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Chassin Tasting Event at Ouverture

Ouverture Restaurant, Stellenbosch

Tasted March 2, 2012 by rikipedia with 69 views

Introduction

Chassin Annual tasting that is full of treats from Burgundy - Sighted Tasting

Flight 1 - Welcome drink plus the white Burgundy (6 notes)

Red
2009 Maison Bertrand Ambroise Bourgogne France, Burgundy, Bourgogne
86 points
A rich, succulent approachable Pinot with decent concentration and a grippy tannin frame underpinned by a vibrant acidity. Not much delineation.
White
2009 Domaine Chavy-Chouet Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
88 points
Initially felt focused on the nose with spice, vanilla and oak notes. rich and broad on the mid-palate the wine lacks some mid-palate depth coming across as slightly dilute. Medium length but preferred his Puligny Les Folatieres.
White
2010 Domaine Chavy-Chouet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
90 points
Short note here but had an open note similar to the meursault but much tighter and more mineral showing through with better concentration.
White
2007 Domaine Newman Côte de Beaune La Grande Chatelaine France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune
87 points
Owned by an American guy that impressively speaks 7 languages. Distinct reductive, struck match quality that leads to a linear palate shape, not much in the mid-palate and lacks some acidity to lift it up. Quite mineral despite that. Approachable now.
White
2008 Domaine Amiot Guy et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
89 points
Quite a modern interpretation of Chassagne with ripe stone fruits, toast and oak spices. Richly textured, a bright acid pushes the wine along, but the oak is quite invasive and hasn't really settled. Nice creamy texture with cling peach, good length finishing a little warm and toasty.
White
2009 Domaine Marc Morey & Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru En Virondot France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
92 points
This winery whole-bunch presses (Add 35-40 ppm SO2 at press) to tank (no settling) and allows the natural ferment to begin immediately. Once commenced and the heat of the initial ferment has subsided (and the juice is then cooled slightly 15-17ºC), the fermenting must is racked to barrels. Used 25% new oak and 75% 2nd-fills. Receives 3-5 bâtonnage until the end of MLF. Then cool down and mature for 8-12 months in barrels.
The wine is pure and lifted with notes of herb, smoke and white stone fruit.
Fresh on entry, this light-bodied Chardonnay is delicate and taut with a little of the 2009 richness to compliment it. Not so much mineral as a herb infusion with white peach and lively acidity. Delicious

Flight 2 - Reds from various Appellations (5 notes)

Red
2009 Domaine Philippe Charlopin Fixin Clos de Fixey France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Fixin
88 points
Uses stalks and a long pre-ferment maceration. Cherry red in colour, the nose shows stalky spice, Bovril and herbal edges.
A fresh entry, the fruit is ripe with lots of black fruit meat stock, smoke and a bright acid moving the wine forwards.
Firm tannins, the wine is elegant yet muscular. Somewhat unusual, given the warmer 2009 vintage - perhaps the Fixin style?
Red
2009 Domaine Philippe Charlopin Morey St. Denis France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis
92 points
They use a proportion of stalks and lightly toasted barrels. They do no racking to retain aromas and enhance texture. Bright cherry red in colour. The wine is ripe and vibrant, with freshly picked red cherries and Mirabelle plum.
This light to medium-bodied wine is soft and sensual with plenty of plum and Griotte cherry notes but also a touch of spice and beetroot.
Finely-woven tannins the finish is long and succulent.
Red
2006 Serafin Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
92 points
Organically farmed the Cazetiers is on the north of the village of Gevrey and requires patience in bottle as the wines tends to be more tannic and hold higher acid levels making them austere when young. The ideal is to leave it in the cask longer to soften. This producer ferments at 33ºC and uses quite a bit of wood in the blend; no racking.
Light to mid-ruby, the perfumed nose is intense with ripe plum and raspberry. A soft and rich entry the fresh acid and grippy tannins give structure to this fairly powerful Gevrey.
Showing a touch of development, the wine has a gorgeous, sweet and fleshy mid-palate filled with squashed red plums, Griotte cherry, pepper and spicy oak. The tannins are fine but present with a long finish that shows a bite to the acid.
Red
2006 Cecile Tremblay Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Feusselottes France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
91 points
On clay soils from older vines. Lightly perfumed with notes spice from stems but also fresh and intense. The entry is bright and vibrant with excellent acid balance and the stem notes calm the excessive nature of the 2009 vintage. Very fine-grained tannin with expressive perfume on the mid-palate, good concentration with a persistent chalky finish. Perhaps it could do with more mid-palate flesh but lovely wine.
Red
2005 Domaine Bruno Clavelier Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts Vieilles Vignes France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
90 points
Biodynamic farmed from 0.5 hectares planted in 1950; low wood usage, 25-30%. Slightly lifted volatile edge on the first nose. A soft entry, sensual, dotted with fruits and freshened by lively acidity. Not a heap of oak notes, which expresses the fruit nicely. Some richness of 2005 makes for a complete wine. Touch feral as the wine exits.

Flight 3 - Lucien Le Maine from 3 sites - 1er Cru and 2 Grand Cru (3 notes)

Red
2008 Lucien Le Moine Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Clos des Ormes France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis 1er Cru
91 points
Jupilles oak (gives very little tannin), 24 months in barrels with no racking, MLF one year later. then 15ml SO2 after 15 months; No fining or filtration.
Attractive aromas of ripe Victoria plum and red cherry. Fruit-forward style with a gentle perfume and lovely intensity of fruits. The palate is sweet and sensual, with integrated wood components and more black fruit appearing. Some muscle here as well as thickness to the tannins. A modern, sexy Californian-style wine.
Red
2008 Lucien Le Moine Clos de la Roche France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
90 points
50% new wood. Lucien le Moine started in 1999 as a negociant.
Mid-intense nose with some perfume, red plum and charry oak. The entry is fresh with a crisp acid, fine chalky tannins and vibrant fruits of Bing cherry and plenty of spicy oak.
Fairly concentrated, the wood is on the border of too much but just stays on the right side. There is some elegance to this ripe, long wine.
Red
2008 Lucien Le Moine Bonnes Mares France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
92 points
Wonderfully intense nose, complex and dancing in ripe plum, spice and wood extract.
A complex wine, that is deep and brooding on entry, there is a restraint to the wine. The tannins have a sweetness but enough grip to keep the wine structured. The spices are warming and slightly chilli-like with a harsh burn, the mid-palate a touch more hollow than expected, although the finish was long. Some felt it was a bit stingy. Certainly a smart wine but didn't reflect all the Grand Cru credentials I was after.

Flight 4 - Two Grand Cru from two producers (2 notes)

Red
2009 Olivier Bernstein Charmes-Chambertin France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
96 points
A delightful perfume giving heady notes of ripe Victoria plum and spicy oak.
Mid to full-bodied, the entry is sensual and sweet-fruited with a luxurious weight. The firm tannins have some solidity and density, but they are finely woven. Poised, the wine has depth and ripples with finely-honed muscle/structure underscored by lively acidity. A beautiful wine that is layered and showing exceptionally well. The excellent length of the wine finishes quite fleshy with more spice.
Red
2008 Domaine Château De La Tour Clos Vougeot France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
88 points
The vineyard is just below the house.
Mid crimson in colour, the heady aromas show spicy oak, wood smoke, ripe plum and red cherry.
Sweet entry filled with ripe fruits are joined by roasted herbs and river stones. The tannins are quite harsh and unyielding giving a very dry impression in the mouth. A narrow wine, I struggle with these types of tannins, makes the wine feel a little rustic. Medium length, there is some power in the mid-palate, and it has a generous finish.
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