Ian Fitzsimmons
Ian Fitzsimmons
2009 Domaine Jean Grivot Bourgogne
This wine is open and delicious now, with texture, depth, and sumptuous pinot fruit. A good regional Burgundy is as good in its way as a good 1er is in its.
2005 Chateau Thivin Côte de Brouilly
I squirreled a few bottles of the 2005 away for research purposes. This is lovely, with fresh, palate-cleansing acidity, strawberry-cherry tertiary flavors and aromas, and a pleasant veneer of fine, drying tannins on the finish. Not profound, but darned good. Worth a 17-year wait? Only if cellaring is no trouble, I would say, and also to witness the fascinating transition this wine undergoes. Weirdly little deposit thrown after 17 years.
2009 A. et P. de Villaine Mercurey Les Montots
Very good, drinking nicely now. Silk. Flavors reticent, as are aromas. In fact, it trades mostly on its texture alone. I'd expected more from this cuvee in this year; it doesn't feel as though it's holding much in reserve for future development, but the relatively mute character makes me wonder. Stranger things have happened in the world of wine than that this one should still blossom. Villaine's website says Montots can be held for 7-15 years, 'depending on the vintage.' This doesn't appear to be a 15-year vintage. But more flavor and depth develop by second day.
2010 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Blanc La Croix Boissée
Very correct, slightly stern. After a bit, the merest hint of doux. Well-made, very Baudry. If Baudry sold stock, I'd give them as much of my money to work with as they could use.
2001 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese
Fine and delicate. Still a bit sweet on the finish and aftertaste. As good as Prum is, I can't find the same love in my heart for their wines that wells up when I drink a good Saar Riesling.
2009 Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py
It's been a journey sampling this unbeatable wine over the years since release. In a tremendous place now; the forward, delicious fruit of the last couple of bottles is dialing back a bit to come into even better balance with fresh - and refreshing - acidity. A true vin de garde, and a cru Beaujolais tending to contradict assertions of flabby wines in 2009. Not a ton of complexity, however.
2002 Grosset Riesling Polish Hill
This is excellent and, I'd say, coming into maturity under Stelvin. Still develops nicely after opening, in the glass and bottle, acquiring the slightly 'dirty' flavors of first-class aged dry Riesling. But I think, more risk than opportunity in holding longer than a few more years. OTOH, Stelvin ...
2005 Domaine Lafouge Pommard 1er Cru Les Chanlins
This is extremely good. Assertive acidity on opening resolves over a couple of hours to a broad mid-palate of balanced cherry fruit, acidity, with a substratum of drying tannins that is impossible to overlook but not out of place. What makes it good is the combination of glassy texture on entry, the broad palate, the attractive fruit flavor, and the overall balanced gestalt. This is only the second or third Pommard I've tasted, and it seems to fit the appellation profile to a T. Don't know if it's near the level of a Rugiens-bas from de Montille or Courcel, but its entirely satisfying at fraction of the cost. Hard to find.
2001 Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenberg Riesling Spätlese
Good cork, coloring very slightly amber. Still sweet, though not aggressively so. To my palate, out of the bottle, this is beginning to tire. Still a beneficial adjunct to suitable foods, methinks, but unexciting as a sipper on its own. In this case, drink very cool for best effect.
2007 Domaine Chandon de Briailles Corton Blanc
This bottle tasted worlds better than the one I opened less that a year ago - good acidity, interesting edginess, engaging textural and aromatic qualities. From memory, no detailed notes, but I would say this is much more in line with what you'd expect from a bottle with Corton on its label (and no Aloxe).
2009 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine Cuvée Côt
Leaner than I recalled from prior bottles. Fairly refined tannins, pencil lead, pleasantly lithe, textually. I didn't get a lot of flavor behind the tannins, and don't recall the aromas in any detail. Impression of a well-made, rather rustic cabernet-ish red with appealing sincerity.
2008 Domaine Chandon de Briailles Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Ile des Vergelesses
This bottle is starting to open, some flavor seeping through the still ample tannins, but not really at its best. Over three nights, it improved steadily, developing into a really interesting wine with engaging complexity and depth, good balance, and still that bit of austerity and restraint. There was cherry, no doubt, but my main impression was of coffee and almost a bit of chocolate. Tannins were still durable and ample, but it didn't matter because the other interesting characteristics stood up to them. Really the most satisfying bottle I've enjoyed in a very long time.
2002 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Spätlese
This wine is simply divine, even day after opening, even for a guy who has sworn off residual sugar. Both this bottle and the 2008 Chandon de Briailles I opened at the same time, are object lessons in the logic of buying wines to cellar for 10-30 years. Unless you're willing to put down a lot of money at restaurants with deep cellars, or are adept at auction scouting, there's no other way to get these flavors into your life.
2010 Domaine Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Champeaux
This bottle was three or four years shy of ready. Tannins cover the flavors like an iron curtain, dense and drying. Third day after opening, the fruit does burst through impressively, but the slightly sharp acid and still-firm tannins distract rather than compliment. At that point, for lovers of young Burgundy, perhaps it would push the right buttons. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of fruit that emerges. Double Moe-Curly for this wine on day one (even with a decent pre-airing). Double Curly-Larry-Moe for the wine three days out. Promising!
This wine is open and delicious now, with texture, depth, and sumptuous pinot fruit. A good regional Burgundy is as good in its way as a good 1er is in its.
2005 Chateau Thivin Côte de Brouilly
I squirreled a few bottles of the 2005 away for research purposes. This is lovely, with fresh, palate-cleansing acidity, strawberry-cherry tertiary flavors and aromas, and a pleasant veneer of fine, drying tannins on the finish. Not profound, but darned good. Worth a 17-year wait? Only if cellaring is no trouble, I would say, and also to witness the fascinating transition this wine undergoes. Weirdly little deposit thrown after 17 years.
2009 A. et P. de Villaine Mercurey Les Montots
Very good, drinking nicely now. Silk. Flavors reticent, as are aromas. In fact, it trades mostly on its texture alone. I'd expected more from this cuvee in this year; it doesn't feel as though it's holding much in reserve for future development, but the relatively mute character makes me wonder. Stranger things have happened in the world of wine than that this one should still blossom. Villaine's website says Montots can be held for 7-15 years, 'depending on the vintage.' This doesn't appear to be a 15-year vintage. But more flavor and depth develop by second day.
2010 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Blanc La Croix Boissée
Very correct, slightly stern. After a bit, the merest hint of doux. Well-made, very Baudry. If Baudry sold stock, I'd give them as much of my money to work with as they could use.
2001 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese
Fine and delicate. Still a bit sweet on the finish and aftertaste. As good as Prum is, I can't find the same love in my heart for their wines that wells up when I drink a good Saar Riesling.
2009 Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py
It's been a journey sampling this unbeatable wine over the years since release. In a tremendous place now; the forward, delicious fruit of the last couple of bottles is dialing back a bit to come into even better balance with fresh - and refreshing - acidity. A true vin de garde, and a cru Beaujolais tending to contradict assertions of flabby wines in 2009. Not a ton of complexity, however.
2002 Grosset Riesling Polish Hill
This is excellent and, I'd say, coming into maturity under Stelvin. Still develops nicely after opening, in the glass and bottle, acquiring the slightly 'dirty' flavors of first-class aged dry Riesling. But I think, more risk than opportunity in holding longer than a few more years. OTOH, Stelvin ...
2005 Domaine Lafouge Pommard 1er Cru Les Chanlins
This is extremely good. Assertive acidity on opening resolves over a couple of hours to a broad mid-palate of balanced cherry fruit, acidity, with a substratum of drying tannins that is impossible to overlook but not out of place. What makes it good is the combination of glassy texture on entry, the broad palate, the attractive fruit flavor, and the overall balanced gestalt. This is only the second or third Pommard I've tasted, and it seems to fit the appellation profile to a T. Don't know if it's near the level of a Rugiens-bas from de Montille or Courcel, but its entirely satisfying at fraction of the cost. Hard to find.
2001 Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenberg Riesling Spätlese
Good cork, coloring very slightly amber. Still sweet, though not aggressively so. To my palate, out of the bottle, this is beginning to tire. Still a beneficial adjunct to suitable foods, methinks, but unexciting as a sipper on its own. In this case, drink very cool for best effect.
2007 Domaine Chandon de Briailles Corton Blanc
This bottle tasted worlds better than the one I opened less that a year ago - good acidity, interesting edginess, engaging textural and aromatic qualities. From memory, no detailed notes, but I would say this is much more in line with what you'd expect from a bottle with Corton on its label (and no Aloxe).
2009 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine Cuvée Côt
Leaner than I recalled from prior bottles. Fairly refined tannins, pencil lead, pleasantly lithe, textually. I didn't get a lot of flavor behind the tannins, and don't recall the aromas in any detail. Impression of a well-made, rather rustic cabernet-ish red with appealing sincerity.
2008 Domaine Chandon de Briailles Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Ile des Vergelesses
This bottle is starting to open, some flavor seeping through the still ample tannins, but not really at its best. Over three nights, it improved steadily, developing into a really interesting wine with engaging complexity and depth, good balance, and still that bit of austerity and restraint. There was cherry, no doubt, but my main impression was of coffee and almost a bit of chocolate. Tannins were still durable and ample, but it didn't matter because the other interesting characteristics stood up to them. Really the most satisfying bottle I've enjoyed in a very long time.
2002 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Spätlese
This wine is simply divine, even day after opening, even for a guy who has sworn off residual sugar. Both this bottle and the 2008 Chandon de Briailles I opened at the same time, are object lessons in the logic of buying wines to cellar for 10-30 years. Unless you're willing to put down a lot of money at restaurants with deep cellars, or are adept at auction scouting, there's no other way to get these flavors into your life.
2010 Domaine Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Champeaux
This bottle was three or four years shy of ready. Tannins cover the flavors like an iron curtain, dense and drying. Third day after opening, the fruit does burst through impressively, but the slightly sharp acid and still-firm tannins distract rather than compliment. At that point, for lovers of young Burgundy, perhaps it would push the right buttons. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of fruit that emerges. Double Moe-Curly for this wine on day one (even with a decent pre-airing). Double Curly-Larry-Moe for the wine three days out. Promising!
