Medium-plus cherry red. Nose is very black – cherry and blackberry – and becomes sweeter with time in the glass. Fresh palate with forward tannins that are a little on the grainy side. Slightly rustic today, but there’s plenty of fruit concentration to merit leaving the bottles another year or two. Almost good.
1998
1998 Potel Nicolas Pommard Les Epenots
Medium ruby colour. The nose has black and red cherry – shaded to black – with a sweet capuccino tail – still quite primary. The palate doesn’t show much fat, but there’s super acidity and deep, drying, velvetty tannins. Despite the lack of fat, the fruit seems amply concentrated. A good, above average length finish too. Restored my faith, the first two bottles from the case were corked!
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!