Updates 2009s…

28.11.2010billn

With the exception of Comte Liger-Belair – and that was anyway in May – here is a compendium of wines from Côte de Beaune producers. They are mainly 2009s and 2008s, the choice simply reflecting whether what was in cask was tastable or not – I’ve tasted many more from 09, but with little value to report here as the quantity of CO2 seems higher every year.

Jean-Marc Bouley (Volnay)Chandon de Briailles (Savigny)Maurice Chapuis (Aloxe)
P-Y Colin-Morey (Chassagne)J-P Fichet (Meursault)Albert Grivault (Meursault)
Jomain (Puligny)Lejeune (Pommard)Comte Liger-Belair (Vosne)
Meuneveaux (Aloxe)Paul Pillot (Chassagne)Rebourgeon-Mure (Pommard)
Remoissenet (Beaune)Nicolas Rossignol (Volnay)Joseph Voillot (Volnay)

You will see plenty from in and around Meursault, I felt it time to try and understand the area better – perhaps I’ll find space to profile the village next issue. I think I know where some of my confusion comes from; more than many other villages, it is the hand of the producer you can often taste Meursault, often consistently so; I assumed all Goutte d’Or and Genevrières should be big, corpulent and perhaps a little creamy – and many make the wines to that template – but the more you search you find that’s more-often the tonellière speaking than the ground itself. Still learning…

Domaine Jean-Marc Bouley (Volnay)

Visited 16th October.

2008 JM Bouley, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune
Very nice colour. The nose becomes more floral. Fruit is ripe and the acidity quite forward – but the flavour really holds and delivers a very strong impression. Slowly rounds in the glass – I’d say bury in your cellar for 10 years then surprise people blind!

2008 JM Bouley, Beaune 1er Reversées
The nose is rounder, perhaps a little tighter but with a hint of spice – the last drops are nicely floral. Very nice texture, again with slightly forward acidity but also a sneaky extra dimension. Again a wine for laying down but the super length indicates it will be worth it.

2008 JM Bouley, Volnay Clos de la Cave
Again there is a floral dimension, but with a deeper scent and darker fruit – it’s very pretty. Silky, very well balanced, flavour growing in the mid-palate before slowly decaying. Higher quality than your average ‘villages’ Volnay.

2008 JM Bouley, Volnay Vieilles-Vignes
A little deeper again; darker, almost brooding – it promises much. More velvet than silk, narrow entry but widens showing more power in the finish. And it’s a mineral finish. More reserved but more power than the Clos de la Cave.

2008 JM Bouley, Volnay 1er Carelle
The nose is higher toned but also goes very deep. There is more structure here, the tannin arriving rather late then sticking to your gums. It gives the impression that there is more power and depth than the last wines, but without ever really developing or demonstrating it.

2008 JM Bouley, Volnay 1er Clos des Chênes
Lovely and floral, the high-tones skirt over a deeper, tighter base. This is actually rather mineral and detailed. The flavour slowly expanding in the mid-palate and following through into the finish. Lovely.

2008 JM Bouley, Pommard 1er Fremiets
The nose is deep and red; there is power to these aromatics, higher tones developing too – after a few minutes I find it gorgeous. Nice ripe fruit counterpoised with tart acidity – this together with the intensity makes it very hard to keep in the mouth – lots of fun.

2007 JM Bouley, Pommard 1er Fremiets
The nose is very different – lots of clean, dry leaves over deep, darker roasted fruits becoming a little smoky. Sweet fruit, very good acidity that slowly lingers, I have the impression of a little smokiness to the flavour too.

2008 JM Bouley, Pommard 1er Les Rugiens
Almost no soil in this part of the vineyard. The nose is quite forward, generously offering a mix of red and dark red fruit aromas that eventually seem to be coating a more stony, mineral core. Ripe fruit in the mouth that is also quite complex – the acidity underpinning everything. The tannin has a hint of grab, helping the flavours adhere and slowly linger. Yum.

Domaine Chandon de Briailles (Savigny-lès-Beaune)

Visited 16th October.

2009 Chandon de Briailles, Savigny 1er Les Lavières
Round red fruit aromas. Equally round in the mouth showing fine acidity and a mineral aspect to the length.

2009 Chandon de Briailles, Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Les Vergelesses
I hint of malo on the nose. Fuller with a little more tannin, good depth. Late-arriving, mouth-watering fruit.

2009 Chandon de Briailles, Volnay 1er Les Caillerets
The last vintage for this wine. Silky, but the carbon dioxide covers everything else.

2009 Chandon de Briailles, Corton Marechaudes
This is very supple with a concentration that sneaks up on you – and very nice fruit indeed. Quite gentle acidity.

2009 Chandon de Briailles, Corton Bressandes
This delivers a beautiful display of precise red fruits. Plenty of structure and a lovely finishing note that is pure fruit.

2009 Chandon de Briailles, Corton Clos du Roi
Very fine tannin runs through this wine – quite a lot of it – but it is well-enough buffered. Overall, this is showing just a little tight.

2008 Chandon de Briailles, Corton Bressandes
The nose is soft and shows some smoky stems, it keeps changing, showing some lovely red berries. Full, very round with good structure to underpin it – indeed the acidity is quite in the background.

2007 Chandon de Briailles, Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Ile des Vergelesses
Medium colour. Rather tight but there’s a beautiful, if narrow, core of red fruit. Similar too in the mouth, though the flavour lingers very well.

2006 Chandon de Briailles, Corton Bressandes
Medium, medium pale colour. Red, slightly cooked fruit. This is lithe and quite intense. Relatively in the background structure – today it says ‘wait!’

2007 Chandon de Briailles, Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Ile des Vergelesses (Blanc)
The aromas are narrow, yet fresh and deep. I really like the minerality that is on offer, even a hint of anise in the mid-palate. The finish is the delivers the most flavour – this is a very nice wine.

2004 Chandon de Briailles, Corton (Blanc)
The nose starts deep and powerful – needs a little air – slowly it widens taking on higher tones, there is no trace of the vintage character. Wide, almost soft, and very complex. The flavours keep growing even after you spit. Quite an epic finish – bravo!

Domaine Maurice Chapuis (Aloxe-Corton)

Visited 29th July

2007 Chapuis, Savigny-lès-Beaune
Medium colour. High-toned red, slightly spicy nose. Actually quite structured for an 07 and far from simple. Good mineral length.

2008 Chapuis, Aloxe-Corton
Fresh, fine red berry and currant nose. Good power offsets the acidity, considerable though it is. The underlying tannin is well masked.

2007 Chapuis, Aloxe-Corton 1er
High-toned, faintly estery fruit. Nice padding and very pretty fruit. An understated wine – just like the length.

2007 Chapuis, Corton-Languettes
The nose is a little closed, only a few red fruits escape the glass. Fine tannin and a hint of cream. Lovely length. A very elegant Corton.

2007 Chapuis, Corton-Perrières
The nose isn’t super-wide, but it shows a lovely, detailed depth. More power and structure, but it’s very well covered structure. A good burst of extra complexity in the mid-palate before the mineral finish. Very nice wine.

2008 Chapuis, Chorey-lès-Beaune
Savoury aromas. Wide and mouth-filling. This seems quite full but without becoming heavy. Good length and a relative bargain.

2008 Chapuis, Corton-Charlemagne
Again slightly savoury aromas. Full and quite fat – the acidity is quite late to show itself, despite that your mouth waters in the finish – and it’s a long mineral finish.

Domaine Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey (Chassagne-Montrachet)

Visited 13th October

2009 Colin-Morey, St.Aubin Au Bon
Some fat, some richness too, but countered with good acidity and a kind St.Aubin balance. Very good.

2009 Colin-Morey, St.Aubin 1er Le Chatenière
Silky, with a lovely acid edge. There is a nice background of minerality here – lingers very well.

2009 Colin-Morey, St.Aubin 1er En Remilly
Nice aromas are framed with a little oak. A hint of richness, again with a St.Aubin foil. This has a lovely length with faint vanilla.

2009 Colin-Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet Ensegnières
There is a little more on the nose, plenty of ‘Chassagne’. The palate has less richness, more power and a mineral dimension to the finish.

2009 Colin-Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Chevenottes
There is much aromatic impact – high and low tones. Width and lots of intensity, minerality plus a hint of vanilla. This is a superb wine.

2009 Colin-Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Caillerets
Silky, with a hint more fat. There’s penetrating intensity aided by good acidity. Appears not as muscular as the Chevenottes yet more intense.

2009 Colin-Morey, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Folatières
The aromas offer a higher-toned dimension. Very, very silky, with an insinuating richness and intensity rather than overt power. Beautiful poise.

2009 Colin-Morey, Meursault 1er Perrières
Reticent, tight aromas. A waxy silkiness. Superb minerality with flavour that grows and grows in the mouth. Wow. I would say an absolute benchmark Perrières.

2009 Colin-Morey, Bâtard-Montrachet
Higher toned aromas. Rich but very round and balanced. Clearly powerful, clearly very primary but equally clearly a superb wine.

2009 Colin-Morey, Montrachet
Not yet clear if Pierre-Yves will commercialise this. There is a broad and powerful display of aromas. This wine is about a top to bottom display of intensity. It also has super acidity and a fabulous length. I dare not ask the price…

Domaine Jean-Philippe Fichet (Meursault)

Visited 12th October.

2009 JP Fichet, Hautes Côtes de Beaune
There both density and a very fine acidity – I really like the balance here. Perhaps a little short, though I probably won’t notice in the garden next summer – overall very tasty with just a hint of savouriness.

2009 JP Fichet, Bourgogne Blanc
Some intensity, though not completely focused. I like the balance and it’s fair to say that this hints of Meursault.

2009 JP Fichet, Bourgogne Blanc Vieilles Vignes
More focused aromas – more mineral too. Altogether rounder and more intense – this is very impressive. You will have tasted much worse ‘Meursault’. Bravo.

2009 JP Fichet, Monthélie Blanc
Narrower and fresher aromas that approach floral. A little less padding for the acidity but there’s good intensity in the mid-palate. Very mineral finishing flavours.

2009 JP Fichet, Auxey-Duresses Blanc
Finer aromas – quite elegant. Very good acidity and a little padding to the texture. Insinuates a little agrumes flavour. Mouthwatering and moreish.

2009 JP Fichet, Meursault Meix de Château
More complex aromas – perhaps a hint of reduction too. The acidity is a river that runs through the centre of the wine, it’s forward but not overwhelming. Good finish – almost a Puligny-style tension here.

2009 JP Fichet, Meursault
More floral and agrumes on the nose. Width and just a little fat in the mouth, but with perfectly balancing acidity. Richer than the ‘Château’ but a little longer too.

2009 JP Fichet, Meursault Gruyache
More aromatic density, some green herbs. There is a hint of gas on the palate, maybe that’s why it doesn’t seem as rich as the villages wine(?) But it is long finishing and very, very tasty.

2009 JP Fichet, Meursault Chevaliers
Again there is aromatic density, freshness and some herbs. This has an insinuating power that is deployed through wonderful acidity. Super wine that finishes long on mineral flavours.

2009 JP Fichet, Meursault Tessons
Wide aromas that are edged with a little caramel. Richer, but there’s super balance underpinning the ripe fruit. Lingering flavours – this is really lovely.

2008 JP Fichet, Meursault
A little herb on the aromas. A rich yet balanced palate, the flavour continuing to build after you spit – always a good sign! It also lingers with more minerality than I was expecting. Lovely.

2007 JP Fichet, Meursault
A hint fresher aromas, perhaps framed with a little cream. This has a gorgeous balance and lingers well. That was the right word – gorgeous.

2006 JP Fichet, Meursault
Just a little more aromatic richness. Again there is a richness to the palate, whilst not to the wine’s detriment I might want for a little more elegance. For me just a little acid-shy – directly after the 2007 anyway!

2005 JP Fichet, Meursault
I tighter core of riper fruit. This has that typical 2005 richness, but I find the balancing acidity doing a better job than in the 2006 and indeed many from 2005. The mid-palate flavours continue to grow. I think this could be really very good but it will need more time than most.

Domaine Albert Grivault (Meursault)

Visited 14th October. The glasses started with some must aromas from the cardboard box – it took three or four wines to strip the aromas away.

2009 Albert Grivault, Bourgogne Blanc
Starts a hint musty (the glass?) but becomes sweet and creamy. I returned to it after the rest of the whites – no must – I’m sure it’s the glass. Nice enough wine and there’s an unexpectedly good finish – would be a decent choice!

2008 Albert Grivault, Bourgogne Blanc
Higher-toned. There’s more density too, but still a hint of must dovetails with the sweet fruit. Lovely flavours; the richer sweetness of 2008 mixed with its super acidity – I like!

2007 Albert Grivault, Bourgogne Blanc
Also still some must. Lovely sweet flavours again, and despite vintage the acidity is rather understated. Almost good this.

2009 Albert Grivault, Meursault
The aromas are clean and very pretty. Balanced, ripe and a lovely mid-palate expansion of flavour. Good length too – this is quite impressive.

2008 Albert Grivault, Meursault
Wider aromas with hints of herbs and in the background there’s something more savoury. This again bursts forward in the mid-palate after a flatter entry.

2007 Albert Grivault, Meursault
Wide, again with herbs, tightening to offer a fine focus. This has a very creamy mid-palate. I have to say, this is very, very good!

2009 Albert Grivault, Meursault 1er Les Perrières
Higher toned, fine and quite focused aromas. Mineral, but with a very good mid-palate punch. Super finish too.

2008 Albert Grivault, Meursault 1er Les Perrières
More complex but equally fine. The entry seems not so focused but then the mid-palate takes off – and it’s a good ride. A hint of cream frames the flavours.

2007 Albert Grivault, Meursault 1er Les Perrières
The nose is a very nice blend of high-toned fruit and a subtle vanilla cream. Nicely full palate with a very good finish – no fireworks in the mid-palate, but lovely flavours…

2009 Albert Grivault, Meursault 1er Clos des Perrières
Very fine, more floral aromas. A little riper fruit flavours and more complexity. The flavour slowly grows, but grow it does…

2008 Albert Grivault, Meursault 1er Clos des Perrières
Concentrated, powerful and focused aromas – super. Lovely minerality and growing intensity – it’s very impressionable wine – and I’m impressed!

2007 Albert Grivault, Meursault 1er Clos des Perrières
The aromas are a little more advanced, but if anything this is slightly reduced. The flavours are super though – an extra roundness versus any of the ‘straight’ Perrières.

2008 Albert Grivault, Pommard 1er Clos Blanc
Medium colour. High-toned, with very pretty red berries. There is a background of good tannin and good acidity – all well balanced. Medium-weight, very detailed and pretty wine!

2007 Albert Grivault, Pommard 1er Clos Blanc
Medium colour. Riper fruit, but not too ripe – it’s a nice fruit conserve aroma. It needs some air to help it come together, but the individual parts are very good.

Domaine Jomain (Puligny-Montrachet)

Visited 13th October

2007 Jomain, St.Aubin 1er Les Frionnes
This shows a nice width of flavour that’s underpinned with understated (for the vintage) acidity. Seems correct and likeable.

2008 Jomain, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Perrières
Lovely aromas that show lots of complexity. The entry is about balanced richness before widening across the palate with mineral flavour and hints of barrel vanilla. Very moreish wine…

2008 Jomain, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Combettes
The aromas show a little more ripe fruit. There is more width on the palate though without the same depth of minerality – though mineral all the same. Most vintages I would choose the Perrières, but in 08 they are very similar quality.

2008 Jomain, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Pucelles
Once more there’s an extra hint of ripeness to the fruit, set against a lovely width of aromas. Again quite mineral. There is a modest attempt to cover the structure with some richness but the tasty frame of acidity remains clear. I often think of power when tasting Pucelles, but here is finesse – super.

2009 Jomain, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Perrières
In bottle for about 1 month. This is wide and concentrated – actually the concentration sneaks up on you – there is much more here than I first thought. Not quite the focus of the 2008, but that could be the recent bottling. There is good balance, though after the acidity of the 08s I’m left wanting more.

2009 Jomain, Puligny-Montrachet
I hint of green in the colour. The nose is very pretty. Unctuous but balanced. This seems to have been less complicated by the bottling. I find it generous, and very good wine. I had to ask to taste this – I’m glad I did!

Domaine Lejeune (Pommard)

Visited 27th July.

2009 Lejeune, Passetoutgrains
Plenty of gamay on the nose. Excellent depth of flavour on the palate.

2009 Lejeune, Pommard 1er Poutures
There’s a pretty berry nose. Well-balanced, with flavours that slowly grows in concentration in your mouth. Decent length, the nose finally shows a very pretty red berry note.

2009 Lejeune, Pommard
A little must – from the glass I think – lifts to offer bright red fruit. Very nice creamy background and good structure. A very good villages.

2009 Lejeune, Pommard 1er Poutures
An extra depth of aroma that seems almost textured. Likewise on the palate there’s a plusher texture. Very good length with a hint of oak texture in the finish. The last drops smell ravishing.

2009 Lejeune, Pommard 1er Les Argillières
Warm and comforting aromas that are understatedly complex – red fruit more than black. Plenty of velvet tannin, but perfectly wrapped in the faintly creamy fruit.

2009 Lejeune, Pommard 1er les Rugiens
Froma a Damy barrel: Medium colour. Mild oak spice but under-pinned with warm red fruits. Froma an older barrel there are wider, yet more precise red fruit aromas. Both offer a lovely texture and a burst of extra interest in the mid-palate.

Domaine Comte Liger-Belair (Vosne-Romanée)

Visited May 6th. Despite the malos being finished three months earlier, generally far too much CO2 for meaningful notes. Those where I could get an impression are included:

La Colombière is the deeper and finer than the straight Vosne, the Clos du Château too gassy to comment.

2009 Comte Liger-Belair, Nuits St.Georges Les Lavières
Soft but well-defined red fruits that show a good core of concentration. Good, fresh acidity, lovely mid-palate flavour and a good length too.

The Vosne 1ers Chaumes and Petits Monts both show a palate staining concentration but the PM is the longer finishing. The Suchots is rounder but with excellent mid-palate dimension. The Reignots is clearly more mineral.

2009 Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne-Romanée Les Brûlées
Width with a hint of wildness and understated stems. Silkiness, understated length, this is quite the all-round package – Bravo.

2009 Comte Liger-Belair, Nuits St.Georges Aux Cras
Sweeter, structured, very wide. This has lots of energy – lovely wine.

2009 Comte Liger-Belair, Echézeaux
Super complexity. Very well-textured, plenty of ripe tannin.

2009 Comte Liger-Belair, La Romanée
Like most in the cellar, this is quite understated aromatically. In the mouth too, yet there is perfect balance, fine tannin and an incredible length. Today in begs your attention rather than grabs it.

2008 Comte Liger-Belair, Echézeaux
Fine, precise red fruits, not super depth but with good width. Lots of mid-palate interest and a slowly lingering finish – yum!

Domaine Meuneveaux (Aloxe-Corton)

Visited 29th July

2008 Meuneveaux, Chorey-lès-Beaune
The nose is pretty and high-toned. Soft, with a nice freshness and a sweet core of fruit.

2008 Meuneveaux, Aloxe-Corton
Appealing soft fruit – very aromatic. Good fresh acidity, lovely width and finish.

2008 Meuneveaux, Aloxe-Corton
The nose is yet finer and wider, showing pretty red berries and eventually a hint of cream. Fuller, still fresh with good complexity and longer finishing.

2008 Meuneveaux, Corton-Perrières
Medium colour. Fine, fresh and very pretty aromas. Wide, slightly plush, showing very good flavour combinations and a growing intensity in the mid-palate. Approachable and showing nice length, a mid-weight, well-balanced Corton – very tasty.

Domaine Paul Pillot (Chassagne-Montrachet)

Visited 15th October.

2008 Paul Pillot, St.Aubin Le Charmois
Just a hint of sulfur, but there’s width and the impression of some Chassagne-style muscle. Lovely ripe flavours that are counterbalanced with a slightly tart acidity. Penetrating, really makes your mouth water for more.

2008 Paul Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos St.Jean
There seems more power despite some relative understatement. Wider and fuller than the St.Aubin, though less over flavour. There’s a very nice mineral line that runs through this wine into the finish.

2008 Paul Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Grande Montagne
A very Chassagne nose of green herbs, plenty of detail yet not a little power. Width and very silky – there is acidity to die for. Slowly decays – quite different in style.

2008 Paul Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Caillerets
Understated, plenty of green herbs though seems just a little tight. This is also very silky, the acidity is more forward and really makes your mouth water – a chalky minerality too.

2008 Paul Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Les Grandes Ruchottes
There are a few higher tones here again there is fine detail as a hallmark plus a faint creaminess. Again a very silky texture. The acidity just builds and build s and builds before decaying in the finish – yum!

2008 Paul Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er La Romanée
The aromas are more effusive but without loss of style. Fuller and rounder but the flavours are clearly more mineral than fruit. A reprise of flavour comes in the finish too when your mouth starts to water. Really fine – super!

2008 Paul Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos St.Jean (Rouge)
Lovely colour. Depth, lots interest. Dark red fruits that are gorgeously detailed. Velvet but very much background tannin. The acidity is well-enough covered. A long acid-cherry driven finish. A wine I’d definitely buy – to save!

Domaine Rebourgeon-Mure (Pommard)

Visited 15th October.

2009 Rebourgeon-Mure, Beaune Epenottes
From the villages-classified area. Wide, not so deep aromas that are fine and red. The palate has good depth and tannins that are more velvet than silk. Nice mineral length here.

2009 Rebourgeon-Mure, Beaune 1er Vignes Franches
The aromas are darker, a little finer and show good depth. This is more direct with a wiry personality and very good length – the flavours leach from your tongue. Really impressive length.

2009 Rebourgeon-Mure, Volnay
A reasonable percentage of 1er cru grapes in here. Lovely red berry aromas. I very much like the flavour here – wide and red, wiry again, with super acidity.

2009 Rebourgeon-Mure, Pommard
Wide and pretty aromas – slightly darker berries after the Volnay, and perhaps less deep. There’s a very nice extra dimension of fruit here and no cushioning – the flavours are very mineral – fine tannin, very fine villages.

2009 Rebourgeon-Mure, Volnay 1er Mitans
Beautiful aromas – very rewarding. More structure, but velvety. Good acidity and lovely length.

2009 Rebourgeon-Mure, Volnay 1er Santenots
The nose starts warm and red but seems just a little tight. More structure, more bone. This is really about rocks before the finish.

2009 Rebourgeon-Mure, Volnay 1er Caillerets
Again the aromas are a little tight, but are pretty and red. This is the most mineral wine yet – not as big-boned as the Santenots, though plenty of balance. The finish is excellent.

2009 Rebourgeon-Mure, Pommard 1er Clos des Arvelets
Darker red fruit, very understated. Some velvet. This is perhaps simpler after the Caillerets but it lingers very well.

2009 Rebourgeon-Mure, Pommard 1er Les Charmots
More aromatic depth and width – quite lovely aromas. Ripe with good structure. This is very tasty indeed.

2009 Rebourgeon-Mure, Pommard 1er Clos Micault
Much redder fruit, more elegant too. This shows a little more minerality but with the same intensity of the Charmots. The fruit flavour arrives quite late, just as you enter the finish. Finely-wrought, lovely.

2009 Rebourgeon-Mure, Pommard 1er Les Grands-Epenots
The nose shows fruit, but this is the only wine with an extra, obvious floral dimension. Wide, not fat though with a hint of padding. Flavour slowly lingers – a lovely, rather contemplative wine.

2008 Rebourgeon-Mure, Pommard 1er Clos Micault
The aromas are a little tight. In the mouth this attaches, then slowly leaches flavour – borne on good acidity. I like this very much.

1999 Rebourgeon-Mure, Pommard 1er Les Grands-Epenots
Beautiful aromas ; depth, some tobacco, soft but detailed fruit with a hint of caramel. Some sweetness, still some tannin but everything is secondary to the sweet core of ripe fruit. Long too. There’s more than a suggestion of maturity to this beautiful wine.

Maison Remoissenet (Beaune)

Visited 13th October

2009 Remoissenet, Pernand-Vergelesses
Nice aromas. Nice flavour, nice finish – unsurprisingly – nice wine.

2009 Remoissenet, Puligny-Montrachet Sous les Puits
Aromatically a little tighter but also brighter. There’s a good tight core of fruit and lovely finishing flavours here.

2009 Remoissenet, Puligny-Montrachet Les Chalumaux
A tighter nose with a hint riper fruit. There is lovely energy here that is a good fit to the engagingly bright finish.

2009 Remoissenet, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Champs Gains
The aromatics have been augmented by depth plus a little vanilla. Brimming with flavour, this is a peach of a wine!

2009 Remoissenet, Meursault 1er Poruzots
Wide and high-toned, though not too much depth, adds some oak notes too. There is plenty of material on the palate, the impression of flavour keeps growing in your mouth. My favourite of this trio from Meursault.

2009 Remoissenet, Meursault 1er Les Charmes
Higher-toned aromas dovetail with ripe fruit. Just a hint of gas here which makes diffuse the pleasant, seemingly mineral flavours.

2009 Remoissenet, Meursault 1er Genevrières
An added floral dimension to the nose. This is a clearer mineral dimension to this wine and a super finish too.

2009 Remoissenet, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Morgeot
Wide aromas – a basket of herbs with a faint creamy softness. Lithe and at the same time muscular – well balanced – this wine is a beauty.

2009 Remoissenet, Corton-Charlemagne
Concentrated fruit that seems a little cushioned. The palate is rather concentrated but perhaps I’d like a hint more acidity to act as a foil.

2009 Remoissenet, Montrachet
Wide but relatively understated aromatics. In the mouth you sense how massive this wine is – though there is no lack of balance – rather uncommunicative today.

2008 Remoissenet, St.Romain
I remember this being very tasty from barrel last year. Forward, stony aromas. This has a lovely density and richness that is well balanced by the acidity – bravo, still lovely.

2007 Remoissenet, Meursault 1er Charmes
Aromatic width and some density. Likewise there is a depth and density to the palate that is beautifully balanced by the acidity. Lovely penetrating intensity into the finish.

2006 Remoissenet, Bienvenues Bâtard-Montrachet
Wide aromas that are more floral than fruit-driven. Full, with just enough acidity despite the opulence that surrounds it. This was a wow wine for its first couple of years – it is now more subdued, hoping for a far-off day of glory.

2009 Remoissenet, Pommard 1er Les Arvelets
An example of a beautifully elegant and fruity nose – lovely fresh red fruit. An extra dimension of tasty fruit in the mid-palate. Gorgeous!

2009 Remoissenet, Beaune 1er Les Grèves
A domaine wine. There is both reduction and a hint of gas here – the combination means this shows less soft than the Pommard but behind is super depth, more tannin and power.

2009 Remoissenet, Beaune 1er Les Marconnets
Also rather reduced, but also an obviously rounder wine, yet still plenty of power and tannin.

2009 Remoissenet, Nuits St.Georges
There is a lovely comforting edge to the vibrant red fruit aromas. Expands beautifully in the mid-palate and then again as you head into the finish – this is gorgeous young wine.

2009 Remoissenet, Vosne-Romanée
Whilst pretty enough, after the Nuits this is aromatically stricter and narrower. This has width and dimension without the padding of the Nuits – lots and lots of interest though.

2009 Remoissenet, Corton Renardes
There is a hint of meat in the aromas. There is a super balance of concentration and velvet tannin. Extremely primary, long and a little mineral.

2009 Remoissenet, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Les Cazetiers
Reduction slowly lifts to showcase very pretty red fruits. There is depth and density here but some gas too.

2009 Remoissenet, Clos de Vougeot
Fine, almost elegant aromas. Density, though a hint of gas renders an impression of lumpy tannins. Very nice aftertaste with a coating of much finer tannin. I expect this will be rather good.

2009 Remoissenet, Charmes-Chambertin
Really impressive complexity and quite some generosity too – lovely aromas. A width of flavour and very good acidity. Again there’s a hint of tannin modifying gas, but overall, lovely wine.

2008 Remoissenet, Beaune 1er Les Grèves
There’s a core of tight red fruit on the nose. This has plenty of tannin but also is underpinned by lovely fruit. Well-judged acidity too.

2008 Remoissenet, Gevrey-Chambertin
The nose has plenty of toasted bread. More supple in the mouth than the Grèves, and shows plenty of penetrating, high-toned fruit. This wine really insinuates itself – lovely.

2007 Remoissenet, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Echanges
Concentrated fruit aromas – more jammy, yet also complex with an undertow of something much prettier. Lots of width. Today the tannin texture is a little intrusive, but the flavour is very good. Good length and tasty, but this is a wine that needs 5-10 years to come together.

2007 Remoissenet, Clos de Vougeot
A little diffuse perhaps but complex aromas that eventually deliver an undertow of coffee. Cushioned, complex, some tannin but intensity too. A little mineral in the finish.

2008 Remoissenet, Clos de Vougeot
After the 2007 there are more immediate and finer red fruit aromas. I love the width and the relative lack of padding. Very long and understated. Super.

Domaine Nicolas Rossignol (Volnay)

A very impressive range – tasted 27th July.

2009 Nicolas Rossignol, Bourgogne Heretiers
A mix of appellations. Planted in 1922 by Nicolas’ grandfather just below the Château Pommard. 50% whole bunch fermentation. Fabulous notes jump from the glass – wow. In the mouth this is full and very impressive – one to buy in bulk.

2009 Nicolas Rossignol, Pommard 1er Chaponnières
From just below Rugiens but here there is deeper soil and more clay, in this case delivering a charming style, 100% destemmed. The nose still shows a hint of malo, despite being finished. Fuller and rounder there is more texture here, soft texture. Good length.

2009 Nicolas Rossignol, Pommard 1er Les Argillières
Also 100% destemmed.A finer berry nose. The palate is less effusive and shows less ‘oomph’ after the Chaponnières, better characterized as ‘finer’.

2009 Nicolas Rossignol, Pommard 1er Fremiets
Also 100% whole bunch fermentation – “when I saw the grapes I though ‘wow’ I’m not going to put these grape in a machine and maybe break something”. From down the slope near Volnay. The vines here and in the Jarollières that follow are approximately seventy years old. A little reduction on the nose, eventually more floral too. The flavours are penetrating and more mineral.

2009 Nicolas Rossignol, Pommard 1er Jarollières
Again 100% whole bunch fermentation. Dark fruits mix with understated reduction. A width of flavour, again coupled to a strong mineral core and finish.

2009 Nicolas Rossignol, Pommard 1er Chanlins
Largely destemmed, but a little over 10% of perfect whole bunches was also included. Here the soil is light and close to the mother rock. More floral again, eventually with pretty red fruits. A mouth-filling wine – with more furry tannin.

2009 Nicolas Rossignol, Volnay 1er Taillepieds
Like the Chanlins old vines in a very white soil, there is still some malolactic to finish here. Too much malo…

2009 Nicolas Rossignol, Volnay 1er Caillerets
(Les Caillerets du Haut) Malo is just about finished. The first vintage where Nicolas has added some (30%) whole bunches.
A hint of malo mingles with some chocolate notes that also seem to show in the flavours. Lots of structure here – tannin mainly.

2009 Nicolas Rossignol, Volnay 1er Chevrets
A vineyard with lots of clay but less slope than in Caillerets above. 50% whole bunch fermentation. Wilder aromatics. More tannin again; lovely acidity and darker berry fruit.

2009 Nicolas Rossignol, Volnay 1er Roncerets
Roncerets – blackberry bush – normally dark fruit to compliment the name. There are only about 6 owners of this. Just under Champans, this is at the end of the ‘cone du dejection’ so it’s a poor soil with less clay and lots of stones that allow the roots to go deep. This time is the first with whole bunches – 30%. Starts tight, then a little diffuse, finally a wider, more floral impression. I liked this a lot.

2009 Nicolas Rossignol, Volnay 1er Santenots
From rented vines in Santenots du Bas, just below Leroy and Lafon’s vines. Young and old vines are separated from these parcels. Floral elements dovetail with hints of malo and an undertone of dark fruit. Plenty of very smooth tannin and a good mid-palate burst of interest. Big, but no brute.

2009 Nicolas Rossignol, Volnay 1er Fremiets
White soil again close to Clos des Ducs and Les Pitures. A little too much malo here to judge.

Domaine Voillot (Volnay)

Tasted in Volnay 29th July.

2009 Joseph Voillot, Meursault Les Chevalières
Lovely aromas. Fresh, just a hint of gas. This is ripe, remaining fresh and very moreish

2009 Joseph Voillot, Meursault 1er Les Cras
Deeper aromas, though deflected by a hint of reduction. More power here than the villages wine but not ‘bigger’. This is very long and has a nice mineral component. Very good.

2009 Joseph Voillot, Volnay 1er Fremiets
From the Pommard side, lower on the hill this is the finest and most elegant of the Volnays, “The cliché of Volnay”. The aromas start rather tight, only very slowly opening and hinting to the floral. This is very silky and backed by a mélange of pretty fruit – also a hint of floral perfume in the mouth. This is lovely.

2009 Joseph Voillot, Volnay 1er Caillerets
The south of Volnay next to Meursault above Santenots; The limestone is hard here, making the tannin more angular. It’s a very sunny spot so this is usually the plot that is picked first. Also a little tight. This is much more mineral and the tannin is indeed more angular(!) Very long indeed and completely different to the Fremiets.

2009 Joseph Voillot, Volnay 1er Brouillards
Old vines of more than 70 years. The soil is a little like Caillerets with a hard limestone base, but there is more soil here. Wider aromas, red fruit. Lovely and round in the mouth yet clearly with a plenty of structure below. Super length – this is lovely wine.

2009 Joseph Voillot, Volnay 1er Champans
A large parcel for the domaine with more than 1 hectare. Often there is the aromatic elegance of Fremiets but still with the structure of Caillerets – it offers perhaps the most balance of the Volnays. The aromas have more density and are clear and red. There is a little more concentration and intensity

2009 Joseph Voillot, Pommard 1er Les Epenots
Actually from Les Petits Epenots. Wide and fine red-dominated aromas, just inflected by a little lower-down reduction. Sweet, very good acidity and balance – the structure is very well hidden. Rich and complex in the finish.

2009 Joseph Voillot, Pommard 1er Les Pezerolles
Above Les Grands Epenots these are an old massale selection, that deliver a lot of finesse. The aromas start tight, slowly opening to offer darer, deeper red fruits that dovetail very well with a higher floral note. Lovely fruit, backed by more structure and minerality. Really lovely flavours that linger.

2009 Joseph Voillot, Pommard 1er Les Rugiens
From the section ‘bas’. Aromas of depth on the red-fruit dominated nose. Likewise in the mouth there is a fantastic depth of fruit that washes over the mineral structure below. Super…

2009 Joseph Voillot, Pommard Vieilles Vignes
In this case the vines are more than forty years old, spread across four parcels. Pretty fruit aromas. Lovely texture, it’s mineral and really very impressive. This clearly needs some time in the cellar – will be super.

2009 Joseph Voillot, Volnay Vieilles Vignes
This is very pretty indeed – an almost ‘classic’ Volnay aroma. There’s a little too much gas that spoils the fun and a proper description, but it seems very nice behind the gas.

Agree? Disagree? Anything you'd like to add?

There are 2 responses to “Updates 2009s…”

  1. Will29th November 2010 at 10:09 amPermalinkReply

    Bill,

    Where are the Lafon notes?

    Cheers,
    Will

    • billn29th November 2010 at 11:29 amPermalinkReply

      Sorry Will, I lost them off the bottom of the Lafon profile – they are now re-instated there.
      Thanks!

  2. Paul Galli3rd December 2010 at 3:18 pmPermalinkReply

    Bill,

    Please consider visiting and writing up Domaine Ilan (Ray Walker’s enterprise) in NSG.

    I’m sure he would be amenable to such a visit and your view would be appreciated.

    NOTE: I’m not an investor, just a friend.,.,

    • billn3rd December 2010 at 6:23 pmPermalinkReply

      Hi Paul
      I think there’s been much here about the domaine and Ray’s progress – plenty by Ray himself – so no rush, particularly as he’s sold-out already of his 2009s 😉

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