Well, I’m certainly not going to ‘trash-talk’ this wine from the perspective of P because I didn’t find any – and that’s the first 2011 in while that seems clean to my nose – yet I remain a little unsatisfied. Could there have a been a little below the radar cork taint? I don’t know, but for now, I will assume that this bottle isn’t representative…

2011 Rossignol-Trapet, Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Bas Liards
A pretty and bright medium, medium-plus colour. What can I tell you about the nose(?) – tough – there doesn’t seem to be one! There’s no oak or reduction (quite common for this domaine) but there is no fruit and hardly anything else either – strange. In the mouth this has a nice round shape and a little padding to the texture – no obvious CO₂, and a baseline of soft, sweet-enough red fruit. Okay acidity, short finish and little obvious tannin. Day two (I try to be fair…) and there is a hint of a nose – something with a faint minerality but nothing more. The palate seems to have grown a little velvet tannin and maybe the finish has a very understated minerality. Almost an anti-wine – if it was three years old I would say it was closed!
Rebuy – No idea!

Jonah time again!

Whilst the few Devevey wines that have passed my lips I remember enjoying – particularly so, the whites – I’ve never-yet managed to pay a visit to understand more about this domaine. However, here is a wine that for more than one reason, I wouldn’t buy again – a shame as it’s one of my favourite Beaune 1ers too…

2011 Devevey Beaune 1er Pertuisots
Bright medium colour. The nose has a faint undertow of P, but overwhelmingly the aromas are dominated by pretty, precise red berry notes, whilst in the background there’s also a greener, herby note. Fresh and lithe – there’s a bit of an acid-kick in the mid-palate too – for-sure not the ripest of wines; yet it has energy and character – I’m enjoying this first glass. Truth be told, over 3 hours this gradually got meaner and the P component became a bit more obvious…
Rebuy – No

My first wine at home in this new year – assuming the cork was a good one, I was pretty sure it should be a good start – and so it was. 1999 is the second-largest vintage in my cellar – maybe I’ll try a few more this year…

1999 l’Arlot, Nuits St.Georges 1er Clos de l’Arlot
Just a little bit more than medium colour. Hmmm – what a forward, round and friendly mix of white chocolate, whole cluster aromas and roses – a real friendly ‘punch’. In the mouth there’s a palpable weight of fat texture that’s cut with good acidity – this wine is incredibly enjoyable – yet, seems a little soft at the core for ‘brilliant’. Return to the glass a couple of hours later and the whole cluster anecdotes are a little more green and resinous – though they are what they are – yet there now seems better definition in the mid-palate – swings and roundabout. Overall I’m preferring this now, to drink. Throughout there has been a steady baseline of velvet tannin. This seems in a good place right now, but clearly no rush at all to drink!
Rebuy – Yes

Happy New Year…

1993 Jayer-Gilles, Nuits St.Georges Les Hautes Poirets
Deeply coloured – still. The nose has undergrowth, dark brambles and the remnants of dark toasty oak; dark and interesting I’d say. Perhaps still a little too much toasty oak flavour but it’s the first assault before a wave a fresh, acid-borne intensity and dark fruit – really mouth-watering flavour. There is still a very faint layer of velvet tannin, so this is still something of a baby – but a communicative one…
Rebuy – Yes