The last of my quartet from 1986. I was surprised by the cleanliness and decent condition of the first three, can this really make 4 in a row? It seems so.

So what have I learned about the vintage from this small sample? There’s impact, there’s a weight of concentration and I expect that there was some very astringent tannin during the early years. Perhaps these wines are a little too monolithic, certainly there is no delicacy though the acidity is up to the job. All were drinkable and far from fading, and whilst the Clos de Vougeot will take the aromatic plaudits, this Bonnes-Mares is the most complete wine. I’d say that the wines are like 1992 with more concentration.

1986 Fougeray de Beauclair, Bonnes-Mares
The nose doesn’t offer the instant ‘to die for’ gratification of the Cotetidot 86 Clos de Vougeot, but it also far from disappointing; there’s a savoury, slightly saline impression that I assume has its roots in oak – although it’s a little tight, it’s also quite inviting. Given time the nose develops a more earthy depth. Silky, with grand-cru fat, this shows a little of that saline element in the flavour too, coupled to slightly oaky bitterness. The mid-palate just bursts forward with minerality and a selection of dried fruits; sweet currant and fig flavours stain your palate, eventually gaining a faint creaminess. The first of these 86s where I’m not delaying the next pour!
Rebuy – Yes

2008 des Croix, Corton-Charlemagne
Medium yellow. The nose starts with a width of Charlemagne herbs, slowly but surely taking on a warmer, slightly heady orchard blossom aroma. Start drinking when it’s too cold and this is certainly not a Charlemagne of instant impact, rather it builds both concentration and intensity in the mouth. In the mid-palate there is GC extract and intensity that fades on beautiful acidity. Silky understatement but considerable length, no extraneous inputs, just pure wine. Yum!
Rebuy – Yes

Much as I (for some reason) covet a wax-sealed bottle, they are certainly messy when it comes to extracting the cork. If you haven’t seen them, Nicolas Potel’s new domain have red or yellow wax that only half covers the cork, and the top wines (and magnums) of L&A Lignier have a cool, dark brown wax seal.

As I start this operation, the corkscrew obviously starts to rip the cork so the ‘ah-so’ comes to a perfect rescue – well, only perfect if you can clean up the mess of chipped wax before the domestic management arrives on the scene!

1986 Confuron-Cotetidot, Clos de Vougeot
Medium, medium-plus colour. The first sniff will weaken your knees, such is the depth of dark macerated cherry and baking plums padded with earth. Like the last two 86s I’ve opened, here is a wine that seems excellently balanced – the acidity is good – yet it’s not refreshingly moreish, it doesn’t beg you to take another sip, all have somehow seemed acid-shy when they’re not – strange. The texture is silky before a fine but astringent tannin starts to take over. A high-toned fruit expands across the mid-palate before very slowly lingering – it’s a high-quality finish. This is a wine of power and still some aspect of youth, it’s a bit of a cliché to say ‘austere’ but there is still something of that about it – am I allowed to say a 24 year-old wine is too young? – the nose suggests more today than the full package actually delivers. I’m in no rush to open the last two bottles…
Rebuy – Yes

High-value wine here – I also have their bourgogne, I must see how it compares.

2007 L&A Lignier, Bourgogne Passetoutgrains
There’s already a deposit of hard sediment forming in this bottle – real wine then! Medium, medium-plus cherry-red – perhaps even a hint of gamay purple. The nose is all ripe pinot to start, though after an hour I think the gamay can be glimpsed at the core – note I wouldn’t have ‘glimpsed’ it if I hadn’t seen the label! Nicely mouth-filling and silkily textured. The acidity brings a lip-smacking slightly sour-cherry impression to the fruit that makes this a refreshingly moreish tipple. A very sneaky extra creaminess evolves in the mid-palate too. Clean and perfectly packaged to deliver super early summer drinking…
Rebuy – Yes

The next in a quartet wines from 1986 that I’ll try in the next week or so – they are interesting because I really don’t know the vintage – for instance Lamarche was hardly at the peak of their reputation at this time:

1986 François Lamarche, Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Malconsorts
I guess it has been stored almost inverted as there is such a thick layer of brown mud (sediment) attached to the base of the cork. Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose is understated but clean, a tight core of macerated and ripe fruit at its centre. This seems to have an almost grand cru level of fat, understated acidity and a rasp to the tannin – though not as astringent as yesterday’s Mazis. Like the nose, the flavours are clean but tight – this wine has some class, but is clearly going to make me wait if I want complexity. Even at the three hour stage the nose is a glossy but understated thing, perhaps a faint beefy depth begins to show. The palate develops a liqueur quality with a very faint suggestion of oxidation. Overall this drinks very well indeed.
Rebuy – Yes

Hardly a star performer and for years, this case of half bottles from auction could have been a monumental faux pas. Yet bottle number one was quite tasty – if not something to get carried away about. Interesting that the latest labels of the domaine have defected to the ‘Mazy’ spelling camp…

1986 Henri Rebourseau, Mazis-Chambertin
Medium mahogany red. The nose has a hint of leaf but also the warm, slightly sweet aromas of age – it seems quite clean. Still some astringency to what was probably quite under-ripe tannin in its youth and a hesitant sweetness to the fruit – though I have the impression it didn’t give up much sweetness for a lot of years. Grand Cru? Hard to tell, I’ll just say it’s an interesting, clean, fresh and drinkable bottle, it’s not a faux-pas.
Rebuy – Maybe

Anyway, to finish, this is good (short) article from the Wall Street Journal, and what a great idea for a tasting!