2014 World of Pinot Noir Seminar – Burgundy & Oregon: Parallels in Latitudes – a Look at 45º North, Part 2 – Burgundy
Part 2 of the 2014 WOPN seminar on Oregon and Burgundy takes us to Pinot Noir’s homeland in Burgundy, France. We were very fortunate to have Louis Jadot’s Technical Director Frédéric Barnier, present a vertical of the Premier Cru vineyard, Clos des Ursules, which included vintages: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2005, 2003, 1997, 1990, and 1985.
The Clos des Ursules is a walled site within the Vignes Franches climat, at the southern end of Beaune’s group of Premier Cru vineyards near the commune boundary with Pommard. Being on the lower eastern side of the Montagne-Saint-Desire hill, the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines here make the most of the morning and early afternoon sunshine in Burgundy’s marginal climate.
Join us as we hear from Frédéric Barnier about the Clos des Ursules climat, the various vintages he presented for tasting, and discussion of the past few “short” vintages in Burgundy.
For more info:
World of Pinot Noir: www.worldofpinotnoir.com/
GrapeRadio interview with Frédéric Barnier: www.graperadio.com/
Sponsor: Wine Berserkers: www.wineberserkers.com
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Show #381
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Just for the heck of it, here are my own notes on the 1er Clos des Ursules wines poured at this tasting:
2010 – medium-ruby color; sweet cherry fruit, milled wheat in the nose; subtle fruit ball on the palate, with an expansive in mouthfeel and finish. Very nice.
2009 – medium-ruby color; off-sweet cherry fruit in the nose; cherry flavors on the palate, with lots of tertiary notes of earth and mushroom; a bit light on flavors at finish, but very nice.
2008 – medium-light ruby color; aromas of cranberry/sour cherry that translate to flavors as well; less tertiary characters, slightly tight and tannic on otherwise good finish. Interesting.
2005 – medium-ruby color; slightly reticent in aromas of off-sweet fruit; quite tight on the palate, with very good balance of acid and fruit; off-sweet long finish. Not ready yet.
2003 – medium-ruby color; ripe cherry fruit, with fascinating aromas of caper and tamarind (think Worcestershire), along with hints of cocoa and grilled mushroom/veg compote; ripe flavors on palate, but lovely tertiary flavors carry the day here. A product of the vintage, but beautifully so.
1997 – medium-dark-ruby color, with some browning at the edges; aside from red fruit, there were some interesting tertiary notes, earthy and slightly vegetal, including stem inclusion (fruit was destemmed) and a stewed saline quality; a bit drying in mouthfeel, with more savory that fruit flavors and nice finish.
1990 – quite similar to the the ’97 but much more fruit-accented both in aroma and flavor; tasty off-sweet savory finish fades a bit from mid to latter palate.
1985 – light-medium burnished ruby with some browning; a bit caramelized in aroma with some funky earthiness in mouthfeel; fabulous balance on the palate, and the savory/fruit finishes very nicely.
Eric