The main event of Grands Jours de Bourgogne is the tasting at Chateau Clos de Vougeot. It was quite crowded this year, and it was therefore difficult to taste all the wines, and even more difficult to speak to some of the more popular producers. It was nevertheless a both interesting and lovely tasting – thanks to all the producers for supporting this event – it’s a treat.
Before I start to comment the wines – it’s important to note that it’s difficult to taste the wines at this time of the year – some are just bottled, others prepared for bottling and lastly there a lot of cask samples.
The wines were however showing better than two years ago – where quite a lot of the 2010 were very closed at the tasting – so a good start for the 2012s.
Notes from the Clos de Vougeot tasting
Sebastian Cathiard from Domaine Sylvain Cathiard was showing three gorgeous wines – the Vosne village 2012, the Vosne Aux Reignots 2012 and the magnificent Vosne Aux Malconsort 2012. All three wines showed very well (still in cask) with the Malconsort as one of the very best 1er crus of the tasting. These are silky and sexy wines.
Photo: Sebastian Cathiard serving the magnificent Malconsort.
Chateau de la Tour (Francois Labet) showed both the Clos de Vougeot Classic 2012 and the Clos de Vougeot Vieilles Vignes 2012 – both showed very fine form – fruit driven, good nerve and transparency – lovely wines – please note the Vieilles Vigne is a quite big step up in quality – a great Clos de Vougeot by any standard.
Bruno Clavelier showed a very nice lineup of both village and 1er crus from 2012 – all focused, pure and with a lovely display of Vosne terroir – classic Vosne wines.
Photo: Bruno Clavelier serving one of his terroir driven Vosne cuvees.
Regis Forey from Domaine Forey in Vosne-Romanee showed three wines – the Vosne village 2012, the Vosne-Romanee Gaudichots 2012 and the Echezeaux 2012. The wines were just bottled and was slightly closed with the tannins slightly forward. The potential is nevertheless fine – really like these robust and classic Vosne wines.
Photo: Regis Forey from Domaine Forey
Gros Frere et Soeur showed six wines – from the Vosne village to the Richebourg. Most of the wines were very closed and impossible to evaluate – but the Richebourg showed quite well – not quite matching the Anne Gros Richebourg.
Anne Gros served the Clos de Vogeot, the Echezeaux and the big Richebourg. The wines were slightly on the dark side – without seeming too extracted – especially the Echezeaux showed well on the day. The Richebourg is however by far the best wine in the line-up.
Photo: Anne Gros serving the lovely Richeborg 2012.
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair was serving Vosne La Colombiere 2012 (bottled), Vosne Clos du Chateau 2012 (bottled), Aux Reignots 2012, Ecehzeaux 2012 and La Romanee 2012. La Colombiere showed very well with the oak well integrated – while the Clos du Chateau was somewhat closed. The three top wines were cask samples – and showed fine potential – but they were slightly closed compared to the cask samples tasted last year – gorgeous wines.
Photo: Louis-Michel Liger-Belair cheerfully greeting the photographer.
Domaine Meo-Camuzet showed four wines – Vosne village 2012, Vosne Chaumes 2012, Echezeaux 2012 and Clos de Vougeot 2012 – all very nice wines – but I’m missing a bit nerve and energy in the fruit – is extraction still slightly on the high side? in my view it is.
Thibault Liger-Belair showed three wines … Vosne-Romanee Aux Reas 2012, Clos de Vougeot 2012 and Richebourg 2012. On the day they were perhaps lacking a bit of nerve and complexity – again the extraction seem to be slightly on high side – in my personal view.
Important to note that while I feel the extraction by some producers are slightly on the high side – these wines are by no means bad or poor wines – it’s just my opinion that they could have been even better with a bit less extraction.
Photo: Thibault Liger-Belair serving one of his wines.
Mugneret-Gibourg served the Vosne village 2012, Clos de Vougeot and Echezeaux 2012 – all very lovely wines – pure, fruit driven with fine focus and delightfully drinkable. I love this Domaine …
Photo: Marie-Christine Teillaud (born Mugneret) serving the lovely Echezeaux 2012
Domaine Georges Noellat was showing a gorgeous lineup of 2012s – very fruity, transparent and balanced. The village Vosne and the Chaumes are perhaps slightly on the light side – but very attractive and showing that concentration is not all in Burgdundy. Les Petits Monts, Les Beaux Monts were both beautiful and the Echezeaux and the Grands Echezeaux are both magnificent wines – adding layers of fruit and complexity. I was very impressed by the Georges Noellat wines – pure fruit – adorable with nerve, energy and a transparent view to the terroir – and with the oak well integrated in the wines.
Photo: Maxine Cheurlin serving one of his gorgeous 2012s
Domaine Robert Sirugue is a relatively unknown Domaine … but the 2012s deserves high acclaim. They are fruit driven, transparent with a lovely playful energy in the fruit. The Vosne village has more concentration than previous vintages, the Petits Monts is showing a beautiful expression of terroir and the Grands Echezeaux is very refined, balance and has a lovely nerve in the midpalate fruit. While the wines can’t rival the Georges Noellat set – they are indeed lovely wines.
Last but not least Cecile Tremblay who served a lovely set of fruit driven wines … she is improving year after year. Always liked the expressive fruit in these wines … but now they also show better focus, transparency and nerve. These are lovely wines.
Tasting notes – from the Clos de Vougeot tasting
I will post tasting notes on the wines that showed well at the tasting … these will be published over the next months – stay tuned!
Articles from Grands Jours de Borugogne 2014
- Grands Jours de Bourgogne … notes from Clos de Vougeot March 23, 2014
- Grands Jours de Bourgogne – Tasting at Clos de Vougeot March 20, 2014
- Grands Jours de Bourgogne – vintage impression – reds 2012 March 19, 2014
- Grands Jours de Bourgogne – vintage impression – white 2012s March 18, 2014