1 Oct 2011: Paul and Julie hosted a most delicious dinner at their home. We started with a 2000 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne. Ripe apple, citrus, white blossom, some toasty note, and with a taut minerality. Precise, pure and balanced. Mid-weight, creamy mousse, and a very long finish. Still very youthful but drinking very well now...Perfect aperitif!
Paul very meticulously arranged an interesting tasting of red and white for us. First up, side by side two wines by Michel Niellon, 2004 Chassagne-Montrachet Les Chaumées 'Clos de La Truffière' and 2004 Chassagne-Montrachet Les Champs Gain. Apparently the first bottle of Les Chaumées was madeirised. While waiting for us to arrive (so sorry, Paul and Julie), the second bottle had already taken on some weight in the glass, showing a lovely rounded character, a complex bouqet of ripe peach, nutty, floral, lime and smokey, and firm acidity. Whereas the Champs Gain (mid slope) was not so attractive by the time I got to it - it seemed a little out of condition. I didn't get the typical broad and plump character with this wine. Normally the Chaumées (higher up the slope and near to Saint Aubin) would be the more delicate and racy one....
Then two bottles of 2008 Vosne-Romanée Malconsorts, one by Dujac and the other Sylvain Cathiard. We had them semi-blindtasted. From one decanter, the bouquet was bright fruit of raspberry and redcurrant, herbal and spicy, with some earthy character, and slowly emerging some lovely floral character. Excellent backbone of vibrant acidity. Very stylish and plenty of freshness, poise and purity. The firm but fine tannin giving the wine an excellent texture. Lovely mid palate and long finish. From the other decanter, the wine seemed a little more evolved, revealing some warm scents of undergrowth and truffle, underneath the red cherry and Asian spicy notes. Nicely perfumed. Very harmonious. Perhaps slightly more rustic in style? Medium weight and plenty of acidity and firm ripe tannin to help it age gracefully. Both benefitted from decanting time. Probably try again in 3 - 4 years time to let the various elements? I am still debating with Richard which was which.....one of us definitely switched our glasses the wrong way round!
The 1978 Leroy Vosne-Romanée was practically pronouned 'dead on arrival'. A garnet-brown colour did not bode well and very soon, signs of madeirisation became very evident. Lovely Sercial nose.
The 1990 Seghesio Vigneto La Villa was an interesting discovery. Big and muscular, from the Monforte commune. Spicy, mushroom, smokey and leather. I decided to give it more time to develop and settle down. Alas, I got rather captivated by the next wine.
The wine of the evening for me was the 1973 Robert Ampeau Meursault Perrières. Deep golden colour. Gorgeous nose of ripe pear, apricot, honeysuckle, white chocolate, butterscotch, macadamia, with smokey and spicy nuances. The minerality was still very much evident. Totally harmonious and integrated, flaunting extremely vibrant acidity, in an age-defying demonstration. The finish went on for a very long time, with a spicy kick at the end. Truly impressive! I could have just drunk this all night, on its own or even better with some Epoisses and Maroilles! Yummy! This was our last bottle but for those who still have some, there is no hurry to drink it.....it will hold up quite well for a few years at this peak condition! I would score this wine 19/20!
I must mention Paul's "70-garlic cloves" gigot d'agneau.....served with Julie's mashed cauliflower and a zesty quinoa salad.....fabulous dish and it did its job remarkably accompanying the wines of the evening! Thank you Paul and Julie!
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