18 very mixed current release Burgundies & Chablis

These all come from a recent trade tasting organised by the French Australian Chamber of Commerce, focusing upon negociants and wineries that have a limited Australian presence.

As a result, quality was extremely variable, further reinforcing in my mind the fact that good Burgundy & cheap Burgundy are mutually exclusive. Further, you may have a great terroir, but that is no guarantee of great wine – far too many unappealing 1er cru wines here. Admittedly we are talking about Pinot, the bitch of all great varieties, but reinforces how good value Aus & NZ wines are.

The Wines:

Louis Moreau
Perhaps one of the best known names in Chablis, all these wines where tight, citrussy and very pure, all quite austere at the moment, but such clean, minerally wines that the future looks rosy. Louis and his wife where both affable people to boot (in a very French way).

Louis Moreau Chablis AC 2007
Very pale colour. Very lean nose with some cream & lemon citrus. The palate is like a waterfall of very gentle fruit, with proper, lemony acidity. Its very primary, like freshly snapped off grapes. Will be very long lived, but still very gentle. 17.0+

Louis Moreau Chablis 1er Cru Les Fourneaux 2007
A step up in intensity over the straight AC Chablis, this was very restrained & backward on the palate with only a flicker of creamy limestone character. Brilliant minerality, but very tight. 17.3++

Louis Moreau Chablis 1er Cru Vailllons 2006
The more forward 06 vintage has helped make this more approachable, but its still comparatively backward. The palate however has excellent length to it, with that same, lemon juice acidity to it. Delicious stuff, but again a wine for the future. Probably my favourite LM Chablis of this lineup nonetheless. 17.7++

Louis Moreau Chablis Grand Cru Valmur 2005
This had an edge of toasty vanilla oak to it that I find a turnoff in Chablis. This showed the oak as a obvious blob of vanilla on the nose and palate, obscuring the very lean, minerally fruit. Leave it alone and let that oak integrate. 16.8++

Louis Moreau Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir 2005
Better integration of oak here, the bigger more rounded style swallowing up the winemaking influences. Milky terroir driven palate is again withdrawn but its more rounded opulence makes it more approchable now. Leave it in the cellar regardless. 17.1+

Roux Pere et Fils
Consistently disappointing, hard wines from very good crus. Time should help, but how much?

Roux Pere et Fils Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Les Macherelles 2006
Simple toast & cream, Lean palate. Mon dimensional but still recognisable as Burgundy. 16.2

Roux Pere et Fils Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2006
More toast & Citrus, this feels quite withdrawn & hard with only some of the attractive length of the cru. Needs time. 16.5

Roux Pere et Fils Santenay 1er Cru ‘Grand Clos Rousseau’ 2005
Meaty, fresh plum, animale nose that is only mildly appealing, before hitting some grainy intrusive oak. Simple from there on in. Average. 15

Roux Pere et Fils Vougeot 1er Cru ‘Les Petits Vougeots’ 2005
Light citrussy nose. Simple, hard & dry palate. Needs time, needs everything. 16

Taupenot Merme
Lovely aromatic Pinots – quite forward & fleshy, but with enough character & enough ‘missing’ to keep it interesting. Would happily recommend.

Taupenot Merme Gevrey Chambertin 2006
Lovely village wine. Strawberry & floral nose, slightly tart but correct palate that is fleshy & very tasty. Lacks a little weight on the back, but otherwise its fantastic. 17.4

Taupenot Merme Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru La Combe D’Orveau 2006
A more serious focused nose but still that same floral red cherry element. The palate has a chocolatey edge to it and seems a little blocky after the lightly fragrant Gevrey, but the elements are in place. A keeper. 17.3+

Taupenot Merme Morey Saint Denis 1er Cru La Riotte 2006
Light, leafy spicy animal nose, lovely long tannins but the dry & slightly hard palate lacks the elegance of the rest of the range. 16.8

Taupenot Merme Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers 2006
Beautiful classic fragrance. The palate is simultaneously rich & sour with a minerality and hidden heart of pristine fruit. All sorts of delights will come of this wine with age. Delicious. 18.3+

Taupenot Merme Mazoyeres Chambertin Grand Cru 2006
Big, full, classic nose. Tight acid driven palate that builds as it goes. A lovely, spicy minerality to the palate. Beautiful, classic stuff. 18.5+

Armelle et Bernard Rion Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Les Murgers 2005
Closing down. Spicy animal nose with a musky, slightly drawn palate. Needs years for its only mildly attractive at present. 16+

Armelle et Bernard Rion Chamblle Musigny Les Echezeaux 2006
Bright purple colour, surprising bright, sweet forward & soft fruit driven wine with acidity that tastes like Australian style added acid. Fruity. Very new world. 16.8

Maison Tramier et Fils Pommard 2006
Lifted, light nose edged with chocolatey oak. Tastes like entry level Burgundy, with a quite thin palate of simple fruit. Good enough. 15.9

Maison Tramier et Fils Pommard 1er Cru 2006
An attractive, sweet fruit nose and great acidity carry the package, the rest of the wine feels a little unfocused. Interested to see the price on this as it could be a value sleeper. 17