Keith Levenberg
Keith Levenberg
2004 Drouhin Musigny
Good, but no doubt about it this has that prickly stemmy green thing going on. Sappy and grippy, rich enough to smooth out some of that bitter green, but there was still enough of it to rob this of any Musigny personality IMO.
2004 Clos des Lambrays
Better, way, way better than the Musigny. Graceful and classy. I didn't get any greenie meanies here at all, more of a spicy woodsiness, though Maureen thought it smelled kind of herbal (okay, weedy) (okay, like weed). Less gloss, more matte here, but full and fleshy with a very finessed texture.
2004 Truchot Clos de la Roche
Best of all, no contest really. These were poured blind but there was no point because you can nail the Truchot just from a quick whiff. Just a touch of barnyard on the initial decant but in the glass it's all stony earth and mature Burgundy savoriness, nothing primary left in here obviously, but with an almost juicy freshness just the same. This is much fuller and heavier than the 1er crus from Truchot this vintage but it's all personality, satisfying not just for the house style like the 1ers are but as a very expressive Clos de la Roche.
2005 Marechal Bourgogne Cuvee Gravel
Ringer. I thought this might be funny to toss in and see if the bottom of the hierarchy from '05 ends up besting the top of the hierarchy from '04. Didn't really work out that way; whatever you want to say about the '04 vintage, those were wines already and this is still kind of tutti frutti (reminded Cristi of Beaujolais, which makes sense). It got a bit more grippy and, well, gravelly in the glass but the '04s were clearly more serious and engaging.
Good, but no doubt about it this has that prickly stemmy green thing going on. Sappy and grippy, rich enough to smooth out some of that bitter green, but there was still enough of it to rob this of any Musigny personality IMO.
2004 Clos des Lambrays
Better, way, way better than the Musigny. Graceful and classy. I didn't get any greenie meanies here at all, more of a spicy woodsiness, though Maureen thought it smelled kind of herbal (okay, weedy) (okay, like weed). Less gloss, more matte here, but full and fleshy with a very finessed texture.
2004 Truchot Clos de la Roche
Best of all, no contest really. These were poured blind but there was no point because you can nail the Truchot just from a quick whiff. Just a touch of barnyard on the initial decant but in the glass it's all stony earth and mature Burgundy savoriness, nothing primary left in here obviously, but with an almost juicy freshness just the same. This is much fuller and heavier than the 1er crus from Truchot this vintage but it's all personality, satisfying not just for the house style like the 1ers are but as a very expressive Clos de la Roche.
2005 Marechal Bourgogne Cuvee Gravel
Ringer. I thought this might be funny to toss in and see if the bottom of the hierarchy from '05 ends up besting the top of the hierarchy from '04. Didn't really work out that way; whatever you want to say about the '04 vintage, those were wines already and this is still kind of tutti frutti (reminded Cristi of Beaujolais, which makes sense). It got a bit more grippy and, well, gravelly in the glass but the '04s were clearly more serious and engaging.