1998 Morey St Denis Les Bussieres

Last October in Burgundy I joined a couple of friends where we spotted a bottle of 1998 Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de la Bussière 1er Cru on the list for a sum that did not entail emptying my bank account. The Morey has never been Roumier’s strongest cuvée, a winemaker more at home, literally, in Chambolle-Musigny, even though the vineyard conjoins its boundary. Moreover, I have never been a huge fan of this vintage, one of the first I ever tasted from barrel but immediately overshadowed by those opulent 1999s. Now with a little more than twenty years on the clock, the 1998 is showing minor bricking on the rim. The nose offers attractive brambly red berry fruit, iron rust and touches of brown spice, perhaps a little rustic yet retaining ample freshness. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, modest depth and a touch of hardness towards the finish. It is a thoroughly enjoyable Morey-Saint-Denis, but it cannot disguise its earthiness. This example suggests that the 1998 is beginning to fray and dry on the finish.