TN Dan’s 98 Burgundy @ Noizé

That worked well. Very well. Thanks everyone. Even Mark C would have enjoyed himself.

1998 BURGUNDY - Noizé, London (31/01/2023)

Gougères
  • 2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Rosé Brut - France, Champagne
    Mag. Partridge eye. Strawberry fruit and a touch of rose florality. Nicely vibrant mid-palate with lovely fruit. More strawberry fruited with air but broader too and I preferred the definition of earlier. **** (93 pts.)
Fresh fettuccine with wild mushrooms
  • 1998 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Goulots Vieille Vigne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
    Beautiful bright, vibrant garnet. Gently autumnal with some fraises de bois and a touch of cured meat. Fresh, porcelaneous , lovely line. Crystalline minerality. Precise and lovely. Lighter and leaner cf the CSJ. **** (93 pts.)
  • 1998 Domaine de L'Arlot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos de l'Arlot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
    Fuller, with darker, richer fruit on the nose. Fuller on the palate too. A touch of grip. Finely velvet cf the Fourrier’s silk, retains a good line though, and finishes well. Just a touch of structure. **** (92 pts.)
Cornish chicken, crispy potato, red wine jus
  • 1998 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
    Full garnet. Caramel and a touch of swimming pool above the cherry fruit. Earthy and a touch of meat. Still quite chewy on the palate. A slightly dry edge. Fleshy but a little flat/compressed. Somehow leaner with food. Sturdy though. **** (91 pts.)
  • 1998 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Vieille Vigne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
    Gorgeous bright, vibrant garnet like the Goulots, just a little more density. Similar nose, but more weight on the palate. Intensity too. Densely silky, dense but also effortlessly light and elegant. Some bottle variability with this wine in the past, but this bottle is a class act. ***** (95 pts.)
Roasted pigeon, lentil ragout, Moreau sausage
  • 1998 Faiveley Mazis-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru
    Denser, more ruby than garnet. A big step up in texture and density, and that’s just the nose. A tad leaner on the palate but a good thwack of dry tannin. Really lush, five star nos but pulls up shorter on the palate. A touch of mint on the finish. **** (92 pts.)
  • 1998 Domaine Louis Remy Latricières-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru
    A step up from a bottle just over a decade ago. Gorgeous bright ruby. A little lighter and yet meatier. A slightly harder, more structured line. Firmer, slightly powdery tannins. Some weight but an elegance too. Definition. The dark horse of the flight. **** (93 pts.)
  • 1998 Domaine A.-F. Gros Richebourg - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru
    Even more lustrous, bright ruby. More evolved on the nose, quite meaty with a touch of decay. Nicely evolved, autumnal and a touch of meat. Chalky tannins. A weight that keeps it grounded, and a savoury edge. Nicely evolved but a touch loose and tending to the flabby with air. **** (91 pts.)
Cheese
Posted from CellarTracker
 
Good concept, Dan.

Our table v satisfied. Actually quite nostalgic for the era.

Nothing bad, several good.

To my taste nothing was over the hill.

1998 was a sod ep but now enjoyable.

I was expecting Dujac Roche to triumph but although that was undoubtedly sound I rather enjoyed the delicately aromatic Jadot CSD I brought.
 
Last edited:
That worked well. Very well. Thanks everyone. Even Mark C would have enjoyed himself.

1998 BURGUNDY - Noizé, London (31/01/2023)

Gougères
  • 2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Rosé Brut - France, Champagne
    Mag. Partridge eye. Strawberry fruit and a touch of rose florality. Nicely vibrant mid-palate with lovely fruit. More strawberry fruited with air but broader too and I preferred the definition of earlier. **** (93 pts.)
Fresh fettuccine with wild mushrooms
  • 1998 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Goulots Vieille Vigne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
    Beautiful bright, vibrant garnet. Gently autumnal with some fraises de bois and a touch of cured meat. Fresh, porcelaneous , lovely line. Crystalline minerality. Precise and lovely. Lighter and leaner cf the CSJ. **** (93 pts.)
  • 1998 Domaine de L'Arlot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos de l'Arlot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
    Fuller, with darker, richer fruit on the nose. Fuller on the palate too. A touch of grip. Finely velvet cf the Fourrier’s silk, retains a good line though, and finishes well. Just a touch of structure. **** (92 pts.)
Cornish chicken, crispy potato, red wine jus
  • 1998 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
    Full garnet. Caramel and a touch of swimming pool above the cherry fruit. Earthy and a touch of meat. Still quite chewy on the palate. A slightly dry edge. Fleshy but a little flat/compressed. Somehow leaner with food. Sturdy though. **** (91 pts.)
  • 1998 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Vieille Vigne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
    Gorgeous bright, vibrant garnet like the Goulots, just a little more density. Similar nose, but more weight on the palate. Intensity too. Densely silky, dense but also effortlessly light and elegant. Some bottle variability with this wine in the past, but this bottle is a class act. ***** (95 pts.)
Roasted pigeon, lentil ragout, Moreau sausage
  • 1998 Faiveley Mazis-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru
    Denser, more ruby than garnet. A big step up in texture and density, and that’s just the nose. A tad leaner on the palate but a good thwack of dry tannin. Really lush, five star nos but pulls up shorter on the palate. A touch of mint on the finish. **** (92 pts.)
  • 1998 Domaine Louis Remy Latricières-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru
    A step up from a bottle just over a decade ago. Gorgeous bright ruby. A little lighter and yet meatier. A slightly harder, more structured line. Firmer, slightly powdery tannins. Some weight but an elegance too. Definition. The dark horse of the flight. **** (93 pts.)
  • 1998 Domaine A.-F. Gros Richebourg - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru
    Even more lustrous, bright ruby. More evolved on the nose, quite meaty with a touch of decay. Nicely evolved, autumnal and a touch of meat. Chalky tannins. A weight that keeps it grounded, and a savoury edge. Nicely evolved but a touch loose and tending to the flabby with air. **** (91 pts.)
Cheese
Posted from CellarTracker
Lovely notes, Simon. Hurrah for Fourrier, I particularly like the descriptor porcelaneous!
 
I will post some notes tonight when I have a chance to write the wines up, but this is just a quick placeholder to thank Dan and to say how much I enjoyed the wines. 1998 has taken a while to throw off the hardness it had in the early going, but the wines around our table were of a very high standard and more importantly, just plain delicious. This was one of my top three burgundy dinners in recent years. Mark Carrington's name was mentioned a few times and I think that even he would have enjoyed these wines if confronted by them in the glass. Thinking of glasses, we had three proper burgundy glasses each which was entirely necessary for such wines. Noize looked after us very well it should be said. I wasn't taking any food photos, but for me the pigeon with lentils was the standout dish - the breast cooked pink to perfection and the confit leg a two bite delight.00E26D89-80EE-4D6D-BECB-20447B764991.jpeg

The champagne we had is missing from the line-up shot unfortunately.
 
The Arlot Forets showed rather well in a demanding line-up and I wondered how much was down to it simply being brighter-fruited due to the slower development in a magnum.
I wondered the same, but then recalled a merchant tasting/dinner from many moons ago where the Forets all showed the sort of class that would stand up to many other top burgundies. So maybe it is just a very good wine, albeit the format couldn’t really do anything other than help.
 
You brought one to your first naked/office picnic offline (Chambolle Gruenchers) — I bought a case subsequently as a result of that, and started buying Fourrier EP.
Actually I took two! Goulots as well.... I recall that being the offline where Bryan came down from Mellis with the most fantastic stilton. Nicky arrived first and casually remarked that he liked Fourrier.
 
What a great selection. On the whole I liked the wines of this vintage more fifteen years ago than I do today but mostly they have been less grand than these, which will certainly make a difference. It seems to me yet another illustration that for burgundian satisfaction it is actually better not to concentrate on vintages that are vaunted at the time-the fuss made of 99 when new could not have contrasted more pointedly with the almost universal panning of 1998, indeed I seem to remember Pierre Rovani claiming that all but about 20 wines were a complete disaster. 99 is just coming into its own but in the meantime so many fine bottles have failed to provide almost any enjoyment at all, whereas 98 from about the age of 7 has often been an absolute delight. Vintage is by no means the most important indicator for burgundy but 98 has generally given more satisfaction than any vintage of the 90s thus far save 93, and it will be very interesting to see what the future brings, I have great faith in 95 and 96 as well as 99.
The Remy wines can be absolutely terrific, it is a shame that they are particular exemplars of the endemic bottle variation(or is it just cork variation?) of the period.
 
Well, here are notes delivered a little sooner than I promised as I have put off what I should have been doing to complete them. I've always liked the 1998 vintage and it has now reached its peak of perfection. This evening delivered the same excitement and happiness as the 2001 dinner. My fellow diners weren't just appraising these wines, they had broad smiles on their faces and they were enjoying them to the full. This was one of those evenings, that I shall remember for a long time. Thank you to my fellow diners for your generosity and good company.

Claude Cazals Champagne Grand Cru Extra Brut Cuvée Vive (2013 base) en magnum ***½
This wine took a moment or two to open up, but it was delicious when it did. There was ginger and pear on the nose together with a reductive note (at least initially). Good length and weight here - finely judged with seemingly more gras than would normally be delivered by a 3g/l dosage. Finishes well. Somewhere between an aperitif and food style. Plenty of time in hand here, but this was drinking well last night.
Vosne-Romanee 1er cru Les Suchots Domaine Hudelot-Noellat 1998 ***½/****
This was a spicy, exotic wine from the first sniff and that exoticism continued onto the palate and was combined with plummy fruit enlivened by a twist of baking spice. Very much at the sexy end of the spectrum and the lushest wine of the night. The tannins are entirely melted here and the lush character is nicely counterpointed by some soil tones towards the finish. Lush but not too much so. Somewhere between three and a half and four stars for me. Fully mature and one to drink soonish.
Nuits Saint Georges 1er cru Clos des Forêts Saint Georges Domaine de L’Arlot 1998 en magnum ****½
As Leon M would say - oof. From the very first moment this was an outstanding wine with more rigour and precision on the nose compared to its flight mate the Suchots. The nose was lovely but very hard to describe – perhaps a mixture of dried cherry and violets – there was definitely something hauntingly floral in the mix. This wine was also excellently precise and detailed on the palate with really good length. Probably the freshest wine of the night, which was no doubt helped by the large format bottle. On the palate there are sour cherry notes and the overall impression is moreishly savoury. Good acidity too. Just so good and hedonistic. My number two wine on the night.
Pommard 1er cru Clos des Epeneaux Domaine Comte Armand 1998 ****
One of only two Côte de Beaune wines and this had an easy run to the finish against its partner wine. The nose had that earthy, faintly ferrous note that could only come from the Côte de Beaune and which is also often present in 1998s. On the palate there is a touch of blood and along with earthy red berried fruit. Proper Pommard here with some pebbly tannins supporting the fruit towards the finish, but this is a completely balanced wine at its apogee, although it should hold well for a few more years. Both of the Côte de Beaune wines had darker colours than any of the Côte de Nuits wines. A bottle well worth the ten year wait to be opened.
Volnay 1er cru Santenots-du-Milieu Domaine des Comtes Lafon 1998 ***
Let me be frank here, I am not a fan of the Comtes Lafon style of red burgundy. This was very much like the Guigal/Tardieu-Laurent recipe from the N. Rhône applied to burgundy – i.e. the elevage wrestles the wine rather brutally into submission. The wine also seems a little over-extracted and is just a bit dull. No doubt this will sail on into the very long term, but I doubt very much that the proverbial duckling will turn into a swan. The only disappointing wine of the evening, and then only because of the style rather than through some shortcoming of the vintage. Just scraping three stars.
Clos Saint Denis grand cru Domaine Gagey/Louis Jadot 1998 ****
Very much a product of the Jadot imprint, but in a very good way. This has the characteristically ferrous note I associate with the vintage together with dark cherry fruit wrapped in a swirl of autumn bonfire smoke. This wine has got a little leaner and less glossy as the years have gone by – and all to the good. A little less obviously hedonistic than some of the wines in the line-up, but this is proper grand cru burgundy. Finishes well with some soil tones in evidence. Fully mature now.
Clos de la Roche grand cru Domaine Dujac 1998 *****
Very different to the Jadot in that this was decadently fragrant on the nose with notes of soaked cherry and kirsch – the kirsch note continues on to the palate. Silky and caressing on the palate with surprising length. The tannins are fully melted here. A very fine wine here. Another properly grand cru impression.
Bonnes Mares grand cru Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé 1998 ****½
Well, Bonnes Mares can sometimes be quite a big boned wine, but this was the essence of delicacy. It starts with notes of morello cherry and black cherry compote together with a flash of smoke. Elegant and long on the palate, with a delicacy that is notable. Fully resolved. Again, a proper grand cru experience. The final three wines were really of the very highest quality.
Chateau Suduiraut Sauternes 2001 ****
Jeremy C kindly offered up this wine at the end of the meal to accompany the cheese and it was also excellent. The nose was an attractive melange of butterscotch, honey and freshly cracked walnuts together with something elusively floral. Precise and elegant on the palate with substantial length and drinking really well. This one of the 2001s I didn’t buy, and I wish that I had.
 
Lovely notes Simon and Richard. No doubt someone will organise a 99 Burgundy offline in the next year or so, and it will be interesting to see how the experience compares to this 98. I still have quite a few bottles of Ponsot CDLR 99 and have not enjoyed any of the first 4 from the case that I have tried in the last few years . Similar remarks for Faiveley Cortons 99
 
What an incredibly enjoyable evening! Many thanks to everyone for their generosity and great company. We were really blessed on both tables with delicious wines and food. There was some talk of what to do next. I’m leaning towards a 1er and village level 99 dinner!

Some brief notes:

  • 2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Rosé Brut - France, Champagne (31/01/2023)
    From magnum. Lovely, zesty, refreshing nose and palate on opening. Fresh strawberries. 2nd pour an hour or so later even better with soft, persistent strawberry note. A wine to guzzle!


    First flight
  • 1998 Domaine de L'Arlot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos de l'Arlot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (31/01/2023)
    Lovely bright, crunchy strawberries. Spicy and some nice bite from the classic 98 acidity. Softened and became quite lush with air. Absolutely at its peak and just lovely.
  • 1998 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Goulots Vieille Vigne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (31/01/2023)
    Slightly softer and glossier red fruit than the Arlot. Lovely persistence. Great precision, elegance and balance. More perfumed nose. Classic Fourrier in a very good way. Again, absolutely at its peak.

    Second flight
  • 1998 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (31/01/2023)
    Darker colour than the previous flight. Glossy. Precise. Compact. Very red fruited. Some VA with air and a little aloof in a fairly typical Jadot manner.
  • 1998 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Vieille Vigne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (31/01/2023)
    Slightly stinky nose initially but quickly cleaned up. Softer than the Jadot and a clear step up in intensity and weight. Sweet dark red/black fruit. Really very good indeed.

    Third flight
  • 1998 Faiveley Mazis-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru (31/01/2023)
    Dark colour to the rim. Very savoury and meaty/animale in a classic gevrey way. Surprisingly supple palate for Faiveleys of this era although with quite a dry finish. About as civilised as old school GC faiveley gets!
  • 1998 Domaine Louis Remy Latricières-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru (31/01/2023)
    Perfumed nose. Deep, rich dark fruits and a bit of cola. Supple palate. Very nice and drinking well.
  • 1998 Domaine A.-F. Gros Richebourg - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru (31/01/2023)
    Again, dark colour almost to the rim. Supple mouthfeel. Very dark fruited and super spicy. Intense, savoury, hints of leather. Persistently spicy on the long finish.

    An extra, blind wine…
  • 1998 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos des Porrets St. Georges - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (31/01/2023)
    Served blind. Black fruit and quite leathery. Nice supple palate as it opened up with air. Pretty civilised for a Gouges!
  • 2017 Peter Lauer Ayler Kupp Riesling Auslese Auction - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (31/01/2023)
    Served blond. Absolutely gorgeous. Supple, weightless. Sweet and very persistent but not heavy or cloying at all. Lychees, peaches and pears. Delectable.
Posted from CellarTracker
 
indeed I seem to remember Pierre Rovani claiming that all but about 20 wines were a complete disaster.
Producers were still trying to get a bead on Rovani at this time, and for many, his review of 1998s demonstrated that he did not understand Burgundy. One of Burgundy's greatest producers said to me, "If you don't like my wines, fine [I'm not actually sure that his wines received bad reviews], but to assassinate a vintage like that is unprofessional." Yet a major US importer told me of being in the same room with Parker and Rovani while Parker was yelling at the top of his voice about how Rovani had been too kind to the wines.

I haven't gone back to check my notes, but IIRC, malos generally were late for 1998; many reviewers have trouble making adjustments for late-malo wines (and indeed many that I have tasted with never ask about when malos finished or if they have finished). Hence, the IMO unjustly poor reputation of the vintage (and poor showing of the wines EP).

I've always been positive on the reds, have greatly enjoyed what I've dunk up to now, and look forward with great delight to drinking the wines that I have left (that said, almost all would be considered from first-tier producers).

Re Clos des Forêts Saint-Georges, I think it's a very underrated vineyard, as is the case with many of the top NSG vineyards.
 
Bonnes Mares grand cru Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé 1998 ****½
Well, Bonnes Mares can sometimes be quite a big boned wine, but this was the essence of delicacy.
Yes. De Vogüé's plot sits at the southern end of the vineyard, where the white soils go all the way to the bottom, and so the delicacy compared to BM that have red soils as part of their make up.
 
perhaps a mixture of dried cherry and violets – there was definitely something hauntingly floral in the mix.
A strong stem signature? when they got it right Arlot made a very good 'economy' Dujac substitute in those days.
I've never had the Clos Des Epeneaux 98-good to hear that it is drinking well, it's not a wine that I woukd have immediately expected to thrive in 98.
I still have quite a few bottles of Ponsot CDLR 99 and have not enjoyed any of the first 4 from the case that I have tried in the last few years . Similar remarks for Faiveley Cortons 99
A bottle of the Ponsot Morey Cuvee Des Grives 99(village wine) on Saturday had hardly moved, still bright purple and fairly heavily reduced. Much fruit and richness to enjoy but one has to wonder whether it will ever mature. I would guess that for real excitement one will have to wait almost for ever for the CDLR but somehow I do believe that it will get there. If one can't wait, an entirely reasonable position, probably better to sell them.
 
Yes. De Vogüé's plot sits at the southern end of the vineyard, where the white soils go all the way to the bottom, and so the delicacy compared to BM that have red soils as part of their make up.
The Amoureuses in this vintage was of a lace-like delicacy (for which one hopes but rather rarely gets with this vineyard) some dozen years ago. I'd be fascinated to know what it's doing now.
 
Lovely dinner. Thanks everyone for your generosity and company and to Dan for organising. Noize as usual was superb and so good to have burgundy glasses now!

We were pretty spoilt on out table with the Arlot Foret showing very, very well, no doubt enhanced by the magnum effect. I know Howard had concerns about Arlot from this period but good to see the two bottles on performing well and punching above their weight.

As Richard commented its partner, the Hudelot-Noellat, was fairly advanced and seemed in the drink-up territory to me, though Jeremy next door thought it young, so I guess take your pick. Good wine but not really great or to be honest that interesting.

The Lafon was a little strange, showing very youthfully but with an undue influence of oak in its more secondary stages again good but just not that interesting. The Armand in contrast was showing very well. I remember about ten to twelve years ago buying lots of vintages of this as it was available quite cheaply and in many vintages, looking at past notes I can see in 2012 I wrote that the 98 was tight, a bit bruisy and simply not ready. Well now it is much more in the zone. Lovely classic Pommard.

The final flight was really a delight. The Jadot CSD was good, had a nice density and weight of fruit, and the sort of finish and mouth feel that suggest grand cru. It did just lack some excitement which its neighbours delivered in spades. The Dujac was so Dujac. That wonderful intoxicating spicy nose, floating fruit (no idea about this descriptor but there is just something slightly ethereal about the fruit), lots and lots of undergrowth and wild flowers as well, supple caressing tannins. You get the picture. This was very good to excellent. The complete 98 package for me. The Vogue was also superb. Interesting to note it is from the bottom of the vineyard, as it is delicate and supple rather than showing much muscle. Great flair on the palate, chopping and changing with lots of interest. Really good. Wow what a flight.

Overall I ranked first to third Dujac, Vogue and then Arlot. But then on value clearly the Arlot.

Excellent and rock on the 99s or 90 dinner!
 
Jeremy next door thought it young
Not so much young as having surprisingly grainy NSG tannins, rather than Vosne, which I guess is the vintage. After 20-30 minutes I felt it had tired slightly into a simpler wine, but also that it had been less well-made than the Arlot in the first place. Slightly unfair comparison though due to the magnum advantage of the Foret.
 
Not so much young as having surprisingly grainy NSG tannins, rather than Vosne, which I guess is the vintage. After 20-30 minutes I felt it had tired slightly into a simpler wine, but also that it had been less well-made than the Arlot in the first place. Slightly unfair comparison though due to the magnum advantage of the Foret.
It’s on the southern side of Nuits though, so not one of the Vosne-borders vineyards, and should be properly Nuits-like.
 
Top