Verkostungsnotiz 27.02.2006: Burgund 2003

Verkostungsnotiz 27.02.2006:

Burgund 2003

Last Monday I attended a Burgundy 2003 tasting conducted by Gerhard Präsent in Graz/Austria to get an impression of this vintage as reference for my own stock I do not intend to open for 10 or even more years - even if the diversity of the Burgundy wines is this great that there was only an amazingly low match between the wines in the tasting and my own wines (2 out of 22).
I am not very cosy with young Burgundies (prefer them being at least 10 years or older) and have a hard time to assess them "correctly" but think of myself as a reasonable accurate taster concerning the overall structure and therefore basic quality of even young wines but less sensible to specific aromas and flavours. And my taste is certainly a very personal one, so my tasting notes and scores have to be seen against this background.

The tasting was organised as single blind tasting (22 wines out of a known list of may be 50 wines) with 6 flights with 3 or 4 wines each. White wine glasses with similar shape as an ISO tasting glass were used and the wines were decanted shortly before pouring. In total 3 Burgundies 2002 pirates were included to contrast the 2003 vintage.

Flight 1:

2003 Dominique Laurent, Clos Baulet, Morey-Saint-Denis PC, Burgundy, France: 85

Optic: Brilliant light ruby.
Bouquet: Slight cess pool stink.
Taste: Slim body, slightly bitter red fruit, concise acidity, barely a finish, bitter austere slightly coarse tannins in the aftertaste.
Overall: May be nice wine with food.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 12 for bouquet + 15 for taste + 5 for overall = total score of 85.

2003 Jean-Frederic Mugnier, Chambolle Musigny Village, Burgundy, France: 76

Optic: Watery light clear ruby, light rim.
Bouquet: Barely a nose, hint of red fruit.
Taste: Watery body, hint of tannins, low fruit, low acidity no finish.
Overall: Uninteresting.
Score: 50 + 2 for optic + 10 for bouquet + 13 for taste + 3 for overall = total score of 76.

2003 Vicomte Liger-Belair, Clos du Château, Vosne-Romanée Village, Burgundy, France: 82

Optic: Very light ruby, fine bubbles in the rim.
Bouquet: Hint of dark fruit in the nose, restrained vegetal.
Taste: Very slim body, red fruit with acid touch, low tannins, short finish, watery aftertaste.
Overall: Not very pleasing.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 11 for bouquet + 14 for taste + 4 for overall = total score of 82.

Simple wines to go with your dinner. In other regions as Burgundy the producers would risk personal attacks for selling such mediocre wines for such prices.

Flight 2:

2003 Gérard Raphet, Charmes-Chambertin GC, Burgundy, France: 89

Optic: Watery light brilliant ruby.
Bouquet: Delicate slightly cooked dar red fruit, pure.
Taste: Slim body, raspberry, later on fermentation aromas, nice acidity, velvety tannins, acidity bit spiky, sweet-sour drops in the aftertaste.
Overall: Versatile with food.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 6 for overall = total score of 89.

2003 Arlaud, Clos de la Roche GC, Burgundy, France: 87

Optic: Brilliant light ruby.
Bouquet: Delicate clean red fruit, vegetal hint.
Taste: Very slim body, slightly bitter tannins, masked acidity, low in fruit, austere. Medium finish, velvety austere tannins.
Overall: Versatile with food.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 15 for taste + 6 for overall = total score of 87.

2003 Heresztyn, Clos-Saint-Denis, Gevrey-Chambertin GC, Burgundy, France: 87

Optic: Very light watery ruby, bubbles in the rim.
Bouquet: Clean dark raspberry fruit.
Taste: Medium body, tannins and acidity bit coarse, low in fruit. Finish on the tannic side, hairy teeth.
Overall: Versatile with food.
Score: 50 + 2 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 16 for taste + 6 for overall = total score of 87.

2003 Lambrays, Clos des Lambrays GC, Burgundy, France: 87

Optic: Brilliant light ruby, fat tears.
Bouquet: Slightly dusty red fruit.
Taste: Medium body, acidity bit spiky, hint of red fruit, velvety tannins. Medium finish, spiky acidity in the aftertaste.
Overall: Versatile with food.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 12 for bouquet + 16 for taste + 6 for overall = total score of 87.

Did not get much better despite greater names.

Flight 3:

2003 Meo-Camuzet, Les Chaumes, Vosne-Romanée PC, Burgundy, France: 94

Optic: Brilliant medium ruby, touch purple, fat tears.
Bouquet: Cheesy stink, slowing down, white pepper, vegetables.
Taste: Medium body, intense acidity, dark red pure fruit, mouth impregnating tannins. Slightly burning finish, bit hot, acidity.
Overall: Power wine.
Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 18 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 94.

2002 Leroy, Les Beaux-Monts, Vosne-Romanée PC, Burgundy, France: 93

Optic: Medium garnet.
Bouquet: Classic PN nose, nice red fruit.
Taste: Slim body, fine acidity, beautiful red fruit, velvety silky tannins. Long finish, fine persistent tannins.
Overall: Classic great Burgundy.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 18 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 93.

2003 J.J.Confuron, Aux Boudots, Nuits-Saint-Georges PC, Burgundy, France: 87

Optic: Brilliant light ruby.
Bouquet: Very restrained dark fruity nose, rather simple.
Taste: Slim body, red fruit of low intensity, low acidity, low tannins. Medium finish.
Overall: Versatile with food.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 12 for bouquet + 16 for taste + 6 for overall = total score of 87.

The Meo-Camuzet Les Chaumes showed the characteristics I expected from this vintage (some body and power with good balance) and I was so happy that I overscored may be a bit despite an off aroma hint in the nose after some minutes in the glass.
The 2002 Leroy Les Beaux-Monts pirate was (despite the lower score) the clearly better wine and certainly the first one with clear Burgundy typicity. It was instantly to recognise that this wine was from another vintage.

Flight 4:

2003 Anne Gros, Le Grand Maupertui, Clos-Vougeot GC, Burgundy, France: 80

Optic: Light brilliant ruby.
Bouquet: Restrained young nose with fermentation aromas.
Taste: Slim body, young wine with fermentation flavours, simple, furry, not very attractive. Short finish, sour aftertaste.
Overall: May be a faulty bottle.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 11 for bouquet + 12 for taste + 4 for overall = total score of 80.

2003 Gérard Raphet, Vieilles Vignes, Clos-Vougeot GC, Burgundy, France: 83

Optic: Light ruby, bubbles in the rim.
Bouquet: Decent dark red fruit, bit pungent, rhubarb.
Taste: Medium body, sour note, simple red fruit. Medium finish, sour velvety tannins.
Overall: Simple and rough textured.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 12 for bouquet + 13 for taste + 5 for overall = total score of 83.

2003 Jean-Frederic Mugnier, Bonnes Mares GC, Burgundy, France: 91

Optic: Very light brilliant ruby, touch of garnet.
Bouquet: Sweet dark red fruit in the nose, silky, interesting.
Taste: Medium body, low in acidity, masked dark red fruit, massive velvety tannins. Long finish, austere, persistent, velvety tannins.
Overall: Quite of interest.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 91.

2003 Clos de Tart, Clos de Tart GC, Burgundy, France: 88

Optic: Dark and nearly opaque ruby, near purple.
Bouquet: Very restrained nose, pure dark fruit, some potential.
Taste: Medium body, not very harmonic, woody tart tannins, rather rustic acidity, long finish, not so nice woody aftertaste.
Overall: Some would call this a monster wine. Will hopefully come together.
Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 16 for taste + 5 for overall = total score of 88.

After the event I think the Anne Gros Clos Vougeot was a faulty bottle due to some off aromas and flavours. And the Mugnier showed quite good because usually I don't like Bonnes Mares this much. And for the Clos de Tart - I think this (power and concentration) could be expected from this vintage but here it is now certainly not in balance.

Flight 5:

2002 Hudelot-Noellat, Les Suchots, Vosne-Romanée PG, Burgundy, France: 90

Optic: Light brilliant garnet.
Bouquet: Delicate red fruity nose, cheesy note, vegetals.
Taste: Slim body, silky acidity, delicate red fruit, silky tannins. Long finish, fine mouth impregnating silky tannins, very persistent.
Overall: Beautiful wine.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 90.

2002 Jean Grivot, Les Suchots, Vosne-Romanée PC, Burgundy, France: 90

Optic: Light brilliant ruby.
Bouquet: Delicate dark red fruit, pure.
Taste: Slim to medium body, decent acidity, red fruit, intense velvety tannins. Very long finish, decent mouth impregnating tannins.
Overall: Austere but strong.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 90.

2003 Sylvain Cathiard, Les Suchots, Vosne-Romanée PC, Burgundy, France: 85

Optic: Brilliant light ruby.
Bouquet: Very restrained nose, green note.
Taste: Slim to medium body, bit spiky acidity, not good balanced. Short finish, coarse sour tannins in the aftertaste.
Overall: No Harmony.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 12 for bouquet + 15 for taste + 5 for overall = total score of 85.

2003 Robert Arnoux, Les Suchots, Vosne-Romanée PC, Burgundy, France: 90

Optic: Medium ruby, dense, clear.
Bouquet: Sweet raspberry fruit, pure.
Taste: Medium body, nearly rustic, green tannins, bitter, fruit masked. Long finish, austere astringent.
Overall: Rather austere.
Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 16 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 90.

Here again the Burgundies 2002 were by far the more attractive wines compared with the 2003 from this and the other flights.

Flight 6:

2003 Drouhin, Musigny GC, Burgundy, France: 86

Optic: Medium garnet, brilliant, touch ruby.
Bouquet: Slightly cheesy note, else masked bitter austere.
Taste: Slim body, rather sour taste, coarse red fruit, rather coarse tannins. Medium finish, coarse persistent tannins.
Overall: Not very attractive.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 12 for bouquet + 15 for taste + 6 for overall = total score of 86.

2003 Sylvain Cathiard, Romanée-Saint-Vivant GC , Burgundy, France: 89

Optic: Medium brilliant ruby.
Bouquet: Clean and pure delicate raspberry fruit, silky.
Taste: Slim body, bitter sour austere fruit. Medium finish, velvety mouth impregnating tannins.
Overall: Mediocre.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 16 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 89.

2003 J.J.Confuron, Romanée-Saint-Vivant GC, Burgundy, France: 91

Optic: Light and bright ruby.
Bouquet: Sweet delicate red fruit, some complexity.
Taste: Slim body, red fruity sour note, velvety persistent tannins. Long finish, sweet mouth impregnating tannins.
Overall: Some potential.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 91.

2003 Vicomte Liger-Belair, Aux Reignots, Vosne-Romanée PC, Burgundy, France: 93

Optic: Brilliant medium ruby.
Bouquet: Smoky velvety spicy nose, beautiful, pepper, slight stink.
Taste: Medium body, melting sweet acidity, intense red fruit, velvety tannins. Long finish, sweet-sour velvety tannins.
Overall: Potentially great wine.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 18 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 93.

The last two wines showed certainly high quality and enough potential for further development.

Although the sample may be far too small to make general conclusions for the 2003 Burgundy vintage I will try:
- Colour bit darker as "usual" (light ruby instead of medium garnet)
- Bouquet with rather low Burgundy Cote d'Or typicity, very restrained (may also be due to the young age)
- Taste: Body surprisingly thin, expected more concentration here. Flavours rather rustic, coarse and austere with sometimes spiky acidity. Wines will need some time to get some harmony if ever
- Overall: Low typicity. In double blind tastings without indication of the region most of the wines should be identifiable as Pinot Noirs but I am not so sure about Cote d'Or.

Interesting tasting with some controversial discussion of the features of some of the wines (therefore my reference to personal taste) and at least a few of the wines showed high hedonistic appeal for me - at the end of the tasting I had still enough stamina to take a few more sips of my favorits although I had to work next day.
One more amazing thing: Not one corked bottle.

2006-03-02/Schriftführer e.h.