Burgundy 2003 tasting notes: C-D

A bit heavy, thick and flabby. Stewed, but comforting. (JR)

Dominated by oak. Quite thick, sweet and seductive. Dry finish. (JR)

Very thick, dark and opulent, but I do want more acidity. A bit furry. (JR)

My sample was a bit reduced and exaggerated and therefore impossible to read. Too aggressive to enjoy at the moment. Harsh. (JR)

Vaguely medicinal on the nose. Quite harshly structured. Lots of tannin. Not enough charm or fruity concentration. (JR)

Cool. Watery. Easy. Some lime and minerals. Chewy. (JR)

Smudgy nose. Lots of quite sharp fruit, then very dry, grating tannins. Indistinct. (JR)

Very sweet and thick. Lacks real freshness but is probably a true representative of the vintage. Sweet start; dry end. (JR)

Pretty fine and lively. Sweet, rich, desperately trying to stay inside a corset to be as elegant and lean as possible. Slightly dry finish. Easy, open. (JR)

This plot is virtually surrounded by Corton-Charlemagne and was planted for the first time only 15 years ago.
Sweet, jolly, floral. Not fine but friendly. (JR)

Deep, bright crimson. Sweet, round, slightly dusty tannins. Strange! (JR)

Spicy nose. Punchy, lively, easy with lots of sap and concentration. Very sweet, would positively slide down. (JR)

Rich, mossy nose. Acid sticks out a bit which is a shame because there is very good fruit underneath. Again, slightly dusty tannins. A bright light shines under a layer of intervention. Definitely sweet! (JR)

Very sweet and winning – cherry sweet – and then the tannins insist, especially on an extremely dry finish. Long but lacks a bit of freshness. This amount of sweetness makes the low acidity so obvious. (JR)

Smoky-rich nose, very opulent palate with some nice structure. Not very serious, though, and a very slight hint of wet dishcloths. (JR)

Very ripe and full and sweet. New World! Why buy this? (JR)

Sweet and over the top. Difficult to discern structure. Very hot finish. (JR)

Very pale crimson. Pretty perfume. Soft and gentle. Very sweet and appealing, though it could be a little sickly by the second glass. (JR)

Perfumed and quite refreshing. Fruit and tannin are in okay balance, but not exceptional. (JR)

Firm, thick and inky. Quite deep and concentrated. Uncompromising. Not charming, but no shortage of extract. (JR)

Some acidity and life and green notes. Pretty good, but too expensive for such an atypical wine. Greengage flavours. (JR)

Not integrated. A bit dull. Not 100% frank or direct on the nose. Surprisingly lean. Quite concentrated in terms of alcohol and lots of acidity. (JR)

Light nose. Rather severe acidity. Not harmonious. Tastes as though there is some unresolved added acid. (JR)

Really delicious nose with exciting tension and some creaminess. An early developer nevertheless – but much more successful than the two wines tasted before it. (JR)

Solid, sturdy nose. Workmanlike. Convincing balance between fruit and tannins. Some lively acidity evident. (JR)

More textured. Slightly dry and more long term than the standard Meursault. Real density and some astringence. (JR)

Alcoholic, heavy and amorphous. Some acidity. (JR)

Not as expressive as the Pouilly-Fuissé Vinzelles at the moment. Marked acidity. Very full and exotic. Greengages. Slightly dangerous. (JR)

Deep crimson. Very rich nose. Winning concentration. Quite firm tannins. Lots of concentration. This will always need food. (JR)

Bright crimson. Boiled sweets-cherry flavour. Lots of fruit and charm. Broad. (JR)

Relatively fragrant, yet intense, nose. Sweet and round. Full spread on the palate. Quite flattering, but not good value. Silky tannins. (JR)

Mid-crimson. Low-key nose. Correct and quite fruity on the palate. Chewy and even slightly stringy. Definitely fizzy. (JR)

Cask sample. Deep crimson. Relatively intense fruit. Big and silky. Lovely fruit quality without being too sweet or ripe. Round and fruity. (JR)

Deep crimson. Silky, satiny texture. Great spread of red fruits. Punchy, yet subtle. This is good! (JR)

Cask sample. Some really interesting top notes on a lovely, seductive, sweet, fruity base with enough acidity. Lots there. (JR)

Scented. Quite exotic. Quite a bit of oak still. Sweet and rich. Full and dense, but I’d like very slightly more acidity. (JR)

Quite nervy and naïf, but solidly respectable for that. Some richness and creaminess that one rarely encounters in a Pernand-Vergelesses. (JR)

Light nose. Slightly floral. Not intense, but serviceable. Very slightly astringent. A fair price, but not thrilling. (JR)

Very difficult to see grand cru quality or intensity on the nose. Sweet and full, but not exciting. A bit chewy and angular. Big, but not interesting at the moment. (JR)

Simple, juicy, frank, very ripe fruit. A bit loose and light, but good value (JR)

Bluish purple. Very juicy and not obviously oaked. Very fruit-dominated and easy for early drinking. (JR)

Bright crimson. Very slightly cheesy on the nose. Some cough medicine quality. Sweet, but not desperately refreshing. Dry finish. Grainy texture. Rasping tannins. (JR)

Very, very fruit, flattering nose. Quite round and even some delicacy. Round and easy and even some potential. (JR)

CS. Exceptionally deep crimson. Quite silky texture and much more life than the Teurons or the Vignes Franches. Still some tannin and something left to give. (JR)

Full and sweet and rather exaggerated. Very, very carefully made, but the finished result seems a bit unnatural to me. Big and smooth and heavily oaked. Not good value. (JR)

Dark and rich. Lots of ripe fruit and masses of dry tannins. Very typical 2003, but not expensive. Good value. (JR)

Very, very sweet and gentle on the palate. Sweet and round. Definite tannins, but not excessive. Pretty good value. (JR)

Sweet and thick. Tannins a little severe, but a good mouthful of wine. Dry finish. Needs time. (JR)

Full and round. Very fruity. Quite thick. Bruno says this has severe tannins, but they seem light relative to many other wines. (JR)

Sweet. Too flabby and tired. No refreshment. (JR)

Mid red. Very, very sweet. Lots of charm. Easy, flattering, early drinker. Some spice and delicacy. Not the most serious. (JR)

Sweet. Perhaps too sweet. A little bit overdone for me, though I suppose you could enjoy it this minute. (JR)

Certainly concentrated fruit. Quite sweet and fruity. Lively and aromatic. German style. Long. (JR)

Chocolatey, almost chestnut nose. Burly and quite rich. Very sturdy tannins. Dense. Spreads. Full. A bit of grip at the finish. Uncompromising. (JR)

Full and broad and exciting. White peach flavours. Who could object? (JR)

Full and broad, with some flabbiness. (JR)

Still some nerve underneath the ripeness. A little tired. Even an edge of curry spice! A bit simple. (JR)

Good colour. Quite scented and fruity, with real grainy texture. Acidity oddly prominent. Strange balance. Matière, though. Morello cherries. (JR)

A bit of alcohol obvious here. Too heavy. (JR)

Spice on the nose. Lots of fruit. Round. Surprisingly round. Very flattering and very rich with lots of personality. (JR)

Sweet and relatively charming. Lots of fresh fruit and definite structure. Dry spine. (JR)

Thick and dense with lots of lift and green vegetal flavour. A bit expensive. (JR)

Quite clean and racy. Good, sleek stuff which should be very interesting in another year. (JR)

Alcohol dominates. Big and not typical Chablis. (JR)

Green and a bit fat. Not distinguished. Slightly oily. (JR)

Quite raw fruit. Quite a bit of acidity and gas. Definitely unformed. Not the confident bargain of most vintages. Rawness. Brutal. Not comfortable. (JR)

A bit loose and dull. Flabby. (JR)

Heavy and alcoholic. Hot. Soft acidity. (JR)

Too ripe and honeyed on the nose for refreshment. (JR)

Very fine and sweet. Sample a bit oxidized so impossible to rate. Chewy and thick. (JR)

Deep crimson. Again, quite brutal primary aromas. A shortage of fruit on the front of the palate, then gripping tannins. May get there, but pretty uncomfortable to taste now. (JR)

Green and rather ordinary. Definitely not this useful domaine’s finest vintage. Alcoholic. (JR)

Deep crimson with a pale rim. Rather soupy nose. Lots of fruit hits the front palate and there is the real chew of dried fruit here. Certainly not elegant! Will Irancy ever be as thick and ripe again. No shortage of acidity though. Straightforward but short. (JR)

Cask sample.

Rich and full and fruity. Very exotic and, at the moment, slightly fizzy. Smooth and heady. Engaging. A bit too oaked? (JR)

Slightly astringent nose of respectable, please-all Puligny, though without great excitement. Slight foot-dragging. Okay fruit-acid balance. (JR)

Low-key nose. But very, very severe on the palate. Tannins overwhelm the fruit. I’d like to see this domaine in a better year. (JR)

Bright crimson – not especially deep. Quite fragrant. Quite chewy finish. Too exaggerated. Too chewy. Lots there. (JR)

CS Quite pale with a certain cheesiness on the nose. Sweet, rich and only just enough acidity. (JR)

Cask sample. Not quite fresh fruit. Broad hit of ripeness on the front of the palate, but with an edge of CO2. The matière here could be the vintage. (JR)

Lemon, but fatter than usual. Not as nervy or exciting as usual. Okay, but not his finest vintage. (JR)

Rather odd nose – alcoholic and petrolly. Very, very hot. I’d like more acidity, please. (JR)

Quite light crimson. Very light nose. Again, very simple, light fruit. I wouldn’t want to pay Nuits Saint Georges prices for this wine. (JR)

Very deep crimson. Scented and alluring on the nose. Dramatic fruit, assuredly handled. Real texture. The fruit is sufficient for the tannins. Well done. (JR)

Quite fresh, dynamic urgency, though the fruit is relatively simple. Very inky tannins just slightly too much. (JR)

Sweet, charming, lovely, entrancing Burgundy. Not especially typical 2003. Great structure. Real lift. (JR)

Very, very fruity and rather dull on the nose. Surprisingly simple. Cough medicine fruit. (JR)

CS Bright, deep crimson. Very, very sweet and round. More balanced than some, though not especially noble. Not too expensive. Spicy. Quite worthy but this desperately needs just a point more acidity to stop it being heavy and foot-dragging. Shame because some of the fruit quality is very appealing. For early drinking. (JR)

Pale red. Rather tired fruit. Sweet brambly notes. Not very typical red Burgundy. Round. CS (JR)

Spicy, fruity nose. Round. Serviceable. Definitely better than most negociant wines, but definitely worse than the better domaines. (JR)

Deep crimson. Lots of sap and fruit and roundness. Very flattering. Slightly dry finish. Pretty and easy. Not serious. (JR)

A bit of alcohol and wet wool on the nose. Heavy. Alcoholic finish. Ungainly. (JR)

Almonds on the nose. Creamy, floral and broad. Quite winning without being really nervy and exciting. (JR)

Gentle, perfumed, round, and surprisingly forward. Quite satisfying and not out of balance. Deep crimson. Meaty, dense, rich. Lip-smacking. (JR)

Low-key nose. A bit fat and flabby. What is the point of this wine? Too sweet! Drink now. Hot finish. (JR)

Bright crimson. Straightforward fruity nose. Burly, big, solid hit of fruit for early drinking. Not subtle. (JR)

Clean, bright nose. Perfectly respectable if a little obviously alcoholic. (JR)

Light, floral nose. Quite charming and easy, if very slightly slack. But very, very user-friendly. Well done! (JR)

Deep crimson. Muddy nose. Some slightly sweet fruit on the front of the palate. Then pinched tannins. Does not charm or broadcast. (JR)

Not much nose. Full and slightly fat. Some green streaks to enliven it, but far from fine. Still quite chewy. (JR)

Honeysuckle nose. Quite winning. Full and quite heavy. Well put together, but a bit astringent and not really exciting. (JR)

Some lift. Quite lively. Floral honey. Quite fat. Needs more acidity. (JR)

Deep colour. Powerful, very slightly rustic, aromas. Very, very sweetened and rather uncharacteristic. Almost raspberry cordial. Flattering. (JR)

Spicy nose. Opulent and full yet very well-reined in. No flab. Lemon cream. A success. (JR)

CS. Apple skin nose, as though skin-dominated. Very sweet start and lots of extract. Just very appley at the moment. (JR)

Sweet, rich, full and quite expressive. Full and relatively delicate. More gentle handling with real refreshment. Deep tingling finish. (JR)

CS. Green notes and minerals. Dense and quite thick. Concentrated, layered and quite interesting. Flattering. Well made. (JR)

CS. Quite mineral nose. Quite racy. Definitely more to it than most of this range. Chewy. Lively. (JR)

CS. Low-key nose. Exotic tropical fruit notes. Big and round. Very sweet. Aperitif? But just one glass. (JR)

CS. A bit of alcohol and a bit of oak on the nose. A bit loose. Sweet start. Reminds me of some Australian Chardonnays. Alcoholic finish. (JR)

Very low-key nose. Round. Low-acidity. Quite fat. Slightly floral. (JR)

Smoky. Hints at classic aromas. But basically big and fat. Just a bit more concentrated than the standard Meursault. (JR)

Light nose. Almost New World fat, though with a nice lemony, savoury undertow. Good value for early drinking. (JR)

Rich and round and heavier. Thick and dense. Longer term. (JR)

Cool and understated on the nose. Very sweet. Slightly loose, but not bad. Slightly hot finish. (JR)

A bit inexpressive on the nose, then lots of concentrated, if slightly brutal, fruit. Not expensive, but not especially fine. I’d like to see another vintage. (JR)

Dark crimson. Rather exaggerated nose. Not delicate. Big and bumptious. Lots of bang for the buck, but I’m not sure it will age gracefully. (JR)

More fragrant than the Chaillots below. Slightly treacly nose with a little cheesiness but some real life and vivacity compared to the Chaillots. Very chewy end suggests it might be best to wait awhile before attacking this wine. Rather dry finish. (JR)

Bright crimson. Quite lively, fresh nose with rather more appellation expression than some. Good balance. No evidence of sweetness or dried grape quality – apart from some slightly dry tannins on the finish. Honest, true, transparent and a very pleasing drink even if without any enormous subtlety. Not big but harmonious. (JR)

Very dark brownish crimson with a pale rim. Sweet, cheesy nose. Very big, bold and porty! Again, there seems to be some residual sugar in this wine. Burgundy but not as we know it today. Extraordinary. Those who hanker after the old Berry Bros bottlings of the 1960s and early 1970s might love this – Doudet Naudin style. And why not? But I have marked it according to my own personal taste for fresher, more delineated burgundy. Dry finish again. (JR)

Mid healthy crimson. Sweet cloud of boiled sweet aromas plus something a little woody. Quite good attack but no real soul. Mid weight, quite chewy. Alcohol notable on the finish. Hot. (JR)

Much more nerve and excitement on the nose than the Corton-Charlemagne. Weight, opulence and (relative) excitement – though not truly, truly thrilling. This certainly has weight – and 14% alcohol like the Corton-Charlemagne. There’s a certain tension in the undercurrent. Remarkably open though for a grand cru of less than two years old. Tingle of life but arguably middle-aged before its time. (JR)

This wine was a bit reduced on the nose when I tasted it. Certainly there is no grand cru glamour at the moment – just lots of alcohol but not an enormous amount of flavour or excitement. Edge of filter pad? Not nearly as exciting as the 2002 currently stocked by Majestic with its telltale almond note. We must hope that it grows into greatness. Still quite astringent. Alcohol but not remarkable depth. Just sweet and simple at the moment. (JR)

Gold. Real personality. A bit of oak and a bit of sulphides but there is fruit here that sparkles and some lemon cream character that distinguishes it from an oaked Chardonnay from anyway. Some savour and attack. Grainy texture. Density and life. Still very slightly chewy. Good acidity – a green streak, tant mieux. (JR)

Again, quite deep gold. A bit more freshness than the wine above on the nose. But awfully dull and hot on the palate. Very difficult to justify the price. Other vintages have had more clarity and fruit. Very short. (JR)

Dense and dry. Lots of intensity. Sweet start. Quite satiny texture. (JR)

Cask sample.
Quite powerful and dense. Marked, rather strange, oak. Very powerful and distinctive. Thick and round. Delivers! (JR)

Lack of freshness on the nose then rather raw, crude fruit. Thick, sweet, heavily extracted with very obvious acidity. (JR)

Nutty nose, but not enough substance. Loose. Round. Some green streaks and layers. (JR)

Quite lively. Good acidity. Refreshing. Some green notes, but a hard finish. (JR)

Lots of nerve and liquorice. Astringent finish. Hot finish. (JR)

Herbal, round and satin-textured. Deep and dense. Chewy. Pretty good for a white 2003. (JR)

Lightish crimson. Lively, relatively tense for a 2003 red burgundy, almost as though it has been acidified. A bit mean and unyielding at present. Pretty sulky. Some core of bitter cherry fruit. (JR)

Very deep colour for the appellation. Sweet, broad and slightly jammy with quite marked tannins. Chewy finish. May never have quite enough fruit on the mid palate though it certainly was not made from underripe grapes. (JR)

Cask sample.

Deep crimson and powerful ripe nose. Extremely “sweet” on the nose with some dried fruit flavours rather than fresh fruit flavours and no shortage of tannin. Very big and certainly not classic. Needs time. Very dry tannins on the finish. (JR)

Very full, almost oily (not a common tasting note for white burgundy). Rich and round and satiny. Lots of concentration and alcohol but, as yet, very little flavour. A big, bold thing but I think in this vintage being super-ripe does not carry the premium it does in other, less naturally ripe, vintages. For my money I’d go for two bottles of the Chassagne Clos de la Chapelle. (JR)

Rude, raw fruit on the nose. Quite fresh, then quite bright, heartening fruit on the palate. (JR)

Sweet and nutty on the nose, then still quite taut on the palate. Needs time. (JR)

Quite exotic. Full and rich, but with lovely texture. Round and sleek. Very exotic. Almost tropical fruits but will repay keeping. (JR)

Some green fruit flavours. Some chew. Introvert. Lovely, please-all wine. How could anyone object to this? (JR)

Lean, lemony nose. Quite fine, and no excessive 2003 characters. Well balanced and refreshing. This may be thanks to added acid, but the overall result is very pleasing. (JR)

Quite thick and heavily scented on the nose. Animal fur? Relatively lightweight on the palate. Fruit not the freshest. Something a bit tired about this. CS (JR)

Light, but perfectly formed, on the nose. Lots of charming fruit on the palate. No great length or apparent potential, though. (JR)

Cask sample.
Dark crimson. Relatively light, but harmonious, on the nose. Fruity, round, and well balanced, but pretty simple. (JR)

Full and broad and dramatic and sweet. No great concentration. Slightly astringent. More acidity please. (JR)

Very, very deep crimson. Strong perfume and a wonderful spread of fruit across the palate. Very chewy, but I think it will get there in the end – there is certainly enough of a core and lots going on in its not-entirely-evident-yet depths. (JR)

Very, very deep. Intense. Quite painful and exaggerated. A broad nose and lots of intensity on the palate. Definite bite. Needs ages. Such harsh tannins. I preferred his 2002s. (JR)

Not much nose. Definite density, but it sure is under wraps for the moment. (JR)

Bright crimson. Pointu, sharp and directed, cool nose. Lots of fruit on the front of the palate. Very charming. The spread across the palate is impressive. Chewy finish, but not excessively so. Very lively. (JR)

Rich, intense fruit that just about swamps the tannins. Now I understand why a merchant would persist with this range in 2003. (JR)

Dark crimson. Fruit almost submerges the tannins, but, alas, not quite. Still out of balance. (JR)

Quite lively. Good attack. Great acidity. Some real chew. Very dry tannins on the finish. Too tough. Inky. Oak soak. No! (JR)

Very rich and pure and spicy. Tough and dense and just too tannic. Out of balance. (JR)

Correct, sweet, alcoholic, and honeyed, but with some texture and structure. (JR)

Cooler, more restrained than Morgeot. Some finesse and real density. (JR)

Quite sleek, but severe. Good texture, but quite dry. Still quite chewy. (JR)

Bright crimson. A bit severe. Definitely dry and a bit too drying. (JR)

Cask sample
Thick and sweet and fresh. Lots of very, very honest matière here. I’d bet on this making it. Great balance and structure. (JR)

Full, sweet, but slightly tired fruit – though this may simply be the sample. Thick and furry. I think on balance I prefer the Hudelot-Noëllat. (JR)

Cask sample
Real freshness and attack on both the nose and palate. Some real punch. (JR)

CS. Sample a bit tired on the nose. A little skinny and lacking freshness on the palate. (JR)

A good mouthful of fruit. Light and delicious. Much better than the Bourgogne Rouge. A bit light, but true. Cooler vineyards? (JR)

Fat, ripe and great for Sonoma. Whether one really wants to invest in this sort of quick hit Burgundy is open to question. (JR)

Deep and very, very healthy red. Very dense and thick. So sweet and gorgeous! The first 2003 that I have had difficulty spitting. Real power. Real fruit. Lots of very, very ripe tannins underneath. Quite alcoholic. (JR)

Lively, quite fresh nose. Good refreshment value. Still very youthful and taut. Needs lots of time. Correct. (JR)

Exciting, deep, nuanced. Fresh and not too sweet or tannic. Lots of fruit. Dry finish. (JR)

Sweet, slightly soupy nose. Could do with more freshness and less stringiness of texture. (JR)

Dark crimson, sweet and rather heavy. Dense. (JR)

Mid crimson. Good scent and acid, though, amazingly for this vintage – actually too tart! And a bit too obviously oaky to boot. (JR)

Very dark. Lots of rich fruit and spice. Again, tannins are dominated by ripe fruit, until the end anyway. (JR)

Full, round, reasonably chunky but just slightly too sweet. (JR)

Lovely flirtatious scent on top of fabulous breadth of ripe fruit. Still very youthful, but with good, refreshing qualities. Dry finish. Needs lots of time. (JR)

Quite deep for a Drouhin red. Full, very ripe nose. So unlike the usual Domaine Drouhin style. Almost rudely sweet. Something quite raw and unformed. Big! Some acidity and tannin. (JR)

Very, very cool. Sleek, but lots of ripeness here. Almost uncomfortably hot finish though. (JR)

CS. Deep crimson. Thick and sweet and spicy. More sweetness than practically any other Burgundy wine. So much flattery – can it be good for one? Almost reminiscent of a Fisherman’s Friend throat lozenge. Drying, but treacle-sweet and spicy and very intense. Some will love this, others will hate it. (JR)

Quite raw fruit on the nose, then sweetness. Very, very chewy. Lots of sweet substance. Tannins very insistent. (JR)

Lightly honeyed nose. Quite fat. Pleasant, but too hot on the finish.

(Négoce) (JR)