More density on the nose versus the 2010s – I won’t go as far as to say clumsy by comparison but clearly there is not the same deft focus. Another very silky wine, whose concentration slowly grows into an understated whole. Very good wine and far from the facile impression that some 09s currently present…
Villages
2008 Lignier Lucie et Auguste Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrées
Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose shows lovely depth; just a hint of musk and dark red fruits. Fresh, but not overly so this trips over the tongue delivering excellent dark-shaded fruit and impressive complexity – just a hint tart in the finish but compellingly-so. Chew and you can find a little tannin that sticks to your mouth with a hint of astringency.
2009 Eugénie Vosne-Romanée
Classic spice-bread on the nose. Clearly there is quite some extraction here, evidenced by that modern rarity – real tannin! Good underlying acidity and plenty of flavour too. This is a wine of real character; the tannins are forward but without astringency and the fruit flavour is equally boisterous. I like it.
2009 Lécheneaut (Philippe et Vincent) Morey St.Denis
2009 Lécheneaut (Philippe et Vincent) Nuits St.Georges
2009 Lécheneaut (Philippe et Vincent) Nuits St.Georges Les Damodes
Two thirds of the grapes come from the 1er cru part of the vineyard. High tones and very modest oak notes overlaid by warm, red fruit. Round, mouth-filling and rather understated velvet tannin – very good width to the flavour. A good lingering finish that might have been even better with just an ounce more acidity – good wine though.
2009 Pousse d'Or Chambolle-Musigny
Just a hint of toasty oak on the nose; dark fruit bubbles below. Fresh, good acidity here though currently offering a rather narrow flavour-impression. There is obvious oak as a flavour component which obscures much of what I’d hope to find in a Chambolle. I like the shape of the wine but time will tell how good it is as the oak fades.
2009 Cornu Pernand-Vergelesses
The nose has top and bottom notes; faint pyrazines at the top and warm red fruit below – it’s narrow rather than wide today. In the mouth this is warm and quite concentrated – very tasty indeed. There is decent balance here, I might ask for a hint more acidity but that’s ‘borderline’. Very nice wine, and good value too.
2008 Jadot Louis Pommard
This wine showed two personalities; day 1 it was a little non-descript on the nose; rounder and sweeter than the Guyon Chambolle but less impact or dimension – here was a club to the rapier of the Guyon. Day 2 and I’m much more impressed with this; the nose has opened with a slightly warm and sweet core but coupled to creamy flashes and top notes of violets – nice! There also seems a bit more depth to the palate, pretty, higher-toned red fruit and a slowly lingering finish on very good but not bright acidity. There is a hint of grain to the low-key tannin. If I’m totally honest, this cuvée can be a bit expensive, but here is a wine that rewards your investment – on day 2 anyway!