TN Chambertin Clos de Beze 1972

This 1972 Chambertin Clos de Beze is from D. Robert Groffier and was properly stored. Many of the reds from Burgundy in 1972 were rather green, harsh, and acid in youth. In years such as 1972 and 1957 such wines are too harsh for early drinking with pleasure, and many never come around. Some last a long time, but develop a somewhat paint-like bouquet. However a few become decent, but not great, drinking if kept long enough.

This wine is still medium scarlet with some age showing around the rim. It has now smoothed enough to be decent drinking, although the acid is on the high side making the wine better with food than alone. It has a decent bouquet of dark fruit with some beet and slightly earthy character. I did not notice any off paint-like character, but there is a bit more vegetable character than I like. It is now a quite decent wine for drinking with food.

I would not encourage anyone to take the chance of keeping Burgundy from green years in the hopes that it will come around, because most such wines will not reward the long wait. However if you come across such an older wine at a low price, it may be worth a try if you can taste a sample before buying it.

Reply to
Cwdjrx _
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That seems odd to me. The 1971s and 1972s (Burgundy) were on the shelves when I started taking a serious interest in wine appreciation, and I couldn't get enough of them! I've been seeking that character in every bottle of Burgundy ever since, and I'm usually disappointed. _Occasionally_ I find it in a good California or Oregon Pinot Noir. To me, that's what defines the best in Burgundy.

Please define "green years"? Any specific recent vintages pop out at you? TIA.

Tom S

Reply to
Tom S

To me a green year means somewhat unripe on the average. I have avoided most such recent years, but from what I have read a more recent year might be, for red Burgundy, 1984. The decade of the 90's had some problems, but greeness or unripeness did not seem to be a problem for most years. Of course it is never this simple. Grapes can be fully ripe at one end of Burgundy and somewhat unripe at the other.

I have had many examples of red Burgundy from both 1971 and 1972. Some of the 71s were outstanding, and some did not last very well. I believe hail and rot produced problems with some of the 71's in many areas. If the grower discarded hail-damaged grapes and those with rot, a good to outstanding wine might result while a neighbor who was much less selective might produce a wine with a slight taint of rot that turned brown fairly early. At their best, the 71s were and remain better balanced than the 72s, many of which were very unripe and harsh. Some of the 71s, including some of the DRCs, were quite light in color early on which caused some to question their ability to last. However many of these wines deepened in color and lasted quite well. Of more recent red Burgundy, I only bought 1978, 1985, a few 1986, 1988, a few 1989, and

1990.
Reply to
Cwdjrx _

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