Domaine Robert-Denogent is a domaine whose wines I’d never tasted. Given that they also lie outside the ‘true’ Côte d’Or – way out in Pouilly-Fuissé – I’ve never felt the need to travel that far afield. But a couple of weeks ago I had the chance to taste, and the wines were really excellent – even more-so when factoring in the value versus a Puligny or Meursault. I started without my pen, but the wines were so good I had to find it, hence, the notes gradually get longer!

2005 Robert-Denogent, Mâcon-Fuissé Les Taches
Very impressed by the length here – this is very nice.
Rebuy – Yes
2005 Robert-Denogent, Mâcon-Solutré Clos des Bertillonnes
Slightly more tropical nose – gives a similar impression on the palate too. It’s soft, but also intense and with super acidity.
Rebuy – Maybe
2005 Robert-Denogent, Pouilly-Fuissé La Croix
Less tropical – starts much more mineral and then widens out into a wide vista of ripe fruit.
Rebuy – Yes
2005 Robert-Denogent, Pouilly-Fuissé Les Reisses
This seems very concentrated and intense. I like this very much and there’s a super length.
Rebuy – Yes
2005 Robert-Denogent, Pouilly-Fuissé ‘Claude Denogent’
There’s just a hint of cream on the nose. In the mouth it’s very impressive with a creamy width and an expressive length.
Rebuy – Yes
2005 Robert-Denogent, Pouilly-Fuissé Les Carrons
On the nose this also has the cream, but there’s an extra dimension too – lovely. Quite big in the mouth, though the ‘hit’ of concentration comes quite late. Before that ‘hit’ I might have wanted a little more freshness, but the mouthwatering finish knocked my socks off – very, very good.
Rebuy – Yes

2005 Joseph Voillot, Volnay 1er Les Champans
Medium and a bit depth of colour. The nose is deeply red with an impression of soft oak in the background. It’s a narrow entry, right through into the finish where it suddenly widens and shows a lovely length of flavour. The fruit is a mix of beautifully melded cherry and raspberry, the tannin must be in there somewhere but the impression is just the smooth ride to the finish. Compelling, but less interesting and open today than the Brouillards despite a little more density.
Rebuy – Yes

2005 Barthod, Bourgogne Rouge
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red. Slightly volatile and high-toned, but these notes mainly disappear with swirling to leave a deeper, cream-edged base – it’s then quite impressive. Fresh in the mouth, dense and slightly furry with very good fruit that follows through into the finish. Very impressive – average 2004 villages quality here – but I’d still mainly drink over the next 2-3 years.
Rebuy – Yes

PS Unlike the Chambolle, this wine still shows a high level of value…

2005 Tollot-Beaut, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Champ-Chevrey
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red. Wide, sweet and interesting on the rather yummy nose. There’s plenty of grainy tannin, but it doesn’t overwhelm the lovely fruit background that slides slowly into a good, less obviously creamy and oak inflected finish than the 1er Lavières. I almost always like this cuvée and here’s another to add to the list!
Rebuy – Yes

This very adequately followed a half-bottle of Billecart-Salmon…
2005 Tollot-Beaut, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Les Lavières
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red. A deep and impressive nose that’s edged with dark cherry and darker oak. The palate is very well concentrated, soft tannin and excellent acidity. The fruit is dark shaded, buttressed by oak flavour and has a nice creamy medium length. Very, very good.
Rebuy – Yes

This Barthod has a small problem – it is from a domaine with ever-more renown, hence, prices are on the up – this is a great wine but in a vintage like 2005 the value certainly lies elsewhere; the previous Volnay 1er Brouillards from Voillot costs the same and frankly is such a massive step up in complexity and elegance that the Barthod has no chance to make up the gap! NB this is still a top-class villages, but it’s an expensive one – that said, if you haven’t already bought some, you may already be too late – so it doesn’t really matter!
2005 Ghislaine Barthod, Chambolle-Musigny
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red. The nose shows a transient deep and toasty oak nose – then it’s gone. At 20° the nose is diffuse and flabby but at 17° there is some tightening, black cherry and just an edge of reduction. The palate starts just a little rough, but I think this is just a little dissolved carbon dioxide as there is quite some improvement, eventually it’s lovely. Following the Voillot, this is more masculine with darker shaded fruit and perhaps more density, but certainly missing a little of the magic complexity of that wine. Lots of dimension and a very impressive finish. It needs a little time in the glass, but this is a top-class villages.
Rebuy – Yes