Smells like popcorn at first, then a whiff of sea salts, then nothing. The fruit presence on the palate is thick, almost Californian, and showing some wood, but not heavy or fat. Acidity is strong but not shrill with lemon flavors dominating. Allen Meadows described the lieu-dit as always generous but tending to lack detail. He acknowledged the wood here but thought it would integrate.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
Distinctive nose shows nuts and honey, dissipating in intensity with air. Compared to the Javillier this seems to have a whole extra layer on the palate, less amalgated at this point but more interesting. The fruit is rich and even somewhat syrupy with flavors of citrus and pear. Fantastic persistence on the finish. Allen Meadows called this 1er cru a hidden jewel, the highest elevated parcel in the appellation and an extension of Chevalier-Montrachet. He described this wine as mineral-rich.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
Features the most high-toned nose of the three non-Grands Crus, citric and tending towards lemon/grapefruit scents. On the palate, the fruit is less sumptuous and seems to have a drying effect. I found this very austere at this stage.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Wow. Expansive nose, not intense but filling in every pixel, as it were. It opens with a honeyed, almost Sauternes-like character and then turns deeper, showing apricots, bananas, and straw, but without losing any freshness. At this point one could be forgiven for thinking it a trockenbeerenauslese. This is a darker, brassier color then the first three, which were all a pale white/yellow. I was enjoying swirling and sniffing this until the group moved on to the next wine and I realized I hadn't even tasted it yet. It offers heavy, dark fruit but which is so supple with a glossy, shimmering texture. It closes tight on the finish, though, without nearly the length of the Chassagne. Allen Meadows noted that this comes from 75% old (1940s) vines and 25% recently planted, all on the Chassagne sided of the appellation.
Brick red color with a wild-berry nose. Light-bodied but pleasantly silky. Nice wine but not much to say about it. I'd drink this anytime but in this context I crave more character.
Slightly more violet in color than the Giroud. The nose is dense and jammy and a dead ringer for a Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir. But it's lighter on the palate than anticipated, not Californian at all, with a wild berry character and just a hint of jam. The only pour I didn't finish.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru
I spy out of the corner of my eye.... The group took a break while the last four wines were poured, and a half-full bottle of this was on the tasting table from earlier in the day. Nice surprise! It offers a delectable Burgundy nose of horsiness with some shallots and comes across full and rich on the palate, with a very granular tannic finish. According to Ethan from BWC, this was shut pretty tight earlier but it seems to have bloomed now.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru
This surprised me. Red velvet in color, it gave off a very mature nose with each element seguing to the next in gradients. This is the only time I've ever smelled in a young wine the quality that suggests horsiness when mature, but it was in a fresh and embryonic state. Sappy on the entry with a structure that soon takes over, it tastes so much less new wave than all the other Frederic Magnien wines I've had. Allen Meadows emphasized the New World style of the producer and, interestingly, opined that he sees no difference in style between the negociant wines and the domaine's.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Herbs and spices on the nose and classically proportioned on the palate, gaining sappiness as it finishes. It seems as though there's a lot buried underneath but it's very unremarkable now. Allen Meadows noted, interestingly, that Lamarche shows this wine after his Suchots.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Confusing nose, showing some sawdust and other disparate elements. Black-fruited on the palate, it seemed simple, lacking focus though showing more refinement on the back end. I never would have guessed Grand Cru. Allen Meadows conceded its austerity and characterized it as an extreme rendition of classical Burgundy. I wouldn't bet against it but it seemed a waste to uncork now. As it happens, this was the only one of today's wines present in last year's tasting of 2001s, and the '01 was far less anonymous and more distinctive, in fact the apparent group favorite of that tasting.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Scrumptious nose of gingerbread cookie that turns more caramelized with air but soon closes up entirely. It comes across equally sweet on the palate with a real gaminess to it and a floral quality. But the fruit profile is dark and sinister, especially on the finish.
2002 Domaine Patrick Javillier Meursault Clos du Cromin 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
Smells like popcorn at first, then a whiff of sea salts, then nothing. The fruit presence on the palate is thick, almost Californian, and showing some wood, but not heavy or fat. Acidity is strong but not shrill with lemon flavors dominating. Allen Meadows described the lieu-dit as always generous but tending to lack detail. He acknowledged the wood here but thought it would integrate.
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2002 Michel Colin-Deléger et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru En Remilly 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
Distinctive nose shows nuts and honey, dissipating in intensity with air. Compared to the Javillier this seems to have a whole extra layer on the palate, less amalgated at this point but more interesting. The fruit is rich and even somewhat syrupy with flavors of citrus and pear. Fantastic persistence on the finish. Allen Meadows called this 1er cru a hidden jewel, the highest elevated parcel in the appellation and an extension of Chevalier-Montrachet. He described this wine as mineral-rich.
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2002 Louis Jadot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Garenne Domaine du Duc de Magenta 86 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
Features the most high-toned nose of the three non-Grands Crus, citric and tending towards lemon/grapefruit scents. On the palate, the fruit is less sumptuous and seems to have a drying effect. I found this very austere at this stage.
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2002 Domaine Vincent et Francois Jouard Bâtard-Montrachet 97 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Wow. Expansive nose, not intense but filling in every pixel, as it were. It opens with a honeyed, almost Sauternes-like character and then turns deeper, showing apricots, bananas, and straw, but without losing any freshness. At this point one could be forgiven for thinking it a trockenbeerenauslese. This is a darker, brassier color then the first three, which were all a pale white/yellow. I was enjoying swirling and sniffing this until the group moved on to the next wine and I realized I hadn't even tasted it yet. It offers heavy, dark fruit but which is so supple with a glossy, shimmering texture. It closes tight on the finish, though, without nearly the length of the Chassagne. Allen Meadows noted that this comes from 75% old (1940s) vines and 25% recently planted, all on the Chassagne sided of the appellation.
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2002 Camille Giroud Volnay 1er Cru Les Carelles 84 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Brick red color with a wild-berry nose. Light-bodied but pleasantly silky. Nice wine but not much to say about it. I'd drink this anytime but in this context I crave more character.
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2002 Domaine de la Vougeraie Pommard Les Petits Noizons 80 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard
Slightly more violet in color than the Giroud. The nose is dense and jammy and a dead ringer for a Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir. But it's lighter on the palate than anticipated, not Californian at all, with a wild berry character and just a hint of jam. The only pour I didn't finish.
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1989 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Roncières 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru
I spy out of the corner of my eye.... The group took a break while the last four wines were poured, and a half-full bottle of this was on the tasting table from earlier in the day. Nice surprise! It offers a delectable Burgundy nose of horsiness with some shallots and comes across full and rich on the palate, with a very granular tannic finish. According to Ethan from BWC, this was shut pretty tight earlier but it seems to have bloomed now.
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2002 Frédéric Magnien Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru
This surprised me. Red velvet in color, it gave off a very mature nose with each element seguing to the next in gradients. This is the only time I've ever smelled in a young wine the quality that suggests horsiness when mature, but it was in a fresh and embryonic state. Sappy on the entry with a structure that soon takes over, it tastes so much less new wave than all the other Frederic Magnien wines I've had. Allen Meadows emphasized the New World style of the producer and, interestingly, opined that he sees no difference in style between the negociant wines and the domaine's.
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2002 Domaine François Lamarche Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Chaumes 85 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Herbs and spices on the nose and classically proportioned on the palate, gaining sappiness as it finishes. It seems as though there's a lot buried underneath but it's very unremarkable now. Allen Meadows noted, interestingly, that Lamarche shows this wine after his Suchots.
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2002 Domaine René Engel Clos Vougeot 87 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Confusing nose, showing some sawdust and other disparate elements. Black-fruited on the palate, it seemed simple, lacking focus though showing more refinement on the back end. I never would have guessed Grand Cru. Allen Meadows conceded its austerity and characterized it as an extreme rendition of classical Burgundy. I wouldn't bet against it but it seemed a waste to uncork now. As it happens, this was the only one of today's wines present in last year's tasting of 2001s, and the '01 was far less anonymous and more distinctive, in fact the apparent group favorite of that tasting.
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2002 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Charmes-Chambertin 94 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Scrumptious nose of gingerbread cookie that turns more caramelized with air but soon closes up entirely. It comes across equally sweet on the palate with a real gaminess to it and a floral quality. But the fruit profile is dark and sinister, especially on the finish.
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