Today was the, relative, calm before the storm.

Yesterday, the small matter of more than 2.5 hours jogging in the mountains – with nearly 1,100 vertical metres of climbing – and even more of descending. Good training for tomorrow’s harvesting start in Beaune? I think my legs disagree today 🙂

As for our harvest timing – we are far from the earliest – but I would say roughly in the middle of the starters. I note multiple ‘famous’ domaines in Vosne-Romanée were already picking their grapes yesterday.

Just to tie a few loose ends together – here are a few notes on the most recent wines at home – with, of course, a few interesting wines lined up for the harvest lunches!

2009 Gilles Bouton, St.Aubin En Creot (Rouge)
In handy 500ml bottles
If I’m honest, it’s taken this many years for this to come into a nice phase of drinking – balanced, not overly ripe (in the modern context) and very tasty.
Rebuy – Yes

2012 Dampt Frères, Chablis Les Preuses
A magnum
The last of my 3 mags and, whilst seemingly faultless, the least interesting of the three. Very good wine but previous experiences brought a level of anticipation that remained unfulfilled…
Rebuy – Maybe

1981 Clavelier, Corton-Rognet
A magnum, and of course, that’s the Clavelier on the way to NSG – not Bruno Clavelier in Vosne…
Pale colour but a nose of engaging – indeed inviting – clarity. The flavour? Well, this was singing on all fronts. Medium bodied for Corton but with proper growth of middle and finishing flavour to mark it out as a grand cru – lacy and pure in style – that was a brilliant 1981!
Rebuy – Yes

2006 Lucie & August Lignier, Morey St.Denis Vieilles-Vignes
Yes, yes, yes! Kellen made some great wines but also some ordinary ones but here we have a winner on all fronts. Aromatically engaging, complex, with aromas and flavours on the cusp of proper maturity. Completely delicious and with some power too – all was finished on the same day!
Rebuy – Yes

2020 JA Ferret, Pouilly-Fuissé, Clos des Prouges
I tasted this earlier this year on the day of its bottling and was wowed – an order quickly followed.
The oak is clearly more visible than my tank sample suggested – but air dislodged some of that. Day two and it was singing – 80% of the oak had left the scene leaving a wine of extraordinary dimension, precision and shape to fill my glass. I won’t open another for 2-3 years but this is a great PF!
Rebuy – Yes

2020 Roland Lavantureux, Chablis Vieilles-Vignes
Another wine showing some oak – though less than the Pouilly. I like the shape and dimension of this and if there is any pyrazine, the oak has it completely smothered – I can’t see any. Give it 2 years for that oak to fade – it could be a super 2020!
Rebuy – Maybe

2019 Laroche, Chablis Vieille Voye
What a wine – precision, fine, driving, energy and super Chablis precision – no oak to be seen. Classic, delicious, and bravo 2019!
Rebuy – Yes

2017 Maison de la Chapelle, Irancy
A highly floral nose but with obvious pyrazines in tow too. Open, delicious floral-infused flavour but, like the nose, with a lot of pyrazine accompaniment. I could still find enjoyment here but too much pyrazine…
Rebuy – No

2020 Tupinier-Bautista, Mercurey 1er En Sazenay (Blanc)
There’s plenty of oak showing on this young wine too – but what a lovely, sizzling, acid-intensity to this flavour. I love the ride that this wine provides – great, great Mercurey Blanc!
Rebuy – Yes