1997 Robert Chevillon, Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Vaucrains
Plenty of oak still on a nose that narrowly avoids reduction. Where the aromatics don’t involve, the palate delivers more; good dimension set against a furry tannin. Overall this is almost good but no more.
Rebuy – No
1997 Jean Tardy, Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Boudots
The nose has the 97 sweetness though unusually it’s coupled with a rather herby presentation but nice high-toned red fruits too. Actually quite appealing. The palate was grainy and red – I didn’t really think of much more to say…
Rebuy – No
1997 Daniel Rion, Vosne-Romanée
It’s a nice nose of dark fruit, ripe, but not overly so. The palate has real depth, length and good balance too. I rather liked it and would buy at a decent price.
Rebuy – Yes
1997 AF Gros & François Parent, Vosne-Romanée 1er Aux Réas
Understated nose that slowly becomes redder and quite excellent. The palate is furry, slightly prickly and comparitively disappointing.
Rebuy – No
1997 Gérard Mugneret, Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Brulées
High-toned nose, understated but very nice. The palate is rather linear, but lots of dimension and almost good length. It’s actually almost good.
Rebuy – Maybe
As noted, the Cathiard is also a rebuy from Vosne.

This was not a bad group of wines, but was frankly dominated by the quality of the Lafon which I would unhesitatingly recommend. It was from a magnum, but then so were many others, so no advantage there.
1997 Camille Giroud, Volnay 1er Carelles
It’s a soft and red nose – despite the softness it seems tight, or at any rate a little muted. The palate is medium-bodied and shows a very nice mid-palate intensity. The tannin is grainy but not too astringent leaving us with a good finale. It’s a nice wine.
Rebuy – Maybe
1997 de Montille, Volnay 1er Mitans
Its a deep, young colour in the glass. Aromatically not much to say – very tight. The palate is far more expressive; lovely texture, fine tannins and understatedly long. The acidity is relaively low but there is also a good balance – I’d rather have this than ill-judged acidification. Good wine.
Rebuy – Maybe
1997 Nicolas Rossignol, Volnay 1er Caillerets
An interesting nose, but there’s a cheesy element that’s spoiling the show. The palate is, however, sweet and sophisticated but I find an unusual flavour to the fruit – no suitable descriptor – just odd. The finish lingers well. A curate’s egg.
Rebuy – No
1997 Comtes Lafon, Volnay 1er Santenots
(Magnum) The nose is mainly about understated black cherry – but few ’97’s have such quality of fruit. The first impression on the palate is the tannin – there’s plenty – but not too astringent and forecasting a long life. The ample concentration lingers on a fine finish. More than enough balance here, this is one of the most successful 97’s and firmly recommended.
Rebuy – Yes
1997 François Mikulski, Volnay 1er Santenots
(Magnum) A nice black fruit nose. The palate is sweetly fruited and has ample grainy tannin. A wine that delivers concentration and good balance. I don’t really know Mikulski’s wines but this is a strong advert.
Rebuy – Maybe
1997 d’Angerville, Volnay 1er Clos des Ducs
(Magnum) A soft, sweet and much redder fruited nose than the last bottles. The palate is medium intensity, coming across as quite sophisticated and with an additional creamy depth to the red fruited finish.
Rebuy – Maybe
1997 Lafarge, Volnay 1er Clos des Chênes
Roasted red fruits on the nose. The palate is much fresher and tannic; mouth-gripping and dry. The nicest part is the lovely red-fruited length. For sure this is a very young wine but overall hard to like – perhaps it will have it’s day, but I will already have drunk the Lafon by then!
Rebuy – No

I don’t think I’ve had a Billard-Gonnet before – it seems that that may have been a mistake. I also don’t know the vineyard – two mistakes already.

To avoid a third mistake and while it’s 30°C outside, this had another 20 minutes in the refrigerator before opening – it came from the 18°C cellar – which isn’t bad for mid-summer but needs an extra ‘foil’ to defend the heat. Anyway it was quite a lovely wine, which was bought locally for ~25 Euros…
2004 Billard-Gonnet, Pommard 1er Clos des Vergers
Rather deeply coloured. The nose starts tight, clean, slightly floral but gets progressively more impressive with red fruit that has a twist of blueberry in the mix – despite being primary it becomes very lovely – there is a hint of the vintage green somewhere but it’s on such a low level it is really additive. The palate is linear and intense, also very clean and mineral even. It’s just a little more unruly in the mid-palate but only because it’s so effusive. It’s a lower-case finish showing a slightly creamy undertone. This is very impressive for a 2004, I must look out for the 2005!
Rebuy – Yes

1976 Camille Giroud, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cazetiers
No Girouds for a while and then like buses, two come along almost together. This has an impressive, deep, sweet, caramel old wine nose; no funk, no nasties just ‘irony’ (not ironic) and interesting for sniff after sniff. Smooth on the palate, it expands very nicely as you move towards the finish. The tannins are very well managed unlike (still) some from ’76. Very alive, some elegance and quite some personality. Like many older Girouds, it doesn’t show quite the complexity you expect from the age – or the length, but despite not classing it as ‘great’, I would certainly class it as a lovely glass that was much appreciated.
Rebuy – Yes

2005 Camille Giroud, Bourgogne Pinot Noir
Medium plus colour. The nose is wide, ripe and softly red fruited. In the mouth you have to get past a little dissolved carbon dioxide – it’s the first time that David Croix hasn’t racked during elevage – frankly you need an hour after opening or a few minutes in a decanter. You return to find a really good depth and balance and an uncommon length for the label. The nose has now taken on an additional toffee dimension. I get the impression there is also a reasonable amount of village level material in this as it’s very good.
Rebuy – Yes