Matching the big crus – from Chambolle to Le Chambertin

One rarely taste four evenly matched grand crus from the top end on a saturday afternoon. This was nevertheles the case today when Clos de Tart, Bonnes Mares from Vogüé and Roumier were opened with the Chambertin from Trapet.

All wines were from the 2013 vintage .. young – surprisingly open and forward on this fine fruit day. On paper the wines should be evenly matched quality wise .. and rather different style and expression wise.

The purpose to open these wines .. aside from a friendly banter – to evaluate the current strength of especially Clos de Tart.

So lets taste … hard but fairly civilized work ahead..

Overall impression of the four wines

The four wines all showed well .. with the Clos de Tart as the most forward and expressive followed by Roumier and Trapet. The Vogüé Bonnes Mares was slightly more backward .. but still showing well. I was perhaps most surprised by the delicate and forward red fruit of the Roumier at this stage.

All the wines balance between very fine+ (93 – 95p) and outstanding with the edge given to the Trapet Chambertin (95 – 96p) on this day – so yes they are indeed quite evenly matched.

Stylewise they all offer the robust sweet sour character of the 2013 vintage .. although the styling and the terroir is quite different.

I was somewhat surprised that the Clos de Tart stood it’s ground towards the two Bonnes Mares – these wines are all top shelf quality wise – a hard benchmark for the Clos de Tart.

Based on this tasting and the tasting of the 1996 Clos de Tart recently I must say that I find the Clos de Tart terroir very interesting … the vibrant complexity, the nerve and the quite lightfooted expression of the fruit and lively minerality appeals to me …

Interestingly – the 1996 vintage was one of the first vintages made by Sylvain Pitiot – he began in 1995 – and 2013 was presumably the last vintage where he did the full elevage of the wine.

The 2013 represent a step forward in sophistication and complexity from the 1996 – although somehow there are some similarities between the two vintages .. and the signature of the terroir is clear in both wines .. although more refined and detailed in the 2013.

I’m really exited to see what Jacques Devauges can accomplish in the 2015 vintage when he take over the full vinification and elevage of Clos de Tart.

The tasting notes … October 8th 2016 … fruit day

The wines were opened approx 20 minutes before the tasting … time to follow the wines over a couple of hours.

Clos de Tart 2013

The 2013 Clos de Tart is very forward and spicy offering a fine complexity and nerve. The bouquet offer a lovely red berry fruit – cherries, pomegranate, forest strawberries – perfumed with fine and delicate exotic spices – nutmeg, curry, cumin – and a fine vibrant minerality. On the palate lovely vibrant fruit and as the wine unfolds more and more midpalate generosity with a pure and transparent red fruit. The oak is very well integrated offering fine support in the finish. Really like the complexity and spicyness of this wine – stood it’s ground surprisingly well indeed in this “battle”. It’s the lightest of the four – but offering so much complexity wise – this is a very interesting terroir.

(Drink from 2027) – Very Fine+ – (93 – 95p) – Tasted 08/09/2016

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Domaine Roumier, Bonnes Mares 2013

The Bonnes Mares 2013 from Roumier is really showing well … more expressive than expected. The bouquet is offering lovely red and dark fruits – sweet core of ripe sweet berries – beautifully balanced with the red currant notes so typical for the vintage. The nose also offer a nice filigree minerality and lovely perfumed peony roses. On the palate fine and pure ripe fruit – lovely mid-palate generosity and concentration – sweet red forest berries combined by a deep note of blueberries. The fruit is airy and delicate … the Roumiers of the recent vintages 2013 and 2014 … are showing so beautifully at a young age. Has he made some adjustments to the vinification?

(Drink from 2035) – Very Fine+ – (94 – 95p) – Tasted 08/09/2016

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Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, Bonnes Mares 2013

The Bonnes Mares 2013 from Vogüé is a bit more backward than the three other wines, but nevertheless showing quite beautifully. It’s a more weighty and larger framed wine than the Roumier – but also darker and more serious – red soil vs red and white soil in the Roumier wine. The bouquet is slightly closed but offer layers of red and dark berry fruit – cherries, red currant and blueberries spiced with a some oriental spices and a deep earthy minerality. On the palate juicy and quite weigthy fruit – intense and long with a fine core of energetic red fruit – pomegranate and red currant combined with blueberries – a bit on the robust side – but still refined and detailed. Classic 2013, classic Vogüé …

(Drink from 2032) – Very Fine+ – (94 – 95p) – Tasted 08/09/2016

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Domaine Trapet, Chambertin 2013

The Chambertin from Trapet marks a step up in quality in my view … presumably this is the best terroir on the table this afternoon .. and it shows .. it’s longer and more intense, with a regal airyness found only in the best terroirs. The bouquet offer lovely organic red fruit – a bit closed – but still very vibrant and effortless – focused and energized by a tremendous minerality. On the palate lightfooted yet very intense and long – with layers of organic red fruit. The mineral backbone of this wine is tremendous offering so much energy and nerve to the wine. Love the natural and juicy fruit – very transparent – and then the terroir is taking this to another level of airy refinement.

(Drink from 2030) – Outstanding – (95 – 96p) – Tasted 08/09/2016

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