Before this wine was another ’85 from Bertagna – the better known (for the domaine) Clos de la Perrière. It showed a little more density and concentration than the ‘Cras’ but was seemingly a little less fine. After 20 minutes (maybe the reason) in the glass there was a very occasional whiff of something like cork taint. I’m not the most sensitive to TCA, often tasting it before smelling it. The Perrières remained tasty and quite drinkable but always with a nagging doubt…

1985 Louis Remy, Clos de la Roche
Medium colour. The nose starts without incredible depth, rather it’s relatively wide with pretty layers of fresh fruit with a very faint spice accent in the background, slowly it becomes ever-more delicate and well-defined with wild strawberries and perhaps raspberry too – swirl and it is a more leathery effect – I really could sniff this all night! The freshest acidity of all these recent 1985s and clearly the most mineral too – some impression of violets in the mid-palate where it’s actually rather linear but with achingly long (if narrow) flavours that continue as long as your mouth keeps watering – which was quite a while. Remarkably pretty, but should there be a bit more Grand Cru depth and dimension? I suppose I’ll never find out if I just keep sniffing! On day two this has a little oxidation – unlike all the other 85s I opened – so it’s fragile as well as delicate. Drink up in the next couple of years seems to be the way forward…
Rebuy – Yes

Exquisitely pretty as this wine was, versus the two Bertagnas of the weekend it lacks plenty of concentration. Forgetting the premier/grand cru distinctions, this bottle in its own right was still a lovely thing.