Côte de Nuits

• Vosne-Romanée

There is a lot of controversy about this American producer.  I won't go into the here except to say, all the wines I personally purchased and opened so far have been at or above expectations.  Pop and pour.  Light ruby in color, slightly hazy which is not uncommon in Burgundies.  The nose is very nice.  Earthy with slight mushrooms, cherries, slight cranberry notes and just a bit of funk.  Medium bodied with tart acidity (in a good way).  On the palate, nice cherry fruit with underlying earthiness and slight mushrooms.  Still on the youthful side of full maturity.  That said at age eleven,

Gorgeous wine.  Pop and pour, this kept improving.  Still needs another ten to twelve years to maturity.  Ruby in color with slight brown hues, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, black cherries, black tea, and moist earth.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is layered but tight.  Complex layers of earth, cherries and spice.  Light tannins.  Still has plenty of fruit and also oak to  integrate.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This should easily go another twenty to thirty years.  Drink on its own or with any fowl or hearty sea food.  This could easily work with a roast or

Splendid bottle consumed while still youthful but showing some maturity.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, macerated cherries, slight earthiness, just a hint of oak spice.  Medium to full bodied.  Layers of cherries, black cherries, funk and spice.  Light but present tannins.  Yes, some funk and oak but overall very clean.  Enough fruit to finish the job in another five years, but great now.  Long finish.  Contemplative on its own, this will work well with food as well.  Anything from roasted duck to Kung Pao Chicken.  This should easily go another f

From a tremendous, if very ripe, vintage.  Deep ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, cola and slight earthiness.  This has a great lush texture.  The black cherry fruit comes out on the palate with some cherries and underlying minerality.  Clean.  Nice balance.  Long finish.  Tasted blind, one might think California but on the more elegant side.  Still on the youthful side, this should develop a bit more.  drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  This will work well with roasted foul or slow cooked braised meat dishes.  

This was popped and poured but it took about an hour to blow off some bottle stink and another hour to really get into gear.  It would have been better served to pop the cork and allowed to breathe for a few hours.  Luckily, we had the time to wait.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose (after a couple hours) is nice with cherries, earthy funk and slight floral notes.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has cherries layered with earthiness.  Slightly soft.  Deep.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now and will not get better.  From a very good if not great vintage.  Drink over the

What a pretty bottle of wine.  Ruby in color, cloudy with slight bricking and dull.  The nose is gorgeous.  Fresh cherries, cherry blossoms, slight mushrooms and woodiness.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  Very lively.  Fresh cherries with a clean earthiness underneath.  Complex.  Completely mature yet vibrant.  Everything once could hope for from a 35 year old 1er Cru.  At this point it is bottle to bottle on this wine, so drink them if you have them.  It worked well with grilled veggies and rice and beans but would also work well with roasted fowl.

As Burgundy prices have gone thru the roof, Savigny is a nice places for affordable but quality Burgundy.  This one is not exception.  Ruby in color, clear and shimmering bright.  The nose is bigger with cherries, black cherries, slight cocoa powder and spices.  Full bodied.  On the palate, the fruit is upfront and delicious.  Black cherries with some fresh cherries.  There is an underlying bit of spice and minerality.  A touch of depth and complexity comes out with air.  This is drinking quite well and will continue to mature if not improve.  It can be cellared for another seven to ten yea

This was decanted for a few hours prior to drinking.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, sour cherries, raspberries, slight earthy funk.  On the palate, this has big red fruits.  Light tannins.  Very well balance.  Mostly cherries with underlying earth.  Long finish.  This is very concentrated.  It needs at least ten years and closer to twenty to hit peak.  It will work well with roasted fowl.  Lots of upside on the score with some patience.  

This was purchased on release and properly cellared.  Overall, the bottle took an hour or so to open up and then was drinking fine.  It never took that final step to being a top bottle, but it was outstanding nevertheless.  Light ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has a slight earthy funk to it and cherries.  On the palate, this has a soft texture.  Elegant cherries with light tannins twisted around a bit of damp earthy farmyard.  Long finish.  This will go well with roasted fowl or braised beef dishes.  It probably doesn't get better than this but no hurry, it should be at t

Wow.  Stunning showing and WOTN at our tasting group's annual holiday party.  This seems to be about at peak, but it also has some youth so perhaps it will get better.  Ruby in color, if a bit flat.  The nose is gorgeous with cherries, cinnamon, slight wet tobacco notes and just a bit of woodiness.