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Burgundy 2000 En Primeur: 40 wines from Bibendum 
15 January 2002

The first of two tastings assessing the 2000 vintage in Burgundy, here I report on 40 wines from Bibendum's en primeur offer. It's not sensible to draw any firm conclusions from such a small sample, but initial impressions seem to be that it's a vintage that favours the whites. There are some good reds, but the value for money just isn't there in Burgundy these days except in very good vintages. I've given two prices: the first is the in bond ex VAT price per case; the second is the calculated final bottle price including duty and VAT. What to buy? Depends on your budget, but unless you've got a lot of cash spare, and absolutely must buy top Burgundies every year, then some of the whites, especially from the Mâcon and Chablis (the two poles of Burgundy that missed out on a lot of the harvest rain), look quite tempting. An aside: it's quite hard to assess these wines so early on in their lives. While I'm fairly confident that the impressions I have are reasonably accurate, any guesses as to the future development of these wines are just that -- guesses. 

Domaine Jean-Paul Droin, Chablis  (back to top)

Chablis 2000
Attractive nose is quite fruity and full with good minerality. Good concentration on the fruity, mineralic palate; this is drinking nicely already. Satisfying. Very good+ (£66; £7.83)

Chablis 1er Cru Vosgros 2000
Restrained but classy nose with a touch of smoke and some minerals. Palate is concentrated and mineralic with good acidity, some fruit and the potential for development. Very good+ (£99; £11.06)

Chablis Grand Cru Valmur 2000
Grand Cru Chablis shouldn't be drunk young, and this is definitely one for the future. Nose is tight and minerally. There's a lovely herbal edge to the complex, dense palate, with lemony fruit and a big whack of acidity. There's lots going on here. Great potential. Very good/excellent (£180; £19)

Domaine Robert-Denogent  (back to top)

Macon Solutre Clos des Bertillones 2000
There's a nice lemony, mineralic edge to the nose. The palate shows tight, focused citrus fruit character with good acidity. Clean and fresh. This is the style of everyday drinking Macon that I'm keen on. Very good (£70; £8.23)

Macon Fuissé La Tache 2000
Shy nose shows some lemony fruit with a touch of herbs. Clean, pure fruit on the palate is lemony, mineralic and crisp. Good concentration and texture; shows nice restraint. Very good (£75; £8.71)

Pouilly Fuissé Les Reisses 2000
Lovely forward nose has a creamy, toasty edge and some mineral character. Palate is attractive, with a good concentration of fruit, a buttery edge and firm acidity. Satisfying stuff with a modern twist, but not overblown. Very good/excellent (£100; £11.16)

Pouilly Fuissé Cuvée Claude Denogent 2000
Tighter and more mineralic than the regular Pouilly Fuissé, I'd say this needs some time. Quite closed nose shows some nutty, toasty notes. On the palate, the sophisticated oaking combines well with crisp lemony fruit. Good intensity, but not showing brilliantly at the moment. Very good+ (£120; £13.12)

Domaine Michel Morey-Coffinet, Chassagne Montrachet  (back to top)

Chassagne Montrachet 2000
This is delicious. Lovely forward nose is quite intense, showing bready, nutty notes underneath a sheen of pure fruit. Rich-textured savoury fruit on the palate with taut, lemony fruit and nice oaking. Good concentration and nice acidity. Very good/excellent (£160; £17.03)

Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru En Remilly 2000
Good intensity on the nose: there's lemony fruit with a subtle herbal edge. The crisp, concentrated palate displays rich minerality and new oak that's already beginning to integrate well. Just a touch stern at the moment, but plenty of promise for the future. Very good/excellent (£240; £24.87)

Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Fairendes 2000
Expressive, almost racy nose of bright, minerally lemon fruit. The complex palate shows a good concentration of tight mineralic fruit with some rich nuttiness underneath. Very promising, but tight and a bit impenetrable at present. Very good/excellent (£240; £24.87)

Chassagne Montrachet Rouge 1er Cru Clos St Jean 2000
Red Chassagne is invariably a bright and juicy expression of Pinot, and this is no exception. Accessible bright juicy fruit on the nose is quite enticing. Good concentration of pure berry fruit on the palate with an attractive savoury edge and good acidity. Very good+ (£150; £16.06)

Domaine Bernard Morey  (back to top)

St Aubin 1er Cru Le Charmois 2000
Quite forward, with a rich nose showing nutty, spicy character and a bit of oak. Lovely, rich, accessible palate with rich, taut fruit and spicy, toasty, oaky notes. Good concentration. Very good/excellent (£160; £17.03)

Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Les Embrazees 2000
A lovely, classic style. Taut, lemony nose is quite shy with some smoky minerality. Palate shows a good concentration of rich fruit and a nice/savoury lemony and mineral edge. Good acidity. Restrained. Very good/excellent (£240; £24.87)

Santenay Rouge Vieilles Vignes 2000
Nicely balanced nose with bright fruit showing a leafy edge. Juicy, savoury palate with good concentration and some tannin on the finish. Chunky and satisfying. Very good+ (£115; £12.63)

Beaune 1er Cru Les Greves 2000
The restrained nose is quite primary. Rich, juicy palate with a good concentration of dark fruits. Nice balance and good acidity. Tasty stuff, with some structure, too. Very good+ (£160; £17.03)

Domaine Marc Colin  (back to top)

St Aubin Fontenotte 2000
Quite pale, with a shy, mineral nose. Crisp, minerally palate shows lemon and apple fruit. Nice texture and acidity. Very good+ (£99; £11.06)

St Aubin 1er Cru Le Charmois 2000
There's a slightly muddy herbal edge to the nose, which makes me suspect there's something wrong with the bottle. The Bibendum pourer isn't convinced, but the second bottle is much cleaner. Vivid, high-toned nose shows bright, citrussy fruit. Lovely fruity palate has good acidity and concentration with just a trace of volatility. (£240; £24.87)

Domaine Tollot-Beaut  (back to top)

Bourgogne Rouge 2000
Bright, juicy and focused, but there's a rough green edge that's not too attractive. Good/very good (£42.00; £5.48)

Chorey-Les-Beaune 2000
Attractive raspberry fruit on the nose with quite rich savoury palate and a bit of tannic structure. Nice stuff. Very good (£49; £6.16)

Savigny-Les-Beaune 1er Cru Champ-Chevrey 2000
Lots of bright fruit here. Nice, juicy savoury palate shows good concentration. Quite chunky and angular. Very good+ (£70; £8.22)

Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru Les Vercots 2000
Attractive nose of vivid berry fruit is juicy and mineralic with some complexity. Rich, juicy palate shows good density with some tannin. Quite intense, this is tasty stuff. Very good+ (£95; £10.67)

Domaine Jean Marc Boillot  (back to top)

Santenay Blanc 2000
Shy nose with some butterscotchy notes. Palate is quite rich and savoury, with a nutty edge. Quite a rustic white Burgundy. Very good (£99; £11.06)

Puligny Montrachet 2000
Quite attractive nose has nice, savoury nutty character. The rich, oaky palate has a nice minerally edge to it. Quite a full, rich style. Very good+ (£240; £24.87)

Volnay 1er Cru Le Ronceret 2000
Expressive, complex nose: bright fruit, spice and caramel dominate. Good balance. The juicy, rich palate shows some dry tannins and a fair bit of oak. Good concentration; I'll be interested to see how the oak integrates. Very good+ (£220; £22.91)

Pommard 1er Cru Jarollières 2000
Tight, focused nose shows berry fruit, caramel and spice. Rich, juicy palate shows good concentration and plenty of new oak. With dry tannins, this is a structured wine. Very good+ (£290; £29.76)

Domaine Meo-Camuzet  (back to top)

Hautes Côtes de Nuit Blanc Clos Philibert 2000
Striking modern, oaky nose is very showy: toasty, bready new oak and lemony fruit are the main elements here. Intense concentrated palate has lots of oak and some crisp citrus fruit. Attractive stuff. Very good+ (£108; £11.95)

Marsannay Rouge 2000
Vibrant raspberry fruit on the nose with a nice leafy/herby edge. Bright primary fruit on the palate. Tasty, but bit one-dimensional. Very good (£120; £13.12)

Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Aux Murgers 2000
Very attractive nose with lifted, almost opulent fruit (raspberry and blackcurrant). Rich, powerful fruit on the palate with some dry, rasping tannins: quite woody and very savoury. Needs time. Great concentration. Very good+ (£460; £46.41)

Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2000
Rich and concentrated with a caramel edge to the ripe fruit. Palate shows good concentration but currently is pretty woody and disjointed. Lots of promise if it ever comes together. Very good+ (£625; £62.57)

Domaine Jean Grivot  (back to top)

Bourgogne Rouge 2000
Very attractive nose shows vivid cherry and raspberry fruit. Quite delicious, with an attractive savoury edge. Rich bright fruit on the palate with great balance. There's enough structure to hold things together. Very good+ (£78; £9.00)

Vosne Romanee 2000
Very attractive nose with a smoky, caramel edge to the bright fruit. Rich, balanced palate with some tannic structure and good acidity. Bright, juicy stuff but with a bit of development potential. Very good/excellent (£168; £17.82)

Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru La Combe d'Orveaux 2000
Tight nose of berry fruit with some spice. Good concentration of bright raspberry fruit on the palate with some caramel, a touch of spice and firm tannins. Very youthful. Very good+ (£220; £22.91)

Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Aux Brulées 2000
Tight, firm nose is dominated by bright fruit and shows a touch of smokiness. Good concentration on the palate, which is firmly structured with spicy, dense fruit. Good potential here: everything is in place, but it is not exciting yet. Very good/excellent (£340; £34.66)

Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2000
Deep coloured, with powerful, intense fruit on the nose. Liquoricey and rich, this has some smoky, spicy complexity. Palate is rich and concentrated with a mass of fruit and lots of structure. Really impressive, but hard to assess properly this young. Very good/excellent, possibly excellent. (£398; £40)

Domaine Louis Boillot  (back to top)

Gevrey Chambertin Carageots 2000
Attractive, ripe liquoricey fruit on the nose with a nice, slightly medicinal edge. Palate has lovely density of bright berry fruit with a rich, savoury edge and good acidity. Some tannin here, but this is quite a fruity, forward wine. Very good+ (£180; £19)

Domaine Ghislaine Barthod  (back to top)

Bourgogne Rouge 2000
Lovely bright, forward cherry/raspberry fruit on the nose with a ripe, sweet edge. Savoury, minerally palate: quite a light style, with good acidity. Very good+ (£75; £8.71)

Chambolle Musigny 2000
Vibrant raspberry fruit on the nose is pure and focused. Palate shows bright juicy fruit with a savoury underpinning of high acidity and hidden tannins. Very primary. Very good+ (£180; £19)

Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Chatelots 2000
Youthful stuff. Bright berry fruit, caramel and a savoury streak on the nose. The palate displays a good concentration of juicy cherry and raspberry fruit with some firm tannins, good acid and minerality. May be lovely in time. Very good/excellent (£265; £27.31)

Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras 2000
Intense nose of rich, pure berry fruit. Lovely concentration of savoury, juicy fruit on the palate with a chalky, mineralic core and good acidity. Quite a restrained style, this will need some time but shows great promise. Very good/excellent (£290; £29.77)

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