Medium, medium-pale yellow colour. The nose is quite forward and displays both width and aromatic depth. Faint butter edges yellow fruit, and there’s a hint of torrefaction at the borders that adds a butterscotch note to the ripe lemon fruit. Very good texture, balance, and with an intensity that keeps growing in the mouth. There’s none of that warm fat that is typical of a Beaune blanc, and there’s a good burst of interest in the mid-palate. The flavours of the finish have a more mineral aspect and is very, very good. Overall, it’s a great package – every sip was savoured.

Medium ruby-red colour. The nose is soft, wide and red – perhaps with a hint of mint to go with many layers of fruit. In the mouth there is plenty of ripe, red-shaded fruit which shows an excellent length – I do, however, find the acidity sticking out just a little. There’s still some well-grained tannin that has plenty of balancing extract. Only the less than perfect acidity means that I don’t unreservedly recommend this. Still a more than interesting wine.

It’s a wide, slightly dense nose that slowly develops baked red fruit notes. The palate is also a little dense, showing plenty of grainy tannin – though it’s not so astringent. The fruit has a slightly roast impression, but for all that is really quite interesting. Overall this comes across a little rustic and lacking finesse. Fans of 2003 will enjoy it for sure, but it’s not my ‘bag’.

Deep cherry red. A nose of spicy black fruit and already a little secondary development, some undergrowth too. Sweet with impressive concentration of spicy fruit and superbly covered velvetty tannins – very long and creamy too. Personally I’d prefer a little less spicyness, but this is a very, very good wine.

In this case the ‘mouches’ are bees, not flies! This, the best known of Drouhin’s vineyards was purchased about 1918, today it is run on a biodynamic basis. The colour is similar to the Côte de Beaune. Again, reserved on the nose, a little toasty perhaps – though Drouhin don’t char their barrels. Very good acidity and much finer tannins than the last wine. The black cherry fruit is intense, lasting well in the finish. A very good wine, again will benefit from some time in the cellar.