The second half of my week(1) in Beaujolais – only a little rain overnight Thurs-Friday and already sunny again before lunch on Friday, this being the only day without a morning frost:

Assembly area – Château de la Chaize

The Poncié flock

Old Morgon…

Also old Morgon

Alain hiding in the background

The new boy – Gimly the truffle-hound!

I cannot lie – the wrong vintage but I ordered some!

A different Swiss merchant to my usual ‘offers.’ An even higher-end range than last year if price appreciation is to be a factor!

OLIVIER BERNSTEIN 2020 – En Primeur
In the brackets, the same price for the 2019s, last year – see what bargains the 2019s were!

PREMIERS CRUS
Domaine Gevrey-Chambertin Les Champeaux 2020 75cl 320.00 (286.00) Swiss Francs*

GRAND CRUS
Clos de Vougeot 2020 75cl 580.00 (528.00)
Clos de Vougeot 2020 150cl 1,220 (1,120)
Charmes-Chambertin 2020 75cl 580.00 (528.00)
Charmes-Chambertin 2020 150cl 1,220 (1,120)
Clos deal Roche 2020 75cl 720.00 (654.00)
Clos deal Roche 2020 150cl 1,490 (1,360)
Bonnes-Mares 2020 75cl 920.00 (795.00)
Bonnes-Mares 2020 150cl 1,900 (1,650)
Mazis-Chambertin 2020 75cl 920.00 (795.00)
Mazis-Chambertin 2020 150cl 1,900 (1,650)
Chambertin 2020 75cl 1,300 (1,200)
Chambertin 2020 150cl 2,650 (2,450)
Chambertin Clos de Bèze 2020 75cl 1,300 (1,200)
Chambertin Clos de Bèze 2020 150cl 2,650 (2,450)

Or how about 1 each of the grand crus – a 7-pack mixed case? Yours for just 6,300 vs 5,700 Swiss Francs, last year

*Swiss tax included on these prices.

To lighten the mood after last week’s frost – it’s also snowing at home this morning(!) – a few images of two weekend walks. The first in Thun, Switzerland:

And then a nice circular walk from Sunday from Schloss Wyl taking in the Ballenbühl viewpoint of the Berner Alps:

Just a few quick recollections of 4 complete winners:

2017 Antoine Olivier, Santenay Le Bievaux l’Air de Rien
DIAM sealed
What a punchy and energetic wine. A touch of apple and pineapple and who knows what else in this delicious and effusive wine. Real concentration but never over-generous. I sometimes think this cuvée tastes like Meursault – but not this vintage today. Delicious all the same.
Rebuy – Yes

2005 Berthaut, Fixin Les Clos
A sturdy, if bleached, cork.
Ooh – what a lovely nose – fading leaves, undergrowth – but violets too! Broad over the palate, another mouthful of generously flavoured wine. Robust too – it seemed just as good on the second evening. The tannin still present but becoming ever-more something of an anecdote. A lovely drop!
Rebuy – Yes

1999 Heritiers Louis Jadot, Beaune 1er Clos des Ursules
The cork comes out in one – but was starting to crack…
First sniff – I sit up and pay attention; gloriously wide, complex, dried leaves but flowers and fruit too – such an invitation. A wine of undoubted, but much softened, structure – just enough to let the flavour melt and then play over the palate. Just a great finish too – less robust than the Fixin as the wine’s definitely fading on day 2 – but day 1 it was simply great – bravo!
Rebuy – Yes

2015 Richard Rottiers, Moulin à Vent
DIAM sealed.
Definitely a funky, low-sulfur, start to this nose. Aeration clearly works some magic – though needs about 15 minutes – bringing the fruit and a measure of clarity to the fore. The palate starts a little grainy – though delicious – like the nose, softening with air. There’s never any question about how tasty the wine is – evidenced by 3 people emptying the bottle in under 30 minutes!
Rebuy – Yes

An evening in Beaune with Marko de Morey – he kindly contributed the Arlaud

2015 Bouchard Père, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er En Remilly
Interesting to compare to the 2013 of a couple of weeks ago – that wine was by far the readier and the better for it. I note a shorter DIAM here – DIAM5 and no-longer the 54 mm version
A round and easy nose with a little oak showing through. Round, sweet, creme-brulée flavoured and a little – but today not enough – citrus in the mix. Far too round and easy – though easy to drink too! Not worth the tariff if you plan to drink it right now. I won’t open another for 3 or 4 years…
Rebuy – Maybe

2000 Arlaud, Clos de la Roche
Plenty of maturity to this colour, even a small amount of browning. Ooh – now that’s a nose – round, forward, complex and oh-so inviting despite the merest suggestion of brett – yes! A narrow entry that widens at speed – there is concentration but also a nicely alive freshness – I still note a little attractively ‘dirty’ barrel impression here. A finish that slowly – but only slowly – fades into the distance with a little mint-leaf. Such excellent balance here. A little was left for day two, and the brett was much more forward, also much more visible was a steely finishing minerality which is more common for the cru. Really a top wine on day one, still more than interesting on day two.
Rebuy – Yes

1999 Bertagna, Vougeot 1er Clos des Perrières
I remember early bottles of thas had an unattractive – to me – sweetness that verged on the saccharine, but here, finally, we have a wine that’s showing beautifully.
As to be expected from the vintage, a nose with a certain freshness – but delicacy too – not the same volume of aroma as the Arlaud but this is clearly going to be very good – and there’s no brett! Flavour-wise, this ripples over the palate, waves of flavour, slightly brown-sugared, but nothing untoward. A cleaner, if slightly less involving finish versus the wine of Arlaud. Beautiful finishing with a little extra floral character. Like the Arlaud, some of this made it to day 2 – this was the more stable of the two and easily the best after overnighting. On day one it was a much closer call with no clear winner. Excellent stuff!
Rebuy – Yes