After a 12 month break, Monday Table was back with a vengeance last night. Anthony was our most generous host. Kay turned out one of the most marvelous meals I have ever eaten.
The theme was Coche-Dury plus Pretenders and Contenders. There weren’t too many “Pretenders”, apart from some of us Burg nerds at the table.
A Coupla Champagnes
1996 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut: There’s still a green tinge to this simply perfect Champagne. Fresh aromas of lemon butter, lime brulee and chalk. It is rich and penetrating, with superb acid line. Length is superb.
1995 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut: Quite a bit more advanced than the ’96 next to it, showing some mushroom and toast development. The fruit profile is gently candied and it has power and grace, and lovely shape.
Might As Well Open The CC’s Early (and throw in a Meursault smokey)
2012 Domaine Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne, Grand Cru: This is so youthful, with an almost ‘just bottled’ banana esther character to the nose. It has notes of aniseed, guava, white peach, coconut ice and citrus. It is super-dense, yet silky, with the usual Coche extract and chew. It really breathed up in the glass and was quite wonderful.
2013 Domaine Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne, Grand Cru: Starts off with some petrol-like reduction, pure white peach and green melon. With air it really gets going, oozing minerality and proposing some spice. It is so dense and chewy, built like red wine. There’s a razor-sharp spine and length to burn.
2004 Pierre Morey Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières: Stuck match central on the nose. There is something green and nettley lurking behind but it is pleasant. It has some toast and explosive white peach fruit. It is dense and sappy, finishing long and strong with some celery salt notes.
2014 Domaine Ponsot Corton-Charlemagne, Grand Cru: This looked great, straight out of the gate, with plenty of lemon and exquisite peach aromas and flavours. It was silky and voluminous in the mouth, with a heart of sweet orchard fruits. It was silky of texture and as it came up towards room temperature there was a gentle nuttiness that started to show.
Five Coche Wines From The Same Year
2007 Domaine Coche-Dury Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères: This thing is so tight and barely evolved. There still smoky mineral reduction. Fruits are all white peach and green melon. It is compact, focused and finishes with awesome cut.
2007 Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières: An engaging nose of fennel, mint, white peach and lemons. It is intense and voluminous but so chiselled and detailed. It builds in the glass and finishes with a huge puff of chalk. Brilliant!
2007 Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault Les Chevalières: Tight and flinty, with a wisp of smoke. There are rich fruits in the mouth but also good precision. It is nicely proportioned and crackles with energy.
2007 Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault 1er Cru Caillerets: Sadly, some mild TCA detracts from what would have been e very good wine. It is dense, rich and powerful in the mouth, with real presence.
2007 Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières: There’s a hint of the exotic to the nose along with sappy white peach fruit. It is layered and rich, stacked and packed with flavour. There are some heady florals and a touch of spice. The finish oozes minerality. Lovely wine in a really good place.
Four Rougeots
2001 Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault Les Rougeots: Has a touch of earthy sous bois and a smell reminiscent of spent fireworks. There is still a core of sweet orchard fruits and just a touch of butterscotch. It is complex and ready to go and a very tasty drink.
2002 Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault Les Rougeots: Plenty of toast and struck match along with sappy white peach fruit. It is unctuous and chewy in the mouth and loaded with spice. The finish is still remarkably fresh and citrussy and it is very, very good wine.
2004 Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault Les Rougeots: The scent of heady blossom and smoky mineral envelops the nostrils. It is rich, layered and powerful, Drinking at the top of its game with an uptick of fresh, lemony acidity punctuating the finish.
1992 Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault Les Rougeots: Smouldering Autumnal leaves with some honeyed fruits on the nose. It is plump, rich and round with tertiary flavours and acidity that is almost completely resolved. It almost tastes a bit like a dry Sauternes, with its dried fruits flavour profile and honeyed sweetness. It is a delight to drink and has all sorts of interesting savoury flavours to its long finish.
Divine D’Auvenays
1992 Domaine d’Auvenay Meursault Les Narvaux: Aromas and flavours had a touch of lavender and honey botrytis character. Fruit flavours were ripe and nicely delineated. This had Meursault exoticism and incredible depth and build for a village wine. In a near perfect place for mine.
2011 Domaine d’Auvenay Meursault Les Narvaux: Smoky mineral, white peach, lemon and fennel tops. Compact, intense, linear and razor sharp. Supremely youthful.
2000 Domaine d’Auvenay Meursault 1er Cru Gouttes d’Or: Complex aromatics of mango, paw paw, rockmelon, petrol and butter. It is rich and layered, with explosive power and so much underlying chalky chew. Flavours drive on and on and on. Just entering what I suspect will be a very long drinking window.
A Lonesome Coche Red
1981 Coche-Dury Volnay: A bit too much mushroom from the cork. Some sweet red fruits and plant matter too. It had medium body and plenty of meatiness.
Gotta Finish With Yquem
1962 Château d’Yquem, Sauternes: This was in terrific condition. Complex aromatics of honey, butterscotch, apricots and grapefruit. It is full, sweet and luscious in the mouth. Not a blockbuster, but beautifully balanced and proportioned. Some fruit rind bitterness counters the sweetness perfectly on the long finish.