Beautiful floral aroma lifts from the glass, supported by a pure red base. Round and wide yet the flavour grows; there’s a dark undertow of fruit before finishing with a mineral edge. Lovely!
Beaune Bressandes
2009 Germain Henri Beaune Bressandes
Quite old vines, planted between 1960-65. Darker notes with hints of tobacco – this needs a little time in the glass to release its dark cherry fruit. A hint of fat and silk, the flavour grows in the mid-palate – again with some minerality. Very good Beaune, but if I could only take one, it would be the 2010.
2006 Allexant Charles Beaune Bressandes
This wine also carries a Tastevinages back-label. Medium ruby-red colour, perhaps already a little salmon shaded to the rim. Deep aromas of macerating, baking red fruit. Slightly astringent tannin but there’s width and intensity here. The dark flavours really cling to your palate. I find this slightly rustic but rather good!
2007 Rateau Jean-Claude Beaune Bressandes
The nose starts much deeper but with a little funk and reduction – it’s slow to open but gradually gains higher tones, some herbs and minerality – mainly savoury notes. The palate is very intense and it’s the first wine where I see absolute balance to the acidity. Powerful, some minerality and very long – this is a very good 2007 indeed.
2008 Boisset Jean-Claude Beaune Bressandes
2005 Croix (des) Beaune Bressandes
Medium-plus colour, also with plenty of purple. Deeper aromatics and initially a little reductive – yet only 10 minutes in the glass unlocks round yet full, ripe, dark cherry and higher tones – the aromas cling to the glass. Versus the Montille this is much rounder and fuller in the mouth – it also seems longer, but a fair amount of that flavour is barrel derived. Only about 30 minutes are required for this to fully unwind, yet despite its dimensions, this is a little less complex than the Montille today. Still a super wine.