Clos des Mouches..... Ramirez de Ganuza..... Griotte Chambertin.....

7/2001. Acquired from Beaune Nov-97 for $35.
Clos des Mouches is the flagship Drouhin Beaune 1er cru [both the red and the white]. It is one of my favorite mid-range white Burgundies. I haven't tasted this fine wine for some years now. And this is my first 1996 Burgundy...
COLOR: Fullish golden color.
NOSE: Opulent fruity nose, full of clean rich buttery aromas. Surprisingly forward and exceptionally charming.
TASTE: Mouth-filling vibrant fat wine. Perhaps not as elegant and stylish as the better Puligny-Montrachet, but rich, winey and extremely tasty.
LENGTH: Medium-long aftertaste.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Full-bodied, reasonably complex, fat and viscous wine. Wood is not apparent and the fruit is fresh and vibrant. Nice acidity and good balance.
OVERALL: Very Fine. Ready now but will keep.
MARK: 18/20.aaaaaaaaBUY MORE? Yes.

7/2001. Bought at auction Dec-99 for $50.
Definitely one of my favorite Rioja, the 1994 Ramirez de Ganuza is probably the best vintage for this wine.
COLOR: Dark violet red, thin clearing around the rim.
NOSE: Profound nose of black forest-fruit, wood notes, chocolate and spices. A hint of the 'dusty' quality I always associate with the Tempranillo grape. Very impressive nose!.
TASTE: Big wine on the palate. Deep, complex, concentrated and full of ripe fruit. Tannins are still felt but they add structure to the well focused wine. Very tasty, though less so than previous bottles.
LENGTH: Long and complex finish that lingers.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Full-bodied elegant Rioja that is tasty and complex. Rich yet stylish with nice fruit though less obvious than in the past. Excellent backbone, fine grip and very good balance.
OVERALL: Very Fine for sure but somewhat less pleasing than I remember it. Perhaps past its peak?
MARK: 18/20.aaaaaaaaBUY MORE? Yes.

7/2001. Bought at auction Jan-97 for $115.
One of the very few 1990 (B) bottles I still have [what a shame!]. The last time I tasted this wine I felt it still needed more time. Ponsot flagship wine is his Clos de la Roche of course, but the Griotte can be almost as wonderful.
COLOR: Medium ruby red. Noticeable clearing around the rim.
NOSE: Fully blown 'Bourgogne Nose' with all the trimmings. Raw meat, wet earth and leather, engulfed with the sweetish animalish barnyard scents. All that in total harmony with ripe red fruits. What a pleasure to sniff at!
TASTE: Smooth and silky in the mouth, with nice mature fruit serving as core to complex array of flavors. Reasonably concentrated though not immensely so. Delicate and ethery but with fine grip and backbone. Completely integrated with nice acidity and receding tannins.
LENGTH: Very long persisting aftertaste.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Medium bodied harmonious example of a truly fine Burgundy. Multi-dimensional, finely structured and very nicely balanced. An excellent wine whose qualities are delicacy and elegance rather than sheer power.
OVERALL: Superb+! At its absolute peak right now.
MARK: 18.5-19/20.aaaaaaaaBUY MORE? Yes.

Reach Me? yak@yakshaya.com

Copyright 1996-2003.
Jacob "Yak" Shaya.