Seems a while – well I suppose it is – but here’s a round-up of the last days in London and thereabouts.

Wednesday evening started with 13 burgundies – unlucky for us as it should have been 14 but we had a corked 1993 Dujac Gevrey Combottes – though 13 interesting wines from 14 is a very good start. Notes will come during this week as time allows

Thursday was Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2005 tasting; always looked forward to and very well run by Corney & Barrow the UK agents. Dr Jamie Goode hung around long enough to swirl, spit and take some photos then triumphantly post his notes first from the assembled throng. Neal Martin and Linden Wilkie (my erstwhile lunch companions) took a more lingering approach. For those with a penchant for a case, the R-C was priced at a rather academic £1,332.26 per bottle to take away.

Something about the wines? Why not indeed (full write-up in the Spring Burgundy-Report); whatever anyone tells you, these wines were tight. The Echézeaux was the only open wine but currently showing a facile sweet oaky complexion – you need to wait 2 years for seriousness – the rest, versus what 2005 did show and will one day show again showed only glimpses, but glimpses of greatness for sure, but today drink 2004, 2003 and 2000 in preference if you want to stay with the 21st century!

There was also a weekend too…

…and while I’ve been away:

• The Also-Rans
• Valentine’s Day $500 a sip

Been away a few days, mixing skiing and a bad back (hexenschuss) – it was actually easier to ski than walk – but no moguls! There will be little new material here in the next days, but quite a lot of research: dinner with likeminded souls tomorrow, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2005’s on Thursday, a few more bottles over the weekend and a stunning collection of 2005 grand crus on Friday 22nd in Vienna.

Well I call it research 😉

DRC ‘presearch‘

I couldn’t resist it, yesterday I opened up one of my wines of the year from last year and was very happy with the result. Equally priced is another of my wines of the year last year and I just had to pull the cork! David Croix suggests aeration as the wines are bottled with plenty of carbon dioxide, but in this case the bottle was open for about 30 minutes then poured, no more.

2005 des Croix, Bourgogne Pinot Noir
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose is pungent with creamy, mineral, ripe and soft red fruit – it’s like a grand cru – an okay start then! The palate is not quite so silky smooth as the Morgon, but the concentration is undoubted, neither is the quality of the creamy fruit that pushes, long, long into the finish. The creaminess seems to have an oaky base, so I’d personally let this slumber a while despite its ‘come hither’ demeanour – just like you would any 1er cru. Its modern-styled and with a decent dose of oak, but ignoring the Leroy 2004 Bourgogne (appellation chimera) this could be the best bourgogne I’m ever likely to buy!
Rebuy – Yes – 12 is unfortunately not enough!

I’m amazed by the transformation that 12 months in bottle has achieved. Last tasted, this was a tannic brute with an apparently modest finish but tons of potential (read: fireworks). Today its rather smooth, still concentrated and the finish is no-longer overwhelmed by what went before…

2005 Potel-Aviron, Morgon Côte du Py VV
A broodingly dark colour. The nose is slightly alcoholic, mildly meaty and creamily black fruited – almost like burgundy, but not quite. Very smooth and concentrated – I’m impressed how it pushes from the mid-palate into the finish – without fatigue. Again the fruit is black cherry shaded. Drinkable now with much more to come, and half the price of a growing number of inferior ’boutique’ bourgogne rouges.
Rebuy – Yes

2005 d’Ardhuy, Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Chaumes
Medium cherry-red. You are greeted by wide, concentrated and bright nose, faintly alcoholic with red and black fruit and a gradually developing creamy background – perhaps a hint of green pepper is the only clue to ‘vosne’. Lovely texture and concentration, the tannins are completely enveloped by the ripe fruit, but enough freshness remains. A slow diminuendo of a finish rolling on with the acidity. At the right price, this is an easy rebuy.
Rebuy – Yes

From the outset, this wine didn’t really have a lot going for it; a critically unloved vintage for whites and the éleveur a bulk supplier to French supermarkets – lastly the ever-present shadow of p.ox. On the other hand, the label of a wine from the Hospices and I picked it up very cheap (obviously miss-priced) in a supermarket about 3 years ago – but even at that price, I only bought one!

1998 Hospices de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne
Cuvée François de Salins, Maison Paul Reitz. The colour is already a little concerning – a deep, burnished golden – fortunately the aromas have only the barest suggestion of anything oxidative, mainly showcasing a deep core of mature fruit edged with a trace of toffee. The palate is balanced, showing a waxy-smooth texture and a very nice length, redolent of the toffee on the nose. I think this is ready right now and will only decline from here. Very enjoyable – tinged with buyer’s regret as I only bought one!
Rebuy – Yes