2000 Potel Nicolas Chambolle-Musigny
Medium-plus cherry red. The nose starts a little oaky, mostly dispersing to show high toned red fruit against the milder oak. The fruit becomes more and more intense as the wine warms in the glass and takes on a coffee edge. In the mouth the oak is bordering on intrusive… Read in the Note Finder
1997 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne
Paler gold. Nose starts very closed, gradually a lemony note comes through just hinting at something deeper, the lemon becomes more lime with time. No fireworks on the nose but there’s a blast on the palate, perfect acidity and a true multidimensional palate. Very long too. I’d say this is… Read in the Note Finder
1997 La Tour Clos de Vougeot Vieilles Vignes
Deep ruby colour, almost no fading at the rim. Lovely deep nose of meat, red and black cherry and little coffee, just a little (slightly worrying) woody note too. Gorgeous fat palate which was both meaty and fruity. Really super concentration, good acidity and fine tannins – but unfortunately cork… Read in the Note Finder
1997 Chézeaux Griotte-Chambertin
The shade is less deep than the 1998 – closer to that of the other wines – just fading a little at the rim. The nose is (for the first time) quite earthy, takes some aeration to coax the fruit from the glass, when it comes it’s a little more… Read in the Note Finder
1991 Ponsot Griotte-Chambertin
The weather was hot, so this wine overnighted in the fridge before being decanted. I left it in the decanter for an hour before drinking by which time it had already warmed up to 14/15°C. A medium-plus ruby core but moving to amber at the rim. Initially the nose gave… Read in the Note Finder
East London
I had a really great Tuesday this week. It started with the first of two opportunities to taste the new release from the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, the 2001’s. This was courtesy of Corney and Barrow at their splendid new home close to the Tower of London. More about the… Read More
2000 Chézeaux Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers
Only medium/medium-pale colour – same depth of colour as the village Gevrey. The nose starts just a little closed and funky – with time there’s high toned, slightly cooked, sweet red fruit. Nicely intense fruit with good, balanced acidity and low level, smooth tannin. Certainly a step-up from the village… Read in the Note Finder
1997 Jadot Louis Beaune Les Grèves
Wasn’t able to replace the Clos des Ursules in time – so here’s the stand-in. Not normally quite as good as the ‘Clos’, but let’s see. Deep ruby colour – looks pretty young. The nose starts quite closed, but there’s plenty of high toned cherry fruit in the mouth –… Read in the Note Finder
1997 Confuron JJ Romanée Saint-Vivant
Here we find the elegance of Romanée Saint-Vivant. The colour is paler than Moillard’s with a not-quite medium ruby. The nose is a little understated but shows a top-end of red fruits on a creamy, slightly vanilla base – with time a more meaty tone starts to emerge and definitely… Read in the Note Finder