By: AJ McClellan
Thursday night was Burgundy night as we popped a lineup of six great Burgs from six different regions for everyone to try. It is interesting to see how close the wine regions are to each other while noting how completely different they are in color, smell, and taste. There are a lot of manipulations that you can do in the winery, but when you are dealing with world class producers that pride themselves on allowing a terroir to speak for itself it is plain to see that the diversity of the Burgundian valley is truly unique…
1999 Joseph Drouhin Batard Montrachet – This bottle was just starting to come out of its shell after two hours of being open. There was a slight oxidative note but just enough to add character to the wine. The nose showed honeysuckle and almonds with a note of white peach and apricot. There was a distinct note of burnt caramel on the palate with a medium plus viscosity that made the wine coat your palate like honey.
1997 Joseph Drouhin Musigny – This bottle was great out of the gate but mellowed out and eventually fell off after 5 hours in the glass. The nose showed bright red cherries with a minerality of limestone and sandstone. The palate was alive with a bright acidity and showing great fruit with a long finish.
1997 Anne Gros Clos Vougeot – This wine was the opposite of the Drouhin, slow to start but after several hours it opened up beautifully to show soft red fruits with a pleasant minerality and a long finish.
2003 Groffier Bonnes Mares – This wine was a little tight. I have had this bottle once before and it showed much better than it did for this tasting. The nose did not give up much and after several hours in the glass the palate did not reveal anything at all…. Maybe it’s going through a dumb phase?
1999 Hudelot Noellat Richebourg – This bottle is wonderful. I have had it on several occasions and it has been stunning each and every time. The nose shows spice, black fruits, and great minerality while the palate is full and rich with great expressive plums, black cherries, limestone, and cloves.
1969 Remoissenet Nuits St Georges Les Cailles – This bottle is always a treat. We opened one up as a thank you for our members that came to the tasting. The nose showed old forest floor with dusty red fruits and a hint of cedar. The palate was still vibrant with a long lasting finish.