The League of Gentle Men-Burgundy and Champagne at Bouley

The League of Gentle Men – Burgundy and Champagne at Bouley

 

   Someone said “Burgundy”, someone else said “Burgundy is always good”, and it was settled.

One member suggested Bouley, adding that he could make arrangements so that we could bring our own wine.

All agreed.  There are eight of us and the rule is one bottle per person – the rule is always broken.

   We started with Champagne — The 2000 Cristal Brut – 55 % Pinot Noir & 45% Chardonnay – it was rich, round, fruity and very elegant. I felt it was just coming into its own. Next was the 1995 Salon Le Mesnil – Blanc de Blanc. It was full bodied and complex with hints of nuts and coffee. This wine could last for many more years.

The Champagne

  1989 Bienvenues Batard Montrachet- Domaine Leflaive. This wine had everything going for it. Rich, round, complex, with aromas and flavors of honeysuckle and a steel minerality running right through the middle. The finish was long and lush and the aftertaste went on and on. This wine could last for 10 more years at least.

  2000 Red Meursault (Mangum) – Alain Cuche Bizouard. The wine was very light in color and light on the palate. It has all the burgundy characteristics but they were very subtle.

 

1998 Bouchard Pere & Fils Grand Vin De Beaune Greves Vigne de L’Enfant Jesus. Good combination of fruit and spice, with aromas of dark cherry and raspberry and a nice finish and aftertaste. It has many years to go.  

1990 Richotes Chambertin Monopole – Armand Rorisseau– soft red fruit flavors and a surprising youthfulness for a wine almost 20 years old.

1988 Echezeaux –  Henri Jayer – flavors and aromas of black raspberries, plum, coffee and mineral characteristics. The finish was long and complex.

1972 Clos de la Roche Joseph Drouhin. This was the red wine of the evening. It had everything one would want in an older Burgundy.

Some of the Wine

We ended with 2 bottles of Tokaji from Arvay – the first was an “Asuz” 2000 with it was six puttonys and the other said “sweet” 2001 and may have been late harvest. They both had fruity aromas and flavors with a lot of apricot and a finish and after taste like liquid silk. I could not taste much difference between them but at that point in the evening……. There were 15 wines in all but some were corked and some were just not up to par, which is why some members insist on bringing more than one bottle. And as one member is fond of saying “ There is Pinot Noir and then there is Burgundy”!

Three of the Wines