Caroline Bellavoine 2018 Bourgogne tasting note

Drinks Chat Fine Wine
#1

This wine has featured on the Community pages several times in different threads. I was asked (flatteringly) to produce a WSET style tasting note. So here it is with some additional comments:

Appearance: Pale Ruby

Nose: Medium+ intensity of raspberry, cherry, strawberry, red cherry, redcurrants, some spice and violets.

Palate: the wine is dry, high acidity, medium body, medium alcohol, tannins are medium+ astringent, although quite fine, with a bitterness that is unpleasant after about half an hour of the bottle being open
medium intensity flavours of raspberry, redcurrants, and sour cherry.
The finish is medium -

Quality assessment:
The balance is upset by a bitterness on the palate, grippy astringent tannins which after a while mask the fruit which, to be fair, is ripe and has a reasonable level of concentration. The fruit flavours are generic, but show no potential to develop tertiary flavours. There are no secondary flavours,
With a medium- finish, there is no complexity or real intensity (save that on the nose it has good medium+ intensity which fails to deliver on the palate). The wine is acceptable but no more.

Suitability for further ageing:
The inherent short finish, lack of intensity and bitterness suggest that this wine will not develop in the bottle and is not suitable for further ageing.

Further comments: when I first opened the bottle and tried the wine my notes were more complimentary but as time went on this bitterness/unripeness started to show through. I have tasted many far superior Bourgogne rouges, notably Gachot-Monnot, Hudelot-Noellat and Ghislaine Barthod, also Galeyrand.
In my experience Burgundy recently bottled often shows very well (at all levels) but this one is at the moment raw and unpleasant. I am not giving it the benefit of the doubt.

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Mid Week Drinking Thread - 7th to 10th March
#2

Many thanks for this but oh dear. Maybe just an unlucky bottle? I am sure a few of us have bought this (my 3 arrive next week) so hopefully more reviews will be forthcoming.

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#3

Thank you, great review and glad that it’s not just me. I am also wondering whether there is a dodgy batch, as I have opened two bottles today and both seem similar to your experience. There was an earlier review, which was favourable, so the dodgy batch scenario seems very possible. Will give it a few more hours and will post if there is any improvement.

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#4

Wow, great in depth tasting notes, thanks for putting them together.

Sorry you didn’t like it more, wondering if the bottle needed a few days rest on arrival and / or the serving temperature was too cold.

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#5

blimey

not good. Wondering whether to cancel my six now

my only caveat; the few comparison wines you mention - on a quick check - are all roughly double the price. As the tasting notes say

sophisticated velvety palate for a Burgundy of this price level

Would this be true? Or is it just a non-starter full stop?

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#6

I couldn’t possibly comment :wink:

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#7

why not???

#8

Inside knowledge of how the Diploma is marked…

#9

I understand how diploma is marked, the point is do you agree with my analysis? I have been harsh!

#10

I will address the above points:
Temperature was cool but not below standard room temp

Yes bottles arrived today but I have tasted other bottles on day of arrival and there have been no issues.

I accept that some of my comparisons are more expensive and are in Cote de Nuits but for Gachot Monnot and H-N not huge difference in price. At the end of the day she has to compete with the best.

It was not a faulty bottle, no hint of the usual faults.

I am conscious that there are Wine Society members who are tough on Burgundy and as much as I have a personal love of it I must try and be objective.

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#11

You won’t listing to Wagner Tristan and Isolde at the time per change, this wine is much more Taylor Smith - Evermore.

#12

JC21
no haven’t been listening to Tristan. Who is Taylor Smith?

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#13

Thanks for the tasting note, next time I try the wine I’ll read it thought again.

#14

Interesting notes - impossible to disagree with, except when it comes down to personal taste. The bitterness you noted, I really liked… something chargrilled maybe…you get it with Morgon Beaujolais which I also enjoy. The wine has character.

I have a couple of spare bottles & (before reading your notes) have set them aside for 6 months to a year which will be about right. I agree the wine is acceptable but no more - which is all one can ask for at the price, and indeed I’m very happy with the wine, I’m thinking sometime this summer with Barbecued lamb,
pitta breads & humous.

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#15

Oh dear does not read well😢

#16

Thanks for your constructive and detailed response.
I am interested in the bitternes point.
I felt the bitterness was sour and green (although I did not specify that in my note). Bitterness can contribute in some instances but not always others.
For Burgundy the culmination is balance of rich silk, acidity and fruit but not anything bitter. Bitterness is out of place in Burgundy but not in other reds but I am interested in heating the views of other members

#17

Just had a bottle.

Loved it. Slight charcoal note. Mainly open, sweet fruit and brimming with confidence. Taffeta. Funfair. Apple bobbing. Super wine, will come back for more.

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#18

Sounds like this is a Cuvee Marmite © :joy:

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#19

This is why I buy so little red Burgundy. I do have a couple of bottles of this coming next week, hoping for a better experience.

#20

I love this. Wine is great isn’t it? We all taste and experience things differently. Really looking forward to trying a bottle.

I’m letting mine settle for a week after transit though.

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