The Chambertin Clos de Beze 2008 from Henri Roch is a organic beauty. The nose is exploding with red berry fruit and spices – notes of raspbarries, strawberries, cinnamon, gooseberries and all spice. On the palate rich organic red fruit – intense and foucused by the quite impressive expression of the Clos de Beze terroir and the lovely crisp 2008 acidity. Really love the combination of the acidity driven vintage and the rich organic style of Prieure-Roch. If you like the style then the Clos de Beze from Roch is most likely one of the very best low SO2 wines made in Burgundy.
(Drink from 2019) – Very Fine+ (94p) – Tasted 19/03/2013 in Beaune.
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I have recently worked on some articles about the great terroirs – starting with Romanee-Saint-Vivant. In this proces I sort of got caught up in the history of the Romanee-Saint-Vivant vineyard, thus also the history of DRC and the L’abbeye Saint-Vivant de Vergy – and wanted to explore this further.
I was therefore very exited when I got the opportunity to visit DRC on my March trip to Burgundy – the date 20th of March 2013 will be remembered.
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On my March trip to Burgundy I had the opportunity to taste quite a few wines from the 2012 vintage – and here are my first impressions of the 2012 vintage.
A word of warning – it’s still very early to evaluate the quality and characteristics of the 2012 vintage – and my sample of 2012s is still quite limited – so this is only initial impressions of the vintage.
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The Romanee-Conti 2011 is a zen like statement for the 2011 vintage. The bouquet offer deep and intense quite dark pinot fruit, with notes of rose petals, cinnamon and violets. It’s currently quite discrete – but very intense with a filigree complexity of airy transparent fruit. The palate show very intense red and dark fruit … the tannins are refined and finely grained but also quite powerful .. keeping the wine very focused on the midpalate. The finish is impressively long and complex with the vibrant fruit coating the refined minerality. Discrete and understated but showing great depth and a aristocratic poise – a truly extraordinary wine.
(Drink from 2030) – Extraordinary (97 – 98p) – Tasted 20/03/2013 from cask.
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The 2002 Aux Boudots from Meo-Camuzet is somehow slightly disappointing. In the bouquet dark berry fruit, raspberries, liquorice and oak with the alcohol slightly forward in the nose. On the palate layers of quite dense and rather dark fruit – still quite restrained by the oak in this otherwise fruity vintage. It’s quite harmonius but still quite backward – and while the attractive sweet primary fruit has disappeard the oak and tannins are still very much present – was in my view better a few years back. Still – it’s not a bad wine now – but certainly not my style of Burgundy with it’s slightly austere and extracted expression.
(Drink from Now) – Good+ (88p) – Tasted 12/04/2013.
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The Echezeaux 2011 from Liger-Belair is a lovely effort. Made from old vines in the very good climates Cruots and Champs Traversin.The nose is offering delicate red berry fruit with a lovely Vosne spicyness – notes of peppar, violets and peony rose. On the palate layers of fruit and mineralic aromas, powerful and yet refined. The core of sweet red fruit on the midpalate is quite seductive and the length is quite impressive – true grand cru poise.
(Drink from 2025) – Very Fine+ (93 – 95p) – Tasted 18/03/2013 – In Vosne – Barrel sample.
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The Clos de Vougeot 2011 from Bouchard is really showing well. In the bouquet layers of red berry fruit with a lovely spicyness – hints of violets, horseradish and chocolate. On the palate very harmonious with layers of quite intense fruit – a lovely mineralic tension – and a very nice acidity. It’s long and intense with very good midpalate weight. The oak is offering good support in the long and docused finish. A big wine but still quite lightfooted and refined for a Clos de Vougeot. A really fine effort from Bouchard.
(Drink from 2025) – Fine+ 93p – Tasted 01/05/2013.
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