As I sat tasting a few excellent Beaujolais last week, my tasting partner asked – fancy a P-M interlude? It wasn’t really my subject du jour but I can be a game old boy, so why not? Of-course I was expecting a gulf of difference, of elegance, of effortless excellence – but it didn’t work out like that.

Now, a number of people have accused me (to my face, so that’s fair) of being a Perrot-Minot hater – simply because I didn’t include him in my book – but there was a much simpler reason for not including the domaine: For someone writing in 2010, was I supposed to choose pre-2007 P-M or post-2007 P-M to write about? If the latter, were 2 vintages sufficient to provide a well-rounded judgement? – Of-course, no. Any followers of the domaine will know that there is a world of difference, post 2007 wines having left behind the lure of heavy extraction in the search of elegance. I think the wines are even better today than 5 or 6 years ago, admittedly they are expensive, but in the same pricing echelon as Grivot, Méo and a host of others.

So the Nuits was subdued, beautifully textured but lacking sparkle or energy. The Chambolle – despite its price – fared worse, only the finish left a great impression. We went back to our Beaujolais (in the May report) and order was restored. A funny world…

It seems that the Aussies are all starting to find their way round to the gamay grape, and that now includes Jane Eyre too, who bottled her first Fleurie – a 2016 – in the last 2 weeks. The labels haven’t yet arrived, but that doesn’t mean we can’t taste it – right? So tasted with Jane in Beaune today:

The wine is made from a blend of grapes from From 2 parcels; one at the top of Fleurie near La Madone, plus a second parcel just over the road ‘which was actually in better shape as it wasn’t hailed.’ They are 60-80 year-old vines from a young producer only making their second vintage, who has taken on family vines but hasn’t got a market for the wine yet. ‘The second parcel saw no destemming, though the Madone grapes needed a bit more triage so was mainly destemmed. I did just one pump-over and then left it alone – the fermentation started in about 4 days. It was left on its skins for 18 days before pressing into used 500 litre barrels for elevage – about 7 months worth before a few weeks in tank, then bottling a couple of weeks go. I left the sulfuring late as I wanted to see, but anyway decided to sulfur as I was scared of brett or maybe having to filter – I just wanted to be a little cautious so chose sulfuring over filtering. I wanted a little structure, not a fruit bomb.‘

2016 Jane Eyre, Fleurie
There are some DIAM sealed wines in France, but all that are exported will be sealed with a screw-cap.
The nose has a good width of aroma, starting floral then going nicely deep and a little soft – but not in a negative way. Supple, beautifully textured, nice bubbling, but not overt, energy – this is really a very fine package that drinks deceptively easily for its young age. Nice faintly herby structure in the finish as a counterpoint. Excellent and a buy! The colour is removed from that of many opaque 15s but still with plenty of density. Yum!

The Juillots were auction purchases – despite the vintages (2003 and 1990) they are nothing more than easy drinking wines with a nice depth of fruit – really not quite great 1ers – essentially worth what I paid though they definitely brought enjoyment – rebuy-maybe(s) – a few more lie in the cellar. The 2013 St.Bris is direct, zippy, peppy wine – midweek it was warm in the garden – this was perfect, it’s a rebuy! Lastly the Le Grappin – this could easily be my last 2011 – and that would be a shame, because it was simply a delicious wine – yum – an easy rebuy!

2002 Nicolas Potel, Vosne-Romanée 1er Malconsorts
Hmm – this smells a beauty! Some previous bottles have been a little bretty but not this one. The palate is a little tighter – silky texture and beautifully poised but I’d like a little more flavour action. Very attractive wine today though.
Rebuy – Probably!

2013 Clotilde Davenne, Irancy
A very modest medium-pale red colour. The nose is open bright and very attractive with a little floral action too. It’s a light-bodied wine, certainly, but delicious and fresh with nice balance. Perfect in the sun in my garden!
Rebuy – Maybe

1995 Daniel Rion, Vosne-Romanée 1er Beaux-Monts
Still sporting a deep colour. Classic, musky, spicy sweet fruit – it could only be from Vosne – it’s very inviting. More weight more ‘body’ than the Potel and intrinsically a more concentrated and sweet-cored wine. Really a super bottle today – I don’t think I’ve too many of these left in the cellar – but I will be relishing opening the next one!
Rebuy – Yes

2012 Alex Gambal, St.Aubin 1er Les Murgers des Dents du Chien
Hmm – this is showing so much better than when it was first released – at that time it seemed just a little heavy, but today the wine has opened out a little and the slightly over-fat concentration has given way to width, weight but poise and length of flavour. Really very yum now!
Rebuy – Yes

2007 Prince Florent de Merode, Corton Clos du Roi
Really not bad wine, but far from a great grand cru. I’ve always thought this wine to be roughly of 1er cru level and here is one more such confirmation. It was cheap and maybe therein is a lesson – of-course others are making something much more impressive from those vines today – if you can afford it – or come to think of it, if you’re even allowed to buy some! For the price of entry an easy red-fruited pinot of a wine, but not really ‘Corton’
Rebuy – No

Not the fastest online this week, but an interesting selection none-the-less!

2014 Denis Berthaut, Fixin Les Clos
Two weekends in a row with a Berthaut (Berthaut-Gerbet from the 2015s). This has plenty of colour and a very attractive and deep fruit to the nose – there’s a little something else in there, perhaps a mineral note. Fresh, layered and delicious on the palate with several layers of flavour and again that slightly mineral note from the nose with an extra hint of spice. – if find them a little distracting, but it’s still a delicious wine! For about €18 ex-domaine, of-course it’s a rebuy!
Rebuy – Yes

Bourgogne Aligoté – consistent with the last, 2-3 weeks ago….

2014 Jean-Pierre Maldant, Ladoix Blanc
A big nose, very modestly tropical but with some interesting mineral hints too. In the mouth this has lots of volume, almost an opulance/richness of flavour – more-so than your average 2014 – with just enough freshness to balance the ample concentration. This is a big but very tasty wine. Yum!
Rebuy – Yes

2011 Parigot, Pommard 1er Charmots
A pretty nose that’s more about floral references than of fruit. This is quite an elegant wine – a wine of line, a wine of nice texture, a wine that slips easily down without any hard edges. Very pretty indeed. It misses the balls of 12, the cut of 13, the width of 14 and the power of 15 – it could be a villages wine in some of those vintages, but it’s a tastily simple wine for all that. Yum again!
Rebuy – Maybe

2015 Dampt Frères, Chablis 1er Beauroy
Pale lemon yellow. A sumptuous nose of freshness and fine citrus notes – going quite deep – really an invitation. Bright, fresh – steely even, but with density and intensity. The flavour begins to fade rather quickly but then holds a modest but very long, mineral and mouth-watering finish. Lovely texture and very tasty wine. We enjoyed this very much.

2002 Camille Giroud, Chambertin (Mag)
To celebrate the new Beaune apartment. I wonder where all those 1990s and early 2000s wines from Camille Giroud ended up – I don’t think I’ve ever seen one at retail…
A relatively modest colour. The nose is a wow – deep, just a little dirty – in a good way – and just so alluring. The palate is not the largest but it is simply a delicious roundness of fresh, mouth-watering flavour. Given that this was a magnum, there remained some wine for day 2 – just a little less interesting aroma, but really just as good on the palate – delicious wine. Yum!
Rebuy – Yes

2005 V & D Berthaut, Fixin 1er Les Arvelets
There’s only one small thing to complain about here – the attractive wax top shatters and makes a mess all-over the place!
Medium-plus colour. The nose is not the biggest but has a fine and pure freshness of fruit plus faint flowers – young and pure. More volume in the mouth but with fine and growing intensity. Really wide, here with a little tannin – but lovely, mouth-watering flavour too. Long and very tasty. You but delicious wine – and even a tad better on day 2 – unlike the Chambertin!
Rebuy – Yes

2000 Bouchard Père et Fils, Volnay 1er Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot
Oof! What a stinky nose. The palate has good volume, depth of flavour and a seemingly impressive mid-palate and finish – but – it’s a terribly corked wine – only pouring down the sink is good enough for this wine – yuk!