Masterclass « Génie du vin » Grand Tasting Bettane+Desseauve
Paris Carrousel du Louvre Décembre 2019

7 vintages from different French and one Italian estates commented by the managers of each vineyard and the organizers Bettane and Desseauve.
Presented by: Frédéric Panaïotis (Champagne Ruinart), Alphonse Mellot (Maison Mellot), Benoît Landanger et Mei Zhuo (Domaine de la Pousse d’Or), Jérémy Seysses (Domaine Dujac), Enzo Vizzari (Giuseppe Rinaldi), Philippe Guigal (E. Guigal), Axel Marchal (Château Batailley) et Philippe Baly (Château Coutet)

The 8 Crus tasted :
Champagne, Dom Ruinart blanc de blancs 2002
Sancerre, Domaine Alphonse Mellot, cuvée Edmond 2002 (white)
Volnay 1er cru Clos des 60 Ouvrées Monopole, Domaine de La Pousse d’Or 2002 (red)
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, Domaine Dujac 2009 (red)
Barolo (Italie), Giuseppe Rinaldi, Brunate Le Coste 2009 (red)
Côte-Rôtie, E. Guigal, La Mouline 2009 (red)
Pauillac, Château Batailley 1961 (red)
Barsac, Château Coutet, cuvée Madame 2009 (liquorous white)

I chose the 3 Red Crus that inspired me the most for Wine4Melomanes:

Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, Domaine Dujac 2009 in Burgundy

This wall of vineyards of controlled appellation of less than 2 hectares cultivated in biodynamic set sadr, reveals an exceptional and rare pinot noir.
It is located south of the Gevrey-Chambertin appellation, on the Morey-Saint-Denis climate in the Côte de Nuits in Côte-d’Or.
The very fresh olfaction overlooks the whole equation of fragrances in 2nd nose: blackcurrant, redcurrant, raspberry, black pepper, smoky notes, fireplace topped in the chalice.
The mouth is mineral, silky, balanced on its gustatory tension.
An energetic wine, still in its youth, sunny, is drawn in length on the spice of nutmeg.

Wine4Melomanes offers this composition in pairing:

Vijay Iyer – Historicity- 2009

The pianistic complexity of the maestro accompanied by trio strips a timeless jazz of great purity, it echoes the precision of the olfactory and tasteful beauty of the pinot noir of the same vintage.

Barolo (Italie), Giuseppe Rinaldi, Brunate Le Coste 2009

This great vintage of Piedmont (vignoble of the enclosure: 1ha approx.) with the supreme grape nebbiolo, asserts a lush palette complex, floral (pink, violet), fruity (cherry, prune), spicy and empyreumatic (houmous, liquorice, Russian leather, hydrocarbon).
The tasting is intense, sublimating a freshness of great elegance.

Wine4Melomanes offers this composition in pairing:

Mario Biondi and the High Five Quintet – This is what you are – 2009

The low voice of the Italian jazz crooner coupled with the dense orchestration of scathing or « trombonated » brass, « piano piano » notes, a swinged bossa rhythm of timed percussion, merge in the rich aromatic bouquet and sensuality of the divine nectar.

Côte-Rôtie, E. Guigal, La Mouline 2009

This mirific cuvée from the Rhone Valley, comes from very old vines of syrah and viognier (11%) limestone, raised for 40 months in new oak barrels.
The waxed nose, very fresh, develops a complex Burgundian olfactory spiral, which twirls around salted butter, crushed green olive, hot ash and bacon.
The equally perennial tasting of freshness, magnifies the youth and clarity of this elixir.
It is racy, shows tenacity in length of mouth and presents an exceptional harmony.

Wine4Melomanes offers this composition in pairing:

Robert Glasper « Butterfly » 2009

The cover of the great maestro Herbie Hancock by the talented young pianist signed on Blue Note, corresponds by the extreme finesse of his arrangements, to this fabulous complexity obtained in this rare Cru of vibrant vivacity!