Our first meal started with 2 pairs of Krugs:
1990 Krug
A more mature bouquet than the 1988 Krug. A very ripe vintage. Caramel, hazelnut, dried fruit, very ripe pear, with liquorice, gingerbread and savoury nuances. Spicy on the finish. Creamy mousse. Weighty palate. I would drink this earlier than later to preserve the freshness. 17/20
1988 Krug
This tasted much fresher than the 1990 Krug. Green apple, citrus, lemon confit, honey and toasted almond. Vivacious acidity, plenty of energy on the palate. There seemed to be much more precision than the 1990 Krug, and an altogether much better experience. 18/20
1990 Krug Clos du Mesnil
This was a complete change to the 1990 Krug. A lot more tension on the palate, with minerality, depth, energy, power and intensity. Notes of honey, cinnamon, a hint of savoury…..very elegantly balanced. Persistent finish. Utterly sensational. 19/20
1988 Krug Clos du Mesnil
This was a wine of superlative proportions! There were hints of pear, spice, toasted nuts, herbal (tarragon) on the nose. Very spicy and stony minerality on the palate, matched with such refined structure of tiny creamy bubbles, elegant balance, intensity, vibrancy (almost racy) and a terrific purity. This delivered a long saline finish. A wine in a class of its own! 19.5/20
1985 Montrachet, Ramonet
Incredibly complex on the nose……spices of cardamom and ginger, layered with caramel and savoury notes. A superb expression of the power and depth of Montrachet, with freshness, leading to a lingering finish. Just a hint of dryness on the finish for this bottle. 18.5/20
1959 Montrachet, Bouchard
What an extraordinary experience to taste a Montrachet with such age! Yet, this tasted remarkably younger than its age, with the balance of richness, complexity and some freshness. Very ripe and mature notes of toffee, roasted hazelnuts and honey, with liquorice and some sherry notes at the end. Finishes long. 17.5/20 (I think the fish course may not have done justice to this wine….I would probably suggest pairing with a fine Epoisses.)
The serving of Iberico Bellota ham sandwich heralded in the flight of Rousseau Chambertins.
1993 Chambertin, Rousseau
Still relatively youthful. Complex on the nose with notes of animal, earth, coffee and plum. Lively freshness and fine tannin giving a finely chiselled firm structure. A powerful yet restrained wine. This could be enjoyed now but I might just give this another 3 – 4 years before trying again. 18/20
1993 Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Rousseau
Much more flamboyant and open than the Chambertin. Silky textue, with a complex array of aromas and flavours, with even a hint of sweetness from the ripe fruit. Very fine details on the palate. While the Chambertin was restrained, this was utterly charming and seductive. Finishes long. 18/20
1985 Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Rousseau
In a word, sensational, coming right after the 1993’s, this wine totally elevated the tasting to a different level. Aromatically complex, with layers of spice, sous-bois, coffee and plum. The palate demonstrated such depth of character, concentration of ripe materials and tremendous energy, in a medium-bodied frame with refined texture. A very complete experience of balance, harmony, complexity and depth. Drink now and over next 10+ years. 19/20
1964 Chambertin, Rousseau
A display of richness and power of the Chambertin terrroir. This continued to develop in the glass. An initial hint of soy sauce gave way to notes of coffee, earth, leather and spice. This was a class act, in altogether a different style to the 85 or 59. Drink now and over next 5 – 6+ years. 18/20 (This was excellently paired with the Yilan duck breast with bitter cocoa paper!)
1959 Chambertin, Rousseau
The quintessential mature Burgundy, with such finesse and grace, an elegant structure that conveys its inimitable style. The bouquet is sous-bois, earthy, coffee with hints of spice. The complex flavours are coated with a sweetness and richness, delivered in expansive layers in the mouth, leading to a very long and fine finish. This profound expression has reached its apogee and should deliver equally truly memorable experience in the next 6 – 8+ years. 19/20
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| The Yilan duck breast....yummy! |
In the mix, our host also interjected a couple of Leroy Chambertins, the 1971 Chambertin Clos de Bèze and the 1961 Chambertin…..both seemed rather subdued on this evening, compared with the Rousseaus.
We finished with a youthful 1963 Taylor's port......!
This incredible evening really paid homage to the brilliant craftsmanship of Charles Rousseau, from the 1959 to 1993, such fine expressions of terroir and extreme high quality and consistency that lasted the decades. It would be very interesting to retry the 1993s (together with the Clos Saint Jacques) in a few more years…..
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