Not much gourmandizing to report for the beginning of the holiday week-end. However, the usual companions and myself, consumed a '05 Champy Pernand-Vergelesses Les Fichots which is nearly ready to drink. As the wood scents unite with the wine upon breathing, this yields a fine wine with somewhat darker fruit.

Rick, don't worry about enjoying those 04s. One person's "a bit green" is another person's "elegant". From the right producer, and you seem to have a few, you can enjoy light vintages over big ones - or at least just as much as them. I'm in the minority who preferred 87 over 89, 95 over 96 and 04 over 03. The 04s at their best have very good appellation character. I find, that when young, appellation character can be swamped out by the vintage character of the "great vintages" too.

I'm off home to find something elegant to drink ....... It may be an 04!

My 2004 weekend:
'04 Michel Gros Vosne Romanee - absolutely lovely bottle which after about an hour took on a perfectly balanced weight and texture on the palate. And not a hint of "vintage character." This too was my first from M. Gros, and I look forward to more.

'04 de l'Arlot Clos du Chapeau - enjoyable, but I think the greeny profile is there, but perhaps this is the hallmark of the producer? I'll have to wait a few years for the Suchots.

'04 Peirre Morey Meursault - another very much enjoyed, but I do think the color does come across as more mature than I would expect from a 6 year old, but I'm certainly no pro when it comes to judging oxidation. Nevertheless, a really pretty structure of fruit which is not too weighty, with a saline-like minerality on the backend (?sulfur).

2007 Mongeard Mugneret Vosne Romanee. Bags of spicy primary fruit; very approachable at the moment. Not a big, structured wine. One for early drinking?

2006 Domaine Michel Gros Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits. This was good, light and bright with stewed fruits coming through. Not sure that it would get any better, but tasty now. This is my 1st wine from this producer and would certainly like to try some of the more serious wines.

2004 Lafon Meursault for me on Saturday evening, in great shape at the moment. I ended up drinking pretty much the whole bottle myself, which is a testament to how taty the wine was.

Hmm - entering the harvest month. I started with a slightly rustic though enjoyable Morey VV from LA-Lignier (2007) - Saturday nothing as was driving. Today (based on reports of its imminent death) I've pulled the cork on a 1994 JF Mugnier Musigny - well the cork's in good shape anyway!