WTN: I don't like French wine from 2003

Except this one. 2003 Dom. Chevalier Ladoix. As in Burgundy. It has an earthy smell that my neighbor insisted is Italian (he got some road tar), which I can sort of agree with, but it's distinctively Burgundian to me. Of course, I knew what the label says, so I had an advantage there. Elie at his eponymous wine shop in Royal Oak sold this to me when I asked him to recommend an undervalued Burgundy for current drinking. Hmmm, 2003 says I, worried. He says try it. Well, this is maybe the first French wine from 2003 that I unreservedly enjoy. Vigorous bouquet, round in the mouth, good finish, harmonious wine. $50 price tag, but I think Elie sold it to me for $40. I'm glad I bought it, and glad we drank it.

The "hot year" of 2003 was certainly devastating. We did enjoy a couple of normally reserved Maconnais that "bloomed" into something special.

"I don't like French wine from 2003."

Talk about sweeping generalizations...

"I don't like French wine from 2003."

Talk about sweeping generalizations...

Did you read the note?

we should start a club - all my friends would be members. we could spend a few minutes discussing the 'exceptions'.

I could probably talk about exceptions for more than a few minutes.
It's hard to think of French wines in general, the regions are so disparate.I wouldn't call myself a 2003 fan- I own less 2003 French than any vintage since 1994. It's true that 2003 is probably my least favorite recent vintage in Burgundy (including Beaujolais), but certainly there were some overperformers, especially from marginal terroirs that often have ripening issues (like Ladoix!). In general it's not a Bordeaux vintage I liked, but I really loved a few Northern Medocs like Leo-Barton and Montrose. OK, so at least I can say in the Loire it's my least recent favorite vintage. Well, for whites yes, but there were definitely some good reds. And Rhone is certainly mixed, but some there did ok (more experience with heat). I can say I've disliked all the Alsace '03s I've tried, but that is a total of 2.

Certainly I share the wariness re '03 (for lots of Europe, not just France), but with careful tasting there can be some real finds (like Steve's). That said, Steve trusts the merchant a lot spending $40 for an unknown Ladoix! Thanks for notes.

Puffeney across the board and Ganevat's Savagnin ouillé come immediately to mind. I think Rimbert did well in the southwest and bet Bandol was good, too.

2003 Sauternes is fabulous stuff (although I do prefer the 2001's). What 2003 Bordeaux I've had was quite nice, but I can see how some wouldn't care for their warm, ripe style (definitely prefer the 2000's). Don't know about burgs, but might be trying one next month.

Outside of France, I will say that you can pretty much indentify a 2003 Chianti blind. They have a very distict fleshiness to them. The one 2003 Vintage Port I've tasted was outstanding.

I had a mighty fine 2003 Voge Cornas Vielles Fontaines recently. The other (evil) side of the 2003 coin was tasted right alongside it (a LeSec Cornas), so it is certainly difficult to make a generalization there.

I actually skipped the entire 2003 vintage from nearly everywhere in the world. I don't really remember doing this before, at least not for reasons related to vintage characteristics.

I blind-tasted a bottle of the 2003 Voge V-F Cornas on release, and I didn't even recognize it as being Cornas or Northern Rhone at all. It had a fatness and a hyper-roasted flavor that I liked as a chunky country wine, and I guessed it to be a $25 ready-to-drink Languedoc VdP or perhaps even a older style Valpollicella. But I didn't buy it at $72.00 .

I didn't like many 2003 Cote Roties or Cornas much at all frankly, though M. Graillot in Crozes-Hermitage seemed to managed better than many, from what I tasted.

Michael - Did you pick up any bottles of the Voge ? Are you drinking - or aging them ? I wonder what will happen to those bottles over time, I just have never seen them built like that before.

Since we're doing 03 confessionals. I was initially very skeptical of the vintage and didn't want to buy any of the wines.

However, I liked many of the Loire red wines and many German rieslings as well. Not everything was freaky and roasted. I haven't stocked up on either of those regions from 03, but then again I haven't stocked up on much. Yet!

"I don't like French wine from 2003."

Talk about sweeping generalizations...

Did you read the note?

Clearly not, as Steve is evidently speaking with regard to wines he has tasted...

I've been enjoying 03 Weinbach Riesling the past couple nights.

I am still liking some of the Chereau-Carre Muskys.

"I don't like French wine from 2003."

Talk about sweeping generalizations...

Did you read the note?

Clearly not, as Steve is evidently speaking with regard to wines he has tasted...

Naturally I read the note, guys. I am known as a roughly literate person.

If you think that the expression "I don't like French wine from 2003" is not a sweeping generalization, feel free...

I chose that Subject line as a bit of intentional hyperbole. Broadly speaking, the 2003 vintage did not produce my preferred style of wines in much of France. But of course there is so much wine produced in France from so many different regions, with an almost infinite variety of climates and microclimates, I'm sure a portfolio could be assembled that would delight me. Furthermore, I acknowledge that the wine in question was in fact wonderful. But very broadly speaking, 2003 was not my kind of vintage in much of France.

I didn't think I was going to like the vintage, because I tend toward "traditional" Bordeaux in my preference, but there are a number of 2003 Bordeaux Region wines that I really like. I especially like many of the Cotes de Blaye properties. They are remarkably complex and funky at the same time. I think the 2003 Lynch Moussas is great.

I blind-tasted a bottle of the 2003 Voge V-F Cornas on release, and I didn't even recognize it as being Cornas or Northern Rhone at all. It had a fatness and a hyper-roasted flavor that I liked as a chunky country wine, and I guessed it to be a $25 ready-to-drink Languedoc VdP or perhaps even a older style Valpollicella. But I didn't buy it at $72.00.

Michael - Did you pick up any bottles of the Voge ? Are you drinking - or aging them ? I wonder what will happen to those bottles over time, I just have never seen them built like that before.

Jeff, the 2003 Voge is certainly showing some mild influences of the vintage, but in the opinion of the 7 people I drank it with, it was interesting and showing beautifully. Collectively, we liked it just a bit better for current drinking than the '99 Voge VV, and both showed better than a 1990 Clape.

I've re-posted the notes below from a month or two back for your convenience:

1990 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas. The Clape Cornas opens up a bit subdued, smelling of seared meat, cool bacon fat, smoke, brown spices, candle wax and lavender soap that taken together are interesting intellectually but perhaps a bit muted aromatically. Coming back to this a few hours later, though, the nose has really begun to expand, freshen and liven up—suggesting that this really would benefit from a few hours in the decanter. It begins its journey across the palate by at first feeling meaty-textured and a touch on the densely chewy side, though one can sense the partial resolution of the tannins taking place. However, it begins to feel more elegant than particularly deep the longer one ponders its progression. It has fine cohesion, engaging red fruit flavors, and a very nice and clean finish. All in all, it might be in a kind of in-between phase right now, but is still a really interesting and enjoyable treat.

1999 Alain Voge Cornas Vieilles Vignes. This is a bit murkier in appearance than most of the wines tonight. On the nose, it is a bit on the wild fruit side—featuring aromas of mixed wild berries, stemmy elements, bark, spiced cherries, dry aged leather and spice cake. In the mouth, this exhibits lovely freshness and acidic precision to go along with cherry and red currant fruit flavors that are otherwise fleshy, soft and giving. It is not a huge or especially deep wine, but rather one with fine balance, solid drive and a fresh, tasty personality--all done in well-measured moderation. Sneaky tannins do eventually come in and begin to coat the tongue, so it may be best to hold off a short while, as this has good stuffing for further development. Still, it offers outstanding drinking right now.

2003 Alain Voge Cornas Vieilles Fontaines. This wine is another winner from Alain Voge. It offers up an explosive bouquet of black licorice, soupy blueberries, black Necco wafer, rubber, dark mocha, parma ham and all kinds of exotic spices. It is luxuriant and incredibly generous in the mouth, gushing with beautiful red fruit and spices but also exhibiting solid structure and fine-honed acidity. The fruit hovers on being a bit sweet at times, but generally plays it clean, eventually finishing drier, with great length and class. The tannins are in abundance, but are soft and in harmony with the wine’s personality—this should offer fine drinking for a while, but it would be interesting to stash some away for 10+ years.

2003 Patrick Lesec (Michel Perraud) Cornas Le Vignon. In contrast to its flight-mate, this ’03 Cornas is rather brooding, black and dense on the nose, only giving glimpses into its nature. Some aromas of vulcanized rubber, fennel, bark, gravelly earth and grape stems peak out from time to time. With a good amount of time and air, it begins to soften a bit, but remains decidedly aloof. It has a really austere edge in the mouth, with dark fudge brownie tannins and somewhat jangled acidity. It is a bit awkward and unfriendly, really. There are some chocolate and coffee ground flavors, but they are overwhelmed by the teeth-staining and palate-coating tannins that feel a bit ferocious right now. It finishes with just a feeling of blackness. This puppy needs many years, and I am not really sure what it will be like when it eventually gets there.

P.S. I do own 2 of the '03 VV and 1 of the '03 VF. The price on the VF at the outlet where I bought it mysteriously doubled over the past few weeks, so I won't be buying any more. I'll not age a real long time, but I will give them up to 10 years.

-Michael

Michael,

Many thanks for your TNs. Your comments describe either a entirely different wine - or a really different personal take on the same wine, and I'm not exactly sure which. Actually, I take that back. You and your tasting group liked 'em like this, and you are willing to pay a Cornas price tag for this style. I am not so inclined.

The Voge '03 V-F wine I tasted was certainly interesting but was not complex in any dimenson. I don't take notes any more, but my recall is very clear. Young Cornas rarely hovers on being "of soupy blueberries" or "a bit sweet". The Voge example that I tasted had crashed landed on the fruit bomb helipad - there was no hovering involved at all to my taste. The coffee element you noted is usually an indicator to me of heavy-handed oak treatment, relative to a wine's structure; again this a not a hallmark of any great Cornas I've seen since 1981. But I will also say that I am not shocked when M. Voge oaks his wine much more heavily than most of his neighbors.

So I'm glad you liked it, and I am sorry that prices for it now are so high. And I really liked your Necco wafer comment too. But that was one freaky Cornas to me, and I leave it to lovers of the style. May you enjoy every one you have.

BTW, the 1990 Clape Cornas was never particularly focused for my taste either. I drank through mine several years ago. The weather in Cornas in 1990 was so hot, a lot of vines simply shut down. I understand from two friends who visited Messrs. A. Clape and N. Verset together in 1994 that the grapes in 1990 felt less like fruit than like little balls of leather. Hey, maybe it's a milder version of 2003 !

Cheers.