Tuesday, November 08, 2005

The Fine Wines of The Montrachet

Another OTT evening at BBR. This time "Exploring Great Burgundy - The Fine Wines of The Montrachet" tutored by Jasper Morris MW, Buying Director.

 • Wine 1: 2000 Chassagne-Montrachet, 'Les Chaumées', 1er Cru, Domaine Michel Niellon
 • Wine 2: 2000 Puligny-Montrachet, 'Les Pucelles', 1er Cru, Domaine Leflaive
 • Wine 3: 2000 Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet, Grand Cru, Domaine Belland
 • Wine 4: 1999 Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet, Grand Cru, Etienne Sauzet
 • Wine 5: 1988 Bâtard-Montrachet, Grand Cru, Domaine Leflaive
 • Wine 6: 1999 Chevalier-Montrachet, 'Les Demoiselles', Grand Cru, Louis Latour
 • Wine 7: 1996 Chevalier-Montrachet, Grand Cru, Domaine Leflaive
 • Wine 8: 1999 Le Montrachet, Grand Cru, Marquis de Laguiche, Joseph Drouhin

What can I say. I could say they were superb, elegant, etc. but I would be bull-bluffing. Very drinkable but way beyond my capacity to appreciate the subtleties. At prices ranging from GBP 52 to GBP 357 per bottle(!) I will not be rushing out to buy a case or two. In fact most of the wines were limited availability (from 35 bottles to 1 last remaining bottle) so I couldn't even if I had the money *and* the inclination.
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3 comments:

  1. Ballpoint Wren2:04 pm

    I wonder what you would think of Charles Shaw wines. Out here we call it "Two Buck Chuck."

    It's gotten some good reviews, considering the low price. Mostly, "a good wine, but don't bring it to a party because everybody knows how cheap it is" kind of reviews.

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  2. Mark McLellan2:12 pm

    It is not just the price but the drinkability. The local Locorotondo white from the producers co-operative http://www.locorotondodoc.com/ is only five euros (USD 6) and very acceptable drinking but I wouldn't touch their jug wine.

    In europe most of the cost of a bottle goes in duty and tax (I guess in the US too). So a small move up the price scale leaves the producer proportionately much, much more to put into the quality. To make drinkable wine at the low price end needs some luck, talent or shrewd business deals.

    http://observer.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,4901290-108294,00.html

    Mary's motto - Life is too short to drink bad wine.

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  3. Ballpoint Wren5:41 pm

    I'm no connoisseur, but I think the $2 wine tastes as good as wine on which we've spent at least $8. We've certainly spent more than that on wine we didn't like at all.

    Too bad we can't get you a bottle to try out!

    Hubby's motto: "If it tastes good and only costs two bucks, I'll take two cases!"

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