Fine Vines Fall 2015 Portfolio Tasting
City Winery - Chicago IL
Tasted Monday, September 21, 2015 by Burgundy Al with 588 views
Introduction
My thanks to George and the Fine Vines team for allowing me to crash this trade tasting. What a great event. I wish I was able to spend more time here, so I could taste and appreciate more of this great portfolio than I had time to visit today. Wines are not shown in the order tasted (I mostly drank through the reds, then the whites); instead they are listed in the order of Fine Vines' printed list.
NV Bruno Paillard Champagne Brut Premiere Cuvée
France, Champagne
Tasting, brief note. Lots of orchard fruit with some lemon peel hints. Almost half Pinot Noir, but this comes across as more Chardonnay-driven to me with lots of precision and linear character. I like this a lot for its price.
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2004 Bruno Paillard Champagne Assemblage Brut
France, Champagne
Tasting, brief note. Apple and pear with more toasty and yeast notes vs the NV premiere Cuvee. Also more spice including some Asian influences. Needs a few more years to soften, but this is a evolving into a 90+ point nuanced, interesting wine.
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2012 Albert Morot Beaune 1er Cru Bressandes
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru
Tasting, brief note. Very enticing spice and floral start with black and red berry aromas, anise and nutmeg. More restrained on palate with a considerable amount of structure that needs 5-10+ years to fully soften, but with very good long-term potential.
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2012 Fernand Lécheneaut et Fils (Philippe et Vincent) Morey St. Denis
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis
Tasting, brief note. Very pretty fruit and spice that comes across as accessible already today. rounded fruit with good balance and textures, then some sneaky concentration at the finish. Good Villages level wine.
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2013 Domaine de Fondrèche Ventoux
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Ventoux
Tasting, brief note. Big fruit but with the energy to retain good balance. Enjoyable everyday drinker and good value wine.
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2011 Michel & Stéphane Ogier Syrah La Rosine
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes
Tasting, brief note. black berries throughout with some liqueur hints and baking spice. Slightly simple but with wonderful balance throughout. Very good now, very good value wine.
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2013 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Bourgogne Blanc
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc
Tasting, brief note. Orchard fruit throughout with lemon custard hints. Slightly simple, but good harmony for its level. Very good now, very good value.
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2013 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Puligny-Montrachet
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet
Tasting, brief note. Ripe apple and pear with a big step up in concentration vs the Bourgogne. Moderate length and finesse.
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2013 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Garenne
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
Tasting, brief note. Nicely floral start with lots of apple and pear. Rich like the Bourgogne and Puligny but seemingly less ripe due to counterbalancing minerality and acidity.
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2013 Domaine Sylvain Langoureau Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Garenne
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
Tasting, brief note. Lemon and green apple with bright energy and precision. Good density for its level with minerality coming through on finish. Very good. The only Langoureau I had time to taste today. Not really accessible when tasted at the domaine in Spring 2014, today this was quite impressive for its price.
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2012 Domaine Parent Pinot Noir Bourgogne
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne
Tasting, brief note. Mostly black fruit with some rough edges that need a few years to soften. This will be good for its level.
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2012 Domaine Parent Pommard La Croix Blanche
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard
Tasting, brief note. Bigger, more concentrated vs Bourgogne. Some of the rough edges I recall from last year are softening, but this is still years away from really providing pleasure in glass. Good potential, ok value.
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2010 Domaine Francois Lamarche Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits
Tasting, brief note. Red and black cherry with good balance, even if still a bit firm right now. Still has upside from here. I preferred this over the Anne Parent 2012 Bourgogne just tasted. Perhaps it was vintage difference, or the couple of extra years in bottle.
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2008 Domaine du Clos de Tart Morey St. Denis 1er Cru La Forge de Tart
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis 1er Cru
Tasting, brief note. Young vines Clos de Tart. Red and black cherry, subtle spice, good textures. Entering its peak drinking window now. 89-90 points.
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2011 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Echezeaux Les Rouges du Bas
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru
Tasting, brief note. red cherry and berry. Some elegance is starting to emerge, but this is still firm and backward at its conclusion. I like where this is evolving, but that evolution will take time.
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2011 Domaine Francois Lamarche La Grande Rue 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, La Grande Rue Grand Cru
Tasting, brief note. Red berries, good spice, subtle floral hints. Moderate weight and length. More balanced and Vosne-like than I recall from the previous times I've had this wine.
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NV Pierre Gerbais Champagne Extra Brut Cuvee de Reserve
France, Champagne
Tasting, brief note. 50% chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Blanc. Comes across as very chardonnay-driven with lots of apple and lemon. I'm not typically a huge fan of Extra brut, but i like the overall balance here. Good wine and good value.
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NV Jose Dhondt Champagne Rosé de Saignée Brut
France, Champagne
Tasting, brief note. Slightly floral, but this is all about fresh, bright strawberry. As overtly Pinot Noir as Champagne can be. Good.
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2013 Nicolas Joly Savennières Les Clos Sacrés (Les Vieux Clos)
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières
Tasting, brief note. Can't recall ever having this wine form any vintage. Off dry with lots of apple, pear and some baked orchard fruit notes.
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2012 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières-Coulée de Serrant
Tasting, brief note. Peach and some dried apricot with a dense, meaty character. Very long. Very good potential here.
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2013 Hubert Lamy Saint-Aubin La Princée Blanc
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin
Tasting, brief note. This has always been a great value entry level wine that has now edged up in price. Still a nice medium/young drinking wine. Lemon peel, bosc pear and good minerality and textures. Cellar this for a year or two.
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2009 Domaine François Mikulski Meursault
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
Tasting, brief note. Ripe stone fruit with some apple and pear, roasted nut hints. Finishes with good structure, confirming this is a 2009 Villages that isn't fading anytime soon. consistent with prior notes.
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2009 Domaine François Mikulski Meursault 1er Cru Les Poruzots
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Tasting, brief note. A small step up from the delish Meursault Villages. Bigger and denser, but identical flavor profile, with perhaps a tropical hint in support.
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2009 Jean Noel Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chaumées
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
Tasting, brief note. Rich and almost tropical. Certainly enjoyable from the start, but serious structure sneaks through at the finish. Always one of the most complicated wines because you have to check if it's Chaumées or Chaumes.
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2011 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Tasting, brief note. No surprise, this wine just keeps getting better. Power with finesse.
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2012 Nicolas Rossignol Bourgogne
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne
Tasting, brief note. Mostly red fruit that is fun and tasty today. Enough supporting structure to be interesting and good for its level.
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2012 Benjamin Leroux Bourgogne
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne
Tasting, brief note. Brighter than the Rossignol Bourgogne just tasted, perhaps less fruit driven, but also very good for its level.
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2012 Domaine Lignier-Michelot Bourgogne
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne
Tasting, brief note. All red fruit with good textures and balance. I liked this slightly more today vs when last tried in late 2014. My favorite of the 5 producers' Bourgogne tasted today. Very good value.
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2012 Domaine Sylvain Pataille Bourgogne
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne
Tasting, brief note. I like the aromatic start quite a bit, with black fruit and spice. Moderate weight and slightly firm on palate. Better in another year or two?
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2012 Domaine Dominique Mugneret Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits
Tasting, brief note. Lighter styled and lighter weight vs the other producers' Bourgogne just tasted. Nice enough and elegant, generally ok for near-term consumption.
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2009 Domaine des Croix Beaune 1er Cru Bressandes
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru
Tasting, brief note. Red and black fruit with ok spice, good density for its level. Still certainly backward with upside from here, but today it's more firm than fun. Give 5+ years.
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2010 Camille Giroud Maranges 1er Cru Le Croix Moines
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Maranges 1er Cru
Tasting, brief note. Red and black cherry and very good spice. Moderate length, but nicely finessed. 89ish points? Very good value.
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2007 Domaine François Mikulski Volnay 1er Cru Santenots-Du-Milieu
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Tasting, brief note. Earthy with maturing red berries. Good for drinking near-term, at its peak now. OK.
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2011 Domaine Bruno Clair Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru La Dominode
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru
Tasting, brief note. Very good concentration. Black and red cherry with a roasted meat element. Some rough edges and green notes on finish.
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2011 Domaine Bruno Clair Vosne-Romanée Les Champs Perdrix 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée
Tasting, brief note. Big red fruit with good baking spice on nose and palate. Starts very nicely, finishes with a slightly rough edge that will benefit from another couple of years in the cellar.
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2009 Domaine Lignier-Michelot Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny
Tasting, brief note. From 375ml bottle. Ripe and forward cross-section of cherry aromas and flavors. Very good now, with just moderate structure coming through at the end.
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2012 Domaine Lignier-Michelot Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny
Tasting, brief note. Floral and good spice accompanying red fruit start-to-finish. Good structure throughout. I preferred this over the 2009 just tasted based on more structure, complexity and longevity here.
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2008 Domaine Dominique Mugneret Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
Tasting, brief not. All black fruit with medium weight. Firm start-to-finish. Ok overall.
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2012 Domaine Lignier-Michelot Morey St. Denis Vieilles Vignes
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis
Tasting, brief note. comes across as fatter and riper vs the Chambolle VV, with the whole cluster elements less perfectly integrated. Give this more cellar time.
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2009 Domaine Lignier-Michelot Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Aux Chezeaux
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis 1er Cru
Tasting, brief note. Also coming across as ripe and fat with lots of whole cluster character dominating today. Good concentration makes me think this will evolve into something more gentle, but there is a flash of heat at the end that makes me pause.
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2010 Domaine Alain Burguet Gevrey-Chambertin Mes Favorites Vieilles Vignes
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin
Tasting, brief note. Very good black cherry, spice and braised meat throughout. Very good concentration for Villages level with good structure and balance. Give this a few more years in the cellar.
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2012 Domaine Denis Bachelet Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin
Tasting, brief note. Great aromatic start shows lots of black berry, floral notes and leather. Same great fruit on palate, slightly burly for right now, but certainly 90+ point potential here.
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2010 Domaine Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos du Fonteny
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Tasting, brief note. Ripe red and black cherry with great spice and sauvage. Long and powerful with similar flavor profile. Attractive aromas are more accessible than the palate, which has great potential, but needs another 5 years in the cellar, 91-92 point potential here.
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2009 Camille Giroud Corton-Clos du Roi
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Tasting, brief note. Very ripe black fruit aromas to start with savory spice and black pepper. More structured, firm palate particularly on finish. Good 91+ point potential 5-10+ years out.
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2012 J.L. Chave Sélection St. Joseph Offerus
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph
Tasting, brief note. ripe black cherry with sweet baking spice, counterbalanced with elegant structure. Always a good value wine, but I really like this 2012 and expect it will drink well for well over 5 more years.
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2010 J.L. Chave Sélection Hermitage Farconnet
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Tasting, brief note. Modest start, not very forthcoming aromatically. Finishes with spice and power emerging. Very good potential here. I believe this is the first time I've had this wine from any vintage.
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