BYO Recap - Popina, 4/26/21
Edouard’s comments
We were really happy to see some of you at Popina to share great Burgundies from Gevrey-Chambertin. The wines really showed well (only one was corked!) but a few of them really caught my attention. For example, I was really impressed with the Duroché Lavaut Saint Jacques 2017. A very seductive wine as I remember Max saying, or simply “delicious” to quote Daniel. I couldn’t agree more with them. It’s a reminder to me that 2017 is showing great now, even at the 1er cru level. The balance is impressive, with velvety tannins and just enough acidity to keep the wine agile and graceful. The fruit quality is evident and jumps out of the glass, suggesting juicy, sweet cherries.
Another bottle I forgot was so good was that Jadot 1997 Clos St Jacques! The vintage is a bit difficult to understand I find, with great heterogeneity among red Burgundies. Some may be a bit faded today but Jadot produced fantastic Pinot Noir that year that are singing these days.
I also was very pleased with both Bruno Clair 2010 and their resolute personalities. Structured for sure, they also offered a very interesting comparison of the 2 sites (Clos St Jacques and Cazetiers). The two vineyards may be neighbors but the Cazetiers, located a bit further from the Combe de Lavaux,was a touch more voluptuous while the Clos St Jacques still had that firmer structure on the palate.
Not mentioning the wines of Domaine Rousseau here is obviously impossible. So yes, of course the famous producer didn’t disappoint and we were lucky to taste three very different vintages. Starting with the concentrated 2012 which I thought could really benefit from another 5 years of bottle aging, at least. The 2011, so often marked by green flavors when made by other producers is more plump chez Rousseau and if that green asparagus profile still exists in the wine, I find that the palate offers more ripe fruit but more importantly an incredible volume with a rich texture. Finally, I was fortunate to revisit the legendary 1985 Clos St Jacques, a wine that I like to compare to the most exquisite symphony, with depth and incredible class. The very first impression was a touch “dirty” but the fruit quickly developed, blooming into a cocktail of violet, cassis, truffle and blackberries. Hard to understand why this wine is so great but as they say: “C’est la faute à Rousseau!”
Champagne Delamotte, Blanc de Blancs NV en magnum
Champagne Egly-Ouriet, Brut Grand Cru Millésime 1999 en magnum
Champagne Ulysse Collin, Les Pierrières
Domaine Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières 1999
Domaine Bruno Clair, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Cazetiers 2010
Domaine Bruno Clair, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint Jacques 2010
Domaine des Varoilles, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2010
Benjamin Leroux, Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru 2012
Maison Louis Jadot, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint Jacques 2017
Maison Louis Jadot, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint Jacques 2010
Maison Louis Jadot, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux Saint Jacques 1997
Maison Louis Jadot, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint Jacques 1995
Domaine Faiveley, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Cazetiers 2009
Domaine Duroché, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaut-Saint-Jacques 2017
Domaine Duroché, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaut-Saint-Jacques 2018
Michel Magnien, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Cazetiers 2000
Domaine Joseph Roty, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2007
Domaine Sylvie Esmonin, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint Jacques 1999
Domaine Dujac, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2007
Domaine Dujac, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 1995
Jean Raphet, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux-Saint-Jacques 1988
Domaine René Leclerc, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux-Saint-Jacques 1983
Claude Dugat, Gevrey-Chambertin 2005
Maison Joseph Drouhin, Chambertin Grand Cru 1999
Domaine Fourrier, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Combe aux Moines 2013
Domaine Armand Rousseau, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint Jacques 2012
Domaine Armand Rousseau, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint Jacques 2011
Domaine Armand Rousseau, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint Jacques 1985