Deeply coloured. The nose plums quite some depth, but the fruit is the only one so far that really has some roast effects – just slightly over-ripe. Quite a simple entry but the wine does a great job of expanding over the palate. There’s plenty of well-coated tannin but I would have preferred just a twist more acidity – seems lower than the other wines. Good primary length and not overtly oaky. High-quality wine but no obvious complexity.
Charmes-Chambertin
2005 Max Louis Charmes-Chambertin
2005 Serafin Père et Fils Charmes-Chambertin
Deep colour. Wow – the nose – wow. Dense, super-wide, primary dark fruit (must be a Ponsot!). Dark fruit on the palate too – staining your tongue. Plenty of tannin and a wide panorama on the palate that slowly fades into the finish – it’s a long finish but somehow not quite to the level of the aromatics. There are no fireworks here, rather a concentrated and primary display of understated power.
2005 Bachelet Denis Charmes-Chambertin
Medium-plus colour. The nose shows more caramel, less dark oak, and a little more red and orange, though slightly estery, higher-toned fruit. The fruit aroma is nice but clearly less sophisticated versus the first two wines. Soft and silky with very fine acidity and (once more) simply superb length. The fruit on the palate is just a little riper than both of the first wines. A beauty