2005 David Clark, Bourgogne Au Pelson
From vines between Morey and Chambolle, but on the ‘wrong’ side of the Route Nationale 74. Deep colour. The nose is a brooding affair with faint spice and herb top-notes and a tight concentration of fruit below, eventually a faint milk-chocolate note surfaces. In the mouth this is unexpectedly intense for the appellation, rather tight and narrow in form which allows the acidity to gain the upper-hand – the classic face for many 2005s now. The tannin is a background velvet texture and the fruit is dark and fresh, finishing with a dried cranberry/raisin element. I suspect that this wine would have been absolutely singing a couple of years ago. Today, despite the appellation, this is a wine about future potential – I still find much to enjoy, but such a shame it was my only bottle. I don’t see either Morey or Chambolle in this, but it is anyway very impressive indeed, this clearly has the intensity, structure and balance of a very decent villages!
Rebuy – Yes

2006 Gaston et Pierre Ravaut, Ladoix Les Carrières
Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose soars with beautiful raspberry and blackberry notes – it’s a peach – or maybe that’s confusing! There is some sweetness of fruit, nice texture and a significant length, but to be honest after a number of successful vintages in my cellar, this one is rather ‘acid rich’ – and that’s before it loses its puppy fat! The tannin has the faintest astringency, but nothing amiss there. I easily managed to find something to enjoy here, but other bottles will be a challenge in middle years…
Rebuy – No

With a few (very) good contacts, M&M were able to fashion this blend of two iconic Gevrey 1ers – if you buy some wine from them, they might tell you what’s in the bottle – they probably won’t tell you who they got if from though!

2004 Mischief & Mayhem, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er, Crazy Love
Medium colour. The nose starts very tight, just a little warmth, slowly it develops a heavy floral scent – in-part it’s derived from a little of the vintage character, but on a low and ‘nice’ level. There is some fat, silky texture, high-toned fruit, balance and a very impressive length that shows some licorice. Initially I noticed the ‘character’ more in the flavours than the aromas, but the flavours seemed to clear completely. A lovely wine, and indeed a very serious wine…
Rebuy – Yes

Do you think this (empty) bottle is worth something because of the miss-printed label? Me Neither!

With the exception of a Chambolle that seemed a little too sweet, I have to say that I’ve been impressed by the 03 Lachaux range; they never really closed, and whilst externally they do offer a slightly facile if opulent glass, there is certainly more below the surface if you care to look…

2003 Pascal Lachaux, Latricières-Chambertin
Medium-plus colour. Brooding aromas of dark cherry and cassis that are framed with warm, sweet coffee. Mouth-filling, slightly acid-shy but good texture and fantastic length. There’s a slight bitterness that mingles with the creamy fruit in the mid-palate, tannin is fine with the merest leading-edge of astringency. Really, this a bottle to wallow in rather than intellectualise over, yet the IQ is there if you want to challenge it. Very impressive indeed.
Rebuy – Yes

Given how I abused this bottle, this is rather an impressive showing – and from a producer I hadn’t heard of. The bottle was pulled from the shelves of Caves Madeleine restaurant in Beaune. The small-ish glasses in the restaurant and lack of time for the wine to open up gave only an impression of balance but little else. More than half-drunk, it had the cork rammed back in, spent the rest of the day in the back of the car (December) before finally coming to rest in the refrigerator at home. Not the next day, but the day after, I poured the last glass and a half from which this note is culled:

2006 François Legros, Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Perrières
Medium-plus colour. Deep, velvety aromas over a hint of volatility that wasn’t there on day one. Smooth, yet with plenty of finely grained, underlying tannin. Long, concentrated and balanced, the fruit is dark before a higher-toned burst of fruit in the mid-palate, there is a nice depth of flavour before the wine slowly fades into the finish. Plenty of structure but it’s not a burly Nuits expression, rather (perhaps) a softer Perrières expression. Very nice wine.
Rebuy – Yes

2006 wines from Nuits and Vosne continue to repay my confidence…