Meadows reported 2008 red is an more acid- driven vintage…they are more enjoyable while their fruits were still there.
Plenty of fruit left in 08s from good producers. Don’t confuse sleeping fruit with missing fruit. I have opened numerous 08s in the past year and all were various degrees of delicious. True, I like 96s. But if you don’t like acid in your pinots, drink CA pinot not burgundy.
Plus Fourrier Cherbaudes terrific upon release. Haven’t opened one since however as I suspect they are shut down.
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Balance is the key for aging…red; and also understand that sleeping fruit should not be confused with missing fruit ![[winner.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/07ec25c9fd71159fe15d7f1ba5fad64e91238d0e.gif "winner"){kind=small}
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As always - when to open a bottle red burgundy is the key for your own preference how to enjoy your bottle of wine.
But if you don’t like acid in your pinots, drink CA pinot not burgundy.
Acid has always to be appropriately balanced with RIPE fruit. Underripe fruit and high acid is going to be a huge problem, at least in some of the 2008 wines.
(In the better 1996s the fruit was riper and more prominent from the start)
If you love Burgundy you don´t have to love all kinds and levels of acid - and you don´t have to switch to California.
Point made.
Producers, producers and producers…specially for red Burgundy.
A few of us opened one last weekend, was showing beautifully. Granted, I like elevated acidity but the fruit was ripe too. Think the old vines and pick time likely had a lot to do with this particular success. Though I’m sure the same could be said about many successful 08’s.
Popped an '08 Lignier MSD 1er VV this past weekend. Big, burly wine that opened up with some air, but would benefit from a lot more cellar time.
Everything I’ve had so far has been promising:
Lafarge Greves
G. Mugneret VR
G. Mugneret Boudots
Arnoux Chaumes
Arnoux Reignots
L’Arlot Forets
Mugnier Chambolle
Morot Bressandes
I’ve had the Greves twice in the last 6 months and it showed differently. One was sunny and red-fruited. More recently, dark, serious, and soil-driven. Both were enjoyable and nothing seemed out of place.
I think there is ample ripeness given the long growing season. I think it will be like '98 with better tannins, which is great vintage right about now.
I’d like to play but am trying not to touch my 2008s for another 10 years or so. Loved them on release and expect to love them when they’re ready.
Had an '08 G. Mugneret VR and it was in the zone.
I’m halfway through a case and each one has been real nice. It shut down several years ago, but I think it’s ready to go again. The Boudots is special, but I haven’t tried it recently.
I’m finding only simplest, lowest level reds are drinkable. The rest need time…
This
It’s the only one listed that I have, so I tried the first one since release tonight. This is exactly how a small pour tasted on opening, but I slow-ox’ed for four hours, then it was quite approachable and just lovely. It’s light to medium bodied, developing secondary aromas, nothing out of place; I don’t know how much longer to expect these to age. Nice wine for something like 45 bucks on release.
Opened 2008 Mugneret Gibourg Chaignots last night, and drank it over 2 evenings. Beautiful vosne-ish aromatics…Pronounced acid, sure…but also plenty of fruit - almost new world levels of fruit and structure in this wine…it will improve over time - very young - best on the day 2. Is it unbalanced? Absolutely not. Will it age? Yes. Will the fruit make the journey - it is promising.
I had mixed experiences with 1996s from the Cote d’Or and I’m an acid freak…the issue for me was when the fruit disappeared from those wines while they were still trying to resolve.
-mark
So the conclusion is : wait but if you really want to drink one , slow ox and decant well in advance .
The first time I was in Burgundy was when the 2009 vintage was out, but one could still taste and buy 2008 and 2007. All experts were saying that 2008 was much better than 2007, in particular for its aging potential. But from what I was tasting 2007s were delicious and drinking well already then, whereas 2008s were hard and closed. Several years later 2007s have been drinking well all the time, but as this thread shows, there hasn’t been much pleasure in drinking 2008. Of course, things may change with time, so we will have to wait and see whether the potential of 2008 will reveal itself at some point…
Good to know on the VR, as I have some and a fair amount of other '08, none of which I expect to be drinkable at this time: Bachelet, Gouges, Mongeard-Mugneret, and a variety of Cortons. Also have a some Rousseau Mazy; anyone have recent experience with these, which I imagine could be a bit more approachable?
I’m happy I didn’t go super long on these but there were relatively recently some very good deals on 08s. Wine cellarage was selling cases of 08 angerville Champans for <1000.
I must have missed this. Why? Does this involve the ‘Fourrier shake’??