Champs-Perdrix sits at the very top of Vosne but despite being a ‘villages’ wine, touches on the 1er crus of Les Gaudichots, Aux Reignots and Petits-Monts plus the very top of La Tâche. Medium-plus bright and young cherry-red colour. The nose starts with an undertow of dark, sweet and slightly toasty oak – this fades in the glass – soft, black-shaded fruit comes more to the fore. Lithe, concentrated, good acidity and very good mid-palate concentration. Despite plenty of well-grained, slightly astringent, tannin there’s a little oak induced texture that today I’d class as a negative. The finish is faint but lingering. Overall, it’s an impressive bottle, but I’d say it needs 3-4 years.
Vosne-Romanée
2001 Lécheneaut (Philippe et Vincent) Vosne-Romanée
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose has width and vanilla edged depth – smells very young. The palate is lithe – no fat – some sneaky vanilla edged length too, though perhaps just a little (oak influenced?) bitterness and texture too. The tannins are a little forward and astringent, matched to good acidity. There is a good burst of concentration in the mid-palate – the fruit mirrors the nose with its black profile. It would be harsh to judge this wine on so juvenille a performance, but a little more padding and better texture would have been preferred for current drinking. Almost good.
2001 Mugneret-Gibourg Georges Vosne-Romanée
2001 Clos Frantin Vosne-Romanée
Medium, medium-plus colour. Instantly deep, oak inflected nose – behind lies a red and black confit, spicily edged with ginger. Lovely mouthfeel, the entry is soft and the mid palate bursts into life. Silky smooth with juicy acidity, sweet, but not too sweet fruit and a lingering creamy note. The oak recedes and the quality of the fruit on the finish reminds me very much of a 1993… Very impressive.
2001 Bichot Albert Vosne-Romanée
I’ve usually shied away from the Bichot wines, not sure why, I’ve rarely seen them reviewed, maybe it was a hangover of Anthony Hanson’s assessment in his book! Certainly the label is nice and attractive but what about the wine? Medium, medium-plus cherry-red. The high-toned nose instantly betrays a little toasty oak but then it’s gone leaving predominantly red fruit with a little white pepper. Fresh palate with sufficiently intense red fruit for the appellation and much finer tannins than the Chevigny V-R that follows it. Super acidity and creamy length. Not as robust as the Chevigny and perhaps not quite as concentrated but there’s a really lovely mouthfeel here. Obviously quite young but pure and not obviously oaky either. Next time the co-op has a sale I will certainly buy a few more – a success – maybe I should arrange a visit!