Burgundies between 10 and 20 years old

31 Oct 2012:
Theme: Bourgogne 1992 - 2002.

We started with a very characterful Savigny-lès-Beaune Aux Vergelesses Blanc, Simon Bize.  At 10 years old, it still showed a lively and complex nose, rounded mouthfeel with weight and richness balanced by racy acidity, an assertive minerality on the palate, with a spicy finish.  I very much like this, still relatively vigourous and energetic, a great expression of terroir!  Drink now.

The 1999 Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot, Bernard Morey in magnum also remained true to the vintage and terrroir. An expressive nose of honey, acacia, peach, ripe pear, hazelnuts, nuanced with savoury and smokey notes.  All the richness and warmth of this vintage framed in a full and almost voluptuous body.  The acidity fell short of the necessary level to keep the palate refreshed. Slightly lacking in freshness and elegance. Drink now.

The 1992 Corton-Charlemagne, Tollot-Beaut displayed a very elegant, sleek and sinewy persona, still impressive with layers of complexity, smoke and minerality. This could do with a bit more acidity.....lacking in lift, but nevertheless a very finely balanced wine still supporting a reasonable structure and a persistent finish.  A wine for the quiet intellectual.  Drink now.

I loved that pure and elegant nose of the 2000 Vosne-Romanée Aux Reignots, Sylvain Cathiard, with the raspberry and plum layered with nutmeg, game and a savoury note.  Plenty of freshness, good acidity and silky tannin, presented in a delicate frame.  Medium finish.  A very fine wine not for longer term cellaring, but an absolute delight to be enjoyed now and over the next 2 - 3+ years!

We then had 2 Pommards.  The 1995 Pommard Les Rugiens, de Montille was rather earthy and gamey, and seemed quite ungenerous.  The 2002 Pommard Les Pézerolles, de Montille was a nice contrast.  Here we have plum, blackberry compote, spice and earthy, but the nose is much more inviting, with a very elegant palate of velvety tannin and good acidity.  A good effort.

3 Grands Crus followed.  The 2001 Romanée Saint Vivant, Sylvain Cathiard would remain my favourite of the evening, with its very classy nose of spice and red fruits, and a certain stoniness, leather and mocha notes.  Not the fleshiest Romanée Saint Vivant, but rather one that shows aristocratic class and poise. Still maintaining a nice balance and fine structure. Lengthy finish.  Drink now and over next 5 - 6 years.

1998 Bonnes Mares, Roumier performed well despite the vintage.  A hefty wine with an angular structure and muscles, still a little austere, needing a lot more time to tone down those astringent tannins.  Not sure there would be enough fruit to see through this finetuning.  Plum, earthy, leather notes.  A meaty wine, if only lacking in Burgundian finesse and elegance.  Drink now and over next 5 - 6 years.

1990 Clos Vougeot, Bertagna showed a very mature and ripe nose of raisins, prunes, game and sweaty saddle, with just a hint of madeirisation.  Some velvety tannin and good acidity.  Not much character.   
 
Also highly recommended though not related to this evening is the 2003 Vosne-Romanée Aux Malconsorts, Sylvain Cathiard. Gorgeously ripe black fruit, violet and spices. Still very youthful and vigorous. It simply glided over the palate with the mouth-coating velvety tannins. The lively acidity keeping the richness and density in balance and harmony . A very lengthy finish that would take you back immediately for another sip! A deftly crafted wine, that would seem fitting to be called a benchmark wine for the vintage, combining elegance, concentration and power, even if somewhat atypical of a classic Burgundian! Drink now and over next 10 - 12 years!