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2×2003 from bichot – beaune and pommard 1ers
For me the ‘average’ face of a mid-range 2003 is shown by the Beaune, and that’s the reason you don’t see many notes for 03′s on this page. The Pommard is altogether better, and comes close to being enjoyable! 2003 Albert Bichot, Beaune 1er Cru Medium red, still some hints of cherry. High tones that are reasonably fresh. The tannin is a little drying and the acid is a little sharp – certainly far from seamless.. Not a great balance here. Rebuy – No 2003 Albert Bichot, Pommard 1er Les Arvelets Medium, medium-plus red – again with just a hint of cherry-red. The nose is deeper with a savoury, meaty aspect. The acidity is just a little prickly, but this fades with time. The tannins [....]
offer of the day
Domaine d´Eugénie Vosne Romanee 2006 75cl 89.50 SFr Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Aux Brulées 2006 75cl 155.00 Clos de Vougeot 2006 75cl 295.00 Echezeaux 2006 75cl 295.00 Grands Echezeaux 2006 75cl 295.00 It’s confirmed that the world has indeed gone mad, I’m only surprised in 2 areas; 1) that the prices are lower than the Comte Georges de Vogüé wines, and 2) that the Grands Echezeaux is not showing a premium over the Echezeaux – maybe the quality differential is missing? I have not ordered any for ‘testing’.
bouchard père 2005 monthélie 1er clos champs fulliot
2005 Bouchard Père, Monthélie 1er Clos des Champs Fulliot A bright medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour. High tones over red berry notes. Mouth-filling with plenty of fine tannin and very good acidity. As the wine lingers in the glass the red berry note of the nose comes through on the palate too. Good intensity and length, it’s a good wine. The price is rather ambitious for the appellation – about 40 Swiss Francs – but the wine clearly has quality. Rebuy – Yes
offer off the day
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüe CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY 2006 75cl 99.50 SFr CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY 1er cru 2006 75cl 189.00 CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY Les Amoureuses 2006 75cl 398.00 BONNES-MARES 2005 75cl 865.00 BONNES-MARES 2006 75cl 398.00 One hundred francs for the villages – the world has gone mad…
win a ticket to a fine tasting…
I’m going and will be sorry not to see Peter, but here’s your chance to go…
lejeune 2006 pommard 1er les argillières
My first sip left me underwhelmed, but this really grew both in the glass and on me. 2006 Domaine Lejeune, Pommard 1er Les Argillières Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose starts with chalky, powdery fruit, slowly opening a deeper dimension thats edged with caramel. The tannin builds to a little grain but is ripe and mainly fine textured, it also attaches caramel flavours to your gums before they very slowly fade – good length. It’s certainly a little behind the concentration of the 2005, but its sweet fruit clearly shows premier cru complexity. Very well balanced, and whilst it gives the impression of being a little dilute to start, most of the flavour comes from the mid-palate onwards and it’s great flavour if a little barrel [....]
2006 lamblin et fils chablis vieilles vignes
2006 Lamblin et Fils, Chablis Vieilles Vignes Pale yellow. The nose is bright and forward with plenty of candied fruit; pineapple and grapefruit. Mouth-filling and quite fat, the texture is very silky/oily. Certainly very rich for a villages and a massive bargain at 86 francs for 6 bottles – provided you don’t want for a little more acidity – and I do! I’ll certainly look out for the 2007 though! Rebuy – Maybe
2004 volnay 1er cuvee carnot bouchard père
I read the other day a comment from David Schildknecht where he said that (paraphrasing) those 2004′s that hadn’t already been drunk up, should be. I never saw him make such generalised statements before – maybe he’s been with the Wine Advocate team too long already! I still have a problem with 30%+ of reds because of their cedar-green ladybird (ladybug) taint, but the rest are delicious and I have a feeling will remain so for a number of years – like 1992 only much better. 2004 Bouchard Père, Volnay 1er Caillerets Cuvée Carnot Medium ruby-red. Depth and dimension on the nose – really grandstanding at the moment, and the oak is barely perceptible. Mouth-filling and concentrated, there’s good depth and plenty of tannin. There [....]
fine tuning at domaine faiveley
A nice initiative from Wilson Daniels
gevrey-chambertin 1er clos des varoilles 2006
2006 des Varoilles, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Clos des Varoilles A slight update to the label for this vintage. Only just a little more than medium colour. Wide, quite high-toned floral, violet aromatics, underneath a more cherry-type fruit. The palate is soft, slightly fat and shows good fruit that’s edged with a little bitter chocolate / coffee. A reasonable amount of decently grained tannin – perhaps not 100% ripe given a trace of bitterness, but tannin fades. Good acidity and a very nice burst of interest in the mid-palate. Drunk over 3 days it was just a little better each day and the only thing lost was that bitter edge to the tannin. A very nice 2006. Rebuy – Yes
wednesday 8th update
Posts on this are getting fewer and farther apart as the harvest is all-but completed. My home domaine reports that the Gevrey grand crus that were harvested at the beginning of this week exceeded expectation. The Latricières from this grower is frankly always ‘poor looking’ and this year a full 20% was discarded during triage (that’s a lot!) but what remained looked better even than in 2005! Considering the winemaker thought he might turn down the fruit 3 weeks ago, he was completely amazed. Actually there is still some fruit to harvest, and that’s in the Hautes Côtes – this will be done at the end of this week in sunshine and the warmest temperatures for a month – 23°C is forecast. What of what [....]
maréchal, giroud, cerbaie and ponsot from last week
Drunk at lunch and dinner last week during the harvest in Beaune: 2006 Catherine et Claude Maréchal, Bourgogne Aligoté Apparently made in a ‘hyperoxigenated’ way. Medium yellow. The first aromas are high-toned over a base of fruit that reminds me of pinot blanc. In the mouth it starts a little spritzy but slowly became softer in the glass. Blind, I didn’t guess aligoté. Reasonably long, relatively light bodied but with good balance. Rebuy – Maybe 2006 Camille Giroud, Corton Chaumes 2 barrels, one new, made with 50% whole clusters from 90 year-old vines – sadly now ripped out and planted with chardonnay which may take the (more commercially attractive) Corton-Charlemagne appellation. Medium, medium-pale colour. The nose starts tight, slowly opening with red and blue-skinned fruit [....]
