Visits with Roumier and Mugnier reinforced the findings of our earlier tastings with Drouhin, Meo-Camuzet and Ghislaine Barthod, where we discovered many very fine Chambolles. Clos de Marechale deserves a mention, Mugnier's great vineyard work here(pictured) seems to get increasingly evident each year, the 2008 rivals Nuit's best. Musigny seems to be a Grand Cru that has excelled in 2008, examples from Roumier and Mugnier were glorious and that of Leroy outshone, on the day, their other vineyards Richebourg and Chambertin. Vosne, too, seems to have had its fair share of highs in 2008, Cathiard's wines were fabulous. His and Leroy's stunning Romanee St Vivants have mirrored the success of Frank Follin's earlier in the week. At Clos de Tart we had our usual, fascinating, tasting of the four components of the Clos de Tart blend. Embryonic they may have been, but the potential to be one of the vintage's most powerful wines is certainly there. Cecile Tremblay followed, a young grower who is already starting to excel. 2008 is clearly an excellent vintage for her and a step up from her 2007s. Chambolle Feusselottes and Chapelle really impressed but most surprising of all was, perhaps, the high quality of the two villages wines Nuits and Vosne. The final tasting of our two week long Burgundian visits was with Domaine d'Eugenie, and what a way to finish. Even more than Tremblay, this is a Domaine that has made enormous strides between the 2007 and 2008 vintages. With their brand new cuverie in place and the winemaking team finding their feet, they have managed to produce superb results, each wine/ terroir is very clearly defined and the expression of Pinot Noir bittersweetness comes through very strongly.
So the trip draws to a close. It has not been too tiring a journey, which says alot for the vintage. At their best the red wines are fresh and light in tannic structure rather like 2004 in their light tannic structure but much more elegant and with a totally different, considerably riper, fruit profile. The wines are not massive like 2006 or 2005, but they are so well balanced that they should age gracefully. Burgundy lovers will adore them for their purity and Pinot juiciness. The whites are flamboyant, exotic yet racy and will give great pleasure straightaway, Chablis, in particular, is a great success. It is a small vintage for red and white wine in terms of quantity, though there are one or two exceptions many Pinot producers made even less 2008 than the already rather small 2007 vintage.
