AVANT PARTIR BURGUNDY TASTING - Pearson's - Atlanta, GA (10/15/2006)

A nice group of Burg’s was offered at a retail tasting sponsored by the local distributor Avant Partir at Pearson’s.

White Burgs

• 2004 Domaine Jouard Chassagne-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet
  Very light straw color. Clean and crisp nose of apricots, minerals, and lemon peel. The incredible delicate quality and lightness of this wine belies the rich and balanced flavors of light lemon, minerals, and pear. Consistent palate that has just a touch of spritz on the excellent and fine finish. (93 pts.)
  
• 2004 Bruno Colin Chassagne-Montrachet En Remilly 1er Cru - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet
  Spice and wet rocks with a light efflorescent-like quality that tickles the nose. Good depth and acidity with flavors of green apple, lychee, minerals, butter and light oak along with a vanilla streak. Full bodied with a soft and plaint texture that broadens on the palate and continues to expand on the spicy and long finish. (93 pts.)
  
• 2004 Marc Colin Puligny-Montrachet La Garenne 1er Cru - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet
  Bright and sunny nose. Lemon peel and pear flavors with excellent acidity. Has a medium body with a nice asian pear texture that fattens a bit midway leading to a long and slightly salty finish. (92 pts.)
  
• 2002 Jean-Michel Gaunoux Meursault Genevrières 1er Cru - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
  Good nose with sharp flavors of green and yellow apple, and pear along with notes of white flowers. Light to medium body with a nice oily quality that broadens slightly on the mid-palate with a long lingering finish. (92 pts.)
  

Red Burgs

• 2004 Domaine Billard Bourgogne "Milliane" - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne
  A soft, red fruit and vanilla nose that follows through on the simple palate along with some strawberries. Medium body and soft tannins, the palate starts a touch flat, broadens well but finishes a little short. (85 pts.)
  
• 2004 Jean-Luc Joillot Bourgogne - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne
  Light earth and cherry nose with a touch of grenadine and brush. Cherry flavors with some orange rind, spice and vanilla. Medium body with a fine texture that picks up weight on the palate with spice increasing on the short to medium finish. (88 pts.)
  
• 2002 Marc Colin Chassagne-Montrachet Les Pierres - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet
  Nose of asian spices, currants and dark cherry picking up weight and a little ripeness on the palate along with cedar. Soft and fine tannins, this starts a little hot, opens up slightly on the mid-palate leading to a medium finish. (87 pts.)
  
• 2004 Rene Leclerc Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Prieur 1er Cru - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin
  Pronounced and slightly pungent PN nose. Strong and well integrated fruit flavors of dark cherry and black berries. Has a polished start, lightly textured tannins, oak spice increasing on the tongue and a nice lift on the long finish. (90 pts.)
  
• 2003 Jean-Michel Gaunoux Volnay Clos des Chênes 1er Cru - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay
  Light and airy nose of dark cherries and wild blackberries that follow through on the ripe palate with reasonable depth and soft, velveteen tannins. A consistent palate with great presence that opens up slightly midway and finishing long and lingering. (91 pts.)
  
• 2002 Domaine Parent Pommard Les Chaponnières 1er Cru - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard
  Good powdery and pungent nose with dark cherry, raspberry, light earth and a vanilla streak that carries over nicely on the finely textured palate that starts light, has a polished middle and picks up weight on the full, medium-to-long finish. (91 pts.)
  
• 1999 Dubreuil-Fontaine Corton-Bressandes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Aloxe-Corton
  Tremendous nose of crushed cherries and pomegranate with light sandalwood and just a touch of forest floor. The strong flavors of cherries, strawberries, and blackberries with a touch of orange peel and earth were superbly integrated and consistent, yet retained a sense of delicacy throughout and were nicely balanced with good acidity. Tannins were fine to silky with a bit of a strawberry texture leading to a long and full finish that just sailed on. My WOTN. (93 pts.)
  
• 2004 Rene Leclerc Griotte-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin
  Radiant, floral nose of strawberries, cherries and light brush. Incredible and seamless balance with flavors of cherries, light orange and hints of oak spice Light, soft and lithe texture that dances on the tongue with a long, long and delicate finish. (93 pts.)