Lucien Le Moine A Stunning Range from the Great 2009 Vintage “An extraordinary micro negociant in Beaune. Very serious quality” Jancis Robinson “The Lucien Le Moine wines have limited availability but are worth a special search of the marketplace” Stephen Tanzer” Praise for the wines of Lucien Le Moine is both frequent and consistant. This is one name serious Burgundy drinkers should have on their shopping list! Established in 1999 by Mounir and Rotem Saouma, Lucien Lemoine have a unyielding maxim. Each year they aim to produce a maximum of 100 barrels of Burgundy from the very best vineyards of the Cote d’Or. A maximum of 3 barrels of each wine is produced but with some 60 different cuvees a single barrel is all that is produced for most wines. The list of appellations reds like a who’s who of great Burgundy. Richebourg, Grands Echezeaux, Chambertin, Romanee-St-Vivant, Montrachet, Bonnes-Mares - they all come from the Le Moine cellar. From the very start the wines attained incredible reviews and the quality has only improved with time.
We are delighted to announce we have been appointed Australian importer for Lucien Le Moine. And to cap it off we present a broad selection of wines from the outstanding 2009 vintage. The 2009 Le Moine wines have received outstanding reviews by all the major wine writers. In this offer we feature notes from Tanzer, Burghound and eRobertParker.com. One thing we note is the consistant high scores for both Grand Cru and Premier Crus.
With such a small artisan production the wines are not cheap. When you consider the quality, there is serious value amongst the Premier Crus, many of which rate higher than the Grand Crus from other makers. I also point out that our prices for the 2009 wines are similar and frequently substantially less than the prices for the 2006 vintage that was brought into Australia by another importer. There is little question about which vintage is the best! Take a look at this large and complex offer. Our allocation for many wines is tiny. In a number of cases just 6 bottles. So please do not delay.
To welcome the wines into our portfolio we offer a small incentive. If your confirmed order from this Le Moine offer exceeds $5000.00 we offer an additional 5% discount on the Pre-Arrival prices. Delivery: the wines will be ready for shipping in November 2011. Payment with order please. Buyers of the 2009 wines will have first opportunity to buy the outstanding 2010 wines when available.
Lucien Le Moine (2009) By Stephen Tanzer "I've been waiting for the vintage, and 2009 is it," said Mounir Saouma in mid-November. "We had a great vintage in 2002, and 2006, 2007 and 2008 were very good, but in 2009 we had the most beautiful grapes I've seen in 21 years." Mounir considers 2005 and 1999 to be too mediatique [essentially, overhyped by the media]: "I'm not a big fan of these vintages. Two thousand five had too much of everything. Two thousand nine is the opposite: not overly alcoholic, not overly tannic, not too high in acidity. The best wines have great harmony. It's a year when Burgundy is Chambolle-Musigny!" But Saouma stressed that there are two kinds of wine in 2009. "The defect to the vintage was that it was very warm just after the harvest. On October 10 we were wearing t-shirts. In many cellars the malos were finished before Christmas and the wines will be bottled early. These wines will be like most 1997s: good for 10 to 15 years. But when we brought our barrels to the cellar in the winter, we turned on the air-conditioning and our earliest malos didn't finish until June. So our wines were able to benefit from another six months of slowly digesting their lees. Assuming that this style of wine survives 18 to 24 months of elevage without being protected by too much sulfur, they'll remain fresh and we'll enjoy them every year for four decades."
Burghound Issue 42 Producer Notes by Allen Meadows Mounir and Rotem Saouma established their two-person micro-nĂŠgoce in 1999. They describe the 2009 vintage as unique in that "typically, when you taste a pinot grape, you enjoy the juice and the pulp and then spit out the skin as it's mildly astringent. In 2009 the skins were sweet too. Which we believe is in a way representative of the entire vintage, which is to say that nothing was exaggerated. It's the best vintage that we have ever seen and that includes 2005. The tenderness, finesse and terroir transparency are simply magnificent." As you might reasonably expect from two people who focus on buying the best new wine that they can and then mature those wines in barrel, team Saouma told me that in 2009 the ĂŠlevage was critical to each wine achieving its full potential. They explained that long contact with the lees was absolutely essential and thus they delayed the malos for as long as possible. Further, because the lees were so clean due to the overall top flight health of the fruit in 2009, there was really no risk in having extended lees contact. And consistent with their explanation, when I tasted the wines in February, now 18 months after the harvest, the '09s still had not been racked. The Le Moine '09s, like the '07s and '08s before them, are again most impressive though their sources in Gevrey and Vosne seem to be a cut above those in the other villages. One other point bears mentioning, which is that the wines always have noticeable residual CO2 in them and thus they should absolutely be decanted.
WHITE WINES 2009 Bourgogne Blanc Usual Price $49.99 Pre-Arrival Price $42.50 No notes from Burghound or Tanzer but based on the fantastic ratings for all Le Moine’s 2009 wines it would be hard to imagine this being anything other than a stunning example.
2009 Meursault Les Chevalieres Usual Price $99.99 Pre-Arrival Price $88.00 Les Chevalieres is well respected lieu-dit. Jasper Morris says “A very stylish vineyard with a light, friable soil. Part of the vineyard is on a plateau, while the remainder slopes down towards the small stream which flows through the village.” Coche-Dury is another maker of Meursault “Les Chevalieres” - his wine is somewhat more expensive! No notes from Burghound or Tanzer.
2009 Puligny-Montrachet Les Reuchaux Usual Price $99.99 Pre-Arrival Price $88.00 Located at the bottom of the village. A seldom seen lieu-dit. No notes from Burghound or Tanzer.
2009 Pernand Vergelesses 1er Cru Sous Fretille Usual Price $115.00 Pre-Arrival Price $99.00 This vineyard was promoted to 1er Cru status in 2000. It is located at the top of the hill overlooking the village. It is not far from Corton-Charlemagne in distance and style. Burghound: A heavily reduced nose leads to mineral-infused, racy, intense and precise middle weight flavors that culminate in a presently austere and bone dry finish. This understated and admirably pure effort should reward 4 to 6 years of cellar time. 89-91 Points. Drink: 2014+
2009 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Caillerets Usual Price $175.00 Pre-Arrival Price $149.00 One of the prime 1er Cru sites in Chassagne. Caillerets indicates stony soil with little earth. The vineyard produces classic, mineral whites. Tanzer: Pale yellow. Musky minerality and a note of sexy reduction on the nose. Then very rich and dense but with its sweetness not yet in harmony with its spine of acidity. This still has malic acidity to convert but its inner-mouth crushed stone perfume is already utterly compelling. Finishes with a superb whiplash of minerality. It's hard to scrape this stuff off your palate, and yet the overall impression is one of weightlessness. This is likely to transcend the vintage. 93-95 Points
Burghound: (The wine had not been racked). This is also relatively heavily reduced and thus the nose is impossible to fairly evaluate. By contrast, there is a Zen-like poise and coolness to the mineral-inflected, energetic and impressively layered middle weight flavors that finish with excellent punch, depth and that beguiling underlying sense of tension. 91-93 Points. Drink: 2016+
2009 Meursault 1er Cru Charmes Usual Price $169.00 Pre-Arrival Price $143.00 Tanzer: Knockout nose of lemon, minerals, hazelnut and vanilla; an essence of Charmes. Then supple, pliant and sweet-almost too easy-with flavors of citrus zest and butter. Slightly dry and aggressive on the finish but this is still young. 91-93 Points Burghound: (The wine had not been racked). Strong lactic acid aromas presently dominate the nose. By contrast there is good freshness to the clean, delicious, detailed and admirably intense medium-bodied flavors that possess excellent mid-palate concentration that helps to buffer the firm acid spine on the mouth coating, long and attractively energetic finish. This doesn't quite have the same depth as the best of these Meursault 1ers but it's not far behind.. 89-92 Points. Drink: 2015+
2009 Meursault 1er Cru Genevrieres Usual Price $175.00 Pre-Arrival Price $149.00 Tanzer: Pale straw-yellow. Very closed nose hints at minerals, menthol and spices. Sharply delineated and very wellbalanced but youthfully unforthcoming, with the mineral and menthol notes dominating. With air, some juicy lemony fruit emerges. The long finish boasts terrific cut. 92-94 Points Burghound: (not yet racked). A curious nose of lactic acid and spice elements merges into naturally sweet, pure and well-detailed flavors that possess superb complexity on the mouth coating, balanced, linear and explosive finish where notes of fennel and wood toast surface. This possesses knockout length and this seems exceptionally promising.. A Sweet Spot Wine. 91-94 Points. Drink: 2016+
2009 Meursault 1er Cru Perrieres Usual Price $190.00 Pre-Arrival Price $165.00 Tanzer: Bright pale yellow. Aromas of pineapple and wet stone. Compellingly sweet and tactile, but showing less cut today than the Genevrieres. In fact, this very ripe and exuberant wine will need more elevage to absorb its sweetness. Best today on the very long, stony aftertaste. Does this still have some r.s.? 91-94? Points Burghound: A distinctly lactic and leesy nose precedes beautifully balanced, harmonious and chiseled, indeed even crystalline middle weight flavors that possess outstanding length and remarkable tension on the seriously mineraldriven finish. This isn't quite as complex as the Genevrières but it's finer and the class of a fine Perrières is clearly on display. A qualitative choice. A Sweet Spot Wine 91-94 Points. Drink: 2016+
2009 Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseigneres Usual Price $129.00 Pre-Arrival Price $112.00 Les Enseigneres is located immediately below Batard and Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet. Also bottled by CocheDury and Ramonet. A serious lieu-dit. Burghound: (Not yet racked) Lactic acid hints detract moderately from the otherwise perfumed and very pretty acacia blossom and citrus aromas that introduce rich and surprisingly powerful flavors imbued with plenty of acid-
buffering dry extract that shaped the lemony and explosive finish. This is a very fine villages and worth a look. 8991 Points. Drink: 2014+
2009 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Garenne Usual Price $159.00 Pre-Arrival Price $135.00 Tanzer: Brisk aromas of lemon drop, chlorophyll and clove; one senses a trace of remaining malic acidity. The palate offers a real high-wire act of richness and brisk lemony acidity. Extremely high-pitched, bracing wine with enticing leesy complexity and superb back-end minerality and energy. For all its cut, this is already harmonious. 92-94 Points Burghound: A pure, elegant and quite floral nose is nuanced by background hints of green apple and lightly spiced pear. There is good richness to the well-detailed, delicious and mouth coating flavors that possess a mineral-inflected and admirably persistent finish. This stylish effort is lovely and very Puligny in character. 90-92 points. Drink: 2016+
2009 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Folatieres Usual Price $175.00 Pre-Arrival Price $149.00 Tanzer: Captivating aromas of white flowers, menthol, stone and clove. Precise, dry and classic, with a slightly edgy quality to its juicy flavors of citrus peel and stone. Not at all a fat style of 2009. In fact, next to this the 2008 version comes off as exotic. Finishes with a lovely whiplash of flavor. 92-94 Points Burghound: This is quite ripe for the appellation though there are no hints of surmaturitĂŠ to the aromas of apricot, white peach, pear and wet stone notes that carry over to the rich if moderately austere flavors, all wrapped in a complex, long and impressively persistent finish. I very much like the overall sense of balance and harmony here. A Sweet Spot wine. 91-93 points. Drink: 2016+
2009 Corton Blanc Grand Cru Usual Price $209.00 Pre-Arrival Price $177.00 Clearly an outstanding example of this seldom seen appellation. Well priced for a Grand Cru. Tanzer: Pale yellow. High-pitched perfume of cool stone, lavender, violet, lemon zest and white truffle oil. Then surprisingly silky in the mouth but with terrific lift to the tactile flavors of dusty stone, medicinal herbs and flowers. Wonderfully complex, sexy, ineffable wine with great soil complexity but little in the way of exotic character. The malo here is finished. My range may prove to be conservative. 92-94 Points Burghound: (Note yet racked) This is clearly quite ripe because despite the presence of strong lactic acid and leesy aromas, the orchard fruit aromas are easy to detect. There is an opulence and succulence to the big-bodied, powerful and concentrated flavors that possess plenty of supporting extract as well as a firm, and sculpting, acid spine on the stony, long and palate drenching finish that delivers unusually good precision for the appellation. This is a borderline massive wine yet there is nothing ponderous about it, just don't expect much in the way of finesse or refinement. 9194 Points. Drink: 2017+
2009 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Usual Price $265.00 Pre-Arrival Price $225.00 Tanzer: Penetrating, high-pitched aromas of lemon, lime, crushed stone, lavender and white pepper. Silky, dry and classic, expressive but extraordinarily fine-grained, with strong but ripe acidity giving the very pure mineral and citrus flavors outstanding clarity. Wonderfully vibrant, weightless wine: this is almost stronger after you spit!
Perfumes the mouth with white truffle and complex soil tones. The aromatic complexity and lift of this cuvee and the Corton Blanc are exceptional for the vintage. 93-95 Points Burghound: (Note yet racked) An extremely fresh nose of dried rose petal, green apple and spiced pear trimmed in oak toast hints leads to intensely stony, precise and classy big-bodied flavors that possess excellent definition on the attractively sappy finish that really coats the palate while lingering admirably. This is not as dense as the Corton Blanc but not surprisingly, it is more refined and displays impeccable balance .91-94 Points. Drink: 2017+
2009 Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru Usual Price $465.00 Pre-Arrival Price $395.00 Burghound: (Note yet racked). Strong lactic aromas don't completely hide the underlying notes of honeysuckle and citrus that are in keeping with the honeyed and extremely rich, generous and seductively textured flavors that possess outstanding depth and length. I like the balance and this possesses good verve thanks to the firm acid spine. 92-94 Points. Drink: 2017+
2009 Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru Usual Price $580.00 Pre-Arrival Price $495.00 Batard from an outstanding parcel! Tanzer: Very ripe stone fruits, clove and grilled nuts on the rich nose. Fat, sweet and rich, but with strong lemony acidity and underlying minerality giving this wine a strong impression of structure. Too early to judge with confidence as there's still malic acidity to convert, but with its salty, iodiney minerality, this promises to be a relatively ethereal version of Batard, and not at all exotic. The parcel touches the road at the top of the cru, with Montrachet just above it. 92-94 Points Burghound: (Note yet racked). An almost invisible trace of wood highlights a similar nose of lactic aromas, honeysuckle, citrus and orchard fruit nuances that slide seamlessly into more obviously powerful medium full-bodied flavors that are at once generous yet detailed with excellent volume, size and weight on the round, naturally sweet and mouth coating finish. This is a big but impeccably well-balanced wine that delivers its power with control and grace. 92-95 Points. Drink: 2017+
RED WINES 2009 Bourgogne Rouge Usual Price $49.99 Pre-Arrival Price $42.50 No notes from Burghound or Tanzer but based on the fantastic ratings for all Le Moine’s 2009 wines it would be hard to imagine this being anything other than a stunning example.
2009 Fixin 1er Cru Les Hervelets Usual Price $99.99 Pre-Arrival Price $88.00 “Les Hervelets makes an unusually supple version of Fixin, from a red soil full of small stones and some sand�. Jasper Morris MW No notes from Burghound, Tanzer or Antonio Galloni.
2009 Morey-St-Denis 1er Cru Clos des Ormes Usual Price $125.00 Pre-Arrival Price $106.00 Located just below Clos de la Roche and considered by some to be a mini-version of the Grand Cru. Tanzer: Good medium red. Explosive aromas of raspberry, musky brown spices, dried flowers and wild herbs; an essence of Morey. Then very sweet and fine-grained on the palate, with an almost candied quality to the strong red berry flavors. Finishes with a fine dusting of tannins and a peppery quality that gives unexpected lift to this very ripe wine. 89-92 Points Burghound: Here the red berry fruit also exhibits a nose of underbrush, earth and a spice component that leads to supple yet nicely detailed, round and utterly delicious flavors that possess very good depth on the sneaky long and quite subtle finish. An understated wine of harmony and balance. 89-92 Points. Drink: 2021+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: The 2009 Morey St. Denis Clos des Ormes emerges from the glass with sexy inner perfume and layers of sweet, candied fruit. This is a decidedly mid-weight, intensely floral style of Morey probably best suited for near and mid-term drinking. 92-94 Points. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029
2009 Volnay 1er Cru Santenots Usual Price $119.00 Pre-Arrival Price $102.00 An interesting vineyard that is actually within Meursault. A serious Volnay. Tanzer: Musky raspberry, minerals and chocolate on the nose. Lush, broad and sweet, with strong soil character and a very ripe note of chocolate. Not a hugely fleshy wine but silky and suave. 89-91Points Burghound: Strong reduction. Otherwise this is very Volnay in character with good minerality and volume to the precise, intense and delicious medium-bodied flavors that culminate in a serious, linear and persistent finish. This will require from 12 to 15 years to be at its best. 90-92 Points. Drink: 2021+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: The 2009 Volnay Santenots shows notable length and purity in its crushed flowers, mint and spices. The Santenots is a touch lithe, but the delicate, feminine personality of the wine is nevertheless extremely attractive. 91-93 Points. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029.
2009 Pommard 1er Cru Les Epenots Usual Price $145.00 Pre-Arrival Price $123.00 Tanzer: Good bright red-ruby. Cassis, smoke and earth on the nose, with an element of crushed rocks. Concentrated and delineated, with excellent acidity giving grip to the cassis, blackberry and violet flavors. Plenty of viscosity here, nicely balanced by a serious structural underpinning. 91-93 Points Burghound: Strong reduction. There is wonderful richness and a velvety texture to the very ripe flavors that are shaped by the phenolically mature and firm tannins as well as a wonderfully persistent and enveloping finish. There isn't the detail of the Rugiens but the finish offers slightly better length. A choice. 89-92 Points. Drink: 2019+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: The 2009 Pommard Les Epenots is a huge, powerful wine imbued with the essence of dark fruit, smoke, tar and licorice. This massively structured tannic wine appears to have a brilliant future ahead of it?once it settles down in bottle. 92-94 Points. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029
2009 Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Les Vaucrains Usual Price $159.00 Pre-Arrival Price $135.00 A great vineyard at the southern end of the commune producing wines with great aging potential. Tanzer: Bright red-ruby. Superripe aromas of dried fruits, earthy Middle Eastern spices and flowers. In a drier style and more imploded than the Cailles but with terrific spicy, floral precision and lift. Very pretty, juicy wine; not a bit chocolatey. Saouma believes that Nuits-Saint-Georges wines should be racked as little as possible during elevage, "or they get boring." Finishes with slightly metallic tannins. 92-94 Points Burghound: Reduction. As one would expect, this is bigger, richer and more powerful with broad-scaled and overtly muscular flavors that are extremely serious and somber, all wrapped in a palate staining and imposingly structured finish that exhibits huge length. There isn't the refinement of the Les Cailles or Les St. Georges but for fans of power Burgundy, this delivers. A Sweet Spot Wine. 91-93 Points. Drink: 2026+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: The 2009 Pommard Les Epenots is a huge, powerful wine imbued with the essence of dark fruit, smoke, tar and licorice. This massively structured tannic wine appears to have a brilliant future ahead of it?once it settles down in bottle. 91-93 Points. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029
2009 Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Les Cailles Usual Price $159.00 Pre-Arrival Price $135.00 Another serious Nuits vineyard. Named after the stoniness of the site rather than those delicious little birds! Tanzer: (this wine finished its sugar and secondary fermentation in August, according to Saouma) Deep red-ruby. Very primary aromas of creme de cassis, violet, crushed stone and smoke. Very ripe but sharply delineated, with intense flavors of cassis, minerals and spices. Substantial CO2 gives a hardness to the tannins today, but this long, vibrant, mineral-driven wine should be outstanding. 91-94 Points Burghound: Moderate reduction blocks an evaluation of the nose. The detailed, intense and beautifully precise medium-bodied flavors possess good volume and fine length on the mocha-infused finish. Despite a high level of ripeness and extremely firm tannins this is essentially a wine of finesse and elegance. A Sweet Spot Wine. 90-93 Points. Drink: 2026+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: The 2009 Nuits St. Georges Les Cailles is another dark, intense wine. Here the fruit is especially deep and muscular. The wine shows tons of concentration and sheer power, but also reveals an edgy quality to the tannins that is a bit atypical here in 2009. If this settles down it may merit a higher score, but today the Cailles comes across as a bit unruly 89-92 Points. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029
2009 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Cazetiers Usual Price $159.00 Pre-Arrival Price $135.00 Always mineral and interesting. Note the 2009 Rousseau bottling is rated 90-93 Points by Burghound! Tanzer: Good full red. Superripe, deep aromas of minerals, dried rose and pepper; this reminded me of Clos de Beze. Smoky, sappy and chewy on the palate, conveying an impression of strong dry extract. Wonderfully tactile, youthful wine with very fine tannins and superb length. 91-94 Points Burghound: A spicy, earthy and very sauvage nose of red and dark berry fruit plus stone notes leads to very rich, serious and tautly muscular flavors that display excellent power and volume and culminate in a deep, long and highly complex finish. This stunning effort will also require 15 to 20 years to arrive at its peak. A Sweet Spot Wine. 92-94 Points. Drink: 2024+
Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: The 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetieres explodes from the glass with an insanely haunting bouquet layered with fresh, vibrant fruit. Everything is in perfect balance in this achingly beautiful wine. The Cazetieres exemplifies all of the qualities that make Burgundy Burgundy. Weightless and pure on the finish, the Cazetieres is simply spellbinding and one of the highlights among this set of wines from Le Moine. 94-96 Points. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029
2009 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaut St Jacques Usual Price $159.00 Pre-Arrival Price $135.00 Usually fine and precise. Burghound scores the 2009 Rousseau Lavaut St Jacques 90-92 Points. Tanzer: Good medium red. Aromas of wild black raspberry, white pepper, leather and fresh blood show a noble rusticity. Then less animal in the mouth, displaying penetrating, sweet-yet-cool flavors of blue and black fruits complemented by smoke and earth. Very fresh but a bit youthfully tough. Finishes with substantial tannins and a suggestion of dark chocolate. I may be underrating this. 91-93 Points Burghound: Reduction. There is excellent verve though to the detached and restrained mineral-inflected mediumbodied flavors that possess strikingly good detail and focus on the mildly animale, linear and austere finish. This too is very Lavaut in character and should age extremely well as the balance and underlying material are impeccable. A Sweet Spot Wine. 91-93 Points. Drink: 2024+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: The 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux St. Jacques presents a somewhat wild personality I don’t usually associate with this vineyard. Ferrous, animal notes lead to a rich core of textured fruit. This shows terrific vibrancy and enough textural finesse to almost overcome some rough edges that never completely dissipate. 90-92 Points. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027
2009 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Charmes Usual Price $175.00 Pre-Arrival Price $149.00 Charming by name and nature. Always a great drinking, classic Chambolle. Tanzer: Good deep red. Superripe aromas of raspberry, smoke, dusty spices and white pepper. Creamy in the middle, with berry and spice flavors accompanied by a slightly roasted chocolatey aspect. Turns tough, even austere, on the finish, which is more impressive now for its lingering perfume than for its texture. 91-93 Points Burghound: A high-toned and appealingly elegant nose features aromas of ripe cherry and red pinot fruit that precede moderately complex and delicious middle weight flavors that possess good precision but not the depth of the best 1ers in the range. This is by no means simple but there is a dimension missing relative to the Les St. Georges for example. 89-91 Points. Drink: 2019+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: The 2009 Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes showcases the more muscular, intense side of Chambolle in its powerful, intense fruit. Firm tannins frame the insistent finish. 90-92 Points. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029
2009 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Hauts Doix Usual Price $175.00 Pre-Arrival Price $149.00 Les Hauts Doix adjoins Les Amoureuses. The descriptions make it sound very similar but at a much lower price. Tanzer: Good deep red. Pungent, slightly high-toned, Musigny-like aromas of raspberry, creme de cassis crushed stone, white pepper and fresh blood, complicated by a white fruit note and lifted by a floral quality. Improbably
precise for 2009, with classic Chambolle cut and verve to its piercing flavors of fresh red fruits, spices and flowers. Firm mineral grip gives superb vibrancy to the finish. These vines below Les Amoureuses clearly benefited from their more humid soil in 2009. A knockout in the making. 92-95 Points Burghound: A seductive nose of sandalwood, spice and very fresh red currant aromas gives way to moderately complex and relatively fine middle weight flavors that ooze a discreet minerality on the harmonious, sappy and understated finish. This is very Chambolle in basic character and really very pretty. A Sweet Spot Wine. 90-92 Points. Drink: 2019+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: The 2009 Chambolle-Musigny Les Hauts Doix opens with high-toned, floral aromatics that lead to hard candy, licorice and sweet, juicy cherries. The richness of the fruit wraps around the tannins all the way through to the subtle, haunting finish. This is gorgeous in every way. 91-93 Points. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029
2009 Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Suchots Usual Price $185.00 Pre-Arrival Price $157.00 One of the great Vosne-Romanee 1er Crus. Sandwiched between Richebourg, Romanee-St-Vivant and Echezeaux so it comes as little surprise! Tanzer: Deep, bright red. Wild, reduced aromas of cassis and bitter chocolate. Densely packed and powerfully structured, with chewy, slightly medicinal dark fruit flavors. This needs more elevage to develop its perfume. A classically dry, soil-driven wine that's long on the aftertaste but hard to assess today. May be better than my range suggests. 91-93 Points Burghound: Reduction and plenty of wood influence make for a difficult to appreciate nose. By contrast, there is more to like with the rich, velvety and mouth coating flavors blessed with plenty of dry extract that buffers well the suave and mocha-infused finish. There is plenty of flesh and volume to the mid-palate and once this is done with its youthful awkwardness, it should be excellent. A Sweet Spot Wine. 91-93 Points. Drink: 2021+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: The 2009 Vosne-Romanee Les Suchots is a deep, powerful wine, with layers of fruit that wrap around the firm tannins. This shows the muscular, broad-shouldered side of Vosne in its powerful, intense personality. 90-92 Points. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029
2009 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses Usual Price $289.00 Pre-Arrival Price $245.00 Should Les Amoureuses be a Grand Cru? It is certainly a great vineyard that regularly produces Grand Cru quality wine. Tanzer: Bright dark red. Compellingly perfumed, pure aromas of crushed raspberry, crushed rock, licorice and blood orange. The palate offers great clarity and intensity, with an almost minty quality adding to the impression of verve. A youthfully imploded wine that comes across as more backward than the Haut-Doix. Finishes with palate-staining length and great sappy blood orange perfume. Like the Haut-Doix, this will be a great example of its site. 93-96 Points Burghound: A highly complex, indeed kaleidoscopically so, nose of plum, violet, spice and red and blue pinot fruit complements to perfection the rich, generous and delicious flavors that do not, at least not at present, quite have the beguiling of the nose, all wrapped in a stylish, lingering and palate coating finish. This should be lovely and the minerality adds a bit of lift to the backend. A Sweet Spot Wine. 91-94 Points. Drink: 2021+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: The 2009 Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses floats on the palate with an ethereal expression of fruit that is so typical of this famous site. This is a deceptively mid-weight wine backed up with plenty of substance. Still, it remains a fairly cerebral style of wine that demands the full attention of the taster
before it reveals the full breadth of its personality. 92-94 Points. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029
2009 Corton Renardes Grand Cru Usual Price $185.00 Pre-Arrival Price $157.00 Tanzer: Deep red-ruby. Dark raspberry, crushed rock and a gamey nuance on the nose. Superripe and broad but also quite dry and unforthcoming today and in need of further time in barrel. Very spicy but a bit disjointed. This will require another look. 90-92 Points Burghound: A classic Renardes nose speaks of spice, earth, cassis, plum and plenty of the sauvage that also extends to the rich, full-bodied and velvety flavors that possess excellent power and muscle that culminate in a focused, palate staining and impressive long finish. This serious effort should age extremely well and moreover, be well worth the investment of your patience. 92-94 Points. Drink: 2024+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: The 2009 Corton Renardes is deep, long and intense. There is superb concentration in the jammy, dense fruit. This is a sweet, unctuous style that stands apart from most of the other wines in the cellar, yet everything works within the context of a powerful, virile expression of Renardes. 92-94 Points. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2034
2009 Clos-St-Denis Grand Cru Usual Price $249.00 Pre-Arrival Price $215.00 Massive scores from all three tasters suggest this is a seriosuly great wine. Tanzer: Good deep red. Captivating aromas of raspberry, strawberry, gibier, dried flowers and spices. Silky-smooth and suave if a bit youthfully closed, with compelling soil-driven perfume and lovely freshness. This coats the palate while leaving a weightless impression. Finishes with noble tannins and kaleidoscopic soil tones. A beauty. 93-96 Points Burghound: Reduction cannot totally hide the class of this extract-rich offering that completely buffers the firm structure that surfaces on the dazzlingly complex and persistent finish. This stylish effort is impeccably wellbalanced and should amply reward 15 to 20 years of cellar time. 92-94 Points. Drink: 2024+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: The 2009 Clos St. Denis is a wine of great personality and pure breed. Dark berries, black pepper, blueberries and violets are some of the nuances that emerge as this vibrant, fresh wine shows off its pedigree. The aromas and flavors build impressively towards the impressive, sensual finish.. 93-96 Points. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2034
2009 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Usual Price $269.00 Pre-Arrival Price $229.00 Super high scores from a vineyard that can produce extraordinary wines. Tanzer: Full red. More primary on the nose than the Clos Saint-Denis, offering complex aromas of dark fruits, mocha, spices, crushed rock, espresso and black olive; more Gevrey-like. Then extremely unevolved in the mouth, with darker fruit character than the Clos Saint-Denis and terrific verve. A powerfully structured, very long wine with a salty impression of extract and building tannins. 92-95 Points Burghound: Reduction. The broad-shouldered flavors are bigger, richer and deeper as the underlying material seems to have endless waves of depth on the extremely ripe and mocha-infused finish that delivers simply huge length. To its credit, this well-endowed effort underscores perfectly the difference between a fine Clos St. Denis and a great Clos de la Roche. Patience will also be required here. 93-95 Points. Drink: 2024+
Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: The 2009 Clos de la Roche is drop-dead gorgeous. It shows remarkable depth and polish in its elegant, impeccable bouquet and harmonious, layered fruit. This is all finesse, all the way. My notes read: extraordinary! Anticipated maturity. 94-97 Points. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2034
2009 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru Usual Price $285.00 Pre-Arrival Price $242.00 Tanzer: (a blend of Charmes and Mazoyeres) Good bright, deep red. Wild aromas of blueberry, exotic spices, flowers, licorice and mint, plus a whiff of chlorophyll. Pure and fine on the palate, with strong floral lift accentuating the wine's impression of sharp definition. Not a fleshy style and a bit youthfully imploded today but this finishes with captivating perfume and length. The tannins are firm but fine. 91-94 Points Burghound: An earthy and extremely ripe nose of red berry liqueur aromas is very much in keeping with the sappy yet detailed and lightly mineral-inflected big-bodied flavors that are quite linear and focused on the lingering finish. It's interesting as the texture here is completely different from that displayed by the Bonnes Mares, which is neither good nor bad though the underlying material is not quite as strong. 91-93 Points. Drink: 2021+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: The 2009 Charmes-Chambertin is muscular and intense but also light on its feet. A burst of dark berries, cinnamon and cloves makes a great first impression. The Charmes shows terrific precision and elegance in its deep layers of fruit as it builds towards the long, polished finish. The firm tannins will require patience, but this is a spectacular wine in every way. 93-96 Points. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2034
2009 Echezeaux Grand Cru Usual Price $299.00 Pre-Arrival Price $255.00 Tanzer: (from En Orveaux, on the north side of this sprawling grand cru) Bright, deep red. Complex, terroir-driven aromas of redcurrant, raspberry, minerals, licorice, smoke and tobacco, plus a whiff of fruit syrup. Dense, primary and penetrating, but already shows the compelling sweetness of fruit of the vintage. Not yet especially complex but stains the palate on the very long, vibrant aftertaste. An extremely young wine of great finesse. 92-95 Points Burghound: A highly spiced nose of hoisin and anise adds breadth to the sexy blue and black pinot fruit aromas that give way to rich, sappy and mouth coating big-bodied flavors that possess excellent volume and plenty of mid-palate density before culminating in a mocha and oak-infused finish that exhibits a dusty quality. 90-93 Points. Drink: 2021+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: no note
2009 Clos Vougeot Grand Cru Usual Price $285.00 Pre-Arrival Price $242.00 Tanzer: Good deep red. Exotic perfume of candied red fruits, lavender and marzipan, with a whiff of peach syrup; the opposite of brutal! Silky and lush on entry, with flavors similar to the aromas. Then shuts down on the back end, finishing with substantial tannic clout. This will need considerable bottle aging. 91-94 Points Burghound: Moderate reduction hides everything but the intense earthy character that also extends to the quite serious, precise and extract-rich flavors that are supported by phenolically mature and extremely firm tannins as well as an extremely ripe mocha-suffused and mouth coating finish that is youthfully austere. 91-94 Points. Drink: 2024+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: The 2009 Clos de Vougeot is a driven, focused wine laced with red fruits and sweet spices. This is subtle yet persistent, with elegant, beautifully crafted tannins that make it an unusually refined, sexy Clos de Vougeot. 91-94 Points. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029
2009 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru Usual Price $350.00 Pre-Arrival Price $299.00 Three scores of 93-96. Now this has to be something! Potentially the highest scoring Bonnes-Mares of the vintage! Tanzer: Good deep red. Highly nuanced but reticent aromas of cherry, smoky minerality, wild herbs, brown spices, mocha, pepper and earth. Then a creamy-sweet, super-rich raspberry bomb in the mouth, with exotic floral high tones and sweet oak giving it early appeal. But this very ripe wine is powerful and very young. 93-96 points Burghound: Moderate reduction kills an evaluation of the nose. However there is marvelous density to the serious and muscular broad-shouldered flavors that brim with tannin buffering dry extract and flat out incredible length, indeed it's possible that this, along with the Richebourg, possesses the longest finish of any wine in the range. A stunner of a Bonnes Mares built for the long haul. 93-96 Points. Drink: 2026+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: The 2009 Bonnes Mares opens with gorgeous aromatics that lead to a muscular core of fruit. The wine finds its inner elegance on the mid-palate and finish, where hints of candied fruit and violets come together, adding lift and elegance. The combination of aromatic expressiveness and nuanced fruit elevate this to a very high level. 93-96 Points. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2034
2009 Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru Usual Price $495.00 Pre-Arrival Price $420.00 Scores are virtually identical to the 2009 DRC Grands Echezeaux. That would make this wine a bargain! Tanzer: Good full red. Wild, slightly reduced aromas of redcurrant, blackberry, violet and pepper. Very ripe, dense and powerful but youthfully closed, even aggressive, today. Boasts impressive tannic force, a saline nuance and a superripe chocolatey quality on the back end, but currently comes across as less perfumed and refined than the Echezeaux. 92-94 points Burghound: A highly floral and equally spicy nose speaks of earth, red currant and plum aromas that complement the rich, intense and lightly mineral-inflected broad-scaled flavors that possess plenty of overt muscularity on the powerful, driving and palate staining finish. The tannins are quite evident and it will require upwards of 20 years for this to completely resolve the extremely firm tannic spine but it should be well worth the wait. 92-95 Points. Drink: 2026+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: no note
2009 Romanee-St-Vivant Grand Cru Usual Price $765.00 Pre-Arrival Price $650.00 A worthy competitor for the DRC RSV at half the price. Tanzer: (finished its malolactic fermentation just ten days prior to my visit) Good deep red. Ineffable scents of raspberry, cocoa powder, ginger, cappuccino, pepper and tobacco, plus a whiff of passion fruit. Less expressive in the mouth today than on the nose but already displays terrific fruit intensity. Quite folded in on itself just after the end of the malo, but a great wine in the making. 93-96 points Burghound: A mildly floral and intensely spicy nose features notes of violets, rose petal, hoisin, soy and anise that add excellent breadth to the red currant aromas. The rich, detailed and utterly seductive medium-bodied flavors possess striking complexity to the impressively long finish. As good as this is, and it is spectacular, it doesn't quite have the sheer depth of material of the Richebourg even though it's close. 92-95 Points. Drink: 2024+
Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: no note
2009 Richebourg Grand Cru Usual Price $999.00 Pre-Arrival Price $888.00 Touch and go with the 2009 DRC Richebourg. Tanzer has Le Moine measurably higher. Tanzer: Deep red. Mineral-driven crushed black raspberry and crushed rock aromas are complemented by notes of molten dark chocolate and espresso. A huge wine of great sweetness and depth; conveys an almost candied character but also an impression of medicinal reserve and powerful extract. The superb, slowly building finish goes on and on. More harmonious today than the RSV. 94-97 points Burghound: A reserved and almost reluctant nose of elegant dried rose petal, violet, red berry liqueur and a wonderfully broad range of spice nuances. The minerally, rich and regally powerful broad-scaled flavors are taut and classy as the underlying tension is palpable on the precise, driving and explosively long and linear finish. This is quite youthfully austere at present and may remain that way for some years as the flavors seem quite introverted and backward today. But, given enough cellar time, this has the potential to be brilliant.. 93-96 Points. Drink: 2029+ Antonio Galloni, eRobertParker.com: no note
Grand Millesime Pty Ltd 6/40 Batman Street West Melbourne Vic 3003 Callers by appointment. Phone: (03) 9326 5737 Fax: (03) 9326 6744 www.grandmillesime.com.au darren@grandmillesime.com.au