2017 A&P de Villaine, Santenay 1er Passetemps
Hmm – approachable, slightly cushioned, rounded aromas of red fruit – a hint of development but hardly. Large in the mouth – hmm, that’s got really really impressive volume – framed with a subtle tannin, more velvet than velour. Very slowly fading… Drinking beautifully from the very start…
Rebuy – Yes

For a short time, this was a contract wine at CdB – so not a domaine wine.

2009 Chandon de Briailles, Volnay 1er Les Caillerets
My first 2009 at home for a while. 2009 was a vintage that I bought, but more with hope in mind. The wines were a little warm and ripe vs my preferences – 2010 was next level, for example in clarity and energy – but as said, I had hope. How well founded was that?
Ooh – I clearly loved this wine 15 years ago, but today it s perfume is rather round and lacking aromatic precision vs what I expect from Caillerets. In the mouth it’s wine of impressive scale and not bad clarity/purity – but, for sure, this is a very ripe presentation of the fruit. The structure is very discrete and the flavours pack a punch. I’m finding the wine has a little impression of higher alcohol but the label disagrees. Give it 5 hours from opening and the glass is much more appealing – the flavours. The aromas still seem a little heavy-handed and generous. It took me 5 hours to want that second glass. Maybe another 10 years?
Rebuy – today No

2014 Georges Mugneret-Gibourg, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Feuselottes
A meaty, fresh and still perfumed nose, in fact a perfume that grows in the glass. Wide, energetic, a density that compares to the 2024s that we are tasting, but with just a small suggestion of extra angles to the shape. A more herbed accent to the finkshing flavours – but delicious flavours. A treat…
Rebuy – Yes

2014 Georges Mugneret-Gibourg, Ruchottes-Chambertin
A finer grain to this complexity of aroma. Much more direct with a wiry, lithe frame and an intensity of fruit in the middle, which is young but completely accessible. Extra broad finishing – such a large finish, with a suggestion of salinity that adds to the herbed complexity. More than a treat – a baby great wine !!
Rebuy – Yes

At the end of our tasting of 2024s last week, François served up this beauty. I thought it worthy of a mention.

No wonder François was looking pleased with himself 😉

2019 François Mikulski, Meursault Meix Chavaux
Ooh – what a growth of complex, developed aroma already – such a great nose for a villages. You’d have to wait another 5 or 6 years for this if it was sealed with DIAM – life is about the balance of probabilities, so (personally) I’d rather have 100% confidence in my stored wines and wait an extra few years for the age-related complexity to arrive – your choice may differ. Super scale, and of course, extra generosity to the flavour in this vintage, but what flavour… That’s a great villages…

Only one weekend wine at home, but still an interesting one:

1998 Chanson, Corton-Charlemagne
A deep golden colour – and from the first sniff, there are clearly no oxidation issues here. The nose is of a rich golden citrus with an undertow of cream and honey – plenty of maturity to these aromas but still not ‘fully mature.’ Wide, lovely texture, the starting flavours majoring on mobility and ripe citrus, and they hold decently well. Wide finishing too, also with the citrus richness here. This is in super shape for the vintage, and I think I’d enjoy it even more with a few more years in a decent cellar. Despite a very Charlemagne structure, my descriptors keep involving the words ‘rich or richness’ but for the vintage, this is very, very good!!
Rebuy – Maybe

It is useless to talk about value, or indeed price in general, for the wines of this domaine. But there are lunchtime places in Côte d’Or where these wines are ‘accessible’ for well below retail price.

In this vein, over the last 5 years, I’ve managed to taste the 2017 to (now) 2022, so for your interest:

2022 Coche-Dury, Meursault
A pretty nose of good volume – without the signature reduction of the domaine. A wine with scale and a frame of faintly chalky tannin then a superbly fading diminuendo of flavour. So delicate. Many 2022 whites are tight right now, but I still anticipated more power, rather this is, above all, a simply beautiful Meursault…
Rebuy – Yes (Ignoring the price!!)

Because when you’ve already tasted 26 wines – why not try one from a different vintage?

2022 Rougeot Père et Fils, Pommard Clos des Roses
A width of energetic, already slightly developed nose – super inviting. A wine that melts over the palate, juicy, mineral, melting and even a touch creamy. What a wonderfully delicious wine – bravo…
Rebuy – Yes

Two UK gentlemen addressing the concierge of a Beaune hotel:

“We have a tasting visit booked for tomorrow morning at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. We wonder if you could call them on our behalf to cancel the tasting. Please tell them that we are sorry but that we have to drive to Saint-Émilion…”

Of course, the concierge had to then deal with all the other waiting people who told him not to cancel the tasting and that they would go in their place 🙂