Burgundy 2007, Rosemary George MW reports

Vintage overview

xI really enjoyed tasting the 2007 Burgundies. There are some delicious wines, and in contrast to some vintages, the intensive week of tastings did not seem a marathon. However, it was not an easy vintage. The spring was warm and the flowering took place in fine weather. But then July turned wet and August was cool. Happily things took a turn for the better in September so that the harvest took place in good weather. A strict selection of grapes was essential, and the growers who did that have produced some very appealing wines, with wonderful fruit and freshness. For my taste buds, the white wines of the Côte de Beaune were overshadowed by Chablis, for 2007 is an absolutely classic Chablis vintage. The wines have a real steely minerality and firm acidity. The weather was similar to the Côte d’Or, with a cooler than average summer and a warm September once again saving the quality of the vintage. The grands Crus should age beautifully.

CHABLIS GRANDS CRUS 2007

Domaine Pascal Bouchard Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir
A hint of oak on the nose and palate, well-integrated with some youthful acidity. Rounded and harmonious. Should age well.

Domaine Gilles and Nathalie Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru les Preuses
Quite a rich nose, with good fruit balanced by structured acidity and firm minerality. Good body and weight.

Chateau Long Depaquit Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir
Quite an elegant nose, with fresh fruit on the palate. Not too much oak. Displays the classic elegance of Vaudésir.

Domaine Simonnet-Febvre Chablis Grand Cru Preuses
This estate is going from strength to strength since its purchase by Louis Latour. Refreshingly no oak, so some lovely mineral fruit and leesy notes. Long and elegant.

Domaine Laroche Chablis Grand Cru Blanchots
An underlying elegance on both nose and palate, with a hint of oak. Nicely integrated. Rounded and harmonious with a firm streak of minerality.

Domaine William Fèvre Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre
In the hands of the talented Didier Seguier the 2007s have wonderful minerality, with a range of beautifully crafted premiers Crus, as well as grands Crus. My pick of the bunch is 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre, with a tight-knit flinty nose, with firm minerality on the palate and great length on the finish.

JUSTERINI AND BROOKS

Prices are per 12 bottles in bond

Laurent Tribut Chablis
Delicate leafy nose, with very tight acidity and firm mineral fruit. Classic. – £110

Domaine Dauvissat-Camus 1er Cru Forêts
Quite rounded nose with some tight knit elegant fruit, with a firm minerality. Still very closed, with plenty of potential. Another classic. £220

Jean-Noël Gagnard Bâtard Montrachet grand Cru
Very tight firm nose. Quite a substantial rounded palate, with hidden depths and plenty of body and weight, with flavours to develop, with balancing acidity. Layered depth. £1280

Vincent Dancer Chassagne-Montrachet Tête du Clos 1er Cru
From one of my favourite Côte de Beaune producers. Quite a solid oak nose. Lovely textured palate, with enormous potential for development. Both rounded and elegant. £330

Pierre Morey – Volnay Santenots 1er Cru
Medium colour. Quite a firm nose, with some appealing fruity vegetal notes and a streak of tannin on the palate. £390

Marquis d’Angerville
Four delicious Volnays. My favourite, by a short whisker, was 1er Cru Taillepieds, which has a little more concentration than Champans, with lovely liquorice fruit, and fresh tannins and a beautifully elegant finish. £425

Tollot Beaut Beaune Grèves 1er Cru
Light colour with a delicate note and delicate raspberry fruit, with a firm streak of tannin. Discreetly powerful with lots of potential. £130 per 6 bottles . Corton-Bressandes also promises well, with stylish elegance. £195 per 6 bottles O.W. Loeb have a wider choice from this estate.

Robert Chevillon Nuits St Georges les Cailles 1er Cru
Quite solid dense nose, and a firm concentration of liquorice fruit on the palate. Quite tannic with layers of flavours and a long finish. £435

Ghislaine Barthod
One of my favourite Côte de Nuits producers. Her Bourgogne Rouge is delicious, with the fresh spicy liquorice fruit and the characteristic freshness of the vintage. £125 Chambolle Musigny les Fuées 1er Cru, has lots more depth and length, with some supple fruit. £520.00

Bruno Clair Vosne Romanée les Champs Perdrix
Quite solid firm nose with hints of liquorice. Ripe palate with supple fruit and a tannic streak. Nicely balanced. £345

Armand Rousseau Gevrey Chambertin
Fresh fruit on the nose. Liquorice and raspberry on the palate, with weight, texture and length. While Chambertin grand Cru made a fabulous finale to the tasting, with amplified fruit and flavour. Prices not yet available. His wines are also available from O.W. Loeb.

Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair
These wines are beautifully crafted. If I had to choose just one, my preference would be Vosne Romanée Clos de Château Monopole. Appealing aromatic fresh raspberry fruit, a silky palate, elegant with a tannin streak and a long finish. £445

O.W.LOEB

Prices per case In Bond

Domaine Gilbert Picq 1er Cru Vosgros
Rounded nose, with a firm, tight knit palate and steely structure. Should age well. £120

Chateau de Fuissé Pouilly Fuissé Vieilles Vignes
Quite a rounded nose, with a firm smoky palate, with a good balance of flavour and oak. – £220

Maison Alex Gambal Vosne Romanée Vieilles Vignes
Some smoky raspberry oak, on nose and palate. Elegant raspberry fruit and an attractive concentration of flavour with a long finish. £295

CHARLES TAYLOR WINES LTD

Prices duty paid inc. VAT

Domaine Billaud Simon – Vaudésir grand Cru
Quite a rounded nose, with weight and texture on the palate and an elegant fresh mineral finish. £492 00

Domaine Séguinot-Bordet – Petit Chablis
A great introduction to Chablis. Light leafy nose, with fresh rounded fruit on the palate. An elegant and surprisingly long finish for a Petit Chablis. £120 His Chablis is similar but more so for £132.

Domaine Bertrand Ambroise
With 20 hectares, this estate covers several appellations in both the Cote de Nuits and the Cote de Beaune. My favourite on the day was Nuits St. Georges Vieilles Vignes. The oldest vines were planted in 1914. Lovely concentrated fruit on nose and palate, with a firm backbone of tannin. Beautifully balanced with a long finish. £348

LEA & SANDEMAN

Prices per 12 bottles in bond.

Domaine Adhémar et Francis Boudin Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume
Closed mineral nose. Some weight with good steely fruit and acidity. Good ageing potential – £110

Domaine Remi Jobard – Meursault 1er Cru Poruzot Dessus
Quite rounded, lightly buttery nose, and also on the palate. Rounded but elegant fruit, with a structured streak of acidity. Nicely balanced. £395

Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot Puligny Montrachet
Firm smoky nose, with leafy smoky fruit on the palate. Intriguing layers of flavour with a long finish. £275

Domaine Nicolas Rossignol Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets
Rounded nose, with raspberry fruit on nose and palate. A lovely freshness, typical of the vintage, with balanced acidity and tannin and an elegant finish. – £400

Domaine Chandon de Briailles Corton Bressandes
Attractive spicy nose with elegance and fresh fruit on the palate. Quite mouth-filling with dry raspberry fruit and layers of flavour. £385

Domaine de Courcel Pommard 1er Cru Rugiens
Fresh spicy fruit on nose and palate. Some intriguing layers of flavour, with balanced tannins and a long finish. £475

Domaine Thierry Mortet Bourgogne Rouge
The basic appellation from a good grower represents some of the best value in Burgundy. This has a lovely, lightly spicy, liquorice nose with fresh raspberry fruit on the palate. £98. And his Gevrey Chambertin Vigne Belle is redolent of fresh raspberries on both nose and palate, with an elegant finish. – £290

Domaine Georges Mugneret Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Chaignots
Rounded nose with firm raspberry fruit and the attractive fresh juiciness of the vintage. Very appealing. £350

CHATEAU CORTON ANDRé

Shipped by Richard Banks Guideline prices duty paid delivered, inc. VAT per bottle.

A new winemaker, Ludovine Griveau has affected an enormous improvement in quality since her first vintage here in 2004.

Chateau Corton André Ladoix Rouge
Medium colour. Fresh raspberry fruit on the nose, with hints of liquorice on the palate and a firm tannic structure and ripe fruit. Integrated oak and a long finish. £20.92

Chateau Corton André Corton Grand Cru les Renardes
Lovely fruit on the nose and palate. Some vegetal streak with a firm streak of tannin and rounded body , balanced with good fruit. £59.87

DOMAINE LOUIS JADOT

Shipped by Hatch Mansfield Guide line prices duty paid delivered inc. VAT for 12 bottles

Louis Jadot Santenay Clos de Malte
Quite a broad nose with hints of hazelnuts. Lovely elegant fruit with good acidity and a firm finish. Medium body. £144.71

Louis Jadot Saint Aubin les Murgers des Dents de Chien 1er Cru
Quite tight buttery fruit on the nose. A rounded palate, with weight and length. £186.38

Louis Jadot Pernand-Vergelesses Clos de la Croix de Pierre
Light colour; quite firm raspberry fruit, with some tannin on the palate balancing lovely fresh fruit. £140.55

SOPEXA

The French wines promotional body, with a selection of Chablis and others

Champy Savigny-les-Beaune aux Fourches
Lovely ripe fruit on the nose and palate, with fresh juicy flavour and a streak of acidity. Very appealing.

Closerie des Alisiers Gevrey-Chambertin
Stephane Brocard’s new négociant business. Rounded spicy liquorice on nose and palate, structured with a fresh fruitiness.

Clotilde Davenne, Les Temps Perdus St. Bris
A reminder that there is a pocket of Sauvignon in Burgundy. Some fresh mineral fruit, with good acidity.

Domaine des Malandes Côte de Léchet
Firm mineral nose, with elegant minerality and concentration on the palate, and an elegant lift on the finish.

Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Vieilles Vignes
A firm nose with tight stony, minerality and depth of flavour. Should age beautifully.

For a list of all UK merchants offering Burgundy 2007, see wine-searcher.

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