On Feb 6, 9:14�am, DaleW > wrote:
> Jay "not the one with points/who needs ripeness/NYC's own" Miller did
> a great job organizing a horizontal of 2000 Clos Vougeot last night at
> Michael's in midtown Manhattan. 9 metro area winegeeks gathered to
> taste 11 '00 Burgs (10 Clos Vougeot and 1 ringer) blind. A nice vocal
> and opinionated group, with some diverging tastes. I was not feeling
> 100%, and was quieter than norm, but thought I'd trot out my brief
> impressions to give a start, others can fill in their opinions. Jay
> and Cliff Rosenberg had double-decanted the wines about an hour before
> dinner I believe.
>
> Wine # 1
> Medium bodied, bright acidity, crisp if slightly subdued red cherry
> and raspberry fruit, nice mineral finish. This was some people's
> favorite, but later in night it was revealed to be slightly corked.
> Would like to taste a "correct" bottle. B+ when initially poured
>
> Wine # �2
> Ripe warm fruit, low acid, entire package seems flat and
> uninteresting. Somewhat short on finish, one of only 2 bottles I
> really found unappealing. C+
>
> Wine # 3
> A lifted nose with a slight candied note at first, a little oak, but I
> like the palate better than the nose. Good structure, nice wine. B/B+
>
> Wine # 4
> Quite dumb on the nose at first. Big on palate, extracted but not
> oaky, maybe just a hint of green. Table consensus it's the Jadot.
> Chewy wine, but I like. B+
>
> Wine #5
> Big, ripe, long- one of the more divisive wines. The bottle has clued
> in people its the Leroy. I find it appealing, yet not really what I
> look for in Burgundy - a voluptuous wine. I say it is trying to be a
> Pomerol, which gets me some strange looks, till I explain I meant
> texturally, the lushness. That at least keeps me from getting kicked
> off table. B/B+
>
> Wine # 6
> I don't especially care for this at first, but it really grows on me
> with air to become one of my favorites of night. Sweet fruit, crisp
> acidity, moderate tannins. Some herb and cocoa notes. A-/B+
>
> Wine # 7
> At first fruit on nose strikes me as unusual, ripe red plums, but
> seems to settle into a more Burgundesque cherry/raspberry profile. On
> palate this is really beautiful, a medium-bodied wine with dark
> cherry, earth, and a little herb. Ends up as my vote for WOTN. I'm
> thinking this might be the Mugneret. A-
>
> Wine #8
> Maybe just a hint of barnyard, sweet fruit with a bit of oak, I find
> a little hard, but with some time could be good. B/B+
>
> Wine # 9
> Spicy toasty oak, nice balance of black raspberry fruit, tannin, and
> acidity. I think this might be the Meo. B+/A-
>
> Wine # 10
> Sweet, big, ripe fruit but with lots of acidity (almost too much for
> me), tannic structure. Needs time. B/B+
>
> Wine # 11
> Huge ripe nose, someone says "Loring." Lots of oak, this reminds me of
> cherry cough syrup. C+
>
> Wines were revealed:
> 1.2000 Fourrier "Petits Vougeot" Vougeot 1er Cru
> 2. 2000 Lamarche Clos Vougeot (I realize some producers label Clos de
> Vougeot, but I'll be simple and consistent)
> 3. 2000 JJ Confuron Clos Vougeot
> 4. 2000 Jadot Clos Vougeot
> 5. 2000 Leroy Clos Vougeot
> 6. 2000 George Mugneret Clos Vougeot
> 7. 2000 Rene Engel Clos Vougeot
> 8. 2000 Meo-Camuzet Clos Vougeot
> 9. 2000 Jean Grivot Clos Vougeot
> 10. 2000 Potel Clos Vougeot
> 11. 2000 Anne Gros Clos Vougeot
>
> The fun of tasting blind. If you had asked me beforehand, I wouldn't
> have predicted Engel in my top 3, much less my favorite. And would
> have guessed Anne Gros to be a fave, rather than my last place
> finisher. The Engel and Grivot were particular finds, as comparative
> values
>
> There was one non-blind bottle, the 1992 Drouhin Clos Vougeot, Jay
> brought as he couldn't locate the 2000. A nice mature Burg, tannins
> resolved, good acidity, some mineral, maybe just a hint of (not
> unattractive) greenness still there. Wish I still had my food when
> this came around. B/B+
>
> Kudos to Jay for a great job coordinating, thanks to Chet for the
> Leroy, �Paul Jaouen for arranging venue,and to everyone for the good
> company. I liked my food, though the sauces on the sweetbreads and the
> veal cheeks were a bit much for the wines. Others had some doneness
> issues with meat, but I think everyone had a good time. Overall I had
> quite a favorable impression of the wines, though I was a bit fatigued
> and maybe not up to mustering my usual enthusiasm. Fun night anyway.
>
> Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
> wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
> drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no
> promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

Well, for being tired or not up to par you did a nice job with the
notes. Thanks for the detailed summary. I would agree your
comment on the Engel and Gros although I recently opened a bottle of
the 2000 Engle CdV and thought it was tasty and improving. I also
would agree with your assement of the Leroy "lushness" and I always
wonder if it's the concentration of quality fruit or is it cellar
manipulation. Given that she's really big into biodynamics and
terroir I haven't gotten much terroir in her wines in recent
years...just big deep fruit.