TN of 2 bourgognes

[Nicklasss]

Short comments on two bourgognes opened lately.

2001 Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Les murgers from Hudelot-Noellat : Again, a fantastic wine for me. Color is old rose petal. Nose if refined and complex, with an earthy mineral character, luittle red fruits (strawberries, red berries) and soft spices from the oak. In mouth, not the most intense but kind of etheral : it is there, it is refined, superb mix like on the nose, no real bang and no real diluted flavors, long final with a good acidity to refresh. I like that producer. TN : 91-92.

2002 Beaune Clos Foulot from Louis Jadot : the wine Beaune. I respect and like Louis Jadot very much, but personnally, i drank two bottles of that wine and, sorry, I think they missed that one. Color is medium gold. Nose is all about oak (toffey and vanilla), butter and pears, slightly alcoholic. Mouth is more ''New World'' Chardonnay to me than Bourgogne. Rich and creamy, but too much. Where is the soil? Behing a ton of oak and ripe pears fruits? And add a bit of oxydative notes in mouth. Still correct but I won't buy anymore. TN : 80. The oak is too much New World. To me, other producers in Bourgogne used a good dose of oak, but have more success to integrate everything well and don't denature the Bourgogne origins (ex : Comte Lafon or Sauzet).

Nic

[PappaDoc]

Nic,

Hudelot-Noellat is one of my favorite producers. You are right on in your discription of "refined" the structures of his wines are like the body of a Martial Artist like Bruce Lee. Lithe, coiled muscle, with near perfect balance. I wish I could by the 01s from them. I bought the 05 Bourgogne, Chambolle-Musigny, and the Chambole-Musigny "Les Charmes". I'll probably buy the 05 Vosne-Romanee ( I liked it very much at a tasting), and if I get a tax refund the 05 Clos Vougeot. He makes an especially fine Clos Vougeot.

I'm with Roberto, the 01 vintage is excellent, but stay in the Cotes d Nuits area. The 01 Cotes d Beaune suffered from hail which brused the grapes. When Jackdaw and I visited Michel Lafarge in his cellar, he told us not to buy his 01s. How many producers would tell you not to buy their wine. He said Volnay was hit by two bad hail storms. Pommard was also hit hard with hail. Cotes d nuits escaped as far as I know.

I only have 2 btls of 01 Burgundy, Volnay "Vendandanges Selectionees", I bought three btls before Jackdaw and I went to Burgundy in 2005 (gave one away before I knew it was damaged), and one btl of Chambolle-Musigny "Amoureuses" from J.F. Mugnier. I read a tasting note from Burghound where he thought the 01 was better than the 02 in a verticle tasting of Mugnier "Amoureuses" going back to 1990 I belive. I'll hold the "Amoureuses" for five more years, and drink the Lafarge in the next year or so. I drank one Lafarge four years ago and it was tight but did not show the "wet carboard" or "dank cellar" smells I have gotten from hail dammaged grapes.