The nose is wide and savoury. In the mouth you find a lovely core of sweet red fruit – it’s not so long, but it’s a lovely vibrant presentation that is very moreish.
1993
1993 Chauvenet Jean Nuits St.Georges Les Vaucrains
A medium-plus, young looking colour. Earthy, deep aromas with a mix of black and red fruit coupled to something a little more mature and savoury. In the mouth there is a mix of richness and freshness coupled to astringent tannins that probably ripe enough and certainly on the wane. Still a young showing and very impressive too.
1993 Esmonin Frédéric Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St.Jacques
Medium colour. The nose is rather mature and quite ripe with an undertow of undergrowth and eventually chocolate. After the last 1993 this is fuller and riper with apparently lower acidity. There is a medium-plus length of finish and very understated structure. I would characterise this as a very friendly and ‘cosy’ wine – particularly for a 93 – one to curl up with. Possibly not a wine for the ages but it’s coming into a nice drinking window now.
1993 Thomas-Moillard Corton Clos du Roi
Unfortunately the first bottle smelled and tasted of feet – the second was altogether more interesting: A lovely core of red fruit surrounded by slightly more diffuse high tones. The structure is now starting to fade in favour of nicely defined and ripe red fruit. The finish is a good one too. Quite a pretty wine.
1993 Ambroise Bertrand Nuits St.Georges Rue de Chaux
(From magnum) Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose is quite estery, masking any real depth – at least at the start – very slowly this lifts giving a 20 minute window of nice red fruit and the start of a cedar note, but later becomes very high-toned again. The palate has a fresh yet concentrated stance with a heavy emphasis of nice black fruit. The finish is understated but long. An interesting wine that for me – apart from that 20 minute window – was spoiled by the aromatics.
1993 Geantet-Pansiot Gevrey-Chambertin Les Poissenots
(From magnum) Deep ruby-red colour. Even at 13 years-old the nose still has some fall-out from the toasty oak of its youth; mixed with sweet, predominantly black shaded fruit and a little coffee – it takes some time in the glass to lose the oak, but it becomes ever-more primary with a strawberry/raspberry impression. Instant impressions are of concentration and very good acidity but only average length. Despite the length, this very youngly presented wine is certainly the most interesting Géantet-Pansiot I’ve ever had, all that I tasted from 2000-2002 seemed too soft in the middle. Expanding well in the mid-palate I even get the impression that the length improves with time, but following the hights of the ‘93 Rousseau Clos St.Jacques this is very-much on a lower level.
1993 Rousseau Armand Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St.Jacques
(From magnum) Medium-plus ruby-red colour. A deep, intense, meaty nose that starts with a slightly diffuse width. There is also a faint oaky component to the depth, but it’s mainly consumed now – with time the fruit really tightens and focuses. In the mouth this wine is still immensely youthful – 10 extra years would provide ample benefit – the acidity is like a roller-coaster into the finish, and a very impressive and intense finish it is too. Bravo, but still a baby.
1993 Pousse d'Or Volnay Caillerets
1993 Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Combe aux Moines
Medium-plus colour. The nose starts almost corky/high-toned but blows off to reveal a more earthy and eventually classic 1993 dried cranberry/raisin fruit. Nice balanced concentration with lovely acidity, fine fruit and a hint of rusticity to the grainy tannins. Made by Jean-Marie’s father in a much earthier style than you find today.