I’m starting to work my way through my 2006s; finishing off single bottles like this one.

2006 Long-Depaquit, Chablis Grand Cru Moutonne
I really don’t like the smell of this cork – it’s not TCA, it’s not musty either but it has a very strong deep, almost nutty odour. Pale colour. The smell of the cork fortunately doesn’t seem to be on the nose – rather it is a fresh and very mineral aroma. In the mouth there is good balance and again a very mineral impression – unfortunately I can taste something similar to the aroma from the cork. There is intensity but none of the complexity of it’s youth, the style is much more linear. A shame that my last bottle wasn’t allowed to shine – all down to the cork.
Rebuy – No, but probably only because of the cork problem.

2008 A&R Olivier, Bourgogne Pinot Noir
Medium colour. The nose has more than a hint of borderline ripe herb and slightly alcoholic top notes but there is red fruit too. On the tongue, the acidity is not too bright, though as the flavour drifts into the finish there is some lip-smacking tartness. The mid-palate flavour-dimension is actually quite nice and below the sour is just enough sweet. This isn’t a wine I’d recommend, but it is quite drinkable.
Rebuy – No

2008 Alex Gambal, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Charmes
Medium-plus colour. From the first pour this is an excellent mix of deep dark blue/black fruit against a mineral background. Hmm, this has a real lithe character, plenty of acidity – though not out of bounds – and no padding whatsoever. There is a whisper of tannin that shows for a second or two at the end of the mid-palate, just before the wine slinks away into the finish. Perhaps slink is not the best adjective as the flavour, understated as it is, lasts very well indead. The fruit is super, if completely linear. This is gives the impression of being ‘slight’ yet at the same time shows plenty of intensity. It is a wine that demands cellar time. The acid-forward character of the vintage is clearly visible here if not overwhelming – at eight to ten years it might be worth checking whether it has filled out at all, but this is a 20+ year wine.
Rebuy – Maybe

2009 Joseph Voillot, Meursault Chevalières
Medium, medium-plus lemon yellow. The nose is round with hints of ginger and fuller base of fruit. Sweetness from ripe fruit and a lovely acidity that lingers, mouth-wateringly into the finish. The ginger on the nose is reflected in a spiced-bread flavour too. Rounder than same domaine’s Meursault Cras – possibly a more classic Meursault too. Anyway – lovely.
Rebuy – Yes

1998 Bruno Clair, Marsannay Les Longeroies
Medium colour. The aromas plumb a great depth of clean dark fruit and a little forest floor – occasional halves of these are showing VA, but not this full bottle. A narrow entry slowly widens; the tannin is almost all resolved but still delivers a little bitter chocolate in the finish. The acidity is just a hint prominent, but there’s nothing currently to worry about. The fruit has plenty of sweet maturity about it, particularly I like the strong note it holds in the mid-palate. No shame in drinking these now, and to my taste the last bottle about three years ago was better, but like most burgundy there’s no rush!
Rebuy – Yes

Another achingly pretty bottle that sports a thick blue wax coating for a capsule – that’s two this week! Of-course the wax is a pain in the proverbial for clean removal, but for the hours, days, weeks, months, years you keep the bottle, it will make you feel good just by taking a look! Apparently one of 1,812 bottles, so that’ll be 6 normal sized barrels – assuming it spent any time in barrels – it should have done, it’s far from a cheap bottle (in the uk!) – I read that 600 litre barrels may be in use…

2007 Arnaud Ente, Bourgogne Aligoté
Medium lemon-yellow colour. The nose has a little of that aligoté savouriness and quite some depth to it’s concentrated core of fruit. I sense CO₂ on the palate – I’ll let it aerate a little. Hmm, returning I have the aromatic impression of walking through tall, golden late summer grass plus a hint of cream. Lovely acid balance brings freshness but nothing tart, Clean, very pretty, laser-like flavours that include an occasional flash of cream that then quickly fall-away before holding onto an understated note, A very accomplished wine, regardles of grape!
Rebuy – Yes