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

2010 David Clark, Côte de Nuits Villages
Medium colour – one might say relatively pale for such a youngster. Quite shy but some pretty red high tones peek through – strawberry. Quite smooth, then the acidity is next in-line before a twist of understated tannin. Clean and tasty with fresh red-fruit flavours. Understated, modest and elegant. Drinks all too quickly…
Rebuy – Yes

2010 Vaudoisey-Creusefond, Pommard Croix Blanche
This started way too unripe and acidic – or so it seemed. I ate something and there seemed better, indeed acceptable balance. The nose is high-toned with occasional flashes of perfect red fruit. Eventually there is some sucrosité to the flavours, despite plenty of acidity – but the acidity coupled to the (admittedly understated) astringency of the tannin is quite mouth-puckering. I can drink it, I can even appreciate it, but I can’t bring myself to recommend it…
Rebuy – No

2010 Michel Noëllat, Vosne-Romanée
Medium, medium-plus colour. The aromas are of barrel spice and (much fainter) vanilla – there’s just a suggestion of background reduction enhancing the depth of the nose too – whatever all that-lot sounds like, it’s quite appealing. Understated concentration – the acidity slowly wells bringing more fruit-flavour – again accented with vanilla. Very good texture with fine-grained tannin. The overall impression – regardless of all those barrel descriptors – is a wine of sweet succulence and deliciousness!
Rebuy – Yes

2010 Philippe Livera (Domaine Tilleuls), Gevrey Chambertin Clos Village
Quite deeply coloured. The nose instantly brings one word to mind – wow! Deep, cushioned a little spicy with an espresso top. Despite the significant contribution from the barrels, this is setting high expectations. In the mouth it’s clear that the wine can’t deliver those grand cru expectations, but here is good concentration, a little (okay, quite a lot) astringent tannin and nice, ripe fruit flavour. The acidity is understated and mouth-watering. This is rather barrel-influenced, as you will have gathered, it’s also reasonably structured but it’s also very good.
Rebuy – Yes

2010 Herve Murat, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits Les Herbues
Deep, perfumed nose, probably a few stems here – but very modestly so. In the mouth this is wide and filled with high-toned red fruit – probably a little CO₂ to lose given the edge to the texture. There is just a faint astringency to the tannin but it drags across your tongue rather than offering a grain. The fruit in the finish is an unusually direct morello-style cherry edged with a little herb. Very interesting and a wine that I’d definitely buy again. Day two and it has become withdrawn and a little sullen – most of its interest has diminished. Drink-up on day 1!
Rebuy – Yes