2002 Antonin Guyon, Aloxe-Corton 1er Les Fournières
A good medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose starts full of minerals and sweet red cherry, slowly becomes a little higher-toned and diffuse, the remaining drops in the glass, however, have a quite lovely smell. The palate is quite intense and pure – red-fruity – quite fresh too. The tannins are quite mouth puckering and astringent, but you don’t notice so-much with food. This will probably always be a little acid-forward, but there’s plenty-enough fruit to wait 2-3 years for the tannin to melt a little.
Rebuy – Maybe

[Pommard-free posting!] Here in two bottles you can see the two faces of the 2004 vintage in the Côte de Nuits. It’s a rather extreme difference given that the bottles come from the same cellar, and slightly disappointng given that I still have 5 of each in my cellar, but I’m in no rush and perhaps there be some slow improvement!
2004 M & P Rion, Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Argillières
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red. The nose has a pure and bright red-fruit core but has a rather green-pea malolactic style edge – though of quite some depth. The palate has medium depth, good tart acidity and a creamy, deep oaky, though with a rather dry tannic depth – but seems to need an extra dose of ripeness…
Rebuy – No

This Nuits is like chalk and cheese vs the 2003 that in the summer I disliked so much for it’s very ripe fruit, oak and vanilla-laden style. Perhaps I should open another bottle of that and make the perfect blend with this 2004…
2004 M & P Rion, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Charmes
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red. The nose is quintessential Chambolle – or at least many peoples’ expectation – soft, sweet red fruit with the faintest savoury edge; it’s very pretty. Versus the domaine’s 04 Argillières there is more depth, intensity and extra ripeness. The tannins are fully covered. The acidity still has a little tartness, but this also helps hold the fresh flavours of the mouth-watering finish. The oak has much better integration here – lovely wine.
Rebuy – Yes

Don’t worry – something without a pommard label will be appearing here soon!
1995 de Montille, Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens
Medium colour with just a hint of amber. This is a sniffer’s wine, subtle and complex – only slowly widening and becoming softer. This is also rather understated in the mouth; it has good freshness, nice transparency – again a subtle complexity – but you have to work hard to find all these elements. Long with a faint diminuendo. You would easily lose this in a large tasting.
Rebuy – Yes

A very ‘competent’ wine that needs a little more ‘soul’:
1996 Comte Armand, Pommard 1er Clos des Epenots
Medium-plus colour. A wild and impressive nose at the start; oak, a little blood, interesting width, but slowly the oak becomes a little more dominant and the joy fades. Much more subtle entry than the Lejeune Rugiens, a little more tannin but it’s also more linear and focused. Equally potent in the mid-palate and more obvious length – though some of that is, for sure, oak. More depth, but today also less interest than the Lejeune.
Rebuy – Maybe