WTN: You Knew it was Coming! ('90 Jadot HdB Corton)

Tonight, with a simple dinner of roasted chicken, potatoes and brussels sprouts, I opened a bottle of a recently acquired Burgundy about which I've recently inquired:

1990 Hospices de Beaune Corton 'Cuvée Docteur Peste' (Louis Jadot)
color: dark garnet at the center, going orange at the rim
nose: pencil lead, dark, ripe fruit, some heat
palate: rich, medium bodied, ripe fruit in the black cherry-red plum continuum, modest acidity, slight heat in the finish

In line with Hoke's prediction, this wine was an attractive but foursquare example of Burgundy. The alcohol level and ripeness of the fruit can be laid at the feet of the year, almost certainly, though to my taste this did not suffer from the "roasted" character that some have tarred '90 Burgundies with. Jean likened this wine to something halfway between a good California Pinot Noir and a more traditional Burgundy. Had I tasted this blind, would I have guessed Grand Cru Burgundy? Probably not, but it actually went fabulously well with the chicken and was a pleasure to drink. We'll not hold on to our remaining two bottles very long, but try them with duck and rabbit as the opportunity arises.

Mark Lipton

[David M. Bueker]

I've had other examples of Docteur Peste, & they showed a similar monolithic tendency. Perhaps it's the limitations of Corton, or at least that particular parcel. Allen Meadows has indicated (in a Grape Radio podcast) that he thinks Corton needs an exceptionally long time to show at its best. Of course he's also said he thinks the fruit and the tannins are not completely aligned in many 1990s.

I've had other examples of Docteur Peste, & they showed a similar monolithic tendency. Perhaps it's the limitations of Corton, or at least that particular parcel. Allen Meadows has indicated (in a Grape Radio podcast) that he thinks Corton needs an exceptionally long time to show at its best. Of course he's also said he thinks the fruit and the tannins are not completely aligned in many 1990s.

And therein lies the problem with this wine, David. I don't see this wine as something likely to improve with age. It's not short on fruit, but I can see it veering into pruniness with more time in bottle. As always, though, I could be dead wrong.

Mark Lipton

Am glad that it wasn't horrible, although obviously one might have hoped for more.

And hopefully future bottles won't turn pruney on you. Because this stuff is so hard to predict either way.

Guess I should also add that I've rarely been impressed with the HdB offerings. I would surmise that is due more to the initial winemaking than the elevage. Oddly enough, some of the "lesser" wines, particularly the whites, have been better on average than the reds.

Impressive labels, though.

Guess I should also add that I've rarely been impressed with the HdB offerings. I would surmise that is due more to the initial winemaking than the elevage. Oddly enough, some of the "lesser" wines, particularly the whites, have been better on average than the reds.

Impressive labels, though.

And a good cause. Though perhaps drinking the Mugneret Ruchottes-Chambertin that accompanied these wines in the lot (and drove the deal) and writing a check would accomplish the same thing with better outcomes.

Mark Lipton