This is a vineyard from the northern side of Beaune, according to Philippe often quite smokey in presentation – like Volnay Caillerets. Very forward fruit and quite high-toned for a 2003. The palate has a very ripe coulis of fruit, good tannins but not quite so sophisticated as the ’03 Clos de la Mousse that preceded it. A good, mouthwatering and very long finish – just a little raisin fruit on the end.
Medium lemon yellow. The nose is fresher than the Charmes, perhaps a little sweet lime, but there’s faint butter and a brooding, creamy base below. The palate is concentrated without being over-fat, it’s perfectly balanced with the acidity too. There’s a seamless ride from first impression, to mid-palate, to the achingly long, creamy finish. The wine hasn’t the impressive minerality of the best Perrières I’ve tasted (Roulot’s 2000) but this is a very convincing effort and one-third of the price – I’ve already added a half-dozen to the cellar.
This is always a warmer vineyard than the ones that surround it, hence, it’s often a rush to pick – 2 days later and it can be a very different wine. Philippe believes that this is potentially one of their best vineyard sites. A quite lovely nose, round with a sweet core of fruit. Mouth-staining, concentrated fruit flavours that follow through very well into the mid-palate. Tannins are dry but well managed – in a word gorgeous.
Named after the vineyard’s red soil, this monopole was acquired after the Clos de la Mousse. A brooding nose, darker in profile than the Clos de la Mousse. The new oak used for elevage is also ~75%, but this time it’s a mix of Troncais and Alliers. Whereas the Clos de la Mousse normally has an elevage of 14 months before bottling, this wine usually needs a full 18 months. To start, the palate seems less obviously intense that the Mousse, but slowly the power builds and builds and is coupled to a real step-up in complexity. Again really good tannins.
Golden colour. The nose has faint butterscotch and an aged, nutty, slightly aniseed complexion. With a little swirling more primary citrussy fruit is released. The palate is nicely put together with good acidity and shows a good, dense, mid-palate. The finish has above average length and majors on the hazelnut aspects. I have to say that this is not my favourite profile and whilst the nuttiness is a characteristic of a mature Meursault, this seems a little overdone – especially for a 99 – I suspect this is prematurely aged. Somehow the bottle was still finished with ease…
Philippe Prost is very proud of this wine, he thinks it could be the best he’s ever vinified. The nose is deep and brooding, only grudgingly gives up it’s complexity at this temperature. It’s not so fat as the previous wines, much more classically balanced. Excellent length, quite a flourish too, with mouth-gripping tannins that underline 10 years sleep in the cellar for best results. I will most likely buy some of this.
Despite the heat of 2003, in the company of the older vintages it manages to neatly display it’s origin, a little redder in the face, a little louder and carrying a few extra pounds, but it’s without doubt Vigne de l’Enfant Jesus. Silky, slightly fat palate with a little oak still to meld. Good tannins and mouthwatering. At this young age the concentration and ripeness of the fruit smothers attempts at complexity, but there’s time for that in the future. It will be very interesting to make the same comparison in 10 years.
Medium-plus cherry red. The nose starts heavy with lightly toasted oak, the palate equally so. Given time for aeration the oak fades by around 75% with sweet fruit of several layers – all of them red. The palate starts with an understated intensity that builds and builds into quite an exciting flourish on the long finish. The tannin has just a little dryness on the finish but is finely grained. This is very good but needs quite a few (several) years though should be excellent.
Medium-plus colour, edging towards ruby. The nose is a mix of red and black and shows some raisined fruit. Wow, quite some elegance on the palate, it’s full, just a little fat with fresh, black-shaded fruit and very well-mannered tannins. Blind I’d probably guess this to be a well above average NSG. The medium finish takes away none of the refinement – very fine villages and not even vaguely rustic. I’ll probably bag some halves – very handy.
You are using an outdated browser. Please update your browser to view this website correctly: https://browsehappy.com/;