The Ultimate Grands Echézeaux Dinner

Grands Echézeaux, as Allen Meadows explains in The Pearl of a the Cote – has a clay-infused soil type with fissured rock below 1 metre, that holds enough water in a drought to nourish the vines, yet drains freely enough in heavy rain that it is seldom water-logged either. ‘As a result, the vineyard is more consistent than most in producing quality raw materials.’

Though its quality has been known for centuries, its fame as a distinct wine label is comparatively recent – 100 years or so – because it used to be blended with Clos Vougeot, which used to be an easier name to sell.

As Allens argues elsewhere (Griotte-Chambertin for example), Grands Echézeaux today enjoys a very high reputation because of the quality of ownership, and is superior to its immediate neighbour Clos Veugeot.

‘A great Grands Echézeaux is a thing of beauty, combining raw power with robust muscle that is sleek and never coarse… it is also important to note that a fine Grands Echézeaux can be remarkably long-lived… Indeed, Aubert de Villaine has told me that the Domaine [de la Romanee-Conti]’s version may very well be its longest-lived wine and this would include Romanee-Conti.’

This evening we put this to the test with an extraordinary array of Grands Echézeaux, covering the great domaines and bottlers, as well as a catalogue of great vintages - ’90, ’85, ’78, ’62, ’59, ’49 – are all there, and in many cases we shall enjoy direct comparisons of two producers in the same vintage.

With Allen’s guidance this evening, this should prove a very enjoyable dinner ‘masterclass’ in Grands Echezeaux. (Last year’s Richebourg one sold out quickly, so don’t delay securing your seats).