Numerous Burgundies and one Bordeaux

[Claudius]

1988 Gruaud Larose St Julien
I've had this 4-5 times over the last 6 months - it's developing a lot of leathery, earthy, tarry characters which are now swamping the dark fruits. Some walnut character but the leatheriness would appeal to some, not others. A love it or hate it wine that I find a bit too rustic. Definitely better with food.

Okay, now for the Burgs and a few champers

98 Camus Chambertin - very good without any great complexity. Dark fruits, quite mature, some damp earth and mushrooms.

NV Piper Heidseick - bought at the airport and have gone thru 6 bottles over the last few weeks. Nice aperitif but needs more fruit. Good but no big deal.

NV JM Grimmiet - a denser, nutty/mealy style with considerable weight. Again, I've drunk 5-6 bottles and I really like it. It tastes a bit heavy initially, showing some age, but the weight is kept in balance by fruit and acidity. Not for everyone

97 Harmand Geoffroy Mazis Chambertin - Drunk 3 bottles over the last month or so as it is now fully mature. Quite dense, with earthy, chocolaty complexity. A bit Barossa like. Shows the vintage with ripe fruit, and lower acidity than normal. Yet I never liked the 96 - this is better.

01 Chapuis Corton Charlemagne - have a few left of these and I really like it. Mature but still vibrant, a BIG chardy with heaps of everyhting. Viscous, nutty, with citrus and stone fruits.

My most recent 98 Tollot Beaut CC 1998 was DOA. Oh well. There are 9 more in the cellar - and half are just delicious, the others either plain or dead.

00 Chavy Puligny Montrachet Folatieres. Now, this wine is a worry. I've drunk 6 of the case. Three were excellent - zippy, a bit light in fruit, but with minerality and lanolin/waxy complexity. The other 3 were randoxed to buggery. I will drink the rest soon.

00 Castagnier Bonnes Mares - shows the lighter vintage very well, with bright, ripe and medium weight red fruits, good acidity and maybe a bit less complexity than the better yearws. Easy to drink and delicious - not exactly for serious contemplation.
I have drunk 4 of these and wil drink the last 2 relatively soon.

96 Fourrier GC Combe Aux Moines - also drunk several in recfent months - excellent, dense and powerful, still young, though developing earthy complexity. A little bit rough and tough - not a subtle wine but one with power and litttle rusticity. Opens with air and reveals a lot of depth. Yet not for the feint hearted.

06 Bart Bourgogne Rouge - an excellent straight Bourgogne - not a lot of tannins and a shorter term wine, but nice dark fruits, good acidity and balance. It lacks structure but still taste nice. Don't analyse it, just drink it.

05 Boisset Bourgogne Blanc - a bit light with a touch of suplhur on the nose. I like it with a bit of air, but it lacks density and should be drunk soon. No big deal.

The Digoia Royer 05 Bourgogne Blanc is much better - nutty, mealy complexity and more weight. Yet I think it is fading a bit and needs drinking. Just 2 left.

Also had some excellent Cote Roties of late from 97 to 99 - Jamet, Delas, Chapoutier etc. The Tardieu Laurent 2000 was too light and ratyher nondescript. Must drink more of these - seem to be drinking Burgs all the time lately. Too hot here for most Aust reds but the Balnaves Cab Sav 1998 (drunk 6 recently) was very nice.

[Roberto]

I don't have much experience with Fourrier pre-'98 so this helps me. Didn't they have a big change in the domaine right around '96? Thanks for the notes.

Roberto.

[Claudius]

Roberto,
You are correct.
Previous decades, they were an average quality only domaine.
It came with generational change, and like Harmand Geoffroy, the 97s I've had are better than the 96s.

In recent years, it has moved up the line in the Burgundy firmament and is now a top producer, with depth and complexity due to lower yields, better viticulture and more careful winemaking.

96 was the start of the change, and the wine isn't perfect - there are a few minor flaws here but the wine itself is still a very nice drink. I also like the Combe Aux Moines vineyard - the quality of the wines from this vineyard, Clos St Jacques, Lavaux St Jacques and maybe one or two others in the area are Grand Cru quality and frankly, better than most of the wines in the Mayzories/Charmes/Chappelle area.