2006 Lucie et Auguste Lignier, Morey St.Denis Vieilles Vignes
Medium, medium-plus colour. For over one hour there’s a slightly reductive, foisty cardboard behind the fruit – it’s not TCA and it’s not on the palate. Slowly the fruit comes to the fore and 99% covers the cardboard – and it’s lovely fruit – red-black and edged with a little toffee and old-vine cream. In the mouth it needs about 30 minutes to build to a decent level of concentration and nice texture, there’s also a good lick of ripe tannin in and around the mid-palate. Depth of fruit and a nice finish. One third of the bottle was saved for day 2 – and it turned out really well – no strange smells, just brilliant red berry fruit and creamy depth, really super. I blame some reduction for the initial aroma note, as the oxygenation certainly cured it!
Rebuy – Yes

2007 Domaine Vrignaud, Chablis 1er Fourchaume
Pale yellow. Faintly citrus over an even fainter sweet core of yellow fruit. Nice freshness that’s emphasised by the citrus acidity. Not a really concentrated nor intense effort but there is a hint of salty seashore in the mid-palate and the bottle was finished in double-quick time on a balmy evening. Despite the intensity being more on a par with a good villages wine, this is quite pretty and still seems good value.
Rebuy – Maybe

2007 Michel Bouzereau, Meursault Les Grands Charrons
Medium-pale yellow. The nose starts a little diffuse. In the mouth it’s very fresh but seems overly dilute – I think it’s too cold – let’s wait for the contents of the glass to warm a little. Warmer, the nose is a little tighter though offers slightly sherbert-style fruit aromas. In the mouth it’s gained a surprising amount of fat – this now almost good – slowly lingering in the finish. Quite pretty, fresh and clean – it’s tasty, but it says Meursault on the label and much as I enjoyed it, I’m torn as to whether I see that level of performance.
Rebuy – Maybe

I’ve had a good run of ‘upper-end’ bottles, so now it’s time to have a modest week or maybe even two! I’ve not had a wine from this domaine before, and the label is not that inviting – it reminds me of bottles on supermarket shelves, but let’s see…

2005 Maillard Père et Fils, Beaune
Medium-plus colour. The nose starts with sweet, toasty caramel oak and some associated savoury notes – over time it has a more floral, violets dimension. Sweet fruit with glinting acidity – it’s a nice balance – the tannin of the backbone has depth but is fine and ripe. Relatively linear in the mid-palate – I’m not sure if that’s because it’s tight or because I just finished a Griottes! Well-made and tasty wine.
Rebuy – Yes

Did I mention there was also a Griotte to open? – well, it’s so long since I opened the Fourrier! Now I should also correct myself; Esmonin was one of the rare bottlers to say ‘Griottes’ rather than Griotte!

An interesting trio these 99 Esmonins; the Mazy was smooth but full of concentration, power and not a little tension. The Ruchottes was equally smooth but of a lower order of concentration and showing a little oak – then there’s the Griottes which (frankly) far from met expectations; perhaps technically a less good wine than the Mazy, but from a character perspective, the best of the three – now you don’t often get to say that about Griotte(s)!

1999 Frédéric Esmonin, Griottes-Chambertin
Medium, medium-plus colour – still with a little cherry-red shimmer. The nose has a mineral, earthy edge before swirling releases dried currant fruits, finally lovely red berry fruit – even hints of raspberry – hmmm. Intense concentration abetted by perfect acidity. The tannin is is just a little more than ‘background’, and certainly has an astringent edge. I’m bowled over – a Griotte with real character and a little extra dimension in the mid-palate – a Gevrey dimension at that. Chalk and cheese versus the 02 Fourrier – today I’d much, much rather drink this. Character is king…
Rebuy – Yes