Not light colour – at least not when using the previous two as reference. Very ripe, honey on the nose. In the mouth it’s fat and concentrated – no obvious oxidation aromas or flavours – but not the zing, not the painful intensity and not the haunting finish of those first bottles – comment from winemaker friend #2: “you called me round just to taste this?” – ouch.
Corton-Charlemagne
2005 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne
2001 Dubreuil-Fontaine Corton-Charlemagne
1997 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne
2005 Pavillon Corton-Charlemagne
The nose shows density but is quite tight. Hints of pear fruit begin to show themselves as the nose slowly becomes more expressive. This is another wine where the concentration has a rather savoury edge. The mis-palate intensity when couples with the gushing acidity makes this almost too intense to keep in the mouth. Equally long as the Meursault Charmes but with a much more mineral impression. A super wine.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Corton-Charlemagne
1991 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne
1997 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne
(From Magnum) Medium golden. The nose starts both wider and deeper than the previous Meursault 1er, but less intense, eventually settling into a very mineral expression of better intensity, but neither the finishing depth nor sweet width off the Meursault. The texture is not the smoothest but in the mid-palate there is a real extra dimension vs the Meursault – a clear burst of interesting concentration. Once more there is the suggestion of a little oxidation – though only when first poured. This is a long, very mineral wine – perhaps more than one has a right to expect from 1997. From this format we have a very young wine.
2003 En Truffière (Vincent Girardin) Corton-Charlemagne
An oversize and overweight ’statement bottle’ with a super-deep punt. Medium yellow. The nose shouts ‘pear-drops’ before becoming a more subtle blend with classic white blossom and higher-toned alcoholic notes. The palate is quite well concentrated and reasonably long, it just needs an extra dab of acidity to carry the ample mid-palate through into the finish. Almost good.