Medium-plus cherry-red colour. A forward and stylish nose that is both wide and complex – high-toned red fruit and violets framed with caramel notes. Similar interest for the palate, if not the intensity of the top wines in the mouth then it matches for interest and complexity. The tannins are less elegant than some, but given the overall performance this is a minor quibble. A very lovely creamy finish. Excellent
I’ve one superb and one really good Potel 1er Cru from Potel in 99 (Clos des Chênes and En Chevret), time to see how the villages is getting on. Medium-plus ruby-red colour to a watery rim. The nose is dominated at the start by toasty oak – unusual for a Potel wine – though slowly this goes through a caramel stage before it majors on the fruit: beautiful, clear red berries before becoming rather indistinct. Fresh and quite intense though I think there is still rather a lot of oak on the palate where it’s the most likely the source of those grainy tannins. There’s plenty of material here but I’m not 100% sure it will eventually overcome the ‘muddying’ effect of the wood – after-all it’s already 4 years since release. Still, however, I managed to enjoy it to the last drop.
The first from this en-primeur case. Medium-plus cherry-red colour. A lovely ebullient, wide and complex nose, tons of interest, red fruit, violets and just a twist of caramel-oak. There’s an equal measure of complexity and interest in the mouth – not the intensity or fineness of texture of Nicolas’ Clos des Chênes or the Clos des Ducs from d’Angerville but today much more going on, plus a lovely, creamy, dreamy finish. This is a lovely 99 with more than enough interest – very, very nice.
I think that the majority of my previous Beaux-Monts have failed to inspire – this one managed to avoid that fate by some margin. Medium-plus cherry-red colour. A lovely nose that combines Vosne-spice with a dense base of ripe red fruit that slowly takes on a higher-toned aspect – still quite primary – but does develop a more caramel aspect with time. The style is that of a middle-weight prize-fighter, taught, lean muscle with no extra pounds. Quite fresh and intense, excellent acidity and well hidden tannins. Doesn’t quite show the intensity of finish of the Drouhin and Jadot wines but matches their ultimate length. A young and very interesting thoroughbred that my tasting partners rated even higher than me!
Medium cherry-red. The nose is deep but slightly diffuse, sweet and meaty, eventually showing more of a rd confiture. Good concentration, very good acidity and with a black aspect to the fruit. It’s become just a little spicier than I prefer, also there’s a little bitterness on the finish, but not enough to cause concern. Certainly it’s tightened in the last 18 months but no rush to drink-up.
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose has high tones and a slightly jammy red fruit core. The palate is much more sedate than the wall of tannin that greeted me when I first tasted this on release. The palate has really good intensity that slowly fades. Good acidity and well mannered tannins. I just find that following the burst of fruit at the start and the good length I’d like a bit more in the middle, but it’s nicely sweet and was heartily devoured.
Medium-plus colour with a deep core of cherry red. A lovely, though slightly understated nose eventually expands to give a creamy, almost bready and earthy base to the red fruit. Concentrated and wonderfully smooth, the palate has real executive tannins, succulently intense, creamy fruit of many layers and very good acidity. By a margin, and to my palate, the d’Angerville Clos des Ducs is the best Volnay I’ve tried 1999, but maybe this wine plays in the same league. From memory I’d still rate the d’Angerville higher, but it would be interesting to try them side by side – one day I will. Lovely wine for now or over the next 10+ years.
Medium-plus cherry red. The nose has good depth, but the red fruit is a little diffuse. The palate has much more going for it than your average bourgogne, good intensity to the fruit, nice acidity and tannins that still need a year or two. Certainly better than most ‘no-name’ village wines and probably giving it’s best around 2006-2010.
Medium ruby colour to the rim. Nose has wood spice and cherry pie fruit. The palate has good acidity and some prominent tannin, both of which are reasonably well covered with layers of beautifully delineated fruit, raspberry, redcurrant and strawberry. Length is good, the only slight disappointment being that it’s a bit ‘thin’ in the mouth. Hopefully the other 11 will put on some weight over the next few years. Given the appellation though, fantastic.
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