Using a ‘Diam’ seal. Medium yellow. The nose has the faintest creamyness which hints to brioche and sherbet, but majors on sweet green-yellow fruit. There is some fat and sweetness but also a stonyness at the core. Well balanced with medium length. This is very good indeed, it doesn’t topple my benchmark 08 bourgogne, but then this is a about 25% cheaper!
Regional
2008 Rateau Jean-Claude Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune Blanc
2008 Buisson-Charles Bourgogne Aligote
18 months of elevage! Patrick thinks this more concentrated than the 2009. Ex-domaine this was only €6 – what a shame it is (long-time) sold-out. This is a hint creamy smelling and very complex! There is minerality and nervosité here, backed by lovely flavour, extension into the mid-palate and finally just the right amount of richness to lift this from compelling to covetable! An aligoté that is worth a special search – shame they are sold out at the domaine.
2008 Buisson-Charles Bourgogne Rouge
This sells ex-domaine for €7.50 – the higher cost versus the aligoté is only the cost of the oak. Very good colour. The aromas are more understated than those of the aligoté, but deliver a nice cassis note. Tannic, but velvet tannin. Plenty of acidity pushes the flavours nicely long. A considerable bargain.
2009 Bichot Albert Bourgogne Rouge
Cuvée Secret de Famille. Made for the first time in 2007, not made in 2008. Nine hectares this year, producing about 40 thousand bottles. It’s a premium bourgogne, selected from the Gevrey, Chambolle, Beaune and Pommard areas picked at 39-44 hl/ha, but in this case the premium is less than 2 euros. Bright, medium-plus purple colour. Punchy fruit that’s slightly Beaujolais-esque – though there’s no carbonic maceration, eventually a little pepper too. Lots of intensity, this is very well balanced and the fruit provides plenty of sweetness. Very impressive – 09 could really be another bumper year for buying bourgognes…
2009 Bichot Albert Bourgogne Chardonnay
2007 Lignier Lucie et Auguste Bourgogne Aligote
Medium-pale greeny-yellow. The nose has impact and depth – super – savoury undertones and a dried pineapple. The first sips make me think to grapefruit, mainly because it seems under-sugared – slowly either it mellows or I become less sensitive – I expect it is the latter! Lovely freshness with a hint of peach and a good texture too. The finish is understated but retains some sneaky flavour. I enjoyed this in a slightly masochistic way and perhaps a year or two will allow this to mellow a little.