Koffmans with some Rousseau's

Yesterday's lunch at Koffmans was a cracker, meeting up with a customer who has become a friend to drink some good bottles. Burgundy is his thing (and one of mine too). So after an opener in the form of a lovely bottle of Pavillon Blanc de Chateau Margaux 2007. I always forget it is as classy as it is and also that it is 100% Sauvignon, although the very high quality oak does just enough to stop the Sauvignon being too Sauvignon if that makes any sense. It showed well and mellowed through the meal, the last half glass at the end really revealed it's breeding. White Bordeaux is a bit of a niche but I can seriously see why it is loved by a few. Anyway enough about white Bordeaux this was a meal - the backbone of which was a great Cote de Boeuf for two - about Rousseau and the Chambertin in particular. We had the 1989 and the 1993 alongside each other and it was an fascinating couple of hours. The DNA was clear to see through the two wines, a richness and a masculine weight but also a lovely balance. Neither were decanted, I'm not a fan of decanting Pinot, I'd rather watch it evolve in the glass. The 1989 was lovely straight out the bottle, a little developed but with no tertiary decay as yet, very balanced, very Chambertin and a bottle of fine wine but not one you necessarily had to think too hard about. Optimum drinking now I would say. The 1993 was serious, more dense initially with layers of depth over the time we drank the bottle it ebbed and flowed and really opened out. From a retiring masculine richness (almost Richebourgesque) to a more feminine fine red fruited finish. This was 5 star Burgundy. In terms of drinking, if I had just one bottle (I don't but this is the best way to think of things) I would leave it another 5 years. A wonderful afternoon...what wine is all about!