I only made it to two of the en primeur Burgundy 2004 tastings (prices exclude duty and VAT), but they supported the impression I gained about this vintage on my sneak preview of November when I attended the Hospices de Beaune auction.
Berry Bros & Rudd
Hèritiers du Comte Lafon Macon-Chardonnay Clos de la Crochette – like the name, a mouthful – good, concentrated Macon with plenty of fruit, classic nutty notes, toast and vanilla bean – £96.00/case
Hèritiers du Comte Lafon Macon-Milly-Lamartine, Clos du Four – finer than the first though still very concentrated with a lively, mineral seam – £108.00/case
Olivier Merlin St Véran Le Grand Bussière – lots of vanilla bean on nose and palate but nicely animated fruit cut with slivers of green and toasted almond. £126.00/case
Olivier Merlin Pouilly-Fuissé Clos des Quarts – supple, broad, powerful wine with lemon, lemon oil, butter and vanilla – £150.00/case
Olivier Merlin Pouilly-Fuissé Terroir de Vergisson – a high limestone content at Vergisson accounts for this drier and racier style - lemony fruit with mineral and biscuit/toast nuances. £150.00/case
Domaine Michel Bouzereau Meursault, Tessons – quite oaky, rich, broad style – £180.00/case
Domaine Michel Bouzereau Meursault Les Perrieres 1er Cru – very complex, textured, lively and minerally – tightly wound and concentrated – £330.00
Chateau de Puligny-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres 1er Cru – very seamless, silky style with weighty yet lively fruit – £390.00/case
Domaine de la Vougeraie Clos Blanc de Vougeot 1er Cru – terrific mineral charge keeps the candied citrus fruit focused and long – very good – £390.00/case
Domaine Bertagna Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru – very dense, powerful, tight; shows creamy notes on the long, very minerally finish – £498.00/case
Domaine Bertagna Vougeot Clos de la Perriere 1er Cru – very spicy, liquorice and clove nose – follows through on the palate which shows quite dense dark fruits and ripe tannins – long on flavour – £300.00/case
Domaine Bertagna Clos St Denis, Grand Cru – very rich and spicy dark and fleshy plum and black cherry fruit with smoked meats – powerful, dense and flavoursome. £498.00/case
Domaine Ghislain Barthod Chambolle Musigny - sweet summer berry fruits on the nose; the palate is rich with black cherry, kirsch and chocolate; pleasantly textured, slightly velvety tannins – yum. £222.00/case
Domaine Ghislain Barthod Chambolle Musigny Les Beaux-Bruns 1er Cru – my tasting notes say “lovely, lovely” – rich, seamless style – chocolate and kirsch with a taffeta, layered texture – £360.00/case
Domaine Georges Roumier Chambolle Musigny – very silky, supply expressive Pinot – more delicate than Barthod – with lovely red summer fruits and violet notes – superb – £222.00/case
Domaine Georges Roumier Chambolle Musigny – drier and more savoury – slightly animal – than the village wine; very good concentration and balance – accomplished.
Domaine Georges Roumier Bonnes Mares Grand Cru – gorgeous nose and palate with violets, chocolate and red summer fruits – this really flies – ethereal – sold out
Domaine Denis Bachelet Gevrey Chambertin – in general, this domaine’s wines were rather more closed than others but there was no mistaking their depth of supple fruit and ripe, textured tannins – £240.00/case.
Domaine Denis Bachelet Gevrey Chambertin Les Corbeaux 1er Cru – old vines planted in 1920 give great depth of fruit and a long, long finish. Sold out
Domaine Denis Bachelet Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru – very deep, dark and tight. Sold out.
Bouchard Père et Fils
Beaune de Chateau 1er Cru (Blanc) – candied lemon flavours undercut with lively acidity in this tightly structured wine – long, fine, minerally finish.
Meursault Genevrieres 1er Cru – very powerful; rich, spicy and long with minerally undertones.
Puligny-Montrachet Les Chalumeaux 1er Cru – fresh, fine, floral, citrussy and minerally with subtle toasty notes – everything one expects from Puligny.
Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres 1er Cru – very powerful, intense wine with a nice charge of acidity giving freshness and focus.
Savigny Les Beaune – lovely fresh, floral nose – excellent fruit purity with succulent black cherry.
Savigny Les Beaune Les Lavieres 1er Cru – very good depth of plum and black cherry fruit with an attractive earthiness and sturdy tannins.
Beaune du Chateau 1er Cru – suave black cherry and red fruits, with raw beetroot and suede/pigskin – good depth and breadth of palate – very satisfying.
Beaune Marconnets 1er Cru – very, very good with lovely ripe yet focused, perfumed fruit.
Beaune Greves Vigne de L’Enfant Jesus1er Cru – very good with spicy, savoury beetroot, sandalwood backed by firmish tannins.
Volnay Clos des Chenes – lovely supple red fruits on the rich and generous palate with spicy, star anise notes; well structured.
Nuits St George Clos des Argillieres 1er Cru – fragrant nose with beetroot and spice; supple palate with good fruit purity and a meaty edge.
Nuits St George Les Cailles 1er Cru – very sweet red fruits with some wilder bilberry flavours; good intensity.
Vosne-Romanee Les Suchots 1er Cru – attractive floral, fruity nose with red cherry (cherry lips) and cherry/almond pie flavours.
Sarah Ahmed
The Wine Detective
January 2006
