The last Gevrey of the week is the deepest coloured, most juvenile and perhaps most concentrated; it also came from a producer that I don’t think I’ve tried before – Thierry Mortet is the younder brother of the late Denis Mortet and also based in Gevrey-Chambertin. His range when I last saw them listed is quite small, only 4 cuvées. Some of his bother’s skill is surely evident in this wine.
2001 Thierry Mortet, Gevrey-Chambertin
Medium-plus red, still with a strong cherry-red hue. The nose starts quite masculine with a strong Gevrey-earth character supporting a melange of red and black berry fruit, slowly this becomes softer and a little higher toned if not better focused. The palate is full and concentrated and obviously started life with a real injection of oak, but the residual effect is more about soft, fat texture and a little bitterness in the finish. The bitterness doesn’t last long and is eventually replaced with a reasonable length and a more creamy aspect. The tannins have a little rasp right at the end, but this is a very accomplished wine, and quite concentrated for an 01. Really very good. Rebuy – Yes

2001 Domaine Ponsot, Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvée l’Abeille
Medium ruby red. The nose starts with a little undergrowth then soil, both fade to reveal a diffuse red-fruit curtain – improvement is required and the patient are rewarded; first with a deeper plum fruit before a lovely high-toned and focused red fruit effect – very nice. The palate is much less ripe than the 01 Bachelet Gevrey that precedes it, providing a sour-cherry fruit which is not unattractive and mirrored by the balanced, mouth-watering yet somewhat tart acidity. The overall texture is excellent with understated velvet tannins. In the end this is a wine that even with food, is just a little too tart – I can enjoy it, but I wouldn’t rebuy it. Rebuy – No

2004 Philippe Colin, Chassagne-Montrachet Les Vergers
Medium-pale lemon yellow. There’s a well-integrated nose of toasted bread and rich fruit. Very forward acidity is the initial impression. The acidity is very smooth and very mineral in aspect, initially rather dominating the linear fruit, but there’s no missing that sneaky and very creamy length. Once my palate adjusted (I don’t think the wine materially changed) I was able to see the extra kick of citrus edged fruit in the mid-palate and appreciate the super purity. Drink this today direct from the fridge or with a buttery sauced dish, alternatively store away for 5 years before revisiting. On day two there’s quite a honied aspect to this wine, and less intensity to the acidity. I preferred day 1. Rebuy – Yes

2001 Denis Bachelet, Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
Medium-plus ruby red, but still hinting at cherry-red at the rim. A really impressive nose that starts a little reduced – but only for a minute or two – then red fruit, edged with mint, becoming ever-more intense and deep – wow! Fresh presentation, very understated tannin, equally understated in the finish despite being long-lasting. This is not a fat wine, rather a wonderfully detailed one. Rebuy – Yes

This is superb quality for a villages and with respect to its appellation impressed me even more than the Bachelet Gevrey 1er of last week – it’s as good as Rousseau’s 2001 and even better value at a mere 39 S.Fr vs Rousseau’s 49 S.Fr – if you can still find either of them!

Luckily one more glass remains in the bottle for tonight!

2004 Louis Carillon, Puligny-Montrachet
Pale yellow. The nose launches forward with ripe, citrus edged fruit before settling into a more brioche dominated lime fruit. The palate retains the citrus edge to its sweet fruit, though the key attribute is the mouthwatering acidity. This wine exemplifies perfectly the vintage – lovely aromatics and fresh presentation – yet it also shows the achilles heel, just not quite enough density at the villages level for enjoying on its own – perfect with food though! One glass was left overnight in the open bottle in the refridgerator, it was as fresh as the night before. Rebuy – Yes

2004 Albert Bichot, Savigny-Lès-Beaune
Medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose starts with a herby, minty element before high-toned raspberry fruit starts to make itself known – really a very nice blend – eventually it settles into a more mineral and herb expression. The palate is 2004 fresh coupled to sweet red fruit, though not quite enough to avoid the mid-palate showing a little hard. The finish, whilst not very long, is very tasty with a real creamy lift. Rebuy – Yes

I’m hoping that the remnants of this one will taste a little better tonight…

2001 Fourrier, Chambolle-Musigny Gruenchers
Medium-pale ruby-red colour. The nose starts out a little dark and chocolatey; time takes away the darker elements to be replaced with slightly volatile, high-toned estery notes and a faint core of tight red fruit – not so appealing. The palate has good texture and mouthwatering acidity. The intensity belies the colour and the finish is quite long but rather metallic. On day one I have to say that I’m a little disappointed.

Day two the nose is a little more estery and the palate remains consistent. Disappointing – Rebuy – No

Overnight what’s the change in these two Clos St.Jacques??

Fourrier has less oak on the nose and also the palate – it’s like a veil has been lifted a little. The nose is now a little more floral with a savoury aspect replacing the juvenile oak. I would say that this is now on the same level as the Jadot.

Jadot has had very little change – it remains a pure wine that seems like a coiled spring. Wonderful precision too. Without 3 hours in decanter I would choose this any day over the Fourrier – but in 5 years who knows(?) For the record, neither wine has any bitterness on day 2.

As a counterpoint:
2001 Bachelet, Gevrey-Chambertin Les Corbeaux Vieilles Vignes
Medium-plus cherry-red. The nose starts a little funky and diffuse, only a little time is required to lose the funk and provide a wide, slighty warm and deep effect, eventually it’s a lovely redcurrant nose. Almost as intense as the two Jacques, equally mouth-watering and similarly long. The overall profile is slightly more rustic with some grain to the tannin, but as this tannin fades you will edge ever closer to a cut-price Clos St.Jacques. Heartilly recommended.Rebuy – Yes

The first two wines were drunk last week with the legendary Vinotas in Beaune:
2000 Bernard Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet Les Embrazées
Pale gold. The nose starts with plenty of brioche, slowly tightening and hardening and showing a little honey. The palate has some minerality and nice acidity, the finish is also not bad, but I’m missing both depth and concentration. It’s quite a linear presentation and this bottle would not convince me to repurchase.Rebuy – no

2002 Bruno Clair, Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St.Jacques
In hindsight it was more of a mistake not to ask for larger glasses in the restaurant than to delay the request for a decanter – this wine was a missed opportunity. Over about 90 minutes the wine never opened out on the nose, subdued aromatics of red fruit with a faint black edge. From time-to-time I imagined more, but then it was gone. The palate is that of a perfectly balanced, linear light-middleweight that is fine of tannin and shows good freshness. On this outing the length is also unremarkable. Too tight for interesting.Rebuy – maybe

But don’t feel sorry for us, the food was good! As solace the following were opened tonight:

2001 Louis Jadot, Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St.Jacques
Medium, medium-plus colour – still holding onto cherry-red – but only just. The nose starts with considerable width but not much depth, there’s an undertow of sweet creamy earth but little else. Slowly the nose begins to blossom with tight red fruit, cranberry and red cherry, eventually redcurrant too. In the mouth this is superbly intense and after you swallow; it’s very much like the sides of your mouth are leaking as the finish goes on and on. The overall effect is of a taught and wirey wine with tannins that are quite smooth with faint astringency and just a trace of bitterness. Rebuy – Yes

2001 Fourrier, Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St.Jacques
Medium ruby-red colour straight to the rim. The nose starts deep and rather oakier than I normally associate with Fourrier, above the oak the vista slowly opens with higher tones and an impression of sweet vanilla. Slowly a core of red fruit starts to develop, but if anything it becomes a little more diffuse. The palate is fatter, smoother and sweeter than the Jadot, less direct but equally intense from the mid-palate into the finish. The finish is also a little vanilla influenced and also very slightly bitter – though less-so than the Jadot. In its first hour and despite the extra plushness of the palate I’m leaning toward the more athletic, focused and precise pose of the Jadot. Rebuy – Yes

Half a bottle of each remain in the fridge for day 2, but the result of the 01’s sofar are exactly what I didn’t expect! Tonight I’d be scoring Jadot-92, Fourrier-90…