Medium-plus colour. The nose just bursts with sweet raspberry concentrate – hard to see much more. In the mouth the ripe fruit is tamed a little by good acidity and an understated velvet undertow of ripe tannin – lovely fruit conserve flavour in the mid-palate with a darker, almost licorice, twist as it runs into the textured finish – I would say that this is a rather concentrated wine. Day two and there’s a little of the stems on the nose, aromatically it’s a little less interesting but the palate seems rather stable and easily holds my interest – perhaps with a slight elevation of the tannins too.
Chandon de Briailles
2007 Chandon de Briailles Pernand Vergelesses Ile des Vergelesses Blanc
2007 Chandon de Briailles Pernand Vergelesses Ile des Vergelesses
2007 Chandon de Briailles Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Lavières
2007 Chandon de Briailles Pernand Vergelesses Ile des Vergelesses
Half-clay half chalk builds more body than in the Savigny Lavières, but often with a more floral dimension. Aromatically a little tighter than the Savigny, but again it’s perfectly formed. More mid-palate width and a very nice level of freshness. Just a little more tannin and a long stone-fruit impression in the finish. Again lovely.
2007 Chandon de Briailles Pernand Vergelesses Ile des Vergelesses Blanc
Deep aromas; a little pineapple and even tarte-tartin. Straight, linear, good concentration – it’s very well balanced though the flavours are as tight as a drum – the texture is fine but the wine refuses to give up any flavour! Just a little burst of interest to get you into the finish, but no more today. I’m sure this will be excellent, but don’t return for 2 or 3 years.
1997 Chandon de Briailles Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Lavières
(Magnum) This smells a little older than its years, but I have to say it smells wonderful – just wide, understated complexity. The palate doesn’t quite live up to the early billing as the main component is astringent grainy tannin. That the nose is so far ahead of the palate is a little worrysome and would dissuade me from looking for bottles, but if you have some, keep them locked for now.