This Week's Must-Try Wines from Vinous
Domaine Dujac
Morey Saint-Denis 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2017
The 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis Village from Dujac has a bright red cherry and wild strawberry-scented bouquet, quite Gevrey-like, vigorous and punching above its station in terms of complexity. The palate is structured like all good Morey should be, fine tannins, and though one can detect the whole bunches, they are the guiding hand, neatly enmeshed with the fruit. What a joyful wine. Served blind at Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2023) — 2 years ago
Bouchard Père et Fils
Les Clous Meursault Chardonnay 2019
The 2019 Beaune Blanc du Chateau 1er Cru offers candied orange peel, vanilla pod and light almond scents on the nose, a slight melioration compared to its showing in barrel. The palate is well balanced with fine acidity, a slightly waxy texture, bitter lemon, orange pith and peach skin, leading to a cohesive finish. After a stuttering start, this has found its groove. Tasted at the Bouchard Père tasting in London. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2023) — 2 years ago
Château de La Tour
Clos Vougeot Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2012
The 2012 Clos de Vougeot Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru is fully mature on the nose, slightly earthy with light animal fur aromas. Fine lift. The palate is medium-bodied with a firm structure, impressive transparency and a slightly short, tart finish. But there is a breeziness to this Clos de Vougeot that is very seductive. Tasted at the Southwold Burgundy dinner at Hatched restaurant. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2023) — 2 years ago
Domaine Georges Roumier
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2001
The 2001 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is consistent with the bottle tasted in 2018. It leaps from the glass with red fruit, orange blossom and Earl Grey, sprightly though not intense. It is imbued with Christophe Roumier's unerring sense of transparency. The palate is precise and focused, sculpted with the finest chisel in the box, long and tender with exuberant Pinoté on the finish. Just delicious. Tasted at the La Paulée in Beaune. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2023) — 2 years ago
Domaine Follin-Arbelet
Clos du Chapitre Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2017
The 2017 Aloxe-Corton Clos de Chapitre 1er Cru has a rustic nose, with plenty of undergrowth/damp mossy scents filtering through the dark berry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a prickle of black pepper, cohesive but just missing some weight towards the finish. Drinking perfectly now, I can't see how this will reward long-term cellaring. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2023) — 2 years ago
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé
Cuvée Vieilles Vignes Musigny Grand Cru Pinot Noir 1993
The 1993 Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru was a real surprise given that I have meted out criticism for the wines from this era. It has a mesmerizing nose with wild strawberry, raspberry and rose petal scents that feel youthful and exuberant. The palate is fleshy and beautifully balanced, supple and has delightful, seductive rondeur. It crescendos towards the finish that is armed with killer delineation, completing perhaps the best Musigny that de Vogüé oversaw that decade. Tasted blind at the Wallace brothers' Xmas dinner. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2023) — 2 years ago
Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard
Chassagne-Montrachet Chardonnay 2017
The 2017 Montrachet Grand Cru was the full stop on a long and bibulous evening, but that did not detract one jot from the quality of this wine. It has a wonderful, pure, effervescent bouquet with orange pith and touches of camphor and chamomile. The palate is very pure and delivers what you expect from this vineyard. Caressing in texture, it fans out to devastating effect, and while it may just miss earth-shattering mineralité, it is quite simply a beautiful wine in the flush of youth. Tasted at Maison de Colombière. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2023) — 2 years ago
Domaine des Comtes Lafon
Clos de la Barre Meursault Chardonnay 2015
The 2015 Meursault Clos de la Barre has a simple nose that gains intensity with aeration, offering light pithy pear and peach skin scents and just a touch of Vervain tea. The palate is cohesive, and the oak is nicely assimilated with a fine bead of acidity. This is turning into an elegant Clos de la Barre, and given that it is a mere Village Cru, there is commendable tension on the finish, perhaps having evolved a touch more mineralité than the previous bottle that I tasted. Tasted at the Southwold Burgundy dinner at Hatched restaurant. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2023) — 2 years ago
Domaine Armand Rousseau
Clos St. Jacques Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2002
The 2002 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru is just a tiny bit smudged on the nose, but it rectifies that with aeration, offering disarming brambly red fruit, bergamot and potpourri scents, just a slight ferrous tincture in the background. The palate is fine-boned with pure red fruit, structured and slightly disjointed initially. Yet it coheres magnificently in the glass, so smooth. I was shocked when the vintage was revealed because this bottle suggests a very slow evolution. Wonderful. Tasted blind at the Wallace brothers' Xmas dinner. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2023) — 2 years ago
Delectable Wine
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The 2016 Puligny-Montrachet Les Perrières 1er Cru has a well-defined bouquet that shows more intensity than the 2013, with scents of freshly sliced lime and struck flint. A menthol hint emerges with time. The palate is well balanced with a slightly minty opening. This is imbued with a fine bead of acidity, crisp and malic with a saline tang on the finish. This is turning into a really quite excellent Les Perrières. Tasted at Charles Taylor Wines' Carillon lunch. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2023) — 2 years ago