• Regional Wines (10)
• Villages Wines (53)
• Premier Cru Wines (84)
• Grand Cru Wines (52)

2002 Marquis d’Angerville, Volnay 1er Taillepieds
(From magnum) Medium, medium-plus cherry red. The nose starts in a very mineral way with hints of cedar eventually giving way to red berries and a slow build-up of coffee. The concentrated palate bursts with explosive red fruits and plenty of grainy tannin – but there’s no hint of astringency – the acidity pulling you into a long finish that has a rather darker fruit complexion. Very accomplished and very tasty.
2004 Bachelet, Gevrey 1er Les Corbeaux
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour. An understated and tight nose slowly becomes creamy with glossy fruit. The cream of the nose is paralleled on the palate with impressive density to the precise creamy fruit that has a licorice edge. Mouth-watering acidity and understated smooth tannins that just cling a little to your gums. There is just a faint edge of bitterness in the finish which I can’t quite decide whether it comes from the grape or oak tannin, but it’s a good length. Very young – certainly a 2004 – but a very nice package.
1999 Jean-Claude Belland, Santenay 1er Comme
Deep colour – actually there’s still just the merest hint of cherry-red at the rim. The reticent nose is rather brooding, alternately showing some lovely pure blackcurrant fruit then a rather more mineral note – not unlike the graphite of a Paulliac, perhaps hints of licorice too. Very well textured – you really have to roll the wine around your mouth to find the tannins as they still have plenty of dark fruit coverage – faint grain can be found eventually. There’s real concentration here and quite a burst on the mid-palate too. The acidity is just right, only on the finish does this wine hint at its origins – medium-plus length at best. This wine delivers much more than I expected, and in a very understated way – it probably requires at least 3-5 years more in the cellar – but this bottle was far from sacrificed.
2001 Bertagna, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Plantes
Medium ruby-red colour. The nose is quite creamy with toffee-edged understated red fruit and wider higher tones. The palate is rather fine but rather slender; it’s very well textured with faintly grained tannin and really good length. I think it needs a little extra density for stardom, but this is a lovely subtle and complex wine.
2005 Jean-Claude Boisset, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Dominode
From old south-east facing vines planted in 1901 – only about 3% have been replaced. The nose is wide but with good focus to the ripe red fruits – very impressive. This wine had 15 months in barrel, but none were new as thee were only 3 barrels. The first impression is the good texture of the tannins, then the linear long, rather than wide presentation of the fruit. Frankly a bit of a stunner.
2005 Jean-Claude Boisset, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Serpentières
From younger – only 70 years – south facing vines. Grégory walked by these vines and saw realy fine millerandaged berries, looked for the owner and asked to buy – et voila – four and a half barrels, one of new oak. Linear ripe fruit on the nose, even a little blue skinned fruit – it’s a beauty. Like the Dominode this has super texture, this time a little wider and richer although perhaps not quite as long. Hard to criticise, it’s lovely.
2005 Jean-Claude Boisset, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Charmes
The vines are ~50 years old, everything has been changed in the last 5 years – even the training from Guyon to Cordon Royat – zero herbicides and grass allowed to grow in the rows. Freshly opened the nose is a little unfocused; slowly it relaxes, opening to become creamier without ever getting into top gear. The palate is about understated elegance coupled to excellent length. Despite that, it’s a very well muscled wine below the perfectly tailored presentation. Super, but not over-achieving within the vintage to the same extent as the 2004 did.
2002 Bouchard Père, Beaune 1er Beaune du Château
Medium-plus cherry-red colour, no evolution of the colour yet. The nose started powdery and a little mildewy, it took over an hour in the glass to clean up and show high toned red fruits at the top and just a little blacker material below. Sweet, quite well textured and with lovely mid-palate intensity. The tannins are less grainy than many 2002′s and still reasonably well-covered. There’s plenty of good acidity to ride you through into an equally good finish – though there’s just a little finishing bitterness – this will resolve over the next 2 years. Still a relative bargain for the quality, I expect this wine will have a good long life.
2004 Bouchard Père et Fils, Volnay 1er Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour. From cellar temp (15°C) the nose shows several layers; high-toned jellied black fruit at the top, earthier, leathery notes in the middle and lower-down. Leave the glass for a while and it fills with cream and a faint smoke edge – mmm. The palate is quite a departure from the norm in 2004 – lots of faintly grained tannin – but there’s quite enough intensity of black-shaded fruit to match. The acidity takes a little-bit of backseat to the fruit and tannin, just slowly making your mouth water. I might wish for a little more expansion in the mid-palate, but the finish is long with hints of mocha and a bitter young-oak edge. Not the easiest of wines to drink, but no green notes here. This very young wine needs at least three 3 years before revisiting – but it will be worth it – it has the potential to be excellent.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Lavières
With almost 4 hectares of vines, Bouchard P&F own close to one quarter of this vineyard. Bottled at the beginning of February (only 3 weeks before this note), this wine initially shows an understated and nicely floral aspect, slowly it builds on flashes of dark fruit and eventually some caramel barrel notes. Sweeter fruit than the previous wines, again with some grain to the tannin, but the purity of the fruit presentation is excellent as it expands over the mid-palate. I will check a few prices as this could be quite a buy.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Beaune 1er Cru du Château
For such a massive production – over 100,000 bottles from 21 hectares of 17 different 1er crus – this wine delivers impressively high quality in almost every vintage, 2005 is no exception. This has a lovely full nose with a creamy depth to the fruit and eventually that faintly vanilla/caramel barrel note that most of these reds are wearing. Concentrated, but vs the previous wines this is more supple and has much finer tannin. Really exemplary balance coupled with good length. I think this is a wine to buy by the case in this vintage.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot
Again with 4 hectares of vines, Bouchard P&F own close to one third of Caillerets. The nose starts in a very understated way; floral, but needs quite some coaxing to show a little more depth and again faint barrel notes. A silky texture covers fruit of understated power – aided by fine acidity the complex flavours just roll over and over your tongue. This is really lovely.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes
From 0.85 hectares of owned vines. A much more mineral nose than the Caillerets though underpinned with some supple, high-quality black-skinned cherry notes. Ripe, sweet fruit on the palate but balanced by excellent acidity. There’s more tannin here than the Caillerets – velvet rather than silk. Long lasting in the finish – yet another very fine wine.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Pommard 1er Cru Les Pézerolles
This wine announces itself with a wide, mineral nose underpinned by black fruit and those caramel barrel notes – lovely depth, a wine to keep sniffing. On the palate there’s ripe, dense and dark fruit, perhaps a little damson. This is very long finishing. This wowed me with its energy and personality – super.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Nuits St.Georges 1er Cru Les Cailles
From just over 1 hectare of owned vines that give Bouchard P&F close to one third of the appellation. High-toned fruit over a sweet base of blue and black-skinned fruits. Apparently Les Cailles is often colder than the surrounding vineyards so can be a harder wine. Soft, with quite sophisticated though abundant tannins. A nice kick in the mid-palate moves you into a lovely clean finish.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots
From a grower with whom BP&F have a long-term contract, 6 or 7 barrels worth. The nose is a little understated; faint cinnamon tops warm, creamy-red fruit of quite some depth. Christophe Bouchard pointed out a little extra dried currant on the nose which he described as indicative of ‘vendanges entier’ where after pressing the last few grams of sugar ferment in the barrel. The palate has a sweet entry and is concentrated with good acidity and plenty of tannin – velvetty – with a very long, lingering finish.
2003 Joseph Drouhin, Beaune 1er Clos des Mouches
It’s a wide, slightly dense nose that slowly develops baked red fruit notes. The palate is also a little dense, showing plenty of grainy tannin – though it’s not so astringent. The fruit has a slightly roast impression, but for all that is really quite interesting. Overall this comes across a little rustic and lacking finesse. Fans of 2003 will enjoy it for sure, but it’s not my ‘bag’.
2001 Joseph Drouhin, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
In 2001 this was assembled from 4 vineyards: Borniques, Les Plantes, Les Combottes and 13 rows of Hautes-Doix. The nose starts a little dense, but slowly opens, softens and becomes more subtle; minerality somehow wrapped in fine fruit. In the mouth this is quite linear with some slightly dry but well-textured tannin. There is lovely complexity and a good length. Understated concentration (30 hl/ha this year), this is very young, but very lovely
1990 Joseph Drouhin, Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Suchots
Deeply coloured – still. The nose is super, wide, faintly spicy and complex – tobacco notes and an impression (in the mind) first of brown but slowly changing to red. At the same time the nose slowly becomes softer with sweeter spice. In the mouth my first impression is ‘size’ – this is big – followed by plenty of dry tannin. There is quite enough concentration to buffer the tannin, and this concentration really expands on the palate. It’s hardly elegant, but it’s very impressive. I would say this is aromatically excellent and quite ‘ready’, but the palate trails behind, needing at least another 5 years in the cellar. A super bottle.
2004 Maurice Ecard, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Les Jarrons
Medium cherry-red colour. The nose starts soft, sweet and quite oaky – though not very toasty – over one hour from opening and you have high-toned estery notes over what is frankly a super, griotte-like red fruit nose. As with the nose, some time is required before real interest is found – it starts rather flat – so-much so that I wondered if there might be a little taint. One hour of patience reveals a light-medium-weight wine of elegance and real complexity; the acidity is quite fresh and the wine is lithe rather than fat, but there is an array of red fruits and a little raisin edge to the subtle but long finish. Tannin slips by virtually un-noticed. This is a world away from dense, blockbuster wines and I suspect it will disappoint some drinkers, but for me, despite the wait, it delivered.
2004 Sylvie Esmonin, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Clos St.Jacques
Deeper colour than the villages – edged with purple. The nose is much tighter and less giving, but earthier. The palate is denser and smoother – executive beefcake here. Perfect acidity and a very impressive length. Just like the villages, this wine is mainly about a black fruit profile with fine dry tannin that is completely covered by the soft fruit. I was very happy until I returned to the last half glass that had overnighted in the fridge – the earth has turned to cedar on the nose, less plush in the palate and the tannins stuck out. Day 1 fantastic, day 2 not! Many wines made in a reductive style won’t survive overnight in the fridge – Fourrier is a good example – based on this I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt because it was super on day 1.
2004 Fourrier, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er, Clos St.Jacques
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose starts wide and creamy – I though a little lactic too but this was transient – quickly taking on a forward cream coverd red cherry aspect and eventually coffee notes too. Understated, concentrated and tons of mid-palate dimension – many of these wines are one-dimensional in comparision. The fruit is so well done that it completely buries any necessity to discuss acidity or tannin. The creamy finish is understated but very long. Really top-class wine.
2003 Domaine du Clos Frantin, Vosne-Romanée 1er Malconsorts
Medium-plus cherry-red colour. A deeply ripe red-fruit nose; it flirts with being porty but just-about avoids this tragedy – though I’m concerned that with time it might fall from the tightrope it currently walks. The palate is soft and concentrated with a burst of tannin in the mid-palate, the finish slowly fades. The concentration and extract are self-evident and are well-judged, but it’s hard to find the complexity given the density of its current demenour. Clean and well made, one more stays in the cellar to see how this develops – clearly a 2003.
1998 Pierre Gelin, Fixin 1er Clos Napoleon
Medium ruby-red colour. The nose starts very subdued, only slowly starts to take on a more tertiary, slightly alcoholic edge – eventually becomes quite interesting. The palate is well textured with super acidity and impressive mid-palate concentration – if it had any astringent tannin in its youth then it’s already melted. It’s ready now and I’m sure it will hold for a few years more, it’s just a little Gevrey in style and very well priced.
1996 Jacques Germain, Beaune 1er Les Teurons
Medium-plus ruby-red colour. The nose is high-toned and wide with a pronounced meaty/savoury aspect – characterful but it didn’t work for me. The main impression from the palate is the acidity – forward but quite soft. The wine is certainly intense and long, but at this stage in its development the aroma and flavour profile don’t endear it to me – more of a spotty adolescent than mature interest. Previous bottles have been much nicer so I will give this the benefit of the doubt. Remaining bottles will not be touched in the next 3-4 years…
2002 Antonin Guyon, Aloxe-Corton 1er Les Fournières
A good medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose starts full of minerals and sweet red cherry, slowly becomes a little higher-toned and diffuse, the remaining drops in the glass, however, have a quite lovely smell. The palate is quite intense and pure – red-fruity – quite fresh too. The tannins are quite mouth puckering and astringent, but you don’t notice so-much with food. This will probably always be a little acid-forward, but there’s plenty-enough fruit to wait 2-3 years for the tannin to melt a little.
2002 Hudelot-Noellat, Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Suchots
Medium ruby-red colour. The nose starts quite high-toned and a little creamy before going through a mineral and earthy stage with flashes of red fruit then bonfire – you need a little patience, but there is just so much dimension to be found – bravo. The entry and mid-palate start a little disappointing after the previous wine but minute by minute the palate opens wider and wider. The finish is very good and whilst the tannins are a little grainy but they are ripe and grab the mouth and help cement the flavours of the finish. Slow to blossom, but excellent and pips the previous wine.
2004 Louis Jadot, Beaune 1er Clos des Ursules
Medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose is deep, soft red fruit, more berry than cherry – just a little high-toned estery aspect too. Sweet fruit, packed with effusive acidity and tannin showing a little grain. The overall aspect is just missing a little 1er cru intensity and the finish is only medium plus. Very well made with no unripe facets and just a small impression of oak. Just a little too understated I think, but given that I bought a six-pack I’m hoping that it gains a little something with time.
2003 Liger-Belair, Vosne-Romanée La Colombière
Medium-plus cherry-red colour. Deep red, sweet cherry mixed with sweet vanilla oak – the fruit is nicely delineated – provided you keep the temperature below 20°C. Full flavour, perfectly presented with a strong vanilla infused finish – very high quality villages but very, very 2003.
1989 Méo-Camuzet, Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Chaumes
Medium colour. The nose starts wide, high-toned and mineral with a hint of damp cellar – given time there is a red, plummy fruit aspect and eventually it soars from the glass, showing faint stemmy notes – super. The palate has slightly prickly acidity, reasonable width and considerable length – but needs leaving in the glass a little longer for pleasure. The prickly edge softens and the palate becomes quite complex. Pretty good on the palate, super aromatics.
1990 Méo-Camuzet, Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Chaumes
Medium-plus colour. Just seems a little cleaner and sweeter than the ’89 and no surmaturité, though it’s quite dense. The palate also has quite some density, indeed it seems rather monolithic – long but quite primary. There’s plenty of tannin if you look for it. Over about 45 minutes in the glass I never felt that there was a moment where the wine blossomed, the nose remaining finer than the palate. Given the density and relatively primary aspect I would suggest waiting another 3+ years before revisiting.
2005 Mischief & Mayhem, Vosne-Romanée 1er Petits-Monts
The understated nose majors on caramel/toffee notes at the start and actually takes close to one hour before it starts to release redder elements and provide a more ‘whole’ and interesting aromatic profile. On the palate this wine has been a little upset by the recent bottling – it starts in wild and disparate fashion, exciting but a little clunky. One hour later we have balance and interest – the main interest for me is the character of the wine; it’s wild, complex and a little grainy textured – there is just so much going on. But where is the elegance of other producer’s versions of Petits-Monts? This is more like a ‘down and dirty’ Malconsorts – a very good Malconsorts by the way! Don’t take that as too much of a complaint – I still bought some.

2004 Domaine Georges Mugneret, Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Chaignots
Darker than the Gevrey that preceded it, and a shade lighter than the Vosne that preceded that. The nose is deep and dark, initially just a little monolithic, slowly it gives a peek of black cherry, cream, and faint coffee mixed with smoke. Seems to fill the mouth and has a super intensity to the mid-palate. Powerful and mouthwatering this shows a higher level of tannin than the Gevrey and it’s perceptibly grainier too – though certainly not misbehaved – it’s very well covered. The finish is longer with an edge of cream to the fine burst fruit. A super NSG.

2001 Domaine de la Perrière, Fixin 1er Clos de la Perrière
A deep, soft and sweet nose with just a hint of spice. The palate is a little linear, quite narrow with slightly tart acidity and benign tannin. There is reasonable length here, overall this is an interesting if rather slight wine.
2003 Domaine de la Perrière, Fixin 1er Clos de la Perrière
Much darker colour. The nose is wide with a more herbal aspect. More concentrated with quite some tannin, but it’s quite round. Good length though there’s a faint edge of bitterness. This is not bad for the vintage.
2005 Domaine du Pavillon, Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens
A deep colour to match a deep nose. There’s plenty of minerality and submerged black-skinned fruit – it almost seems like two wines in the mouth; fresh, concentrated, lovely fruit slips between lots and lots of tannin. The tannin melts very well into a superbly long finish. This wine seems on one hand understated, on the other a bit of a monster, but certainly never brutal. This is very, very impressive.
2005 Domaine du Pavillon, Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru Clos des Marechaudes
Almost opaque. A little too much reduction on the nose to get at what lies below – I didn’t stay long enough with the glass to get more. Very well textured with floods of flavour running alongside very good acidity. There is so much joie-de vivre here – this is the perfect example why I often buy Aloxe to drink young!
2004 Domaine de la Perrière, Fixin 1er Clos de la Perrière
Good deep colour for a 2004. An interesting and concentrated nose; floral, earthy and herbal – some cedar on the nose which comes through on the palate too. This is nicely concentrated with very good acidity. The overall effect is a little tart but long-lasting in the finish
2005 Nicolas Potel, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Les Peuillets
Again, medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose is about sweet, focused fruit, plus occasional hints of malo. Sweet and ripe, the palate remains very fresh. Quite narrow in the mid-palate, but much longer finishing than I was expecting. Very nice, but certainly needs at least 1+ year to integrate…
2005 Nicolas Potel, Volnay 1er Caillerets
Medium-plus colour – almost purple. A wide and really interesting nose of black-shaded fruit over a base of coffee. The finest tannins yet – they are only faintly astringent, despite their abundance. The fruit on the palate is very clean and understated yet very long. This is a fantastic wine and worth a special search.
2005 Nicolas Potel, Pommard 1er Rugiens
A nose of real depth with forward black fruit and just a touch of reduction. The palate shows real concentration and plenty of tannin, but the tannin is amply covered by black shaded fruit. The fruit widens and widens into the finish. Large-scaled and concentrated without being over-blown. Impressive juice.
2005 Nicolas Potel, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Lavaux St.Jacques
Medium-plus colour. The nose is similar to the village gevrey – if anything tighter, more understated and consistent. Very intense; this is hard to keep in your mouth. Super acidity dovetails with plenty of tannin. Despite the concentration the personality is rather cool, clean, mineral and understated.
2005 Nicolas Potel, Nuits St.Georges 1er Pruliers
A tight nose with an undercurrent of bright red fruit. Powerful but with fine tannins and super intense mid-palate. There is just a little oak-derived bitterness on the long finish, but this will quickly fade. Sauve and accomplished for a Nuits
2005 Nicolas Potel, Nuits St.Georges 1er Murgers
This vineyard sits close to ‘Richemone’ from 45 year-old vines. Much more ebullient nose, just an edge of malo to be found but this is wide and interesting. Also very fine tannin and intense concentration. It’s hard to hold in the mouth and has super acidity. Just a little oak-derived texture on the good finish. A wine that impresses.
2005 Nicolas Potel, Nuits St.Georges 1er Damodes
A dense nose that still shows a little malo and just a little reduction too – it starts deep and tight, but slowly widens. The palate is well delineated and a little mineral. Good acidity and the tannins are so well covered they are just an after-thought.
2005 Nicolas Potel, Nuits St.Georges 1er Boudots
There’s plenty to see on the nose, and it’s not just about fruit – a nice toffee note comes through too. In the mouth it’s all about fresh fruit and acidity followed by a real extra kick of concentration in the mid-palate and into the finish. This really does have an extra dimension vs the last wines and comes across just a little Vosne-like. Really super, bravo.
2005 Nicolas Potel, Vosne-Romanée 1er Petits-Monts
A dark and interesting nose of spice-edged damson and a suggestion of toffee. A subtle and elegant wine, with real depth and quite some complexity. Slightly grainy tannin is a fleeting impression before the acidity whisks you into the long finish.
2002 Nicolas Potel, Vosne-Romanée 1er Aux Malconsorts
Medium, medium-plus cherry red – there is very little colour development. The nose starts faintly sweet over a brooding base that threatens at anytime to explode – but never does – slowly there is a cool fruit aspect with just an edge of cream and eventually something a little more savoury. The palate has an understated entry, but with the help of some flowing acidity it really comes to the boil in the mid-palate and onwards – nice, complex density here. If you look hard you will find some fine grained tannin. Despite the understatement of the finish, it has exemplary length – if a touch saccharin – but it’s young. In a word – yes!
2005 Nicolas Potel, Vosne-Romanée 1er Aux Malconsorts
Understated, edgy, coffee-tinged fruit on the nose – the nose never really expands in our time together. Roll this concentrated wine around in your mouth and you get sweet, dense fruit and many dimensions of flavour. The wine still seems to be opening out as you move from the mid-palate into the finish – a peacock’s tail.
1995 Pousse d’Or, Volnay 1er Cru Les Caillerets
Medium garnet core with a more mahogany rim. The nose started wide and forward with bloody, earthy tones. Plenty of time in the glass and you settle to a mineral, raisined cranberry expression, very lovely. The palate is much more understated and lithe, still with just a faint ‘jarr’ to the fine tannin. The acidity is good and you’ll find an equally good intensity from the mid-palate into the finish. Could still do with another 3 or so years in the cellar, but no crime to drink now.
1998 H & G Remoriquet, Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Damodes
The colour is very deep and surprisingly still clings to a young, faint cherry-red hue. The nose is brooding, dense and very focused – eventually a little underbrush compliments the black-skinned fruit. Concentrated, slightly metallic flavours and plenty of well covered fine tannin are the first impressions followed by faintly mouth-watering acidity and a long, fresh finish. This wine impresses with its very fresh, linear and concentrated yet still quite primary delivery – it is quite aloof – haughty even – but there are no hard edges. I would say it will benefit from at least another 3 years in the cellar.
1999 H & G Remoriquet, Vosne-Romanée 1er Au-Dessus des Malconsorts
Medium-plus colour – only the faintest traces of cherry-red still remain. The nose is absolutely splendid; forward, very wide, mineral, a little feral, hints of coffee, spice and spruce – it could only come from Vosne, and though it misses a touch of decorum, such is the complexity that you would expect (blind) that it was a very good grand cru. The bar is now set and I’m judging this wine to grand cru standards: The palate starts with a blast, wide interesting and complex – there’s little fat. It slowly fades rather than expands. Under their blanket of fruit the tannins are a little grainy and the finish is in the ‘good but great’ category. This is an excellent 1er cru but misses a little mid-palate density and length for a truly fine grand cru. All the same, this is open for business and is a very ‘giving’ wine that brims with complexity and interest – if not elegance. Highly recommended…
2004 M & P Rion, Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Argillières
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red. The nose has a pure and bright red-fruit core but has a rather green-pea malolactic style edge – though of quite some depth. The palate has medium depth, good tart acidity and a creamy, deep oaky, though with a rather dry tannic depth – but seems to need an extra dose of ripeness…
2004 M & P Rion, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Charmes
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red. The nose is quintessential Chambolle – or at least many peoples’ expectation – soft, sweet red fruit with the faintest savoury edge; it’s very pretty. Versus the domaine’s 04 Argillières there is more depth, intensity and extra ripeness. The tannins are fully covered. The acidity still has a little tartness, but this also helps hold the fresh flavours of the mouth-watering finish. The oak has much better integration here – lovely wine.
2000 Hervé Sigaut, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Chatelots
Medium, medium-pale ruby red. The nose is wide with cooked red fruit notes. The palate is soft and sweet, again with a slightly roasted fruit profile. Low acidity and a medium finish – little tannin to speak of. It’s okay, but lacks both freshness and complexity.
2003 Domaine des Varoilles, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er La Romanée
At first glance and sniff, this looks and smells like a 2003 – blind tasting to that level of accuracy need hold no fears! Medium-plus cherry-red with not a hint of lightening or ruby colour. The nose starts very ripe with plenty of powdery red fruit, but time opens quite a distinct coffee note and eventually a very well defined and intense red cherry/cranberry impression. In the mouth this is concentrated, soft, intense with a good burst of fruit on the mid-palate – it’s a very ‘worthy’ 1er Cru – the finish is quite long and the only part that hints of some oak. The tannins are very well covered. This is a great success for the vintage, and even if you are just a little agnostic about the character of 2003, I think you will find plenty of fun here – and that’s not to say there is no longer-term serious side to this well-priced wine.
2004 Domaine des Varoilles, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Clos des Varoilles
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red. The nose hovers close to fantastic – beautiful red berry fruit edged with cream – but from time to time there’s a rather powder and indistinct edge, the wine could never quite make up its mind. The palate is nicely textured with good intensity and acidity. The tannins are well covered with sweet fruit and a lovely creamy edge to the finish too. There was no sign of green in this wine, but one-third of the bottle lay in the fridge overnight; the nose is now earthy with a strong cedar streak – no red fruit and ‘no love’!
1997 Comte Georges de Vogüé, Chambolle-Musigny 1er
Medium-plus ruby-red colour – right to the rim. The nose starts dense, very tight and quite deep. Time reduces the depth and gives this a wider and redder complexion, though more patience – about 2 hours from opening – and it’s has a coffee aspect coming through and certainly a finer aspect. The palate is also rather dense, quite fat and very well textured, it’s also very, very long, but that length is heavily oak-driven, slightly bitter and not so nice. Two hours in the glass does nothing to improve the finish, nor impart some complexity. My summary (so far) is drunk too young and currently showing too much oak on the finish.
2005 Vougeraie, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Les Marconnets
Powdery red fruit – very 2005 with it’s ripe red aspect. It’s quite a narrow entry but this wine expands in the mouth in to the mid-palate. Just a little oak texture on the finish. Very good potential here.
2004 Vougeraie, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Les Marconnets
The nose is rather understated – just a twist of oak toast and again a hint of reduction. Just a little less ripe than the 05 version but well balanced with fresh acidity and nice finish.
2004 Vougeraie, Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Damodes
A deep red nose with more than a touch of spice to the sweet fruit. Given time the nose adds coffee and a faint cedar edge. Plenty of concentration on the palate and it’s matched by quite some volume of fine-grained tannin – little astringency. Super length. This is a demmanding wine, but a very good one.

2005 Jean-Marc Boillot, Montagny 1er Cru
Medium yellow. The nose is quite deep with a little spicy butterscotch, swirling releases a denser and higher-toned fruit aspect. Lithe, sweet with a kick into the mid-palate before the mouth-watering acidity rushes you into the finish. The sweetness of the ripe fruit brings fine balance. A lovely ebullient wine that is yet another contender for house wine this summer.
2005 Jean-Claude Boisset, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Champs Gains
This was a very dry vineyard in 2005 which resulted in only 2.5 barrels of wine instead of closer to 7 – so no new oak. Because there was little juice in those harvested grapes Grégory had to use a very light pressure on his press. The nose is compact but quite deep. In the mouth it’s much more linear than the last wines but there’s richness to the texture and a tight core of fruit at its centre. This is very, very long. Bottled unfiltered with a slight fining. Another excellent wine.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Beaune 1er du Château
From just under 10 hectares of vines from 4 1er crus. I mentioned to Christophe Bouchard that whilst I often find the red version of this cuvée, I hardly ever encounter the white – he just laughed and said ‘that’s because the Swiss prefer their reds!’. This has a nice wide nose – understated but quite focused and interesting. Richness is quite well balanced by the mouthwatering acidity. Good length too. Almost good, but I don’t see the stunning quality of the red.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Meursault Les Clous
Bouchard own 8.7 hectares in this vineyard – almost 50% of the appellation. The vines are set high on the hill, so this is often one of the very last vineyartds to be harvested. Nicely crisp and fresh aromatics that never really develop further while we’re together. The palate is still quite rich, but is mouth-filling in quite a mineral way – there’s a nice character to this wine.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Meursault 1er Les Gouttes d’Or
Given my preference for the fresh and mineral plus 2005′s rather rich expression I was preparing to dislike this bottle – but I was rather surprised: The nose is waxy, wide and concentrated – smells lovely. There’s almost an oily concentration on the palate but with a surprisingly wonderful balance. This is a really lovely wine that shows super length. I could get to like this – really!
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Meursault 1er Les Genevrières
Here is a vineyard that that was picked on the first day of the vintage. The nose is wide and nicely mineral. Again there is a soft and rather oily texture; it’s rich and slightly honeyed, but the overall effect is quite elegant. It seems more understated than the Gouttes, certainly without the ‘boom’ of that wine’s finish.
2004 Jean Chartron, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Clos de la Pucelle
Medium lemon-yellow. The wide, high-toned nose shows a little citrus interest and some faint oak artifacts – it’s quite interesting, but could do with a little more density. The palate is delicate rather than dense – I feel there is something missing – perhaps the yields were a little high(?) The good acidity brings you quickly into the mid-palate, and initially a rather coarse showing due to the oak treatment. An hour from opening and the wine is much more comfortable in it’s own skin and quite Puligny; clean but missing 1er cru intensity. Good but not great.
2004 F & D Clair, St.Aubin 1er Les Murgers des Dents de Chien
Medium yellow. The nose fresh, just a little savoury and spicy against that citrussy 2004 feel. Medium-intensity with very good acidity and a nice flow into the good finish. Again there’s a slightly savoury element to the palate too. Plenty of flesh here, rather than the taught, haughty aspect of many in 2004. Easy and tasty drinking – very good value at it’s pre-arrival price.
2004 Coche-Dury, Meursault 1er Caillerets
Medium lemon-yellow. The nose is quite high-toned with faint, but not excessive, estery notes over a base of mainly pear fruit. The palate is a little fatter than the Chartron, quite silky and also shows good acidity. There is some intensity of fruit, but despite some minerality it is delivered in a rather dense and unyielding fashion. Excellent length. This is a very good and very well proportioned wine, but I miss some engagement.
1988 Coche-Dury, Meursault 1er Perrières
A wide and deep nose, mainly of ripe fruit, just a little oak and some rounding, higher notes. The palate is quite linear, intense on the tongue and very, very complex as it leaves the mid-palate for the finish. The finish is understated, but very long. Not sexy, but not severe – very, very good, but don’t let’s discuss the price vs quality ratio…
2004 Alex Gambal, St.Aubin 1er Les Murgers des Dents de Chien
Pale lemon-yellow. A smooth nose of brioche and mineral notes and some quite bready depth – very appealing. This really stands apart on the palate, very good acidity coupled to nice minerality, yet there is good mid-palate impact. The finish is just a little oak driven at the moment, but this wine has drive and personality. Everyone enjoyed this very much.
2005 Long-Depaquit, Chablis 1er Cru Les Vaillons
The number of bottles of this cuvée is reducing as the younger vines are now regularly going into a separate ’1er cru’ cuvée. This left-bank wine is a mix of parcels focusing mainly on Epinottes and Séchet. The nose is understated and focused, the palate is sweet, with rather well concentrated flavours and a nice flavourful fruit-driven length. It’s a very nice wine – and always a very well priced bottling – but in this vintage, doesn’t really shout ‘Chablis!’ to me.
2005 Long-Depaquit, Chablis 1er Cru Les Vaucoupins
This right-bank cuvée has a lovely, more mineral nose with accents of citrus fruit. The palate seems similarly concentrated to the Vaillons but everything is delivered in a much more mineral fashion. Philippe quotes “as Vaillons starts to die Vaucoupins starts to wake”. This is my style of Chablis, it is mineral, it is understatedly intense and has lovely acidity breaking across the palate into the finish. Excellent!
2002 Marc Morey, Chassagne 1er Morgeot
Medium-plus golden – certainly a worrying colour for one so young. The nose confirms quite a high level of oxidation. For me (with a significant dislike of oxidation) this was barely drinkable. If you have this wine check it now – urgently!
2001 Marc Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er En Virondot
Medium gold. The nose starts rather muted before going through a citrusy-melon phase, slowly becoming more and more creamy and very faintly smelling of fireworks. The palate is quite soft and clean with good acidity and a nicely long finish. Slowly mouthwatering, this is a nice wine that really benefits from an hour of air.
2005 Mischief & Mayhem, Meursault 1er Genevrières
A fresh nose that initially is a little less focused than the villages wine but gets better and better in the glass as it warms. The palate is rich and powerful but is nicely cut by the citrussy acidity, expands quite well in the mid-palate. Today – and it hasn’t been bottled long – it has all the pieces to be a very fine wine but the cohesion, despite some balance seemed a little unconvincing. I’m sure this will be super and probably already more ‘together’ by the time you read this.
2005 Mischief & Mayhem, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Caillerets
The nose starts wide but subdued and a little unfocused, it takes a good 15 minutes in the glass before we have cohesion and a primary dense stance. There’s a lovely texture to the palate and a real extra dimension helped by just a little petillance and super acidity. It takes the same 15 minutes a as required for the nose to improve for the faint spritz to die – perhaps it was also affecting the aromatics. Now we have poise and from the mid-palate onwards, waves and waves of attack – wow – this will be (is) superb. For thos that are concerned about oxidation, note that about a glass and a half were left in the simply stoppered bottle for about 3 days – the wine was almost as good then and not a hint of oxidation. I rarely go for more than a six-pack of any wine, but I ordered 12 of these!
2004 Michel Niellon, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos de la Maltroie
Medium-pale yellow. The nose starts deep with plenty of fresh bread and sweet pear, slowly tightens and becomes higher toned. The palate is fat and full – almost grand cru ‘oily’ – with super acidity, and penetrating intensity that bursts with lime/citrus fruit. Considerable yet understated length that shows just a hint of cream. In one word; excellent.
2005 Domaine du Pavillon, Meursault 1er Cru Charmes
A wide and deep nose – very forward with hints of butterscotch. Really nice freshness on the palate from very good acidity for a 2005. Perhaps some of the fireworks on the palate are down to a hint of petillance but there’s a lovely, very, very long and creamy finish. This is a super, super wine.
2005 Domaine du Pavillon, Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches
The nose is rather similar to the villages Meursault, understated and precise. Broad-shouldered, rather simple flavours only hint at the concentrated base. There is good acidity providing a very nice balance, but today this wine showed little.
2005 Nicolas Potel, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er La Maltroie
Medium lemon-yellow. The nose is high-toned with a little citrus and deep segments of fruit. Rich but round flavours expand in the mid-palate and show good length. This is a clean, powerful and quite interesting wine.
2005 Nicolas Potel, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Champs-Canet
This wine hails from the Meursault side of the appellation. The nose is narrower, tigher and more melon influenced – it really doesn’t give any clues to the label. The palate is quite opulent, almost 2003 in delivery – though with much better acidity. On the finish there is still a texture from the oak – nothing major, and it will probably be gone within 6 months. Again this is a rich, powerful wine that today shows none of the classic Puligny tension.
2005 Nicolas Potel, Meursault 1er Genevrières
A nose of real width, at it’s centre an intense core of agrumes with (perhaps) just an edge of marzipan. A soft and understated entry, but real mid-palate power is evident that effortlessly carries into the finish which today mainly shows sweet oak flavour.

1996 Denis Bachelet, Charmes-Chambertin
Medium-plus colour. The nose starts more oaky than I remember. The fruit is dense and red – super-clean like gelée. The palate starts wide and then narrows, then narrows some more – very linear, understated and long. This is super but very much younger showing than my last visit.
1990 Denis Bachelet, Charmes-Chambertin
The nose starts a little ripe and plummy, maybe even beetroot. It’s not so elegant to start with but slowly begins to release some wonderful red fruit – but it’s a passing phase and later tightens. The palate has some fat and a lovely texture. It actually seems a little simple vs the 1996 and certainly not as long. Still it’s a lovely wine.
2005 Albert Bichot, Grands-Echézeaux Grand Cru
Only slightly darker than the Clos Frantin version. The nose is much more fruit driven but very tight. The concentration here is similar to the Clos Frantin but it’s more elegantly packaged. The finish is also equally long but with this glass it appears just a hint more complex with an added creamy depth. To choose between this and the Clos Frantin version is purely a matter of personal taste, mine lies here.
2005 Jean-Claude Boisset, Le Chambertin
This wine has only been in bottle for about one week so should get better and better in the bottle. These grapes from these 70 year-old vines (that border the vines of Domaine Leroy) were harvested a full three weeks after the bans de vendanges, yet only come into the cuverie at 13.5°. The screw-cap version is oversold, so this is tasted from the cork sealed bottle. The nose develops a really creamy base though I didn’t stay with it long enough to see much more than a little extra width. Understated excellence on the palate, the multiple flavours just cling and cling to the inside of your mouth leaving a soft coating over your teeth. Will be fantastic.
1998 Bouchard Père & Fils, Chambertin
Deep colour, a core of garnet with a ruby rim. The nose is very deep, and quite reduced. With time the nose is much fresher with higher-toned jellied fruit – almost confiture – creamy black-skinned fruit forms its base – this is now lovely. The nose continues to really impress, the higher tones have become ever redder though the base remains black and creamy. A fresh palate with laser-like intensity – this is excellent – plenty of velvetty tannin and certainly longer than Grivot’s 97 Richebourg, though that length (like the Richebourg) is quite oak based and initially slightly bitter. The fruit needs five minutes to provide a nice sweet black impression, still quite primary, but it starts to come through on the finish too – with just an edge of creaminess, there are plenty of tannins bathing the mid-palate and finish but they seem quite round. The last bottles should wait a minimum of five years in the cellar, probably much longer – but they will be excellent.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Le Corton
There are many dimensions to this deep, wide and dense nose, though the fact that it’s been in bottle only a few days might have taken away a little gloss. Very soft entry on the palate but you are soon bathed in soft, finely grained tannin. There’s real concentration yet there is balance too. The wine opens out well on the palate and is impressively long. This will require years and years in bottle, but is always well priced for the quality.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Chambertin Clos de Bèze
This is the one wine that really stamps it’s own personality on the aromatics. Usually higher-toned floral notes tend to sit in a layer above the rest of the aromatics, here it is more like they are encapsulated by the rest of the aromas – really fine and super elegant. Concentrated certainly, but the fruit does a super job of covering the wealth of tannins. This quite mineral wine expands wonderfully well into a finish that really delivers. It’s an understated delivery compared to some wines from Chambertin/Bèze in 2005, but it’s really a first class wine.
2003 Cornu, Corton
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour. A soft and dusty fruit nose, red fruit, some cream and relatively modest toasty/spicy oak – eventually coffee/mocha overtones. On the palate the ripe fruit is a little oak-marked, and that oak is slightly bitter and for a while dominates the quite long finish. Slowly some creamy fruit comes through, eventually aeration provides a nice balance.
2004 Fourrier, Griotte-Chambertin
Medium, medium-plus cherry red colour. Initially the nose is very tight with faint estery notes, slowly going deeper and a little spicy – eventually this becomes plusher, more red and with quite creamy sweet oak. The fruit is quite high-toned in the mouth, with well-covered tannin. There’s a fantastic length on display – even longer than wine de Vogèé’s 01 Musigny – there’s also quite a lot of oak on display but it’s not in the slightest ‘untasty’ and quite creamy.
2005 Domaine du Clos Frantin, Echézeaux Grand Cru
Medium, medium-plus cherry red. A wide and rather subtle nose showing hints of earth. The palate is lithe and a little tannic. Good acidity and superbly wide, creamy complex flavours that go on and on. This does not have the density of the wines that follow but it’s a marvel in a glass and highly recommended!
2005 Domaine du Clos Frantin, Grands-Echézeaux Grand Cru
Medium-plus cherry red colour. The nose starts quite animale, taking quite some time to subside leaving only the most subtle of dark-skinned fruit aromas. There is a lot of wine here; ragged, chewy tannins leave little room for elegance, but you are left with quite profound, complex wine that bursts across the palate with red and black fruit flavours into the very long finish.
2005 Domaine du Clos Frantin, Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
Medium-plus colour. The nose is very fine; high-toned, linear with delicate red and black fruits. Executive packaging on the palate – good fruit, plenty of tannin, quite some extension into the finish – an almost haunting finish. Not even vaguely austere, just very, very classy. Bravo.
2005 Domaine du Clos Frantin, Chambertin Grand Cru
Medium-plus colour. The nose is impressive with mineral and faintly animale notes mingling with dark fruit – very complex. Concentrated fruit magnificently covers the tannin. Linear entry to the palate, only subltly widening into the mid-palate before impressively bursting into the multi-dimensional finish. Wow! And I thought the Clos de Vougeot was good – this is fantastic quality.
2005 Domaine du Clos Frantin, Richebourg Grand Cru
After the frankly brilliant wines that preceded this, unfortunately we didn’t quite finish with a bang – this was rather unknit and apparently needs some time to settle: Deeply coloured. The nose at first is a little uninspiring – wide but ill-defined – slowly it improves and provides a little coffee depth. The palate is lithe with fairly well covered tannin, but it’s the cream-edged fruit that impresses the most – certainly the most striking of any wine here. The length is also, frankly, superb, but overall this is a wine today of parts and potential rather than cohesion. I’d happily drive some distance to taste it again once it’s settled down though!
1996 Dominique Gallois, Charmes-Chambertin
Medium-plus ruby-red colour. Bloody with sweet, dank, faintly sulfury oak and tonnes of turned leaf litter on the forward nose. In the mouth your main impression is the sweet river of acidity running through the core. As you reach the mid-palate the wine expands before slowly contracting into a good finish. I would say that there are many, many years in this wine yet, but it seems to be entering an early window of drinkability
2004 Geantet-Pansiot, Charmes-Chambertin
Medium-plus cherry red colour. A high toned and wide nose that mixes red and blue-skinned fruits. A wonderfully effusive wine with excellent acidity and super depth. There’s a real extra dimension of fruit on the mid-palate before going into a discrete but long finish. The tannins are completely buried by the fruit. A few of the previous wines are longer but this wine is a compelling ‘complete package’.
1997 Grivot, Richebourg
Medium-plus core of garnet red. The nose starts wide, slightly unfocused with deep and brooding fruit and a cedar note that’s reminiscent of many a 2004, slowly a little meat and glimpses of red fruit as the cedar withdraws. Eventually it’s slightly fresher, no cedar, and perhaps a little spiced tea. The initial texture is quite silky though in the mid-palate there is quite some grainy tannin that despite showing a little bitterness seems to help cement the very long finish. The flavours are mineral rather than fruit driven; quite some creamyness underpinning more cedar on the palate, it’s mouthwatering without being overly fresh. The overall effect is a little blurred – like a soft-focus picture. Summarising, there’s plenty of grand cru dimension, some secondary flavours and a structure that would benefit from another 3-5 years storage – but there’s no wow factor here.
2003 Guyon, Echézeaux
Medium-plus cherry-red colour. The wide nose showcases well delineated soft red fruit and a little coffee too. High-toned fruit in the mouth that is both concentrated and bursts into life on the mid-palate. There is some astringency to the tannin but the combined sweetness of the fruit and the considerable spicy oak means that it’s not overpowering in the finish which also shows plenty of cream and just a touch of espresso. In quality terms this wine is quite close to the previous wine, just a little shorter and less precise – mainly due to the layer of sweet oak which I don’t find ‘additive’.
2004 Haegelen-Jayer, Clos de Vougeot
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour. High tones overlay a nose of considerable depth – earthy and cedar aspects and a slightly ‘lifted’ impression – but throughout our time together the nose remains completely understated. This wine bursts with excitement; it’s intense and the forward acidity makes it difficult to hold the wine in your mouth. The tannin is very well covered and the finish only slowly fades. It’s not as long as the best here but it’s not too far behind. This is an excellent bottle.
1996 Hospices de Beaune, Corton Charlotte Dumay
Classic 1996 Corton. The nose is of blood and iron, eventually red berry fruit from the partially drained glass. The palate is linear and intense – almost metallic acidity pushes you into a quite long finish. The only thing that this wine gives away is the free polish of your teeth. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s enjoyable right now – but I was (just about) up to the challenge!
1999 Hudelot-Noellat, Romanée St-Vivant
Medium ruby-red colour with a hint of amber at the rim. A very deep, wide, earthy and impressive nose. Mouthfilling, still with plenty of drying tannin. Given the nose and structure this slips disappointingly unobtrusively into the finish – but it’s one very long, if slightly oaky finish! In the end the astringent (though ripe) tannins dominate the mid-palate and finish a little too much for current enjoyment. Taking stock there’s a modicum of maturity on the nose and surely a great grand cru nose at that. If the nose hints at maturity the palate is way too young; it’s concentrated and long but the structure is dominant today. When the palate catches up I think this will be a stunning bottle.
1994 Méo-Camuzet, Richebourg
Medium colour. The nose is understated but very wide, interesting and clean. The palate is fresh, actually a little racy and mineral with delicate red fruit and a lovely, impressive – yet suble finish. It never comes close to the concentration of the 1990 Chaumes, but it is complex, delicate and lovely with a finish that lingers and lingers. It’s hardly a performance you would expect from Richebourg, but it’s a lovely wine ready for plucking!
2004 Mugneret-Gibourg, Echezeaux
Medium-plus cherry red colour. The nose shouts red berries, starting in a very soft, powdery red fruit way. Time adds faint cedar and a kind of wet-metal note. Very understated entry, instantly giving the impression of a nice ride along the acidity before moving into a very, very long finish – that was impressive! The mid-palate has a small burst of interest, but this wine remains very understated – not aloof – just very understated and very well made.
1999 Gros Frère et Soeur, Richebourg
Medium-plus ruby-red colour, still with hints of cherry. Shiny red fruit on the nose with a black undertow and a little earth, eventually a little orange too. Sweet and concentrated with real mid-palate intensity. Soft entry, well covered tannin with a slowly fading good length that maybe even has a hint of licorice. Rather like de Vogüé’s 01 Musigny this displays apparently less ripe tannin when compared to others in its flight.
2004 JF Mugnier, Musigny
The colour is medium-plus red, but halfway between ruby and cherry – already starting to lose some that youthfull robe. The nose starts deep and complex with a strong cedar note at the top, and all-spice below. It takes quite some time to open out into a more fruit dimension – mainly a redcurrant note that develops a baked tart effect. The palate has perfect texture – ultra-smooth – and excellent acidity. Really exceptional length, though currently edged with some faintly bitter oak tannin. Interestingly the cedar of the nose is mirrored on the palate. Just a little more intense than the Echezeaux, but I find that cedar note intrusive. Lots of positive aspects, but a wine that is less ‘together’ than the Mugneret-Gibourg today. Take an overnight rest in the refridgerator and the last glass has a more floral nose and the palate is more ‘together’ – still a little cedar though. 5 more lay in the cellar for the long-term.
2005 Domaine du Pavillon, Corton Grand Cru Clos des Marechaudes
Again this is pretty-much opaque in colour. An understated nose with a dense, brooding base – just a little too tight for picking components. Really excellent fruit – super. The tannins are well managed and the length is again super but very understated. Just knock-out fruit quality here.
2004 Ponsot, Chapelle-Chambertin
Medium, medium-plus cherry red. The high-toned nose also starts with a little reduction and earth – it never really becomes fully fruit driven. The stance of this wine is althletic and ‘wiry’ with plenty of intrinsic muscle. The texture is good and the acidity helps to push the finish reasonably long – though in this company it’s (at best) average – with a little raisined aspect and some underlying oak being the dying notes.
2005 Nicolas Potel, Chambertin Clos de Bèze
A very fine and sweet nose with well delineated fruits – very impressive. Wow – almost everything is available here; concentration, never-ending complexity and dimension. Marvellous, multidimensional stuff. This wine almost left me out of breath!
2005 Nicolas Potel, Bonnes-Mares
A deep nose that also shows quite some width. Warming and swirling fills in the picture with some higher toned notes. Big and impressive in the mouth with chocolate covered fruits and a wave of tannin that keeps abreast of the fruit. Incredibly impressive stuff, but for my own preference it’s just a little brutal today. Really impressive stuff

2004 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Échezéaux
Yield 26.5 hl/ha – or 1,267 cases. Medium cherry-red colour. Soft aromas of vanilla support high-toned young but quite elegant notes and subtle stems – slowly it is cherry fruit that starts to underpin everything. The palate mirrors the elegant profile of the nose – there are no fireworks, just a sneaky, undemonstrative length. Elegant, subtle, long reflective wine.
2004 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Grands-Échezéaux
Yield 25.5 hl/ha – or 882 cases. Medium colour. The nose has a little more wood and stem ‘smoke’, faint vanilla at the base and just a little more width than the Echézeaux. Eventually the nose shows truffly notes and asian spice – more cohesion but I miss a fruit dimension, plus a little cedar is now appearing – 25 minutes finally gives us a little cherry! The nose seems much more primary than from barrel. The palate shows the elegance that I remember though the acidity seems just a little brighter with a trace of cedar on the mid-palate. Like the Echézeaux, there are no fireworks, rather understated length. This was my ‘amour’ from barrel – from bottle it seems merely ‘pretty’ rather than beguiling.
2004 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée Saint-Vivant
Yield 28.3 hl/ha – or 1,229 cases. Medium colour. The nose starts more generous and savoury that the last wines but then closes up. Some notes of cedar and berries are slowly released as the nose widens again, becoming smoky and filling the glass again with creamy, spicy and more fruit driven notes. The palate is more masculine and tannic but shows sweet fruit and a more concentrated length. It’s less elegant for sure but has more power and will surely gain balance with time. This is a much bigger step up from the Grands-Echézeaux than at the barrel tasting.
2004 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Richebourg
Yield 27.25 hl/ha – or 953 cases. Slightly deeper colour. Violets and smoke on the sweet nose – the stems are more forward than with the previous wines. Lovely red fruit notes waft from the almost drained glass. Again a different approach – the wine starts narrow but widens and widens on the palate. There tannins are evident but well covered by fruit. The length is very sneaky indeed. There is similar concentration but better balance compared to the Saint-Vivant. Despite not fileding the usual Richebourg ‘punch’, this is a super package.
2004 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, La Tâche
Yield 26.35 hl/ha – or 1,432 cases. I spent 40 minutes with this wine and despite how impressive it was – I didn’t seem to find too much to write! The nose starts slightly understated – hints of cedar and plenty of spicy interest. Slowly it becomes smoother and wider with faint caramel and coffee, eventually showcasing nice precise red fruits. Here is yet another character – more forward and ebullient. Super length with plenty of attack.
2004 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti
Yield 26.55 hl/ha – or 471 cases. Medium-pale colour. The nose is wide and deep, translucent rather than dense with quite pleasant stem notes. Bottle two seems to be have more depth and show a more floral, violet aspect. It’s hard to point out specific attributes as there is that Romanée-Conti ‘whole-ness’ that provides such a measure of balance. Understated and precise, there is so much harmony and sophistication here. Certainly a wine for reflection rather than to impress
2001 Rousseau, Chambertin
Medium, medium-plus ruby-red. Quite an intense minerally nose that becomes higher toned and I thought just a little lactic but this a short phase before a nice creamier presentation. On the palate there’s a dark aspect to the fruit, good acidity and a nicely expanding and intense presentation in the mid-palate. This is very long with a good creamy fruit flavour. Very nice and accomplished wine – second-best so-far.
1985 Armand Rousseau, Chambertin
Medium colour. Feral, yet understated nose at the start. Wide and interesting – it’s not about fruit, though eventually a soft red note comes through, licorice aspects too. On the palate there is a significant additional dimension vs all the previous wines. Interestingly the wildly complex palate is quite narrow until you reach the finish – then it expands exponentially. The texture and complexity on the palate reminds me of a number of 2005′s from Chambertin & Bèze – I suppose there are now 20 years to wait! A tour-de-force of a wine.
1996 Domaine Thomas-Moillard, Corton Clos du Roi
A medium-plus ruby-red core. The nose is about iron and soft, sweet, musky notes topped with fainter blackberry. Linear and intense, this is classic 1996 with mouth-watering acidity and a faint but lingering length. It’s a very clean, concentrated and tidy wine that’s showing little in the way of development and will probably require at least another 5 years to turn a little friendly…
2002 Tollot-Beaut, Corton-Bressandes
Medium, medium-plus ruby-red colour. A wine and mineral nose that slowly releases dark cherry fruit, gradually becoming higher toned before giving glimpses of coffee notes. The palate is clean, muscular and intense with really good, fresh acidity. The length doesn’t come close to match some of the previous wines, but it’s a very good finish if just a little oak-driven. A very nice package that needs two or three years before it starts drinking well
1998 de Vogüé, Musigny Vieilles Vignes
The first few sniffs disappoint, a little undergrowth but little else. Slowly a dense red note builds at the core with a slightly herbal, menthol note above, with time some extra width of high-toned fruit and occasional glimpses of coffee – the herbal element is now much more in the background, just as the nose was almost coming together, but then a little cedar thing started to develop. The palate is dense, plush and very well textured – contrasting to the minerality of Bouchard Père’s Chambertin. The tannins come through on the mid-palate onwards and finish slightly bitter but there’s a real creamy base and this is probably the longest finishing. With time in the glass the palate remains dense, plenty of silky tannin and exquisitely long if not particularly involving.
2001 de Vogüé, Musigny Vieilles Vignes
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour but just starting to transition to ruby. Initially it’s a narrow and high-toned nose that hints at a red fruit depth, eventually some pretty red fruit comes through. Good concentration, the tannin seems to have some grain at the first encounter but they seem to smooth out with the very good acidity. This wine is long, very long. I had a reasonably good score coming through – perhaps 18+/20 – but if you taste this after a 2003 it seems quite unripe and the tannin becomes very astringent
2005 Vougeraie, Clos de Vougeot
There’s an extra width on the nose and a subdued lower register of dense fruit. Again, lovely texture to the tannins but this time they are more concentrated. Plenty of oak texture and flavour on the finish, but this will fade. Classic Clos de Vougeot, just a little austere but bags of potential.
2004 Vougeraie, Mazoyères-Chambertin
A super nose; wide, deep creamy and red. A super palate to match the nose, it’s concentrated and has good acidity – it’s like a meal in itself – delicious. The finish is a good one with some faintly bitter oakiness. Excellent.

2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Corton-Charlemagne
Fine, focused, linear fruit and some minerality on the nose. This was harvested quite late as the Bouchard vines sit high on the hill. Wow – the mid-palate concentration is exceptional here. The length is understated in flavour – quite mineral – but lingers fantasticly.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Chevalier-Montrachet
Was reduced on opening but cleared up quite quickly, that said this has a totally different nose to the other wines with really dense fruit but it’s glossy and focused so in no way ponderous – continues to widen in the glass – very impressive. It’s rich with a mineral edge, but like the Charlemagne the concentration bursts across the palate then the acidity ploughs into the finish – grows well in the glass. Rich with a mineral edge and like the Charlemagne the concentration bursts across the palate before the acidity ploughs you into the finish. Very lovely – stylisticly I prefer the Charlemagne but this has a real wow factor despite Christophe saying it’s closed up a little since bottling!
2003 Jean-Marc Brocard, Chablis Grand Cru Bougros
Medium yellow. The cooler the wine, the more mineral the aspect, but at the correct temperature, aromatically this is a more about honey than rocks, with just a faint savoury edge. The palate is soft and supple – ripe obviously – good texture and a medium-plus length. The vintage is doing the talking here, so this is not a great Bougros, but it is a great value wine enjoyed in a restaurant.
2002 William Fevre, Chablis Bougros
Pale golden. The nose is a pungent mix of faint shoreline notes and heavy, lime-inflected fruit. Super minerality and intensity coupled to really good length. This seems much tighter than the last bottles – must be time to think about laying down for the future. An impressive bottle still.
2005 Long-Depaquit, Chablis Grand Cru Les Blanchots
A nose of faint spice and deep, ripe, melon-infused fruit. The sweet palate is bathed in complex and rich fruit flavours. The texture is excellent – the overall impression being borderline rich, the acidity just about achieves sufficient balance. It’s an impressive effort.
2005 Long-Depaquit, Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
A more mineral rather than sweet nose – quite understated with faint brioche and hints of citrus. Likewise the palate displays understated power and real minerality – super depth. What fruit shows itself is very ripe but pretty much hidden under the structure. Really fine acidity pushes a wonderful length. Really excellent.
2005 Long-Depaquit, Chablis Grand Cru Les Vaudesirs
The nose starts wide but with limited depth, only slowly in the glass does it reach deaper. Even after the ‘Clos’ this seems more mineral again, very, very long too. The waves of flavour just keep washing over the palate. This is a really successful blend of richness, power and minerality bound to a wonderfully ebullient personality – I loved it.
2005 Long-Depaquit, Chablis Grand Cru ‘Moutonne’
The nose is quite dense, riper and more fruit driven than the Vaudesir. The palate is richer and also a little sweeter than that wine – still with the minerality for super Chablis though. It’s a real mouthful of wine, intense yet presented in a more refined fashion than the ‘wall of flavour’ offered by the Vaudesir. The length impresses terribly. The domaine thinks that the gap between this wine and the others is the widest they have ever seen.
2005 Domaine du Pavillon, Corton-Charlemagne
The nose shows density but is quite tight. Hints of pear fruit begin to show themselves as the nose slowly becomes more expressive. This is another wine where the concentration has a rather savoury edge. The mis-palate intensity when couples with the gushing acidity makes this almost too intense to keep in the mouth. Equally long as the Meursault Charmes but with a much more mineral impression. A super wine.

Pages: 1 2