2020 Domaine Alain Gautheron, Chablis 1er Homme Mort
Here’s a cuvée that developed some green notes – but my nose is seemingly not on green form today as I can’t smell it – but I know that it’s still there – because my better half can still smell it!
Today this has such a lovely nose – vibrating with energy and cool, clean aromas. In the mouth it’s equally vibrant and quite mouth-filling too – impressive complex wine. Delicious.
Rebuy – Maybe

2016 M&C Lapierre, Morgon
The no-sulfur version. And here was a test for it: Opened by Mathieu Lapierre on Thursday afternoon, direct from his cold cellar at the domaine. But then the rest of Thursday and for most of Friday the bottle (stoppered only with its original cork) lay in the back of my car before arriving home in Switzerland. The first 2 glasses were taken on Friday evening – the wine then glass-stoppered in my Fridge until Sunday evening (we were at friends for dinner on Saturday) when I drank the last two glasses.
This was very stable from first to last. A broad nose, finely red fruited with a little vibration of energy, these aromas become ever-more direct and impressive. A juicy wine, still with some modest tannin and fine waves of finishing flavour. This was delicious and ultra-impressively stable for a no-sulfur wine!
Rebuy – Yes

Week(-end) 8 2023:

Ah, my memory is going – it must be my age!

I found this 2009 in the cellar (and there’s more!) and thought to myself ‘well, I have 2008 and 2010 but I don’t remember having any 2009.‘ Fortunately the search function of this site has a much better memory than I!

2009 wasn’t my favourite vintage to start – it was just sooo ripe. Given that almost every vintage since 2015 has been equally, or more, ripe – perhaps I’m more tolerant – despite my old age!

2009 Camille Giroud, Bourgogne Cuvée L
A beautiful, darker, Trescases cork – robust and with hardly 1mm of wine ingress – the end so darkly painted by this wine.
Medium-plus colour. The nose is now a little smoky – it gives the impression of oak – but swirling releases redder fruit and perhaps something floral too – these aromas are concentrated and, of course, ripe – but never too ripe. Broad over the palate, the merest ripple of tannin in support. A luxurious depth of flavour and texture – obviously not really ‘Bourgogne.’ Holding well in the finish too. This wine is crystal clear/clean, aromatic and with such generosity of top-class flavour. It’s absolutely drinkable yet still a baby. Bravo! – It must have been very well triaged 😉
Rebuy – Yes

2019 Raphaël Chopin, Beaujolais-Lantignié Blanc Theia
Lemon yellow. An easy nose, attractive depth and some interest – that’s a nice start. A supple width of sweet flavour then a wave with saline accents before a more mineral finish – slowly mouth-watering. I’d guess blind that it was a Beaujolais from the rigour of this finishing minerality but it’s not too strong and this is a very good BJVB!
Rebuy – No

1999 Jean-Marc Pavelot, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Les Dominode
Not only this bottle, I seem to have an unopened 6-pack too – so no excuse for not opening one! Only 20 years older than the white!
This still has deep colour – and not too much browning either. The first impression from this nose is of soil and blood – with plenty of air it takes on a more attractive and fruity (red) impression but remains a slightly young (but clean!) aromatic. In the mouth I like the shape – there’s the cool, still austere, impression given by most Savigny of this era – but this is structurally very fine and, like the nose, it’s very clean – there’s no bret. Even on day two – no degradation – a clean and very impressive wine – I just wish that it was more delicious – but it seems very youthful!
Rebuy – Maybe

2020 Château de la Terrière, Brouilly Tradition
Open, airy – lovely dark-red fruit – slowly becoming floral too. Extra juicy – ooh that’s a super wine – the energy visible in all directions, visibly making the finish longer and more dynamic. What a wine!
Rebuy – Yes

2015 des Chézeaux/Berthaut-Gerbet, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cazetiers
For a warm vintage, this colour is not so deep – medium-plus. A broad and aromatic nose – a hint of the spice of the vintage but not too much – seemingly silky and slowly adding depth with more air. Large-scale in the mouth – easy over the palate but there’s some structure here too – the flavour becoming more and more intense. 2015 is a long way from my favourite vintage but here’s a wine with energy and a really nice, sinewy, shape. Longer in the glass and it seems ever-more delicious. Modest finishing bitters and just a faint wash of tannin showing through those bitters. Super-long. I have at least one more but based on this – for drinking in another 10 years. It’s more than excellent for the vintage – it’s also very tasty!
Rebuy – Yes