Other Regions in 2001
I haven’t focused in any detail on the Loire Valley in this report, simply because it is not a vintage that really features in my cellar. It was a year where the warm summer weather promised much, but it all seemed to slip away at the end. As a result there were good wines made, but none to write home about. Half of the wines tasted here were made by Claude Papin, all of which I bought when I visited him in 2003. These wines were certainly brimming with interest and quality, but then again that might be a producer-effect rather than a vintage-effect. The 2001 Quarts de Chaume from Domaine des Baumard, a wine I have long carried a flame for, was also quite special. As I tasted these I concluded that I would never be able to revisit the wines from Claude, although having said that on checking my stock I see I still have at least one bottle of each, as well as a small arsenal of the 2001 Clos de la Soucherie, so maybe I will come back to all these in another five years. As for Domaine des Baumard, I have a few more half bottles of the 2001 Quarts de Chaume tucked away, and there is no rush to drink at the moment, even in this format. The 2001 Huet Pétillant was charming but needs drinking up, while the 2001 Alphonse Mellot Génération XIX was also charming but by contrast doesn’t (desperately) need drinking up.
Otherwise I have just a few stragglers to report on, although they include a couple of very good bottles from Alsace. The 2001 Pinot Gris Heimbourg from Domaine Zind Humbrecht seemed to have passed its first flush of youth, although it was certainly not tired, being full of richly complex flavours. It was convincingly overshadowed by the 2001 Cuvée Frédéric Émile from Trimbach though, a wine of super spice and energy combined with texture and poise. And I am delighted to realise I have a small pile of these tucked away somewhere. The 2001 Domaine de Vauroux Chablis Montée de Tonnerre was delightful five to ten years ago, but it feels a little loose and stripped out now. It should have been drunk maybe five (or more) years ago. I have slipped in the 2001 Banyuls Cuvée Léon Parcé from Domaine de la Rectorie in at the end here too, a wine that seems to never disappoint.
The only way to conclude is with a word on Bordeaux. As I intimated at the very beginning of this report, although everyone realised straight away that this was a special vintage for Sauternes, for the red wines it remained under-rated and overlooked for many years. Rather than squeeze in a few tasting notes here, I will publish a report looking at some wines from the 2001 Bordeaux vintage, including more than a handful of those magnificent wines from Sauternes, in the New Year. (28/12/16)
