The nose offers a depth of darker fruit versus the Caillerets – almost a velvet impression and hints of chocolate – some whole clusters used here. The texture is also velvet with a hint of tannin astringency. A juicy and mouth-watering finish. Here I prefer the aromatics versus the Caillerets, though I marginally prefer the latter’s flavours.
Potel Nicolas
2007 Potel Nicolas Beaune Vignes Franches
2006 Potel Nicolas Chambolle-Musigny Les Fuées
Medium, medium-plus colour. So effusive once the cork is popped, it’s like you’re back in the barrel cellar with forward red and black fruit that is softened at the edges with a sweet, faintly brulee’d note – primary but very gorgeous. In the mouth it has lost some of that barrel ‘padding’, but you have good intensity, equally good acidity and a reasonable amount of structure; the tannin is there and whilst velvety, has the merest trace of astringency. Slowly lingering, this is super – it’s perhaps more structured than when last tasted (and ordered!) and I’d recommend that you leave it in the cellar, but the fruit is gorgeous.
1999 Potel Nicolas Volnay En Chevret
Medium-plus colour. Deep dark, brambly fruit at the core, pepper at the top and just below there are hints of toffee and dark chocolate. In the mouth the acidity is faintly prickly which accentuates the tannin a little, but it’s padded with some fat and shows a little burst of red fruit in the mid-palate and more creamy edge in the finish. Every bottle from this case has so far had an unruly edge, but has been brim full of personality and complexity. Great fun still…
2000 Potel Nicolas Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Peuillets
The colour is becoming quite mature. On the nose it’s instantly about warm confiture with a powdery core of red fruit. Soft, relatively concentrated and shows a good burst of interest in the mid-palate and decent density – it needs just a hint more acidity for me but the length is good. Overall an interesting and tasty if not covetable wine.