We have to delcare an interest here in that Edward's brother, Michael Ragg, is co-partner of Mischief & Mayhem, the Burgundian negociant-eleveur based in Aloxe-Corton (which he runs with Michael Twelftree of Barossa-based Two Hands Wines).
But we are not alone in thinking the quality of the wines here is very high. Wine Spectator has awarded repeated high scores in their blind-tastings and quality is set to improve even further, as Bruce Sanderson reported on his recent visit.
In July 2007 we tasted a range of both the white and red 2005s at the property.
Here are our notes on the reds:
2005 Mischief & Mayhem Savigny-Les-Beaune 1er Cru Les Peuillets
Appearance: medium purple-red, clear rim.
Nose: bright strawberry and raspberry fruit, lovely oak, perfumed.
Palate: attractive red fruits, nice ripe grainy tannins with lovely acidity. Good length.
Conclusion: Very approachable and really good value all round.
Rating: 17.5/20
2005 Mischief & Mayhem Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru Les Fournières-Guérets
Appearance: deepish purple-red colour, clear rim.
Nose: red and black cherry nose with some smoke (a darker, even ‘tarry’ nose here). Complex, if a little tight at present.
Palate: strong cherry fruits, largeish chewy tannins on the palate with great acidity and a very good overall structure (fruit-alcohol-acid-tannin balance is very good).
Conclusion: A blend of two Aloxe-Corton Premier Crus, this wine needs time. Will be very good over the next ten years (should keep for even longer).
Rating: 18.5/20
2005 Mischief & Mayhem Volnay (Vieilles Vignes)
Appearance: bright red-purple colour, clear rim.
Nose: immediately attractive bright red cherry nose with some spice (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg) from the oak here. Very appealing.
Palate: bright, deep fruit from the old vines comes through on the palate which has fine acidity with the tannins arriving ‘later’: these are chunky but still more grainy in texture than chewy exactly. Lovely oak and superb structure.
Conclusion: approachable now, but also a wine that will benefit hugely from cellaring. Very good.
Rating: 18.5/20
2005 Mischief & Mayhem Gevrey-Chambertin
Appearance: medium purple-red, clear rim.
Nose: pronounced oak but backed by strong fruit (principally red and black cherry, even some plum); fruit becomes more generous as the wine opens out.
Palate: palate is angular with strong red and black fruits, fine acidity and chunky ripe tannins. Good length.
Conclusion: Young and very good. Will get better and better.
Rating: 18/20 [likely to improve]
2005 Mischief & Mayhem Pommard 1er Cru Clos Blanc
Appearance: medium to deep purple-red, clear rim.
Nose: generous fruit and ‘power’: a strong nose of red and black cherry, some plum, nice oak which also contributes some spice.
Palate: more powerful red and black fruits on the palate with increased spice, good acidity and a big Pommard-like structure.
Conclusion: Needs time. Very promising Pommard.
Rating : 17.5/20 [for the moment]
2005 Mischief & Mayhem Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Petits Monts
Appearance: more purple than red, clear rim.
Nose: very perfumed first nose with dark red and black fruits, some spice and considerable complexity as the oak marries with the fruit.
Palate: hugely perfumed, lovely fruit; the palate has great acidity with silky elegant tannins and fantastic concentration.
Conclusion: Very, very good.
Rating: 19/20
2005 Mischief & Mayhem Grand Cru Clos Vougeot
Appearance: basically purple, clear rim.
Nose: very much berry fruit on the first nose (redcurrants, blackcurrant leaf). This bright first nose then reveals darker fruits (black cherry). The nose is almost a cross between the Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Petits Monts and the Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru blend combining that irresistible perfume of the Vosne (violets and something else I can’t put my finger on) with the tarry, smoky and spicier qualities of the Aloxe.
Palate: the palate has complex fruit, excellent acidity, fine chewy tannins and great length.
Conclusion: Superb, but needs time. This wine is still very young indeed.
Rating: 19/20
2005 Mischief & Mayhem Grand Cru Corton Bressandes
Appearance: predominately purple, clear rim.
Nose: lovely oak coming through with very ripe, bright, sweet and creamy fruits (mix of red and black fruits again).
Palate: strong fruit, with chewy medium tannins, excellent acidity and very good length.
Conclusion: approachable now, but clearly still a young wine. This bottle was even better than the one tasted the previous day. Very, very good.
Rating: 18.5/20
But we are not alone in thinking the quality of the wines here is very high. Wine Spectator has awarded repeated high scores in their blind-tastings and quality is set to improve even further, as Bruce Sanderson reported on his recent visit.
In July 2007 we tasted a range of both the white and red 2005s at the property.
Here are our notes on the reds:
2005 Mischief & Mayhem Savigny-Les-Beaune 1er Cru Les Peuillets
Appearance: medium purple-red, clear rim.
Nose: bright strawberry and raspberry fruit, lovely oak, perfumed.
Palate: attractive red fruits, nice ripe grainy tannins with lovely acidity. Good length.
Conclusion: Very approachable and really good value all round.
Rating: 17.5/20
2005 Mischief & Mayhem Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru Les Fournières-Guérets
Appearance: deepish purple-red colour, clear rim.
Nose: red and black cherry nose with some smoke (a darker, even ‘tarry’ nose here). Complex, if a little tight at present.
Palate: strong cherry fruits, largeish chewy tannins on the palate with great acidity and a very good overall structure (fruit-alcohol-acid-tannin balance is very good).
Conclusion: A blend of two Aloxe-Corton Premier Crus, this wine needs time. Will be very good over the next ten years (should keep for even longer).
Rating: 18.5/20
2005 Mischief & Mayhem Volnay (Vieilles Vignes)
Appearance: bright red-purple colour, clear rim.
Nose: immediately attractive bright red cherry nose with some spice (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg) from the oak here. Very appealing.
Palate: bright, deep fruit from the old vines comes through on the palate which has fine acidity with the tannins arriving ‘later’: these are chunky but still more grainy in texture than chewy exactly. Lovely oak and superb structure.
Conclusion: approachable now, but also a wine that will benefit hugely from cellaring. Very good.
Rating: 18.5/20
2005 Mischief & Mayhem Gevrey-Chambertin
Appearance: medium purple-red, clear rim.
Nose: pronounced oak but backed by strong fruit (principally red and black cherry, even some plum); fruit becomes more generous as the wine opens out.
Palate: palate is angular with strong red and black fruits, fine acidity and chunky ripe tannins. Good length.
Conclusion: Young and very good. Will get better and better.
Rating: 18/20 [likely to improve]
2005 Mischief & Mayhem Pommard 1er Cru Clos Blanc
Appearance: medium to deep purple-red, clear rim.
Nose: generous fruit and ‘power’: a strong nose of red and black cherry, some plum, nice oak which also contributes some spice.
Palate: more powerful red and black fruits on the palate with increased spice, good acidity and a big Pommard-like structure.
Conclusion: Needs time. Very promising Pommard.
Rating : 17.5/20 [for the moment]
2005 Mischief & Mayhem Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Petits Monts
Appearance: more purple than red, clear rim.
Nose: very perfumed first nose with dark red and black fruits, some spice and considerable complexity as the oak marries with the fruit.
Palate: hugely perfumed, lovely fruit; the palate has great acidity with silky elegant tannins and fantastic concentration.
Conclusion: Very, very good.
Rating: 19/20
2005 Mischief & Mayhem Grand Cru Clos Vougeot
Appearance: basically purple, clear rim.
Nose: very much berry fruit on the first nose (redcurrants, blackcurrant leaf). This bright first nose then reveals darker fruits (black cherry). The nose is almost a cross between the Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Petits Monts and the Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru blend combining that irresistible perfume of the Vosne (violets and something else I can’t put my finger on) with the tarry, smoky and spicier qualities of the Aloxe.
Palate: the palate has complex fruit, excellent acidity, fine chewy tannins and great length.
Conclusion: Superb, but needs time. This wine is still very young indeed.
Rating: 19/20
2005 Mischief & Mayhem Grand Cru Corton Bressandes
Appearance: predominately purple, clear rim.
Nose: lovely oak coming through with very ripe, bright, sweet and creamy fruits (mix of red and black fruits again).
Palate: strong fruit, with chewy medium tannins, excellent acidity and very good length.
Conclusion: approachable now, but clearly still a young wine. This bottle was even better than the one tasted the previous day. Very, very good.
Rating: 18.5/20
Labels: 2005, Aloxe-Corton, Burgundy, Corton, Featured Tastings, France, Gevrey-Chambertin, Mischief and Mayhem, Pinot Noir, Pommard, red, Savigny-Les-Beaune, Volnay, Vosne-Romanee, Vougeot
posted by Wine Dragon
at
11:40
