly 2011s) that were poured at the afternoon trade tasting, then follow with dinner with several of the great producers Wildman distributes in Chicago. I have certainly becomes more attached to several producers I have gotten to know at these dinners and met the people behind these wines. Tonight I was fortunate to sit next to Cyrielle Rousseau, the next generation starting in the family business.

• 2010 Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils Chablis 1er Cru Vaillon

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  Apple and pear aromas and flavors, somewhat subdued. Ok length, good energy, close to ready.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2010 Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

  Lemon curd, lemon peel, ripe apple aromas with some floral hints. Similar on palate, perhaps less citrus, more apple/pear with lots of power and concentration, expanding with more time in glass. This will continue improving for at least 5 more years.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2010 Famille Vincent Pouilly-Fuissé Château Fuisse Tête de Cru 86 Points

  France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Pouilly-Fuissé

  Apple and lemon with good acidity and minerality start to finish. Moderate length and intensity, slightly simple at very end.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2009 Famille Vincent Pouilly-Fuissé Château de Fuissé Vieilles Vignes 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Pouilly-Fuissé

  Apple, lemon and lemon custard aromas. Similar on palate, very forward and ripe with good density.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2010 Olivier Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru

  This is Olivier Leflaive's negociant Pucelles (vs. the domaine bottling from the plot they just took back from their cousins). Clove, allspice aromas with ripe apple. Long and fat with big, rounded fruit flavors.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2010 Olivier Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru

  Apple, lemon aromas. More lemon on palate, slightly austere but nicely lean and precise. Pucelles was more forward, this will need more time in cellar.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2010 Faiveley Mercurey 1er Cru Clos des Myglands 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Mercurey 1er Cru

  Black and red cherry aromas with a bit of tarragon and some liqueur aromas. Slightly simpler flavors, still ripe, very nicely balanced and textured.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2010 Faiveley Corton-Clos des Cortons Faiveley 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru

  This was the 5th or 6th time I've had this wine in the past year and it has been consistently sensational, amazingly accessible and charming today but with the substance, concentration and dry extract to age and improve for decades.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 2009 Domaine Jacques Prieur Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  100% young vines Chambertin. Lots of black cherry aromas and flavors with an intense, attractive gamy character. Lots of spice mostly on palate, very well textured and incredibly balanced into long finish. I don't ever recall having this wine before and it is one I will seek out. Very good.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 2010 Domaine Jacques Prieur Clos Vougeot 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  Black fruit aromas and flavors, lots of density. Modest spice coming through across the board, this comes across as somewhat backward, less accessible than I recall from when last tasted at this same event one year ago.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2004 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  Red cherry and boysenberry aromas without any green elements today. Very accessible and enjoyable today, this seems much nicer than I recall from a few years back. Moderate depth and intensity, so probably right at its peak today.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  Red fruit aromas with some floral hints, then red and black fruit flavors with moderate intensity and depth. Very clean and energetic. Still needs a few more years in the cellar.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 1995 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Clos de la Roche 89 Points

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

  Forest floor aromas equally balance blackberry and background woodsy spice. Identical on palate with still firm tannins. Showing more age and balance than many 1995s today, but this is at a very good point right now and it's time to drink up in the next decade.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 1992 Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Bèze 90 Points

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

  Black cherry and mushroom aromas in good balance. Same profile on palate with moderate density for a Grand Cru but exceptional for the vintage. Nice structure helps provide lift and length, with some spice hints emerging at end.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 1969 Faiveley Clos Vougeot Flawed

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  I have bad luck with this wine. slightly corked again.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 1986 Faiveley Corton-Clos des Cortons Faiveley 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru

  Black fruit with sous bois aromas, faint spice hints. Similar on palate with good depth and concentration. If tasted blind, I never would have thought this over 25 years old and would have thought it from a better vintage as well.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 1969 Faiveley Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Maréchale

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru

  Great color, great fill. Popped and poured. Needed 30-45 minutes for some muddy, dirty aromatics to dissipate. Once they were gone, this wine was still entirely earthy and sous bois driven with no real fruit but good spice. Lots of charm.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2003 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru

  Open approx one hour before served, this would have benefited from more air. Blackberry and black cherry aromas with a bit of Gevrey sauvage, then flavors of black and red cherry. Very charming for the vintage and surprisingly open now, but at the same time this has the density to age and drink well for decades.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2007 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze 94 Points

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

  The first time I can recall trying this wine, it is one of the best 2007s I have had. Slightly floral with an alluring brown spice mix along with black cherry and boysenberry. Nuanced and lush fruit on palate, seemingly very forward but with sneaky power and concentration that leads to a long, long finish supported by silky structure.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2002 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Charmes-Chambertin 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru

  Open a few hours before served. Slightly floral start with red fruit. Red cherry and strawberry are very fresh, no surprise given its youth, but also nicely balanced and textured.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No