2002 Nicolas Potel, Vosne-Romanée 1er Aux Malconsorts
Medium colour. This has limited aromatic width, but what depth! There’s a lot of Vosne about the nose; spice, ginger and warmer fruit at the base. In the mouth this has something in common with the nose – not really a grand cru impact, but absolutely a grand cru complexity, mid-palate dimension and finish – the acidity focusing and extending the length. This is seriously good and much more open than I had right to expect from a 2002. Lovely wine.
Rebuy – Yes

2006 Nicolas Potel, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Fuées
Medium-plus colour. The nose has depth and almost texture; sometimes when you have brett there’s a texture impression, and I have it here, but it seems clean enough. The fruit is dark and occasionally gives flashes of brilliance. It’s fresh and intense, keep it in your mouth and it becomes even more intense as the acidity penetrates your tongue. The tannin really only shows itself – and mildly – from the mid-palate into the finish and as a slightly bitter but flavour adhering additive – hmm, licorice I think. Actually there is more flavour in the finish than you get at the start – it really builds and builds. Overall – full-packed, hinting to rustic but full of interest and I might even say fun! If the nose didn’t slowly develop a more floral and pretty ‘whole’ I don’t think you’d ever have ‘Chambolle’ as your first guess – I suppose that’s the proximity to Bonnes-Mares for you. I’m happy to have a couple of larger format bottles to work through from 2020 onwards!
Rebuy – Yes

2008 A&R Olivier, Bourgogne Chardonnay
Using a ‘Diam’ seal. Medium yellow. The nose has the faintest creamyness which hints to brioche and sherbet, but majors on sweet green-yellow fruit. There is some fat and sweetness but also a stonyness at the core. Well balanced with medium length. This is very good indeed, it doesn’t topple my benchmark 08 bourgogne, but then this is a about 25% cheaper!
Rebuy – Yes

I’d heard that this was on its last legs. So rather than let it fester in the cellar, I hoped that maybe there was a chance of a last ‘hurrah’ but it seems reports of this wine’s death have been exaggerated!

1994 JF Mugnier, Musigny
Well the cork is in great shape; long, flexible and not a hint of seepage. Medium garnet red. The nose is a little dense – there’s depth certainly, but it’s a little cooked and monolithic – not really the elegance or complexity of Musigny to start with, but slowly a more penetrating and pure red fruit nose comes centre-stage – after 2 hours it’s quite engaging. There is plenty of balance, understated slightly astringent tannin and a finishing note that is mineral with a hint of tannic bitterness – well one thing’s for sure; this is far from a mature wine. In the end I drank it whilst admiring certain aspects of it but without ever warming to it. The flavours are certainly more mineral than fruit influenced and it’s far from a thing of beauty right now – actually it’s still an ugly duckling – but if I had a second bottle in such good condition I wouldn’t open it for at least another 5 years.
Rebuy – Maybe

2007 L&A Lignier, Morey St.Denis Vieilles Vignes
Medium, medium-plus colour. Right from the start there are high, almost floral tones leaking from the glass – below is a redder fruit note. There’s plenty of acidity here but it’s suddenly consumed by a width of extract, slightly rustic finishing tannin and some creamy vanilla oak. The finish has that vanilla too and a slightly greeny/herbal element. Interesting, engaging almost but I’d personally be looking for a hint more composure if I was going to go long on this wine, that said, this was the perfect Burgundian food match – with Lasagna!
Rebuy – Maybe

Well the last one was really good – so what’s to lose in trying again? Another bit of humour on the top of the cork – I’m definitely warming to this producer. I think I need to try their bourgognes – that’s usually the acid-test!

2008 A&R Olivier, Santenay 1er Beaurepaire
Medium-plus colour. The nose starts almost too forward but slowly settles into a fine and deep expression of red and black fruits and something that almost touches on aniseed. Concentrated and certainly intense this has more padding than the villages Santenay so never hints at anything mouth-puckering. The texture is very good indeed. This premier cru essentially delivering more weight without any penalty in terms of fineness or focus. Really very accomplished.
Rebuy – Yes

A slight name-change since I last tasted a bottle from this domaine, but the quality is just as good. Maybe I should pay a visit. Anyway I like the sense of humour for the cuvée name!

2008 A&R Olivier, Santenay ‘Les Temps de C(e)rises’
Medium-plus, bright cherry red colour. The soft red fruit has width and impressive depth, a faint musty/stalky element to but it’s more complexity than a negative – it is anyway gone after 30 minutes of air. Full, bright, perhaps a hint petillant to start – I’ll let it settle for a while. Settle down it does; there is depth, impressive intensity and a clarity to the fruit that you don’t always find with Santenay. The acidity is just about covered, helped by quite some velvet texture, but still gives a lip-smacking effect – better than mouth puckering I suppose. I like this a lot for it’s ebullient ‘crunchy’ fruit, but when it loses some flesh it will be more challenging. Factor in a price of just over €10 and it is an absolute winner – bravo!
Rebuy – Yes

A tasting recollection – drunk over dinner with friends on Saturday.

2000 Lambrays, Clos des Lambrays
Medium, medium-pale colour. A little warmth of alcohol in the nostrils but chocolate, good stems and clean undergrowth too – it was very pretty. In the mouth there is sweetness, good balancing acidity and a tannin that just occasionally shows itself in the quite long finish. Dry stuff that description – often the problem with recollections – it doesn’t tell you that everyone around the table was oohing and ahing and saying the same word – ‘lovely’. Showing very well now but with the balance to last and last…
Rebuy – Yes