The aromas start in a surprisingly floral/perfumed vein, slowly becoming more sedate with a faintly ripe yellow fruit and there are still hints of the almonds of it’s youth. Dense and ripe flavours that finish with a little agrumes. There’s plenty of fat and just enough acidity to balance. Certainly a very rich performance but very drinkable after a little aeration. I normally have in mind feminine adjectives with white wines, but there’s a builder’s muscle in here.
Clair Francoise et Denis
2005 Clair Francoise et Denis St.Aubin Murgers des Dents de Chien
A young, relatively pale lemon-yellow. Slow to open, but eventually quite round aromas that are perhaps a little alcoholic at the top-end, with ripe fruit and a hint of almond. The impression in the mouth is of a wine that’s become rather four-square, dense, and not all that giving. It’s clearly fresh enough and has a good core of concentration. The length is still decent in a savoury way. I don’t normally hold with whites closing down, but this is certainly quite dumbed-down versus its release.
2005 Clair Francoise et Denis St.Aubin Murgers des Dents de Chien
Medium-pale lemon yellow. The nose needs a little while to widen, perhaps a little white blossom. The palate is intense and soft, sweetly ripe. The acidity seems quite understated – but there’s much more density to this wine than in most vintages, it even has some focus. For the price, very impressive.
2005 Clair Francoise et Denis Santenay
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red. The nose starts like cherryade and whilst it becomes a little finer, on day one it never loses the intense cherry although in the background there’s an additional mineral edge. Day two it’s much more interesting with a red berry note behind the cherry – very nice. The main impression on the palate is a rather forward acidity – it’s clean and lingering but certainly pronounced – for all that it has quite some intensity. Day two it’s a little rounder. It’s nice enough wine, and without some of the extra ripeness of many from this vintage. It’s not very expensive yet becomes ever-more serious if you give it enough time. In 2005 there’s a lot of competition at the lower price points, this is good but doesn’t excel.