A Vertical of Richebourg

5 October 2012: Richard and I were so excited be part of this very special wine dinner at DN-Innovacion in Taipei (www.dn-asia.com). A highly recommended restaurant serving creative and molecular Spanish dishes with interpretations of classic Taiwanese dishes!!



Golden foie gras ball



Scrambled egg with chanterelle and beef noodles!



24-hour duck breast

Chef Daniel Negreira prepared a special menu of 17 courses of bite-sized creations for us. I was particularly impressed by the shimmering golden ball of chocolate and foie gras, the simply irresistible interpretation of Taiwan's famous beef noodles, infused with truffle aromas (I simply had to soak up the aromatic and intensely flavoured broth with bread!), the very tender 24-hour duck breast, the ingenial interpreation of another Taiwanese classic "ba wan" (or meatball) - succulent meat, intensly flavoured, the al dente and beautifully flavoured Japanese octopus and the finale of Kobe beef cheek with porcini mushrooms - simply divine, utterly indulgent and rich.


As for the wines.........


NV Initial, Selosse: A blend of Grand Cru villages from Avize, Cramant and Oger.  Very refined nose, showing signs of vibrancy and complexity. Toast, grilled almonds, citrus zest, enriched with ripe pear, apple and white peach notes on the nose. Lively acidity and a creamy texture, with fine persistent bubbles filling the palate. Bursting with energy and minerality. Bitter almond aftertaste on the long finish. Gorgeously well-made and a very fine 'house' champagne. 17/20

NV Krug Private Cuvée Silver: A blend of older vintages, probably from 1968 to 1979? This version made in the Brut style, although it had also been made in the Extra Brut style. Amber robe. Rich developed bouquet of caramel, apricot, frangipane, macadamia, sweet corn and sugar cane notes. Cashmere-like texture of delicate mousse and a medium body. Showing great balance for its age, with lively acidity, keeping the palate fresh and exhilarating. Love the spicy cinnamon finish. Opulent and seductive. 17.5/20

1947 Krug: Unfortunately, I find this past its best, and rather lifeless. Deep amber robe. Very madeirised nose of dried orange peel, quince paste, mango chutney, grilled hazelnuts, coffee and caramel, lots of torrefacton. Rather flat on the palate. Perhaps better enjoyed at the end of the meal, with dried fruit and some cheese? 13.5/20

1979 Krug Clos du Mesnil: Uniquely classy and stylish. First ever vintage for Krug Clos du Mesnil. Apparently only 6 bottles left in Krug's own cellars. So this is really a special treat to be able to admire this rare beauty, that seems to have escaped the ravaging of the passage of time, and has stayed rather youthful and timeless. Pale straw lemon robe. The freshness is simply amazing. Very classy bouquet of acacia, spice, citrus, ripe apple and pear. Creamy mousse of very fine and persistent bubbles, with vibrant acidity, keeping the wine extraordinarily fresh and energetic. Finish goes on and on. There is no hurry to drink this wine at all, at this rate of development. Stylish, ageless, sheer class. 19.5/20

2007 Meursault, Coche-Dury: Decanted for 2 hours. Very elegant nose of white flowers, nutty, citrus, ripe apple, ginger and cinnamon. Light/medium body, but gradually takes on weight as the wine develops in the glass. Vibrant acidity. Very youthful. Nice crisp finish. Brilliant crafted village level Meursault. A long life ahead......drink over next 8 - 10+ years. 16.5+/20
2007 Meursault-Genevrières, Coche-Dury: A serious step-up from the Meursault villages, in terms of intensty, concentration, weight and complexity. A wine with a huge amount of character, but will need some time to become more integrated and harmonious. Try from 2016+. Drink over next 12 - 15+ years. 18/20

1997 Meursault, Coche-Dury: Golden hue. Nutty, caramel, soya sauce, toasted hazelnuts, marzipan, ripe pears and confectionery. Firm acidity. Harmonious and well developed. Drinking at peak now and will continue to drink well over 5 - 6 years. Excellent with food. 17/20

1996 Richebourg, Anne & François Gros: Very elegant nose. Supple on palate. Complexities of herbs, compost, earth, lifted by ripe fruit and spices. A little lacking in concentration. Seems a little ungenerous on palate. Not a very long finish. A feminine style wine, but nevertheless well-made and totally integrated and harmonious. Drink now and over 8 - 10 years. 17/20
1996 Richebourg, Leroy: A huge contrast to the previous 1996. Muscular, lush, rich, dense and concentrated. Black fruit, floral, cloves and spices. Nuances of warm pebbles on palate. Despite the dimensions of the elements, a wine of great balance and immense character. Will need some time to mellow. Just a little intimidating at the moment. 18/20

1993 Richebourg, Meo-Camuzet: A very classy embodiment of finesse, elegance, concentration, Burgundian complexity and balance. Coffee, earthy, sous-bois, cloves, spices, ripe black fruit, plum, with velvety tannin and firm acidity, all fitted into a broad-shouldered frame. Simply gorgeous to enjoy now with food, and with a long life ahead! Almost combining the best of the last 2 wines. 19/20

1969 Richebourg, Jean Gros: Unfortunately, slightly corked.
1967 Richebourg, The Wine Society: Probably a Remoissenet wine. Garnet hue. Amazingly fresh for its age. Animal, savoury, red cherry, raspberry and earthy. Very fine indeed, with much concentration and intensity. Finishes long. Rather impressed by this given the inferior vintage! 17/20
1967 Richebourg, Henri Jayer: a recent release directly from the cellars of Henri Jayer. Unfortunately, rather madeirised.

1962 Richebourg, Leroy: This is perfection in the glass - this symbolises Burgundy's finest: perfect harmony, impeccable balance and that understated elegance underlined with persistence that is so Burgundian. Mesmerizingly seductive in its aromas and irresistibly silky on palate. There is only admiration and awe for this wine. A very demure bouquet of dried rose petals, cinnamon, coriander seeds, cranberry, raspberry, sous-bois and tea leaves. Tasting incredibly fresh on the palate, that it could easily taste like "the youngest wine of the flight". Silky mouthfeel, wonderfully fresh, lifted by decent acidity, with a finish that goes on and on. This is a wine that leaves you wanting nothing more. A timeless beauty - Richard calls it "Audrey Hepburn". Drinking at peak now.  20/20

1961 Richebourg, DRC: In stark contrast to the 1962 Leroy, this is a demonstration of opulence, power and richness. Showing very ripe fruit, phenomenal concentration and density, with sizeable dimensions of well-integrated tannin structure and fine acidity. Perfectly balanced, with a very long finish. This is the "Marilyn Monroe" of the evening. Voluptuous and fleshy. Likewise, drinking ate peak.  19/20

1949 Richebourg, Liger-Belair: Lush, rich but sadly madeirised. Full-bodied. Torrefaction nose of chocolate, coffee, caramel and molasses.

1949 La Romanée, Liger-Belair: Remarkably fresh for its age. Aromatically hugely complex. Showing great balance, and sophisticated elegance and class. Silky tannin, totally integrated and harmonious. Showing no signs of deterioration at all. A perfect showcase of the timeless elegance and understated beauty and generosity of Burgundian's best. Long long finish. 19.5/20

1963 Tokay Aszu Esszencia: Brown with amber highlights. Fig, dried fruit, chocolate, wolfberry, ginseng and spices. Lusciously rich but brilliantly balanced by lively acidity. Like being regaled by an aria by Maria Callas. A long and fine finish. 18/20

These are all amazing wines and all worthy of our admiration for the labour and talent of the winemaker and the wonderful expression of the terroirs. I could not say that there was one conclusive style for Richebourg. With vintage differences, winemaker preferences and individual styles, nuances in soil and aspect differences, generalisation would not seem fair nor appropriate. For me, I have just been reminded again of the modesty one needs to maintain in appreciating Burgundy wines, because the surprise more often than not would overpower the expectation.

Thank you very much to our most generous host!