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| Burgundy 2001: A Year Overlooked |
Top 10 from 2001
Paul Wasserman
02/02/2004
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 The Blue Chip
Domaine Armand Rousseau, Chambertin, Clos de Beze
The two best vineyards of Rousseau are as blue-blood as they come: This is one of the few estates to be mentioned by name in the 1930s catalogs of Nicolas, the most respected French wine merchant of that era. The complexity of the Chambertin may win the hearts of some, but the structure and completeness of the Clos de Beze stole mine. A wonderful sap essence and intense mid-palate grip with firm but ripe tannins follows dark, refined, spicy aromatics and gorgeous fruit. The finish has great length. This is a classic wine from a classic estate that seems to perform even better in slightly quirky vintages, such 1991, 1993, 1995 and 1998.
The Refined
Domaine J.F. Mugnier, Musigny
Having a ripe and multifaceted nose with violets, a whiff of oak and a pungent freshness, this wine just falls in the mouth with a captivating completeness. Mugnier’s wines are never heavyweights, but rather wines of precision, detail and complexity. Backed by powerful yet thoroughly ripe tannins, the wine opens beautifully to reveal a very subtle, very long and very fine finish. The wines of Mugnier are built for the long haul; less than an ounce left overnight in an unrefrigerated bottle opened up beautifully and showed no oxidation, a great indication of the wine’s ability to age well. Mugnier’s Musigny is still priced at a little over half of De Vogue’s and at a fraction of Leroy’s and Roumier’s. This makes it currently one of the greatest bargains for what is surely one of the three best vineyards in all of Burgundy.
The No-Brainer
Domaine Comte de Vogue, Musigny
Despite stumbles in the 1970s and 1980s, this may be the most foolproof investment in Burgundy. The great vintages from the 1940s have been trading at auction for $1,500 to $3,000 a bottle. In cask, this looked to be one of the wines of the vintage. The aromatic complexity, the beauty and detail of the fruit is breathtaking. The signature acidity of the vintage highlights an irresistible, very lush, opulent texture. The refined yet authoritative tannic backbone of the vineyard supports the wealth of fruit present. This wine is less chiseled than the Mugnier, but certainly more lush, and both are textbook examples of Musigny. Bach and Beethoven come to mind.
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