From a half bottle. Deep, healthy colour. The nose is a faintly oak influenced melange of red and black, slowly develops a nice creme brulee note. The palate is big and sweet with very good acidity and plenty of tannins – they are very slightly bitter, but not overly astringent. Tons of fruit, though its a somewhat stewed black and red mix. Good finish. Brusque and bold – I enjoyed every drop!
Potel Nicolas
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 giving a slight grain to the sweet palate, but the fruit and acidity balance make this wine just so succulent. Still a little oaky bitterness on the finish. I don’t think Nicolas often overdoes the oak, and this wine is so close to being an excellent villages but I’m not sure if the wood or the wine will be the winner.
1998 Potel Nicolas Santenay
Medium cherry red – looks very young – perhaps just a little lighter at the rim. Bright redcurrant nose, some raspberry and strawberry too – must admit, unlike many tasters I don’t often find strawberry in reds. The palate has excellent acidity and medium tannins which are quite smooth if very drying. Despite how mouth-wateringly juicy this wine is, there seems a lack of depth on the palate. Certainly tasty and has very pure fruit but I would have preferred a little more oomph!
1997 Potel Nicolas Volnay Vieilles Vignes
Medium, perhaps medium-plus ruby, but no colour development and only a little lighter at the rim. The nose shows nice raspberry but predominantly redcurrant with a little red cherry. Silky, fat palate with tannins that come through late on the finish. The acidity is almost good, helping the length somewhat. A wine I’ve tasted 3 times in the last year and each time it leaves me with the feeling I’ve wasted another bottle due to the excellent base material but very tight presentation. Will probably be very good, and I promise not to open another for at least 2 year
1997 Potel Nicolas Volnay Vieilles Vignes
1999 Potel Nicolas Côte de Nuits Villages Vieilles Vignes
Medium-plus ruby colur, still showing a little cherry at the rim. The nose shows deep notes with coffee and cherry tart, higher up redcurrants and raspberry. Excellent acidity coupled with mainly red fruit. The tannins are still a little grainy but this is already a lovely drink, the concentration shows that there is no rush though.