Burgundy Wine Tasting 2004
Set 2 - Pommard, Beaune

It was time to move on to the red Burgundy wines. Bertrand explained that "Burgundy is the northernmost area that grows red wine, and it is done in extreme conditions. If you get full sun in the day and cold temperatures at night, you end up with great conditions for fine winemaking."

Bertrand talked about how 2002 surprised the winemakers with its quality of grapes. July and August were not exceptional weather, but September came along and saved the grapes. "When we took the grapes into the winery, we were not prepared to make this level of quality. At the end of fermentation we realized we had a great vintage."

The food served at this course was roast rack of lamb with a gratin of celery root, plus maple spiced acorn squash. Perfect fall harvest fare!

Maison Jean-Claude Boisset Pommard 1er Cru Clos de Verger 2002
This wine was tannic with juicy plum and gentle fruit flavors. The mouthfeel was gentle, not heavy. When the food paired with this, suddenly the tannins smoothed right out and the balance became perfect. Bertrand pointed out that "those wines that seem less delicate in the beginning may peak at the end and become very elegant."

Maison Antonin Rodet Domaine Jacques Prieur Beaune Champ Pimont 2002
This wine was spicy, peppery and fresh, with smooth tannins and red fruit and plum flavors. A fresh smooth mouthfeel and finish made this one a treat. Bertrand explained that there are only 10 acres here, and that the total concentration was quite high for a Beaune.

Domaine Remoriquet Vosne-Romanee 1er cru Au-dessus des Malconsorts 2002
With a rich acidity and rich tannins, this wine was well balanced with flavors of berry, blackberry, and rich spice. It did wonderfully with the meal. The finish lasted a while with pleasant flavors. Bertrand felt this winery "could deserve the grand cru classification - the oaky elevage is perfect." He found black fruit at the start, and felt with age it would go very much further.

In general, Bertrand was "very proud of that 2002 vintage in Burgundy; it really shows how Pinot Noir can do in that area."

He talked about the various vintages and how they differed. 2002 was an easy year in that it provided great grapes naturally, providing full body and fruitiness. There was a mix of structure and terroir, creating a great vintage.

2004 was more of a challenge for winemakers. This would produce an elegant wine with less of a full body, more of a terroir expression. Even when the vineyard managers picked the grapes, they could easily tell the terroir in each grape by eating it. They could recognize the best plots and distinguish the areas. 2004 was a completely different vintage from 2002 in terms of style, but would produce equally great wines. Where in 2003 there were "green" flavors in August that the winemakers had to be cautious of, this problem didn't exist in 2004.

Bertrand and Antoine spoke about the advances being made even today in viticultural technique. Antoine explained that "for Chardonnays and whites, too much heat and a lack of acidity harms the terroir. This is something we've really learned in Burgundy in the last few years." Bertrand added that "polyphenolic maturity was unknown until now - but is a true judge in tasting grapes. The pips are very mature when under the teeth they destroy themselves easily. This is a step over alcoholic maturity."

The pair also spoke about grape trimming and how this really helps the remaining grapes grow to a better quality level. Bertrand explained that "in 2004, never in my life have we thrown away as many grapes. In 2004 we went much further in selecting grapes. Vineyards in 2004 were very productive - we left 6/7 grapes per vine. In August we had a lot of stormy rain almost every day - almost tropical weather, stormy and hot. By harvesting time we had a rather big crop and we eliminated 40% of it - almost 100 barrels of wine. It would have affected the sugar content, acid, everything. It was done grape by grape. It's a very easy decision to make."

Time to move on to the cheeses and set #3!

Set 3 - Four More

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