Only a hint more than medium colour. I’ve come to expect a bit of stubborn background reduction in David Clark’s wines but there’s not even a hint of it here; a little toasted bread (more like a white). In the mouth this is forward, fresh and quite intense. The flavours have a bit of the floral about them, the red fruit being far from the 09 vernacular of overtly ripe and sweet. Just a hint of oak flavour in the finish too. This is a wine that drinks quite well now but I suspect it will be on another level in 6-12 months. Very accomplished.
Côte de Nuits Villages
2009 Boisset Jean-Claude Côte de Nuits Villages
2009 Esmonin Sylvie Côte de Nuits Villages
2008 Ravaut Gaston et Pierre Côte de Nuits Villages
2008 Clark David Côte de Nuits Villages
Medium-plus cherry-red colour. Like many of David’s wines the aromas have a dark undertow that has a hint of reduction at its core but there a musky padding to it that makes it quite compelling. Cool, this has just enough padding to cover the acidity – as it warms in the glass the balance is more generous. Very good width to not especially deep fruit, but there’s a hint of creaminess to add to the crunchy dark fruit and a lovely length. I like this very much, and whilst I might prefer to drink it before the fruit fades and the acidity becomes pronounced, it might still be interesting to save a bottle or two. Very nice indeed.
2007 Roty Philippe Côte de Nuits Villages
2007 Bachelet Denis Côte de Nuits Villages
Medium colour. The nose starts a little ‘thin’, but quickly fills out with a mix of red and blue shaded fruit and there’s a width of higher tones, no bass-notes though. A balanced and slightly floral impression with an impressive width, though like the nose there’s a limited depth for the life of this bottle. The fruit impression does build a lovely red, cream inflected note. This becomes very tasty indeed. A pretty wine that was once a great value cuvée – currently it’s just pretty…
2007 Potel Nicolas Côte de Nuits Villages
1999 Drouhin Joseph Côte de Nuits Villages
Medium colour. A deep nose of spice and cedar plus faint, sweet and maturing background fruit. Quite silky, a slightly unripe impression to the fruit, good acidity and largely diminished tannin. A pretty length until some finishing bitterness. Interesting parts and great value, but missing charm today.