The first of the fresh and pure 2008 Burgundies: Domaine Dujac and Meo-Camuzet offer plus NEXT TASTING
Great Domaines Newsletter
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Dear Winelover,
NEXT GREAT DOMAINES TASTING
DATE:
Tuesday 27th September
VENUE:
The Great Domaines cellar (Jameson House, 2 Jameson Avenue, Melrose Estate)
THEME:
A horizontal tasting of one of Nuits Saint Georges’ best domaines, Robert Chevillon. 9 wines starting with the Nuits Saint Georges villages and ending with the “Les Saint Georges” Premier cru.
COST:
R295/person (limited to 14 people)
We recently received our latest consolidated reefer (refrigerated container) from France, Italy and Spain, the bulk of which contains our 2008 Burgundy allocations. So, what happened in 2008 and what was the vintage like? We tasted most of our producers’ 2008s from barrel, and were very excited and impressed. A lot of the journalists tasted before the malolactic fermentations were complete, which resulted in a fairly unenthusiastic overview of the vintage and in our humble opinion, an unfair assessment.
It certainly was a challenging vintage due to the cold and rainy weather which extended the flowering in June. This resulted in a natural crop reduction due to coulure (failure of flowers to set on the vine) and millerandage (grape bunches with different sized berries of varying maturity). Therefore there was a lot of sorting required, both for rot and for underripe berries and it was this that caused a lot of producers to cut their yields down by as much as 40%! Then in early September, the weather cleared, the crucial north wind blew and the grapes were able to concentrate, develop and produce what many have termed a “miracle vintage”.
“The in-bottle 2007s came in about where my ranges suggested that they would and while they are very pretty, and in some cases genuinely excellent, they cannot match the quality of their '08 counterparts when taken as a group” - Allen Meadows’ Burghound Publication
Domaine Dujac and Domaine Meo-Camuzet are two of the most iconic producers in their respective villages of Morey-Saint-Denis and Vosne-Romanee and indeed in the whole of Burgundy. They have released a set of wines in 2008 that are marvels of charm and substance combined with a wonderful freshness and minerality. Dujac's wines are simply gorgeous. Lots of floral fragrance and class. The Dujac team juggles both traditional (large percentage of stems retained in vinification – whole cluster) and modern (some new oak used) options with great success and perfection. An organic, if not biodynamic, approach to viticulture is another signature on the wines that in 2008 have wonderful brace and a broad texture.
The philosophy and passion for making great wine also exists at Domaine Meo-Camuzet. Run by Jean-Nicolas Meo since 1988, who adopts a richer, riper style of Burgundy but one which is impeccably balanced and nothing short of sensual. Yields here were excruciatingly low in 08, so get what you can.
**The below tasting notes are from Allen Meadows (Burghound Publication).** **Allocations are tiny as usual (especially Meo-Camuzet) but please indicate your interest by simply filling in the table and replying to this email**
"This is a splendid and perfectionistic domaine which has been in existence for only little over 35 years.....the wines get deeper in colour as they age, yet they are intense, perfumed, silky-smooth and impeccably balanced" -
Clives Coates (“The Wines of Burgundy”)
Vintage
Wine
Price/ bot incl.VAT
No. of bottles/packs
2008
Morey-Saint-Denis rouge
R 395
2008
Chambolle-Musigny rouge
R 395
2008
Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru "Les Monts Luisants" blanc
R 495
2008
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru "Aux Combottes"
R 895
2008
Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru "Les Beaux Monts"
R 895
2008
Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru "Aux Malconsorts"
R 995
2008
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
R 990
2008
Echezeaux Grand Cru
R 995
2008
Clos-Saint Denis Grand Cru
R 1 095
2008
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
R 1 195
2008
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru
R 1 250
Vintage
Wine
Price/bot incl.VAT
2008
Hauts-Cotes-de-Nuits "Clos St Philibert" blanc
R 250
2008
Marsannay Village
R 275
2008
Fixin village
R 290
2008
Vosne-Romanee village
R 475
2008
Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru "Chaumes"
R 795
2008
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
R 1 190
Wine Pack 1 ("Village")
2006
Chambolle-Musigny (Dujac)
R 395
x 3 bots
2008
Gevrey-Chambertin (Dujac)
R 395
x 3 bots
2008
Marsannay Village (Meo-Camuzet)
R 275
x 3 bots
2008
Vosne-Romanee village (Meo-Camuzet)
R 425
x 3 bots
TOTAL
R 4 470
Wine Pack 2 ("Premier Cru")
2006
Gevrey-Chambertin "Aux Combottes" (Dujac)
R 895
x 3 bots
2008
Vosne-Romanee "Les Beaux Monts" (Dujac)
R 895
x 3 bots
2008
Vosne-Romanee "Aux Malconsorts" (Dujac)
R 995
x 3 bots
2008
Vosne-Romanee "Chaumes" (Meo-Camuzet)
R 795
x 3 bots
TOTAL
R 10 740
Wine Pack 3 ("Grand Cru")
2008
Charmes-Chambertin (Dujac)
R 990
x 3 bots
2008
Echezeaux (Dujac)
R 995
x 3 bots
2008
Clos-Saint Denis (Dujac)
R 1 095
x 3 bots
2008
Clos de Vougeot(Meo-Camuzet)
R 1 190
x 3 bots
TOTAL
R 12 810
2008 Morey Saint Denis
A very fresh red berry fruit and earth-suffused nose leads to vibrant, clean and detailed middle weight flavors that possess good energy and fine finishing complexity as well as a sophisticated mouth feel. Lovely. Drink: 2015+
2008 Morey-St-Denis 1er cru Les Monts Luisants blanc
A more restrained yet more elegant nose features a hint of sulfur that does not materially detract from the cool and otherwise pure nose of green fruit and floral aromas that merge into detailed, stony and very racy middle weight flavors that possess excellent intensity on the mouth coating and persistent finish. Drink: 2012+
2008 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes
A very stylish and ultra fresh nose offers up classy if restrained red pinot fruit liberally laced with notes of stone and rose petal, both of which can be found on the detailed, pure and lacy middle weight flavors that are complex, focused, mouth coating, crisp and solidly persistent. I like the balance and punch. Drink: 2020+
2008 Vosne-Romanee 1er cru Les Beaux Monts :
A naturally spicy nose of red berry and black cherry fruit introduces rich, fresh, vibrant, cool and detailed middle weight flavors that exude a fine minerality on the textured, firm and wonderfully long finish. A classic Beaux Monts that should reward at least a decade of cellaring. Drink: 2020
2008 Vosne-Romanee 1er cru Aux Malconsorts
This is less fine but more powerful and a bit more complex as well with a spicy mix of both blue and black pinot fruit cut with earth notes that precede the full, rich and very serious medium weight plus flavours that offer up a certain opulence on the mid-palate yet the gorgeously long finish is focused, classy and gorgeously long. I very much like the dry extract level as it does a good job of buffering the firm tannins. Drink: 2018+
2008 Charmes-Chambertin
Here the nose displays both upper and lower register aromas of elegant red berry fruit, floral notes and plenty of Gevrey-style earth plus a hint of the sauvage that carries over to the intense yet supple and detailed medium-bodied flavors that are balanced, complex, sappy and impressively persistent. A Charmes of refinement and purity with enough youthful austerity present to necessitate waiting at least a few years before cracking one. Drink: 2023+
2008 Echezeaux
An unusually high-toned nose of red berry fruit, earth and an intriguing mix of spice elements that include clove, anise plus a note of hoisin that complements well the rich, full-bodied and velvety flavors that also have an inherent exoticism, all wrapped in a mouth coating, pure and focused finish that delivers both excellent length as well as a seductive mouth feel. Drink: 2018+
2008 Clos-St-Denis
A cool and elegant nose is quite pure with notes of warm earth, red currant and blue pinot fruit that merge seamlessly into sappy, naturally sweet and concentrated medium-bodied flavors that possess outstanding length and the exact creates a velvety mouth feel. This is a very distinguished '08 as it has both style and class. In a word, terrific. Drink: 2023+
2008 Clos de la Roche
Unfortunately, relatively strong reduction obliterates all but wisps of red berry fruit but the transparency is much better on the detailed, robust and firmly muscular broad-shouldered flavors that are presently very backward, serious and superbly long. The supporting tannins are quite prominent but the overall impression is a well-balanced effort will require plenty of cellar time to realize its full, and considerable potential. Drink: 2021+
2008 Bonnes-Mares
A cool, stony and reserved nose features spice, dark berry fruit and obvious earth and smoked game influences, both of which continue onto the intensely mineral-infused big-bodied flavors that for all the size and power remain beautifully detailed on the focused, powerful and moderately austere finish. This has wonderful potential and should be one of the longest-lived wines among the Dujac '08s. Drink: 2023+
"These are rarely big,over-extracted wines, but fine, more delicate expressions of their individual origins. This is a first class domaine.” -
Remington Norman (“The Great Domaines of Burgundy”)
2008 Marsannay
A fresh, earthy and very pinot nose of red berry fruit merges into round, delicious and pleasant flavors that are easy to like yet serious enough to be interesting, all wrapped in a mildly rustic, balanced and linear finish. Drink 2012+
2008 Fixin
Here the nose is earthier still with equally fresh violet and red pinot fruit aromas that introduce nicely voluminous flavors that possess plenty of Fixin character but only a touch of rusticity on the persistent finish. A bit more interesting. Drink 2013+
2008 Vosne Romanee
A very Vosne-style nose of violets, blue fruit and exotic spice notes complements well the round, rich and velvety flavors that are supported by relatively fine tannins though there is just a hint of dryness to them at present. Drink 2013+
2008 Vosne Romanee 1er cru “Les Chaumes”
A discreet application of wood highlights the spicy red, blue and purple fruit aromas that give way to impressively rich and quite round medium-bodied flavors that possess a generous mid-palate and culminate in a racy, intense and lingering finish
2008 Clos Vougeot
This is aromatically quite pretty with a perfumed and floral nose of fresh and solidly nuanced crushed wild red berries that slide gracefully into precise and tension-filled middle weight flavors that offer a discreet sense of minerality on the firm and ever-so-slightly edgy finish that should round out in time as there is good underlying sap. Drink 2018+
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