2014 Meo-Camuzet Freres & Soeurs, Fixin, Bourgogne Rouge, France.
An average to very good, but not great entry level red Burgundy from one of my favorite producers Meo-Camuzet, this open knit and bright Fixin gives just enough to make it desirable, though I must admit I usually have higher expectations than I really have for the less expensive Meo’s. I always just to buy a few bottles of the Meo Bourgogne, the Meo Marsannay, which is most often my choice, and the the Meo Fixin, this 2014 (and all the Meo’s) saw a pretty good price jump and a tight allocation, so I was lucky to get a basic Bourgogne and sadly no Marsannay or Fixin, but luck shined and a friend got some and shared a bottle to check out the vintage, so I got a chance to taste and see it over more than a few minutes. The Meo-Camuzet Fixin is from non estate vines and shows ripe and pure fruit, clear and vibrant with a slight edgy and earthy side, but is far less reductive at this stage than the last 2 or 3 vintages, allowing a good first impression, even though it falls a bit flat on the finish, best to give this set of 2014’s another 2 to 3 years to fill out. I can certainly see the promise of the vintage here with dark fruits, mineral tones and floral/spiciness, and being a big Meo fan I can happily drink this Fixin and enjoy it for what it is, though at this price there are other much more interesting wines out there, though maybe if I get the chance to re-visit this Fixin in 5 years time I’d find a beauty, tough to say. Pretty rose petal, baking spices, cedar and red berry fruit lead the way, leading to a core of black cherry, tart currant and forest floor with hint of grilled orange, tea, cola and anise. This light to medium bodied Pinot Noir teases with you, but never really gets to the next level leaving you with a smile, though not a big huge grin. Well made though, with silky form and vivid youthful acidity, hopefully it will gain with some time in bottle and shine in a few years, we will see, I think Burgundy collectors should invest in the Domaine offerings in the Premier Cru and Grand Cru level for this vintage, the rewards look to be bigger, even though the prices are terrifying outrageous, with the vintages and meager crops in Burgundy there is sadly not many super bargains to be had. Again, not trying to be overly critical, as this is a nice little wine that I would happily drink, but I certainly would go for Meo’s Oregon wine, the Nicolas-Jay, first given the choice, as it is far more exciting, complex and deep, especially the 2014, which I re-tasted on the same day with this Fixin.
($50-60 Est.) 87-90 Points, grapelive