Some Cote de Nuits with Andrew

Andrew and I get together about once a month for drinking. The impetus for this bout was my noticing via Cellartracker that we both had Vougeraie's Clos Blanc de Vougeot and neither of us had ever had a wine from that appellation. This evolved into an all Cote de Nuits night (I ruined the southern focus by bringing a stray Chapelle-Chambertin).

• 2002 Domaine de la Vougeraie Vougeot 1er Cru Clos Blanc de Vougeot 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vougeot 1er Cru

  A powerhouse nose showing lemon rind, hazelnut and orange oils, and a clear slate mineral element. Clearly 1er caliber body and length, with plenty of class and biting acidity. Very young and capable of improvement.

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• 1999 Domaine de la Vougeraie Vougeot 1er Cru Clos Blanc de Vougeot 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vougeot 1er Cru

  A flinty mineral nose with orange and nut oils. Good body and firm acidity. Plenty of class here. Initially a bit more fat than the 2002 but after time almost indistinguishable.

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Unfortunately the two CBdV were almost indistinguishable, though still very nice wines. The reds were all quite different and generally very enjoyable.

• 1994 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche 87 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, La Tâche Grand Cru

  Initially a burst of classic soy notes that quickly faded to a tart, austere black cherry profile characteristic of the vintage. Over ~ 3 hours some underbrush and additional depth, but with it some off-putting "Lemon Pledge" notes that only picked up as the wine fell apart. Typical DRC stemmy structure that cuts off the fruit early in this case. Evolved quicker than expected. Over the best period around a half-hour to hour after opening a feminine wine showing plenty of pedigree and class, only diluted from the vintage and hiding under a wall of structure.

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• 2001 Pierre Damoy Chapelle-Chambertin 88 Points

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

  Reminds me a bit of an SQN Pinot. Bold spicy plum and new-world Pinot fruit. Great purity and certainly a tasty wine, but lacks Gevrey or even vintage character. Masculine profile and more Burgundian structure than flavor profile. Tightens up after an hour or two.

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• 1999 Domaine François Lamarche Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru La Croix Rameau 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  Tight as a drum on the nose. Some Vosne spice and underbrush with a 1999 signature build. Coarse, hard tannins that will need some time to soften up. Over time some black cherry notes and sea air notes.

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• 2000 Daniel Bocquenet Echezeaux 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru

  A tight, dark, and rustic earthy Echezeaux nose with some black cherry fruit. High acid and a hard tannic structure. Will last.

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