Last time I tried this, there was something missing – actually there was quite a lot missing. This time there is a little more to see, and there’s definitely real interest in the glass this time – perhaps it was previously a faint cork issue.

2011 Rossignol-Trapet, Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Bas Liards
Medium, medium-plus colour. Aromatically very shy, but over about 3 hours it fills out a little with some truffle and a sweet undercurrent – modest but inviting. It’s round in the mouth, with modest, but fine-grained tannin. The fruit is more up-front and obvious this time, with all the sweetness and friendliness of the vintage, and as far as I can see, none of the negatives. Very, tasty.
Rebuy – Yes

I recently tasted the 2012 of this, and it is one of the best villages I’ve tasted from Chambolle for quite some time. Despite that benchmark, this is pretty damn good too. I remember that Clair, together with Barthod really stood out in the Côte de Nuits for their relative freshness in this warm, ample-fruited 2009 vintage – I’m glad to see that carried through into the bottles too.

2009 Bruno Clair, Chambolle-Musigny Les Veroilles
Only medium colour. Airy, sweet but fresh red fruit – a sort of raspberry/strawberry hybrid – it’s faintly floral too. Very inviting. Just a little fat but fine enough acidity bubbles below the surface. Sweet and brilliantly pretty flavours play across the tongue, with just a faint oak-cream addition as you head into the finish. Sweet, very friendly but oh-so lucious. Simply, super-yum!
Rebuy – Yes

I waited a long time for these 2010s, mainly due to ‘Corbeaux-gate’ – such were some of the exaggerated complaints on wine-fora. For info, the Corbeaux didn’t start malo until 1 year late and our winemaker chose not to force it. It went through okay last year, was bottled and I picked up my selected 3 premier crus in January – simple. Late, but simple. It seems that some people didn’t like this non-interventionist approach, that being so, they probably shouldn’t have bought from this domaine in the first place!

I will eventually publish my note on the Corbeaux, but this, if you prepare it properly, this is rather nice.

2010 Maison Ilan, Morey St.Denis 1er Les Monts Luisants
The nose starts mainly with a toasted bread note and a faint reductive element at the core, but it’s also somehow sweet and welcoming. Ooof! Direct and intense attack, but maybe a little too much CO₂ to start(?) I return my glass to the bottle and shake – several times. Actually, despite that slight rasp on the tongue, there’s not too much gas to release here. That prickle on the tongue aside, the wine begins very smoothly in the mouth – so, very intense and rather smooth – the balance is fine too. But whilst that reductive note hangs around, I also have the impression of something a little volatile in the flavours, yet there are impressive layers of flavour in the finish. I return after an hour: Still a faint toast on the nose but below is a width of warm, spiced fruit. This wine is still packing a punch but the palate is now more settled and round, no reduction, nothing volatile. The personality here is more a ‘soft and comforting’ wine than ‘laser-focused’ and it has good length. I’m really enjoying it now. If you have some to open, decant it and wait 30 minutes. Good wine.
Rebuy – Yes

Hmm – didn’t this domaine do just great things in the last couple of vintages, and maybe longer…(?) The 2010 Fairendes was brilliant at the weekend, and now this. I’ve also got a 2011 Montagny somewhere, I hope it’s as good as this! 😉

2011 Jean-Marc Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Les Baudines
Medium-pale lemon yellow. Fresh, high-toned blossom/fruit – it has a certain depth and weight about it too. Lovely freshness (you wouldn’t blink if told it was a 2010) width and weight. There’s a creamy extra dimension in the mid-palate flavour too. Truth be told, maybe there’s not quite the focus of this domaines’ 2010s, maybe… Lovely depth, layers of fresh but weighty flavours. I seem to have drunk rather more than a taster’s sip!
Rebuy – Yes

2010 Nicolas Rossignol, Pommard Les Vignots
Deeply coloured. The nose is wide, dark and slightly glossy. The palate has plenty of width too, the black-cherry fruit is perhaps less dark than the nose – and supported by a ripe, faintly grained tannin. The mid-palate fruit is very lovely – super energy. This wine clearly has a little dissolved gas as it really benefits from a couple of hours open. A dark, and almost obvious Pommard personality but with real brio. Super!
Rebuy – Yes