What would be the cause of this? It’s happening to me right now with a bottle of 2009 Taupenot-Merme - MSD La Riotte 1er.
Usually when there’s a Nose/Palate split of this magnitude, it’s a weak/dead Nose and a showy Palate; opposite going on here.
I would expect low-level TCA to mute the Nose just as much as the palate, so I don’t think that’s the culprit — or is it, maybe?
Low-level TBA?
Or is this bottle likely not flawed and this is just how this wine is showing right now?
This happens to me all the time, I would love to know the answer, but I am assuming there is no one answer but rather a multitude of answers.
The reverse–dead nose, great palate–also happens but much less frequently.
Brian - I find that’s not uncommon with young wines that have relatively high acids. The mouth can be tight and ungiving while the aromas are there. I wouldn’t assume it’s a flaw – just a young Burgundy.
Thanks for that, John.
I’m about 20 minutes from simply sticking a cork in it until tomorrow, and moving on to something else for this evening. I’ve had it open for two hours now, and there continues to be nearly nothing on the palate.
I’ve seen it a few times as well, usually (but not always) with wines that are ageworthy and I’ve assumed need a few more years. I haven’t considered the idea that there might be a connection to acid levels, but I don’t doubt it.
+1 on the “needs time” concept. I’ve had plenty of wines that deliver great aromas but are tight as a knot on the palate… and many that don’t give up much on the nose or the palate. If it is giving you a clue on the nose but nothing on the palate and you have some experience with the producer, trust the nose.
Yes, I always interpret this as a good wine that needs more time.
So, last night I put a cork in this bottle, put it in the fridge, and moved on to another wine (a really crappy 2001 Bourgueil, as my (bad) luck would have it).
About 45 - 60 min. ago, I pulled the T-M from the fridge, and poured a small pour into my glass. Just stuck my Nose in it (Nose still awesome, but a bit different than yesterday) and took a sip; it finally came out of its shell — not in a big way, mind you, but it is delivering some of what the Nose promises at this point. Crazy, 22.5 hours in to get this sucker to crack even a little! If the Nose is any indication, this wine is stupid-good!
Did you have food with it either time?
Both Yes and No both times.
I wouldn’t have expected this in a 2009. Many have been excellent. A few have demanded time to let the sweetness retreat, so kinda the opposite problem.
Glad it improved!
Root day…