2010 Philippe Livera (Domaine Tilleuls), Gevrey Chambertin En Champ
Deep colour. The nose starts with a deep waft of cushioned, dark oak – it really needs about 30 minutes for this to fade to ‘acceptable’ for my palate – but by which time, the wine is much more than acceptable! A dark cherry aroma is slowly allowed to take centre stage as the oak fades. Very understated fine tannin and beautiful acidity support dark, intense and rather elegant (for Gevrey) flavours. There’s a succulence to the mid-palate fruit-flavour that almost rushes you into taking another sip. The finishing note is part mineral, part bitter oak but quite attractive. Excellent villages!
Rebuy – Yes

Well, it’s almost Christmas, so why not another one! Overall, I have a preference for the 1996 today…

2002 Pierre Damoy, Chapelle-Chambertin
Medium-plus colour. The nose starts with a blast of reduction, but it doesn’t stick around for very long. What remains is a heavy whole cluster aroma that twists and turns with almonds and warm Bakewell tart. In the mouth this has a strong core of flavour but perhaps the outlying flavours are a little more diffuse – still the acidity and concentration are rather good. The tannin is completely understated but searching for it seems to pronounce the whole cluster flavours. A wine that wears its fermentation on its sleeve – but it is rather good!
Rebuy – Yes

After the Damoy ’96, why not go back another 10 years!

1986 Michel Lafarge, Volnay 1er Clos des Chênes
The cork slides far too easily out, but in one piece and it doesn’t smell too oxidised. Just a hint more than medium colour. Like the Damoy of last night, there is a faint twist of beefy brett, but on a way lower level – the precise red berry fruit literally sweeps it aside – overall an interesting nose but not one that keeps drawing your nose to the glass. In the mouth this has just a little cushioning to the velvet-soft texture, and an acidity that is balancing but slightly too emphasised in the mid-palate. The fruit still has sweetness and interest – this is indeed a nice 1er Cru from a very variable vintage and reflecting that, its performance is a little variable too – but there’s no taking away how well it drinks! The last third wasn’t so nice on day two – so don’t delay, drink today!
Rebuy – No Chance

Always good to check in on an old vintage to see how things are going – rather well for 1996 GCs if this is anything to go by…

1996 Pierre Damoy, Chapelle-Chambertin
Medium-plus colour. Deep, almost liqueur nose, slowly developing leaf note stays very much in the background – eventually something more beefy presents itself, perhaps brett, but we’d finished most of it before then 😉 Padded, concentrated, a lovely core of intense fruit – there is even a floral element in there that implies whole clusters. The acidity is uplifting, but not obviously of 1996. Very understated tannin. This is a full and frank wine that entertaining as it is today, still needs 4-5 years I think – hopefully that brett doesn’t get worse!
Rebuy – Yes

It’s a little while since I last delved (publicly) into crémant. Those nice people of Louis Bouillot have nevertheless thought it worth asking my opinion of two new bottles, though I note that one is the same as before – zero dosage, single vineyard – and it has rounded out rather nicely. I have to say that both are very drinkable and I really should delve into crémant a little more – but I see no opportunity before the summer…

Funnily enough, the more modest bottle was the one that had (non-wino) friends more impressed, the second, grander bottle they described as ‘too winey’ – interesting! Personally for chatting and drinking with nuts and canapés I suppose I agree with all my friends – the ‘Perle’ is less demanding of your attention – yet if I had to curl up with a glass/bottle/magnum (delete as appropriate) I would have chosen ‘Les Trois Saints’. Anyone who glances at the price of these bottles will be suitably impressed…

Anyway, to the two bottles before us:

NV Louis Bouillot, Blanc de Blancs Perle d’Ivoire
Plenty of froth here, but dying down it seems not so excessive in the mouth. The aromas are actually quite fine and understated, pretty, clean notes of fruit skins and a fainter depth of brown sugar. In the mouth this is clean and tidy – plenty of mousse but not with a large grain. Very balanced and understated – pretty would fit here too – nice flavours which don’t seem particularly enhanced by additions of sugar. Overall, clean, fresh and nicely incisive. One might say, very drinkable.

2003 Louis Bouillot, Les Grandes Terroirs Les Trois Saints
Blanc de blancs, zero dosage.
Plenty of effervescence on pouring, afterwards there is only the faintest of bead – but the wine never losses its fizz in the mouth. This has quite a pronounced apple/pear note – tarte-tatin – almost, but not quite oxidative this baked apple. Deep and powerfully flavoured – still with those apple pie references. Lovely acidity, flavours are not that long, but that just means you need to take less time between sips!

Bottles supplied for review by Louis Bouillot.

2010 Jean-Marc Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos St.Jean
Medium-plus colour. High-toned dark fruit with herbs – seems quite Chassagne. If the nose hints at Chassagne, the flavours shout it – sweet dark fruit with a spicy depth and eventually a little barrel flavour as you hit the end of the mid-palate into the finish. Very good length too. Actually, it’s so Chassagne that I’d wait at least a year or two to tone it down – but very tasty it is…
Rebuy – Yes