The 2014 Burgundy vintage is famous for its white wines, which are considered among the best, if not the best, of this millennium so far. But what about the red ones? This is the question we wanted to answer on April 24, 2024. The event took place at the Chez Smith Restaurant in Zürich.
The vintage – The Style Overall
The style of 2014 red Burgundy leans toward freshness, with bright red fruit flavors and vibrant acidity. The wines tend to be lighter in body than warmer vintages, showing elegance and finesse rather than power and concentration. Upon release, Decanter Magazine noted: “The 2014 red Burgundies show charming fruit and refreshing acidity, ideal for early enjoyment or short to medium-term cellaring.” And Jasper Morris commented: “Despite initial challenges, 2014 has produced delightful red Burgundies with bright fruit tones and fine tannins, showcasing the best terroirs and skilled winemaking.” Compared to its peers, it is better than 2011, on par with 2013, which has even more acidity, slightly behind the more complete 2012, and of course behind 2015 and 2016, the leaders of this decade.
Suzuki fly
One of the issues of the 2014 vintage, vineyards encountered a major challenge due to an outbreak of the Drosophila Suzukii, or spotted wing drosophila, which targeted ripening grapes, especially Pinot Noir. The infestation was uneven across the region, with Côte de Beaune vineyards generally hit harder than those in Côte de Nuits, and lower altitude, more humid sites particularly susceptible. The fly laid eggs inside grapes, with larvae feeding on the juice and increasing the risk of rot and fungal infections. This led to higher acidity and green or vegetal flavors, especially in red wines. Despite efforts by vintners to mitigate the damage through selective harvesting and rigorous sorting, the impact on overall fruit quality was notable, with some producers able to achieve more balance than others due to strict vineyard management practices.
How Are They Drinking Today?
The above assessment was confirmed today, with one caveat. Right now, the 2014 red Burgundies are in a good place to drink. They offer a balance between youthful vibrancy and some development, making them enjoyable now for those who appreciate a more restrained and nuanced style. The only issue tonight were the tannins, which were dryer than expected. This stems from from insufficient ripeness. The Premier Crus drank well, the Grand Crus need more time, but for both there is a lingering concern that the fruit could fade faster than the tannins will soften. Perhaps it was the “root day” from the biodynamic Steiner calendar that was the culprit. Who knows, nevertheless it was great and educational evening among wine lovers.
THE TASTING
Whites
In good Burgundy tradition, we started and ended the evening with a few white wines. They were not tasted blind. The notes correspond to a snapshot on the tasting evening.
Albert Bichot, Chablis Grand Cru Moutonne Monopole 2014, 94 Points
Pale yellow. Expressive nose with flint, lime and a hint of grass. Racy palate but not thin. Much better mid mouth density than the Fevre Le Clos next to it.
William Fèvre, Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2014, 88 Points
Light yellow, green hue. True to the Fevre style, this one is light and grassy. Already in the nose more lime and herbs than lemon with vanilla. Too thin on the palate for my taste. Others liked it more than I did.
Christian Moreau, Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru Clos des Hospices 2014, 94 Points
Medium yellow. Expressive nose with ripe lemon and buttery elements. Rich and generous for a Chablis without being heavy. I like the freshness on the finish. More Meursault than Chablis in style though.
Vincent Girardin, Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes 2014, 96 Points
This was served at the end of the tasting. Medium yellow. Wonderful nose of popcorn, lemon curd, vanilla, and yellow stone fruit. Generous palate, Grand Cru volume with excellent freshness. A very complete white Burgundy and the best white wine today.
RED WINES
The red wines were served blind and tasted in flights of three bottles.
| Group Rank | Wine |
| 1. | Duroché Charmes Chambertin |
| 2. | Trapet Pere&Fils Chapelle Chambertin |
| 3. | Georges Noellat Grands Echezeaux |
| 4. | Trapet Pere&Fils Chambertin |
| 5. | Chateau de La Tour Clos Vougeot VV |
| 6. | Taupenot-Merme, Gevrey 1er Bel Air
Perrot Minot Chapelle Chambertin Clos de Lambrays |
| 9. | Hudelot Noellat Clos de Vougeot
Arlaud Clos St.Denis Sylvain Cathiard Vosne En Orveau Georges Noellat Nuits 1er Aux Cras |
| 13. | Georges Roumier Morey 1er Clos de la Bussière
Humbert Frères Charmes Chambertin Michel Noellat Echezeaux Ghislaine Barthod Chambolle 1er Les Véroilles |
Flight 1
Georges Noëllat, Grands Echézeaux Grand Cru 2014, 95 Points
Discreet nose with aromas of dark fruit mixed with black tea, mint and some flowers. Lots of power on the palate, feels young, still upside from here. Group Rank: 3/16.
Chateau de la Tour, Clos-Vougeot Grand Cru Vieilles Vignes 2014, 95 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Still quite closed but opens up considerably with swirling. Complex nose with animal elements, tea leaves, cured meats and some red fruits. Dense on the palate, but the tannins are of good quality. Masculine but not rustic. A top Clos Vougeot for this vintage. Group Rank: 5/16.
Hudelot-Noëllat, Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2014, 93 Points
Nose of red fruits with cinnamon, cloves and some dark berries. Lighter on the palate than the other two wines in this flight, but still not fully expressive in its aromas. Keep this in the cellar for a few more years. Group Rank: 9/16.
Flight 2
Arlaud, Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru 2014, 93 Points
Nose of cedar, sour cherry, and dried flowers. Quite attractive, but on the palate it is a bit austere, with bright acidity and a slightly drying finish. The tannin quality is not as good as the Clos de Lambrays in the next glass. Group Rank: 9/16.
Clos des Lambrays, Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru 2014, 95 Points
Expressive nose with cherry, cranberry, some dark fruit and menthol. Generous palate with a good fruit core, seductive, dense with a long finish. More modern but with a classic touch. Great showing. Group Rank: 6/16.
Sylvain Cathiard, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru En Orveaux 2014, 91 Points
Nose with earthy elements and nice blue fruits. Quite compressed on the palate, good material underneath, but not much pleasure at this stage. Group Rank: 9/16.
Flight 3
Trapet Père et Fils, Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru 2014, 95+ Points
Here we go, wonderful nose jumping out of the glass with red fruit and whole clusters, some leather and spice. Elegant palate, solid tannic spine. Impressive, can add a point from here with some more cellar time. Group Rank: 2/16.
Perrot Minot, Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru 2014, 93 Points
Much richer, riper and more extracted than the two Trapet next to it. Dark fruit mainly, with chocolate also pointing to new oak. Nice, balanced palate, but not very long, at least not today. Upside from here. Group Rank: 6/16.
Trapet Père et Fils, Chambertin Grand Cru 2014, 96 Points
Decanted for 1h. Similar aroma profile to the Chapelle, attractive whole cluster notes combined with red fruit. Feels more closed and slightly denser. Elegant palate, mineral finish. Still very young, with impressive material underneath, authoritative. Could surpass the Chapelle with a few more years in bottle. Group Rank 4/16.
Flight 4
Duroché, Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2014, 96+ Points
This wine benefited from 2 hours of aeration because the cork fell into the bottle and it had to be decanted. This was evident in the nose. It was very expressive in the red fruit spectrum, some even noted citrus elements mixed with the raspberry and Christmas spice notes. The palate was elegant, with polished tannins and a long, aromatic finish. Very complete. This was the WOTN. Group Rank: 1/16.
Michel Noëllat, Echézeaux Grand Cru 2014, 88 Points
Discreet nose of sour cherry, there are also notes of rum pot, quite ripe. On the palate the wine is quite acidic and sinewy. Not much pleasure here in today’s presentation. Group Rank: 13/16.
Georges Noëllat, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Cras 2014, 91 Points
Discreet nose as well, earthy elements with dark fruit and some licorice. Good mid-palate, tannins a bit rustic but in line with the NSG appellation typicity. Group Rank: 9/16
Flight 5
Taupenot-Merme, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Bel Air 2014, 95 Points
Oh wow. I really like the nose here. A kaleidoscope of Vosne spice, funky with cured meats, autumn leaves, very expressive and complex. The palate is elegant and fresh. Excellent showing. Group Rank: 6/16.
Georges Roumier Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Clos de la Bussière 2014, 93 Points
Discreet nose, needs some swirling to come alive. Complex aromas lurk underneath with black berries, lic-orice, farm funk and earthy elements. Still a bit tight on the palate, but not austere. I think this one can benefit from some more cellaring. Group Rank: 13/16.
Ghislaine Barthod, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Véroilles 2014, Flawed
Muted nose, red and dark fruits, also some unclean aromas. Compressed palate, tight and rustic. I think this is an off-bottle, hence no rating. Group Rank: 13/16.
Humbert Frères, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2014, 92 Points
Muted nose, needed some coaxing to come alive. Dark fruit and earthy elements dominate the aromas, but there are also floral notes. On the palate, the wine feels closed with tannins that need more time. I have had more accessible bottles of this in the past. Decant before drinking. Group Rank: 13/16.
Author: Christian Raubach WSET III, FWS, WSG Champagne Master
April 2024