November 3, 2023 - Soo's birthday: Thought this was a Nebbiolo at first from the VA; had an incredibly perfumed and lifted nose. Palate also had high acidity and tannins. But when it was revealed to be a Burgundy, guessed 2002 CSJ because of the dark, sappy and refined fruit. Still very structured, will last for a long while yet. Very much in my wheelhouse.
November 25, 2020 - Tasted blind over dinner. Medium garnet. Earthy, masculine nose with red fruit, spices. Very earthy and rustic tannins on the palate, also pronounced acidity. Nose 92, Palate 87.
July 17, 2019 - Minimal cork saturation. Single piece cork
No sign of seepage
Astonishing youthfulness in colour, aroma and flavour
N:Cherry, bit of VA, very discreet oak. Promising.
P: significant acidity, but fruit is sweet if somewhat unbalanced by the acidity. Tannins are slightly rustic. Overall, this is good, but far from great, not withstanding the vintage. I have found the 5 or so 1998 Volnays I’ve tasted at about 20 years old to be generally lacking charm. This is no exception despite how youthful it is. I hardly see an upside to a hard, slightly tannic 1998 volnay, especially at current market prices.
Drink or hold to 2029 based on this single bottle. No upside anticipated, based on 2 tasters.
13.5% abv
June 15, 2018 - During a walkabout tasting, only brief impressions. As so often from this producer, this wine was on the rustic side with drying tannins.
May 5, 2017 - Bon même si passé date!
September 3, 2012 - Labor Day Wines (Glencoe, IL): Popped and poured. Red cherry and earth dominated aromatics with some pretty spice and floral in the background. Much of the same found on the palate as well. Lighter in body and structure with completely integrated tannins. I would have liked to see a bit longer finish. A good wine, though it certainly suffered being served after a number of other great wines tonight.
March 9, 2011 - Hare Dinner: Drunk alongside a 98 Clavilier Chambolle, this showed much younger and more austere, but with the same rich slightly stewed plum stone fruit at the core of the wine. This is more acidic and tightly structured, and probably in need of a few more years. But classy fruit and very elegant.
September 24, 2009 - Bourogne in the Fall (Oslo): A little anonymous, a little hint of spices and underbrush, and a slight sweetness. The middle of the taste curve is failing.
July 7, 2009 - Mostly Burgundy Dinner (Nopa, San Francisco): Medium ruby. Piercing aromas of bitter cherry and licorice. Middle weight, similar quality of fruit on the palate as on the nose, not at all sweet in nature. Youthful and lean without the harshness of other '98s. More generous than Taillepieds or Clos des Ducs from this producer. Very good now but give it at least 5 more years.
June 18, 2006 - With BBQ Salmon. Deep red in the glass. On the nose kirsch / chocolate - but not (to me at least) in a satisfying way. In the mouth this was most unusual - almost an old rotten taste - similar to what you might get in an Italian wine that's just past its best. This is the first of three bottles. After some great results with earlier vintages of this wine over the years, the last two or three experiences (1995 / 1998) have been unsatisfactory.