Archive for March, 2023

Followers of this Blog will know your scribe has fun comparing similar wines and reporting on unexpected differences. Many factors go into your final impression in assessing any wine but three important factors usually include Producer, Terroir & Vintage. In Burgundy, Terroir can be a crucial key with sites rated Grand Cru, Premier Cru, and Village. You expect that generally Premier Cru won’t be as complex (or as expensive) as Grand Cru (but there are exceptions like Les Amoureuses, Clos St. Jacques, Meursault Perrieres …) but even more so that a Village AC will not be as fine as a Premier Cru. However, especially in Burgundy the Producer and the Vintage are real variables to be taken into consideration – probably even more so than in many other wine regions. This month was a lovely treat over four home dinners to compare four Gevrey-Chambertin being two 2006 Premier Cru from Domaine Drouhin-Laroze with 2006 & 2005 Village AC from Alain Jeanniard. All wines were drinking well showing real quality value as earlier purchased on release compared to the present inflated prices. Vintage was important with the 2005 treasure singing beautifully even at the Village AC level with more intense depth of fruit and balance than the two 2006 Premier Cru.

1. 2006 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Au Closeau Dom. Drouhin-Laroze Lighter colour but bright. Floral and racy. Lacks depth from this variable vintage. Drinking forwardly. Interesting small (half a hectare) vineyard on the eastern downslope at the top end of Mazis near La Perriere.
   
2. 2006 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Craipillot Dom. Drouhin-Laroze Deeper colour. Cherries with earthy “sous-bois” are full & round, mid-weight but again lighter than 2005. Better fruit depth. Craipillot is north of Mazis and over 5 times the size of Au Closeau.
   
3. 2006 Gevrey-Chambertin AC Alain Jeanniard Respected producer in Morey-Saint-Denis who managed Hospices de Beaune lots in Mazis & Clos de la Roche. Bright deep look. Lower yields are obvious in look, smell. and taste. Purer selection. Rather good.
   
4. 2005 Gevrey-Chambertin AC Alain Jeanniard Much darker appearance with exciting depth. Perfectly clean ripe grapes with outstanding Gevrey power plus balance. Energy with beautiful textures developing but no rush. So impressive for just a Village AC!

These findings from older Burgundian wines are particularly apt during these years of global warming where previously cooler sites (often higher up at the very top of south facing middle slopes) are now finding much better ripeness. These are only presently rated as AC vineyards but are becoming warmer choice places now helped out for freshness by the previously detrimental prevailing stronger winds. Some deserve a Premier rating now. Keep an eye out for these new remarkable value Village AC great Burgundy wines especially from newer vintages!

Question: Thanks Sid for your Wednesday “Quora” on wine. Realize wine sales are down but is there a specific wine that is bucking that trend on an upwards curve?

Answer: Not sure we qualify as a “Quora” but we have fun trying to help out on your wine questions. Yes, lighter wines and those with less alcohol are on the rise. Sparkling wines are doing OK and of course always Champagne. My nomination for upward movement is Albarino from Rias Baixas in Spain. Perhaps not that surprising as Albarino provides a lovely crisp, fresh lighter style at good value compared to Chablis and other more expensive similar types.

The Burgundy group in Vancouver celebrated 40 years in Vancouver with a nostalgic look back to the perseverance over several years of the Founding Members in obtaining approval from both Jacques Chevignard Grand Chambellan in Nuits-Saint-Georges in France and Jim McConnel Grand Senechal Toronto Ontario (established earlier in 1977). The founding day for Vancouver was on December 16, 1982 at a Terminal City Club lunch with the dedicated seven original officers (as shown in the attached declaration) led by our first Grand Senechal Walter Van Vloten. Toasts were made then with fond memories of a 1975 Dom Perignon and 1978 Chassagne Montrachet Rouge Tastevinage from Mommessin. The Inaugural Chapitre dinner was held on May 31, 1983 at the Hotel Vancouver Waddington Room with visiting dignitaries as shown. Feature wines included 1971 Corton Pougets Reine Pedauque, two 1978s Beaune Clos De L’Ecu & Clos de Vougeot both from Jaboulet Verchere. On February 28, 2023 our 40th anniversary celebration was held at the Vancouver Club with an excellent dinner prepared by Executive Chef Matthew Taylor and brigade including an appropriate 40 year old Mazys-Chambertin 1982. Three of the founding members (Edward Chiasson, Kenneth Cross, and your scribe) were present and reflected on the formation of the group, the early days, and showed older menus of some wonderful past events including a memorable La Tache vertical dinner.

The detailed preparation of the courses with the attentive table service at The Vancouver Club was outstanding. Brief comments on the wines:

The Champagne was a rather unknown reasonably priced NV P. Lancelot-Royer (appropriately for our event named Cuvee des Chevaliers) with 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay from Cramant with lees aging in rather a full ripe creamy style for Blanc de Blancs with 30% reserves. Good value.

Always a rare treat to enjoy Dauvissat Chablis especially comparing three left bank Premier Crus of Vaillons, Sechet, and La Forest all 2011. Softer, lighter, and less grip than expected but elegant & pure.
Your scribe found La Forest richer but here the Vaillons had the best lift though Sechet was group fav. Slightly disappointing as all are a bit too easy, quite similar, and ready to drink. 2011 often show a lack of intensity from harvesting after the rainy July & August conditions without the deep complex vibrant minerality of a classic vintage 2014 Vaillon Cuvee Guy Moreau 80 year old vines. Interesting comparisons.

The reds were a mixed bag with two Beaune Greves solid while superb vintage 1985 Vosne-Romanee Les Suchots from Alain Hudelot-Noellat is the most charming round complex true Burgundy WOTN tertiary bouquet and velvety textures. The bigger 1990 Mazis-Chambertin Drouhin was deep dark concentrated fruit so structured and still developing well. Fun to have a 40 year red Burgundy to celebrate 40 years of the Tastevin in Vancouver but this 1982 (better than moldy 1983s) needs drinking as drying out and would have been fresher earlier on from this old fashioned house of Pierre Bouree. Divided opinions on whether the lovely sparkling Huet Vouvray 2007 was sweet enough to go with the magnificent St. Honore or was better alone as a first dessert. Top Wine, Food, Music make for an enchanting evening!

Question: Please clarify for me the difference between the wines called Gavi & Gavi di Gavi?

Answer: Gavi is an underrated top white wine from Piedmont Italy produced from the indigenous Cortese grape under the highest quality level of DOCG. Gavi di Gavi is the name used for the best vineyards coming from within the main town of Gavi itself.