Medium colour. Width but little depth on the nose – just a twist of oak early on, followed by nice soft red fruit and a slowly intensifying redcurrant. On the tongue it’s soft, no Pommard rusticity, tight, reasonably concentrated though not obviously intense. Understated length, lingering with mouth-watering acidity.
2005
2005 Voillot Joseph Volnay Champans
Medium and a bit depth of colour. The nose is deeply red with an impression of soft oak in the background. It’s a narrow entry, right through into the finish where it suddenly widens and shows a lovely length of flavour. The fruit is a mix of beautifully melded cherry and raspberry, the tannin must be in there somewhere but the impression is just the smooth ride to the finish. Compelling, but less interesting and open today than the Brouillards despite a little more density.
2005 Voillot Joseph Pommard Les Rugiens
Medium colour. Width but little depth on the nose – just a twist of oak early on, followed by nice soft red fruit and a slowly intensifying redcurrant. On the tongue it’s soft, no Pommard rusticity, tight, reasonably concentrated though not obviously intense. Understated length, lingering with mouth-watering acidity.
2005 Voillot Joseph Volnay Fremiets
2005 Voillot Joseph Volnay Vieilles Vignes
Medium colour – a little darker than Voillot’s Brouillards. The nose has some inelegant powdery fruit and hints of sulfur, faint black shades and occasional glimpses of lovely pure fruit. It needs a lot of time – in fact overnight – and the nose cleans up considerably, turning quite black. In the mouth it’s fresh and slowly mouth-watering with just a little more tannic texture than the previous premier crus. The flavour profile is almost good but on day one reflects the less interesting parts of the nose – but improves, though comes across a little diluted in the mid-palate. It may put on weight with time, but I won’t be along for the ride.
2005 Colin-Morey Pierre-Yves Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières
Light colour. Wide aromatics, but starting just a little soft and sweet – time in the glass brings more concentration and focus – it’s very good. Much more power on entry and then a little carbon dioxide spritz. Very wide palate of flavours – a really significant extra dimension. This is a super wine.
2005 Ardhuy Pommard Les Fremiers
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red. The nose is pregnant with dark oak and soft spice, quite sweet but avoiding toast and only hinting at vanilla – all this covering black cherry and berry notes. The palate is concentrated without fat, intense in the mid-palate, and with acidity that pushes the finish quite some way. The fruit has dark oaky elements for the first minutes, but the tannins are completely buried. I’d leave this a couple of years to lessen the oak-derived aromas, but it is a medium-weight, complex and rather cultured Pommard.
2005 Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières
2005 Ardhuy Vosne-Romanée Les Chaumes
Medium cherry-red. You are greeted by wide, concentrated and bright nose, faintly alcoholic with red and black fruit and a gradually developing creamy background – perhaps a hint of green pepper is the only clue to ‘vosne’. Lovely texture and concentration, the tannins are completely enveloped by the ripe fruit, but enough freshness remains. A slow diminuendo of a finish rolling on with the acidity. At the right price, this is an easy rebuy.