The Red Wines of the 2008 Côte de Nuits Vintage

Vosne basks in the unseasonably warm sunshine

The Côte d’Or, whether one approaches it from the north or the south, begins with oft-overlooked, lesser known and rather underappreciated appellations. To balance the unreasonably ignored Maranges in the south (see our Openers offer for a seriously fine and fine value example) is the equally overlooked Marsannay in the north. Nudge further to the region’s centres – Beaune for the south and Nuits St Georges in the north – one finds, respectively, Santenay (ditto ref the Openers offer) and Fixin. Those who are happy to blow £18 (or the equivalent in your local currency) a bottle on New Zealand Pinot Noir should really put those wines up against the best from these backwater vineyards. I think you would then see where true value lies.  

South of Fixin, things become rather more recognisable. Is Gevrey-Chambertin and its Grands Crus now the most widely known name for red burgundy wine? I suspect so. It’s a big village/small town and contains at least as many bad wine makers as it does good.

Between La Tâche and Romanée-Conti lies the Grand Cru vineyard of La Grande Rue, a monopole of Francois Lamarche

Gevrey fades into Morey (where a couple of years ago I and my travelling partner stopped at a truckers caff and had some of the best gesiers I have ever eaten), then Chambolle, set back from the road. Vougeot, Vosne and Nuits follow, south of which and passed by a majority of motorists intent on reaching Beaune, a number of less celebrated villages: Comblanchien, with its marble quarries, and the rather lovelier Premeaux-Prissey.

Not the main road to Chambolle

Precise expressions of terroir are to be found in the 2008s represented below. And what terroir it is.

To read  more about each producer, go to the main 2008 Burgundy  document and click on the links.

Vintage	Wine	Drink dates	Case size	Price
2008	Gevrey-Chambertin., Drouhin-Laroze, Burgundy, France Notes: A spicy nose and one full of black fruits; feral, if not plain wild. Black plums, a touch smoky   Spicy, mineral and intense on the palate, this is beautifully cool. The fruit flavours are red and black and seriously fresh. Tannins are rich, spicy and tackily supportive. A long, juicy, finely balanced example. Very Gevrey.   "A very pure and very Gevrey nose of red pinot fruit that speaks of a pungent earth and animale character, both of which can also be found on the detailed, precise and lightly minerally-driven flavors that culminate in a firm but balanced finish. This is lovely for its appellation and fashioned in an understated style." Allen Meadows AKA The Burghound	2013-2019	12x75cl	£231.00
2008	Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Etelois., Rossignol-Trapet, Burgundy, France Notes: N.B. This is next to the Charmes Grand Cru   A lovely rich and masculine nose (and, unlike Chambolle, Gevrey should be a masculine wine) of red plums and their skins, as well as dried flowers   A mouthful brings a cool and subtle experience in medium-weight guise. This has minerality galore from the vineyard's soils, as well as subtle grip at the back of the palate. Tannins are fine and well presented. Elegant, lovely Gevrey   "This also sports a very pure, airy and ultra classic high-toned pinot nose that complements the detailed and delicious light to medium-bodied flavors that possess lovely underlying tension and ample persistence..." Allen Meadows AKA The Burghound	2012-2017	12x75cl	£282.00
2008	Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaut-St-Jacques, Drouhin-Laroze, Burgundy, France Notes: Lovely concentration of smoky, rich, licorous red and black, spicy fruit. If that ain't classy Gevrey, I don't know what is   Supple, the wave of fluid, silken cherry and berry, pure fruit that rolls over the tongue. There's a fine, dusty minerailty. Cool; crisp; long; balanced. And then the lovely, fine, chewy tannins. A fabulous crunch finishes it off. Fine stuff.     "There is more aromatic breadth with an ultra pure and very cool nose of both red and blue pinot fruit whose character is very much shaped by the intense wet stone aromas that continue onto the beautifully detailed and solidly powerful flavors that culminate in an energetic, balanced, austere and long finish. Patience will be required." Allen Meadows AKA The Burghound	2014-2021	12x75cl	£336.00
2008	Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru, Rossignol-Trapet, Burgundy, France Notes: Gorgeous creamy nose here. I found red, ripe fruit of plums. It hints at strawberries. Smoked spices frame it Rich, fresh and lovely red berry fruit welcomes the taster. Crunchy, just-ripe fruits. Composed and knit; underpinned by minerals. There's the intent and drive of a Grand Cru here. It is crisp and very, very long at the finish. Smoke and wild blueberry and plum intertwine. Lovely. Just a fabulous finish.   "Very elegant on well defined on the feminine nose, red cherries, strawberry, a twist of Clementine and a touch of limestone. Understated, finesse. The palate is medium-bodied with light tannins, good acidity, laid back, refined, very natural and elegant." Neal Martin on erobertparker.com	2017-2028	12x75cl	£561.00
2008	Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru, Drouhin-Laroze, Burgundy, France Notes: Proper whiff of the bonfire here marks the pure, red cherry and currant fruit aromas. Floral notes add complexity. This has excellent richness and density to its nose   This is very straight in the mouth; controlled and a touch of peppery terroir broadens the interest. Tannins are chunky, integrated, the fruitfresh and lovely. A crunchy, spicy finish rounds things off. Serious wine this, of real Grand Cru quality.   "An expressive and elegant mélange of oak trimmed and very spicy red and blue pinot fruit aromas nuanced by hints of violets and the expected pungent Gevrey earth that is also picked up by the rich and particularly full flavors that possess a natural sweetness, which serves to buffer the firm tannins on the wonderfully persistent finish. A lovely and entirely classic Bèze that is built to age." Allen Meadows AKA The Burghound	2017-2029	12x75cl	£723.00
2008	Chambertin Grand Cru, Rossignol-Trapet, Burgundy, France Notes: Rich and animal nose. This manages to be both fresh and creamy and offers up bonfire-tinted strawberry and damson fruit. Powerful, concentrated nose   Very rich and silky fruit across the tongue; very spicy and red and black fruit. This is subtly intense. Highly, grainily mineral. The finish is marginally longer than the M4. Fine, classy shape in the mouth and a spicy bite to the subtle grip at the end. Fine wine     "The Chambertin is more taciturn than the Chapelle-Chambertin, brooding intensity here, unfurling wonderfully in the glass with raspberry, strawberry, a touch of espresso, hazelnut and a little spice. Great definition. The palate is full-bodied, powerful, taut edgy tannins, vibrant acidity with real mineralité coming through on the intense finish. This is an exceptional effort from Rossignol-Trapet, one of the top Chambertins in 2008." Neal Martin on erobertparker.com	2018-2029	12x75cl	£735.00
2008	Chambolle-Musigny La Combe d'Orveau., Jean Grivot, Burgundy, France Notes: Smelling proper Chambolle is borderline habit-forming. This gives off delicious floral aromas of red and black currants. As often, it smells regal, like the inside of a queen's leather gloves A lovely, nutty ripe palate follows. The freshness of the vintage is there, along with upright, cerebral tannins. Long and mineral, with a great crunch of intense grip at the back. Backward, linear, stuctured and very, very long indeed. Good, then!   "An airy, cool and high-toned nose features primarily red berry fruit and stone aromas where the latter element extends to the detailed, racy and focused middle weight flavors that possess fine balance and drive if only moderate concentration." Allen Meadows AKA The Burghound	2014-2021	12x75cl	£294.00
2008	Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, Jean Grivot, Burgundy, France Notes: This is a touch closed, but nods towards that wild, animal character that one expects from CV. Black plums and earth reiterate the sauvage nature of the nose   Rich, dark and earthy. One almost feels as though this would be a mole's preferred tipple. Richly fruity, this, as well as solidly tannic. Lovley freshness and purity along with granular minerals the texture of which makes one think they've been sucked up from well below ground level. Long in the finish and very square as it ends. Impressive wine, like a cohort moving across the senses.   "A discreet touch of wood frames strikingly complex, fresh and quite densely fruited earth suffused red pinot aromas that lead to rich, full-bodied and textured flavors that exude an overt muscularity on the equally explosive finish where the integrated tannins confer a dusty mouth feel to the moderately austere finale. This is also quite impressive but even more patience will be required." Allen Meadows AKA The Burghound	2018-2030	6x75cl	£334.50
2008	Echézeaux Grand Cru, François Lamarche, Burgundy, France Notes: A delicious, floral, lifted, red fruit nose. I found small spiced berries - raspberry and sloe - with a twist of nut   This is one rich, concentrated wine. There are rich and finely ripe tannins. The beautiful extract coats the palate with fresh and pure flavours. This really is very mineral and ends really juicily. What a lovely liquid!   "A discreet application of wood frames pretty and moderately spiced earth-infused red and blue pinot fruit cut with violet and rose petal hints that precede the rich yet detailed and admirably pure flavors where the supporting tannins display the barest hint of asperity that I suspect will round off in bottle." Allen Meadows AKA The Burghound	2016-2025	12x75cl	£597.00
2008	Vosne-Romanée, François Lamarche, Burgundy, France Notes: Very pretty nose to this Vosne: floral and freshly red fruit aromas, along with some spipcy wood notes   In the mouth, I found a seriously cool customer and highly concentrated fruit. Tannic support is fine and rich and coats the mouth spicily. Excellent length through the palate, with the acidity throughout kept beneath the fruit concentration. A peppery finish rounds off this classy village Vosne.     "A lightly spiced and airy red and blue berry fruit nose is cut with hints of anise that are also reflected by the textured, supple and very round flavors that possess a fine sense of detail on the lingering finish that is supported by dusty tannins." Allen Meadows AKA The Burghound	2013-2020	12x75cl	£303.00
2008	Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Rouges., Jean Grivot, Burgundy, France Notes: I'm going to deviate from the norm here and start with the shape of this stuff in the mouth, as it pretty much defined what I thought about it. To taste this is to experience a cylinder of highly concentrated, dense, red plum fruit, integrated - welded - to nutty firm tannins. Such a complete parcel. A solid, long cylinder of beautiful wine. Fabulous.   *No note from The Burghound*	2015-2024	12x75cl	£477.00
2008	La Grande Rue Grand Cru, François Lamarche, Burgundy, France Notes: Complex, floral aromas of spice and cassis. The floral scent reminded me of Azalea mollis: that heady, almost narcotic smell of springtime   Thistips into the mouth cool and creamy, picking up stucture and minerals as it stays in contact with one's tongue. Long and really fresh, showing sloe and pepper through to a very busy finish, full of intent. Very, very young, but what potential!	2017-2030	12x75cl	£1,350.00
2008	Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Les Bousselots., Jean Chauvenet, Burgundy, France Notes: Great pure crunch of small black berries to this. I found cherry and a hint of cassis   From the moment this hits the tongue, its structure is evident in its tacky, fine tannins. It's a rich wine and a finely balanced one. This is very straight in its shape; fresh, long and mineral. Very, very long and lovely Nuits.   "A ripe but airy, cool and attractive nose of cassis and blue berry gives way to supple, round and a bit less obviously structured middle weight flavors that culminate in a dusty, mouth coating and solidly complex finish. This too is quite pretty." Allen Meadows AKA The Burghound	2015-2023	12x75cl	£327.00
2008	Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Les Vaucrains, Jean Chauvenet, Burgundy, France Notes: For my money Vaucrains is about the best terroir of the Nuits appellation. This parcel was planted in 1962.   The nose is smoky and displays pure crisp black fruit along with the smoke. But there's so much else going on here in this really complex set of aromas. I found flowers, too.   The entry is a pure black fruit cream, plum and sloe. There's a spine of fresh minerality running right through the palate. Balance is extremely fine and the shape through the palate is exceptional. Great drive and intent. Lovely stuff.   "Also quite deeply colored. A highly layered nose of fresh and ripe cassis, spiced plum and pungent earth aromas complement the extremely rich, serious, brooding and animale flavors that are very firmly structured on the wonderfully complex, long and powerful finish. This is a big and bad example of the appellation that will require plenty of cellar time to shed its considerable tannic spine." Allen Meadows AKA The Burghound	2016-2025	12x75cl	£417.00
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Links to other 2008 Burgundy Offers

» Chablis Offer

» Côte de Nuits Offer

» Côte de Beaune Offer