From the great off-piste wines of last weekend to the disappointing on-piste wines of this weekend!

2014 Ponsot/Chezeaux, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Charmes
My first from this case. I note a more golden inner-ring on this plastic suppository (cork) – maybe that’s the reason I’ve never extracted an Ardea more easily!
Day 1 – Relatively modest colour. Hmmm – what is that strange smell, practically balsamic – after 5 minutes in the glass the smell is even stronger! Was that a dud Ardea then or – optional lightbulb moment – this is 2014, could it be Suzuki? Hmm – well it’s something. The line, texture and freshness are fine, very fine. Pinch your nose and it even tastes half-decent – but given the price of this cuvée should I have to pinch my nose to drink? – No! Maybe it was the Ardea, a second bottle would confirm, but I’ve only three more, so that can wait for another day.
Day 2 – overnight in the cold but stoppered: Significantly less volatile (no surprise) but still not a great smell – but the taste is now great with quite some profound, creamy old vine flavour – a better nose and I would say that this was a great 2014.
Day 3 – the first day with something approximating to fruit on the nose – but it’s too late for the palate – all the interest is gone!
Rebuy – No

2005 Maurice Ecard, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Les Jarrons
My last one of these was bad, probably cork-related. This begins better…
This starts great, open, dark coloured, full of aroma, a suggestion of earth and flowers. In the mouth, very good volume and density, width of flavour, depth of flavour too. The last notes are a touch oxidative – but just a touch – I clearly don’t think much of the corks used here, but this wine is very drinkable, indeed yum! But it is for drinking-up now – which is a shame for a 2005.
​Rebuy – No

2017 Bourgogne Tonnerre Le Clos du Château Blanc
Hmm – some vintages this is a match for 1er cru Chablis, and it’s there or there about in 2017. Fresh, a 2015 style of yellow, easy fruit but with definition and drive. It’s as good as it gets in white burgundy at €8 – actually for that price it’s simply amazing!
Rebuy -Yes

Which reminded me that I had an ‘older’ bottle of the red:

2015 Bourgogne Pinot Noir Le Clos du Château
Here’s a wine that I suggest searching out in riper vintages
Modest colour, but a nose of vibrant pinot fruit – very red fruited with a subtle herb – though much less than you will find in the majority of Savigny, for example. Presence in the mouth, easy, slightly creamy – probably once from a more overt barrel – open, fresh only a grain of tannin if you go in search of it. Easy, tasty wine for a very modest price – highly recommended in this vintage.
Rebuy – Yes

2009 Domaine des Billards, St.Amour Reserve Caveau
Rounding out a trio of great corks.
Ooh now that’s a deeper colour – almost saturated. A deep nose, luxuriously fruited with a touch of pepper above – white pepper. Ultra-silky, a wine of muscle, of sinew, a richness and depth of flavour but no fat. So many layers – ooh great wine, great finishing. Hard to imagine doing better for the price in Burgundy. Normal service will be resumed with Côte d’Or wines next week!
Rebuy – Yes
​

1996 Guy Castagnier, Clos St.Denis
A cork that broke into many pieces – just about recoverable
My last one of this stinked – brett amongst other things – this was way better! A smooth and pure dark-red fruit on the nose – in fact just that – a nice line and shape, but primary – at 22 years old! The palate was reasonably concentrated, nicely silky but like the nose – oh-so young. Given the forward but still balanced acidity I’m not sure what vintage I may have guessed – still a bit sharp for 2005 – but equivalently young. No maturity here – but delicious – all was drunk the same night. And it was a stable wine too – no bretty development – the last sip was as good as the first.
Rebuy – Yes

Now you mention 2005s…

2005 Bertagna, Chambolle-Musigny Le Village
Another terrible – broken in the middle cork – at this level of annoyance, I’d prefer DIAM! Not recoverable either, even with an Ah-So, it ended up in the neck so I quickly decanted through a filter.
Well, what do you know – more depth and certainly more aromatic complexity – perhaps even maturity – than the 1996. Go figure. It’s a dark complexity that is visible in the flavours too – perhaps a little oak-derived. But a wine with more volume and more maturity than the CSD, complex though less finely textured. A great and cushioned wine for the label – Chambolle has always been my sweet spot for 2005s. Great Villages! Another wine that didn’t last the night (but not the same night!)
Rebuy – Yes