Drinking wine while Rome burns...

[scottreiner]

Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux 1995 - Decanted. Seriously complex and concentrated. Great acidity. At first raging but somehow mellowed/rounded minerality. After 2 1/2 hours in the decanter a wonderful sweetness arose that was pure bliss. The only problem, the bottle wasn't big enough!

Chateau Cantemerle 1985 - Decanted. Aging nicely, although I would drink somewhat soon if I owned some. Classic, comfortable old-school Bordeaux that delivers exactly what one expects from a 28 year old Haut-Medoc. There was even still some wonderful green veggieness that is all to often missing from modern Bordeaux.

Domaine Robert Chevillon NSG 1er Cru Les Bousselots 1996 - OK, nothing more. I understand that '96 was a tough year, but this wine was flat and uninteresting. Not horrible, mind you, but blah... I am not that experienced with Chevillon, is this a producer I should just forget about?

 

[Odd Rydland]

originally posted by scottreiner:
I am not that experienced with Chevillon, is this a producer I should just forget about?

No. This is a vintage that you should give another 10 years.

No guarantees since 96 is a vintage that was misjudged (I think) initially, but the really good ones needs lots and lots of time.

 

[Eden Mylunsch]

originally posted by scottreiner:
Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux 1995 ....The only problem, the bottle wasn't big enough!

1. That's always the problem with Raveneau! They make mags, but good luck trying to find them (or affording them once found).

2. [quoteChateau Cantemerle 1985 /quote] I was once on my way to playing for country music night at La Costa (it was during the depths of the "Urban Cowboy" scare) when I stopped at a Mom 'n' Pop liquor store in some faceless beach community and they had a bunch of 1985 Cantemerle for like $12 per bottle. I bought nine bottles (about equal to what I would be paid that night) and for a long time, that made up a significant percentage of the Bordeaux in my cellar. I've long since consumed them or traded them away, but your notes would indicate that the wine hasn't evolved much in the ensuing years.

Interesting also note the importer strip underneath the front label. It's good to see that Knud finally found another career later in life....

3. Domaine Robert Chevillon NSG 1er Cru Les Bousselots 1996 I agree with Odd that it's just too early to try to make sense of the best 1996 Burgundies. It looks as if I'll be way into my 1996 Barolo before I get into the Burgundy from that vintage. Is 1996 the 1988 of its decade? Or maybe '96 is the new '76?

-Eden (Raveneau remains the last real indulgence in my budget)

 

[SFJoe]

originally posted by Odd Rydland:

originally posted by scottreiner:
I am not that experienced with Chevillon, is this a producer I should just forget about?

Absolutely. Nothing to see here, move along.

 

[Levi Dalton]

Scientifically speaking, '96 red Burgundies can be weird when drunk today.

 

[Jay Miller]

originally posted by Eden Mylunsch:

3. Domaine Robert Chevillon NSG 1er Cru Les Bousselots 1996 I agree with Odd that it's just too early to try to make sense of the best 1996 Burgundies. It looks as if I'll be way into my 1996 Barolo before I get into the Burgundy from that vintage. Is 1996 the 1988 of its decade? Or maybe '96 is the new '76?

I'm fast coming to the conclusion that it will have a similar aging curve to '88 or maybe '72. Not that it's all that like those vintages in other ways (from what I've read about them early on - I wasn't drinking them them).