Perhaps it was the heat and humidity, the 2002 Clos Cazals Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut went down like a treat. Clos Cazals is in Oger, in the Côte des Blancs. For decades, the family had blended the wine from Clos Cazals with that from Le Mesnil sur Oger, both being of Grand Cru quality. It wasn't until the 1990s when Delphine convinced her father Claude to turn Clos Cazals into a separate cuvée. It was named Clos Cazals by Delphine, to retain the family name Cazals, given she’s an only child and married. The 2002 was filled with energy and showed layers of complexity, with a fine thread of minerality through to the finish. A very elegant Blanc de Blancs. I would love to try it again when it's slightly better chilled!
The next wine was a 1990 Reserve Sekt by Weingut Peter Lauer from Ayl in the Saar, disgorged in October 2012. This meant it had spent 22 years on lees! It was amazingly fresh, and well-balanced against the light sweetness. Pronounced bouquet of kerosene, honey, dried pineapple and nutmeg, with slightly smoky nuances. Mouth-coating, expressive and finished crisp and long. Such a great discovery (and at a great value too, if you can still find it)! It went very well with the drunken goose liver and the cold abalone with wasabi sauce.
Then we began a flight of 2002 wines from Vosne-Romanée:
2002 Vosne-Romanée Les Petits Monts, Mongeard-Mugneret: the colour appeared dull. Out of condition.
2002 Vosne-Romanée Les Gaudichots, Nicolas Potel: cool, elegant and sinewy, with an airy lightness. I liked the nervosity and the purity of the fruit. Seamlessly integrated and beautifully balanced, while not possessing the persistence or concentration of its neighbour La Tâche.
2002 Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots, Sylvain Cathiard: it showed an intense bouquet of fine spice and blackberry fruit, velvety texture and mouthfilling richness and concentration. A powerful display, almost meaty on the nose initially, it took the time of the entire evening to evolve.
2002 Romanée Saint Vivant, Nicolas Potel: I was convinced this was mildly corked. It did not quite deliver the fruit quality but this did not detract from the elegance of its class. There was perhaps just sufficient perfume left for a few of us to keep enjoying it.
2002 Echézeaux, Robert Arnoux: this wine has just arrived at its perfect drinking window, with all the elements harmoniously integrated to give a silky texture, with the characteristic earthy and spicy notes underneath the pure elegant ripe fruit, and an almost sweetness to the nose. A very pleasurable wine to enjoy now and over the next 6 – 8+ years.
2002 Richebourg, Méo-Camuzet: a very classy wine, with so much detail, majestically delineated within a velvety and rich frame of fine tannins and well-balanced acidity. Rather reserved, a little unyielding even. It will take a few more years to allow the wine to reach its full potential. A profound wine of such depth, persistence, strength of character and richness of texture. Just a pity we didn’t quite give it sufficient time to evolve! A very long life ahead!
2002 Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots, Sylvain Cathiard: it showed an intense bouquet of fine spice and blackberry fruit, velvety texture and mouthfilling richness and concentration. A powerful display, almost meaty on the nose initially, it took the time of the entire evening to evolve.
2002 Romanée Saint Vivant, Nicolas Potel: I was convinced this was mildly corked. It did not quite deliver the fruit quality but this did not detract from the elegance of its class. There was perhaps just sufficient perfume left for a few of us to keep enjoying it.
2002 Echézeaux, Robert Arnoux: this wine has just arrived at its perfect drinking window, with all the elements harmoniously integrated to give a silky texture, with the characteristic earthy and spicy notes underneath the pure elegant ripe fruit, and an almost sweetness to the nose. A very pleasurable wine to enjoy now and over the next 6 – 8+ years.
2002 Richebourg, Méo-Camuzet: a very classy wine, with so much detail, majestically delineated within a velvety and rich frame of fine tannins and well-balanced acidity. Rather reserved, a little unyielding even. It will take a few more years to allow the wine to reach its full potential. A profound wine of such depth, persistence, strength of character and richness of texture. Just a pity we didn’t quite give it sufficient time to evolve! A very long life ahead!
And the outsider!
1990 Bonnes Mares, Fougeray de Beauclair: This showed the hallmarks of the richness and opulence of 1990. An appealing wine, velvety textured, with spicy and earthy complexity, still holding well together and typical of its appellation. Definitely at peak now. Perhaps a little chunky when tasted right behind the reserved, sophisticated and elegant Richebourg.
With the clean bottles, 2002 has truly lived up to its expectations: purity and ripeness of fruit, elegance, beautiful detail, well-balanced acidity, fine tannins. We sensed a very stylish approachability about these wines, and yet they clearly demonstrated the structure that would reward years of cellaring. A great vintage indeed!
With the clean bottles, 2002 has truly lived up to its expectations: purity and ripeness of fruit, elegance, beautiful detail, well-balanced acidity, fine tannins. We sensed a very stylish approachability about these wines, and yet they clearly demonstrated the structure that would reward years of cellaring. A great vintage indeed!
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