2019 Château Bellevue, Morgon Côte du Py
I didn’t like the smell of the cork and for the first hour, I also didn’t like the smell of this wine – all herby and reductive – I blamed the cork thought it wasn’t ‘corked.’ Fortunately with aeration it took on another dimension – just as well, as this was one of my recommendations from the vintage, such that I bought a case myself!
The nose finally cleans up to offer a silky, almost glossy, dark fruit with a growing level of floral perfume. Open and fresh – a vibrant energy though with plenty of concentration too. The finish is brilliantly layered yet fresh – wine of uncommon purity. Now I see why I liked it so much before it was bottled.
Rebuy – Yes – and for half the price of some Bourgognes too…

2018 Gueguen, Côteaux Bourguignone, Sacy
Good but not great – unless you factor in the price – then I’d say simply excellent!
The nose is airy and saline with a decent punch. The palate likewise – a very saline wine but in a positive way – blended with a grapefruit fruit – this combination is classic Sacy. Missing the cut and extra energy of the 2017 version but the saline grapefruit style is classic and still a great buy at the price.
Rebuy – Maybe

2005 Marchand-Grillot, Gevery-Chambertin 1er Les Perrières
Here the nose still has traces, reminiscences, of the creamy oak of its youth – but now it has faded into an impressive complexity – faintly with a leafy maturity, blood and earth – this is a proper Gevery-Chambertin! Concentrated, beautifully textured and like the nose showcasing a purity of fruit that’s framed with more earthy and still faintly creamy flavours. The last glass on day 2 had a trace of brett but I noticed none on day one – so don’t hesitate to drink this up on the day you open it – it’s really more than excellent!
Rebuy – Yes

Then a short pause to open something new:

2013 Françous Gaunoux, Meursault 1er Goutte d’Or
I am a very big fan of 2013 whites right now and here is a perfect example of that…
Whilst not overtly ginger-spiced, there’s a very fine and inviting – citrus-tinged – invitation to drink here. In the mouth we have an open, almost airy wine with lovely acidity – it reminds me of a 2010 in its open, accessible style with fine flavour clarity. It’s a simple measure of the quality – but this bottle emptied so quickly! One of the nicest whites this year!
Rebuy – Yes

2006 Mugneret-Gibourg, Bourgogne
Unlike the rather white (bleached?) corks of the Marchand-Grillot and the Gaunoux, here is a darker, seemingly less treated cork.
Untreated, but is it corked? My first sniff might suggest ‘lightly corked’ or ‘liégeux’ but thereafter I can’t smell it – only the suspiciously herby accent to the aromas. In the mouth, yes it’s corked but on a very low level. The texture and flavours are still rather good for the label – and I would say the wine is completely ‘ready’ – but once you taste the cork, you can’t lose it…
Rebuy – No – at least, not in the case of this corked bottle…