2006 Gaston et Pierre Ravaut, Ladoix Les Carrières
Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose soars with beautiful raspberry and blackberry notes – it’s a peach – or maybe that’s confusing! There is some sweetness of fruit, nice texture and a significant length, but to be honest after a number of successful vintages in my cellar, this one is rather ‘acid rich’ – and that’s before it loses its puppy fat! The tannin has the faintest astringency, but nothing amiss there. I easily managed to find something to enjoy here, but other bottles will be a challenge in middle years…
Rebuy – No

With a few (very) good contacts, M&M were able to fashion this blend of two iconic Gevrey 1ers – if you buy some wine from them, they might tell you what’s in the bottle – they probably won’t tell you who they got if from though!

2004 Mischief & Mayhem, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er, Crazy Love
Medium colour. The nose starts very tight, just a little warmth, slowly it develops a heavy floral scent – in-part it’s derived from a little of the vintage character, but on a low and ‘nice’ level. There is some fat, silky texture, high-toned fruit, balance and a very impressive length that shows some licorice. Initially I noticed the ‘character’ more in the flavours than the aromas, but the flavours seemed to clear completely. A lovely wine, and indeed a very serious wine…
Rebuy – Yes

Do you think this (empty) bottle is worth something because of the miss-printed label? Me Neither!

With the exception of a Chambolle that seemed a little too sweet, I have to say that I’ve been impressed by the 03 Lachaux range; they never really closed, and whilst externally they do offer a slightly facile if opulent glass, there is certainly more below the surface if you care to look…

2003 Pascal Lachaux, Latricières-Chambertin
Medium-plus colour. Brooding aromas of dark cherry and cassis that are framed with warm, sweet coffee. Mouth-filling, slightly acid-shy but good texture and fantastic length. There’s a slight bitterness that mingles with the creamy fruit in the mid-palate, tannin is fine with the merest leading-edge of astringency. Really, this a bottle to wallow in rather than intellectualise over, yet the IQ is there if you want to challenge it. Very impressive indeed.
Rebuy – Yes

Given how I abused this bottle, this is rather an impressive showing – and from a producer I hadn’t heard of. The bottle was pulled from the shelves of Caves Madeleine restaurant in Beaune. The small-ish glasses in the restaurant and lack of time for the wine to open up gave only an impression of balance but little else. More than half-drunk, it had the cork rammed back in, spent the rest of the day in the back of the car (December) before finally coming to rest in the refrigerator at home. Not the next day, but the day after, I poured the last glass and a half from which this note is culled:

2006 François Legros, Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Perrières
Medium-plus colour. Deep, velvety aromas over a hint of volatility that wasn’t there on day one. Smooth, yet with plenty of finely grained, underlying tannin. Long, concentrated and balanced, the fruit is dark before a higher-toned burst of fruit in the mid-palate, there is a nice depth of flavour before the wine slowly fades into the finish. Plenty of structure but it’s not a burly Nuits expression, rather (perhaps) a softer Perrières expression. Very nice wine.
Rebuy – Yes

2006 wines from Nuits and Vosne continue to repay my confidence…

1998 Robert Arnoux, Vosne-Romanée
The last bottle of this was very good, and only drunk around two years ago, this bottle is not to the same standard. This one has a little volatility – slight cola – and some meaty aromas. The acidity is slightly lifted and there’s still just a hint of astringency showing from the tannins if you look hard enough. Decent length, but not so much love today. It was anyway my last bottle.
Rebuy – No

Here’s a relatively unusual occurrence; somebody actually sent me some wine to review! I’m in an awkward place to send wine to – as I found out from my ‘friendly’ customs and excise bill – €40 for 2 ‘free’ bottles – ie more than the cost of buying the bottles! Anyway, I thought you should be aware of this departure from the norm so that you can more easily factor-in any bias that might have occurred due to the unexpected ‘bottle cost’ 😉

I really don’t get that far south in Burgundy very often, so first, a short introduction, verbatim from the domaine themselves:

Domain Description:
Domaine du Chalet Pouilly founded in 1850 is a family business for over 100 years, and produces two 100%-Chardonnay: Pouilly Fuissé and Saint Véran. The 8 hectare property is shared by Pouilly Fuissé and Saint Véran.
Domaine du Chalet Pouilly practices traditional wine-growing methods, respecting the “terroir” in order to bring out the superior quality of its wine flavors. Domaine du Chalet Pouilly’s philosophy is to allow nature to express itself through the vinification process in order to create high-quality, rich-flavored wines with a rustic touch.
Pouilly Fuissé: A dry 100%-Chardonnay white wine with a golden color and green glints that brings a mineral bouquet of nice floral touches.
Saint Véran: Made with 100%-Chardonnay grapes with a light yellow (thanks to the old vineyards) color and an elegant, fruity scent.
In 1983, Henri Plumet passed his estate to his daughter, Marie-Agnès Plumet, and her husband, Bernard Léger who presently run Domaine du Chalet Pouilly.
Dr Bernard Léger-Plumet graduated with a Medical Degree and started his career in Solutre-Pouilly as a “village doctor”. His wife Marie-Agnes Léger-Plumet earned her pharmaceutical degree in 1971. In order to further expand the family business, both Marie-Agnès and Dr Léger-Plumet gave up their medical careers and devoted all their time to the estate. Their passion and interest for wine grew stronger over the years, eventually leading them to change their career paths. In 1984, Dr. Léger-Plumet completed a degree in Oenology inDijon, France. Marie-Agnes received her agricultural certificate in 2004. Since 2008 Dr. Léger-Plumet is a member of “La Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin”.

2008 Domaine du Chalet Pouilly, St.Veran
Medium-pale yellow. A forward and wide nose of ripe fruit covered by a twist of yellow-lemon – it’s very pretty. Starts with a little petillance, then there’s a nice burst of energy in the mid-palate – no doubt invigorated a little by the gas. The texture smooths as the gas departs, a good core of tight fruit is the reward. Clean, correct, balanced and pretty – not forgetting, also very tasty.
Rebuy – Yes

2007 Domaine du Chalet Pouilly, Pouilly-Fuissé
The aromas clearly evoke the best villages of Côte de Beaune; creamy, vanilla patisserie aromas that perfectly dovetail with a lemony essence. This fills the mouth very nicely with high-toned fruit flavours, and lovely acidity that promotes very good length. The mid-palate is a little narrower than the aromas and flavours suggest, i.e that suggestion of Puligny, but the rest of this wine does a very good impression indeed. A wannabee wine, rather than a correct Pouilly? Who-cares, it was delicious…
Rebuy – Yes

Not even the faintest trace of ‘vintage character’. I still don’t drink that many bottles from this producer, but I’ve been very happy with those that do get to meet my corkscrew…

2004 Antonin Guyon, Meursault 1er Charmes Dessus
Already a medium golden colour – but that seems to come from the oak. Plenty of sweet toast on opening, slowly becomes more brioche, width and depth aplenty – very accomplished indeed. Tongue-coating, smooth, concentrated and perfectly balanced (invisible) acidity. No real fireworks, but new flavours seep out from your teeth and cheeks; creamy accents and excellent length. This was a relatively expensive bottle, but it is a classic, high-class Meursault in that comfortable, plush, unhurried style that only this village truly delivers. My indecision on whether to make this purchase was clearly unnecessary…
Rebuy – Yes