2006 Roulot, Bourgogne Aligoté
Maybe it was because I was just back from a 10 mile run, but this is/was a wonderfully refreshing drink. Soft and high-toned. Perfect balance and reasonably concentrated in the mouth – the acidity plays wonderfully across the tongue. On the negative side it’s rather simple for its price-tag – I think all the Roulot Bourgognes are priced above their quality level now, at least from European retailers – but it is a super summer drink.
Rebuy – Yes

2005 Guy Breton, Morgon – p’tit Max
Medium, medium-pale colour. A high toned, slightly volatile nose. In the mouth that hint of volatility remains but the mid-palate shows a nice depth and also good texture. Reasonably well balanced with little overt tannin, but at best, an okay wine.
Rebuy – no

This villages wine costs the same as the producer’s premier crus – why? – the words ‘vignes centenaire’ give the game away…
2005 Marchand-Grillot, Gevrey-Chambertin Champerrier
Medium, medium-plus colour. A somehow silky nose the starts with chocolate then higher-toned herbal aromatics over a tight red-fruit core. Good fat in the mouth and fine texture, the acidity works very well but there’s just a little spritz (which stayed for the whole 3 hours it was open) which gave the faint tannins a little extra texture. Persistent flavour – this really is a superb villages wine, less complex but currently more enveloping than the producer’s premier crus. Expensive but super.
Rebuy – Yes

Anyone care to suggest a list of wines made from 100 year-old (plus!) vines for a grand tasting in 2025?

Having enjoyed the 2005’s from this producer I bought a few more including a couple of little seen village lieu-dits. I expect tomorrow’s to be a little more special, though this is not bad either:
2005 Marchand-Grillot, Gevrey-Chambertin Jouise
A rarely seen villages name on this label. The colour is rather deep, as is the nose; dark, very faintly oaky cherry with a width of higher tones, as it warms there’s a latent hint of undergrowth. Poised, super acidity and a lingering, mouthwatering finish. There’s not the impact or intensity of the higher M-G wines, but this is a fine villages. So-far, up and down the range I’m very impressed by this producer – but okay, it’s ‘only’ the 2005 vintage…
Rebuy – Yes

Obviously made in quite a reduced style – so open an hour before drinking or dunk the contents of your bottle into the decanter.
2005 Remoissenet, Morey St.Denis 1er Clos des Ormes
Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose is rather deep, showing macerating dark-skinned cherry and just the faintest of dark oak is perfectly melded to it. After 10 minutes it smelled quite reduced, but another 10 minutes on it was clear. In the mouth there’s deep fruit and of understated intensity too – again the last accent is dark oak, but it’s not much and it’s a young wine. The acidity is good, and frankly the only negative is the slight spritz for the first 30 minutes it was open – after that it got better and better. The tannin is buried and the length is very good. I remember it not being not so cheap, but the quality is self evident. Leave a year+ to reduce that oak flavour…
Rebuy – Yes

2006 David Duband, Morey St.Denis 1er Clos Sorbé
Medium, medium-plus colour. Wide and high-toned aromatics, meaty and spicy but with more limited depth. Plenty of tannin, but it’s ripe and has a only a little astringency. The rest is well balanced and shows quite classy fruit with good complexity that’s judiciously edged with dark oak. From a density perspective, there’s less material here than many village wines from 2005, but it remains a good wine. Leave a year or two to let the tannins fade…
Rebuy – Yes