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Grand Cru from the Cote De Nuits

After a hectic weekend at Reliant Center judging wines for the HLS&R wine competition, taking a little time to relax and think about the Grand Cru wines of Burgundy seemed like a must for today.
The northern part of the famous Cote d'Or is the Cote de Nuits which is home to all but one of Burgundy's red wine Grand Crus. The continental climate, the limestone rich clay soil, the average altitude of 1000 feet and the sun exposure of the east facing vineyards all come together to help create Burgundy's most long-lived red wines.

Starting in the north, the commune of Gevrey-Chambertin is home to 9 Grand Cru vineyards and 26 Premier Cru vineyards which produce cellar-worthy wines known for their structure and balance.

2006 Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru  Charmes-Chambertin Louis Jadot     $100
Appearance: Clear, pale ruby.
Nose: Clean, medium intensity, developing aromas of fresh strawberries and cherries, tobacco and a bit of a violet floral note.
Palate: Dry, medium body, alcohol and acidity with medium+ tannins and fruit flavors mirroring the nose with the addition of a slight savoriness. Medium+ length finish.
Quality: Very good+  
Drink now or has continued aging potential.

Continuing south (skipping some other important communes) to Vosne-Romanee, home to 8 Grand Cru and 14 Premier Cru vineyards. The wines from this area are known for their velvety texture and complex aromatics and flavors.

2007 Echezeaux Grand Cru (Mongeard-Mugneret)    $115   
Appearance: Clear, pale garnet with a brickish rim.
Nose: Clean, medium+ intensity, developed aromas of leather, meat and earth.
Palate: Dry, medium body, alcohol and tannins with medium+ acidity and flavors of red cherry and black tea.
Quality: Very good
Drink now or has some continued aging potential.
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Comments

  1. JonNovember 15, 2011 at 10:37 AM

    Good quick article on a very complex issue. One major problem though is you don't mention the producer for your Charmes you tasted. One hundred dollars seems cheap for this grand cru.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sandra CrittendenNovember 15, 2011 at 2:27 PM

    Sorry about that, I have updated the posting. It was Louis Jadot.

    ReplyDelete

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