Print this page

Red Burgundy

 

Vintages:
1982 - An enormous vintage, resulting in many dilute wines, which haven't aged well. Not a vintage to look out for.
1983 - A vintage I emphatically do look out for - but only in the Côte de Beaune. There were all sorts of problems in the Côte de Nuits, including rot and hail. There probably are some good bottles about, but I'm not sure it's worth the risk. On the Côte de Beaune, however, there was a healthy crop of ripe, thick-skinned grapes. The wines have weight, structure, fruit and great charm.
1984 - Not popular, but reputable domaines made good wines.
1985 - Very popular, producing delicious wines the length of Burgundy.
1986 - Uneven. Avoid the Côte de Beaune, where even reputable domaines made some peculiar tasting wines. Better on the Côte de Nuits.
1987 - Perfectly satisfactory, although commentators have been rude about it - and conveniently well priced.
1988 - This was a very slow maturing vintage, but just about all wines have now come round.
1989 - Exceptionally hot, ripe vintage. The wines are maturing faster than both the 88s and the 90s.
1990 - Brilliant, a great year. Another hot, ripe vintage, but with better structure than the 89s (viz. not only fruit and tannin, but also acidity).
1991 - Good - all the wines I have tasted from this vintage have been fine.
1992 - Lighter - a bit like 1987: early maturing but perfectly satisfactory.
1993 - Terrific. The more I taste, the more I like this vintage. Lovely fruit supported by a firmness that gives the wines a wonderful texture.
1994 - Be careful with this vintage: many one-dimensional, dilute wines were made, especially among the more lowly appellations on the Côte de Nuits.
As always, there are exceptions.
Better on the Côte de Beaune, with Savigny-les-Beaune doing particularly well.
1995 - An excellent vintage. The tannins are beginning to soften, and the wines are turning out fine.
1996 - My first impression was that this is a great vintage, for both reds and whites, which both display exceptional balance, with really beautiful, clearly defined fruit. My view hasn't changed, but some reds are going through a closed stage and need keeping before they open up again.
1997 - Patchy. The best are brilliant, but the weather was hot at harvest time, causing problems in some growers' cellars. The whites seem to me to be uniformly delicious - a vintage for drinkers rather than commentators, who have criticised it for lack of acidity, structure, etc.
1998 - The weather during the growing season was challenging, but the wines from the growers we deal with have turned out surprisingly well.
1999 - Outstanding vintage. Despite a very large harvest, the wines are delicious across the board.
2000 - A perfectly good, but early maturing vintage.
2001 - The weather was very difficult. There was rain at harvest time, and there was rot, which attacks the colouring matter in wines, resulting in some very light colours indeed in some cases. As a generalisation, the further south you go in the Côte d'Or (and beyond) the more tricky the vintage. Uneven for whites.
2002 - Lovely vintage (for both reds and whites) - exceptional ripeness with good balance.
2003 - Many growers seemed worried about this vintage on my visit to France in 2004 - there was talk of baked flavours, of raisins and prunes in the wines, and anxiety over volatile acidity. Personally, I was impressed by the wines, which seemed to me to have not only excellent colour, but good, ripe structure as well.
2004 - Mixed vintage - with some rather weedy examples about, but also some really excellent wines were made, with impressive colour and vivid, fresh flavours.
2005 - Great vintage: benign weather conditions allowed a crop of healthy, perfectly ripe gapes to be harvested; both reds and whites are showing wonderful balance.
2006 - Very attractive vintage of early-maturing wines. Most wines up to and including village level are drinking very well now, and some Premier Crus as well. Low tannins, lighter colour than 2005 (not surprisingly!), but lovely fresh fruit. Similar in character to 2000, but better quality.
2007 - Difficult year, with a damp summer causing a lot of rot. Small quantities of very early-maturing wines, earlier than 2006. As always, it depends on the grower - for example, the Domaine Gachot-Monot used tables de trie for the first time, and has made some very appetising wines.
2008 - Very promising - good colour, and lovely flavour in the wines I have tasted, combined with a firmness that bodes well for the future. 
2009 - Of course it is too early to say, but the growing season, and harvest, went swimmingly, and there are a lot of rather excited Burgundians about, some saying that it's better than 2005.

 

BOURGOGNE 2006 Domaine Gachot-Monot
This is made from 100% Pinot Noir, and is a fresh, easy drinking, delicious example of a grower's generic red burgundy.

   £9.20

BOURGOGNE ÉPINEUIL 2005 Domaine Leger
Sadly, the 2006 has all gone. The 2005 is a firmer, more deeply coloured (or rather, less pale) wine, with good future development ahead of it.

   £9.95

CLOS TOULMIN Pinot Noir 2003 AC Bourgogne Ordinaire
Characteristically (for this extraordinary vintage) this wine has unusually deep colour and a smell perhaps more reminiscent of the Rhône than of Burgundy. It is nevertheless a delicious drink. Recommended.

   £9.95

BOURGOGNE HAUTES CÔTES DE BEAUNE 2005 Domaine Michel Serveau
Vivid, brilliant, delicious, exciting Pinot Noir which is already drinking beautifully but may be kept for years yet.

   £9.95

MARSANNAY "Les Genelières" 2002 Domaine Alain Guyard
This has an extremely pleasing bright ruby colour and lovely nose of vivid grapy aromas. In the mouth it is fruity, with subdued tannins and excellent acidity. Fine expressive finish.

   £9.96

MARANGES 2002 Domaine Claude Nouveau
Fairly deep colour; dense smell and flavour, with plenty of tannin; a touch of rusticity.

   £10.50

CLOS TOULMIN Pinot Noir 2005 AC Bourgogne Ordinaire
Outstanding vintage.

   £11.50

CÔTE DE NUITS VILLAGES 2004 Domaine Gachot-Monot
This is drinking brilliantly at the moment - very fresh and lively, but with a touch of farmyard coming through.

   £11.75

AUXEY-DURESSES 2003 Domaine Christophe Mary
Christophe Mary makes very pale reds. So even in a hot vintage such as 2003, this wine does not have a lot of colour - but it does have plenty of ripe, sunny flavour.

   £11.85

BOURGOGNE HAUTES-CÔTES-DE-NUITS "Clos du Vignon" 2005
Domaine Thevenot-Le Brun
Lovely vintage, drinking well now, can be kept for ten years.

   £11.95

SANTENAY 1er Cru "Grand Clos Rousseau" 2003 Domaine Claude Nouveau
Firm, rich, deeply coloured red burgundy.

   £11.95

CÔTE DE NUITS VILLAGES 2006 Domaine Gachot-Monot
Now drinking really well, with sumptuous fruit, and glorious flavour. A wonderful advertisement for fairly priced red burgundy.

   £12.95

AUXEY-DURESSES 2004 Domaine Jean-Pierre Diconne
Quite pale, with a lovely fresh smell. Flavour of what the French call "petits fruits rouges", and nice persistent finish.

   £12.95

BEAUNE "Les Prévoles" 2002 Domaine Pascal Prunier
My tasting note taken in Burgundy in January 2007; " Slight pink at rim, but looking young and healthy. On nose: "sous-bois". In mouth: much more open and developed (!) - with delicious spice - touch of tannin (not aggressive). Lovely.
Good fruit too + nice length."

   £12.99

BOURGOGNE HAUTES CÔTES DE NUITS "Clos des Dames Huguettes" 2006 Domaine Philippe Gavignet
This is a reliably wonderful, reasonably priced burgundy that I have been buying for ten years now - it also ages well. This vintage is fresh, lively and ready for drinking. Recommended.

   £13.50

BOURGOGNE HAUTES CÔTES DE NUITS 2002 Domaine Michel Gros
Top quality domaine based in Vosne-Romanée, making delicious reds throughout their range. This is excellent for drinking now, with some weight and substance, but will also keep and develop for at least a decade.

   £13.95

CÔTE DE NUITS VILLAGES "Les Chaillots" 2007 Domaine Gachot-Monot
2007 was rather a light vintage, but this has freshness, energy and lots of charm. Excellent with white meats such as chicken and turkey - and also pork.

   £14.85

CÔTE DE NUITS VILLAGES "Les Chaillots" 2001 Domaine Gachot-Monot
Still crisp and fresh, but also displaying flavours of leather, game and truffles, this is delicious, mature red burgundy - excellent with almost any food, but would go
particularly well with pheasant, coq au vin, roast lamb or a juicy piece of steak.

   £14.85

SAINT ROMAIN "Sous le Château" 2006 Domaine Pascal Prunier
Light, spicy, ready for drinking. Excellent.

   £14.95

MARANGES 1er Cru La Fussière 2006 Domaine Claude Nouveau
Pale colour, but really beautiful flavour. This is drinking extremely well now, but has the potential to age for up to 10 years.

   £15.95

SANTENAY 1er Cru Grand Clos Rousseau 2005 Domaine Claude Nouveau
Exceptional vintage, brilliant wine with wonderful texture.

   £16.50

NUITS SAINT GEORGES 2003 Domaine Gachot-Monot
Rich, very ripe, drinking well now that the tannins have softened.

   £16.75

MONTHÉLIE "Les Crays" 2006 Domaine Pascal Prunier
A lighter vintage, but with delicious fresh red cherry fruit.

   £16.95

SAVIGNY LES BEAUNE 1er Cru Les Hauts Jarrons 2006
Domaine Louis Chenu Père et Filles
This estate is now run by the two daughters of Louis Chenu. The style of this wine is pale, but with delicious, faintly peppery, cherry-ish flavour. Though still young, 2006 is an early maturing vintage, and this wine is fine for drinking now.

   £17.50

NUITS SAINT GEORGES 2005 Domaine Gachot-Monot
From vines close to the boundary with Vosne-Romanée, displaying some of the spiciness of Vosne-Romanée and perhaps less of the earthiness of Nuits Saint Georges.

   £17.57

GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN 2006 Domaine Alain Voegeli
Here is my tasting note taken at the domaine in January 2007:
Deepish colour, purple/pink at rim. Slightly pencil leads on nose, + black cherries. Lovely in mouth: black fruits, vanilla, soft at beginning - some tannin coming on later, but staying fine and unaggressive. Spicy as well.
Good lift of fruit on finish.

   £19.50
   

"LE SANG ROUGE DE LA TERRE" 2005 ORGANIC
AC Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire
Domaine Bernard van Berg
Extraordinary wine: amazingly sweet entry (indicating ripeness), smoky, spicy flavour, with wonderful full finish. Could do with cellaring, though I like it now!

   £19.95

NUITS SAINT GEORGES Vieilles Vignes 2007 Domaine Philippe Gavignet
Slightly paler colour than usual, but really wonderful smell, fruit and oak combining in a most pleasing manner; in the mouth, spicy, lively, delicious - and reasonably priced.

   £21.95

VOLNAY 1er Cru Les Mitans 2005 Domaine Bruno Fèvre
For labelling purposes, this vineyard has changed name - it used to be known as "En l'Ormeau", but was so rarely seen that it has been subsumed under the name of the more famous "Mitans". Perfumed nose, delicious flavour: spice, cherries.

   £22.50

NUITS SAINT GEORGES Vieilles Vignes 2006 Domaine Philippe Gavignet
A great success in this vintage - firm, with good colour, and long, assertive, cherry and raspberry flavour.

   £22.75

NUITS SAINT GEORGES 1er Cru "Les Bousselots" 2006
Domaine Philippe Gavignet
A brilliant success in this vintage, with bright, beautiful fruit.

   £25.50

NUITS SAINT GEORGES "Aux Crots" 2006 Domaine Gachot-Monot
Still undeveloped, though with very pretty fruit.

   £26.00

NUITS SAINT GEORGES 1er Cru "Les Poulettes" 2006 Domaine Gachot-Monot
Vivid fresh fruit, but should be kept for a few years yet.

   £29.95

CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY 2007 Juliette Chenu
The second vintage of this lovely wine that I have bought. A bit lighter than the 2006 (reflecting the vintage), with beautiful delicate Chambolle scent, a touch oak, and a hint of pepperiness.

   £27.50

CLOS DE VOUGEOT 2000 Domaine Jean Raphet
"Light colour, but dark hue. Deep, dense smell - plums, vanilla - rich - fascinating. Delicious, full, mouthfilling flavour, with terrific persistence. Silky texture, just a spot of tannin - and that finish ....!!!"
This is my tasting note taken at the domaine in January 2007.

   £46.95