I’m starting with a cold. Today it’s only a sore throat but it might be my last bottle for a few days if it spreads to my nose.

Context notwithstanding, this is a wine I’ve been looking forward to open, particularly after tasting the 2006 with Patrice Rion. Here is the last of the run of Bouchard Clos St.Marc cuvées, the 1998 was stunning on it’s last outing – I’m just sad that there’s only one more of those 1998’s in the cellar. This bottle is expensive – 70 Swiss francs – it’s not particularly great value at that, but there is certainly quality and it’s hardly one of those shy, retiring 2005’s right now…
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Nuits St.Georges 1er Cru Clos St.Marc
Medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose starts with a forward blast of oaky and mineral tones. Time in the glass gives red fruit and a coffee, mocha-tinged almost texturally furry nose – it just shades more blue with time, and it never stops improving. The palate is muscular though the tannin is buried by the concentration, but what is discernable is finely textured. Excellent acidity with good dimension in the mid-palate. The finish has decent length but is currently one-dimensional. It’s an excellent Nuits – no question, approaching grand cru – though it’s definitely 2nd class in terms value versus the previous Daniel Rion.
Rebuy – Yes

If I look back to my note from my tasting together with Christophe Bouchard, from a value perspective, this was an easy ‘buy’ for me:
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Lavières
28th Feb.2007
With almost 4 hectares of vines, Bouchard P&F own close to one quarter of this vineyard. Bottled at the beginning of February (only 3 weeks before this note), this wine initially shows an understated and nicely floral aspect, slowly it builds on flashes of dark fruit and eventually some caramel barrel notes. Sweeter fruit than the previous wines, again with some grain to the tannin, but the purity of the fruit presentation is excellent as it expands over the mid-palate. I will check a few prices as this could be quite a buy.

Today:
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Lavières
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose shows red and black fruit, but more to the ‘black side’, there is also an underlying note of (medium) oak toast – not overpowering (even to this palate) but consistent for the time the bottle is consumed. The palate is lithe and interesting with good length, without ever generating getting into gear. Good wine for sure, but disappointing vs my initial note.
Rebuy – Yes

Clearly my rebuy note reflects the current ‘good’ showing but more-so the excellent showing of a few months ago. So what’s happened? This wine is significantly ‘less’ than exciting – it’s still very good but has lost the ‘zip’ and ‘zing’. Ravaut, Lignier-Michelot and this make 3 in a row from 2005 – all of which I expected to perform better. Maybe these guys are onto something.

2005 Bouchard Père et Fils, Mercurey
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose is high toned and very, very pinot with a faint oaky undertone. The palate is fresh with a faint astringency coupled to some grain from the tannins. Not so dense, but flavour-packed, though perhaps the acidity is just a little to the fore. A nice red-fruited complexion with a reasonable finish. Almost good, though factor in the price of 22 Swiss francs and it also stays only at ‘almost good’ value stakes – there are many bargains to be found in 2005, this doesn’t qualify.
Rebuy – Maybe

• SF Gate yet another interesting article – this time by Alice

2005 A.-F. Gros, Vosne-Romanée Clos de la Fontaine
The cork seems surprisingly ‘spongy’ and pliable. Medium-plus colour. The nose is dark, spicy and shows a black oak toast and tar – eventually faint red fruits diluted by cream and faint ginger. In your mouth there’s a little fat and some silky texture – the tannin is quite fine. The mid-palate runs into quite a long finish – plenty of bitter-chocolate effect from the oak but some extra creamy fruit dimension too. This wine has plenty of dark oak character today but there’s more than enough density and material to balance – and it will fade with time, even in the glass, slowly there are redder fruits appearing. I’m not the biggest oak fan, but this is nicely presented and has plenty of ‘Vosne’ personality. I look forward following it’s evolution over the next 10+ years. My en-primeur price was a reasonable 35 Swiss francs.
Rebuy – Yes

Warning – turns your tongue purple! 😉