The format seems to much more christmassy and for sharing, so here’s the first this season.

1981 Maison Clavelier – Hospices de Nuits, Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Corvées Pagets – Cuvée Saint-Laurent
A length of name that’s right up there with many from Deutschland! Noted, the label is only 75cl.
The corks starts to move very easily until it crumbles through the middle – a combination of Ah-So and normal cork-screw worm does the trick in multiple pieces though with hardly any ‘bits’ dropping into the neck. Browner colour but the nose is not particularly oxidised for the age of the wine. Actually it’s a more floral nose – aged for sure but not a hint of brett or leather. The flavour is easy and elegant – this is an elegant senior citizen of a wine – a touch of oxidation that shows only through some suggestion of balsamic, there’s no tannin to speak of as it has long-since been deposited on the walls of the heavy, older-style bottle. Tasty, easy – everyone loved. A good start..
Rebuy – No need (I have more :))

A holiday week in the south of France – though plenty of typing was interwoven. Our first bottle was the 2016 Château Thivin, Côte de Brouilly Les Griottes de Brulhié – and like most Thivin, for my palate, it was delicious. Deeply coloured and fruited – just a great bottle – the oak is not completely gone, but now is on a quite modest level. Next the crémant, 2014 Louis Bouillot, Perle d’Or – a sample, but drunk as any bottle should be. Open, good fizz – even a decent fizz for the last glass on day two. Tasty wine, and for about €12 a bit of a steal to be honest – excellent! Another bottle of the Roty – that’s at the third of this case in the last 2 weeks and it was as delicious as the previous bottles. Why not some white? okay, 2016 Domaine de Serrigny, Savigny-lès-Beaune – fresh, aromatic, depth of fresh, alive, concentrated yellow-citrus flavour – the first time that I’ve noticed some barrel notes in the finish – but frankly the wine remains delicious. The last of this week’s south of france selection was 2016 Laurent Martray, Côte de Brouilly Loïs – eventually deeply coloured wine – I say eventually because the cork was like a piece of cement in the neck – eventually being removed in 3 pieces – not the fault of the attractive wax capsule – I’m sure. More direct and acid-forward than the Thivin – like an acid cherry. Tasty but not showing at it’s best – I think the cork could have some bearing on that…

Well, let me tell you that the Domaine Romy 2018 Beaujolais Nouveau Le Mouflet was that very rare beast – a Beaujolais Nouveau Rosé! This wine was light coloured, transparent, nicely structured and fresh in a way that the best gamay manages to surpass in the vas majority of rosé pinot noirs. It was simply great!
Rebuy – Yes

Then came the 1997 Sylvain Cathiard, Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Malconsorts
My last one of these was almost undrinkably bretty, but this starts fabulously with a great and complex mature burgundy nose – so good! After 30 minute, unfortunately, this adds a bit of brett into the mix. A wine that remains drinkable, but much less ‘sniffable’ as it nears its last pours.
Rebuy – No

Lastly the 2017 Bernard et Armelle Rion, Chambolle-Musigny Les Echezeaux
A deep colour for the vintage. The nose is herby but with a very fine fruit and faint flowers too. Big wine, some structure, some herb on the mid-palate complexity too – but what a great depth of fruit as we head into the finish. A wine that softens with air – becoming ever-more friendly. Pretty excellent!
Rebuy – Yes