I am staying with my brother for Christmas this year so have no idea what he has planned. Hopefully I will get intructions to go to the cellar and crack whatever I desire.
Anyway just in case he might be feeling the pinch this year I joined a few fine wine traders who gathered at Ransome’s Dock last Thursday to get my Burgundian Christmas fix. We try and gather about the 3/4 times a year and drinking Burgundy is the aim but having recently moved to Hong Kong I have missed a few recent dinners so was very happy to make an appearance at this one.
All the team work in the wine trade apart from one who recently sold his stake in a wine company he worked for. We kicked off with a refreshing Donhoff Schlossbockelhiemer Felsenberg Riesling 2002 while waiting for the stragglers. It was lovely. The perfect apero.
Then once Lindsay had turned up we started in earnest. All the wines were served blind. I opened up with a Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir Billaud Simon 2004 which was very lean and mineral. A wine that needs a bit of time. We then had a stunning Puligny Montrachet Les Enseigneres Coche-Dury 2006 from Marcus and then Lindsay produced a very surprising Meursault Tesson Roulot 1984. The wine would put many more youthful white Burgundies from recent ‘great’ vintages to shame. Fully mature without a hint of oxidisation.
Michael then produced two 1982 whites, a Meursault Charmes Coche-Debord and a Batard Montrachet Leguin-Roussot, a (now defunct) Domaine in Santenay. This parcel in Batard had been retained by the father Jean when the two sons took over the Domaine in the late 70s/early 1980s. Made from young vines (at the time) would be the reason it didn’t have quite the freshness of the Coche 1982 which showed well.
Then it was time for the reds. Simon started with an excellent Gevrey Clos St Jacques Armand Rousseau 2000 and Marcus followed with a very pure and pretty Romanee St Vivant from JJ Confuron 1995. Both wines full of life ahead. We then had a lovely Nuits St Georges VV La Richemone Perrot Minot 01 which admirably combined the bitter cherry dark chocolate flvours that can be found at this Domaine with 2001s perfect balance.
Michael then produced the wine of the night, DRC Romanee St Vivant 2001. I am fast becoming convinced that 2001 is a GREAT vintage in Burgundy as they combine terroir and purity all wrapped up in a very Pinot style.
The last red of the night was Robert’s Mazis Chambertin 2003 from Joseph Roty. Beautifully made, you couldn’t really taste the heat of the vintage at all.
Lindsay was hungry for more eel so we cracked into his second white wine (not orginally thinking we would need it). It was Meursault Rougeots Coche-Dury 1989 no less which was still so youthful. We all thought it was much younger. How does he do it? (Coche-Dury that is not Lindsay).
Happy days. Happy Christmas! Tom