En Bollery is immediately opposite the Clos Vougeot in Flagey-Echézaux so only the road separates it from being a grand cru – yet it doesn’t even have a Bourgogne classification. The sections on either side of it, in Vougeot and Vosne are both classified as Bourgogne! What were the people in Flagey up to…?

2006 David Clark, Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire En Bollery Pinot Noir
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose has some reduction that takes an age to fade – in fact doesn’t completely – and a wide red cherry fruit, it’s rather fine. Some sweetness to the ripe fruit, a background of slightly astringent tannin, and good intensity too. The quality of this wine absolutely belies its lowly appellation, if not the actual position of the vines. It’s one of those wines that gets consumed all too quickly – excellent!
Rebuy – Yes

2001 Henri Boillot, Corton-Charlemagne
My last two bottles showed a hint of oxidation, so here’s the last one of six. Medium gold – it seemed lighter on pouring. The nose has no obvious oxidation, rather caramel and toffee over sweet fruit. Soft textured with understated acidity. Versus its youth there’s an understated intensity and equally understated – though long – finish with just a hint of gunflint. Just a youthful wine going through a tight phase. Given the track record in my cellar I won’t be rebuying, but this was a very nice bottle.
Rebuy – No

1995 Jean-Marc Boillot, Pommard 1er Les Jarollières
The last bottle of this didn’t show brilliantly, hopefully this does a little better. The colour has a much older, browner caste than I expect for a ’95. The aromas are not promising; quite beefy and hint bretty – I’m not really looking forward to putting it in my mouth! Some sweetness to the fruit, intensity too – it’s a rather macerated, spicy impression. The tannin is relatively understated and the acidity decently balanced. The texture has a reasonable soft and fat impression. Certainly much, much better than the last bottle or my I expectation given the nose. I’m thinking that there may be some slight bacterial spoilage here with this one. 10 left, hmm…
Rebuy – No

For the 6 or 7 years I’ve been drinking this, it’s been super – this half bottle is not quite to the previous standard – on a down-slope? I suppose I will have to re-check – also the Longerois too.

1998 Bruno Clair, Marsannay Les Grasses Têtes
Half bottle, plenty of dark sediment adheres to the inside of the bottle. The colour is taking on a slightly browner caste at the rim, relatively young and red it remains at the core. Hmm, the nose let’s us down, slight beefy aromas that hint to brett and a hint of VA too – just this bottle? Wait long enough and a sweet red cherry aroma starts to poke through, but it remains slightly veiled. In the mouth there is the expected pure, candied and detailed red berry fruit, the finish is pure strawberry – beautiful primary flavours still – and it’s 12 year-old Marsannay! The tannin is understated and shows no astringency – beautiful acidity. Lovely, lovely apart from the nose – my worst bottle…
Rebuy – Maybe

2002 Domaine des Chezeaux, Gevrey-Chambertin Clos des Chezeaux
Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose has a little depth and intensity, faint herbs and, as the glass drains, lovely piercing red berries – mmmm… It starts a little strident, but 30 minutes from opening there’s a real extra fatness and super acidity that dovetails to a decent villages intensity. Subtly long. A wine that ‘gives’ a lot – yum!
Rebuy – Yes