Hot-footing back from Beaune on Friday, I thought to myself – Chambertin time! I’d pulled this bottle out for a friend’s tasting of Chambertins and Bèze, but after some date changes, I found myself unable to attend – a big shame – but the bottle was still looking at me, so…

1996 Chézeaux/Ponsot, Chambertin
Ponsot’s 1996s have a reputation for not being ‘on it!’ Laurent counters that no-one should judge his wines before they are 25 years old – okay, I’m not quite there, but close…
The long cork slides out rather easily, but it looks in great shape. The first sniff of the wine shows some oxidative notes but also a whiff of something resembling great Chambertin – unfortunately that was the only decent whiff it gave – afterwards just oxidative notes. On the palate the shape was mouth-filling with an impressive and saline depth and length of flavour, unfortunately everything preceding that was oxidative. I didn’t like it – even if the label had said 1946, I still wouldn’t have been interested to drink further. So then came an experiment – can you still make a good boeuf bourguignonne with oxidative wine? I can tell you that the answer to that, is a resounding yes!
Rebuy – No

Next day, with out boeuf bourguignonne:

1999 René Engel, Grands-Echézeaux
I had the impression that this was a heavier bottle than Philippe had used in earlier vintages. The colour was deep. The nose grew and grew; peppery, herby, mega-complex and saline – it was a rush! The palate was direct and a little narrow – driving you towards the finish. Not that sweet but with a wonderfully impressive weight and length of finishing flavour. Classic but great, young 1999 style. If you want hedonism drink this wine from 2000-2003 in preference to this still rather young wine. With our boeuf the wine widened and fattened, becoming much more accommodating. No doubt great wine – maybe I’ll try another in a couple more years!
Rebuy – Yes

2015 Vincent Latour, Meursault Cuvée St.Jean
I visited Vincent for the first time to taste his 2016s – a very good effort in such a challenging vintage. I re-visited last week, and can tell you that he has brilliant 2017s. He thrust this bottle – a blend of multiple sites in Meursault – into my hand when leaving, and I have to say that this is showing very well.
The nose is open and comfortable, faint hints of oak mingling with a little spice of the village. In the mouth there is the comfortable depth of texture of the vintage but still with enough acidity to enliven this cosseting, silky experience. Just delicious…
Rebuy – Yes

Domaine Roc des Boutires is a modestly sized estate with 4.2 hectares of vines spread across 14 parcels that were planted (in the 1970s) between 210 and 430 metres above sea level. This a relatively new addition to the stable of wines of the Parinet family – the owners of Château du Moulin à Vent. They bought the produce of the domaine as must since 2011, and finally managed to buy the domaine itself in 2016. So this is their first ‘domaine’ vintage.

The domaine itself is was located in the village of Pouilly – but the team of Chateau du Moulin à Vent don’t have a place there to vinify so bring the grapes to Moulin à Vent – which is allowed because Romanèche-Thorins is one of the villages authorized to vinify Pouilly-Fuissé by the Pouilly-Fuissé décret – the rules!

The difficult growing season manifests itself with yields for all the wines of 20 hl/ha or less – whilst they avoided the 2016 frosts, they were significantly impacted by hail on April 13th 2016, which basically removed the vines’ primary buds. The secondary buds were still in-tact, but much less productive, hence, the yields. The good summer meant that the grapes that remained were in good health.

The wines were fermented 70% in tank, 30% in barrel – on their lees – with a total elevage of 15 months. There was no batonnage and a normal malolactic. Bottled on December 14, 2017.

Samples were kindly provided by the domaine, and were tasted in mid-October:

2016 Pouilly-Fuissé
Medium colour, a nice freshness and a citrus inflection to the nose too – no oak to note. Volume in the mouth, faintly saline but a melting depth of concentrated flavour too. Mineral, just a little vibrant finishing. Hmm, this is rather excellent for a ‘base’ wine.

2016 Pouilly-Fuissé En Bertilionne
Fresh, more depth of aroma, here with an accent of oak – but transient oak – 5 minutes later there is none to find. Beautiful texture, good width of flavour, with concentrated ripe lemon fruit in the mix, faint bitters too – serious, complex wine, mineral-inflected and very long. This should require a little patience but it’s quite something!

2016 Pouilly-Fuissé Aux Bouthières
A fresh nose again, a beautiful line of aroma, almost an impression of sweetened butter to the aroma but no direct vanilla impression like the last. Wide, fresh, more than a little mineral, only slowly melting over the tongue, so a much sleeker impression on the palate. Less open than the Bertilionne, in fact easily the tightest of these three. Super components, plenty of concentration, very modestly phenolic in the citrus finish. Patience, a great wine under construction!