General reflections on Burgundy vintages 06-10?
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Sharon Bowman
Sharon Bowman
Excellent—I had been wondering the exact same thing.
Looking forward to responses.
Looking forward to responses.
U
Unknown
Guest
wouldn't it be funny if, after 7 pages and hundreds of replies, Brad's vintage chart pretty much matched fatboy's take on the matter?
I actually tasted a couple of really cool 2010s from barrel. Normally the next vintage tastes like absolute crap this early, but these were bright, minerally and small-berried. Small crop, I think.
I actually tasted a couple of really cool 2010s from barrel. Normally the next vintage tastes like absolute crap this early, but these were bright, minerally and small-berried. Small crop, I think.
Keith Levenberg
Keith Levenberg
My two cents and mine alone:
2006: Very disappointing given early billings as a potential second coming of 2001 (i.e., on the lighter side but detailed and terroir transparent). They are indeed on the lighter side but plenty taste generic and vacant to me -- more like 2000 than 2001. On the plus side, a few have developed more alluring textures over the last year or two which have made them much more satisfying to drink now.
2007: Is surprising me to the upside given how many people wrote it off from the get-go as inferior to '06. They are indeed lighter than '06 but showing some of the terroir personality that the '06s are lacking. I am only aging a handful of these but when they become dirt-cheap on closeout I think they'll offer a lot of early-drinking pleasure.
2008: Might be my favorite of the non-vintage-of-the-century vintages since 1998, although I've just started drinking them. So far they have both personality *and* flesh.
2006: Very disappointing given early billings as a potential second coming of 2001 (i.e., on the lighter side but detailed and terroir transparent). They are indeed on the lighter side but plenty taste generic and vacant to me -- more like 2000 than 2001. On the plus side, a few have developed more alluring textures over the last year or two which have made them much more satisfying to drink now.
2007: Is surprising me to the upside given how many people wrote it off from the get-go as inferior to '06. They are indeed lighter than '06 but showing some of the terroir personality that the '06s are lacking. I am only aging a handful of these but when they become dirt-cheap on closeout I think they'll offer a lot of early-drinking pleasure.
2008: Might be my favorite of the non-vintage-of-the-century vintages since 1998, although I've just started drinking them. So far they have both personality *and* flesh.
Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
Lesson: ignore early predictions. Tasting wines before malo is (just about) silly.
Steven Spielmann
Steven Spielmann
In general I have found 06/07/08 a great relief in Burgundy. I mean, '02-'05 were all essentially a wash for me - agers, cooked, greenies, agers. So it's been nice to have some pinot noir I can actually drink now for a change.
I agree that 06's can be a bit anonymous but they can also be sappy and delicious with only a couple being too forward/jammy for me.
I agree that 07's can be a bit lean but they can also be crunchy and very bright. Less successful lower end 07's are grim thus far.
Haven't had many 08's but they look to be a little severe at times but also very linear and detailed. I think the low end from lesser producers will be a repeat of 07, but it seems the highs may be higher.
07 & 08 are excellent white vintages, 06 not so much.
In all three vintages, there are winners and losers. Overall I like all three for reds and have bought and will continue to buy them all at the right prices. Eagerly awaiting 07 closeouts and eventual 08 closeouts...
In 06, Volnay, Pommard and parts of Gevrey suffered from hail, and some of the wines show rot as a result.
I agree that 07's can be a bit lean but they can also be crunchy and very bright. Less successful lower end 07's are grim thus far.
Haven't had many 08's but they look to be a little severe at times but also very linear and detailed. I think the low end from lesser producers will be a repeat of 07, but it seems the highs may be higher.
07 & 08 are excellent white vintages, 06 not so much.
In all three vintages, there are winners and losers. Overall I like all three for reds and have bought and will continue to buy them all at the right prices. Eagerly awaiting 07 closeouts and eventual 08 closeouts...
In 06, Volnay, Pommard and parts of Gevrey suffered from hail, and some of the wines show rot as a result.
FWIW,
We've been enjoying some low level '06s for the last few years. Drouhin's Chorey-les-Beaune, which I could get locally (huzzah!) has given us a lot of near-term drinking pleasure (and shows no signs of going South any time soon). I'd be leery of blindly buying '06 GCs, but isn't that always the case? We haven't dipped our fingers into the water with the '07s much, but given how much we liked '07 in the Beaujolais, we should get to know them better.
Mark Lipton
We've been enjoying some low level '06s for the last few years. Drouhin's Chorey-les-Beaune, which I could get locally (huzzah!) has given us a lot of near-term drinking pleasure (and shows no signs of going South any time soon). I'd be leery of blindly buying '06 GCs, but isn't that always the case? We haven't dipped our fingers into the water with the '07s much, but given how much we liked '07 in the Beaujolais, we should get to know them better.
Mark Lipton
U
Unknown
Guest
Cool. That one was oddly acidic when first shipped, glad to hear it's settled down. One of the great values in the cote d'or, I am still drinking the '04 - soooo good.
Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
2006 is a vin de plaisir (which means a bit fruity, a bit low acid), don't keep it 20 years; I've had good drinking from Mugneret Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits, Burguet, Givaudin (good bin-end catch!).
2007 is lighter but more structured, also don't keep for 20 years; Lafouge is nice
I am not very familiar with 2008, though Jay has persuaded me (by tasting) to buy some with him; my reading suggests 2008 will suit Disorderly palates but can be hit-and-miss
Gilman's 2009 issue suggests that 2009 is quite ripe but is also hit-and-miss, even within your favorite producer's lineup
2007 is lighter but more structured, also don't keep for 20 years; Lafouge is nice
I am not very familiar with 2008, though Jay has persuaded me (by tasting) to buy some with him; my reading suggests 2008 will suit Disorderly palates but can be hit-and-miss
Gilman's 2009 issue suggests that 2009 is quite ripe but is also hit-and-miss, even within your favorite producer's lineup
Filippo Mattia Ginanni
Filippo Mattia Ginanni
This is what I learned:
2006 (and 2009) pick cooler sites, avoid warmer Grand Crus (Latricieres did well), avoid heavy handed winemakers, a vintage for 1er
2007 very drinkable at the right price, pick Grand Crus (but prices are stupid), the low end can be dreadful, may turn nice but looks like a 1997 to me and I would rank it last in the context of '06'-'10
2008 will need time and suit palate herein, you may need to pick slightly warmer sites than usual otherwise acidity could be disturbing (not for me), should gain momentum
2009 if you do not want to wait 10/20 years to drink respectively Bourgogne/Village and 1er (like for '05) and can afford it, it's not a bad idea
2010 very early but very promising. One problem: comes after '09. This means high prices regardless.
2006 (and 2009) pick cooler sites, avoid warmer Grand Crus (Latricieres did well), avoid heavy handed winemakers, a vintage for 1er
2007 very drinkable at the right price, pick Grand Crus (but prices are stupid), the low end can be dreadful, may turn nice but looks like a 1997 to me and I would rank it last in the context of '06'-'10
2008 will need time and suit palate herein, you may need to pick slightly warmer sites than usual otherwise acidity could be disturbing (not for me), should gain momentum
2009 if you do not want to wait 10/20 years to drink respectively Bourgogne/Village and 1er (like for '05) and can afford it, it's not a bad idea
2010 very early but very promising. One problem: comes after '09. This means high prices regardless.
I wouldn't compare 07 to 97, unless you just mean the lesser vintage in a span. A lot of 97's are ripe and unfocused with an unnaturally tart finish (I presume from late acidulation). The acidity in 07s is presumably all natural and the fruit is much fresher and the wines not nearly so fleshy. In the context of potentially being the worst in a string of vintages, perhaps, but again, I think there are some very good wines and some very good values if you like crunchy snappy wines that are very fresh. I've liked Fourrier, Roumier, Bachelet, Lignier-Michelot, d'Angerville quite a bit. I thought M-G Clos Vougeot was overripe and blousy (surprisingly) and I was unimpressed w/ Dujac in 07.
U
Unknown
Guest
I would not compare to 97 either. In addition to what's been said above, the fruit in many (most?) 97s had gone stewy fairly quickly, which I hope will not be the case in 07.
Still enjoying some 97 whites though, surprisingly.
Still enjoying some 97 whites though, surprisingly.
Filippo Mattia Ginanni
Filippo Mattia Ginanni
Of course '07 is far away from '97 in terms of actual vintage character. I was referring to the relative weakness, with '97 arguably being the weakest in the '96 to '00 string... I am as much underwhelmed by '97 as I am by '07 but at the margin I prefer the latter as you pointed out (Fourrier not bad at all and to me this is a vintage in which you should pick a little more punchy than usual producer in relative terms Roumier/Bachelet over the Sisters...)
Ian Fitzsimmons
Ian Fitzsimmons
I haven't tasted but from anecdotal reading on the 08's get the impression that it is a research vintage with possibly unusually rewarding wines and unusually bad ones. This could mean good opportunities for the thoughtful buyer.
Are you one of those who has found a lot of rot in the 06 d'Angerville wines? Seems like different folks have different levels of sensitivity. (What else is new).
I have tasted very little from Volnay in 06 but the 06 Lafarge VS was lovely last weekend. No rot that I could detect. But I don't profess to be professional.
Marc Hanes
Marc Hanes
I can't believe this is happening. I mean, I just can't believe this is happening.
well, as much as I enjoy posting in the burgundy threads, I confess I don't have much to offer in response to the question as I've drunk very little from these vintages. In fact, no 08s or 07s! I did, however, drink several 06 vosne romanee village wines the other night as a friend had a sort of wine tasting party, featuring 06 vosne village. He opened Grivot, Rouget, Meo, and Mongeard-Mugneret in addition to the Cecille Tremblay I contributed. That last one was really very interesting and the Rouget was quite good as well.
But I'm trying to stick to my game plan of not buying current release burgundies and have bought nothing from 07 and 08 and very little from 06 (mostly truchot). Unfortunately, this is not really keeping me from spending money on wine!
But I'm trying to stick to my game plan of not buying current release burgundies and have bought nothing from 07 and 08 and very little from 06 (mostly truchot). Unfortunately, this is not really keeping me from spending money on wine!