Seminar 2 – Burgundy: Beguiling, Bewildering and Beautiful
Emporium Hotel Southbank
Monday 22nd of July
In Seminar Two we move to Burgundy, swap stern structure for supple sensuality, dive deep into Dujac and several other key Domaines and ask ourselves the question: “Is it possible to be Burgundian in the New World?”
Panel of Experts lead by Nick Ryan included:
Jeremy Seysses, Winemaker & Owner Domaine Dujac
Nick Farr, Winemaker By Farr
* The content is a combination of the original booklet provided by Negociants Australia and my notes on the day for the wine flights we saw.
Flight One - A Journey from north to south
This flight works its way down the Cote de Nuits, from Gevrey-Chambertin in the north to Nuits-St-Georges in the south, then skirts around Beaune to finish in Volnay, one of the few Pinot Noir strongholds on the Cote de Beaune. It’s a journey through the most celebrated landscape in the wine world.
2016 Geantet-Pansiot Gevrey Chambertin
Red purple colour; notes of talc blended in with lifted and pure raspberry, touch of ashes and spices of subtlety; silky tannins, structured, articulated finish, graceful and stylish; granny tannins fading in slow motion.
2016 Domaine Dujac Morey St Denis
Red-ruby colour; very expressive and open nose of chocolate powder, rainforest and blueberry; layered silky tannins, long and balanced acidity giving structured finish. It sits on the mid-palate quite gracefully. Terrific!
2016 Domaine Comte Liger-Belair Vosne Romanee
Red violet colour; open and charming oak-influenced vanilla note, then earth, talc, ripe cherry as it unfolds with air; dense, fleshy & giving raspberry flavours, polished tannins still integrating; long and deep finish driven by barrique input.
2016 Domaine Faiveley Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Aux Chaignots
Red-purple colour; it has complex bouquet that is earthy, has rainforest and spicy edge with stalky touch; light bodied, juicy and harmonious; tannins are built for the distance.
2016 Domaine Jean-Marc Bouley ‘Vieilles Vignes’ Volnay
Red-violet colour; aromas of ripe red cherry, violets and rainforest; dense and layered with quite chalky tannins, crunchy and scented cranberry flavours; quite structured and still with room ahead, plenty to unfold underneath. Superb.
Flight Two – The 2014 Vintage through a Dujac prism
2014 was a Burgundian year not without challenges, but those best prepared for them have produced some exceptional wines in the classic Burgundy vein, wines notable for energetic acidity, good fruit weight and real finesse. It may be a little overshadowed currently by the lauded 2015 vintage, but the class of this vintage is already evident and will only continue to assert itself in years to come.
2014 Domaine Dujac Morey St Denis
Light red ruby colour; notes of rainforest, earth, meat on the nose; it is deep in flavours, yet still sleeping, it is long and driven by acidity, this is a long runner. Tannins are soft and well-integrated to the core.
2014 Domaine Dujac Morey St Denis 1er Cru
Red ruby colour; on the nose is floral, has complex earthiness, with chocolate powder touch and cinnamon; crunchy, layered and chocolaty tannins, very compact mid-palate; It is just starting to unfold.
2014 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Light red ruby colour; perfumed, rainforest floor notes, touch floral with spices box; on the palate has a very structured finish, long and with dusty tannins; well framed and harmonious, still young and with great ageing potential.
2014 Domaine Dujac Clos St Denis Grand Cru
Red ruby colour; floral nose with complex flinty edge and chocolate powder; silky soft texture, elegant tannins, subtle and inviting. This is an exceptional wine, with long ageing potential.
Flight Three – A Vertical of ‘Aux Combottes’
There is an argument that Aux Combottes should really be afforded Grand Cru status and those who make it invariable point to the wines of Domaine Dujac as Exhibit A to prosecute the case. This is a rare opportunity to closely examine the evidence.
2015 Domaine Dujac Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes
Red violet colour; aromas of chalk, violets, subtle raspberry and forest; delicious granny tannins, focused, scented, fragrant and open. Very ethereal and dreamy, plenty to contemplate.
2010 Domaine Dujac Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes
Red maroon colour; nose of rainforest floor, earth, touch of vanilla and toffee showing ripeness of the vintage; fragrant, layered and deep, very structured, firm tannins ensures long ageing.
2006 Domaine Dujac Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes
Red ruby colour; expressive floral, cedar and tobacco bouquet; silky tannins, harmoniously long; it has tertiary characters of roasted coffee and mocha. A bit varietally atypical but extremely charming, truly in a happy place.
2002 Domaine Dujac Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes
Red-maroon colour; pool of aromas of dust, red cherry and roasted coffee beans; silky and curvaceous tannins; structured and still quite alive. Outstanding wine for me even though a few people in the room find it bretty.
1999 Domaine Dujac Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes
Red-maroon colour; notes of roasted coffee bean with complex stalky edge and spicy lift; structured and articulated, fleshy fruit in the mid-palate of dark cherry, dense tannins with vigorous presence. Plenty of life ahead.
Flight Four – New World Pinot Noir from New Zealand
The Kiwis have fallen for Pinot Noir in a pretty big way and there’s not denying it’s the most important red grape grown on those shaky islands. A selection from three of the NZ’s finest Pinot Producers coming from Marlborough, Martinborough and Central Otago.
2017 Fromm Clayvin Vineyard
Red-purple colour; quite flinty and chalky, the red cherry is in the background; young and firm, tannins are sturdy and needs time in bottle.
2017 Ata Rangi
Red ruby colour; aromas of forest, earth, cedar and herbs; on the palate is firm, tight with fresh and lively finish; needs time in bottle as tannins are sturdy and very present.
2015 Ata Rangi
Red ruby colour; aromas of raspberry blended in with confected floral notes; it is long and harmonious; quite a back palate of deep persistency; structured and built for the distance due to firm tannins.
2015 Ata Rangi McCrone
Red purple colour; aromas of talc, chalk, red cherry and blueberry; full, dense, very fleshy mid-palate, great concentration, tannins are tamed and present giving it volume and impact. It has long ageing potential.
2015 Valli Vineyard ‘Bannockburn’
Red ruby colour; bouquet has forest floor, red cherry, herbs and sweet chocolate; articulated finish, generous tannins, long and broad back palate showing varietal definition; texturally delicious.
Flight Five – New World Pinot Noir from Australia
Pinot’s progress though Australia has been a bit hit and miss, but recent years have shown the progress made in terms of careful site selection, clonal diversity and more considered winemaking. A selection from three fine producers in four of the strongest Australian regions for the variety; Adelaide Hills, Mornington Peninsula, Geelong and Tasmania.
2016 Ashton Hills ‘Reserve’
Light red ruby colour; aromas of dark chocolate, floral fragrance with dusty touch; light bodied, fresh, juicy; direct and honest.
2016 Kooyong ‘Haven’
Light red violet colour; floral and fragrant with red cherry lift; chewy, dense and layered tannins; structured yet round medium palate. Delicious drink.
2015 ‘Sangreal’ By Farr
Red purple colour; it has strong influence of whole bunch in the green side with cabbage, cooked vegetable and dark cherry; structured and well framed, layered tannins yet green edged and stalky.
2017 Dalrymple Vineyards ‘Cottage Block’
Vibrant red violet colour; aromas of red cherry are lifted and breezy; it has crunchy texture and the firm tannins of a young wine; it has juicy acidity yet lacking mid-palate fruit weight.
2017 Dalrymple Vineyards ‘Single Site Coal River Valley’
Red purple colour; bouquet of bubble gum, candy and cherry; chewy tannins with fresh and juicy finish; light bodied and easy drinking; chalky texture and fine persistency.
2014 Dalrymple Vineyards ‘Single Site Coal River Valley’
Red ruby colour; notes of dark cherry, chalk, flint and floral fragrance; it is juicy, fresh and meaty on the palate; articulated and elaborate finish, complex and very intriguing wine