Rousseau Lunch hosted by Prince

The Hughenden Hotel, Woolahra
Tasted Sunday, July 17, 2016 by chatters with 533 views

Introduction

Okay. The most serious tasting I've been to since the first growth 2005's with United Cellars. Armand Rousseau. Chambertin. Pretty legendary stuff. Oh, by serious I mean bloody expensive but the amount the tasting cost would not have purchased a single bottle of any of the Chambertin's on show so I do not begrudge a single dollar I spent on this education

Flight 1 - On entry (1 Note)

Flight 2 - First two courses (2 Notes)

Scallop, black garli aioli, smoked tomato
pan seared murray cod, almond cream, confit baby fennel, roast endive, lightly smoked mussels

not really much of a match here

  • 2014 Henri Boillot Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru

    Rich, toast, stone fruit, slight sweet spice, floral top note and, with time, cream and butter. A bit obvious. In the mouth the wine is juicy and tangy, a little tart though. The tang carries on the palate with a little alcohol warmth, more on the nose than the palate but opens with time to match the nose. Very good in a blowsy way.

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  • 2014 Domaine Henri Boillot Bâtard-Montrachet

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

    Muted and closed showing wet stone but with a bit of time and a bit warmth it starts to open to sweet spice, almost jasmine and sliced tinned peach. With agitation sweet spice, cream, butter and oak but all contained and constrained and balanced. More of the same on the palate, slightly tart, young, tangy and a little front of mouth burr,. with time a little marzipan on the nose. Linear and front to back of mouth acidity, very good acidity actually...this is so young, it's just changing in the glass. Needs time. A few years

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Flight 3 - third course (3 Notes)

Crisp veal sweetbreads, white polenta, chantennay carrots, truffle jus

Only the Chambertin had sufficient weight for the food.

  • 2013 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Ruchottes-Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes

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

    Bit boisterous. Funky and farty with beef stock notes. Slight cherry and blackberry. Hmm. It's quite closed and sulphurous but with cream, slight vanilla, cedar. In the mouth it's juicy and fleshy, gripping but not drying tannins; a little chalky textured. muted black fruit. Hmm
    Note: After a good 30-45 minutes in the glass it begins to clam down and reveal a subtler but similar style of characteristic to the other wines in the bracket

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  • 2013 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques

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

    perfumed and elegant nose, cherry, very slight stalks, cedar, floral top notes…that doesn't really capture the fruity cornucopia here, superb. In the mouth it's impeccable. Flawless. A near perfect wine, ridiculously long. Sits in the middle of the palate long after it has exited via the throat. glorious. All in balance. elegant. ethereal. harmonious. superlatives are pointless.

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  • 2013 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru

    Muted nose initially. Perfumed though but more lack than re fruit spectrum Again very slight stalks notes, cedar and slight caramel, cherry fruit here as well. In the mouth it's fairly profound. Fleshy doesn't cover the sensation that drinking it is like biting into the nose. impeccable tannin and fruit balance. fills the mouth without being rambunctious and persists longer and longer. incredible

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Flight 4 - fourth course (4 Notes)

Roast Squab, pigeon pie, Jerusalem artichoke, wild mushroom

Flight 5 - fifth course (5 Notes)

Herve Mon Comte

Blind bracket and then the ports. I picked the first as Chambertin 98, the second as Les Cazetiers 2013 and the last one as a 1970's Chambolle Musigny

Closing

well, how does one summarise a tasting like this? I suppose it was, for me, ultimately a little disappointing. The two chardonnays were nice; The batard a little closed at the moment but with obvious class. The 2013 bracket was very good with the Clos St Jacques showing superbly and the Chambertin muted but obviously very classy. Perhaps the raised the hype for me but the Chambertin bracket was disheartening. After the Clos St Jacques I expected the profound, a life changing experience, an insight into the wonder that is some of the very best Burgundy in the world. Instead I got some very good pinot noirs. But nothing mind blowing. The 2013 Clos St Jacques was more fun for me. Perhaps my palate just isn't educated enough. Or perhaps it is. I have always feared with Burgundy that it is all a matter of emperors new clothes. Still, the silver lining is, of course, my expensive taste is nowhere near as expensive as I thought it might have been - the Charmes Chambertin and Clos St Jacques are both well under a grand a bottle and I preferred both of those to all of the older Chambertin's we tried!

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