THEME- Clos de la Roche vs Clos St-Denis
16th March 2016, Noir Restaurant
Menu
Pumpkin and parmesan tartlets
Heirloom tomato galette, pickled spanner crab
Yellow fin tuna, anchovy dressing, nicoise salad
Thyme gnocchi with chestnuts, mushrooms, Gippsland duck salad
Crisp belly of pork, black pudding puree, confit turnip, poached rhubarb
Roast Rangers Valley Black Angus, braised brisket, beetroots, watercress
Chocolate truffles
WINES
Champagne
2007 Vilmart Coeur de Cuvee
White Burgundy Bracket
2009 Francois Raveneau Valmur Grand cru
2004 Francois Raveneau Valmur Grand cru
2002 Francois Raveneau Valmur Grand cru
Red Burgundy Bracket #1
2005 Nicholas Potel Clos de la Roche
1999 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche
1999 Louis Jadot Clos St-Denis
1999 Michel Magnien Clos St-Denis
Red Burgundy Bracket #2
2005 Louis Jadot Clos de la Roche
2005 Louis Jadot Clos St-Denis
2006 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche
2006 Domaine Dujac Clos St-Denis
Red Burgundy Bracket #3
2010 Olivier Bernstein Clos de la Roche
2010 Armand Rousseau Clos de La Roche
2012 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche
2012 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche
Vintage Port
1985 Fonseca
I was the organiser for this theme. All wines wines were tasted blind initially without food and then with meal.
I put up the Champagne, bracket of Raveneau, Vintage Port and
Champagne and six of the Red wines (some which were purchased by others attending as they did not have a suitable wine).
NB: Ranking- Topmost wines gets 1 point - so less points means a better wine.
Tasting Notes:
2007 Vilmart Coeur de Cuvee
Amazing champagne. It texture, intensity and acidic spine were just perfectly balanced. I had the 2006 last month which was lovely and this is another notch up.
White Burgundy Bracket
2009 Francois Raveneau Valmur Grand cru Points: 25 Ranking 3
2004 Francois Raveneau Valmur Grand cru Points: 9 Ranking 1
2002 Francois Raveneau Valmur Grand cru Points: 20 Ranking 2
This was a great bracket of Raveneau. Not even a hit of Premox. Very young and refreshing. They were all purchased at release and perfectly cellared. When I initially posed the question about vintage many thought that all wines were from the same vintage! When compared ultra closely the 2009 was down pointed because it looked a tough more flabby and less focussed than the others – especially the 2004 that outright stole the show. The 2004 is one magnificient wine. It has the fruit and complexity with a tight acidic underpinning. It looks ultra young. Sadly my last bottle of 2004 Valmur but have few Clos in the cellar still to finish.
Red Burgundy Bracket #1
2005 Nicholas Potel Clos de la Roche Points: 21 Ranking 2
1999 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche Points: 18 Ranking 1
1999 Louis Jadot Clos St-Denis Points: 21 Ranking 2
1999 Michel Magnien Clos St-Denis Points: 30 Ranking 4
The 1999’s were drinking very well on the night. 1999 Dujac was fabulous. Everything you wish for was there in spades. The fruit quality, intensity, structure and also the complexity that was building up as the wine opened in the glass was all magic. The 1999 Jadot looked great too. Just shaded marginally by the Dujac. The Jadot was aromatically quite different and in the mouth had more cleaner- non-stemmy fruit that few attendees commented on. The Michel Magnien was a huge wine. Unfortunately it got served a bit too warm as the public transport on a hot day by the person who brought it did not help its cause. Because of its serving temperature the alcohol poked out and appeared a bit distracting. The 2005 w Potel was a last minute substitution as the person bring the 1999 wine feel sick and could not attend. But the Potel caught everyone by surprise. Its medium bodied, sauve, and ultra refined package. Along with the Jadot it shared a close second place.
Red Burgundy Bracket #2
2005 Louis Jadot Clos de la Roche Points: 20 Ranking 2
2005 Louis Jadot Clos St-Denis Points: 22 Ranking 3
2006 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche Points: 18 Ranking 1
2006 Domaine Dujac Clos St-Denis Points: 40 Ranking 4
This was an interesting bracket where we compared two vintages, two producers and the two sites. No one anyone got all of it correct. Everyone was surprised how open the 2005s were and how superbly they are drinking now. The Jadots were very aromatic with superb delineation of fruit. Absolute treat. Dujacs were a bit stemmy in comparison but the CdlR again shone much more than the CSD. Its nose, mouth feel, persistence, and over all character was much more appealing than the CSD.
Red Burgundy Bracket #3
2010 Olivier Bernstein Clos de la Roche Points: 19 Ranking 2
2010 Armand Rousseau Clos de La Roche Points: 17 Ranking 1
2012 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche Points: 36 Ranking 4
2012 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche Points: 26 Ranking 3
We were supposed to have the CdlR compared with CSD but unfortunately one of the attendees brought the wrong wine! So we ended up with two CdlR side by side. Both were intense and had beautiful fruit and structure underneath but were very reduced (one much much more than the other). They were only PnP so we let them open in the glass – which they did - but still a bit distracting and hence were down pointed. The Bernstein was a big wine especially sitting alongside Rousseau which was more feminine expression of CdlR. Bernstein had more intensity but less finesse compared with the Rousseau which managed to get ahead of it by a whisker.
1985 Fonseca
Looked very youthful. Approx half its age. Deep. Intense. Mouth filling.
Wonderful way to finish.
Summary: Reconfirms that CdlR and CSD make excellent wines. Most preferred the CdlR on the night than its counterpart. Everyone was amazed how well the 2005s are drinking currently. Amongst the reds to many ’99 Dujac was the WOTN. Other contender was the 2010 Rousseau and 2006 Dujac CdlR.
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