Reflecting on a great year, I have made a list of my top ten wines I drank. Interestingly there are four 1990 white’s, which is hardly a surprise given how good the vintage is.
Top Ten
1. Coche Dury Corton Charlemagne 1996 – this must be the elixir of the heavens. A life full of electric energy in this spine tingling wine. Truly humbling. This wine must be immortal!
2. Rousseau Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru 1985 – a big surprise, we didn’t have much expectations for this. But it was AWESOME. Drank literally on the shore of Lake Geneva. Apparently the only year they made a regular Gevrey 1er Cru.
3. Coche Dury Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrieres 1990 – explosive, huge length, won’t forget that first whiff of Meursault that nearly blew me off my chair!
4. Domaine d’Auvenay Meursault 1er Cru Goutte d’Or 2001 – amazing concentration, spectacular wine, absolutely daunting.
5. DRC Batard Montrachet 1996 – sometimes when dining in Beaune you are lucky enough to have a winemaker as a neighbour at the table next to you. This time we were lucky that Monsieur Noblet was sitting next to us, and he kindly proffered a glass of this stunning elixir, that is the Domaine’s house wine and never sold. Holy *@%^ was all I could say. It had massive length and complexity, endless aromas and an angelic purity.
6. Rousseau Chambertin 1983 – this was EPIC!
7. DRC Richebourg 2001 – had an amazing sense of calm. Relaxed the whole body, which I have never experienced before.
8. Roty Charmes Chambertin 2004 TVV – 2004? Yes! This had a complexity that would put many Musigny’s and Chambertin’s to shame, and was gorgeous. Been picking up bottles of this for the cellar ever since.
9. Trimbach Clos St Hune 1990 – another spectacular 1990, with amazing symmetry and allure.
10. Ramonet Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Les Ruchottes 1990 – would rock anyone’s world. Reminded of the Coche Dury Perrieres 1990. Real complexity and explosive Chassagne character here. And tasted 10 years younger.
Almost made it…
Roumier Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses 2007 – Roumier…Amoureuses….enough said!
Trimbach Pinot Gris Selection de Grains Noble 1990 – this was perfect in every sense, and was a wonderful drink.
DRC La Tache 1996 – in terms of the wine it should be in the top 10 as it was an unbelievable wine. However it still needs 10 years to try again!
Rousseau Ruchottes Chambertin 1983 – a big surprise. It tasted young, like it was a 1996. Great concentration, and a real Burgundy Grand Cru. After this and The ’83 Chambertin I wasn’t surprised that the Domaine considers 1983 as a top vintage ‘’of exceptional quality”, on the same level as 1990, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2002 and 2005.
Top 3 Barrel Wines
1. Domaine Arlaud Clos St Denis 2010
2. Domaine Dujac Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Aux Malcansorts 2010
3. Mugnier Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses 2010
Honorable mentions:
Mugnier Musigny 2000, Mugnier Musigny 2004, Mugnier Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses 2000, Coche Dury Meursault 1er Cru Les Caillerets 1996, Coche Dury Meursault 2000, Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatieres 1996, Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles 1996, Liger Belair Vosne Romanee 2008, Liger Belair Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Aux Reignots 2006, Roumier Bonnes Mares 1995, Coche Dury Meursault Rougeots 2002, Coche Dury Meursault 1er Cru Les Caillerets 2006, Coche Dury Meursault Les Chevalieres 2009, Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrieres 2005, Comte Lafon Meursault 1996, Comte Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre 2000, Krug 1996, Raveneau Les Clos 2002, Leflaive Batard Montrachet 2002, Vieux Chateau Certan 1989, Marie Courtin Concordance 2009, Dujac Clos St Denis 1996, Mugnier Musigny 1995, Arlaud Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Les Combottes 1999, Vina Tondonia Gran Riserva Blanco 1981, Vina Tondonia Gran Riserva Rojo 1981, Rene Engel Echezeaux 2002, Roumier Ruchottes Chambertin 2007, Fourrier Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St Jacques 2001, Trimbach Clos St Hune 1999, Thierry Violot-Guillemard Pommard Rugiens 2005 and Arlaud Clos St Denis 2007
