Pressoir 1990’s Burgundy Dinner - Recap

Edouard Bourgeois
September 26, 2025

I'm excited to share a recap of the exceptional wines we had the pleasure of tasting last week at Gabriel Kreuther. The 1990s were a truly generous decade for Burgundy, offering wonderful vintages for both white and red wines. These vintages feel like they belong to a different era than our current one, where global warming and early harvests are the norm. Yet, tasting these 90's wines today proves that the best producers were able to maintain balance and acidity, even in what were considered "hot" years like 1990 and 1999.

We began the evening with a Bouchard Père et Fils Domaines du Château de Beaune Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 1991. Philippe Prost, the winemaker at the time, crafted an excellent 1991. Bouchard's valuable 4-hectare parcel in Corton-Charlemagne, located just below the wooded area of the famous Corton hill, yielded a youthful wine, thanks in part to the magnum format, which was a perfect start to the night.

The first course featured an incredible flight of Domaine Coche-Dury:

Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault Les Rougeots 1999

Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault Les Rougeots 1996

Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault 1er Cru Perrières 1990

When tasting Coche wines, their singular character always stands out. After researching and even meeting Jean-François Coche himself, I believe this singularity stems from an unparalleled dedication to their craft. It's said the Coches are the first in the vineyard in the morning and the last to leave. Their farming is more akin to gardening, with meticulous attention given to each vine and grape, alongside an exquisite selection of barrels, all part of a slow, "old school" process. This dedication is perfectly encapsulated by the French expression "le bon sens paysan." These three wines were particularly open and expressive. The Rougeots 1999 showcased the domaine's intense reductive signature, beautifully complemented by floral notes and flint. The 1996 Rougeots revealed more of that delightful "popcorn" character. The Perrières 1990, despite its age, was initially more restrained and almost austere, but after aeration, it truly blossomed into an explosive display.

For our second course, we enjoyed a selection from Domaine Michel Lafarge:

Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Château des Ducs 1999

Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes 1991

Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes 1990

Our relationship with the Lafarge family has granted us access to incredible library wines from their 13th-century cellar in Volnay. We are always impressed by the impeccable condition of these bottles, even when covered in a thick layer of mold. Unfortunately, the 1999 Clos du Château des Ducs was faulty, but the other two wines were singing. Clos des Chênes is located in the south of the Volnay appellation, and the Lafarge's tiny 0.9-hectare plot sits just above Caillerets (another climat where they farm a unique spiral-shaped vineyard). While 1990 red Burgundy can sometimes exhibit "hot" characteristics with cooked fruit aromas that aren't always appealing in Pinot Noir, this Clos des Chênes surprised us with remarkable brightness and lift.

The third course highlighted two esteemed négociant houses:

Louis Jadot Bonnes Mares Grand Cru 1990

Louis Jadot Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 1990

Joseph Drouhin Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru 1990

Louis Jadot, a renowned Beaune-based négociant house founded in 1859, cultivates 270 hectares across Burgundy's most prestigious vineyards. In the 1990s, the highly respected Jacques Lardière was in charge of winemaking. His artistic personality, paired with the generous vintages of that decade, perfectly aligned to produce flamboyant wines. Jadot's plot in the Grand Cru Bonnes Mares has a lower calcium content, often resulting in more robust wines. The Clos de Bèze was, regrettably, corked, but we successfully replaced it with a very good Louis Jadot Clos Vougeot 1993 from Kreuther's wine list. As for the Griotte-Chambertin by Drouhin, it did not disappoint. This famous Drouhin holding is tiny—only half a hectare out of Griotte's already small total area of 2.7 hectares—making it a collector's trophy that is hard to find but always rewarding (the 2000 vintage is exceptional!). Griotte-Chambertin is a Grand Cru among Grands Crus, literally surrounded by Chapelle-Chambertin, Charmes-Chambertin, Clos de Bèze, and the king, Chambertin itself.

Finally, we reached a "mic drop" moment with an incredible vertical of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti:

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux Grand Cru 1990

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg Grand Cru 1990

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche Grand Cru 1990

These wines were deliciously accessible, incredibly aromatic, yet refined. At DRC, It's always fascinating to experience the distinct character of each of these climats, offering a true Burgundy masterclass. The flight showcased the rather light Echezeaux, the more robust Richebourg, and the ethereal La Tâche. All three were sensational and in a perfect phase of their life. Similar to the Lafarge Clos des Chênes 1990, there was surprisingly no trace of that "hot vintage Pinot Noir" character whatsoever. Instead, the trio delivered rich and noble red fruit, along with more subtle violet and earthy notes, beautifully complemented by the distinctive vegetal undertones provided by whole cluster fermentation.