2005 Burgundy
|
Vosne-Romanée in the haze
|
|
Back in Burgundy again, this time in December, rather
than January, itching to get at the wines and secure
stocks of the good stuff, having heard rumours that
even the supermarkets are getting in on the stampede.
|
|
Situation: barrelling south from the Channel tunnel
alone, Victoria at home keeping warm and looking
after Joseph. The darkening landscape is punctuated,
as ever, over a 30 mile-or-so stretch by raptor
legions, like crotchets on sheet music made up by the
fence posts and their connecting wires, awaiting the
moment when small mammals with no knowledge of the
Green Cross Code venture forth in a trans-tarmac
dash. Their patient forms seem content enough,
although I can't help but wonder whether a glass of
burgundy with which to accompany their road kill
might make them happier still.
|
|
Burgundy, like Bordeaux and much of the rest of
Europe, has experienced, in 2005, a vintage about as
fine - at least for the reds - as one could wish for.
I am becoming suspicious about Burgundy, however.
Just running through the last five fine vintages for
the red wines one comes up with a list that reads:
1990; 1993; 1996; 1999; 2002. It's like one of those
annoying mathematical puzzles in which one has to
guess the next number in the sequence, except this
one's for duffers. If 2008 throws up another classic
I am going to start getting spooked.
|
|
So what's 2005 all about? Well, after the excesses of
2003 and the delicate 2004s (we're still talking
about reds here; more on the whites later), we're
back to a Venus de Milo classicism (that's if V de M
had all her limbs as these wines lack nothing).
|
|
If one could write a list of all the elements one
would wish to find in one's glass when poured a
measure of the Côte d'Or's finest, we find them in
'05. Concentrated fruit - tick; tannin, alcohol and
acidity in balance and present in sufficient quantity
to assist in the ageing process (and in the best 05s,
we're talking as great an ageing potential as any
vintage I can think of) - tick; the finely etched
nuance that speaks clearly of the vineyard from which
the wine comes - tick.
|
|
As in Bordeaux, this was a vintage for the wine maker
to act philosophically, rather than scientifically
i.e. in what is the traditional French manner i.e.x2
not to stick his/her oar
in. Here was a harvest that provided naturally
concentrated fruit, thick, ripe skins, perfect
balancing acidity and sufficient alcohol for there to
be little or no need to chaptalise (that procedure of
adding sugar to the must to raise the level of
alcohol in the finished wine. Pinot Noir is rubbish
unless it is bottled at a minimum of 12.5%abv). The
fruit was also exceptionally healthy. There really
was little need to manipulate the juice in the wine
making process. Crush; ferment. Voilà!
|
|
The white wines of 2005 are delicious. However, they
come on the back of a very fine burgundian chardonnay vintage,
against which it was fascinating to taste them during
my recent visit. The 2004s are highly focussed,
laser-guided, mineral knives with flinty edges. If
you feel that you missed out on them, just let me
know as we may well be able to supply some superb
examples.
|
|
As a follow-up, the '05s are much more flâtteur:
richer, fatter, more forward and probably more
immediately delicious, without the depth of cerebral
interest offered by their predecessors. If you bought
in '04, buy again in '05 and look forward to some
very interesting comparisons in the years to come!
|
|
As an aside, I must mention a theory of mine
concerning the wines of Corton-Charlemagne. This
patch of chardonnay vines that form a collar around
the south/south-western end of the hill of Corton are
something of an anomaly. I have noticed that, over
the years, vintages for this unique Grand Cru more
closely match the vintages for red wines than those
of the other famous burgundy whites grown in villages
further south. Once again, in 2005,
Corton-Charlemagne has scored. I have tasted utterly
compelling wines from this appellation in '05 and two
of them appear below.
|
|
Mission Statement
|
|
As elsewhere in the wine making regions of the world,
the stamp of the wine maker is a considerable
influence on the wine we end up uncorking. Expression
of terroir is of paramount importance, but how
best to let that communicate? Should the wine be very
tannic, or only moderately so? Should phenolic extraction - including
the colouring element - be pushed to the max, or
handled with more subtlety? Should fermentation
temperatures be prevented from climbing very high,
thereby preserving the higher aromatics, or should
one allow the temperature in the vats to climb to
levels at which the wine gains additional body and
structure?
In Bordeaux one finds, even in vintages like 2005 (if
there is such a thing), wine makers who feel the need
to wring out every last gasp of colour and extract
from their fruit. Parker's influence and the desire
to please his taste buds have resulted in some wine
makers pulling out all the stops regardless of
whether the vintage requires it. This is unwelcome in
Bordeaux; a disaster in Burgundy.
Bowes Wine's idea of fine Burgundy is clear. We tend
towards Pinot that is not deep in colour; Pinot that
has pronounced aromatics; floral, subtle, complex
Pinot of the natural sort. In 2005, we are happy to
say that we have found a glittering array of wines
that fit our taste to perfection!
|
The Growers and Their Wines
|
|
|
Domaine Dupont-Tisserandot,
Gevrey-Chambertin
|
|
Didier Chevillon,
looking quietly confident
|
|
The wine here is made by Didier Chevillon, the son-in-law of
Bernard Dupont. His aim
is straightforward: exploit the old vines of the
estate's vineyards to make rich, expressive Pinot of
good Gevrey typicité. He
succeeds. I love this style. A new domain to us.
|
|
| Vintage |
Wine |
Drink dates |
Case size |
Price
IB |
Notes |
Order |
| 2005 |
Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux-St-Jacques, Dupont-Tisserandot, Burgundy, France |
2015-2022 |
12x75cl |
£330.00 |
 |
|
| 2005 |
Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers, Dupont-Tisserandot, Burgundy, France |
2012-2017 |
12x75cl |
£330.00 |
|
|
 |
Show all wines with notes in printable format |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Domaine Digioia-Royer, Chambolle-Musigny
|
|
Does any wine sum up better the majesty of Pinot Noir
than Chambolle? Queenly
is a rather naff word that unfortunately describes it
quite well. M Digioia is
of Italian extraction, hence the very un-French
sounding name. He does, however, understand full well
how to make the most of his diminutive landholding
(but 4 hectares under vine here).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Domaine François Lamarche, Vosne-Romanée
|
|
The Grand Cru of La Grande Rue, owned by Domaine
Lamarche
|
|
The wines at this estate fall firmly within Bowes
Wine's stylistic sights: pale, but concentrated;
complex and profound. Very exciting wines here.
|
|
| Vintage |
Wine |
Drink dates |
Case size |
Price
IB |
Notes |
Order |
| 2005 |
Vosne-Romanée, François Lamarche, Burgundy, France |
2010-2015 |
12x75cl |
£219.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Chaumes, François Lamarche, Burgundy, France |
2011-2016 |
12x75cl |
£345.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Echézeaux Grand Cru, François Lamarche, Burgundy, France |
2015-2020 |
12x75cl |
£453.00 |
|
|
|
Show all wines with notes in printable format |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Domaine Jean Grivot, Vosne-Romanée
|
|
Etienne, Jean's son, makes the wine now. These are
the sort of bottles that one can squirrel away
year-on-year with absolute confidence, as Etienne's
among the best wine makers in Burgundy.
|
|
| Vintage |
Wine |
Drink dates |
Case size |
Price
IB |
Notes |
Order |
| 2005 |
Chambolle-Musigny La Combe d'Orveau, Jean Grivot, Burgundy, France |
2012-2018 |
12x75cl |
£261.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Rouges, Jean Grivot, Burgundy, France |
2012-2018 |
12x75cl |
£399.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, Jean Grivot, Burgundy, France |
2016-2025 |
12x75cl |
£531.00 |
|
|
|
Show all wines with notes in printable format |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Domaine Jean Chauvenet, Nuits-St-Georges
|
|
Christophe
Drag, wine maker at Chauvenet, also looking
confident (must be the vintage)
|
|
Visiting this estate and tasting the wines with Christophe Drag, the wine maker, is a rapid-fire lesson in
the influence of terroir. One starts with the
village Nuits-St-Georges and follows it with six
premiers
crus. The more I taste the
wines of Nuits, the more fascinating I find the
terroir, from the cassis-tinted wines north of
the village to the austere minerals to the south.
Christophe's an excellent
cove, too.
|
|
| Vintage |
Wine |
Drink dates |
Case size |
Price
IB |
Notes |
Order |
| 2005 |
Nuits-St-Georges, Jean Chauvenet, Burgundy, France |
2009-2014 |
12x75cl |
£171.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Rue de Chaux, Jean Chauvenet, Burgundy, France |
2015-2020 |
12x75cl |
£282.00 |
|
|
|
Show all wines with notes in printable format |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Domaine Bonneau du Martray, Pernand
Vergelesses
|
|
This domaine is unusual for several reasons. It
markets only wines that are Grand Cru status. They
own the single biggest tranche of Grand Cru vineyard:
9.5 hectares of Corton-Charlemagne. Their
Corton-Charlemagne vineyard is precisely that that
was given by Charlemagne to the local Abbey in 775AD.
Tasting this wine next to other wines of the same
appellation, one is always struck by its elegance;
the fact that, whilst other wines may be more
powerful and concentrated, that of Bonneau de Martray is the best purveyor of
the quintessential character of the vineyard.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Domaine Follin-Arbelet,
Aloxe
|
|
The Follins were away
when I visited Burgundy; a shame, as they had made us
very welcome when last we visited. However, they
kindly left barrel samples for us at the
Château de Corton-André. We tasted them
as soon as I returned home and were blown away a) by
the quality and b) by their evident age-worthiness.
This is a fine estate, represented here by two highly
undervalued appellations.
|
|
| Vintage |
Wine |
Drink dates |
Case size |
Price
IB |
Notes |
Order |
| 2005 |
Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Fichots, Follin-Arbelet, Burgundy, France |
2011-2017 |
12x75cl |
£168.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru Les Vercots, Follin-Arbelet, Burgundy, France |
2013-2020 |
12x75cl |
£243.00 |
|
|
|
Show all wines with notes in printable format |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Domaine du Château de Corton-André,
Aloxe
|
|
The château towers above Aloxe, displaying its
colourful roof tiles and, for many years, churning
out an endless stream of very ordinary hooch. There's
been a sea change of late, however. New wine maker;
new level of quality. These are pure, modern, clean
and rather beautiful expressions of both Pinot Noir
and Chardonnay.
|
|
| Vintage |
Wine |
Drink dates |
Case size |
Price
IB |
Notes |
Order |
| 2005 |
Ladoix Blanc, Château de Corton-André, Burgundy, France |
2008-2012 |
12x75cl |
£105.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Les Damodes, Château de Corton-André, Burgundy, France |
2012-2018 |
12x75cl |
£351.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Château de Corton-André, Burgundy, France |
2012-2019 |
6x75cl |
£300.00 |
|
|
|
Show all wines with notes in printable format |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Maison Camille-Giroud, Beaune
|
|
We offered the '03s from this negociant and
they were very well taken up. I must have
communicated something of the impressions I got when
I tasted them; they fairly blew me away.
Camille-Giroud was purchased recently by a consortium
of Americans led by Ann Colgin of the estimable
Californian winery Colgin
Cellars. The sheer array of wines here is almost
daunting when one visits to taste. Fortunately, the
quality is there for all to see. These are very
special wines indeed.
|
|
| Vintage |
Wine |
Drink dates |
Case size |
Price
IB |
Notes |
Order |
| 2005 |
Beaune 1er Cru Cent Vignes, Camille-Giroud, Burgundy, France |
2009-2014 |
12x75cl |
£174.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Les Vaucrains, Camille-Giroud, Burgundy, France |
2013-2020 |
12x75cl |
£300.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Corton Rognets Grand Cru, Camille-Giroud, Burgundy, France |
2014-2020 |
12x75cl |
£360.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Chambertin Grand Cru, Camille-Giroud, Burgundy, France |
2017-2025 |
12x75cl |
£840.00 |
|
|
|
Show all wines with notes in printable format |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Domaine Joseph Voillot,
Volnay
|
|
Jean-Pierre Charlot is M
Voillot's son-in-law and
makes the wine here. He's obsessed with burgundy and
a big fan of the female of the species. "Where's your
wife?" I was asked the moment I stepped through the
door. No hello; no welcome. Direct and to the point,
is M Charlot. He's
thankfully also very generous. After tasting here, we
visited another domaine and then returned, sensing
that something nifty was about to be laid on for
Japanese visitors Jean-Pierre was entertaining. Good
thing we did. We were able to enjoy 1978 Pommard 1er
Cru Les Rugiens and 1966
Volnay 1er Cru Les Champans, this latter not only
from my année
de
naissance, but an absolutely fabulous glass of
wine in the peak of condition. A superb source, this.
|
|
| Vintage |
Wine |
Drink dates |
Case size |
Price
IB |
Notes |
Order |
| 2005 |
Pommard, Joseph Voillot, Burgundy, France |
2012-2017 |
12x75cl |
£180.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Volnay 1er Cru Les Champans, Joseph Voillot, Burgundy, France |
2014-2020 |
12x75cl |
£276.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Pommard 1er Cru Les Pezerolles, Joseph Voillot, Burgundy, France |
2014-2020 |
12x75cl |
£330.00 |
|
|
|
Show all wines with notes in printable format |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Domaine Rebourgeon-Mure,
Pommard
|
|
Daniel Rebourgeon,
snapped during our trip in January 2006
|
|
I am quietly smug about the inclusion of this estate.
I first read about the domaine in The Vine, the
monthly periodical of Clive Coates MW, now defunct
(the periodical, not Clive Coates that is). I visited
a couple of years ago, but the domaine was tied to a
little-known UK importer and all I could extract from
them was a slab of 2003 Bourgogne Rouge and superb it
was too. I was, however, frustrated not to be able to
offer the more senior wines. I found tremendous
quality in the cellars when I visited in
'04…and even more extraordinary stuff when I
tasted there in December. As Clive Coates had
intimated, this is a superb source of truly wonderful
burgundy.
N.B. A visit to Rebourgeon-Mure really opens
one's eyes on several fronts. Firstly, one needn't
always go for the more expensive 1ers and Grands
Crus to find red burgundy of
exceptional quality and secondly, there are producers
of Burgundy not even an ardent devotee wine merchant
has heard of; producers that are quietly producing
stunning bottles. All we have to do is go and find
them!
|
|
| Vintage |
Wine |
Drink dates |
Case size |
Price
IB |
Notes |
Order |
| 2005 |
Volnay, Rebourgeon-Mure, Burgundy, France |
2009-2015 |
12x75cl |
£150.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Pommard, Rebourgeon-Mure, Burgundy, France |
2012-2016 |
12x75cl |
£159.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Arvelets, Rebourgeon-Mure, Burgundy, France |
2014-2020 |
12x75cl |
£216.00 |
|
|
|
Show all wines with notes in printable format |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Domaine Michelot
Mère et Fille, Meursault
|
|
An all-girl operation in Burgundy! That's quite a
rarity. The Fille
is a funky, flirtatious young woman who
produces, with her husband, a fabulous range of pure,
mineral wines. I like the style, both of the wines
and the fille!
|
|
| Vintage |
Wine |
Drink dates |
Case size |
Price
IB |
Notes |
Order |
| 2005 |
Meursault Tillets, Michelot Mère et Fille, Burgundy, France |
2009-2015 |
12x75cl |
£225.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Puligny 1er Cru Les Folatières, Michelot Mère et Fille, Burgundy, France |
2010-2017 |
12x75cl |
£330.00 |
|
|
|
Show all wines with notes in printable format |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Domaine Guy Amiot, Chassagne
|
|
This domaine has something of a host of importers in
the UK and, unusually, I do not begrudge sharing the
glory! Amiot produces extraordinarily fine wine from
its range of antique vineyards in Chassagne and keeps
prices sensible, for which they deserve great kudos.
The style is easy, seamless and pure. I love visiting
and I love the wines.
|
|
| Vintage |
Wine |
Drink dates |
Case size |
Price
IB |
Notes |
Order |
| 2005 |
Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Macherelles, Guy Amiot, Burgundy, France |
2009-2014 |
12x75cl |
£228.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers, Guy Amiot, Burgundy, France |
2011-2016 |
12x75cl |
£228.00 |
|
|
| 2005 |
Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets, Guy Amiot, Burgundy, France |
2012-2017 |
12x75cl |
£246.00 |
|
|
|
Show all wines with notes in printable format |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
