Impromptu White Burgundy Tasting
Lake Elmo
Tasted Saturday, February 28, 2009 - Sunday, March 1, 2009 by vanpe003 with 635 views
Introduction
So, I was downstairs trying to reorganize some wines, and tipped over a box that had a bunch of '05 375ml btls, all white burgundies. So, I asked G. "hey, you up for a quick tasting", and I didn't have to wait long for the response. It was a good day for these, as we'd been stuck in a "red rut" for the last couple of weeks. While none of these wines were life-changing at this point, they were all quite good. Better yet, they were all picked up on the secondary market where somebody, for whatever reason, was in a big hurry to dump them at bargain prices. All of these burgundies are very nice wines for the price.
Flight 1 - The Whites (5 Notes)
Nothing much to add here, though it was quite a funny experience with the Kanu Chenin Blanc. I had mentioned to my wife that I was pulling some white burgundies from the cellar for the afternoon. I also stumbled across the bottle of Kanu and figured I might as well open it, hate it, and pour it out. Suffice it to say it didn't work out that way!
Flight 2 - The Reds (2 Notes)
A bit of house cleaning here, though the Laughing Magpie is actually quite a nice wine. The "2 Worlds" would've been fine on a different day, on its own. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing special either.
Flight 3 - Earlier in the Weekend (6 Notes)
Some reds were opened yesterday. Of these, there were a few disappointments, including the Twisted Oak and the obviously flawed '94 Phelps. The Twisted Oak was actually the greater of the two disappointments. I get used to a corked wine once in awhile, which was the case with the Phelps. The Twisted Oak wasn't flawed. It just underperformed against what I had come to expect from this winery. The winners of this group were the Thea's, the Hess, and the Insignia.
2005 Kanu Chenin Blanc 88 Points
South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch
(3/1/2009)
Opened this up as part of a mini-housecleaning, with every belief it would go down the sink. How wrong I was. This is much better than a bottle I had 18 months ago, with a smoothness and body that suggests something other than South African Chenin Blanc. The high acidity from last time around has completely integrated. This one fooled G., who knew I had some white burgundies in the fridge. Yes, this is that good!
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2005 Domaine Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru Montmains 89 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
(3/1/2009)
Once again, similar to prior outings, though this time I'm enjoying the nuttiness more, worrying about it less. Comes across as creamy. Still not a typical Chablis, at least in my experience.
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2005 Domaine Matrot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chalumeaux 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
(3/1/2009)
When tasted against the other wines opened today, it becomes more obvious that this is still quite a bit too young. I would look to hold remaining bottles for 12 months to let some of it's acidity resolve. While I think this could be the best wine for the long term of those opened today, it does not show all that well today for my palate.
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2005 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Abbaye de Morgeot Vieilles Vignes 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
(3/1/2009)
Similar to prior notes, though this time the oak is joined by a noticeably sweet perfume on both nose and palate, particularly immediately on opening. A hint of nuttiness comes as the wine evolves the glass. I really enjoy this style, and most of the wines I've had from Girardin. This does pale against the Folataires, which is more resolved and balanced at this point in its life. There is more than a 1 pt difference between the two at this point in their lives, but I can't figure out which one I've over/under rated.
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2005 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
(3/1/2009)
The best white of the day, this has a remarkably integrated palate for this early in its life. Very, very well balanced. Great fruit, integrated acidity, light but not distracting oak. While I'm sure this will improve with some additional age, I'm really impressed with how well it's drinking now.
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