Côte de Nuits

• Vosne-Romanée

This is nice but perhaps given the vineyard and vintage, it fell below hoped for expectations.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, slight black cherries, a bit of spice and just a hint of sour cherries.  Medium bodied.  No tannins.  Persistent acidity.  On the palate, this is nice with black cherries and some cherries, but it just sort of stops there.  Not much depth and no complexity.  It is enjoyable and certainly worth drinking but that is it.  Food will help.  Drink up as this doesn't seem likely to improve.   

Although "En Champs" has been occasionally called a Premier Cru, it does not appear that it is.  Please let me know if this is incorrect.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is complex and interesting with cherries, slight black cherries and spices.  Medium bodied.  Good balance.  On the palate, the spice quality really comes thru along with the cherries.  Good depth.  Nice finish.  This is nice on its own and drinking well right now.  It will go with wide variety of foods.  Chicken Paprikash would work well.  Drink over the next five to eight years.  

Very nice chowing for this bottle which seems to be at peak.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is clean and on the more elegant side.  Cherries, slight leathery notes, and just a hint of warm earth.  Medium bodied.  Just a wisp of tannins.  Nice balance.  On the palate, this has some depth and has a lovely texture.  Flavors of cherries with a bit of old wood notes.  Good finish.  This worked better with food though it was nice on its own.  I had a Japanese vegetable soup that paired well.  Drink over the next fivve to eight years.

Pale ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, slight cinnamon, and a hint of mocha.  Medium bodied.  Lighter tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, cherries and slight black cherries with a bit of spice.  Good finish.  This is still on the youthful side of peak but showing some development.  Nice on its own, this would be better with food.  A hearty beef or vegetable stew would work well.  Drink over the next ten years.  

Great showing for this.  At age 15, it is still youthful but showing some tertiary development.  For Burgundy, this is on the bigger, more powerful side.  deep ruby in color with some purple swirls, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, cherries, spices, and slight earthiness.  Full bodied.  Light but present tannins.  Great balance.  On the palate, this is delicious with cherries, black cherries and spice.  Long finish.  Showing depth and complexity that will no doubt emerge over the next decade or more.  Great on its own, this would be very nice with a plate of

Burgundy is not the "mine field" it used to be but back when this wine was released, every bottle and most producers seemed like a crap shoot.  Opening this bottle certainly had me concerned, but I need not have been.  It showed very well and at least equaled my highest hopes.  Better than a very good bottle opened about six months ago.

Count me among those who find a certain greenness to the 2004 Burgundies.  Others at the table loved this wine and either didn't find that quality or didn't mind it.  Ruby/purple in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, a bit of earthiness and an herbal quality hanging around the background.  It comes across as a sort fresh thyme mixed with cilantro.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, black cherries, some cherries, herbal notes and char.  It is also complex and layered.  It works better with food and it would be nice with fresh sashimi.  It has plenty