Medium, medium-plus colour. Just like the 2008 of this wine there’s a hint of musky vanilla to go with a lovely red fruit. Initially there is fat and a lovely balancing acidity – nothing of the harshness of many from the vintage – quite some intensity of red, slightly sweet raspberry fruit too. I’m very impressed by how sophisticated this is. Day two and it’s still a little musky, but the vanilla is gone, it’s also starting to show something more common with other 95s; whilst there’s no rustic or harsh tannin, the intensity of the mid-palate flavour is just hinting at the stridency of others from this vintage. All I can say id drink-up and be impressed; frankly it won’t put many tasters off on day two either. I’m happy that 11 remain in the cellar; a majority of which I’ll probably drink over the next five years, but just a few will be worth trying past their 30th birthdays…
Pernand Vergelesses Ile des Vergelesses
2007 Dubreuil-Fontaine Pernand Vergelesses Ile des Vergelesses
A complex nose, a little floral, more depth than the Beaune and with a musky ring around the fruit – lots of character here. Full and round, the tannin has a little more volume but is quite fine leaving a faint astringency. A caramel note suffuses the finish. Just so much to enjoy here – more for my cellar.
2007 Chandon de Briailles Pernand Vergelesses Ile des Vergelesses
2007 Chandon de Briailles Pernand Vergelesses Ile des Vergelesses
Half-clay half chalk builds more body than in the Savigny Lavières, but often with a more floral dimension. Aromatically a little tighter than the Savigny, but again it’s perfectly formed. More mid-palate width and a very nice level of freshness. Just a little more tannin and a long stone-fruit impression in the finish. Again lovely.
2008 Dubreuil-Fontaine Pernand Vergelesses Ile des Vergelesses
2005 Rapet Père et Fils Pernand Vergelesses Ile des Vergelesses
Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose only gives hints of interest in the first minutes, but gradually offers up a beautiful mix of raspberry and violets with occasional traces of caramel, but these pretty aromas come and go. A very soft entry – maybe just a little too soft – but smooth tannin and decent acidity. The flavour gently builds into the mid-palate and decays just as gently. In the middle the fruit is clean, has reasonable depth and some extra creamy dimension. So I’m not sure about this – lovely aromatics and very pretty fruit, but I felt it somehow just a little too soft.