Medium, medium-plus colour. A nose that remains compact over the three hours the wine lasts; complex, creamy fruit with a nice acidic redcurrant lift. Like a many, many 05’s it’s now acid-forward in stance, though the tannin remains completely submerged. The fruit is completely primary and in the redcurrant, raspberry area rather than cherry or darker fruit. Clean and understatedly long. I already see some transition from the older vintages.
Thomas Charles
2002 Thomas Charles Vosne-Romanée Les Malconsorts
Medium-plus ruby-red colour. The nose had a little bottle-stink, but that was gone in a couple of minutes. There’s a little of that beefy aroma that I disliked on day 1 of the 2001, but it’s better balanced with sweet, spicy red fruit, eventually nice creamy-edged redcurrant for the last drops in the glass. It’s a little tight and acid-forward, though the impression is of a wine that expands into an intense mid-palate. The tannin comes quite late to the scene and has a little rasp – though it’s understated. Tight and young but a bottle that looks like it has a decent future. Worth buying a couple.
2001 Thomas Charles Vosne-Romanée Les Malconsorts
The replacement for my last TCA infected bottle. Medium-plus ruby-red colour. The nose is deep, slightly savoury, eventually full of beef stock though spicily wide – I have to say it’s far from pretty. In the mouth it’s much better; nicely fresh, intense, wide and flavourful – it’s really very good. There’s decently fine tannin and a nice flavour in the finish. The frankly off-putting nose eventually becomes more acceptable as the beef fades, adding focus with a nice red berry note – takes 2 hours. Day 2, top to bottom it’s a super wine, but most people don’t get to day 2, hence, I can’t be overly positive.
2001 Thomas Charles Corton Clos du Roi
Medium, medium-plus colour. A nose of macerating cherries, slightly alcoholic but focused. Full in the mouth with concentrated fruit and equally concentrated, reasonably fine and ripe tannin. Very nice fruit that hints at an extra creamy dimension and lovely acidity. This wine has plenty of muscle and I wouldn’t hesitate to leave it another 10 years, yet was a tasty wee dram. Very good.
2000 Thomas Charles Pernand-Vergelesses
2002 Thomas Charles Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Planchots
2003 Thomas Charles Nuits St.Georges Clos du Thorey
Medium-plus cherry-red. A wide and bright fruity nose supported by an earthy undercurrent. The palate is bold and concentrated with plenty of tannin that ends with a twist of bitterness. Good mid-palate density, and the fruit is not so bad. Almost good – particularly if you have the patience to leave this in the cellar for the next 5+ years.
2003 Thomas Charles Clos de Vougeot
Medium-plus cherry-red colour. A high-toned rather narrow nose – you have to work to get at the fruit at its base. Concentrated, reasonable texture too. Reasonable acidity. The wine opens out nicely on the finish. Whilst it might not be a classic Clos de Vougeot, it certainly has the classic austerity. A good wine, but only almost good Clos de Vougeot.
2000 Thomas Charles Clos de Vougeot
Medium-plus colour. The nose is deep with ripe fruit that’s even a little jammy. Grainy tannins and reasonably good acidity. The finish is long and a little astringent, but this is showing in a very young way. Not amazing quality but potentially not bad – give it another 3-5 years before trying again.