Here’s a Bourgogne that always takes time to shed a certain austerity – it’s simply perfect right now. The second wine also has a touch of structure to subsume…

2002 Ghislaine Barthod, Bourgogne
The cork is obviously going to a problem! As the waiter’s friend exerts its pressure to lift the cork, it’s clear that the middle of the cork is soft and the worm will just pull out leaving a messy hole in the middle and the rest of the cork in place. Pff! The Ah-So is clearly the better tool here. This cork, however, still wants to extract its pound of flesh so anyway breaks and crumbles – the last 20% staying lodged in the neck but most of that was extracted by the worm of the waiter’s friend. It’s often the case that the end result of such a trial, to add insult to injury, delivers a tainted wine too – fortunately, that wasn’t the case with this bottle – my last of a half-case.
A modest, medium colour. The nose has a little smoke and soil but clarity and appealing cleanliness too – it’s very inviting – almost a grainy impression to these aromas. Pure, with beautiful acidity. This is such a mouth-watering, almost juicy-flavoured, medium-bodied wine. Red-fruited, not a bit ‘old’ just drinking beautifully. A bottle that empties much faster than most – and that’s the highest recommendation. I think I will wait a little longer for my 2005s!
Rebuy – Yes

2014 Joseph Drouhin, Côte de Beaune
Here’s a fine-looking and easy cork to extract – a little darker – perhaps ‘hardly’ treated. Starting a modest wine but as one of Drouhin’s flag-waving cuvées – hence, the similarity of the label to their Clos des Mouches. not least because the young vine fruit of that vineyard also ends up in these bottles – this is a wine that keeps getting better.
Of-course a younger colour than Ghislaine’s wine – but not deeper-coloured. The nose has a young and fresh perfume, though this nose also hints at a little structure. Despite the ‘village’ AOC the flavours are a little less weighty than the Bourgogne and, yes, there is just a little structural hardness here – but easy flavours are mainly the order of the day. This is a good wine but at this age, it offers no real competition for the excellence of the Bourgogne. I’d say that, structurally, I’d be waiting at least another 2-3 years for this wine – hopefully, this pause brings more interest – many 2014s are delicious right now, this is ‘easy’ but much less ‘giving’ – or at least that was the case with my home-made Shepherd’s Pie! On day two with cep risotto, this wine is transformed – more aromatic depth with blood and tobacco in the mix – also an easier-going palate of good depth of flavour. This transformation bodes well for the future I think!
Rebuy – Maybe on day one Rebuy – Yes on day 2!

Well, it was delayed a couple of months, and the format had to change to allow social-distancing but the Spring 2020 Tastevinage tasting happened on the 29^th May. The results were just released, so here you go:

Tastevinage 105

A wine that reached a brilliant peak – for the vintage – at around 7-10-years-old. Since then, slowly downhill – but I really wasn’t expecting this…

2000 Jean-Marc & Hughes Pavelot, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Dominode
A full colour, now starting to show a little age. The nose is big and punchy – but really not very nice – full of old pyrazine. I would have bet a lot (and lost!) that this was a ‘classically mature 2004.’ The palate is also shot-through with this flavour. I have no idea where it has come from as I have never previously noted any hint of such a smell and taste in this wine. A wine with zero pleasure for me – such a shame. I let it stand overnight, stoppered, in the fridge. On day 2 there is no relenting of the aroma and flavour, and with no beef bourguignon on the horizon, this was unceremoniously dumped…
Rebuy – No

But this was a very worthy replacement – it will be in my April report, online in the next few days…