| I felt like nearly like a young girl going to her first ball.
The excitement and expectation over an invitation to a tasting
of mature Burgundy Grands Crus is was nearly as thrilling as
the tasting itself. This may have been a once in a lifetime
privilege for a middle income mortal like me, but I certainly
hope not.
The invitation to this tasting came from a private collector
and took place in the Kellerwirt in the Wildschönau
valley of Tyrol. The wines were lovely as you can see by
my tasting notes below, but another special surprise was
the Kellerwirt itself. This old traditional Tyrolean inn
has been restored with care and good taste, combining the
best in quality of old and new with the tradition of open-hearted
hospitality and Austrian "Gemütlichkeit".
Not only is the inn now a cozy yet luxurious 4-star hotel,
the kitchen is excellent, the wine card is fascinating, and
the proprietors genuinely charming. This would certainly
be a perfect spot for a romantic secluded ski vacation for
wine connoisseurs.
Friday, June 25, 2004
| 1992 Bonneau du Matray - Corton
Charlemagne, Grand Cru - Pernand Vergelesses (750 ml) |
| 88 |
The nose of this mature white Burgundy
displays flint stone and the scent of warm pebbles that
have been freshly rained on. Delicate smoky aromas and
honeydew melon also join in. The palate is medium-bodied
and flavors of candied pineapple and brown butter are
wrapped in minerals and wet rock. This wine has reached
its peak and the acidity and the alcohol will soon become
too obvious. Drink within the next 2-3 years. |
| 1996 Domaine Amiot - Le Montrachet,
Grand Cru - Puligny Montrachet (750 ml) |
| 94 |
This splendid wine has a concentrated nose
of toasted hazelnuts, flint stone, and vanilla with a
hint of coconut. The palate is full-bodied and powerful
with a rich creamy consistence. Apple blossoms, peaches,
hazelnuts, macadamia, sponge cake, and butterscotch come
in seductive waves and linger on a never-ending finish.
This wine still presents itself youthful with no signs
of age and should drink well through 2015. |
| 1993 Maison Mommessin - Clos
de Tart Grand Cru - Morey St. Denis (750 ml) |
| 93 |
This medium garnet colored wine has an
extremely dense core. The nose is complex and displays
ripe raspberry, strawberry compote, garden herbs, rhubarb,
and roasted coffee beans. The rich, full-bodied palate
is concentrated and complex. Animated acidity and plenty
of fruit are woven with abundant gripping tannins. Gamey
nuances and a romping rustic character are somehow reminiscent
of a noble country man with ruddy cheeks. Drink no to
2015+. |
| 1991 Domaine Comte de Vogue
- Musigny, Grand Cru - Chambolle Musigny (750 ml) |
| 95 |
This wine has an incredibly youthful and
intense ruby red with a dense core. Leather and truffles
comprise the animal magnetism of this wine's attack,
which is then immediately softened by the scent of fresh
spring rain in the forest. Chocolate, fennel, tar, and
raspberry compote follow on the palate which is packed
with compact, firm tannins. An incredible effort in an
ambiguous vintage. Drink now to 2016. |
| 1990 Domaine Chezeaux - Girotte
Chambertin, Grand Cru - Gevrey Chambertin (750 ml) |
| 97 |
This deep, dark ruby wine has rich, seductive
fragrances of raspberries, truffles, irises, and summer
savory that carry through and become more complex on
the full-bodied palate. The abundant tannins are firm
and although velvety, still need time to soften and sweeten
--- which they will. Multi-layered flavors of rich ripe
fruit, game, spring meadow flowers linger on a very long
finish. |
| 1990 Domaine Armand Rousseau
- Chambertin, Grand Cru - Gevrey Chambertin (750 ml) |
| 92 |
This dense garnet wine displays brick hues.
Distinguished with flint stone, pencil shavings, soy
sauce, tarragon, and rosemary, this full-bodied and well-balanced
wine has reached its peak and will hold well until at
least 2010. |
| 1988 Romanee-Conti, Dom. de
la - Richebourg - Vosne Romanee (750 ml) |
| 96 |
This huge wine has layers and layers of
flavors. Hung game bedded in super-ripe raspberries and
black cherries, chocolate, exotic spices, violets, and
minerals all come in waves. Roasted cedar wood is woven
nicely in and the abundant tannins are firmly masculine
yet built in a voluptuous body. This wine is just approaching
maturity and can easily be drunk until the end of the
next decade. |
| 1971 Romanee-Conti, Dom. de
la - Echezeaux - Vosne Romanee (750 ml) |
| 96 |
This mature wine is pale to medium brick
red. Soft, ripe and incredibly complex, this wine offers
mortadella, shittake, well-hung game, orange zest, bitter
chocolate, and vegemite. Soft satiny tannins are bedded
in a medium body. This seemingly eternal wine would be
a shame to let die lonely in the cellar, so if you are
wealthy or lucky enough to have a bottle, open it and
enjoy it with a close friend soon. |
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