Tyson Stelzer

Red Burgundy

I did not understand Pinot Noir until I visited Burgundy. It is now clear as to why there are some who uphold this as the most sublime of all red varietals.

Burgundy is immensely powerful but silky smooth. The intricacy and fullness of its plum, black cherry and raspberry fruit is enough to completely swallow 100 percent new oak. Structure is equally impressive, boasting velvety fine but mouth filling tannins, perfectly complementary acid, finishing with quite amazing length. I have never before tasted Pinot Noir that comes even close to the fruit intensity and finesse of these superb wines.

It would be impossible to summarise briefly just how this is achieved. When I asked this question, the answer was more than just terroir. After generations of experience and experimentation, optimal practices have been confirmed. Right down to the detail of specific clones best suited to the varying conditions in different areas… within one vineyard. Perhaps such experimentation with terroir is what might one day lead Australia to produce wines that reflect such sublime character?

Domaine Rousseau

Descending from negative temperatures and snow, I entered the warmth of Rousseau’s barrel cellar. Little did I know that I would forever leave behind my rather cold view of Pinot Noir in that freakishly cold Burgundian winter. The 2000 barrel samples that I tasted at this impressive, small producer were a stunning introduction to Burgundy. Australian imports through Domaine Wine Shippers (Gary Steele)

Gevrey-Chambertin (Village) Good

Very “bright” raspberry and strawberry fruit. Needs longer in barrel to develop, but nonetheless a pleasant, fruit-driven style.

Charmes Chamberin Very Good

Nice cherry fruit. Good structure, length, complexity and tannin structure.

Clos de la Roche Very Good

Big, long and powerful. A perfumey nose and raspberry palate with some seemingly stemmy characters.

Clos St Jacques Premier Cru Absolutely Spectacular!

If I did not have the maker in front of me, pipette in hand, barrel open, I would hardly have believed that this was Pinot. Nor would I have believed that it carried 100 percent new oak. Such is the intensity and depth of the black cherry and plum fruit, that it completely belies its oak. Perhaps the only thing that does give it away is its long, elegant power and great but fine structure. Truly a wine of paradoxes. This velvet glove packs quite a punch. Wait for 10-20 years before being knocked out.

Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru Spectacular again!

After the Premier Cru hit the very top of my rating scale, how was I supposed to respond to Grand Cru?! At the moment, it is equally as good. 100 percent new oak is again engulfed in intense black cherry and plum fruit, this time with suggestions of raspberry and red fruits. Slight spice and floral characters. A very tight structure and superb acid. Needs a long time to show its best.

Chambertin Grand Cru Exceptional

Very similar fruit descriptors to Clos de Beze. Powerful fruit, let down just a little by a slightly stemmy mouthfeel on the finish. This may subside given a little more time to develop.

Joseph Drouin

Australian distribution through Tucker Seabrook.

1999 Morey-Saint-Denis Exceptional

Glowing red-purple. A beautiful nose of delicate, ripe berry and cherry fruit. The palate is lovely, displaying the same cherry fruit and, appropriately, slightly sour acid. A very fine but full-bodied tannin structure, closing with excellent length. Drink in 3-4 years.

1998 Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Excellent

Starting to develop, with earthy and faintly feral notes on the nose, and hints of cherry and plum lurking in the background. An earthy palate shows nice, slightly sour cherries. The tannin structure is fine and full.

1998 Gevrey-Chambertin Very Good

Glowing red-purple with pink hints. A generous nose of raspberry fruit, leafy/briary hints and oak. There is plenty of tannin and oak on the palate, with that same raspberry fruit and slight earthy notes. Some sour cherry and faint hints of smoke and spice. Medium-bodied but mouth filling, oak-derived tannins, finishing with medium length. A nice match with Foie Gras, but needs quite a few years to come together.

Louis Jadot

Distributed in Australia by Hill International.

Picture this. A huge barrel hall under the new production facility of a large, respected Burgundy producer. The Australian market manager is equipped with a pipette, and ready to go. “You name it, and you can taste it”. We opted for a cross-section of 2000s, with some vineyard comparisons. Here’s the picture:

2000 Marsanny Very Good

The only generic appellation wine that impressed me here. Still fermenting in barrel a little, giving it a faintly spritzig palate. Nonetheless, a spicy nose with black cherries, leading into a very intense plum fruit palate. Intense, chewy, fruit-driven style.

2000 Beaune Clos de Ursules Premier Cru Exceptional

An incredibly fruity nose and palate of intense, dark plum, cherry and liquorice. A deep, brooding, long-lived Pinot Noir. Good tannins, and a very long finish.

2000 Gevrey Chambertin Clos St Jacques Premier Cru Excellent

Fruit-driven, with plums and cherries. Good acid and tannin, and quite long.

2000 Echezeaux Grand Cru Very Good

In typical Echezeaux fashion, showing red fruits and cherry with rose hints on the nose and palate. Acid and length are both good.

2000 Clos Vougeot Grand Cru Excellent+

The neighbour of Echezeaux, and the embodiment of Burgundian diversity. A rich and deep nose of liquorice complexity is an appropriate prelude to a very intense palate of cherry and raspberry fruit. Good tannins, good acid and great length.

Philippe Leclerc

No Australian distribution.

This Gevrey Chambertin producer is not afraid to create big, extractive Pinots for heroes. Perhaps I’m just not a hero? Then again, one wine was OK:

1997 Les Cazetiers Premier Cru Very Good

Very good feral and mushrooms on a complex but elegant nose. The palate follows true, in an intense and long style. Tannins are mouth filling, but regrettably (and unusually) slightly coarse. Will live for a very long time.

Georges Lignier

Small producer in Morey-St-Denis, with no exports to Australia. (Ph 03 8034 3255)

1997 Clos St Denis Grand Cru Excellent

A wonderfully complex and fruity nose of strawberry, cherry, raspberry and liquorice. The palate is an explosion of red fruits and cherry, wrapped skillfully in very good oak. The length is exceptional, lasting many minutes, and the tannins are perfectly full but fine. A complete absence of aged characters point to a very long life, and it may well deserve a higher rating in time.
$57

Chateau de Pommard

Very long-lived Pinot Noir from Pommard, appropriately released many years after vintage. I could not get a definite answer on whether they export to Australia.

1989 Chateau de Pommard Exceptional

If anyone were ever to question the longevity of red Burgundy, this is one place where I would point them. In tasting this wine blind I would label it as two years old, not twelve. I am not exaggerating.

Vibrant red-purple, with hardly any browning whatsoever. A very good, complex nose with raspberry fruit and no aged characters. The palate boasts excellent structure, good tannins, full acid and good length. I am told that this wine will peak at 2004, but I have no doubt that it will easily live to 2009 and beyond.

White Burgundy

It would be omissive to consider Burgundy without at least a glance toward Puligny-Montrachet. Could this be the most complex white wine in the world? Tropical fruits, citrus, stone fruits, nuts, toffee, mineral, butter, candy, perfume… and all this while still young! A full-bodied white wine in every respect. Intense, very long, with a full acid structure.

For me, lacking in but one way: the freshness and delicacy of Chablis… not to mention the price.

Joseph Drouin

Australian distribution through Tucker Seabrook.

1999 Puligny-Montrachet Grand Cru Quite Spectacular!

A very complex nose and palate of toffee and hints of tropical fruits, citrus, stone fruits and nuts. The length is absolutely astounding, supplemented by mild oak and excellent acid and structure. A very full and intense style, but not overblown by any means.

While it may appear contradictory to rate this wine above every Chablis that I tasted, I believe it to be a more complete wine, albeit less elegant and slightly less appealing to my own palate.

Louis Jadot

The white side of the picture in the Jadot barrel tasting marathon:

2000 Savigny Guettes Premier Cru Very Good

A closed nose, but a full palate with mineral, butter and candy. Nice length and good structure. The acid levels are not huge, but they are balanced.

2000 Chassagne Morgeot Premier Cru Very Good-

The nose is closed, but showing aromatic perfume and floral hints. The palate is also perfumey, with sweet fruit and oak. A very long finish to a fruity wine.

2000 Meursault Generieres Premier Cru Excellent

Hints of citrus on the nose, followed by a florally palate with mineral, nice acid, good structure and great length.

2000 Meursault Perrieres Premier Cru Excellent+

The neighbouring vineyard to Meursault Generieres. In the wine itself it is only the excellent structure that gives this away. In this case, excellent stone fruits on the nose and palate, supported by mineral characters and finishing with excellent length. Superbly balanced and structured.

2000 Puligny Montrachet Combettes Premier Cru Excellent

The third sibling in the family of the previous two vineyards, this time across the road. Peaches are prominent on the nose, and nectarines on the palate. The fruit is quite perfumey/aromatic. Good acid, but not huge. Great length.

1997 Criot Batard Montrachet Grand Cru Excellent+

Tasted from bottle.
A closed nose with traces of mineral. The palate is also a little closed, but very complex and very long. Hints of toffee, citrus and stone fruits. A freakishly long lived Chardonnay, that needs years to be pulled together by its big acid structure. In typical Montrachet style, concentrated but elegant. Rated Excellent+ now, it will most likely become Exceptional in time.