I've got a lot of posts to catch up on ... some great stories to tell. Will try to catch up a few days at a time. Day two of the Grands Jours is a bit of a nightmare. It's the busiest day, the most producers and the most important regions spread over four venues. It's insane, really.
Two years ago I started at Nuits St Georges and was pulling splinters within an hour. The palate was soon shot and the rest of the day was tough work. This time I figured I'd start in Marsannay-la-Cote for the "Jewels of Cote de Nuits" session, the venue for 69 producers from Gevrey, Marsannay and Fixin.
It was a good chance to look at the 2008s of Dupont-Tisserandot and Humbert Freres against some of the other producers I had been thinking of, and also to look at several vintages of Camille Girouds, including 06 and 07 Chambertin and Latricieres. There was also a table containing a bottle from each producer, which gave the opportunity to try one wine and decide whether it was worth exploring more and enduring the inevitable awkwardness of a wary importer meeting an eager producer.
Overall it was pretty hard work, the recent bottling of most wines reflected in their dry finish and protruding structure. I'm not sure I learnt a lot, except a couple of producers to avoid.
From there it was off to the Gilly les Citeaux for the Chambolle Musigny/Morey St Denis tasting, and what a relief it was. So much sweet fruit, soft tannins and finesse from some of the 46 exhibitors here. I made a beeline for the Mugnier table as I'd tasted twice previously at this domaine and like to badger them regularly. Freddie is affable and his assistant Audrey is gorgeous -- although now a married mum of one, I'm a sucker for her dark Audrey Tautou eyes and hair and, strangely, her English accent! She spent a couple of years in Kent, it seems.
Mugnier was smart enough not to bottle before the show, so the 08 Chambolle Musigny, NSG Clos de la Marechale and Musigny all looked fine, fruity and friendly. He's too cagey on where to place the vintage, let alone the 09s that the Americans have been going gaga about, but he admitted he wasn't about to rain on their parade if they wanted to start another buying frenzy. Mugnier has no need to pour wines at such a show but to support his community and try to attract more punters for his peers.
Other highlights were Camille Giroud (they showed each wine in the relevant appellation venue), Lucie & Auguste Lignier (great to compare 07s, 08s and 09s for various cuvees) and Faiveley, whose new softer approach has made the world of improvement to their wines.
A few more quick swirls and spits and it was off to the Chateau du Clos Vougeot for 60 Vosne Romanee exhibitors. This was apparently a scrum for most of the day and hence why I wanted to save it for late in the piece when the crowds had dispersed. The tactics worked perfectly -- it wasn't so much of a drama to get a pour and then to get to a barrel spittoon.
The acids showed quite prominently here, but I enjoyed tastings at Anne Gros, Meo-Camuzet, Comte Liger Belair and Alex Gambal. Was tempted by Lamarche but the wines looks a bit dry and stern, while Jean-Marc Millot has great holdings but I am still concerned about hygiene and reduction in some of the wines.
Actually I've learned a fair bit about the olfactory signs of reduction and the role different vineyard soils can play in creating this character: clay is a big contributor.
I skipped the NSG venue altogether and just as well. By the time I had circuited three venues I had major palate fatigue and it was getting harder and harder to avoid tannin overload. I don't know how some people taste and rate hundreds of wines in a day. As I was to find out, liking or disliking something in the middle of a tasting didn't necessarily mean anything when it came to sitting down with a bottle at the end of the day.
Hmmm, as if the first two days weren't busy enough, my evening entertainment involved having dinner with my wonderful friends David and Helena, who are soon to be Mr & Mrs Jenkins.
David has just bought into a wine business in the UK and was over to scout for good value producers from just out of the mainstream. I might have been better off tagging along with him! Anyway, we had an acceptable meal and three decent bottles of wine while we solved the problems of the world. Not such a good idea was a 1964 Armagnac as a nightcap. At 40 or 45% alcohol, it was tough work for me, a non-spirits drinker. David seemed to be getting his second wind and at 6.30am I could only hold my throbbing head as I pictured the two of them having to get up for the three-hour-plus drive to Champagne for their next appointment!
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