A Long Lunch with Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques, Rousseau

8 Dec 2013: With the memory of the Chambertins still fresh, the hard-core winelovers and foodies went back for Round 2: a vertical of Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques. As I wrote to thank our very generous host afterwards, each of these wines would have been a classic in its own right, but a direct comparison with the Chambertins would have been so unfair.  To me, the Chambertins were quite clearly in a different class in terms of sheer power and concentration, whereas the Clos Saint Jacques delighted us with their elegance and finesse.

We began with a few Selosse champagnes, followed by some Bâtard Montrachets, before we began the reds.

NV Selosse Les Carelles
Pale golden hue. Nutty and savoury on the nose….with lots of mineral notes on the palate. An almost salty finish Perfectly paired the oyster – it brought out a sweetness and a lovely creaminess in the oyster. 18/20

1996 Selosse (Disgorged in February 2005)
A tour de force, underlined with power, concentration and tension. Incredibly youthful and almost nervy to the taste now. The flavours are tensely wrapped up in a texture of creamy mousse. Reminded me of a Grand Cru Chablis in its adolescence, sultry and tense. Finishes crisp and extremely long. This needs a lot more time to unwind its very tight structure. 19/20

1986 Selosse (Disgorged in May 1995)
Medium gold. A ripe and mature nose of pear tart, dried apricot and brioche. Still marked by some vigour, but much more mellow than the 1996, weighty on the palate, with a smooth texture and delicate mousse….almost sweet on the finish. 18.5/20

2007 Meursault, Coche-Dury
This took a little while to wake up…..but the transformation was worth the wait! Mineral-infused notes on palate, citrus, with a lingering saline finish. Almost Chablis like. Drink now and over next 10+ years. 17.5/20

1997 Meursault, Coche-Dury
A deep golden hue. Very evolved now. Honey, almost caramel, toasted hazelnuts, very smokey, with savoury and earthy nuances. Finishes spicy. Still retaining just sufficient freshness for me….and worked rather well with food….especially the smokey foie gras, infused with cumin, aniseed and ginger. Drink now. 17/20

The Branches of the Tree - the smokey flavoured foie gras bird's nests on the tree!

2005 Bâtard Montrachet, Leflaive
It seems the 2005 vintage has finally begun to shake off its initial austerity, to reveal a more voluptuous and sensual side to it. Pear, peach, toast, vanilla and lanolin. Waxy on the palate, with a rounded mouthfeel. A very classy expression of the power and depth of this terroir, with sufficient freshness to support this weighty structure. Drinking now but I think this could benefit from a few more years of integration. Drink from 2015+. 18/20

1995 Bâtard Montrachet, Leflaive
Fleshy but not heavy, fresh to taste. Honey, gingerbread, pear tart, with smokey and toasty notes. Full-bodied, the flavours are more subtle compared to the JN Gagnard, but with a firmer structure and a crispness to the long finish. A classy Bâtard. Drinking now and over next 6 – 8+ years. 18/20

1995 Bâtard Montrachet, Jean-Noel Gagnard
Luscious and full. Nougat, ginger and hint of smoke dominate the nose, with liquorice notes at the finish. A rich display of flavours on the palate. Totally unreserved. Finishes very long. Needs to be paired with something equally boisterous, lobster with saffron?? 17.5/20


Next we started the flight of Clos Saint Jacques:

1989 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques, Rousseau
A little astringent on the long finish. Lively acidity….appearing not so generous on the palate, with a medium weight frame. Animal and spicy notes. Needing just a bit more time for the tannin to fully resolve? A wine with character rather than a wine that charms. Drink now and over next 6 – 8+ years. 16.5/20

1988 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques, Rousseau
A gorgeously mature bouquet: animal, savoury, plum, coffee, sous-bois…….smoothed out texture, perhaps a little lacking in lift on the palate, compared to the higher acidity of the 1989. Drink this now. At peak. 16.5/20

1990 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques, Rousseau
Very fresh on the nose, as on the palate. Notes of fresh red fruit (redcurrant and cranberry), with some spiciness. Medium-bodied, but there is good level of density and concentration. So youthful, so energetic. Finishes long. Quite amazing that it tastes so young. A superb effort. Drink now or over next 10 - 12+ years. 17.5/20

1990 Gevery-Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques, Fourrier
By comparison to the Rousseau, much more evolved......savoury and plum notes. A little astringency on the finish. Drink now and over next 4 - 5 years for best enjoyment? 15/20

1995 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques, Rousseau
I found this a little closed and subdued today. Spicy with some fruity notes, but hardly generous….Well-structured and balanced though. Astringent finish. Try this again in 3 – 4 years time. 16/20

1985 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques, Rousseau
A beautifully aged Burgundian nose. Rather reminiscent of the 1985 Chambertin Clos de Bèze of the previous evening. Animal, sous-bois, leather, coffee and spicy. However attractive the nose is, the palate lacks a bit of vigour and depth……probably just past peak…..would drink this now for optimal enjoyment. (On hindsight, this might have benefitted from being served in a much smaller glass than the big fat Burgundy glasses.) 17/20

1961 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques, Rousseau
Served in a smaller glass than the younger vintages. Sous-bois, sauvage, earthy, coffee and bacon notes layer the bouquet and flavours. There is a very appealing freshness on the palate, keeping the wine in balance and structure intact, even though it’s not particularly concentrated or rich. A wine with character, finesse and a fine backbone. This delivered way beyond expectations. 17.5/20

2000 Gewurztraminer Sélection de Grains Nobles, Trimbach
Deep golden hue. Reminded me of Turkish delight, dried apricot, caramel, nuts and rye bread. Full-bodied, lusciously sweet, plenty going on, balanced with lively acidity. A marvellous expression of this fiddly and somewhat divisive grape variety ……some love it with a passion, others find the extreme spiciness and pungency, more than an acquired taste! 18/20

This might not have been the best wine to pair with the dessert called “Ethereal” but it was the most heavenly and indulgent dessert with a giant ball of candyfloss, dusted with dark chocolate, and as the warm praline sauce was poured on top, the candyfloss ball caved in, like a balloon losing air. What decadence!

Ethereal - Before the pouring of the sauce

Ethereal - after the pouring of the sauce!!! So wickedly decadent!