Musigny Dinner

24 October 2014: Special bottles are to be shared and what better way to share than to arrange a BYO dinner around the theme of Musigny.  It was a real privilege to be included in this dinner.

We started with 2 champagnes:

Selosse Version Originale.: (From the vineyards of Avize and Cramant, on the hillsides.) A medium golden robe. Mature oxidative nose of toast, shortbread, pear preserve, honey and acacia. Some spicy richness on the texture.  Finishes a little abrupt, not so exciting. 16/20

1980 Dom Perignon: Also golden in colour.  Ginger shortbread, liquorice, toast, honey and mineral, with a lovely saline quality on the palate. Mature, but still retaining a good energy level and very engaging this evening.  Medium body, finishes very long. A fine mature champagne without being outstanding. 17/20

2000 Bourgogne Blanc, de Vogüé: Minerality dominates the still firm palate, complemented by nuances of almond, toast, ripe pear, apple and citrus. Medium body, well-delineated, a nicely rounded mouthfeel, with weight to match and crisp acidity to balance.  Finishes long. Very fine effort for the vintage. Definitely drinking well now!  17.5/20

1971 Remoissenet Musigny: Pale garnet.  Notes of dry leaves, rose petals and nutmeg. Silky palate, with a lovely texture and some weight. Structure and balance impeccable for the age. Medium finish. An excellent example. 18.5/20

1978 De Vogüé, Musigny: unfortunately suffered from cork taint!

1979 De Vogüé, Musigny: Some noticeable volatile acidity on finish.  Still showing lovely complexity of sous-bois, earth, truffle and tea leaves.  Elegantly presented. Finishes a bit dry. To be drunk now. 15.5/20

1987 De Vogüé Musigny: A light weight version of the wine, but still featuring the hallmarks of Musigny.  Silky palate and beautiful balance and aromatics, if you do not mind the slight bretty character. Overall impression, a little rustic in style, lacking in charm, but well made for the vintage and nicely aged. 16/20

1985 Roumier Musigny: Sensational in one word. Savoury, freshness, plum, spice, mushroom. Silky palate, bright acidity, very long finish. Utterly harmonious. A very stylish and expressive wine crafted to perfection with a long life ahead. Drink now and over next 15+ years. 20/20

2003 Prieur Musigny: It is so unfair to try this immediately after the 1985 Roumier.  Very plum like, black cherry, some cloves and nutmeg spice. An opulent style, still quite muscular......though this might seem a bit brutish immediately after the super-elegant and captivating 85 Roumier. 16/20

1996 De Vogüé Musigny: Still showing lovely cherry fruit, good concentration, still youthful, try again in 4-5 years time, when the elements are more in harmony with each other. 17.5/20  (Interestingly, on the red capsule of this bottle, it actually said Bonnes Mares.....but we had checked with the domaine....which confirmed that if the cork said Musigny, this was definitely Musigny....just a labelling error!)

To finish, 

2005 L'Extravagant, Doisy Daëne (half bottle): (65% Semillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc)  This was very rich and intense, but beautifully balanced and did not leave you with a heaviness on the palate. Extraordinary effort. 19/20