The Godmothers!
Les Pebbles Centenary 1990 - Châteauneuf du Pape; Les Sentiers 1990 - Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru; Clos de la Barre 1990 - Volnay 1er Cru; La Guiraude 1990 - Crozes Hermitage; Les Caillerets 1992 - Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru white
Here are the few "Totem-Bottles" with memories and magical powers arranged at the cardinal points of the cellar in order to flatter, to please our divinity Bacchus and to benefit from his majestic protection. Each of these “Godmothers” was uncorked in a spirit of brilliant excitement and convivial passion and each will remain anchored in the subtle and intimate memory of the senses. Of these wines that make you vibrate and intoxicate with emotions more than alcohol levels...
Les Cailloux 1990 Cuvée Centenaire
Châteauneuf du Pape
L. & A. Brunel
Les Sentiers 1990
Chambolle Musigny 1er cru
Domaine R. Groffier
Clos de la Barre 1990
Volnay 1er cru
R. & P. Bouley
I would like to express the memory of these three wines by juxtaposing words that are rather opposite or seem dissimilar (but are they really…?) in order to give an unfortunately vague idea of this great vibration that they provide, of this dimension that they reach: deep/delicate or intense/airy or even power/lightness… The common denominator of great wines appreciated after a few years of patience is to annihilate any purely technical and cold description in favor of a rather sensory analysis closer to the harmony they exude and the closer relationship with the dish as well as an immediate presence and a length that you can't get enough of...
I remember the Châteauneuf associated with a haunch of Biche; the flood of spices, sweet notes of red fruits with an earthy, soft and warm texture that goes perfectly with this game, so intense and fine at the same time.
Le Chambolle, I could rather describe it as a huge orchard in full bloom, airy scents of pollen but as if composed of fresh and faded flowers at the same time…, with a stricter but very refreshing mouthfeel that still sparkles with youth! Magical and endless!
I admit a special relationship with the Volnay…it was for me the sesame of my introduction to very great Burgundies. I had been invited to a small club of friends passionate about great wines for a dinner-tasting where everyone brought their own bottle, respecting the theme of the evening. That evening, the 1990 vintage should be in the spotlight! So I had brought this bottle of Volnay. This moment was to shape my palate forever. We started with a white, a Meursault 1990 1er cru Perrières de Coche-Dury…what an introduction and what a wonderful surprise, I who had some Meursaults from this estate in my cellar but had not yet experienced them… We then blind tasted five Pinot Noirs (including mine) and I was then immersed in a world of unsuspected flavors… I already knew and appreciated Burgundy a lot but I felt that the level had risen very high this evening there, to the bewildering point where, knowing that we were tasting Pinot Noir, I did not recognize the grape variety… That is to say the power of the terroir when the winemaker translates its potential to the best!
I remember each of the wines when this evening took place well over ten years ago...Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru 1990 from Maume, Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 1990 from Geantet-Pansiot, Volnay Santenots 1 er Cru 1990 from Les Comtes Lafon and….Vosne Romanée Cros Parantoux 1 er Cru 1990 from Jayer and… my Volnay like a small satellite in the middle of all these huge planets! Especially Henri Jayer of course, what an immense sensation, I was so lost tasting it, so caught off guard, bowled over by its power and its smoothness, its rage and its delight, its burst and its introspection! I was doubly impressed since newly admitted to this seraglio of refined palates and I was apprehensively awaiting everyone's opinion concerning the wine I had brought...and the opinion was rather very good since it was considered to be more "natural" and less technical than the Volnay Santenots…phew…I was admitted into their restricted circle and there were other unforgettable evenings!
This Volnay Clos de la Barre 1990 was still a very happy bottle since I opened another one during the last holidays (Christmas 2010) and it gave us immense pleasure with its captivating aromas of small dried flowers, its melting, tasty texture and its tastes of macerated red fruits and sweet oranges.
La Guiraude 1990
Crozes Hermitage
A.Graillot
The finest bottle of this winemaker's entire career? Maybe ! Tasted recently (2010), after 20 years of patience in the cellar…after a two-hour decanter…a wine that is still concentrated, very fresh on the green pepper typical of Syrah, impressive, a massive style, mineral, smoky but opening slowly and expressing itself in straightness and length! A wine that still gave enough of itself to provide pleasure but advice to all those who are lucky enough to always have a few (it was my last!)…keep it still, this wine will be fine further away!
Les Caillerets 1992
Chassagne Montrachet 1er cru blanc
Domaine Ramonet
Here is an effective and magnificent cocktail: take a plot of limestone pebbles (Caille-) from a certain king in addition… (-rets) but which one...? we don't know…, an immense vintage and a renowned winemaker. Tasted recently (early 2011): On the nose, an immediate, assertive presence, lots of freshness and vigor, juxtaposed and juicy notes of very ripe yellow lemons and fine lime zest opening up with aeration and heating on warmer notes of mirabelle plums but still in the mouth this feeling of support, of a very slender and elegant spine. And as in parallel I find this immediate presence that we had on the nose in the length of the wine… a coherent signature at the opening which unfolds until the end… and which is prolonged for a long time. It's hard to leave this wine after the wonderful things it whispers in my ear!
