Travelling in Burgundy this week – but to places such as southern Beaujolais, Châteauneuf, Château Commarin, Flavigny and others – rather than domaine visits – but there will be some images posted over the weekend. Also, a week, largely, away from the keyboard – but there have still been some wines:

As you may note from one of the images, an important birthday for one of us – the other of us has the same milestone in a few more months!

2008 Marc Roy, Gevrey-Chambertin, Clos Prieur
The colour shows plenty of maturity – the nose likewise – but the aromas are of attractive sous-bois and none of the occasional herbacity of this vintage – it’s a fine invitation. In the mouth – yes – nothing acidic or strident about this 2008; here we have a roundness of fine flavour, modestly cushioned. Delicious, beautifully packaged wine – indeed, almost a voluptuous wine – yet completely balanced. Blind, I think I may have been guessing a 2006!
Rebuy – Yes!

2019 Les Pinot Blacks, Irancy
Subscribers will have known for a long time that I really rate this wine. It’s very early to say, but this is, by some distance, the greatest young Irancy that I ever tasted. I’m sure that it has the change to be the greatest oldest too – but time is not on my side to confirm that 🙂 Made in, perfectly judged, whole-cluster style – Bravo.
Rebuy – Yes

2020 Bessin-Tremblay, Chablis 1er Montmains
Note the label-change (from Jean-Claude Bessin) for this vintage.
In a vintage with many problem wines from the region, here is an assuredly great wine – fabulous stuff! Bravo again!
rebuy – Yes

1962 Servin, Chablis 1er Montée de Tonnerre
I worry; the cork – although it comes out in one piece – doesn’t smell at all nice. But I pour a sample to better appraise.
Plenty of colour but still properly golden – despite my worries, the smell is very nice, the wine is clearly fine. Growing with lanolin, creamy notes then beeswax and slowly honey too. In the mouth ripe lemon, a suggestion of oxidative style but no real oxidation. Lovely acidity and a generosity of middle and finishing flavour. Great old wine – blind (or blond suggests google), I wouldn’t for a moment think ‚Chablis‘ but bravo – clearly a rare treat! Not just stable for the 2 hours we take to drink all of it – it grows larger and more interesting in every direction!
Rebuy – No Chance!

2017 Louis Latour, Chevalier-Montrachet Les Demoiselles
The ‘backup’ birthday wine!
Here’s a fine and incisive nose – impressively floral perfumed too – not just acacia but almost a faint lilac too. In the mouth the first impression is also incisive and mineral – the texture more impressive than the Chablis. Slowly an extra barrel-derived cushioning becomes apparent too. This is a wine that’s clearly being drunk a little on the young side – but what clarity and purity despite the padded cushioning of the barrels. Clearly a great wine – which in an ideal world I might start to drink in another 3 to 5 years when the oak is less visible.
Rebuy – Yes

To accompany the heaviest snow of this winter at home:

2018 Auvigue, Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles-Vignes
The nose reflects the palate – round, a certain richness, but somehow still inviting. The palate is fleshy and quite delicious but the generosity of this wine would be taken to a, more interesting, higher level with a touch more energy and/or acidity. Tasty for sure, but my eye is starting to wander before the first glass is drained…
Rebuy – No

2019 Dr Loosen, Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese
Of- course, there is sweetness but the deliciousness, more importantly, the moreishness, that was lacking in the last can be found here 10x over. The 9% means that you can drink more of it too! The tiniest fault is only one brought about by my lack of patience – a faint extra whisp of SO₂ at the end of the, otherwise super, nose. A treat!
Rebuy – Yes

1999 Bouchard Père, Volnay 1er Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot
What a great cork – hardly a mm of wine ingress. The wine has depth of colour and weight of aroma – good aroma – that’s showing some signs of development but still of power. The palate is concentrated yet beautifully balanced. Day 1 showing a little young but very drinkable, indeed enjoyable. Day 2 and the wine is more sullen, less open but has not moved in the direction of any faults – it’s just tighter. A fine bottle whose best time is certainly still to come.
Rebuy – Yes