Sunday, December 21, 2008

A Taste of Jayer-Gilles

The wines of Jayer-Gilles command relatively high prices and garner good ratings considering the modest appellations these wines come from. But they are hard to come by as this is a small domaine with limited production, so I was lucky to score a few I guess...

The 2004 Jayer-Gilles Hautes Côtes de Nuits was cheesy and musty at first, pretty dark flowers, raspberries, truffles and mushrooms, cloves, and some smokey oak notes. Elegant, light and flavourful on the palate with a bitter finish. Classic red Burgundy and terribly interesting - a touch heavy on the oak, but otherwise perfect.
cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: C$47.75 (SAQ)

The 2005 Jayer-Gilles Côte de Nuits-Villages was slatey, minerally, and slightly perfumey on the nose: pretty floral and vanilla, cinnamon and tea, damp forest and wild berries. Very tight and very minerally on the palate, tangier and crisper than the '04 above and it held up better over the evening. Both ethereal and profoundly deep, with an impressive finish that tells me this will blossom over the next few years in the cellar.
cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 17.5+/20
Price: C$52.70 (SAQ)

An impressive pair of well-made wines from Burgundy's lesser appellations, and I have a few more of each for a future re-match.

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