Morey Saint Denis, Clos Saint Denis and Bonnes Mares blind!

TASTING REPORT

Blind tasting at Frédérick Crémieux's.

Tasting Notes and Reviews by Didier Frayssou (DF) and Sébastien Roussotte (SR)

1/ Remoissenet Morey Saint Denis 2010 A milky, floral, vegetal and oaky nose. On the palate the wine is very fruity with some still slightly hard tannins that persist. The length is medium. A simple but gourmand wine... DF: 13/20 – SR: 13.5/20

2/ Fréderic Cossard Morey Saint Denis Mont Luisants 2012 A matte and slightly evolved robe. Animal notes are present on a reduced, floral, light and vegetal nose with raspberry notes. On the palate, one finds crushed strawberry. There is lovely acidity, the tannins are biting and there is a nice length. However, some tasters did not like this wine due to aromas linked to a rather natural winemaking… DF: 14/20 – SR: 13/20

3/ Louis Rémy Clos de la Roche 2003 A dense and barely evolved robe. A mentholated nose with notes of black fruits and pronounced alcohol. The palate, unbalanced by alcohol and tannins, lacks fruit. DF: 12/20 – SR: 14+/20

4/ Clos des Lambrays 2003 A dense and violet robe. The nose is relatively closed but elegant with floral notes and very ripe morello cherries. On the palate, the wine is more balanced than the previous one with freshness and relatively integrated alcohol. The tannins are still present. DF: 15/20 – SR: 16.5/20

5/ Bertagna Clos Saint Denis 2005 The robe is almost opaque and barely evolved. The nose recalls cooked fruits with dominant oaky notes. A massive wine on the palate, quite long but with very hard tannins. It evolves well with aeration however. To be aged for a few more years… DF: 14.5-15/20 (With aeration) – SR: 13/20

6/ Hubert Lignier Morey Saint Denis les Chaffots 2005 A wine with a matte robe, slightly cloudy, with a floral and milky nose. The palate is gourmand, silky and sensual. The oak is integrated and the length on the palate is worthy of a grand cru. DF: 16/20 – SR: 17/20

7/ Perrot Minot Morey Saint Denis la Riotte 2005 The robe is dark and barely evolved. A nose still marked by aging (milky, vanilla) and black fruits. On the palate, one finds a lovely touch. The wine is very solar but still marked by oak. DF: 15/20 – SR: 15.5/20

8/ Pernin Rossin Morey Saint Denis Monts Luisants 1992 A matte and evolved robe. The very complex and evanescent nose refers to raspberry and acidic red fruits. On the palate, one finds blood orange and leather. A lovely acidity with a slight impression of sweetness at the end of the palate… A guilty pleasure because the wine has obviously undergone corrections… DF: 16/20 – SR: 17/20

9/ Francois Legros Morey Saint Denis Riotte 2006 The robe is light. The floral nose also delivers raspberry notes. The palate is somewhat disjointed with lots of acidity and alcohol but the finish is very long. DF: 15.5/20 – SR: 15.5/20

10/ Clos de Tart 2002 A wine with a ruby robe with purple reflections, surprisingly young. The palate is as expected: solar and fleshy, fruity with elegant tannins and phenomenal length. The wine can still gain aromatic complexity but is already drinking well today. DF: 17.5/20 – SR: 17.75+/20

11/ Georges.Lignier Bonnes Mares 2009 A very evolved robe. The nose recalls black fruits. The palate is milky, with lots of alcohol. The tannins are silky but alcohol dominates the whole. A somewhat disappointing wine despite a persistence worthy of its rank. DF: 14.5/20 – SR: 15.5/20

12/ Moillard Grivot Bonnes Mares 1991 The robe is very evolved. One perceives on the nose notes of eau de vie, leather and oxidation that are also found on the palate, accompanied by smoky notes. There are still some tannins but no longer really any fruit… The wine has passed. DF: 9/20 – SR: not rated

13/ Lucie et Auguste Lignier Morey Chaffots 2009 A very dark robe with a nose of black fruits and alcohol. On the palate, the latter is less noticeable but the oakiness is very present (cocoa). There are also some meaty notes and quite a bit of fruit. The palate is rather pleasant but the wine is still closed. DF: 14/20 – SR: 11.5/20

14/ Intruder Wine - Patrice Rion Chambolle Musigny Charmes 2008 A nose of small red fruits and a big disjointed acidity on the palate with almost sweet notes on the finish. The tannins are also very present. This wine lacks balance and harmony. DF: 13.5/20 – SR: 7/20

15/ Castagnier Clos Saint Denis 2011 A young and relatively dense robe. The nose is pleasant with floral notes and wild strawberries. The palate is still closed with silky tannins and quite a bit of acidity and oak. The length does not seem to us to be that of a grand cru… DF: 14.5/20 – SR: 14/20

16/ Hubert Lignier Morey Saint Denis 1er cru Blanchards 2011 The robe is light and slightly evolved. The floral nose delivers notably infused notes. The palate is fruity and gourmand. The acidity is significant but well integrated, the tannins are silky and the length that of a grand cru. DF: 16+/20 – SR: 16+/20

17/ Perrot Minot Morey Saint Denis la Riotte 2007 An evolved robe and a lovely elegant nose (faded rose, morello cherry). It is a wine with lots of acidity, with present oakiness that will integrate without problem over time. DF: 15/20 – SR: 14/20

18/ Arnoux Lachaux Clos Saint Denis 2005 A dense robe and a discreet nose. The palate is almost Mediterranean (olives and cooked fruits). There is a lot of alcohol and significant tannins. This very warm balance leaves one perplexed. DF: 13.5/20 – SR: 13/20

Some conclusions:

1. In Morey Saint Denis, the premier crus/Grand crus hierarchy is respected with a volume and length on the palate for the grand crus that were recognized by most of us in practically all cases except perhaps the Clos Saint Denis.

2. It is very difficult to identify, in this tasting, a clear aromatic identity for the crus of Morey. It is probably one of the most classic expressions of pinot noir in all of the Côte de Nuits.

3. If there is a great winegrower / winemaker in Morey in this evening, it is the Hubert Lignier estate, even if some recognized estates from Morey were missing such as Domaine Dujac or from neighboring communes (such as Georges Roumier or Armand Rousseau).

Sébastien Roussotte / Didier Frayssou

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