Burgundy Tasting: Bize and Grivot

My great friend Cosme invited me to a wine tasting at his favourite restaurant, Le Club Chasse et Pêche. Now this is a restaurant I have been dying to try, and with a flight of Burgundies from Domaine Simon Bize and Domaine Jean Grivot...how could I resist?

First, I am taking nothing away from the wine tonight when I say the real star of the night was the chef - the wines were excellent tonight, even outstanding on occasion, but those words cannot describe the mouthwatering delicacies served up this evening...

Oops, I almost got all foodie on you - back to the wine.

Upon arrival we were served the 2004 Domaine Bize Bourgogne Chardonnay - a beautiful nose of asparagus and almonds, mushrooms and grassy lemon peel, light bodied but with vibrant and sparkling minerality - very nice for this appellation (Score: 16.5/20).

Two 2004 Domaine Bize whites were served with the appetizers, the Bourgogne "Les Champlains" and the Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru "Aux Vergelesses". The "Les Champlains" showed creamy brioche, mint and yeast...light, minerally with a dash of limes on the palate (16.5/20). The Premier Cru "Aux Vergelesses" was a tremendous offering - flinty, butter, creme caramel and delicate cedary notes, with a flavourful and stylish mouthfeel - soft, yet crisp and minerally, fleshy and opulent, yet bitter and fresh...a reminder that I really need to drink more white burgundy (17.5/20).

The next three flights featured red burgundy. With a "Risotto au Canard" and some Foie Gras we tasted the 2003 Bize Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru "Aux Vergelesses" and the 2002 Domaine Grivot Vosne-Romanée. The "Aux Vergelesses" was quite aromatic, with cola and raspberries, woodsy, flinty...the fruit, acid and oak came together quite well on the palate - complex, but a touch edgy today (17/20). The first Grivot of the night (four more to come) was perfumed with pretty cloves, stoney wild berries, coffee and anise - silky tannins, raspberry fruit and a deceptively long finish finish, more subtle, more beautiful (17.5/20).

The "Travers de Porc" was served with Grivot's 1997 and 2000 Clos Vougeot. The 1997 Grivot Clos Vougeot was cola and baked cookies on the nose, some meatiness and a hint of spice - big velvety tannins and a tremendous finish, very earthy and surprisingly young. (17.5/20). The nose of the 2000 Grivot Clos Vougeot was subdued, some toffee and nutty notes - a palate of silky raspberry fruit, a pleasing minerality and a long finish (17/20).

Succulent "Kobe Américain" with mashed potatoes "truffee" was served with a 2003 Grivot Vosne-Romanée "Les Chaumes" and a 2002 Grivot Nuits-St-Georges "Roncière". The "Les Chaumes" was the standout for me tonight - fuller, richer and more complex than the other wines, a nose of meat, caramel and coffee, pepper and dark berries. So elegant and incredibly balanced, with a very, very long, silky finish (18.5/20). The "Roncière" was also impressive - truffles and flowers, crisp raspberries, and a notable minerality. Very elegant. (18/20).

Of course, a tasting menu like this should end with dessert, which was paired with a Balinet Cerdon-Bugey "méthode ancestrale". Ok, everyone put their hand up if you have tasted a Cerdon-Bugey....thought so. A rather unusual sparkling beverage (some background here), it smelled of applesauce and cherries, a palate of soft, sweet and cidrey mousse - delicious.

Hats off to Le Club Chasse et Pêche for creating a tasting menu that would allow many a wine to shine, and congratulations to the organizers for the well-selected wine pairings.

(Note: the wines of Domaine Bize and Domaine Grivot are represented in Montreal by Liquid Art)