WTN: An Echezeaux leaves my head spinning

1998 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Echezeaux Les Rouges du Bas
Phenomenal - this starts out with amazing aromatics that combine sappy red fruited flavours, rose petals, violets, earth, spices and leathery notes and then in the mouth it's all silken elegance, more red fruits, flowers and earthy flavours that just float over the tongue with bright acidity giving it lots of freshness and energy and an incredible persistence and length to the flavours. Amazing wine!

[David M. Bueker]

Meo makes some lovely wines. Too bad about the prices.

You need to be careful, as grad students should not develop Burgundy addictions.

...grad students should not develop Burgundy addictions.

Better sooner than later!

Also, does anyone have any more info on this particular piece of the vineyard?

I had never heard of it so I googled it and it appears to be at the top of Echezeaux. Clive Coates says that the bottem of the vineyard is the worst but doesn't specify further (although one assumes that the middle is the best). NBI, who were of course selling a Les Rouges du Bas, claim that it is the most prized section of the vineyard.

Either way, sounds like delicious stuff, and drinking well.

Map: http://www.mikefarwell.com/Burgundy-PDF ... ezeaux.pdf

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks Jeff!

You need to be careful, as grad students should not develop Burgundy addictions.

Too late.

Jeff - thanks for that map.

Rahsaan,
No real knowledge of Echezeaux geography. And "it's next to" is often more marketing than anything else. But I'll note on Jeff's map that GE (generally considered better than E) is at the bottom. And LRdB is bordering a lot of 1er vineyards. But Meo usually does a good job with this wine (Gilman says 50+ year old vines), and I think lots of '98s are really beginning to age well. Poor Salil is sunk, he's an addict!

But I'll note on Jeff's map that GE (generally considered better than E) is at the bottom.

Is it? It's hard to tell exactly how the slopes run on that map.

Poor Salil is sunk, he's an addict!

Not to mention he seems to have a particular fancy for upper-level Austrians as well. Good taste and all!

Is it? It's hard to tell exactly how the slopes run on that map.

I'm assuming the blue line are contour lines, and that RN74 runs at the bottom (as my memory of the area believes is typical)

[David M. Bueker]

And of course "the bottom" is only truly exacerbated if the area does not drain well.

to be clear, I just meant GE is the bottom of the GC area, the lowest/flatter part of the slope is village wines on the map

My French still needs a lot work, but dessus would indicate that it is the upper section (and better if you believe Jayer-Gilles). Better to judge by what is in the bottle. I'm glad yours showed so well Salil. I have held off on my '98s for the most part (including the J-G Echezeaux du Dessus), perhaps it is time to dive in.

Meo-Camuzet is a top producer and has an excellently placed parcel in Echuzeaux. Alas, the price reflects the quality of the wine. I haven't been able to afford the recent offerings, but it's good to hear that the estate is still in top form. Thanks for the tasting note, which mirrors my experience with past vintages.

-Paul W.

Meo makes some lovely wines. Too bad about the prices.

and the oak

About what Dale and Dan said... Here is a snippet from my wine diary (Alain Burguet was tasting a friend and me through his cellar):

While we tasted 2007 Vosne-Romanee “Les Rouges du Dessus”, Alain says this parcel has a funny name and even after living here for 40 years he finally had to ask someone what it meant. Apparently, it is the lower slope of a vineyard in Echezeaux called “Les Rouges du Bas”.

[David M. Bueker]

I've had some older Meo Camuzet bottlings, and the oak integrates very nicely. It is somewhat overbearing in the early days though.