Medium-plus cherry-red. Creme brulee and red fruit presented in a very linear way. Takes a few minutes in the glass to open out, but really starts to shout ‘look at me!’ – mainly barrel influenced notes, coffee in the background too. The palate has an extra ‘fatness’ to the palate vs the Bèze, fireworks here too, they build a little more slowly but to equal effect. It’s hard to make a preference here – it can only be based on stylistic leanings – but today, with fewer barrel artifacts and its more ‘athletic’ pose, I’d take the Bèze.
Chambertin
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2002 Potel Nicolas Chambertin
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red. The nose is high-toned and, initially, a little ‘clipped’, it’s very wide but takes quite some time to take on a rounder form. The palate is not about overt density or creamy, spicy oak, rather transparency and a fine burst of intensity that crescendos into the very long finish. Vs my memory of the cask sample, I’m a little disappointed (maybe it was a different cask) as that was one of the finest wines I’ve ever tasted from barrel. In isolation this is a very fine Chambertin with great complexity and a wonderful finish. Excellent rather than great!