A lunch with, as you can see, like-minded friends…

2011 Comtes Lafon, Meursault Clos de la Barre
It was very hard to place this wine when first poured – it had a certain sweetness – aromatically and in the flavour – but it kept getting better and better – such a great wine. Bravo!
Rebuy – Yes

2006 JC Bessin, Chablis 1er Fourchaume
My last of these was about 3 years ago – and it was singing. Slightly brown coloured. This was part oxidised. A second bottle I tried two days later was even worse – I have three or four more to dispose of…
Rebuy – No

1993 François Jobard, Meursault 1er Genevrières
Also a deep colour but more yellow-gold. What a great nose – so enveloping, so inviting. The nose had a certain freshness that made me think of St.Aubin, but I was clearly thinking of a younger wine. Just a beautiful thing – surprisingly round and ripe for the vintage as my earlier bottles of this had much more line – this was more like my magnum of the 1992 over (last) Christmas, but with less overt ripe lemon. I’m looking forward to my last few bottle of these!
Rebuy – Yes

1991 Robert Ampeau, Meursault 1er Perrières
Som colour and aromatic similarities to the Jobard – clearly a little older, more saline and of more direct line – beautifully textured. On the day I had a slight preference for the Jobard – but both were beautiful, proper, mature Meursaults with much more time on their sides!
Rebuy – Yes

1996 Leroy, Bourgogne Rouge
A fresh nose but what a lovely red-berry nose. Of line but also with depth of fresh flavour – this was drunk-up surprisingly quickly – a winner!
Rebuy – Yes

1999 Nicolas Potel, Volnay 1er En Chevret
There are only a couple of owners of vines here. This nose had so much more depth and amplitude versus the Leroy. Good as the Leroy was, this was better in every single direction – more concentration, more complexity more depth of texture – all fabulously balanced. Brilliant stuff and only just starting to drink – so happy that at least half a dozen await in storage…
Rebuy – Yes

2008 Fourrier, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Combe aux Moines
What a beautiful aromatic line – such purity – in the style of great wines from Bachelet – but it was Fourrier. Delicious in the mouth, carried by the fine 2008 acidity and Fourrier’s trademark sweetness. I don’t know why I didn’t think of 2008, but I loved the wine!
Rebuy – Yes

2003 René Engel, Echézeaux
Like a recent Clos de Lambrays 03, this showed such a balanced profile that some people were guessing 2002 or 2001 – the vintage is holding very well – the poor wines were obviously poor young, but the good ones are aging glacially. Simply a beautiful, balanced, ‘giving’ wine. Super stuff.
Rebuy – Yes

1996 Dominique Gallois, Charmes-Chambertin
Hmm, a hint of pyrazine on the nose – but at a level where it adds complexity, not a turn-off for me. The line and complexity and depth of the the flavour were just so compelling – great wine. I loved…
Rebuy – Yes

1990 F Esmonin, Griottes-Chambertin
We were being spoiled! Yet, this was the most disappointing nose of all the wines for me, a little tight and borderline unpleasant – yet – in the mouth this was fabulous – clearly ripe, but with a minerality and line that had me thinking Clos de la Roche – such a surprise to find that it was Griotte! Despite the nose – such a treat!
Rebuy – Yes