2015 Alain Geoffroy, Chablis 1er Bearoy
Beauroy is rarely the most interesting of the 1ers – the extra clay here bring more roundness to the wines – but whatever – this 2015 was singing.
Fresh on the nose, some riper citrus for sure. In the mouth, it could only come from Chablis – plenty of salinity the giveaway. Delicious tasty wine that costs not a lot. Excellent!
Rebuy – Yes

2017 Seguinot-Bordet, Chablis 1er Fourchaume
Clearly there’s a little more zip to this more open and fresh nose – still a ripe citrus aroma, but somehow leaner. This is exactly as I remember it from tasting at the domaine – dynamic, crystalline, über-delicious wine. A treat!
Rebuy – Yes

2017 Thillardon, La Haut – Le Blanc de Thillardon VDF
From 8 hl/ha. A crémant bottle with a crown-cap as there’s 5g residual sugar in this – just in case it decides to ferment in the future – it’s already 14° and no sulfur.
Cloudy – plenty of yeasty dregs from the last pour too. The nose is deep and far from pure but has a sort of yeasty crémant style to it. Fresh, petillant very tasty wine. The sort of moreish wine that you have to keep going back to despite its manifold faults. So Yum!
Rebuy – Yes

2009 Ramonet, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos de la Boudriotte Rouge
Relatively light, and aging colour. The nose is a lovely, already leafy and sweet invitation. There’s still concentration to this open wine, and a sweetness of fruit too – but – the mid and finishing flavours still have a surprising amount of harsh, bitter wood. I like the start, but I don’t like the finish. On day three the last half a glass is a smoothie, so I’m sure the oak will continue to fade – but wait at least 2 more years I think…
Rebuy – Maybe

2005 Roger Belland, Santenay-Commes 1er
The earliest wine that has a DIAM that I have in the cellar – I think I have some of his Santenay-Beauregard too which will also be DIAM.
As you can see, the ‘cork’ remains in perfect condition, and probably this wine is better than at any stage of its life, a full, super-fruity, deep nose of far more purity than I remember when young – the oak most have been eaten by now! Like wise plenty of richness of fruit on the palate and super clarity for a Santenay of this era – certainly from this producer. Perfect shape and absolutely delicious!
Rebuy – Yes

To get this week started, five very drinkable wines from the home of this year’s St.Vincent.

2017 is the first vintage for the villages appellation of ‘Vézelay’ – previous to that, the wines were labeled as Bourgogne Vézelay. 2017 was also a very low volume vintage for Vézelay – 1,320 hectolitres from not much more than 70 hectares that were in production – that’s only about 18 hl/ha – like Chablis there was much frost in 2017.

One of the Croix Montjoie wines is a little obviously oaked, but when you see the cuvée name – well that explains everything 🙂

2017 Vignerons de la Colline Éternelle, Vézelay
Medium-pale yellow. In the mouth this has plenty of volume and quite a nice texture – supple and showing a nice ripeness of tasty fruit. The finish has a little mineral aspect with the merest touch of rigour. Overall, very drinkable.

2017 Domaine La Croix Montjoie, Vézelay La Voluptueuse
A hint more colour. A wider nose with a touch of oak spice. Again a mouth-filling wine – sweet, silky, the oak is quite forward in a more Mâconnais style. Very delicious, if very obvious, wine – but fine finishing. I’d keep this in the cellar 12 months before drinking.

2017 Domaine La Croix Montjoie, Vézelay L’Élégant
Here the nose is on one hand more compact, but on the other of finer, more precise citrus fruit and even a few floral accents – very attractive. Plenty of energy – much more acid-forward – some agrume intensity here but also some richer depth of flavor in the mid-palate. Ooh this is less delicious than the last but more my personal style of wine – it’s excellent!

2017 Domaine La Croix Montjoie, Vézelay L’Impatiente
Like the last, the nose is a little more compact, but showing fresh citrus fruit and even a little salinity – attractive again. A little more energy and some minerality showing with this one too – much more in a Chablis/Tonnerre vernacular. A little richness of texture and less direct attack from the acidity. My favourite.

2017 Jean-Luc & Paul Aegerter, Vézelay Réserve Personelle
The is the only wine sealed with a DIAM-style cork.
Fresh, wide, open, citrus accents, almost a little lime fruit and phenolics in here. A subtle prickle of CO₂ and a modestly reductive mineral impression. This brings a wide impression over the palate and it’s another wine with a nice texture. Whilst it’s the most overtly mineral finishing – less-so in the Chablis/Tonnerre style of the last. Carafe this, but it’s a very good wine.