Last week, AWC Wine Academy hosted another delightful, fine wine tasting.

Expertly led by the inimitable and prolific Burgundy author, Mr. Robert Joseph, the tasting attracted some very serious white Burgundy lovers.

Burgundy is the wine region which remains closest to Robert’s heart and his knowledge of the wines, growers, vintages and terrroirs that featured in the tasting were nothing short of encyclopaedic.

No doubt this passion was helped by the fact that Robert lived in Burgundy for several years and knows many of the winemakers and estate owners personally. Throughout the evening, he was able to communicate his understanding and expertise in a way that truly brought the region and its wines to life.

Above: Fine wine tastings at AWC Wine Academy always start with a glass or two of Vintage Champagne. Wine Academy Assistant Alex Scheybeler (l) and Account Manager Lucy McMillan (r) prepare for the arrival of the evening's guests.

This passion also helped fuel some lively debate and precipitated plenty of pertinent, intelligent and quite wine savvy questions. However, no matter how detailed the question, Robert was able to answer with both wit and wisdom. No wonder he’s won so many awards or that Decanter Magazine once described him as ‘one the wine world’s 50 most influential wine people.’

Above: Perfectly chilled bottles, ready to be poured.

We tasted the wines in pairs and the first wine of the evening was the 2009 Chassasgne-Montrachet, Morgeot 1er Cru from Domaine JN Gagnard. Since 1989, the wines at this tiny domaine in Chassagne have been made by the highly talented Caroline Lestimé. It was an impressive start to the evening. As ever, the Morgeot was classy and elegant, yet maintained its depth and concentration – a true to vintage 2009 which will continue to age and improve. 91 Points.

Next was Jean-Marc Boillot’s 2008 Puligny-Montrachet. Whilst terroir certainly plays a part, Boillot is a master at producing complex wines even in the most demanding vintages. 2008 was an altogether different vintage from 2009 and this was reflected in the glass. This wine was more citrusy and tight than the 2009, with plenty of minerality and tons of crisp, fresh acidity. This particular Puligny comes from no fewer than nine parcels, all on the Chassagne side of the commune. It also includes some of the best lieux-dits, such as Rue Rousseau and Les Enseigneres. Out of the pair, most people in the room preferred the more accessible 2009, but Boillot’s 2008 also showed undeniably well. 90 Points.

The next pair of wines, from the same vintages as the first pair, was a clear step-up in quality. First was the 2009 Puligny-Montrachet, Les Champs-Gain 1er Cru from Camille Giroud. You may recall that that Camille Giroud was purchased by the famous American vintner Ann Colgin, of Napa’s Colgin Cellars, back in 2002. Though it is better known for its reds, this was silky, rich, creamy and sensuous – almost New World in style - with lots of ripe white peach and Bosc pear flavours. A real vin de plaisir. 93 Points.

Following the Camille Giroud came a more cerebral 2008 Chevalier-Montrachet, Grand Cru from one of Burgundy’s greatest negociants - Bouchard Père et Fils. Here, the Grand Cru terroir clearly showed through - complex notes of apples, greengage fruit, yellow plum, melon and nuts. This was also quite creamy, with a lot of butter, yet a nice savoury edge that was followed by very long finish. ‘Orchestral’ was Robert’s verdict. 94 Points.

While the Bouchard had been my favourite wine thus far, it was outgunned and outclassed by the sublime wine which followed it. This was Domaine Drouhin’s extraordinary 2005 Marquis de Laguiche Le Montrachet. It was simply breathtaking - complexity, power, eloquence and precision all rolled into one magical wine. Robert described it as being the quintessential ‘iron fist in a velvet glove.’ Without question, this wine is still in its infancy and will age (and improve) for decades. This had everything anyone could ever possibly ask for in a great Montrachet.

Above: Burgundy expert Robert Joseph leads the tasting.

What a pleasure and a privilege to drink such a wine! My tasting notes do not even come close to doing this wine justice - dry, fresh, rich and ripe with astonishing depth, weight and extract. On the palate, I picked up a bewildering range of flavours, including hazelnuts, minerals, white flowers, quince, pear and a savouriness reminiscent of rolled oats. The balance, complexity and length were almost beyond compare. To many this was, without a doubt, the wine of the night. 99 Points.

You would be forgiven for thinking that this would be a nearly impossible act to follow. However, the 2001 Chevalier-Montrachet from Château de Puligny did quite an admirable job – it actually performed extremely well. In part, this was due to the smokier, leaner style of the 2001 vintage and the fact that this wine was developing some superlative secondary aromas and flavours which added to its complexity. 93 Points.

The Château de Puligny’s sparring partner, the 1998 Le Montrachet from Etienne Sauzet also proved to be up to the task. It was beautifully mature and, perhaps not surprisingly, showed a gentle oxidative character which added a honeyed richness. Almond, hazelnut, mandarin orange, minerals and toast - another stunning wine from an excellent producer.  95 Points.

Among serious collectors of white Burgundy, it is inevitable that, at some point, a question about premature oxidation would be asked. The issue of ‘pre-ox’ showed up sometime around 1995 and haunted a number of wines and estates for several years. The question is why?

Robert took the question head on and suggested that it probably comes down to a number of factors. These included some suspect corks, varying levels of sulphur, riper wine styles and greater use of batonnage (stirring of the lees/sediment in barrel) during the process of élevage. Another theory is that the use of gentler presses may have excluded some of the natural phenolics which help keep oxidation at bay and protect the wines. In truth, it is unlikely we will ever know the conclusive answer. Fortunately, the issue is much less prevalent than it once was.

Above: Carefully considering the wines.

Eventually, we reached the last pair of wines. Both wines proved, without a shadow of a doubt, just how magnificently great white Burgundies can age if they are stored properly and given the chance. The first of the two was none other than the 1991 Le Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche from Drouhin – our second vintage of this wine during the evening. Naturally, the wine was showing its age, but it was doing so impeccably. By now, the colour on this wine had transitioned to a deep golden hue, yet it still had that wonderful acidity and honeyed richness which was also present in the younger vintage. These sublime flavours were married to savoury notes of spice, nuts and toast to create something utterly phenomenal.

‘This is what great white Burgundy is all about’, exclaimed Robert. I had to agree, as I found myself captivated by the wine’s sheer complexity, power and elegance. The finish was equally extraordinary. It was also fascinating to taste the 2005 and the 1991 side-by-side because you could see almost exactly where the younger wine is ultimately heading. 96 Points.

Last but not least, we alighted on the oldest Grand Cru of the night - the 1989 Bâtard-Montrachet from Bouchard Père et Fils. It was a fitting finale to this glorious evening. The wine was fully mature, with a complex, elevated nose, followed by a melee of flavours ranging from caramel and honey to nuts and spice box. Clive Coates once described this wine as ‘virile, powerful and [with] bags of life.’ I know exactly what he means. Even at 22 years of age, it is still going strong. 94 Points.

This was an incredibly impressive tasting. It was also a perfect example of how to conduct a Fine Wine Masterclass – with modesty, wit and humour. For instance, Robert candidly admitted, from the start, that it is simply impossible to know everything there is to know about Burgundy. ‘It’s just too complicated, which, of course, is part of its appeal. It’s one of many reasons why people keep coming back for more!’

Another reason is definitely the wines. As that is the case, I’m sure you’ll be interested to know that Robert is back at AWC Wine Academy on November 22nd to showcase eight, fantastic red Burgundies from some of the Cote d’Or’s top domaines. The evening is entitled – The Holy Grail of Red Burgundy. It should be quite the night and we very much hope you can join us.

We look forward to welcoming you into the building in the coming months, whether for the upcoming Red Burgundy tasting, for your own private tasting or for one of the other exciting events we have planned.

To join us for a tasting or to reserve the Wine Academy for yourself, please visit - http://www.awcwineacademy.com - or contact Deborah Ives on +44 (0) 20 3219 5560.

To purchase any of the wines which were covered in this particular tasting, please contact one of our staff wine experts.

After the rigours of the Vinexpo Trade Fair and the 2010 Bordeaux En Primeur campaign, it was a welcome contrast to travel to Burgundy recently with some VIP clients. In particular, these individuals wanted to visit and taste at the incomparable Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.

One of the great advantages of working with The Antique Wine Company is our ability to arrange this sort of exclusive visit. These special audiences are not simply ‘tasting trips’, but are instead personally guided pilgrimages to gain insight on (and pay homage to) the greatest wines on the planet.

Above: Driving through the vineyards on our way to DRC - Looking down on Morey-St-Denis

We were met on a shimmering, blazingly hot day in Vosne-Romanée by none other than Aubert de Villaine, owner, guardian and custodian of the mythic Domaine. In 2010, Aubert was named Decanter Magazine’s ‘Man of the Year’, making him the only Burgundian to have received this extraordinary accolade.

Aubert was the epitome of warmth and humility upon welcoming us. However, he also had a long-standing prior engagement which he had to attend to. So, after a few minutes of chatting, Aubert introduced us to his trusted cellar-master Bernard, who conducted our private tour and tasting.

Our journey at the estate started in the cuverie where Romanée-Conti’s ultra-traditional winemaking process begins amidst its many oak foudres (large fermenting vats). From there, we descended into the cool, vaulted cellar to taste DRC’s liquid treasures from the 2010 vintage.

We began with the brand new Corton, made at the Domaine for the very first time in 2009. This new wine – at least the 2010 version - is absolutely breathtaking. This is definitely a wine which will be worth following upon release.

The Corton was an apt aperitif to the rest of the Domaine’s magnificent Pinot Noir portfolio. Comprised entirely of Grand Crus, this unequalled portfolio helps maintain the estate’s peerless reputation year after year. First up in this fabulous 2010 sneak preview (to be released in 2013) was the Échézeaux. Already, the wine is deliciously fresh, sweet and drinkable - resonating with raspberries and strawberry fruit.

We then graduated to the Grands-Échézeaux which, despite residing adjacent to Échézeaux, seemed to be a bit drier and a touch more concentrated, with substantially more smoke, structure and minerality. The Romanée-St-Vivant seemed lighter still, but equally more ethereal, with less toasty oak and a finer tannic backbone. The raspberry fruit and violet high notes in this were sublime.

The Richebourg was a further rung up the ladder, with a rich, sweet and creamy nose. Exquisitely delineated, the red and black fruits, toast, minerals, polished tannins and gorgeous acidity help create the ideal package. Everything was properly in place and perfectly presented.

Where do you go from there? To the epic La Tâche of course! Barely a hop, skip and a jump away, it is situated just to the south of Romanée-Conti and the 2010 version is already a wonderful work in progress – rich, spicy, deep, structured, complex and full. For fans of this great vineyard it will not disappoint.

Ditto the pièce de résistance, Romanée-Conti itself. Almost impossible to describe and certainly impossible to fault, this is the sine qua non of Burgundian refinement and class. The wine is another masterpiece in the making; already it is sweet, mineral-laden, juicy, deft, multi-faceted, elegant and extraordinarily long.

As if this wasn’t enough, Bernard next took us to the cave where the 2009s lie in preparation for shipment next year. Given how good the rest of Burgundy was in 2009, one can barely imagine what awaits those who were lucky enough to secure an allocation of DRC in this annus mirabilis.

However, one more treat awaited us as Bernard temporarily disappeared and then reappeared - holding an anonymous bottle. Our task was simple - guess the vintage. This game invariably sends shivers down my spine, but equally it is all part of the fun of being a wine merchant.

To be fair, Bernard gave us a slight clue to help us with our guesses. He informed us that the vintage was the third in a trio of great millesimes. However, we were told, the press were suspicious of the possibility of such beneficence and wrongly panned the vintage.

Four guesses ranged between us, from 1983 to 2002, with my opinion modestly shooting for 1987. In fact, the wine turned out to be a 1991 Grands-Échézeaux.

After thanking Bernard for the tour and tasting, we emerged blinking into the soaring heat of the afternoon and immediately made our way to where these wines are born – in DRC’s spectacular vineyards. It is only after you physically see the ideal slope, soil and aspect of Romanée-Conti that you come to appreciate what a perfect terroir this ancient vineyard really is – and just how small it is as well, producing a mere 450 cases per vintage. No wonder it is so sought after and so incredibly valuable.

The following day we headed north to Champagne for two more days of unique tastings. Check back shortly for accounts of our visits to Krug, Dom Pérignon, Bollinger and others...