George Sape:

La Paulée de New York 2007

1990, Échezeaux, DRC – [La Paulée, Bouley dinner] What a friendly wine this turned out to be; sweet and very aromatic from the first pour, the wine is very perfumed and aromatic, loads of black cherries, perhaps without the power and complexity of some of the “bigger” DRC wines, this is a pleasure to the senses nonetheless; full and ripe in the mouth with lots of red and black cherry flavors, backed up with wood and miscellaneous herbs; smooth and silky, with a fresh citrus fruit finish; this wine is certainly at peak, and shows it. (18.5)

1998, Chambertin, Trapet – [La Paulée] Very sweet and ripe nose, perfumed and effusive if a bit simple, there are aromas of chocolate, herbs, spices, quite forward; the wine presents a very sweet and ripe set of flavors in the mouth upon first taste, but then the wine turns very dry and chalky, although not unpleasant; spicy and sweet at the end, if not as deep as it could be. (17.5)

1959, Grands Échezeaux, Leroy – [La Paulée] Wonderful nose, rich and ripe, and laced with lots of black cherry and damp wood aromas, light touch of smoke, some sweet herbs, complex although dominated by black cherries; full-flavored, coating each corner of the mouth with its ripe fruit flavors, but at the same time, the wine is complex and subtle, with a mix of herbs, spices, earthen flavors, and a touch of the forest floor for interest; long finish, perfectly pitched to show the full range of flavors attainable in a mature Burgundy. (19) Another bottle made its way to Jim Finkel’s DRC tasting; pretty consistent notes, but the notes from this bottle show that I tasted more citrus and fresh lemons in the mid-mouth with a drier, perhaps less appealing finish; would probably remove a point from the score.

2000, Mazis-Chambertin, C. Dugat – [La Paulée] As one would expect, the nose on this wine is deep, rich and loaded with fruit extract, there are layers of black fruits, tar, smoke, almost impenetrable, chocolate and herbs at the end of the nose complete a rich and complex mélange; the same in the mouth; a typical Dugat wine, deep and dense but with class and elegance; powerful fruit flavors, and for a vintage not known for structure the wine has loads of tannins and citrus fruit acidity to define its nature; still young, but already obvious in its flavors; still, there is more to come as one gets the feeling of skimming on the surface of where this wine will go. (19)

1985, La Romanée, Bouchard (mag.) – [La Paulée] The last of the magnums from my cellar, this has been a spectacular wine, and again it was all there; the nose opens with a sweet and very focused set of aromas, intense, elegant, and without doubt a nose that reaches out to grip ones attention immediately, even now it is still restrained somewhat withholding some of its elements, but letting out some aromas of tar, herbs and spices, definite aroma of raspberries mixing in with more black fruits, very perfumed and aromatic after a while; full and rich in the mouth; the first touch is a lot of raspberry flavors, but these give way later to blend in more complex and deeper flavors of plums and black cherries with hints of earth and spices; understated but not reticent, although this wine has years of life ahead; spicy, powerful finish that leaves little room for doubt about the presence of a great wine. (20)

1978, La Romanée, Bouchard – [La Paulée] Wonderful but profoundly different from the ’85; the nose is more exotic and much sweeter, there are candied aromas of sweet and ripe fruit, much richer than the ’85 with the raspberry aromas here reflected as preserves, deep and complex though; sweet and ripe in the mouth, loaded with jammy fruit flavors; but there is body and grip in the presence of both ripe sweet tannins and focused acidity; this is a wine of purple fruits that coat the mouth; long finish, spicy, peppery, and laced with powerful tannins. (20)

1964, La Romanée, Giroud – [La Paulée] That same wonderful nose is here as well, but it seems more restrained and backward here, there is a lot of sweet, ripe fruit, but perhaps the age or the vintage keeps it more suppressed, the wine remains very perfumed and aromatic though with a mix or raspberry and cherry elements; very sweet and ripe in the mouth; this is liquefied black cherry essence; the wine shows a lot of power in its structure, which mixes solid tannins with earthen and dry flavors that play off of the sweetness beautifully; this is exotic wine, with a long, spicy finish that is highly refined and elegant to the max. (19.5)

1990, Romanée-Conti, DRC – [La Paulée] Here’s a legend live and in person; the wine is its own statement, with the first impression closed and veiled, without much nose or depth of flavor; this takes a lot of time in the glass, and I began to experience the wine well after an hour, when suddenly the curtain lifted, and a nose of fathomless depth emerged, throwing forth aromas of black cherry extract, lots of red fruit aromas, charred wood, damp earth and truffles, milk chocolate, herbs and leather, just to name a few of the complex of aromas that emerged; the flavors are deep and sweet with an indescribable complexity and focus that boggles the senses; there are complex flavors that conjure up a myriad of spices and herbs, mixing with the red and black fruits; there is a definite layer of fresh acidity that sets up new flavors for later in the mouth that play off of the blacker flavors of tar and wood; long finish, rich without being too ripe, and focused without being hard; years of life here; a score for this wine is meaningless. (20++)

1990, Romanée St. Vivant, DRC – [La Paulée, Bouley dinner] Sweet nose, very ripe fruit, lots of chocolate, black cherry extract, and sweet spices mixed with black pepper; sweet and very ripe in the mouth, elegant and beautifully structured; the mid-mouth, however, seems closed and suppressed; one gets the sense that this wine needs some more time to open up and reveal its full structure; the finish is as a consequence quite dry and almost astringent, but remains balanced and elegant throughout. (19)

1971, Romanée St. Vivant, “Le Quatre Journeaux”, Latour – [La Paulée] From the days when Latour made wonderful wines; sweet and ripe nose, loaded with full aromas of black fruits, slightly dusty and earthen with refined nuances of aroma; sweet and ripe in the mouth, but with lots of fresh fruit flavors; mature but not aged; plenty of black cherry juice here; power but with finesse; complex herbs and flavors later with licorice and tar; spicy silky finish. (18+)

1959, Romanée St. Vivant, Morey-Mange – [La Paulée] Wonderful old Burgundy with all of the classic style no longer in evidence; sweet and ripe nose, now fully mature with integrated and complex aromas, lot of Russian leather aromas, but at the same time exotic and compelling; full flavored wine, mouthfilling and ripe, but at the same time showing a lot of dry tannins along the edge of the palate; very balanced, complete and sophisticated; quite fresh actually, and while no mistaking a mature wine, this is not aged; spicy, fresh finish. (18.5)

1991, La Tâche, DRC – [La Paulée, Bouley dinner] A wonderfully perfumed nose with eucalyptus, and an exotic spiciness defining the nose, along with lots of focused and fresh fruit; there is an explosion of sweet fruit in the mouth with the first sip, but the wine is also delicate and almost feminine in nature, powerful but refined at the same time, there is a lacy quality to this wine that is different from the general perception of La Tâche as the bully of the boardwalk; a very long, elegant, spiced finish complete the picture of a beautiful wine. (19.5)

1990, La Tâche, DRC – [La Paulée, Bouley dinner] Deep nose, smoky, lots of earthen aromas, at the same time rich and extracted with very ripe fruit, blackberries, cherries, other black fruits, smooth and very round, with perhaps the richest nose of the wines served at the dinner; sweet and ripe in the mouth at the first taste; this vintage has a tendency toward almost extreme ripeness, and there is some of that here; the balance is re-established, however, in the mid-mouth as fresh lemony flavors emerge to freshen the entire complex of flavors that exist in the mouth with this wine; very peppery at the finish with flavors of dry earth, wood, and fruit skins. (19.5) Another bottle drunk later from a different source was clearly off with very funky, unclean aromas that never did reveal the richness of fruit that is the hallmark of this wine; similarly the flavors were dry and citric, and there is no question that this wine was either exposed to heat or somehow damaged along the way. (NR)

1985, La Tâche. DRC – [La Paulée, Bouley dinner] Wonderful, sweet and ripe nose, loaded with aromas of charred wood and black cherry essence, but at the same time very perfumed and effusive with floral patterns, sugar, hints of caramel, and licorice; sweet and ripe in the mouth with layers of fruit; the base is black cherry, but there are other fruit essences present as well; then moving to more dry earth and sweet spices; peppery and spicy; lots of sweet fruit at the end. (19)

1980, La Tâche, DRC – [La Paulée, Bouley dinner] An overlooked vintage, Aubert de Villaine commented at our table that this year was viewed as a success at DRC; a sweet and rich nose initiated the nose, black cherries, raspberries, smoked meat, peat, charred wood, and at the same time quite perfumed and floral, but at the same time, a bit heavy; sweet in the mouth but with a slightly barnyardy character to the fruit; then more citrus fruit mixed with subtle earthen flavors; elegant if not perhaps as complex as some of the other wines. (17.5)

1979, La Tâche, DRC – [La Paulée, Bouley dinner] A full nose of ripe fruit, black cherries, wood bark, smoked meat, bacon fat, black spices, fresh citrus, balanced and effusive nose; sweet but dry in the mouth, starts with black cherries and complex spices, but moves quickly to a restrained set of flavors that are more cerebral than visceral; restrained but focused flavors; smooth finish with red cherries, wood, and earth tone. (18)

1978, La Tâche, DRC – [La Paulée, Bouley dinner] Ecstasy from the first pour; a deep nose of black fruit explodes out of the glass, very ripe and almost stewed, but held in check with a lilt of citrus, there is the La Tâche presence of smoked meat, but the total effect is sweetly perfumed and slightly floral, but never feminine, exotic; sweet and ripe in the mouth, blood and raw meat flavors enhance the structure, but there are layers of black cherry fruit here; big dry tannins emerge as the wine moves through the mouth; then the flavors circle back to black cherry skins again; powerful and mouthfilling, the finish has lots of grip but sweet elegance at the same time. (20+)

1971, La Tâche, DRC – [La Paulée, Bouley dinner] This too is great, but compared to the ’78 it does not have the intensity and power; the aromas are lighter, lilting almost, with perfumed and floral notes, very sweet with hints of sugar and caramel, with an undertone of licorice, this could be characterized as feminine; sweet and ripe in the mouth, smooth and almost silky, lots of black cherries, dry earth, loads of spices; pepper; light, smooth finish with lots of cherry fruit. (19.5)

1964, La Tâche, DRC (meth.) – [La Paulée] I expected better from this format, but the nose is a bit musty and murky with dusty, dry aromas that do show a lot of sweetness though, but it is a rough, crude sweetness without the finesse or elegance that the wine can show; pretty much the same in the mouth; there is a lot of sweet fruit in this wine, but it is crude and forward without any finesse attached; the flavors taste old and somewhat tired; still there is plenty of black cherry fruit, albeit a bit overripe; medium finish, earthen, somewhat dry, and flat. (15) Another bottle at Jim Finkel’s DRC dinner was better; the nose was fresher with aromas of paraffin, smoked meat, candied fruit, floral and elegant, touch of volatility; sweet and ripe in the mouth with layered black fruits, but there is a growing presence of dry wood and earthen tannins that are definitely beginning to dominate, and the fruit is obviously drying out; still better in this bottle than in the Methusalah. (17)

1990, Volnay, “Clos de Ducs”, (mag.) – [La Paulée] Rich and full nose, with layers of black cherries, earth, hints of smoke, and fresh citrus fruit, touch of wood; a bit light in the mouth but flavorful, lots of cherry juice mixed with citrus; good structure and depth, but the body of the wine is a bit on the light side as these wines tend to be; typical for this wine, though; still seems somewhat closed and unevolved, although there is plenty of flavor; the finish is a sweet and spicy expression. (17.5)

1976, Vosne Romanée, “Les Brulées”, Jayer (mag.) – [La Paulée] I don’t know why people keep insisting that this vintage has merit as it has been dead out of the box, but odd bottles keep cropping up; this wine is not saved by its pedigree; the nose seems reasonable with an initial shot of ripe and rich fruit, pretty much overripe actually, but aromatic with a complex of coal, sweet wood, spices, and smoke making up the nose; first taste is promising but misleading, suggesting that the sweet fruit that the initial impression produces will last; it does not, quickly turning dry and dusty in the mouth with an overlay of hotness that almost sears the palate; chalky and harsh at the end; what little fruit there is in the wine at the beginning quickly turns to dust at the finish. (14)

1964, Vosne Romanée, “Les Suchots”, Giroud – [La Paulée] Excellent nose with an initial offering of pain grille that is classic, there is also plenty of sweet fruit on the nose, with charred wood and leather providing an exotic backdrop, quite aromatic and perfumed; sweet, ripe mature flavors on the first taste that have plenty of black cherry and plum essence; the mid-mouth is dominated by powerful earthen flavors that have lots of dry tannins to show; good structure, perhaps not the most elegant of wines, with a somewhat coarse nature, but flavorful and the real deal. (17)

1979, Bâtard-Montrachet, Ramonet – [La Paulée] Perfumed and ripe nose, lots of sweet fruit, spices, complete nose with all of the elements intact, elegant; great flavors in the mouth, a wonderful blend of herbs and spices with ripe fruit flavors; smooth and silky, wonderfully mature without being too much so; long spicy finish with a lilting touch of sweetness and hints of dry flavors in the background. (18.5)

1992, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet, Leflaive – [La Paulée] Classy and complex nose, opens with smoky aromas, smoked meat and herbs, hay, grass, freshly cut herbs, but rich and ripe at the same time with layers of ripe sweet fruit aromas; interesting flavors that carry forward the nose, starting in the mouth with the flavors of freshly cut grass and hay, then moving to very ripe fruit with textures of honey and sweet candy; a shift in the mid-mouth to elegant dry citrus and lemon peel; beautiful finish with better balance than some of the ‘92s at this stage of their life. (19)

1996, Chevalier-Montrachet, Leflaive – [La Paulée] Classic nose, dry and complex with tight, almost compressed but complex aromas of green herbs, minerals, slate, smoke, and lemon peel; in the mouth, the wine is loaded with minerals, but at the same time sweet fruit abounds; later more citric and profoundly lemony; toward the end, the wine assumes drier, more lemon peel flavors with a slightly bitter undertone, but full and intense; probably could use more time to reveal the full range of this wine. (19) Served again at Tom Tuft’s birthday with consistent notes; this is just a great wine. Tasted a third time at the Chevaliers Blanc II dinner with consistent notes, although my only additional comment was that this wine had a laser sharp definition missing in some of the other wines; the rating seems appropriate for all three tastings.

1982, Chevalier-Montrachet, “Les Demoiselles”, Jadot – [La Paulée] A soft and rich nose with layers of sweet fruit aromas mix with more subtle elements of herbs and minerals, talc, and paraffin; sweet and ripe in the mouth with lots of well-flavored fruit; nicely laced with minerals and a touch of earth and hints of smoke; very elegant and poised; long finish with sweetness but beautiful balance. (18.5)

1979, Chevalier-Montrachet, “Les Demoiselles”, Jadot – [La Paulée] Alas, as good as the ’82 was, this bottle failed me, and although the nose is rich and sweet with lots of honeyed aromas and a nice touch of green herbs, it is also oxidized and quite sherry-like; there is still some good flavor in the wine, and one can sense the honey-laced and green herb infused flavors of dry lemons that was there, but the overlay of oxidized flavors is there as well, and no longer does this bottle show what it can do. (NR)

1996, Corton-Charlemagne, Bonneau du Martray – [La Paulée, Bouley dinner] Sweet nose, lots of pear and mineral scents, green herbs, and a hint of honey; mouthfilling flavors, sweet, ripe fruit, a hint of sea salt in the flavors, but the core of the wine is bone dry with a sere texture of lemon peel and dust; too early for this wine, which is usually on the dry side anyway; good quality, however, and should be wonderful in a few years. (17.5)

1992, Corton-Charlemagne, Bonneau du Martray – [La Paulée, Bouley dinner] Typical of this vintage, the nose starts very sweet with strong honeyed scents, but also with a meaty, smoky set of aromas, ripe and tending toward dense on the nose, but a treat for those who like this ripe type of nose; sweet in the mouth, and the first taste is almost overripe; but then the wine shifts in the mouth and becomes dry and focused with a talc-like set of flavors and textures; dry and chalky flavors mixed with lemon and green herbs complete the picture; long finish that alternates between sweet and dry. (18)

1989, Corton-Charlemangne, Bonneau du Martray – [La Paulée, Bouley dinner] Sweet nose, lots of minerals and herbs, a slight fish oil presence does mar the effect and leaves hints of mustiness on the nose; very dry and austere in the mouth, almost to the point of suppressing any flavor; woody, grassy; lacking depth and body in my view, but some who like these superaustere whites will find this appealing. (16)

1986, Corton-Charlemagne, Bonneau du Martray – [La Paulée, Bouley dinner] This is great, powerful and deep nose with complex aromas and all of the elements that I look for in these wines; starts with aromas of sweet fruit, laced with paraffin, enhanced further by subtle minerality and a shot of green herbs where tarragon is the primary element, this is an intense and focused nose; same in the mouth, a great combination of forward fruit and focused flavors; complex and layered flavors that bring forth everything from ripe sweet lemons to licorice and green herbs, with an underpinning of ripe minerality that adds a solid structure to the wine; very long finish that stays in the mouth for minutes. (19.5)

1983, Corton-Charlemagne, Bonneau du Martray – [La Paulée, Bouley dinner] Sweet and ripe nose with the classic ripeness of this vintage, lots of honeyed fruit, butterscotch, minerals and herbs; ripe, rich and full in the mouth; there is an abundance of sweet fruit here that expands across the palate to fill every nook and cranny; but the wine is not just sweet, it has great structure with a minerals and herbs underneath; later turning more citric and dry in the mouth, almost biting, but elegant and eloquent to the end. (18.5)

1979, Corton-Charlemagne, Bonneau du Martray – [La Paulée, Bouley dinner] This wine is tired and no longer in play; light nose, faint and faded, I do get the characteristic aromas of paraffin and minerals, but the fruit is very faint, although still discernable; pretty faded in the mouth now, one can taste oxidation in this wine, and there is not enough fruit to balance the damage, so it is all the more apparent; pretty dry and sour throughout, and if this bottle is typical, then it’s over for this vintage. (14)

1997, Montrachet, Ramonet (meth.) – [La Paulée] A lovely nose on this wine, opens with aromas of sweet fruit and herbs, mostly tarragon, the aromas are somewhat light and restrained, but I attribute that to the large format, which has kept the wine young and still somewhat closed; the wine is intense and focused in the mouth; lovely flavors of ripe fruit, bordering on rich; lots of herbs, spices, and green herb flavors; the flavors are surprisingly full, given the somewhat closed nature of the wine on the nose; long, lovely finish with a nice touch of smoke. (18.5)

1997, Montrachet, DRC – [La Paulée] The wine has lots of sweet aromas at the start, which combine both ripe fruit and sweet herbs in the nose, the aromas are rich and supple with honeyfueled nuances; pretty much the same in the mouth with sweet and ripe flavors right from the first taste, turning more peppery in the mouth after time, with a spicy and slightly bitter finish that is not unpleasant though. (18+)

1996, Montrachet, Bouchard (Jero.) – [La Paulée] A tight and somewhat compressed nose defines this wine with the definite aromas of rubber bands at the outset, with some sweet fruit and herbs apparent as well, but the nose is quite closed and tightly wound at this time; pretty much the same in the mouth, with dry, very citric and lemony flavors without much definition or expression beyond that at this time; slight touch of smoke, perhaps with a little earth thrown in, but this is a blank face with little expression; I hope there is more to follow with more time. (15)

1986, Montrachet, Ramonet (Jero.) – [La Paulée] Lovely wine, deep and sweet aromas open the experience, richly laced with butterscotch and honey, there are also green herbs and a touch of smoke on the nose, with sweet wood and lots of perfumed and floral scents that conjure up white flowers; the same in the mouth; sweet and ripe, but with serious focus and grip; good acidity that is beautifully integrated into the body of the wine; power without crassness; definition without rigidity; long finish; superb. (20)

1982, Montrachet, DRC – [La Paulée, Bouley dinner] Huge nose, reeks of power and grip, lots of complex aromas here, starts with the more traditional sour cabbage, but then moves to a complex of roasted sweet fruits, honey, sweet herbs, ripe and round nose; the wine explodes in the mouth with a fireworks display of flavor; sweet fruit mixes crisp acidity; the flavors are lasersharp in the wine throughout; I’m not sure how one could squeeze more flavor out of a bottle of wine than what is presented here; long finish, tightly wound but flush at the same time. (19+)