1992 Vaudoisey-Creusefond, Pommard 1er Les Epenots
This cork required some dexterity – one major piece but with multiple fissures and plenty of smaller parts – only one larger one dropped into the wine and it was easy to ‘fish’ out…
Medium colour and obviously a wine with some age to that colour. The nose has a little mustiness to start but that fades with air – there’s still fruit here – even a little strawberry! In the mouth, this starts direct and mineral – structural – but I keep my concentration on the sweetness of the unfolding flavours – again a little strawberry-tinged now graphite minerality and an appealing width of ‘sweet but not too sweet.’ The finish starts better than the start but the start keeps getting better – as Donald Rumsfeld might have said! Thats a lovely wine, still vigorous and one that slowly transitions from subtle to ever-more impressive with air. Lovely!
Rebuy – Yes!

2019 Jean-Claude Lapalu, Alma Mater
JC’s amphora cuvée – he’s been playing with these containers since 2009. All is gamay from Brouilly or Cote de Brouilly – or both – and it’s labelled as Vin de France. This wine also nbeeded some dexterity on opening – this time it was the modest disc of red wax over the cork that fractures into hundreds of pieces!
The nose starts a little dissociated but in only 5 minutes we have beautiful purity of fruit – the aromas redolent of the best of pinot with fruit and flowers – but the flavour is not that of pinot. Vibrantly pure, still framed with a modest texture of tannin but almost juicy finishing too. That’s a beauty!
Rebuy – Yes in a shot!