SPECTATOR WINE CLUB
Last call for Christmas burgundy
Auberon Waugh
Two Christmases ago, when I last managed to put together a Berry Bros Christmas burgundy spectacular, I ended on a slightly elegaic note, saying I doubted if I could do another. Already, in Novem- ber 1985, it was obvious that burgundy prices — disturbing in 1983 — were set to become merely absurd for the 1985 vin- tage. I had not forgotten that the wondrous 1978 vintage was due to come on stream this year, but assumed we could never afford it — that those few wine merchants who still age their burgundies would bump up their prices until they bore some rela- tion to the monstrous figures being asked (and apparently paid) for the 1985s. This has not yet happened.
First, two good wines from the un- fashionable and generally rather bad year of 1977.Prosper Maufoux's Givry Clos de la Baraude (1) is making its second appear- ance, having gone up by less than £1 a bottle since its first appearance in the Christmas offer of 1985. At £7.10 it is surely the cheapest taste of old burgundy around. But it is a very spry oldster — masses of taste, good little touch of acid at the end. The farmyard smells I found there in 1985 are giving ground to a hint of curry powder. Those who are alarmed by the thought of Tandoori take-away in their wine can be reassured that this is a good, strong and above all clean burgundy. Last time I suggested that it was good enough to make anyone feel happy and rich and well-loved and keeping the modern world at bay. Nothing has changed except that the buyer will have to feel a little bit richer in the first place. But aren't we nearly all a little bit richer nowadays?
I am not quite sure why Prosper Maufoux's Chambolle-Musigny 1977(2) costs as much as £14.75, when the utterly resplendent Aloxe-Corton(4) and Gevrey- Chambertin(5), both of 1978, cost only £12.90. Perhaps it is something to do with being French-bottled. But this was easily the best of the 1977s I tasted, and is plainly at its peak, just beginning to show brown on the edges. It has a decent, deep, sweet smell and considerable bite, but it should be drunk this Christmas. Where the 1978s are concerned, there is the terrible agony about whether to drink them now or keep them just a little longer.
The vines of Les Fichots(3) are separated only by a small track from the grotesquely over-priced property of Corton Charle- magne. Messrs Doudet-Naudin have not allowed themselves to be impressed by this, producing a frankly bucolic red wine in the traditional full, earthy style of Doudet. The *1978 is a lovely example of this genre — beautiful deep red colour and a hint of the old cooked taste: it is ideal for the country cottage Christmas rather than the elegant London dinner party to which one has invited Lady Rachel Billington — who probably can't tell burgundy from Hirondelle, anyway.
Now for three wines to which I com- pletely lost my heart, although the third is so expensive that I may have to wait until Mr Lawson abolishes income tax before buying it. Perhaps the simplest thing would be to print my tasting notes: *1978 Aloxe-Corton, Les Boutieres(4) ex Doudet-Naudin £14.76 — offer price £12.90. Lovely dark colour. Excellent, warm, heavy, burned smell, but elegant with it. Thick, deep taste, Thick, thick, thick. I love it. Still on a rising curve.
THAT'S WHAT I CALL BURGUNDY.
*1978 Gevrey-Chambertin(5) (ex Doudet £14.95, offer price £12.90): Another good burned smell but less sweet/ warm. Another lovely dark colour. In mouth: excellently full with more bite. Lots of guts to this one. Touch of tannin in the finish. Will be even better with keep- ing.
1978 Clos de la Griotte-Chambertin (6) (Thomas Bassot £29 a bottle!!! Can't get it below £27 for offer): Good sewer nose. Slight sewers in mouth, too. SERIOUSLY good wine. Perfect balance, huge depth, huge concentration, can't fault it. Long life ahead — will improve for five, keep for 10 years? This IS AS GOOD AS BURGUNDY CAN BE.
Only twice before have I felt so strongly about a bottle of burgundy — once with the 1969 Nuits St Georges Roncieres from Avery, once with Doudet-Naudin's 1961 Baune Clos de Roi from Berry Bros, offered five and three years ago respective- ly. Unlike claret, there is no-limit to how good burgundy can be (those who prefer the new style would probably agree, pre- ferring some of the 1969s and 1978 from the Domaine Dujac). So far as I am concerned, this is it.
I could not include the Griotte in the mixed case, since it would have thrown the pricing out and discouraged the vast major- ity of punters who wanted to taste wines before committing themselves. The mixed case contains three bottles of each of the 1977 Givry (1) the 1979 Pernand Vergelesses(3) the 1978 Aloxe-Corton(4) and the 1978 Gevrey-Chambertin(5), on my reckoning that these are the wines most people will be interested in. My own final conclusion on (4) and (5) is that the Aloxe-Corton is better for drinking now, but the Gevrey will surpass it in 12 to 18 months. Please make up your minds quick- ly if you want delivery before Christmas.
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