酒 友 Grand Cru Burg Dinner @ Jade Palace Forum (Singapore)

Wines Tasted and Reviewed …

1996 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs (France, Champagne)
1999 Domaine Marquis d’Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Champans (France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune)
2004 Bouchard Père et Fils Le Corton (France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune)
1996 Louis Jadot Grands-Echezeaux (France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits)
2000 Joseph Drouhin Musigny (France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits)
2002 Joseph Drouhin Griottes-Chambertin (France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits)
1993 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze (France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits)
2001 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze (France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits)
2003 Château Coutet (France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac)

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1996 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs
France, Champagne

Producer Profile: Dating back to the 18th century, Billecart-Salmon is one of the very few remaining Champagne houses owned by its original founding families. The estate was established in 1818 by Nicolas-François Billecart.

Most of Billecart-Salmon’s fruit comes from a small vineyard holding, though this is supplemented with grapes bought in from the Marne Valley and the Montagne de Reims. Today it is run by 7th generation Roland-Billecart. This estate is renowned for the quality of its delicate rosé, (Click review: N.V. Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Rosé) Billecart-Salmon while the Brut Réserve (a blend of three vintages) is a beautifully harmonious and balanced wine. All its wines have the ability to age well into the future. Visit Website.

酒: F18042008. 12.0% 100% Chardonnay. (See Champagne also). Crisp, acidic and tart. This superb Champagne possesses lemon-like notes with pear, honeysuckle, green apple, and toast and yeast characteristics. Both delightful and will drink well into the future. Drink from 2012+. Best between 2016 to 2026.

1999 Domaine Marquis d’Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Champans
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune

Region Profile: Volnay, sometimes known as the Chambolle Musigny of the Côte de Beaune. Its wines are famous for its silky, elegant wines with finesse, delicacy and an almost ethereal nose. in his book Remington Norman The Great Domaines of Burgundy: ‘If the wines of Pommard sometimes seem like a truck-driver’s interpretation of Pinot, then those of Volnay are a ballerina’s.”

Producer Profile: Guillaume d’Angerville owns this 15 hectares estate, which dates back to the early part of the 19th century. The wines are made traditionally with little use of new oak. All of 45 year old vines planted in d’Angerville vineyards are sited Southeastern on clay limestone slopes.

11 hectares are classified as “Premier Cru”, of which is segregated into the following: 0.5ha Meursault Santenots, 2.4ha Clos des Ducs, 3.98ha Champans, 1.57ha Fremiets, 1ha Taillepieds, 0.45ha Cailerets, 0.65 L’Ormeau, 0.53ha Les Angles, 0.31ha Pitures, and 0.38ha Pommard Les Combes.

The wines closely resemble those of Nuits-Saint-Georges, and are exuberant, fine, and very pure. It ages extremely well. The best bottling from this estate goes to its 2ha monopole Clos des Ducs which is rare and expensive. These are some of the finest wines in Burgundy and they are still incredibly good value.

酒: F18042008. 13.5%. 100% Pinot Noir. Took a while for it to open up after 2 hours of decanting. The nose was wonderful, with red and black fruit riding on floral overtones. Medium-bodied, balanced with good acidity, well textured but evident tannins, stuffing and a medium finish. Would suggest continue to cellar this into the next decade. Drink from 2011 to 2020.

2004 Bouchard Père et Fils Corton-Le Corton
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune

Producer Profile: Bouchard Pére et Fils dates back to the 16th century and is the largest Burgundy grower with some 130 hectares of vineyards. In 1995 the Champagne house, Joseph Henriot, acquired Bouchard. Today, Philippe Prost its winemaker manages the majority of the company’s vineyards, which are located in the Côte de Beaune with vinification at a state-of-the-art winery on the outskirts of Beaune. With yields low, it’s often perceived Bouchard wines are itself expressions of finesse, elegance and purity of fruit. Visit website.

酒: F18042008. 13.5%. 100% Pinot Noir. Some greeness, hard and heavy conjuration of red, black cherries with sappy and stemmy under layers. Not fully expressive, easy style but not as exciting as one would hope from this label. Full-bodied, tight and taut with medium sharp acidity, medium finish. Drink between 2012 to 2016.

1996 Louis Jadot Grands-Echezeaux
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits

Producer Profile: Going back to the 18th century, Louis Jadot is owned by the Gagey family, financed by the American Kopf family (owners of the Kobrand distribution business) since the 1980s. Today, its winemaker and manager, Jacques Lardière oversees some 60 hectares of vines, many of them premier and grand cru, which range from generic Bourgogne as well as Beaujolais, right up to top of the class examples from a number of Grand Cru vineyards including Bonnes Mares, Clos de Bèze and Chapelle-Chambertin, to name just three.

The firm is particularly strong on the Côte de Nuits as opposed to the Côte de Beaune, following the purchase of the Clair-Daü domaine in 1986. Its whites are fresh, which retains acidity and finesse due a shortened malolactic fermentation. Its reds, fermented at extremely high temperatures, tends to see more depth of fruit with complexity which both wine styles should reflect the unique characteristics of their respective villages and site. Visit website.

酒: F18042008. 13.5%. 100% Pinot Noir. Orange peel and dried cherry fruit, tea leaves. Medium to full-bodied, with some spice, cinnamons and forest floor. Round on the palate without complexity but elegant and sees through with a long finish. Drink between 2008 to 2019.

1993 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits

酒: F18042008. 13.5%. 100% Pinot Noir from Jadot’s oldest vineyard dating back to the 12th century. Cherry and spice. Medium-bodied with delicacy, some earth. nice simple juicy texture with a medium black cherry finish. Drink between 2008 to 2023.

2000 Joseph Drouhin Musigny
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits

Region Profile: Chambolle Musigny - Dear in the hearts of many Burgundian followers, this is a charming village in the Côte de Nuits, north of Clos Vougeot. Mostly red (and very little white) wine comes from limestone-dominated soil, which gives the communes’ wine silky, with finesse rather than density. The wines are known for their aromatic purity and elegance. The Grands Crus are Musigny and Bonnes Mares.

Producer Profile: Since 1957, Robert Drouhin, now runs Joseph Drouhin’s domaine, is credited as one of the pioneers of densely planted vineyards, treating his vines with an almost homeopathic “whole vine” approach. The estate owns vineyards in Chablis, Burgundy (Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune), and the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Annual production of Drouhin’s Burgundy wines range from 300,000 to 400,000 cases per year, depending on the vintage. Robert Parker describes them as “among the very best of modern style red and white Burgundies.” Visit website.

酒: F18042008. 13.0%. 100% Pinot Noir. A mix of raspberry and cherry nose. Full-bodied, silky and elegant, with pure sappy red fruit, soft acidity and a superb finish. The hallmark of this Musigny was in its far stretched length which surpasses earlier Burg experiences at this point in time. Enjoyable now. Drink from 2008 to 2016.

2002 Joseph Drouhin Griottes-Chambertin
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits

F18042008. 13.0%. 100% Pinot Noir. Very youthful and excited wine with a dense thrilling nose of sun baked dark, sweet cherries, and spice. Medium-bodied, sweet oak, with good depth and concise structure plus mineral, almost ‘iron’ metallic like layout. Short to medium finish. Drink from 2009 to 2017.

2001 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits

Producer Profile: Charles Rousseau who took over in 1959, and his children, Corinne and Eric are behind of one of Burgundy’s finest domaines with some 14 hectares of old vines of which 50% are Grand Cru. Interestingly, while others completely de-stem their grapes, Rousseau retains some 15%, which aims to give tannin and structure for longevity for its entire range of wines. The estate’s vineyard holdings are excellent and often envied with pride and drool, nearly 8 ha of Grand Crus, 3.5 ha of Premier Crus, and 2.25 ha of Gevrey Chambertin Village site. Since he took over, the estate has grown additional 7 ha with the inclusion of: Clos St.-Jacques, Clos des Ruchottes, Clos de Bèze with Chambertin joining the fray in 1993.

His top three wines, both rare and expensive, Chambertin, Clos-de-Bèze and Clos-Saint-Jacques, are all aged in 100% new oak, while others see 60% new oak. The wines are never massively dark or over extracted but exhibit breathtaking length, power and finesse. Anyone who has had the fortune of drinking its Burgundian example which we did, would agree his wines is Pinot Noir at its finest. Visit website.

酒: F18042008. 13.0%. 100% Pinot Noir. Full-bodied. Dense cherry fruit without being too rich or overripe on your senses. On the palate, it’s full-bodied with weight, height and depth. A good sappy structure with non-imposing acidity and tannins, which brings out a medium to long finish. An excellent rival if not better than Bruno Clair’s Clos-de-Bèze style. Drink between 2010 and 2024.

2003 Château Coutet
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac

Producer Profile: Château Coutet is one of the largest Barsac properties and has been owned by the Baly family since 1977. Coutet is located in the south of the appellation and the 35 hectares of vineyards are planted with 75% Sémillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc, and 2% Muscadelle. (See Sauternes). Vinification takes place in oak barrels, before 18 months’ extended oak ageing. The wines are aromatically complex and recent vintages have seen added concentration. Coutet’s Cuvée Madame is produced in tiny quantities (often less than 1,500 bottles) and is named after a previous housekeeper at Coutet. It is produced from a special parcel of vines and when produced (which is rarely) is one of the richest and most concentrated sweet wines in Bordeaux. Coutet is classified as a Sauternes 1er Cru Classé. Visit website.

酒: F18042008. 14.0%. 75% Sémillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc, and 2% Muscadelle. Pear, honey, caramel and spice. Lacks acidity. Light to medium-bodied, Not as intense but tends to swing to overripeness, with a bit hollow on the palate and a short to medium finish. Drink between 2009 and 2014.

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Photographs and text by Daniel. Hit us with your best shots; we’ll try our best to listen. Send your inquiries or comments here or via email to jiuwine@gmail.com.