2009 David Clark Bourgogne Pinotr Noir Au Pelson
This was the first, and probably only, wine that David Clark made with all the stems – 100% whole cluster – and it really smelled of it when young. Today we have really a more perfumed impression – rose-petals – and it smells delicious. In the mouth it retains good volume and a lovely texture – all the sweetness of fruit that 2009 can offer too. Long, just a little more herbed in the finish, but this is becoming a lovely thing. I think I drank far too many when they were young, because this is a beauty now – but I have maybe less than half a case remaining. Super ‘simple’ bourgogne…
Rebuy – Yes

1990 Maurice Chapuis, Corton-Charlemagne
Golden colour – but no brown. The nose, amazingly, starts in a firework/gunflint reductive style – with time the glass becoming richer with more of a salted caramel and lanolin style. In the mouth there’s really a nice volume of flavour, some richness and sweetness but also a base of saline minerality too – just lovely in the finish – way better 2 hours after opening than for the first 20 minutes – sometimes old whites just need a lot of aeration – and this is one – a mid-week treat!
Reuy – Yes

A cellar search for something ‘disruptive and belligerent‘ – Laurent Ponsot is certainly disruptive so this was not a bad choice. Actually I was surprised to note that even the 2009s bear his domaine name stamped into the base of the bottle – I had assumed that this was, relatively, a more recent change. I went back through some older bottles to see when it started – the 2008s are stamped, the 2007s not…

2009 Ponsot / des Chézeaux, Griotte-Chambertin
The colour is relatively modest – it least with 2015s in mind – though not brilliantly bright. The first sniff is round and tight but within minutes the aromas open their arms with complexity and depth, first with a silky and deep red cherry and then adding mineral complexity and even more width and depth – ooh – this is one of the best things that I’ve sniffed in a long time – it’s that good! Medium weight, silky wine but with a growing intensity of fine flavour that persists as well as a 2015. For such a baby, this an über-covetable wine. Bravo!
Rebuy – Yes

The sun was out and I’d also spent some time with wines from Mâcon last week – so why not keep it going over the weekend?

2014 Château des Rontets, Pouilly-Fuissé Les Birbettes
Medium yellow colour. The nose is fresh waft of lemon curd – very attractive. Lovely in the mouth, incisive enough but at the same time perfectly textured – direct, modestly mineral, refreshingly intense. Just a really great young wine. Only the finish has an extra accent of oak, but really nothing that would put me off and the flavour is so mouth-watering. Really a high-class PF…
Rebuy – Yes

2015 Domaine de la Sarazinière, Bourgogne Aligoté Clos des Bruyères
A wine that starts with a little toasty reduction, but as it opens it becomes an ever finer and bright, pure citrus nose. Silky, bright and with just a little citrus and mineral length – don’t let this get too warm or flavours broaden and become less precise. With cheese or with barbecue, this was just a super wine – very yum!
Rebuy – Yes

Céline et Laurent Tripoz, Crémant de Bourgogne Nature
A modest golden colour. The nose has hints of sherry, beer, apple and a fine mandarin note too. In the mouth this has a really fine width of flavour, super freshness and a fine cooked apple. Extra complex in the finish and it’s a fine and long finish. Despite some parts of my note, this is not really an oxidative style in the mouth – like many champagnes today – simply a very delicious wine. The bottle won’t last long!
Rebuy – Yes