Happy Happy. 1999-2002 Compte Armand Clos des Epeneaux Vertical

[TheEngineer]

Went to my local pusher tonight and they had a tasting vertical of the Compte Armand Pommard Clos des Epeneaux 1er Cru. Started off with a Pierre Moncuit Brut Crand Cru Blanc de Blanc. Very very nice. Clear, target, clean, and did not have any of the yeast taste at all. Very nice. But..to the real story.

The wines are made from vine ages up to 70 years old. The wines were tried over a 2 hour period (I went back after dinner...hehehe).

1999 - Showing very nice. Some aging in the color but very little, but mostly dark garnet. Nose of ripe fruit, some floralness, earthiness and spices. This wine is dense and flavor packed. Flavors go through in waves. Nice fruit on front, then moves to earthiness and spices but acidity and tannins were in good balance, leading to a long finish. Wine is medium bodied but flavors where just so dense. Some gaminess at midpalate to end. Evolved nicely over 3 hrs opened and flavors just got denser, until the end when it seemed to start to break down a bit.

2000 - Was worried a bit but you could sense the consistency of the maker. Definitely lighter on the nose and the palate but the same type of flavors, except the gaminess was not as strong. A more, elegant but less impact, and shorter finish, somewhat due to the higher acidity.

2001 - Very nice again. Excellent nose, similar to the 99, except that this one was more young. Ripe fruit and again the same density of flavors. Great finish. Tough to decide between the two.

2002 - Marked different than the rest. Very elegant nose. Fresh juice and loads of scents on the nose, almost floral again. Flavors are more young than any of the others and have a great intensity but you could feel more power behind it. Showing somewhat reserved right now. GReat structure and tannins (perhaps a bit short on the acidity so it may last the shortest of the four). Finish is long.

but that is not all.......


[This message has been edited by TheEngineer (edited 04-29-2005).]