1999 Véronique Drouhin, Vosne 1er Petits Monts
An understated nose that slowly builds power in the glass – exotic hardwoods and faint chocolate mix to give a very complex impression. The palate is relatively tight, the faintly astringent tannin being well covered by the understated fruit – the length of finish is rather more distinguished. Despite the tight presentation there is good focus here – better than the last bottle.
Rebuy – Yes

2001 Fourrier, Gevrey 1er Clos St.Jacques
A lovely fine and elegant nose of quite some complexity – red fruits and earth. The palate is long, faintly mineral and very wide in the mid-palate and into the finish. Perhaps a little unruly – let’s say over-exuberant as it finishes but much complexity here too. An impressive and characterful wine.
Rebuy – Yes

2001 Fourrier, Griotte-Chambertin
After the Clos St.Jacques the aromatics are of deeper, tighter but also softer red fruit. The palate is more concentrated but significantly simpler, though covers the faintly astringent tannin very well. A smoothly long finish. At this stage it is deceptively simple and ‘cute’ after the CSJ – but such is Griotte. Still a lovely wine.
Rebuy – Yes

1993 Esmonin Père et Fils, Gevrey 1er Clos St.Jacques
Medium colour. The nose is rather mature and quite ripe with an undertow of undergrowth and eventually chocolate. After the last 1993 this is fuller and riper with apparently lower acidity. There is a medium-plus length of finish and very understated structure. I would characterise this as a very friendly and ‘cosy’ wine – particularly for a 93 – one to curl up with. Possibly not a wine for the ages but it’s coming into a nice drinking window now.
Rebuy – Yes

1993 Dujac, Gevrey 1er Combottes
Corked – damn, I was really looking forward to this comparison!

1998 Jean Chauvenet, Nuits St.Georges
A relatively narrow and slightly volatile nose – some, though marginal, improvement in the glass. Plenty of minerality and well-managed tannins in the mouth. After the last wines this was found significantly wanting, but even in isolation I think there is a lack of personality here.
Rebuy – No

Drunk in the comfy surroundings and simple but delicious food of ‘Hilliards‘ in London:
2001 Coche-Dury, Auxey-Duresses
Medium-pale colour with a hint of amber at the rim. The nose is soft, with a suggestion of undergrowth and pretty violets. The palate is mineral yet soft, not so deep but a fine width and a savoury finish. An altogether lovely aperitif if you can get a good price.
Rebuy – Yes
2004 Chevillon-Chezeaux, Nuits 1er Les Bousselots (Blanc)
Medium yellow. The nose starts with a forward brioche note before fading into a good if simple ripe fruit effect. There is some fat, but this wine is defined by a lovely spine of acidity – it starts just a little prickly but quickly smooths. Unlike many heavy and ponderous whites from the Côte de Nuits, I find this fresh and engaging.
Rebuy – Yes
1991 Armand Rousseau, Gevrey 1er Clos St.Jacques
A lovely, bright medium ruby-red colour. Undergrowth and maturing red fruits are the main aromas to start, but slowly the undergrowth fades to reveal a lovely redcurrant note. Nice texture – very smooth. I find just a tough of harshness to the acidity that’s mirrored in the finish, but this slowly improves if never completely fades. There is a nicely understated length here and I would say this is pretty much ready to go. Very nice, but far from the quality of the Chambertin and Bèze at this address in 1991, in terms of a rebuy, I would expect prices to be too high for the reward – but you never know.
Rebuy – Maybe
1983 Clair-Daü, Gevrey 1er Estournelles St.Jacques
Deep, dark and powerful aromas with a hint of volatility that eventually settle into a mature red-fruit vein. There is a lovely core of fresh flavour here, it’s robust and will never be a charmer but there is personality galore and it’s surprisingly clean and tasty.
Rebuy – Yes
1993 Jean Chauvenet, Nuits 1er Les Vaucrains
A medium-plus, young looking colour. Earthy, deep aromas with a mix of black and red fruit coupled to something a little more mature and savoury. In the mouth there is a mix of richness and freshness coupled to astringent tannins that probably ripe enough and certainly on the wane. Still a young showing and very impressive too.
Rebuy – Yes

Bouyed by my recent visit to the domaine I bought a few 2005’s for ‘testing’. Unfortunately the onset of a head-cold left me only with an impression of nice texture and balance but little in the way of a flavour profile. Seems a decent buy, but I shall have to come back to this one in the future…
Rebuy – Yes

2005 Joseph Voillot, Volnay 1er Fremiets
Medium colour. A deep, soft, faintly chocoloate covered fruit greets your nose – wide and quite impressive. Fresh, lithe and showing a very nice and subtle extra dimension in the mid-palate that flows into the finish. Background tannins are well covered and finely grained. This is very, very nice.
Rebuy – Yes

That’s enough Voillot for now!

2005 Joseph Voillot, Volnay 1er Vieilles Vignes
Medium colour – a little darker than Voillot’s Brouillards. The nose has some inelegant powdery fruit and hints of sulfur, faint black shades and occasional glimpses of lovely pure fruit. It needs a lot of time – in fact overnight – and the nose cleans up considerably, turning quite black. In the mouth it’s fresh and slowly mouth-watering with just a little more tannic texture than the previous premier crus. The flavour profile is almost good but on day one reflects the less interesting parts of the nose – but improves, though comes across a little diluted in the mid-palate. It may put on weight with time, but I won’t be along for the ride.
Rebuy – No

2005 Tollot-Beaut, Chorey-lès-Beaune
Quite deeply coloured. The nose is deep, broad and significantly oaked – but it’s rather impressive and fun too relative to the price and appellation. Directly after the Voillot Rugiens there is similar density but nothing close to the clarity, focus or intensity – but then we’re at 40% of the sticker price. Fun and tasty, also very good value – just don’t line it up with anything too flashy.
Rebuy – Yes

I think it’s a measure of the 2005 vintage and the early slumbering of many cuvées from this vintage that, of the three bottles of Joseph Voillot 05’s that I’ve opened, my enjoyment has been inversely proportional to the Burghound scores. Below is a 92-95 monster – NOT – it’s understated, very well made and ‘okay’ but no fireworks. I’ve bought more Brouillards though, and will try the ‘basic’ Volnay 1er Vieilles Vignes and a 1er Fremiets at the weekend.
2005 Joseph Voillot, Pommard 1er Rugiens
Medium colour. Width but little depth on the nose – just a twist of oak early on, followed by nice soft red fruit and a slowly intensifying redcurrant. On the tongue it’s soft, no Pommard rusticity, tight, reasonably concentrated though not obviously intense. Understated length, lingering with mouth-watering acidity.
Rebuy – Yes