Patrick Bize - 2005 Red Burgundies
10/20/2008 -
To borrow some commonly used rhetoric these days, the 2005 wines from Patrick Bize are game-changing wines. Burg-heads and wine geeks agree that Bize has always been the top guy in Savigny; for our palates Bize has true soul and unique character. He has some of the choicest 1er Cru's in the village including Aux Vergelesses, Les Fourneaux and Les Serpentieres. Bize also has a wonderful array of liex-dits - named vineyards that do not quite have 1er Cru status. Today we're featuring Les Grand Liards and Bourgeots; there is also a little Savigny 1er Cru "Fourneaux" left which is an absolutely legendary Fourneux.
Patrick Bize believes that the most important thing is the appellation and the grape that enable him, who is very humble, to capture the quality and character of the vintage. His quote from Remington Norman's The Great Domaines of Burgundy pretty much says it all about his winemaking process and where he regards himself in the chain of command: "It's nonsense, just publicity, it isn't Monsieur Gadget or Madame Machine who makes the wine, it's the Appellation and the grape; one should never forget this."
The Grand Liards is generally a meatier wine than the 1er Cru's; the 2005 is delicious with serious sauvage aromas and flavors and wonderful purity. The fruit character is plump and rich and in 2005 it is downright creamy. Deep, penetrative fruit that is exceptionally sappy on the palate. Some of the vines in this lovely wine are as old as 1939. This wine is for the long haul as are most 2005's from Bize. 15-20 years easy, maybe longer.
Next to where his stupendous Bourgogne "Perrieres" is sourced is the site Bourgeots. This could be considered the introductory "serious" Bize wine after his Bourgogne Rouge. It has some serious structure and when properly aged the structure turns into silk, but right now it is not impenetrable. Lovely nose of fir trees, manure, cherry, spice, leather and some cassis. The palate has lovely acid, a seamless entry and exit and lots of concentrated cherry fruit. The vintage shows the character of the site in a slightly more refined way than this wine usually shows. A lovely, juicy and structured wine with a great future. If to drink now then decant for three hours and it will provide a great foil for rabbit or venison. Otherwise age for ten years and this will be singing.
