United Cellars Grand Cru Burgundy tasting
Harbour 220/L15 131 Macquarie Street
Tasted Tuesday, September 15, 2015 by chatters with 469 views
Introduction
So here I am dragging myself along to United Cellars Grand Cru Burgundy tasting. Quite civilised without massive numbers so I got to spend some time with the wine. This year they were doing a four country offering with Burgundy joined by Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
Flight 1 - Bracket one - France (8 Notes)
Hmm. More than a few stand outs here. And, with the names and classifications on show, that's not really that much of a surprise. What was a surprise was how much I didn't enjoy the Ponsot.
Flight 2 - Bracket two - USA (2 Notes)
Only the two here and I must confess to rather liking the rambunctiousness of the William Selyem which was a surprise.
Flight 3 - Bracket three - New Zealand (7 Notes)
After the success of the Central Otago tasting I went to a few weeks ago I expected a little more from these. I'd probably single out the Rippons as the most disappointing on this occasion. The Felton Road and the Escarpment were okayish.
Flight 4 - Bracket four - Australia (7 Notes)
the Bass Phillip was exceedingly disappointing. The Giant Steps surprisingly good. Yabby Lake was okay.
Closing
well, there you have it. A couple of the pours were a bit stingy (so sub 5ml) which meant, in the huge glass that they gave us, the wine got a little lost. I tried to encourage them but, alas, to no avail. My bracket order is the order I tasted, rather than the order the room was laid out - they had it Australia, NZ, France, US. The Australians showed very poorly today, for me. Overall though another good but pricy tasting from United Cellars.
2008 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Saint Georges
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
tiny pour. Muted red currant and sweet spice, with time the beginnings of autumn leaves and forest floor. In the mouth there is a lot more going on, red berry fruit that sours slightly, leather, earth, green stalky notes here as well, slightly burry tannins, it's quite broad and long. Hmm. I still think it could do with some time.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2008 J. Confuron-Cotetidot Clos Vougeot
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
tiny pour. Red over black berries and cherry, spice jumps out of the glass; clove with very slight nutmeg. Slight cedar. Ripe but still earthy, polished. Young without being awkwardly youthful. Great nose. On the palate the fruit has a dense quality, the wine is juicy but taut and, despite a little breadth on the mid palate, quite linear with spicy notes joining on the long finish. Good.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2008 Domaine de la Vougeraie Bonnes Mares
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
slightly funky, slightly smoke, almost stalky, polished oak, cedar notes, cream, black over red fruit. Lots going on but it's all quite in balance - if you can have a balanced nose that is. More of the same on the palate but things here are a bit more out of whack; a sourness to the fruit, a slightly too drying note to the muted but chalky tannin, still impressively long but, at this juncture, not for me. Will it improve with time?
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2008 Domaine Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Flawed
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Funky, slightly musty and, perhaps, oxidised, perhaps some red berry fruit. Sour on the plate. I can't believe it is meant to smell and taste like this. FLAW.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2012 Domaine de L'Arlot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos des Forêts St. Georges
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
polished oak, cream, vanilla, caramel, over biscuit and cherry, the coffee, toast and some slightly stalky notes. More of the same on the palate, juicy, balanced, complex, lots going on , too young though, still quite puppy fat on the nose and palate, carries long with spice notes and slightly cherry stone, silky tannins. Difficult to spit. Very good. Second taste more than reinforces this. Superb in fact.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2012 Domaine Chandon de Briailles Corton-Bressandes
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
A cornucopia of autumn berries, a bonfire in a dew laden garden, a cold pre-winter day, kicking leaves, a tin of cake spice by an oak chopping board, clove, cedar, Crazy nose. On the palate the wine is fresh, juicy, loose limited, the berries are ripe without being overtly sweet, tannins are silky and gossamer. Long, ethereal, young, but glorious. Second tasting reinforces this but the tannins are a bit more robust on this bottle.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2012 Philippe Pacalet Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Aux Argillas
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
aromas of wood ash, biscuits, with slightly confected lozenge red fruit, sweet spice and slight coffee. In the mouth the wine is fresh, juicy acidity helps things along, fruit flavours are quite muted, tannins are a little drying, it's unbalanced and short despite it's relative complexity. Bit lost after the Corton Bressandes.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2008 Domaine Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Went back later to try the second bottle. On the nose the initial farty and stalky character blow o to reveal quite a brooding beast with dark berry compote, slightly earthy notes, cedar and a general sense of being quite closed. In the mouth the wine is juicy, again slightly funky and oxidised. Rich though, long and dense. Not for me though. And certainly not for AUD 950 a bottle.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue