Bonneau du Martray Corton Charlemagne 2006 (Burgundy, France)
$270 (retail 750ml), Cork, 13.5%
Bonneau – when you get a good bottle, it really is one of the finest white wines in the world.
And this was a very good bottle indeed (in magnum, as modeled the lovely Reese).
Some of the 2006 white Burgundies can be a little forward and ripe, and this is certainly set reasonably chunky and full (for Bonneau that is). Backing that up though is chalky, firm, classic acidity, with noble, ‘this is how Chardonnay should taste’ length.
On the subject of length, this is one of those wines were you finish a mouthful and remark – often to no one in particular – ‘wow, this is really good stuff’. Which is lucky as this is hardly a cheap bottle of wine…
It all kicks off with quite a whack of toasty, smoky vanillan oak actually, much like the 07 does, though the extra fruit roundness makes for a more convincing experience with this 06. Behind the oak it’s actually reasonably neutral, chalky and dry, the fruit wavering between white peach and grapefruit, all backed and driven by that excellent acidity.
It’s ultimately a lovely wine of real drive and concentration. A proper first class experience. 18.8/95
Primo Estate Moda Cabernet Merlot 2001 (Adelaide Plains, SA)
$50 (750ml), Cork, 14.5%?
Following the Bonneau was another magnum of love, this time a rather classical Aussie red nearing it’s first decade of life (modeled again here by Reese who busted out a bigger smile after some cajoling).
Again this was a good bottle, but after the Bonneau it just looked hard, ripe and overly warm. It comes from a rather middling vintage though and this was still sourced from the old Virginia plantings that Primo began with (which probably didn’t help).
From the outset it’s very much a South Australian wine this, with a nose that shows stewed plums, fig and dark berry fruit moving in a cedary direction thanks to the bottle age.
The challenge with this one though was the palate which was too rough, gritty and blocky, the fruit big, rich and carrying that caramelised Amarone edge without the sweetness to match. The tannins too are firm and jagged, the whole package lacking polish and cohesion.
Whilst I didn’t strictly enjoy this, I don’t actually think it’s a bad wine. Rather, it shows lots of rich fruit and intensity, with the main distraction simply that it’s just a bit roughly hewn and heavy for (my) real drinking enjoyment (though I’m not a massive Amarone fan in that vein either).
Fair to good. 16.8/89
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3 Comments
You look much prettier in these photos than you do in your bio pic.
MichaelC
This is my plan Michael – forget the bottle shots, from now on I'll just get ladies draped over cars with a bottle in hand ala Hot 4s and Rotaries.
That sounds like a splendid plan.
MichaelC