Classics in my book!
Mise en place for dinner, these have been staples in my recent selections. Love them all!
The other day, I served the following wines for a private dinner, and they showed beautifully.
I titled this post "Classics in my book!" because, over the past 2-3 years, I've had the pleasure of serving these wines numerous times. Moreover, they are classics of their appellations, too.
Dom Perignon "Plenitude 2" is always a good reference in Champagne, and although the vintage 2003 is not my favorite, it still remains a very good champagne.
For Fontaine-Gagnard, I was talking with a fellow sommelier who told me that, for him, it’s a producer he likes to include on his wine list but wouldn’t buy for his own consumption. He said that he found the style too classic, Burgundy. Well, it's fine, why not?
Yet, I replied that this is precisely why I love Fontaine-Gagnard. Their wines are always very approachable and well-balanced. Not too extracted, with a good amount of oak but not overly oaked, fruit-forward but not overripe, and usually enhanced by excellent acidity and minerality. This makes them very accessible and enjoyable to drink, and easy to pair with food.
As for Perrot-Minot NSG 1er Cru "La Richemone", it is a beautiful wine, more modern in style than the classic Nuits-Saint-Georges, complex, rich and ample, yet soft and silky, with a gentle texture expanding nicely in the palate toward the long velvety finish.
Out of the 4 prepared wines, I only opened 3. I always come ready with an extra bottle, as you never know. Yet, that night, we didn't need it. Shame, as I would have loved to open this bottle of Chateau Haut-Brion 2008.
Dom Perignon "Plénitude 2" Champagne Brut Vintage 2003
DP P2 2003 is a rich champagne that lacks some acidity and minerality, resulting in a less bright and somewhat flabby profile. It is not bad, but it unfortunately reflects the poor quality of the 2003 vintage, which was affected by a significant heat wave during the summer months. It was deemed the hottest summer recorded in Europe since at least 1540. Consequently, the resulting champagne shows taste, texture, and structure unworthy of the price and usual quality of "Plenitude 2" (IMO). And I usually love P2, it is consistently one of my go-to Champagnes when I make a selection for a dinner, but this vintage was pretty disappointing. Too bad.
Fontaine-Gagnard Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru Burgundy 2020
A classic in my book, because the few bottles I recently opened were stunning, despite being a bit light, but still delightful, and this one was too.
Beyond its pale yellow color, the nose was light, fresh, elegant, mineral, zesty, and citrusy. At first, slightly restrained, the palate slowly opened, revealing a fresh, dry, mineral texture, good density, lots of lemony flavors, sharp acidity, and lightly toasted, oaky nuances. Delightful, even if a bit light to my palate for a Batard-Montrachet. I would have loved to see a bit more substance and depth. Yet, it might benefit from a few more years in the cellar.
As my colleague Sommelier said that night, Fontaine-Gagnard is usually a more classic style of Burgundy. And, in fact, that's what I like about Fontaine-Gagnard: it is never over-the-top, but consistently well-crafted and balanced. It is neither too light nor too heavy, neither overripe nor overextracted, with enjoyable oak ageing nuances, but not overly oaky, toasted, or buttery either.
Perrot-Minot Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru "La Richemone" Vignes Centenaires Burgundy 2018
With only 2,551 bottles produced, it is a rare wine, and I was fortunate to find nine bottles of it a few years ago. I bought them right away, as this is a delicious, forward, ample, rich, complex, and enticing wine. For a wine made from century-old vines, it exhibits a remarkably modern, youthful, and fruit-forward palate, with a reasonably long finish. Dark cherry and raspberry aromas mingling with warm, earthy, and oaky nuances. I love it. A must-try for those who have never done it before.
The only problem is that I opened it about 1 hour before serving it and realized it did not need that long, as it tamed down and was much less expressive than right after the opening. Opening it 15 minutes before serving it should have sufficed, as it would have opened up in the glass anyway. Lesson learnt the hard way. Fortunately, I have the principle of never decanting Burgundy wines; otherwise, too much air might have damaged it even more.
Chateau Haut-Brion Premier Grand Cru Classé Péssac-Léognan Bordeaux 2008
Although I did not open that bottle for dinner that night, Haut-Brion 2008 is a beautiful wine that has aged gracefully and is even better now than it was 10 years ago. I will describe it the next time I have an opportunity to taste and serve it.
Cheers! Santé!
Dom
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