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Volnay - Clos des Ducs..... Clos de Vougeot.....

6-June-97

Wonderful dinner with our wine partners Amihai and Dafna at our home.


Walnut stuffed Grilled-Figs
1990 Volnay - Clos des Ducs, d'Angerville
******
Almond Soup
******
Beer-braised Beef
1985 Clos de Vougeot, Gros F&S
******
Cheese Assortment
******
Cherry Crepes
******
Coffee and Liqueur

If wine was music then the two fantastic wines we had were a prime example of kontrapunkt harmony. Two super (B) that are so different in every aspect.

Volnay - Clos des Ducs 1990 d'Angerville

6/97. Acquired from Beaune June-94 for $35 (Imported for $42 net).
One of the best Volnay 1er Cru from the impeccable domaine of the Marquise d'Angerville. The 1990 vintage is one of the best (B) vintages ever.
COLOR: Unusually dark for a red (B). Looks as young and as vigorous as any Bourgogne I've ever seen.
NOSE: Profound, bursting out of the glass. Gobs of concentrated fruit with a beautiful - though atypically fresh - robe of 'Bourgogne Nose'. So good and decadently rich, will its taste be up to the nose?
TASTE: As mouthfilling and multi-layered as the best Cote de Nuits Grand Crus! So full of decadent winyness that even the abundant tannins do not distract. Youthful and vigorous, quite atypical of the 'tender' Volnays. The bottle went down in about ten minutes...
LENGTH: Medium long but very pleasant aftertaste.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: The most blockbuster Volnay I ever encountered. Plenty of everything - fruit, acidity, tannins and winyness. Still young with quite a few years to reach its peak and many more to stay there.
OVERALL: Superb+! Fantastic wine and, for its price, fantastic value!
MARK: 18+/20.aaaaaaaaBUY MORE? Yes.


Clos de Vougeot 1985 Gros F&S

6/97. Bought in auction Oct-95 for $73 (imported for $84 net).
The last of three bottles of this famous yet usually patchy vineyard. This Clos Vougeot is from one of the best parcels, bordering that of Le Musigny in Chambolle. 1985 being of course a superb vintage. Previous two bottles were superb.
COLOR: Very good color for a 12 years-old (B), but looked a bit palish following that 'monster' Volnay...
NOSE: As the previous bottles were almost forbiddenly over-fruited, I was glad to find the more mature balance between the still jammy fruit and the elegant 'Bourgogne Nose'. A classic mature Grand Cru nose - Fruity aromas engulfed by the most enticing delicate mature (B) bouquet.
TASTE: Still pretty jammy and fruity, though the overall impression on the palate is that of a harmonious and noble nectar. Perhaps not as complex as some, but sooooo tasty...
LENGTH: Medium length, with very good though monotonous aftertaste.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Medium bodied, in spite of relatively high alcohol. Smooth and totally integrated wine of perfect balance and proportions.
OVERALL: Superb! Exotically packed with fruit. Not your typical (B) Grand Cru, a Grand Cru wine no doubt. I think it has just reached its peak and will not stay there for a very long time.
MARK: 18/20.aaaaaaaaBUY MORE? Yes.


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Jacob "Yak" Shaya.