2020 Samuel Billaud, Chablis Vaudésir
An early idea of what to expect in January when I visit Chablis…
That’s a crystalline yet deep nose – a great start. Fine shape in the mouth – the texture is lovely. An almost unctuous depth of slightly exotic fruit but this is completely moreish wine and beautifully poised. There’s ‘tension.’ Really super!
Rebuy – Yes

2019 Les Pinots Blacks, Irancy Vallée de Coigny
This starts a little cold and tight but as the wine warms in the glass, the perfumed aromas of whole clusters and flowers start to broaden. Beautifully perfumed flavours too – just a small, inconsequential rumble of tannin – an anecdote – but here is the classiest Irancy you can think of drinking. Bravo!
Rebuy – Yes

2010 Parigot, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos St.Jean (Blanc)
Hmm – nice. This has a silky, waxy, lemon nose that’s ripe and faintly spiced. An initial softness but then it’s much more incisive, wide and mineral. A suggestion of caramel in these flavours but the shape and energy are more to the mineral side. A wine that’s very easy drink, despite obvious concentration. In great shape too, considering the cork seal…
Rebuy – Yes

2016 Chablisienne, Chablis Grenouilles
A wide and attractively open nose – at first sniff the slightly exotic fruit might pull you away from Chablis but its purity and a growing seashore note might bring you back on course. In the mouth, this is proper Chablis – but of concentration – impressive minerality and depth of flavour that is very ‘2016’ – and I happen to be a very big fan of 2016. Not quite to the level of Bessin’s great 16 Valmur – but really super wine, almost a great wine!
Rebuy – Definitely!

1996 Jean Grivot, Nuits St.Georges Les Lavières
Quite some amber, there’s some age to this colour. The nose is actually quite an invitation; it’s clean, nicely showcasing some dried leaves, even a little cooking herbs – it’s lovely. Mouth-filling, plenty pf acidity but with waves of finishing flavour. A wine that has little to do with fruit today, yet is really absorbing and rather tasty too.
Rebuy – Maybe

2019 Verret, Saint-Bris Veaupiery
This nose is a little tight, with some sweetness and a ‘clean’ impression, perhaps a little ripe mirabelle at the base. Hmm, that’s a hint of sweet but not too sweet, delicious fruit. Mouth-filling and vibrant – lovely energy. That’s a great wine, and in 2019 it’s not so much ‘sauvignon’ as simply ‘delicious.’
Rebuy – Yes

2005 Cornu, Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Saucours
Plenty of colour, though it’s starting to show some age. This nose starts compact but clean, fine, with a little brown sugar, slowly a few floral references too. Ooh – that’s very direct and narrow to start with but it’s also beautifully silky too. The flavour broadening out in the finish, slightly metallic but in a good way and of good depth too! The flavours here are still quite tight but structurally/texturally this is very sophisticated, silky, Savigny. Day 2 and this wine is better on all fronts – fuller, more floral aromas and fuller more saline flavours. There’s even some nice red fruit! I still have the impression of a little metallic lilt to these flavours but it’s not excessive. Still, I’d probably consider waiting at least 2-or-3 more years before opening another of these – the quality implies excellent but remains largely latent for this cru, for now…
Rebuy – Yes