There is more depth of aroma here which drowns the worst of the ever-present family nose. In the mouth this is a lovely, comforting wine showing super flavour. Overall a very nice wine.

Well, I’m glad it wasn’t me! Not a trace of volatility here, just very pretty fruit – a raspberry conserve, perhaps with a little mint-leaf. Full and impressive over the tongue, round with fine tannin. The finish is clean as a bell – just lovely wine. Given the domaine’s tarif, no surprise that this one is sold-out!

All I know is that a burgundy shape half-bottle has been decanted. This is very pale, almost salmon pink. The nose is dominated by volatile acidity and esters, much more-so than my recent 72. In the mouth those aromas can still be tasted, but only as a pale backdrop to a sweet core of ripe strawberry fruit, nice enough acidity and almost no tannin to speak of. I don’t mess around – I think it’s a decent 78 Beaune 1er that’s heading for the downslope (assuming it’s not a rhone!). Well I got the ‘8′ and the 1er cru correct, but I’m amazed to see it’s a 1998. It’s tasty and doesn’t smell too bad as the VA moves into the background (~30mins), but clearly this is a wine to ‘drink-up’.

Medium-pale ruby-red. The nose is forward, just a little creamy and dense, also a suggestion of smoke in the background that hints (together with the colour) at the inclusion of some stems. The fruit is hard to get at and even seems slightly reduced to start with before offering a dense cherry expression. Silky palate, certainly refined but seems overly light. Evanescent finish, lacking that spark in the mid-palate and frankly flavour too but the finish has some intensity. It would make a good villages, but real disappointment here vs the label.