Blog: Steven Spurrier
Burgundy – the 2007 vintage
Each year in January, the UK wine trade holds a series of tastings of the last but one vintage in Burgundy . Over two weeks, literally thousands of wines are tasted by the trade and Press and much of the wine is sold at that time. The most exciting vintage in recent years was far and away 2005, but the 2006s were well received, especially the white wines that are made 100% from Chardonnay. The growing season in 2007 was difficult, after a very warm Spring, but the weather finally turned for the better in late August and the quality was saved.
White wines:
2007 is an excellent vintage for Burgundian white wines, from Chablis in the north to the Maconnais in the south, taking in, of course, the famous wines of the Cote de Beaune on the way. They have a wonderful purity and minerality, there having been little or no rot in the Chardonnay vines. The fruit is precise and pronounced, the acidity is clear and fresh, and while many of them can be drunk young, the major wines have a keeping potential of up to a decade.
Red Wines:
Although the reds were on the light side compared to the intensely flavoured 2005s, the key words here are elegance and purity. The vintage resembles 2000, whose reds are drinking beautifully today. The flavours are fruity and ripe with very attractive aromatics, frequently in a cherry or raspberry register. Some have a crunchy minerality, while others are softer and rounder. As a result, they, like the 2000s, can be drunk after only one year in bottle, but the best period will be 2012-15 for the Premiers Crus and a little longer for the Grands Crus.
Summary:
The quality of Burgundy wines has never been better. Great attention is paid to the vineyards, which are healthier than they have ever been. The father-to-son progression, for which the Burgundy region is so famous, has held up well. For someone like me, who has been visiting Burgundy to taste the wines from barrels in the cold, vaulted cellars for many years, it is often the grandson (and more and more often the granddaughter) of the owner of the estate who welcomes one. Burgundy is the most traditional of France’s wine regions, but it is not afraid of being modern. The vintages since the late 1990s have shown quite clearly that it is enjoying the best of both worlds.
Burgundy – the 2007 vintage
Each year in January, the UK wine trade holds a series of tastings of the last but one vintage in Burgundy . Over two weeks, literally thousands of wines are tasted by the trade and Press and much of the wine is sold at that time. The most exciting vintage in recent years was far and away 2005, but the 2006s were well received, especially the white wines that are made 100% from Chardonnay. The growing season in 2007 was difficult, after a very warm Spring, but the weather finally turned for the better in late August and the quality was saved.
White wines:
2007 is an excellent vintage for Burgundian white wines, from Chablis in the north to the Maconnais in the south, taking in, of course, the famous wines of the Cote de Beaune on the way. They have a wonderful purity and minerality, there having been little or no rot in the Chardonnay vines. The fruit is precise and pronounced, the acidity is clear and fresh, and while many of them can be drunk young, the major wines have a keeping potential of up to a decade.
Red Wines:
Although the reds were on the light side compared to the intensely flavoured 2005s, the key words here are elegance and purity. The vintage resembles 2000, whose reds are drinking beautifully today. The flavours are fruity and ripe with very attractive aromatics, frequently in a cherry or raspberry register. Some have a crunchy minerality, while others are softer and rounder. As a result, they, like the 2000s, can be drunk after only one year in bottle, but the best period will be 2012-15 for the Premiers Crus and a little longer for the Grands Crus.
Summary:
The quality of Burgundy wines has never been better. Great attention is paid to the vineyards, which are healthier than they have ever been. The father-to-son progression, for which the Burgundy region is so famous, has held up well. For someone like me, who has been visiting Burgundy to taste the wines from barrels in the cold, vaulted cellars for many years, it is often the grandson (and more and more often the granddaughter) of the owner of the estate who welcomes one. Burgundy is the most traditional of France’s wine regions, but it is not afraid of being modern. The vintages since the late 1990s have shown quite clearly that it is enjoying the best of both worlds.
1 Comments
2007 Burgundy
written by Nick, February 10, 2009
written by Nick, February 10, 2009
I totally agree with your appraisal. It's a pleasant aside to have a young Burgundy drinking so well. Perhaps in the same vein that one would buy an Alsace or NZ Pinot Noir a few years ago.
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