2007 Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne-Romanée Clos du Château
Just about medium colour – and not all that young looking. Here is such a heady perfume; redolent of stems (even though Louis-Michel insists he de-stems) a very subtle vanilla and just a suggestion of toasted bread too, perhaps faintly reductive… Wow! – just a beautiful freshness of fruit/flavour/acidity – get below 15° this wine actually flirts with ‘tart’, but only then. Very silky texture, though you can drag out a little grain if you chew. Excellence in the finish too – lingering subtlety. Very yum indeed – simply excellent!
Rebuy – Yes

I know they are a different kettle of fish, but the mid-palate and finish here, remind me of the most wonderful 1982 Engel Brûlées…

2010 Edmond Monnot, Maranges 1er Le Clos des Rois
Little more than medium colour. The nose has ‘come hither’ cherry and cherry stone aromas, notes that play equally across tongue. Ripe enough fruit with a lovely level of acidity and a nice extra depth of flavour in the mid palate. The finishing flavours linger with a sweet stoniness. Just a very pretty wine.
Rebuy – Yes

1995 Dujac, Morey St.Denis
A very smelly cork indeed – I assumed the worse – yet the wine in the glass seems fine, except that it seems aromatically rather anonymous. Texturally and from a balance perspective this wine seems both open and ready, yet, like the nose, the wine seems completely anonymous. Despite still being drinkable, I assume that something of the cork has scalped this – shame.
Rebuy – No

There’s really nothing quite like sitting in the garden with friends, in 25°C sunshine, but still with the Springtime smell of hyacinths in the air; and quite unbelievably the 4th day in a row with such temperatures. It will, of-course, end in tears, but these two 2010 wines helped us eek-out every last drop of enjoyment!

2008 Dubreuil-Fontaine, Beaune 1er Montrevenots
Medium colour. The herbal background of many 08s is here in relatively small measure, but more importantly, the entrancing clean fruit note of its youth is pretty much gone now. In the mouth this remains a big mouthful of energy – growing mid-palate intensity is borne on good acidity and ever so faintly astringent tannins. A wine that remains a big bundle of tasty energy despite losing the fabulousness of its youth. If you are paying more than €15 for your Bourgognes, you really don’t want to know what this great wine costs…
Rebuy – Yes

This bottle had something in common with this week’s Bruno Clavelier – furry mold on the top of a cork which is soaked right through with wine – hopefully (once more) it will be okay. In this case the cork seems a little creased, rather than caused by a mal-formed neck.

2001 Hudelot-Noellat, Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Suchots
Medium colour – looks fine. Sometimes (02s for instance) H-N’s wine quickly take on a sous-bois quality, but here it is very modest, with a gorgeous sweet, partly-roast red fruit note – like jam tarts. I could sniff this all evening, which is just as well, the wine seems flawed on the palate: spiky harsh acidity though sweet enough fruit behind. I can drink it, with a wince. In this condition, certainly not a wine to buy.
Rebuy – No

The entry price for Bruno’s wines has significantly increased since (say) the early 2000’s. Even his Marsannays have caught this bug – well, all except one – his Marsannay Blanc. Should we take advantage of this (still) slightly unfashionable label?

2009 Bruno Clair, Marsannay (Blanc)
This may be a ‘cheap-er’ wine, but it’s clearly had plenty of oak thrown at it – lots and lots of toasty bread notes that initially smother something sweater at the core of the nose. You need at least 1 hour for the fruit to come through – though it lacks a bit of style. For the vintage this is quite fresh, and that’s despite the wood – eyes closed I could sweat that there’s raspberry in the mid-palate! There’s a decent core of concentration in the mid-palate, though it’s a little unyielding (similar to the manner of a 2005). As an aperitif, I think I’d prefer quite a number of Bourgogne Blancs, so why not bring on the food: I have to say it’s not really improved – there’s an added richness that’s not really to wine’s advantage. Overall, it’s the flavour profile that I’m not enjoying – there’s more than a hint of the savoury-ness of Fixin about this wine. It’s drinkable, but I wouldn’t consider buying any more.
Rebuy – No