2006 JF Mugnier, Nuits St.Georges 1er Clos de la Maréchale
Of-course, the biggest disappointment is being able to say nothing at all about the wine – the cork was very smelly from TCA – the wine equally so…

2007 Prince Florent de Merode, Corton Clos du Roi
Bought, like the last, on release. The early bottles were rather modest, no faults – except for lack of overt concentration. As this wine gains in maturity, I’m starting to warm to it. The nose is direct, pretty even, not powerful but still with an invitation. The palate starts much the same – a little narrow but has a little extra fat in the middle flavours that I’ve not previously noted. The flavour is pure, has decent depth and is frankly delicious. I still consider this to show the intensity of a modest 1er cru – the 2005 Pierre Bourée is certainly ahead in that respect. But it was a delicious bottle, and just one more example of the difficult 2007 vintage starting to open up in a positive way.
Rebuy – Yes at the old price 😉

2008 des Comtes Lafon, Monthèlie 1er Les Duresses
This was a helpful wine in positioning the previous Clos du Roi. Here’s a similar energy and intensity to that grand cru. This nose has a vibrant depth, and that small hint of youth – still. The mouth – ooh – I love the combination of energy and delicious flavour complexity – a darker more brambly fruit impression here, only missing that extra fat of the mid-palate from the Corton. Very satisfying wine – qualitatively, easily the match of the 2007 Mèrode. Bravo!
Rebuy – Yes

2009 David Clark, Bourgogne Pinot Noir Au Pelson
This was David’s experiment with stems – previously an avid de-stemmer, David went 100% whole-cluster with this wine – it’s surely time to see how it’s developing.
This was a wine with a strong aromatic profile of whole-clusters – towards the dark-side, the gothic side – today that has been replaced by a more easy-going floral style. In the mouth, also easy-going, indeed modest of flavour. Round, no hard edges, easy to drink – but essentially a proper Bourgogne, well-made, though a wine that has no pretension of trying to keep up with the previous two bottles. Nice Bourgogne, that was probably ready to drink 5 years ago. No-longer a rebuy, but when young, maybe.
Rebuy – No

2010 Nicolas Rossignol, Bourgogne l’Héritière
A very old-vine cuvée – 1922.
Not an ultra-deep colour, but still a certain youth. The nose is silky-smooth, pungently perfumed, certainly a little leathery and with an inky depth too – and that’s despite the red-fruited style. At the base is a little rub of tannin for support, but here is an open and energetic flavour profile – again red-fruited, again a little leather with the fruit but also with an intensity and structure that says that more is to come. Unlike the previous, completely ready, Bourgogne, here is a wine that has plenty of youth on its side, and a much more incisive delivery of flavour. Young, with a power and punch that says much more is to come. Excellent wine, already drinking quite well.
Rebuy – Yes

Having already done a 2002 and a 2003 before the 2005 last week, but not quite being able to force myself to open a 2004, from the image above, I suspect you may still be able to spot my coming (cunning) plan.

This was squarely interrupted by the 2006 from Mugnier being totally corrupted by cork taint – the cork was smelly on its own, but the wine – pooeee! – but yes, there will have to be more beef bourguignone! I didn’t have another 06 ready – in the fridge, it’s already 20°C here – so jumped straight into the 2007. The 2008 will get its cork popped tonight – so notes on the next 4 later in the week…

2018 William Fèvre, Chablis
Secured with diam 5
To open with: A nose that’s just a little tight to start, but obviously saline and lime-style fruited – there’s the suggestion of structure. An hour from opening and the citrus is friendlier and brighter and wider. In the mouth a lovely acidity for the vintage, proper Chablis structure and finishing minerality. A wine that gets better and better with air – even better on day 2! Bravo, but what a baby! if you are lucky enough to have some 2017 it’s more drinkable than this today.
Rebuy – Yes

And what about 3 wines from the Côte St.Jacques?

2002 Varoilles, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Clos des Varoilles
A nose of smoky width – I have the impression that there was a bit of toasty oak here when younger. Time gives this a bit more fresh energy and depth of aroma – a fine invitation. A direct wine in the mouth – lovely energy and vibration of flavour, but hardly medium intensity. Very tasty and seemingly still quite young. Modest intensity for a 1er cru but tasty wine all the same.
Rebuy – Maybe

2003 des Chézeaux/Berthaut, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
In lower volume vintages their Lavaux St.Jacques is blended with their Cazetiers – as here.
The nose is a little fuller and more complex, lots of depth and no smoke – this is a lovely invitation and one that becomes ever-more floral. A surprisingly nice drive and energy here for the vintage, not far behind that of the 2002 from Varoilles, there’s the sweetness of fruit of 2003 but also with width and depth of flavour. Slowly and deliciously mouth-watering – I was right to order a case of this after tasting the wine young – 5-6 more of these beauties still await…
Rebuy – Yes

2005 Pierre Bourée, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Clos St.Jacques
A rare wine, but one with a nightmare cork; first welded into place, then two-thirds breaks off. The remaining third eventually comes out though not before I’ve completely drilled through the middle of it with the corkscrew…
The most colour of these three wines. The nose starts a little lactic and with a suggestion vanilla too – obviously there had been plenty of aromatic oak to start with this one. 20 minutes after opening this has a width of very impressive aroma – cushioned, complex, and oh-so inviting – that’s excellent! Fresh, wide, mouth-filling and mouth-watering too – finishing with a mix of sweetness, salinity and mineral salivation – oh yes! Less lush than the 2003 but perfect for the cep risotto! Bravo!
Rebuy – Yes

2009 Ardhuy, Corton Clos du Roi
Less colour than the Renardes. Here there’s a little obvious whole-cluster in the aromatics and presumably, that’s the reason for the lighter colour. The nose, actually, is a little diffuse and in all the time it’s open, never really has any kind of focus or compelling aspects – good but not great. In the mouth, it reflects a little the nose – there’s a good balance and none of the harsh finishing oak of the Renardes from a few days ago, but in terms of interest, whilst this is easier to drink, the Renardes is easily the most compelling of this duo. Given the initial tasting, much more of a disappointment than the Renardes was.
Rebuy – No

2018 Chevallier, Chablis Cuvée Prestige
Unlike the base ‘Chablis’ from this domaine, this wine is cork-sealed, rather than Nomacorc. Ooh – a proper Chablis nose of freshness and a little seashore. The aromas are reflected in the flavours – good mineral freshness – that’s a proper Chablis, even in 2018 – well done!
Rebuy – Yes

2010 François Mikulski, Meursault 1er Les Charmes 1913
The cuvée of old, 1913, vines.
Anecdotally this had a high chance of being poxed, but no, it was fine. Deep, intense yellow colour, not really gold. The nose was pungent with saline citrus – almost an oily weight to the fruit. In the mouth, it was similarly intense with really great acidity – impressive stuff. Complex, with ginger and perhaps a faint oxidative ‘something’ in the flavours, but this is great wine, the intense citrus flavour is seemingly quite peppery – no question, and one of the best whites of the year.
Rebuy – Yes

2006 Alex Gambal, St.Aubin 1er Murgurs des Dents du Chien
I found this wine a little heavy, almost ponderous when young – what a change!
The nose is wide, fresh, floral, multi-dimensional stuff – eventually with a little salted-caramel in the mix too. Structural, open, no fat, but still a layered depth to the delivery of vibrant flavour. Sweetly wide but always with a mix of delicacy and intensity – never a suggestion of heavy. What do we have here? It’s even better than the Mikulski – that’s two nights in a row with the bottle emptied! Bravo!
Rebuy – Yes

Netflix’s ‘Uncorked’ made me do it – cellar finds:

1996 Penfolds, Bin 389
I watched Netflix’s Uncorked this weekend, and there was a reference to the Bin 389, ‘the baby Grange’ and with this weekend’s cellar tidying – guess what I found? I’m still not ready to open the 1996 Bin 707s, but why not one of these?
Not the density of colour that I remember from 15 years ago – the (14%) nose a little spirity and with plenty of prune and plume – fresh and interesting prunes all the same, and the depth growing and widening with aeration. A little fat and a lot of silk to the texture – there’s still a small grain of tannin that slowly comes to the surface. A hint spirity in the middle again, but here’s an impressively mouthwatering flavour and one that finishes with such a force of spice; cinnamon, musk, who needs La Tâche? Impressed, though it would be even better without that spirity character…