Wednesday 20th June 2018
Domaine Laurent Roumier, Burgundy, Chambolle Musigny with Laurent Roumier
In the morning Brandon and I travel back to the legendary village of Chambolle Musigny. We now understand why this is such an exceptional commune and are excited to visit. Laurent Roumier’s father, Jean Marie, is the brother of the legendary George Roumier. This is a small Domaine, completely cult and always sold out.
2015 Chambolle Musigny Haute Cotes de Nuits: Red fruits, mineral, spice, rocks. Drink 3-4 years after bottling. – Puneet
2015 Chambolle Musigny Village: More spice and red fruit, more length and fresher. – Puneet
2015 Clos de Vougeot: More colour, cloves and spice, a swirl of flavour and fruit. Very dense, dark bitter chocolate character. – Puneet
Domaine Berthaut Gerbet, Burgundy, Fixin with Madame Berthet
Fixin is one of the Northern communes of the Cotes de Nuits. It is small and sometimes forgotten, but not after this class. Emmanuelle explains how the mother’s side and father’s side of their family combined their assets across Cotes de Nuits to create Berthaut Gerbet. Like Alex Millot, she is young, intelligent, respectful and determined – in other words bound to succeed.
2016 Haute Cote de Nuits: Floral, light red, fresh, balanced. – Puneet
2ha. 1 year barrel, no new oak.
2016 Fixin Village: Spice, red fruit, fresh and good length. – Puneet
Blend of 3 vineyards, 1 year in barrel, no new oak.
2016 Fixin Les Crais: Stones/shingles, bright, fresh and round. Lovely body. – Puneet
Single vineyard – 1.3ha.
2016 Gevrey Chambertin: Violets, floral perfume, ripe tannin, fatty, good mouth feel. – Puneet
2ha. Cuvee blend.
2016 Vosne Romanee: Gentle spice, red fruit and blue fruit, good body. – Puneet
2 plots.
2016 Fixin 1er Cru Arvulet: Savoury, brooding, toasted, grilled meat, long length. – Puneet
2016 Vosne Romanee Petits Monts 1er Cru: Fragrant red fruit, plush, balanced, lovely. – Puneet
Just above Richebourg, very steep.
2016 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru: Clove, spice, mossy, linear, straight, hint of dark chocolate. – Puneet
Domaine Michel Magnien and Domaine Frédéric Magnien, Burgundy, Morey St Denis with Carole Nappy
Frédéric is the father and Michel is the son. Michel is running the Domaine now. Organic, bio-dynamic and innovative. We felt like we were visiting old friends as we have been working with these guys for a few years now – I love their Clos de Beze and Clos de la Roche. We walk through the cellar and are amazed to see 100’s of terracotta amphora jars about 100 litres each. As Michel moves further and further to trying to let the terroir speak out in their wines, he is moving away from oak influence and using the more inert jars to age his wines.
2014 Morey St Denis Tres Girard Michel Magnien: Spice, savoury, hint of mushroom. – Puneet
Bottom vineyard near the restaurant Tres Girard. Deeper soils.
2014 Morey St Denis Luisat Michel Magnien: More perfume, fresh, clean, mineral at back of palate. – Puneet
2015 Morey St Denis Tres Girard Michel Magnien: Aged in jars. Younger, but ripe tannin, mushroom and spice. – Puneet
2013 Chambolle Musigny Vieille Vignes Frédéric Magnien: Spice, red fruit, vibrant, energetic, lively. – Puneet
2015 Chambolle Musigny Vieille Vignes Frédéric Magnien: Nice perfume, fragrant, mineral, elegant, length, earthy. – Puneet
2013 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Charmes Vieilles Vignes Frédéric Magnien: Beautiful bouquet, rock, mineral, garam masala. – Puneet
2014 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Sentiers Michel Magnien: Much more sweet red fruit, spice, fresh and vibrant energy. – Puneet
2014 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Bourniques Michel Magnien: (Next to Musigny should be a grand gru) Perfume, spice and grilled meat, incredible integration of flavour and tannin. – Puneet
2014 Morey St Denis 1er Cru Millandes Michel Magnien: Truffle, rock, earth. Deeper and broody. – Puneet
2013 Charles Chambertin Grand Cru Aux Mazeyeres Frédéric Magnien: Red and black fruit, port-like nose, broody again. Black earth, still young. 2013’s are still difficult to assess. – Puneet
2016 Morey St Denis 1er Cru Les Ruchottes: 50% JAR. Pure, red fruit, amazing minerality. Ripe silky tannin. – Puneet
2016 Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru Aux Mazeyeres: 40% JAR. Fragrant, elegant, generous, powerful, silky. – Puneet
2016 Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru: Big, open ,juicy, fresh, fantastic. – Puneet
Domaine Sylvain Pataille, Burgundy, Marsanne with Sylvain Pataille
What an experience. Sylvain has an electrifying mob of blonde hair, horn rimmed spectacles and as much energy and vibrancy as his wines, He lives and breathes the village he was born in and lives in, Marsannay, and is seen by many as the outstanding viticulturist and vigneron of his generation in Burgundy. Amongst all this, such is his demand that he also consults for many top estates across the Cotes D’Or.
On his road is his father’s cellar and grandfather’s cellar, along with his own cellar. We walk down into a small, damp room filled with barrels and barely any room to move around. The front of the cellar is his office – one huge barrel length ways with a multitude of clean skin bottles. He closes the door. “No phones, no time – I love it here” Sylvain smiles. He begins with his love Aligote – “the forgotten grape of Burgundy”. Many years ago top sites across Burgundy were planted with Aligote. He notes tasting the 1964 Bonneau du Martray Aligote “exquisite” – this is no longer the case. He still has Premier Cru sites across Marsannay dating back 100 years. Over the early evening we taste 30 or 40 barrel samples. I remember every single one although I stopped taking notes as I was absorbed in the whole experience.
Aligote is a small berry – bitter and fresh. It needs oxygen and oak (not stainless). It offers an aromatic nose and a bitter sweet full and fresh palate.
We run through every Aligote sample, and then Chardonnay and then his magnificent and vibrant Pinot Noir. This is a man that everyone should know of and listen to. He is playful, happy, extremely intelligent and immersed in his passion.
