Quite deeply coloured. The nose is deep, broad and significantly oaked – but it’s rather impressive and fun too relative to the price and appellation. Directly after the Voillot Rugiens there is similar density but nothing close to the clarity, focus or intensity – but then we’re at 40% of the sticker price. Fun and tasty, also very good value – just don’t line it up with anything too flashy.
2005
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 Clair Bruno Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze
2005 Potel Nicolas Chambertin
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 Drouhin Joseph Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze
2005 Rodet Antonin Echézeaux
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.