DOMAINE JEAN-CLAUDE BESSIN * - Burgundy Briefing

The Burgundy Briefingnews, views and tastingsSarah Marsh MWIssue 9, Winter 2007/2008Vigneron profile no 9In briefname: Louis-Michel Liger-Belairposition Responsible for Domaine Liger-Belairphilosophy :I haven’t a philosophy. Philosophy is toobig a word for making wine. Wine is to bedrunk and for enjoyment.personal:interests:He is 34 and lives with his wife andthree children in Vosne-Romanée.Cooking and buying antiques at auction.An appreciation of C18th furniture andC17th paintings.ContentsGrower ProfileIn briefLouis-Michel Liger-Belair, Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne-RomanéeTable of scores. Notes about the condition of the wines presented.Introduction to fellow taster Katherine Richardson MW. Brief lookat premature oxidation of white 1996.39Vintage Report 2006 Red 12Vintage Report 2006 White 28En PrimeurTastingEn PrimeurTastingIndex to tasting notes 35A few Négoce 381

The Burgundy Briefingnews, views and tastingsSarah Marsh MWIssue 9, Winter 2007/2008Grower ProfileLouis Michel Liger-BelairVigneron profile no 9In briefname:position :Comte Louis-Michel Liger-BelairResponsible for Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne-Romanéephilosophy :I haven’t a philosophy. Philosophy is toobig a word for making wine. Wine is to bedrunk and for enjoyment.personal:interests:He is 34 and lives with his wifeConstance and three children in Vosne-Romanée.Cooking and buying antiques at auction.An appreciation of C18th furniture andC17th paintings.Early daysLouis-Michel Liger-Belair was born in Paris, the son of Comte Henry Liger-Belair. Comte Henrypursued a military career, rising to the rank of General. He married late at the age of 35, whenLouis-Michel’s mother was just 17. Comte Henry was not keen to move to Burgundy, so thecouple lived for part of the time in Strasbourg where Louis Michel was educated. The domainewas run on a share cropper basis with their share of the wine going to several Négoce, amongwhich was Bouchard.Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair has an illustrious past. It was established in 1815 by Louis Liger-Belair a Napoleonic General and had grown under his son Louis-Charles to sixty hectares of vinesincluding La Romanée, La Tâche and La Grande Rue. Louis-Michel’s grandfather and namesakeleft ten children, who could not inherit until two minors among their number came of age; so itwas decided to auction the property in 1931. Not everyone was happy to see their heritage3

disappear under the hammer and Comte Henry and one of his brothers raised the money to buyback La Romanée, Reignots and Les Chaumes.The young Louis-Michel was enchanted from an early age with the idea of making wine. He wasjust eight years old when he declared that he wanted to live and work in Burgundy. The familyspent holidays at the domaine in Vosne, where Comte Henry maintained a good cellar andtogether father and son tasted widely over the years. “At home we tasted not just Burgundy, butlots of wine from the Loire; a favourite of my parents; and older Bordeaux wines.” Louis-Michelwas fascinated with the idea that so many different wines could be produced by one village; inthis case Vosne. He began spending time in the vineyards and at seventeen worked his firstvintage.Louis-Michel has three younger sisters and admits that as an only son his mother gave himfreedom. However Comte Henry, who is now 79, was much stricter. He had been in charge of aregiment and his upbringing had been quite C19th. “But this was good. He gave me boundaries,”says Louis-Michel. “Moving every two to three years,” (presumably as his father was stationed indifferent places), “you have to learn to make friends easily. This was also a good thing.”EducationOn his father’s insistence Louis-Michel studied to become and agricultural engineer in Toulouse,before committing to oenology. “I had no choice.” During his five years in Toulouse he didseveral work placements including one in California, “which was helpful for learning how tomanage people.” He was impressed that a country with such a short wine heritage could sellboth good and poor wine at such a good price. “Commercially it was very impressive. It is a wineDisney Land. The culture of wine is so far from what we have here.” He did another stage inBordeaux and remarks; “I saw the big divide between the owner and the workers.”After graduating, he was given the keys of the house in Vosne and began studying for a degreein commerce at Dijon University. Only after he had achieved this, did Comte Henry consent to adiploma in oenology and after total of eight years Louis-Michel had completed his studies withsome impressive qualifications under his belt. He feels that he benefited in more ways than onefrom this education. “It opened my mind and helped me to know my way. It also helped meintegrate into Burgundy.” He was in a potentially a tricky situation as the son of rich familycoming back to reclaim land from a sharecropper, but studying in the region obviously smoothedthe way.His education in winemaking helped define the approach he was to take in the domaine. “It wasstrict and I try to be strict in the way I work; in areas like yield. I make from 35-38 hl/ha. I donot want even 2 hectares more.” He is always looking to the long term. If he made 40hl/ha,maybe the quality would not decrease much, but it is a slippery slope. He likes to maintain adisciplined approach.Resurrecting the family domaineAfter the obligatory military service from 1998, Louis-Michel spent some time working inBeaujolais in 2000. In the same year he recreated the estate, beginning with 1.5 hectares. Thiscomprised of Vosne-Romanée, La Colombière, a 0.6 hectare parcel of 60-80 year old vines nextto the house; Clos du Chateau, a 0.83 hectare clos with four walls in tact, which lies at the4

eginning of the slope where the soil is rich in limestone. This clos was originally the garden ofthe château, but 36 years ago his father replanted it); Finally there is Les Chaumes, a really tiny50 year old parcel of 0.12 hectares, well placed just below La Tâche in a top north/west position.As Louis-Michel point outs, “This is not sustainable for a family.” He had married Constance in1999; the previous year. However the couple knew they would soon retrieve La Romanée andAux Reignots. “We have to rent the vineyards from the family. The first five years were tough.”Louis-Michel runs the entire domaine as sharecropper for his family. Until the 2006 vintage, halfcontinued to go to Bouchard Père & Fils. So there have been two slightly different La Romanées.2002 was Louis-Michel’s first vintage for La Romanée and Aux Reignots. “The most importantthing during this period was learning. I was learning everything. I learnt that you have to take alot of time in the vineyard. I truly learnt that 98% of wine is made in the vineyard. I had heardfor years and years as an engineer that you could make good wine from poorer grapes, but thiswas turned on its head. I had seen what the previous sharecropper was producing. They wereover cropped, green grapes. I really realised you cannot make good wine from these. I alsostarted learning the notion of terroir.”Mentor figureHenri Jayer, who was a good friend of Louis-Michel’s father, became an influential figure. Jayerwould visit twice a year, once during harvest and a second time to taste the wine of the previousharvest. “Each year he would give me one idea. In 2003 for instance Henri told me to do one ortwo pigeages for the whole vintage. The next year he would check to see if I understood why,and if I did, then he would give me more information.”“I knew what kind of wine I wanted to make, even though well-known winemakers were makingmore body building wines. But this style was not what I wanted to make. Henri told me ‘makewhat you want. It is easier for you to make good wine, if you make the wine you like.’ I haven’tgot a heritage so I do not have to make wines like my father. This is a good and bad thing. I amquite free, which is good, but if you make mistakes, there is no one there to forestall it. So Imade mistakes. In the vineyard, for example, especially in pruning. Also in ageing for a long timewithout racking. I had some reduction problems in the early days.”Changes“I have changed everything since then.” From 2004 Louis-Michel has made a second greenharvest in September, although in 2005 it was not necessary. “In 2004 we did a ‘real harvest’.We saw that some vines could not ripen the grapes, so we kept only half. We did this in 2006 aswell. It takes time and money to make good wines. Low yields are expensive and we have fiveemployees for six hectares.” (This is in addition to Louis-Michel, and his wife who handles thefinancial side.) “As we have this terroir, we are obliged here to make good wine.”“In 2005 I started cutting the second generation of branches. I experimented in Clos de Chateau.In ten rows I took off the second generation and in the next ten left them. There was a massivedifference in quality. There was less rot and better maturity, where they had been removed. It isso much better than cutting the leaves, which just decreases the photosynthesis.” He now doesthis in La Romanée, but not everywhere; not in Suchots (new in 2006), and not in Aux Reignots,where the soil is so poor it is not necessary.5

He is working towards a higher canopy. “We need it higher still.” They top the canopy by hand,not just to prevent cutting the leaves; “We feel it is more sensitively done than by machine. Byhand we do not cut grapes. If grapes are cut there is a risk of disease. Also there is lesscompaction of the soil than by machine.”PloughingA move to ploughing has been another significant change in the pursuit of quality. Theypurchased a horse for the domaine three and a half years ago and started using it in La Romanéeand Reignots. They had been using horses, initially sharing with Domaine Romanée Conti andlater using someone who proved unreliable. Louis-Michel decided he wanted someone on theestate properly trained. It took a whole winter for the chosen employee to learn the skill and nowthey use the horse in Clos de Chateau and half of Colombière. As the estate has increased, LouisMichel hopes to plough all of the 5.8 hectares.The plough itself is interesting. They assembled it from parts Louis-Michel had collected. He had12 to 15 different machines in various states of disrepair; one of which was rebuilt using theparts of the others.As for the improvements brought about by the plough, Louis Michel is sure that Reignots, whichis on a slope prone to erosion, has benefited greatly. “Ploughing reopened the soil and allowedthe water in when began in 2002. In 2002 we shifted the soil back again and we have not had todo it again.” Furthermore, the problems of compaction have diminished. “With the tractor, theback tyres compacted the soil. When the soil is very compact there is not as big an area for theroots to develop and use, but the horse is on four hooves, which are in different places.”The horse is also more manageable and there has been less breakage in the vines. “We can stopand move the horse if they are going in the wrong direction. Finally it is better for the life of thesoil. We need no herbicides. We have seen a change in the colour of the soil and there is real lifethere now.”“It is difficult to see a reflection in the wine yet, although there is certainly less rot.” Louis-Michelfeels it is better all round. “We use less diesel and so this is also better for the environment andfor the life in the vineyard.”He might like to take a biodynamic approach in the future, but considers it too soon for people tounderstand the real effects. He feels that people are just jumping on the bandwagon withoutthinking through how it might affect the vineyard, not just improving it, but the potentialdrawbacks or risks. He prefers a lutte raisonée approach. “I do not need a green, clean perfectlymanicured vineyard or a bare soil. There is lots of grass in the vineyard, which we cut by hand.We are not too worried if all the leaves are not perfectly green. They each have their evolution.”6

Improving quality and pushing the boundaries“Each year we must find something more to improve the quality. We spend more and more timein the vineyard. When I was young people said you will be finished in June and then you are onholiday, but no, we finished on the 10 th August in 2006.”Louis-Michel believes he has not yet made an exceptional vintage. “An exceptional vintage shouldbe made by the grower in a difficult year. Perhaps you cannot have the emotion in a very goodyear. 2005 is a very elegant vintage; a year when you can make mature pinot; mature ineverything…and maturity is not about high sugar. It is not about 13.5-14.5. This is only a part ofthe maturity. It is a balance between the sugar, the fruit and the tannins. You must be careful ofthe over mature tannins.”He feels some people might be going too far in terms of tannins. “It is possible to find somethingnew and go too far.” However he adds, “We need those people who are progressive and somewho take it too far. Some of these progressive domaines, like Leroy, can make exceptional wines.“However I would rather wait and see. I do not want to take high risks.” He does take smallerand calculated risks in the vineyard for a justifiable improvement in quality. For example hedoesn’t do any treatments after July. However he feels he lacks the necessary experience to takethe big risks and is conscious of his responsibility to look after his young family.PersonalWeakness: “I am impatient in that I want result quickly.” He knows he can get impatient withthe people who work him. “When I have an idea, it is not easy to explain particularly if theemployee doesn’t have the same mindset. Sometimes the goal I want to achieve will take a longtime to achieve.” At times he has difficulty in conveying his long-term vision.Strengths: “I am honest with myself; strict and straight.” He uses this in his approach tomaking wine.Ambitions: “My goal is to keep my estate for my kids. I would like my kids to drink my wine andsay ‘it’s good juice,’ as I have tasted wines from grandfathers day and can say it’s good. It not anambition. It is a family goal.”“My mission is to keep the estate and increase the size.” In 2006 he rented 5.5 hectares of landwhich includes the premiers crus of Les Suchots, Les Petit Monts and Les Brûlées in Vosne-Romanée; as well as Echezéaux, some Nuits-Saint-George, Aux Cras and some village Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-Saint-George. “I do not want to be very big, but have the chance to makesomething else. My playground is these three villages. Gevrey-Chambertin made by a Vosnemaker might not be so good? In the winery my yeast are Vosne-Romanée yeast, so they may nothave the right typicity for every village; not part of terroir” He feels they have the family of yeastin Vosne which would only be suitable for wine from nearby villages.Philosophy: I haven’t any philosophy. Philosophy is too big a word for making wine. Wine ismade to be drunk and for enjoyment; that’s the most important thing.”Interests outside wine: “I am cooking more and more. I enjoy cooking for the family.” Heenthused about a recent cooking course which focused on truffles. “Wine,” he muses, “must bedrunk with food. There are two types of wine; wine you talk about and wine you open; maybeyou don’t discuss them, but you drink them.”7

He is also fond of buying antique furniture at auction and likes visiting museums. “I haven’t theculture for modern painting,” he tells me. “For me painting finished at the end of the C19. th Helikes C17th paintings; “very incredible,” and in furniture the C18th is where his passion lies.Louis-Michel lives with his wife Constance and their three children; Henry, Brune and Pia, inVosne-Romanée.Louis-Michel’s desert Island winesLa Tâche, 1923. “This was the last vintage of great-grandfather. He died at54. If I could make a wine like this I would be very proud. I would stay ona desert island just to have this.”Domaine Huet, Cuvée Constance, 1989. “This is a wine for my wifeConstance. It is impressive, but so delicate. Nobody talks with thiswine…you are in the bottle.”A 1989 from Zind Humbrecht. “Because they set the level for Alsace.”Domaine Vincent Dauvissat, Chablis, La Forêt 2003. “Because it was sodense, so powerful and yet so elegant.”Jacques Selosse, Cuvée Substance. “Because Anselme is the bestChampagne producer and you must have it. His first vintage was 1975 andI tasted a bottle with him…”8

The Burgundy Briefingnews, views and tastingsSarah Marsh MWIn briefBourgogneAssuming it is correctly made with no faults and meets basic expectations, itcould range from modest, pleasant to attractive. 12-14VillageFrom modest (although this would be poor at this level) through topleasant and attractive.Good is decent village wine with good typicité.Straight village at the top level would be very good.Deuxièmes crus: the best lieux-dits could reach particularly good1213-14151617Premier cru Very good. A modest premier cruParticularly good (a sound premier cru)Fine (premium)Very fine (excellent. Top notch premier cru)Outstanding is occasionally possible when the premier cru out performs itsstatus and is of grand cru quality1617181920GrandCruParticularly good (this falls below expectations of grand cru quality)Fine (premium wine)Very fine (excellent)Up to outstanding (excellent with x factor)17181920A note on the stage and condition in which wine has been presented for tasting.Where possible I have mentioned the stage at which the wines have been tasted. It can make aconsiderable difference to the wine. The structure is the most important aspect and can beassessed even if the aroma and fruit on the palate are suppressed. However, these wines mightedge up a half a mark in a subsequent tasting, which is why I do not give a numerical score tothe wine until it is finished and in bottle.Growers have different ways of presenting their wines. Etienne Grivot for example showseverything in three year old barrels, so the focus is on the fruit. Many growers show a blend ofwine from different barrels to reflect the final wine, and level of oak, as closely as possible.9

A few considerations:1. If the wine has not been racked, it maybe lively and bright if it has plenty of CO2, or the leesmay be too evident. If the reductive process has gone too far it can become reduced. Growersmay not rack until the wine is ready for bottling when the wine is racked to a vat for blendingand settling, prior to bottling.2. If the wine has just been racked, it could be much more expressive in comparison with a winewhich has not. (look at Clos de Epeneaux for an extreme example).3. SO2. After racking the wine is more vulnerable to oxygen without the protective larger leesand the CO2 from malolactic fermentation, but when S02 is added, the aroma and fruit will besuppressed.Older vintages have grey titles, rather than blue, to distinguish them. They are often the2005s.Katherine Richardson MW accompanied me to taste the red Burgundy this year, as she didfor the 2005s. This was the most practical way to fulfil subscribers’ requests for The BurgundyBriefing to review more domaines. Katherine has an excellent palate. I have had plenty ofopportunity to see her in action as she attended a tasting group I hosted for MW students in the7 months run up to their exams in the year after I had passed mine. Partly because of this andcertainly because of the MW in general, she tastes in very similar way to me, so there should bea sense of continuity throughout the tasting notes of the 2005 reds.Phenolics: Katherine has used this term in her tasting notes. It is not a term I use in tastingnotes as it can be misinterpreted. When a wine is described as phenolic it can be a slightlyderogatory term, meaning sappy, unripe tannins. However when Katherine has used it, this is notthe case. The tannins are a phenol, part of the polyphenols which contribute so much to thewine. You have probably heard growers speaking of ways to achieve optimum phenolic ripenessin the vineyard.The domaines at which I tasted will have my initials, SM, below the introduction. Thedomaines where Katherine tasted will have KR.Premature OxidationA quick look at 1996 whitesSome subscribers have asked me to look into the premature oxidation of the white 1996 vintage.This is a complex subject which cannot be polished off quickly.However, to start the ball rolling, some growers have been asked for their opinions. These viewswere collected on the latest visit to taste the 2006 whites and appear under the domaine entriesin the tasting notes.Here are a few thoughts to be going on with. I will go into this further by requesting to tastesome white 1996s next year.There are several factors which may have contributed to premature oxidation. It will be acombination of a number of things which happened around 1996. However the condition is notexclusive to this vintage.1. Corks. Corks certainly contributed, but this can only be part of the picture not least becausethere would be more oxidized reds from 1996, if this were the only factor. (Although there are10

some prematurely oxidized reds.) Tannins are a natural anti-oxidant, but it seems unlikely theywould have such widespread efficiency.2. SO2. Less SO2 was used by some growers in the general trend to make more ‘natural’ wines.Why would less SO2 be used in 1996, than in surrounding vintages? Perhaps it was thought thatthe higher acidities and lower pHs of the 2006s would give the wine greater natural protection.3. Presses: Around 1996 people changed their presses from Vaslin to pneumatic. Pneumaticpresses can be used for much more reductive handling and can produce very clean juice. ‘Dirty’juice became unfashionable. However this coarser dirtier juice which had more phenolics and isbrowner because it has received more air, is also more stable. A wine is less prone to oxidation ata later date if the more unstable phenolics have already oxidized.Some things to look into:The timing of the malolactic may be significant…if it was later. Also the quantity/quality of lees. Ifthe lees were very fine, they may not have given sufficient protection. Crucially I need to look atthe redox potential and see if there was a swing to a more oxidative position when the wineswere in barrel.It would be interesting to find out if the malic acidity was notably high across the board in 2006.If it was then these wines would be more vulnerable after malolactic, in combination with lessSO2 and finer lees.11

The Burgundy Briefingnews, views and tastingsSarah Marsh MWVintage report Red 2005A summary of the conditions:The weather is described at Domaine Romanée Conti as “a little crazy and at first such a greatsource of anguish.”It was marked by a hot July; a cool cloudy August with varying quantities of rain, and coolnights. This was followed by a warm September, during which the majority harvested in dryconditions.A band of hail cut a swath though the Côte de Nuits on the 28 th August. The worst affectedplaces were the village vineyards below the village of Chambolle and a section of Gevrey-Chambertin, which included the grand cru of Charmes, Chapelle, the lower part of Chambertinand Clos de Bèze which were all badly affected.Rain following hail resulted in some rot; on average about 10-15% was de-selected at harvest,less in the parts of the Côte de Nuits unaffected by hail, and perhaps most in Pommard andVolnay due to the rain. It did rain in 2006, contrary to the protestations of some growers,although not as much as in 2007.The technical bulletin issued by the Stations d’Avertissements Agricole for the viticulturalcampaign of 2004/2005, shows that 95 mm of rain fell in Beaune versus the seasonal average of55 cm and in Macon a hefty 140 cm fell. The temperature was 27 degrees in July compared to anaverage of 21 degrees and in August it was 2.5 degrees colder throughout the month. But to getthis in perspective, the conditions were not as extreme as in 2003 and not as challenging as2007. The chilly August and cool September have given the fruit a pleasantly fresh impression.The clement September days, sunny with warm breezes, slowly ripened the grapes, giving the2006 its lovely aromatic and pure fruit character. The grapes did not rush to ripeness as in 2007,but reached decent physiological ripeness by the Ban de Vendange on the 18 th September.Conscientious vignerons have avoided any taint of rot or hail. Although I came across none, dobeware. In the winery careful selection was necessary. Growers with old vines and well tendedsoils produced pure red fruit Pinot Noir even in the most challenging places. (Savigny-Lès-Beauneand Beaune suffered badly from rain and rot, but Chandon de Briailles for example has madelovely wine.) Care was needed to avoid astringent tannins. The grapes reached good ripeness at12%-13%+ in natural sugars. The acidity is fair to lower than average for some, but the fruit hasfreshness and vivacity.12

The vintage in more detail including some of the growers experiences:Jean-Charles Le Bault de la Morinière gives a detailed account of the vintage, which can be readunder the entry for Domaine Bonneau de Martray.Marie-Christine Teillaud of Domaine Mugernet-Gibourg is among many who remark on thepeculiarity of the weather. In July she felt it seemed set for another heat wave summer and thenthere was a complete volte-face. “2006 was so strange, so hot in July and so cold in August.Within three days the temperature fell down and both the days and the nights were too cold.”She recalls daytime temperature as low as 15 degrees. Others agreed it was so cold they werewearing warm jumpers.“The nights were unusually cold at 10-12 degrees,” says Yves Confuron-Cotétidot. “The dayswere 20 degrees. So there was a lot of polyphenol production.”Many reported on millerandage in 2006.Hail:Hail came early enough on the 28 th July to have a greater affect on quantity, and in some casesstyle, than on quality. Being early in the season, the berries dried and some fell off. Somedescribe the good berries swelling and pushing off the dried ones. A very few growers, ArnaudMortet and Pascal Lachaux among them, removed the affected berries immediately following thehail. The majority waited and selected at harvest.The canopy was struck, leaving less leaves for photosynthesis, resulting in thinner skins moresusceptible to rot.Arnaud Mortet speaks of a catastrophe in Chapelle and in his Chambolle, Beaux Bruns where helost 75% to hail. He made just 3 of the normal 6 barrels in Beaux Bruns and was forced to spendfour days there after the hail carrying out a green harvest to leave just four bunches on eachvine. The hail had destroyed leaves leaving insufficient to provide enough photosynthesis to ripenthe crop. He was worried by the risk of hail taint. However, as mentioned, I found none.Roumier comments: “There is no taste of hail. No mould taste; so the signature of the vintage isnot related to the hail storm, but rather to the rain and to the rot in the places that had hail.”Generally the growers report that Clos de Bèze, Charmes, Chapelle and Griotte were the worstaffected by hail, although it seems that further up the slope Clos de Bèze faired better.Rouchottes escaped.Eric Rousseau recalls the hail came on the last day of the heat wave at the end of July. While itwas not so important in Gevrey in their premier cru, it was much worst in Clos de Bèze, Chapelleand Griotte. The impact was on volume. However the very low yields in Clos de Bèze have, inturn, slightly affected the style.Christophe Roumier remarks; “We were affected in the Bourgogne and some of the village wines,especially those down the slope. All the hillside vineyards were OK. Les Amouresues usually getsaffected, because it is so open, but not this time.”13

Rain:There is an interesting divide here. Those in the Côte de Beaune, particularly in Volnay, which isso often in the firing line for bad weather, tell it straight. There was rain. A surprising number inthe Côte de Nuits seem to think that all the rain fell in the Côte de Beaune. At least half howeverhave a clearer memory of the wet August. I think this confusion arises, at least in part, becausethe very wet August in 2007 has made the previous summer seem relatively dry in comparison insome areas of the Côte de Nuits.However, it does appear from Stations d’Avertissements Agricole bulletin that the rain becameheavier moving Southwards.Michel Lafarge is sure that grass between the rows and deep roots, encouraged by biodynamicpractices, helped to combat the conditions. Others, among them Benjamin Leroux, remarkedupon a benefit to the vines where there was grass cover.Old vines with deep roots certainly should have avoided the stress of the sun in July and dilutionof the grapes from an excess of the water on the surface in August. Consequently they wouldalso have been less susceptible to botrytis.Rot:Many were concerned by the rain which followed the hail. If August had been fine, the concernwould have been less, but hot conditions followed by cool and humid weather is conducive to rot.At Domaine Romanée Conti they comment that it was “the coolest and rainiest August since1986, favourable to botrytis that set in very early.” Although the rot stopped developing with thefine weather in September, “it was still lying in wait. It reappeared during the harvest on the badstormy day of Sunday September 24 th . Luckily it was too late, and the episode too short, to causereal damage.”“The skins were not very thick in the 2006s, which explains why a percentage started to rotbefore harvest,” remarks Philippe Drouhin.“The botrytis came in August, and then it remained stable until harvest. We did two sortings,once in the vineyard and once on the table,” says Dominique Lafon.Many deselected 10% at harvest in a mix of rot and some unripe berries. Some selected farmore. In Pommard Jean-Marc Boillot took out 30%.At Camille Giroud, David Croix comments, “The Côte de Nuits did much better than Côte deBeaune. In the Côte de Nuits there was nothing to sort and as in 2005 the grapes were perfect. Ifound the most botrytis in Beaune. There was twice as much rain in Beaune as in Nuits-Saint-George in August. The rain measured 100mm in Beaune and 50mm in Nuits-Saint-George. So theCôte de Beaune fruit needed much more sorting.”Louis Boillot saw a difference in the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune. He mentionsPommard, Savigny and Beaune. Among these affected villages, he found the most rot in Beauneand less in Pommard. He had an average 30% less volume in 2006 than 2005, because of thenecessary de selection.14

Christophe Roumier comments; “In those places with hail there was more of a problem becausethe canopy was touched. Even though some more leaves had developed to take their place, theskins were quite thin and they had quite a lot of juice because of the rain. The sun was better inSeptember, but it was still wet, so it was a competition between rot developing and ripenessdeveloping.”September and harvest:September was fine except for a short storm on the 23 and 24 th .Domaine De La Romanée-Conti: “These ideal conditions permitted the vineyards to efficiently usethe water retained in the soil thanks to the reins of August and therefore to accelerate in a totallyoutstanding manner the ripening of the grapes. In September the sugar levels increasedsometimes by almost 2 degrees in one week, especially during the third week.”Unusually the Ban de Vandange was the same date for the Côte de Nuits and the Côte deBeaune; the 18 th September.At Chandon de Briailles, Claude de Nicolay comments; “I was very happy with the Septemberweather. It was not too hot. It didn’t race. It went slowly. I didn’t like 2007 when the weatherwent very quickly.”Guillaume d’Angerville also remarked on the steadiness of grape development approachingharvest in 2006, versus 2007. “We harvested on the 22 nd September; a little later than theothers; a week later. I felt we picked up a little more maturity and I felt this was the best way forharmony. We hung on for a week, but the fruit was very clean. We de selected just 2% forbotrytis. It did rain in August, but we had a lovely September. It was different to 2007 which fastforwarded because it was warm before. The conditions of 2006 are more like 2002, which had awet August and the same dry wind and good light in September, all of which helps.”“It was fun although it was hard work,” comments Dominique Lafon. “I didn’t feel too muchpressure. The goal was to pick late, on the right dates, and to sort. This was the reverse of 2007when we picked early.”Size:Yields are generally lower than 2005 and lowest where hail reduced crops by 15-20%.Unfortunately many had just completed a green harvest when the hail came. There was muchmore work in 2006 to produce less wine than in 2005, making the growers wish to keep pricesstable more understandable. (More of this below)Philippe Doruhin: “The quantities were good to stat with, but because of sorting, the final yieldwas 14-15% less.”15

AnalysisDespite the cool August and because of the warm September, the physiological ripeness of thegrape was surprisingly good.Acidity/pH:There is adequate acidity for nicely balanced wines and freshness to the fruit. The pHs wereaverage.Some, including Christophe Roumier, remark that the malic acidity was more pronounced in2006, so post malolactic the pHs are a bit higher than in 2005. Others said the malic was low.There was no consensus.Sugar:It was possible for the red Bourgogne grapes to reach 11.5% potential alcohol and upscale in theAC the wines easily reached 12% to 13% with many at 13.5%, and a few higher. Generally therewas sufficient sugar not to chaptalise, given the yields were small. At DRC they express it verywell, drawing attention to their pinot fin with its small clusters which ‘weathered’ the conditions.“In such climatic conditions, only low yields could allow the vines to fight the heat and later theattack of botrytis, then to obtain the precocious maturity that was necessary to enable us toharvest before the rain came back.” Of course those with high yields will have dilute sugar.Tannins:There was concern about polypenolic ripeness, but the tannins are remarkably ripe and roundedand really sit in the wine (see the note on extraction below). Roumier remarks that although theslightly elevated malic acidity cast doubt on the ripeness of the tannins, the pips were perfectlyripe.Michel Gros; “The skins are finer in 2006 than in 2005, so the tannins are different. Everythingwhich comes from the tannins is less. The 2005s are abnormal. The 2006s are normal.”I asked Olivier Leriche (Domaine de L’Arlot) whether he recalled if the skins were notably thick orthin in 2006. He considered that in the places where they normally have more water (in the soil),the difficult rainy conditions produced grapes with thinner skins than usual, but where not, theskins were actually thicker. He says they always get more or less thickness in different places andmaybe this was emphasised in this vintage.At Domaine de L’Arlot they had small yields of just 25hl/ha. Like many, they had been tooefficient with green harvest given the hail which followed, but Olivier also believes that the hotJuly followed by the cool August limited development. The normal weight gain they would expectto see in a selection of bunches taken in July, and then again in August, would be 30-60%. But in2006, it was just 10-15%, despite the vineyard giving the impression of having a lot of fruit. Inthe winery the skin to juice ratio reflected this lack of weight gain. Whereas they normally use135kg of clusters to make 1 hectolitre, in 2006 they needed 160kg of grapes to make 116

hectolitre. There are two possible reasons; they pressed less than in a vintage such as 2005, butalso, there was less juice in the berries.CellarTo make the most of the fruit in this vintage growers needed a small yield, meticulous selectionand careful extraction.Extraction:Judicious extraction was necessary not to overpower the fruit character and lighter body of thevintage. It was not like 2005, in which there was plenty of good material to be extracted.Everywhere I visited growers had been careful. The result is wines with subtle tannins which sitin the fruit and in no way over power it. However it is quite possible in less careful hands thatthis could be a vintage with hard, thin tannins.Some growers adapted their approach and reduced extraction. In some cases this was coupledwith a longer vatting to soften the tannins. The result were notable at Pavelot. Here theyresponded to the vintage by reducing extraction to focus on the fruit. Benjamin Leroux also cutback on some cuvees; for example by doing less pigeage than normal on the Volnay FremietsPhilippe Senard used a short cold maceration compared with 2005. It was not more than a weekand was followed by a pretty fast fermentation, which finished in barrel to encourage fatness.Frédérick Drouhin remarks; “All the flavours were here, so we tried to have a very gentle press.We were not looking for structure and extract. We are not sure the tannins were ripe enough. Sowe destemmed 100% for most wines and used shorter vinifications; two rather than threeweeks”The best approach, as Dominique Lafon points out, was to get just enough structure, but not tooverdo it. His objective was to focus on the fruit, so he pulled back on extraction. “I was lookingfor less extraction. I used remontage and was gentle. There was a risk of green tannins, so Iworked towards fruit and gentleness of the wine. Because of the vintage condition I used someremontage as well as pigeage, alternating them. There were three weeks maceration though; soquite long.”At Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot in Pommard they substantially reduced vatting from 3 weeks in2005, to just 2 in 2006, and used remontage.Many growers followed their normal extraction, but these tend to be growers who take a verygentle approach in every vintage. Among these is Frédérick Mugnier, although, his wines showedmore tannins than normal. Christophe Roumier watched the tannins. He was concerned theywould start extracting green tannins from vineyards affected by hail, wet and rot, but continualchecks revealed they were perfectly fine, so he continued with his usual approach.Jean-Charles Le Bault de la Morinière was pretty much isolated on an island of contentment as heenjoyed a happy and relaxed harvest and vinification. “There was a nice long fermentation; longquiet and natural. The most spectacular vatting I have ever seen. The old vignerons say that the17

wines which behave well in the vatting, will make a good vintage. It was a very easy vintage forthe vigneron. It has a happy character from the winemaking perspective.”Malolactic:There was no consensus here, although more commented that the malolactic was early, which isnot something growers like, preferring a later malolactic for complexity.Élévage and Bottling:Several producers, among them Benjamin Leroux and Drouhin, mentioned that in July andAugust they noticed that the wines were beginning to lose their freshness and to dry out a littleon the tannins. This prompted Ben Leroux to rack his wines, putting them back old wood, and inDrouhin’s case to bottle earlier than normal; in October. Roumier is another who bottled early.StyleThis is a classic Burgundy vintage for red wine. It is not something out of the ordinary, like 2003;not something extraordinary, like 2005. It is a good vintage for the expression of both pinot noirand the terroir.In a nutshell it is a vintage which reflects the variety and respects the terroir. It is a vintage thatreveals the terroir immediately and easily, unlike the 2005 where the terroir will take a lot longerto show.The hall mark of the vintage is fragrance, purity of fruit and soft integrated tannins. A lightervintage, but also an elegant, expressive and fresh one.In more detail:It is a vintage of fruit, fragrance and, in the best wines, of fine texture. The wines are veryscented. The fruit is very pure. There is lucidity to the fruit in 2006, although it is riper than onemight expect and it has lovely sweetness. There is quite adequate richness. However they aremuch lighter bodied than the 2005s, not so full, and are more elegant in youth.There were some exceptions to this glowing profile among the wines I tasted. These were a bitthin. Of course as one rummages to the bottom of the Burgundy basket this might well becomemore apparent.Because it was a lighter bodied vintage, certainly in comparison with 2005 and 2003, it is possibleto find some lighter and rather elegant Nuits-Saint-George and Pommard.If one can generalise about fruit colour, it is more a red fruit vintage in comparison with 2004, forexample, which could be considered to be a black fruit vintage; although of course there areplenty of black fruits in 2006, of the forest and hedgerow variety, light, spicy and juicy. I foundlots of red fruit in Gevrey-Chambertin in 2006, but in any year I don’t really hold with the Côte deNuits (black fruit) and Côte de Beaune (red fruit) divide, for example there is always plenty ofdark fruit in Pommard and red fruit in Chambolle and Vosne-Romanée.18

The ripeness in 2006 is linked to freshness. It is certainly not a vintage for high acidy, on thecontrary there is generally just adequate acidity, but it is fresh. Coupled with the bright fruit theacidity brings an appealing juicy character to many wines. In nearly all the wines I tasted, therewas what can be described as a sunny ripe acidity, as opposed to the cold acidity of the 2004and 2001. The sense of freshness is boosted by the more mineral terroir. The clarity of the fruitallows the terroir to shine though.However acidity is a vulnerable area, so watch out for lower acidity and duller wines from lesserproducers.The tannins are generally ripe and sit in the wine. These maybe light or plentiful, but should befine-grained and gentle. As there was less concentration and volume to the fruit in 2006, it wasimportant that vignerons did not try to extract too much. If they did there will be someastringency. The good vignerons have settled for light tannins to balance the fruit, but notoverpower it. There is much less grip than in 2005, 2004, 2002 and 2001. They should be suppleand soft even in villages such as Gevrey. On occasion I found myself forgetting to comment onthe tannins they were so integrated into the wine.Some Growers’ Impressions:François Millet (Comte Georges De Vogüé) compares the purity of fruit to a jelly rather than ajam. It’s a good comparison.Eric Rousseau; “It is a very fine and elegant vintage with red fruits.”Christophe Roumier; “A red fruit vintage. I find the fruit reassuring and delicately textured and itshows a real definition of quality between the different levels and crus.”Claude de Nicolay at Chandon de Briailles; “Pinot Noir is not as complex in tannins as in 2005.The balance is good as the tannins are in the wine, not outside; really linked especially for thecuvées that took time to become balanced in barrel.”“Pretty much in style for 2000 but better,” says Dominique Lafon.Domaine de la Romanée Conti; “The beautiful deep colours; the generous fragrances and thesilky texture in the mouth promise wines with great finesse.”Village OverviewThe Côte de Nuits was more consistent than the Côte de Beaune.Did specific terroir shine though? Certainly the more mineral terroir boosted the freshness of thefruit and the impression of acidity and produced particularly attractive wine. I asked somegrowers if they found a specific type of terroir had the edge in the conditions of 2006. Some oftheir impressions are included below.19

Gevrey-ChambertinHail produced a few atypical wines in the grand cru. Chambertin seems to have weathered itremaining consistent and typical despite the hail. Clos de Bèze was more affected, losing some ofits fragrance and elegance for a more muscular character. Chapelle was also a bit atypical.Charmes-Chambertin seemed rather under-whelming; not one example of Charmes made it ontothe hit list.There were some very good wines from the northerly premiers crus on the hill. Good Clos-Saint-Jacques and Lavaux-Saint Jacques.Claude Dugat’s vines in Lavaux-Saint-Jacques are at the top of the cru, where there is just 30 cmof top soil. He considers this higher and thinner terroir was an advantage in 2006.Chambolle-MusignyThe best Chambolle have lovely purity of fruit and expression of terroir. However Chambolle didsuffer in this vintage, mainly in the village vines. Strangely though, I tasted some good straightvillage wines from growers outside the village such as Michel Gros. So it is a vintage to treadcarefully at village level especially. Look not just for the best growers, but the best wines in eachcellar. There is less consistency than in Vosne and even in Gevrey at village level. Where therewas hail, the best growers extracted cautiously. Arnaud Mortet has taken the right approach andmade a light Beaux Bruns. There is better quality and consistency in the premier cru on theslopes where elegant and expressive wine can be found, although I don’t list Chambolle-Musignyin my village high lights. Amoureuses was the most consistent premier cru and of the calibre oneexpects, as were the grand cru.On terroir, Christophe Roumier comments; “The hill sides and stony places were at an advantagein 2006 for the drainage and aeration and because the hillsides were safe out of the hail.”At Comte Georges De Vogüé François Millet mentions that their parcel of Bonnes Mares benefitedfrom being at the top of the vineyard, where the soil is thin. “This gives freshness to the fruit.The vintage really took pleasure in this area.”VougeotIt is always difficult to generalise with Clos de Vougeots, but there are some lighter-bodied, quiteelegant examples in 2006. While the 2004s were four square and assertive; the 2005s had moreconsistency of quality than usual and were monumental, but fleshed and softened with gorgeousfruit; the 2006s can have charming fruit and rather more refined tannins (given there was carefulextraction.)Vosne-Romanée and Echezeaux/Grand EchezeauxVosne-Romanée was the stellar village of the vintage.Vosne did very well at village level. There was excellent village typicity and lovely fruit. It wasdifficult to select wines for the hit list, so many were good.20

At premier cru level the terroir was well reflected. There are many exemplary wines; plenty ofluscious and vivid fruit, good structure and cloaked, supple tannins. There were some very goodBrûlée, where 2006 coaxed out the more charming side of this vineyard and some excellentSuchots, which were fresh, vivid and luxurious.Whereas in Gevrey-Chambertin the grands crus are a bit unpredictable, here the grands cruswere spot on. If one grand cru kept coming up trumps it was Romanée-Saint-Vivant. There wassensational wine from this vineyard which really seemed to embrace 2006 producing winesswathed in perfume and floaty silk.Generally the wines from Vosne-Romanée were good across the appellation, and from villagelevel upwards there was excellent consistency. There are some stylish wines out there.Echezeaux also should be mentioned. There were some lovely example; flowing, satin texturedand expressive.Nuits-Saint-GeorgesNuits-Saint-George did well with the lighter vintage character bestowing elegance upon thevillage. Arguably the south side of the village benefited most. It has given these typicallystructural wines a more refined character; tamed the tannins and smoothed the texture. While onthe Vosne side the vivid ripe fruit has fleshed out the body and given attractively and succulentlyrounded wines. Nuits makes it into the highlights of the vintage as it did in 2005, for the verypleasant wines it produced on both sides of the village (see Domaines Gouges, Michel Gros andJean Grivots). The tannins are cloaked in fruit as befits the vintage; they are lighter bodied andthe purity of fruit allows the minerality of the soils to shine though.Corton, Aloxe Corton and Pernand VergelessesThe grands crus on the hill of Corton have faired well in 2006 as they did in 2005. There aresome red grands crus which properly merit their grand cru status. Dignified, reserved wines withthe structure for ageing over a decade. Chandon de Brialles is an excellent source. The primeareas of Les Renardes, Bressandes and Clos de Roi have produced some excellent examples, butmore surprisingly, the cool and flinty soils of Pernand side have also done well. Bonneau deMartray has produced a lovely Corton this year. Over on the Ladoix face of the hill, there isdecent wine from Le Rognet including those made by Bruno Clavalier, Méo-Camuzet and MichelMallard. The latter domaine has also produced some pleasant Ladoix wine.It is difficult to comment on Aloxe-Corton and Pernand Vergelesses as we didn’t taste widelyenough. I had some bell pepper, slightly green Aloxe Corton. However a lightly extractiveapproach worked well and there are some pretty light-bodied, simple, red fruit wines. They willnot have much body, so just look for those with fresh fruit. Les Valozières was good. Katherinehad some very decent Pernand Vergellesses.On the subject of terroir and the vintage, Claude de Nicolay has a different view from those whothought that thinner and more mineral soils were an advantage in this vintage: “When you get acold climate at the end of summer it helps the deeper soils. The thinner soils not so good,”Claude found that the cool nights in August and September in 2006 gave more freshness andenergy to these terroir. She mentions this in relation to the Corton, Maréchaudes, but also refersto the Volnay and the Bressandes. “Sometimes the Bressandes is helped by this freshness too.”21

Savigny-Lès-BeauneThis is a mixed bag. There are some attractive, red fruit, pure and lively wines. If the grapeswere carefully treated and delicately extracted not to overpower the fruit, the result can beexpressive, light and very pinot. If not they can be a bit green, thin and astringent. As mentionedearlier, Pavelot has benefited from modifying their approach and extracting more delicately thisyear. It was not a year to expect too much from the skins.There was quite a lot of rain and rot. It was necessary to do plenty of selection and to be vigilantin the vineyard. Older vines, deeper roots, in addition to well cared for and aerated soils orvineyards with grass between the rows would all have helped against water absorption, dilutionand the ensuing rot. There will be some pretty poor wines here as well as the decent enoughones.Beaune and Chorey-Lès-BeauneAnother mixed bag. As mentioned in the vintage conditions, there was a lot of rain here. Beaunein particular is such a large area for red wine that it would be necessary to taste very widely toget an accurate picture. However my impression is of better whites than reds. Never-the-lessDrouhin, for example, have applied their restrained approach to good effect with reds, to producesome reliable Beaune premier cru with decent fruit and lighter tannins. In Chorey-Lès-Beaune thefocus must be on fruit alone and here too Drouhin, show how it’s done.PommardSome of these have benefited from the conditions in 2006 in the same way as Nuits-Saint-Georgebenefited. In these wines the grip is not too grippy. The fruit sways towards the stereotype Côtede Beaune in having some more red fruit, albeit dark red, rather than the black fruit I often findhere; notably so in the past three vintages. The clarity and purity of fruit was conducive toelegant wine. After the unctuous Pommards of 2005 which revelled in unusually ripe, full bodiedfruit and rich, toned muscularity, the 2006s are the antithesis. The best are fragrant with alighter, slimmer, fit profile and more integrated tannins. There are some good village wines andpremier cru. Lithely energetic Fremiers and surprisingly smoothly textured Pezerolles.However there are also some rather unattractive clunky wines with astringent tannins.VolnayWhile Volany is not going to be a highlight village, it will probably receive unjustly hard reviews.Even growers one speaks to in the Côte de Nuits seem to think it was a washout. Yes it rainedhard and yes there was rot, but the good producers transcended the conditions and madeattractive wine with the hallmark of the vintage; fragrance, purity of fruit and lightness of22

tannins. I tasted plenty of aromatic and silky textured wine. The terroir shone through inCaillerets. There were some vivid and fresh Santenots.Michel Lafarge prefers 2006 to his 2004s. “In 2006 the maturity was better than in 2004 and thehealth was so good.” He attributes his escape from botrytis to very small fruit, grass between therows and biodynamics and remarks, “The vintage is characterised by red fruit, very intense andvery pure.” At Marquis d’Angerville they had fruit which was healthy enough to hang on for afurther week of ripening.Some of the wines from Volnay will be a little slight, meagre even. Although I found noastringent tannins, green herbal notes and over extraction, I would recommend concentrating onthe good and conscientious domaines and avoiding the unknown.Treat it as an ‘in between’ vintage in Volnay. As Michel Lafarge says, it should be “a very easyvintage to taste. A vintage of pleasure.”Chassagne and SantenayChassagne was another mixed bag, with some good fruit, but some astringent tannins. Santenayhad lovely reds and whites with vivid, pure fruit and light tannins. It is a village where one canexplore with the confidence that there are some attractive and expressive reds to be snapped upat a reasonable price.A comparison with other vintages2006 and 2001 share a purity of fruit with perhaps more sweetness of fruit in 2006. It has moreexpressive fruit than 2001 and much less acidity. It is more Pinot Noir than both 2004 and 2003.For vivid fruit and elegance it might be compared with the style of 2002, but with less structureand complexity. The tannins in the good 2006 should be lighter. If one can generalise, in theCôte de Nuits it seems to have more in common with aspects of 2001 and 2002 and in the Côtede Beaune with 2000.A few impressions from the growersFrédérick Mugnier. “There is something of the 2001 about this vintage. People were concernedthat the 2001 would close down, but it is delicious now and has potential for the future. The2006 is more complete than 2001, because in 2001 the structure was based on acidity, while the2006 is a combination of acidity and tannins, so the balance is better.”At Domaine Dujac see some parallels with 2001 in the purity of fruit.Yves Confuron-Cotétidot remarks, “I look at 2006 and see 2001s, but with more fruit than 2001sand less acidity.”23

Marie Christine at Mugneret-Gibourg “2006 and 2002 are the same ‘family.’Arnaud Mortet compares it for 2002 for elegance, although adds that 2002 was a strongervintage. “2002 but with less structure.”Michel Gros also makes a comparison with 2002s.Eric Rousseau “2006 is like 2004 but with more structure and matter. Much more the vintage ofpinot noir, because it is very elegant.”I don’t find many parallels with 2004. The tannins in the 2004s were much more prominent atthe same stage in barrel than the tannins in 2006 and the fruit character was much darker andoften accompanied by herbaceous nuances. However the 2004 and 2006 do share a lighterbodied, direct character and good terroir definition. Christophe Roumier has the following to add,“The big difference with 2004 is that the skins were thick in 2004 and they did not ripen properly:although I like the texture and structure of the 2004s. The herbaceous notes of the vintage weremore obvious after bottling, but they are now changing again.”Pascal Lauchax at Robert Arnoux: “You will have to wait a very long time for 2005, while the2006 will be very nice for early drinking, but should also age a long time. In the 2004s theevolution of the fruit is very rapid. Today I think that 2006 is superior to 2000, 2001 and 2004.2006 is exactly 50% between 2002 and 2000. More rounded than 2000 and more structure than2002. Nothing of the 2001 about it. 2001 has much more acidity.”Growers in the Côte de Beaune to compare it with 2000.Claude Chandon de Briailles considers the 2006 to have, “the ripeness of 2000 and freshness ofthe 2004s,” (But note that their 2004s did not have particularly high acidity.)Benjamin Leroux, “During picking it looked at bit like the 2000s. The structure is better than2000, but the fruit is close. Or like 2001 with more sweetness.”Louis Boillot thought it like 2000 at the beginning, but with time in barrel considers it better. Like2000 but with more concentration and greater structure and purer fruit.Frederick Drouhin says, “like 2000 but with more weight,” and adds that “2000 is drinkingperfectly now”In Santenay Roger Belland says he would compare his 2006s with 2000; “ripe and the fruit isvery pure.”Quality3 to 4 star vintage. An ‘in between’ vintage; not a reference vintage.Three stars in the Côte de Beaune. The very best of the Côte de Nuits, nudge into four stars,while the majority of the Côte de Nuits lie between 3 and 4 stars. A mid range vintage.It is a better white than red vintage.24

2006 is a vintage in which the wines reflect the AC hierarchy, more so than in 2005. The premiercru out perform the village; the grand outperform the premier cru. So it is a classic year in thisrespect too.For both colours, it is not a homogenous vintage. There will be good and bad wines; in otherwords a more classic Burgundy year than in 2005. Know your grower.Some reds are on the slight side; a little weedy. Some growers will have extracted too much, andhard tannins will overpower the pure fruit. Of course where growers did not select out rot andunripe berries, the results will be diminished.The middle ground in red will be occupied by expressive, pleasant if unexceptional fruity wineswithout the structure and the texture of the 2005; for which you will not have to wait long todrink.It is not a vintage for collectors. It does not have the stature of a trophy hunter vintage. Theseare wines for drinkers. But that’s not to say the growers are prepared to sell for much less thanfor 2005. Many will keep their prices the same as 2005. So a drinker’s vintage, but it’s not goingcheap.A few of the growers’ impressions of the quality:Benjamin Leroux; “A nice vintage in Burgundy, better than average and pretty surprising. Betterthan 2004.”Michel Lafarge; “A very pretty vintage.”Christophe Roumier: “I might have wished for more concentration and depth, but I am pleasedwith the wines. They have good flavours. These wines are not so complex and not soconcentrated. They are going to be very pleasant. I see the lovely fruit as an advantage. In 2000one could say the wines were dominated by the vintage flabbiness. They were so sweet on thefinish. They were very nice to drink young. 2006 has the same body, but the wines are fresher,more vivid and there is a marked variation of texture following the AC level. More terroirinfluence than in 2000. The hillsides show this. Also the age of vines is quite apparent in thisvintage.”ValueMost growers are keeping their prices stable. 2006 was much more difficult than 2005 forexample, and required more work in the vineyard and in the winery at harvest for sorting. Forthose affected by hail, volume may have been slashed by 20, 30 even 50%. So labour costs maywell have been higher and volume was lower. One can understand how these domaines find itdifficult to decrease the prices set in 2005. Ghislaine Barthod, for example, has 9 of the usual 15barrels of Les Beaux-Bruns; a vineyard badly hit by hail.Frédérick Drouhin has decided on price stability. “The same as 2005s, but this will be about 15%down on average given the volume produced.”25

elatively soft. The wines from smaller appellations will fade and die and the moment will be lost.Which begs the question, why keep them?I would drink the village wines and lesser premier cru in youth (4 for village to a maximum of 8years) and the more serious wines in middle age (6 to 12 years). There are more robust recentvintages to mature and which will repay keeping; 2005 of course and 2002, which is pretty meanat the moment.Of course there are exceptions to every rule and I would keep a few top flight wines simply outof curiosity. In years to come, there might be the right moment to open an elderly wine which isdelicately fragrant.The dates below are relevant for well made wine. Those with balanced freshness and mineralityon the finish have the capacity for development. Wines with soft acidity/high pH are not going tolast. They will come forward very early and should be drunk.A rough indication of ‘from’ dates for drinking:Generic: From 2009Village: From 2009/10Top village: From 2010Premier cru: From 2011/12Grand cru: Smaller or lighter grand cru from 2012/13. Mainly from 2013/14. A few from2015.In relation to other vintages they should fit in before the 2005 and after the mainstream 2004s.However I think the best 2004s have greater potential to age than the 2006s.In the meantime as the 2006s find their way into your cellar, drink your 2003 village wine andstart on some lesser premier cru. The 2001s are drinking well now. Leave the 2002s which arestill clamped down. Consider trying some 2004s from the middle of next year (2008), while youare waiting for the 2006s.27

The Burgundy Briefingnews, views and tastingsSarah Marsh MWVintage report White 2006After a cold and rainy August the prognosis was not good. A warm September saved the day andthe grapes rushed to ripeness. However the conditions of damp soil, warm weather and swiftmaturation were conducive to botrytis and grey rot.“The best terroir in 2006 were dry terroir, because of mildew caused by the summer rain. Thebest are higher and some others with good drainage,” remarks Pierre MoreyAntoine Jobard comments on some botrytis in their Bourgogne Blanc and Meursault En La Barre.These two vineyards were affected because in August it rained a lot and the ground was humidall summer. “There was some lightening three days before harvest and in two days the grapesbecame very ripe, so botrytis spread.”Some noble rot can add attractive nuances to the wine. However where it developed into grey rotit needed very careful selection to remove the affected fruit.Harvest:The Ban de Vendange was the 18 th September. Unusually it was the same in the Côte de Beauneand the Côtes de Nuits.There is a marked difference in quality and style according to when the grapes were picked.While the Côte de Nuits growers were ‘hanging on’ to pick red as late as possible to achievephenolic ripeness, in the Côte de Beaune, many looked at their Chardonnay and applied to pickearly.Jean-Marc Roulot and Dominique Lafon both started four days early. Tasting the 2006 whites, itbecomes apparent that those who picked from or before the 18 th to about the 23 rd have thefresher wines. After the 23 rd the wines can become significantly richer. The fruit can be too ripe,the acidity drops and the texture becomes loose knitted. The weather became heavier and closerand the ripeness really picked up after the 23rd. It was hard to maintain a balance at this stage,except in cooler areas. It was not unusual for grapes to reach nearly 14% potential alcohol.The maturity is considered by Patrick Javillier, among others, as being on the very limit ofacceptable. He found it was 0.5 degree higher than 2005 and thinks that maybe he should havepicked a couple of days earlier.There were a few exceptions to the ‘early is best’ picking. At Domaine Leflaive the started afterthe ban on the 20 th to the 27th but have good freshness and balance. I would like to think this isdue to their meticulous approach in the vineyard, which has encouraged deep roots and vines28

which absorbed up less water were able to maintain the balance of acidity and ripeness forlonger.Pierre Morey may have picked on the 20 th September after the Ban, but points out that threethings were essential at harvest; to pick the Chardonnay very quickly, at the right time and toselect the healthy grapes. He likens it to 1986, “great care was needed in timing or the noble rotdeteriorates to grey rot.”Celine, Richard Fontaine-Gagnard’s daughter, who was working in Meursault during September,noticed that “already it was too late here (in Meursault). In the mornings there was fog inChassagne, while in Meursault it was already sunny.” This may be a clue as to why Chassagnestood out in 2006.Volume: Average yields. Dominique Lafon comments “The yield was 40-50hl/ha for the whites in2006, while it was small in 2005, maybe too small.” Chardonnay does not benefit from very smallyields.Analysis: Ripe fruit with medium to high alcohol. The natural degree is typically 13%+. Someare nearer to 14%. If grapes were picked after the close humid period, they could be more, inwhich case the acidity is on the low side. Generally however the acidity is average and sufficient.Those who picked early, among them Guy Roulot, actually found the acidity lower than in 2005.Where the acidity is average, growers commented that it was at a similar level to 2005. The pHswere normal where the harvest was earlier. They are probably slighter higher than averagewhere harvesting was late. This just shows illustrates range in style and profile the 2006 hasproduced.Some growers including Patrick Javillier decided to bottle earlier.StylePlenty of pure fruit. Ripe citrus fruit, moving through the crystallised and candied lemonspectrum with even a touch of mango here and there. There is quite a lot of pear-like fruit whichis linked to rapid ripening. There are occasional glimpses of honey from the botrytis and hints ofspice.The acidity is fresh, juicy and fruity. Above all it is ripe acidity. It is quite different from thesteely, colder acidity of the 2004s and is more obvious, although of similar level to 2005.The palate is on the fuller, rich and round side, but not at all heavy. The wines have a goodbalance of ripe fruit and acidity.Of course on the negative side, there are wines which suffer from low acidity and can be a bitsoft and lack definition. Much depends on when the grower picked.The terroir influence is notable. The fruit has a purity which allows the terroir shine though andthere is some lovely minerality to this vintage. In this respect 2006 is like the terroir transparent2004, although not in quite the same manner. In comparison with these vintages 2005 so rich itshows more commune characteristics.29

Patrick Javillier considers that in 2006 the more mineral terroir such as Tillets have a goodbalance of vintage character and terroir. Jean-Marc Blain felt that the calcareous soils did well in2006.Village OverviewHighlights: Chassagne-Montrachet seems to capture the essence of this vintage.Côte de Nuits whitesSome good whites in the Côte de Nuits. At Domaine de L’Arlot Oliver Leriche neatly characterisesthe style. “The whites are mineral and ripe and the same time.” In Nuits-Saint-George Domainede L’Arlot has produced some spicy, expressive and mineral wine.Corton and Aloxe-CortonAloxe-Corton is mixed, but better for white than red. Domaine Comte Senard has a lovely villagewine.Whites from the hill of Corton are well defined. There are some very nice Corton Blanc (Chandonde Briailles and Comte Senard) and some truly excellent Corton Charlemagne. At Bonneau deMartray they believe it might be better than the splendid 2005, and they might be right.Beaune and Savigny-Lès-BeauneI have really not tasted widely enough of Beaune in either colour really to generalise, but myimpression is that the whites seem more consistent and of better overall quality then the reds. InSavigny-Lès-Beaune I tasted principally red wine. However Chardonnay will cope better thanPinot Noir with the rain and rot which was prevalent there in 2006. The whites may well be morereliable than the reds, which were very mixed and sometimes disappointing. Patrick Javillier, forexample, has made a lovely fresh Savigny Blanc.Meursault and BlagnyGood classic Meursault. Although Chassagne was my highlight village in 2006 for its excellentexpression of the vintage, the vintage was well suited to Meursault. The wines are sleek and ripe,while being light-bodied and pure. They are sufficiently and appetizingly fresh, especially fromthe higher places and more mineral lieux-dits such as Tillets, where the minerality underpins theacidity.After the 2005s there was more evident terroir definition in the Lieux-Dits, except where thepicking is later. So very much depends on picking dates.30

In the leading premier cru perhaps Les Perrières has the edge on Les Charmes in 2006. Theelegance of 2006 harmonises with the minerality of Perrières. I liked Les Charmes though. It feltmore svelte and elegant than in 2005. Both vintages suit Charmes, but in 2005 it is more of a fatcat, more opulent and glossy. Genevrières was especially spicy and a touch florid, perhaps atouch too exotic in the aromatics. For my taste, Genevrières benefits from the stricter profile andcolder, firmer acidity of a vintage like 2004.There are some good Blagny, although where it got very ripe it sacrificed minerality and precisionfor a ripe, exotic and spicy profile.Puligny-MontrachetAlthough the village wines are good in Puligny, those from Chassagne generally have the edgethis year.In the premier cru there are some lovely wines especially from the more mineral terroir. GoodPerrières and Champ Gain and several stunning Folatières.In the richer premiers crus such as Clavoillon the ripe vintage served to accentuate the smoothpolished texture.The ‘in between’, cru for example Combettes which has soil which warms up quickly, yet isfurther from the water table and well drained, arguably did better than their richer counterparts.Domaine Leflaive has a good example in which the ripeness of the vintage is contained and thepalate given definition by the terroir.Grands crus (Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet): Bienvennue, so good in 2004 and2005, seemed a little out of focus, while Bâtard seemed more interesting, more contained andbetter balanced with more tension and minerality than in 2005. Possibly the vintage dominated inBienvennue and Bâtard-Montrachet, while the terroir was uppermost in Chevalier andMontrachet. Chevalier is the highlight if you want a grand cru to start drinking in three or fouryears and over the following five years or so. It has marvellous terroir expression with stony,chalky minerality cutting through the ripe fruit. (Le) Montrachet is more reserved and will takelonger to unfurl.Saint-AubinSaint-Aubin is back on form in 2006, making wine with terroir character and good typcitié. Thetop vineyards, including En Remilly, on the slope up to the Puligny border performed very well,without the over-ripeness of 2005. Les Combes produced some lovely wine.Chassagne-MontrachetIt was a very good year in Chassagne-Montrachet. It is more likeable than 2005 and in somecases better balanced. There was no hail in 2006, as there was in 2005. If you recall the hailmade some of the 2005s very concentrated and where there was higher than average alcohol,they are a bit top heavy and not so precise. The 2006s have a lovely balance of ripe fruit andfreshness.31

QualityA sound three star vintage, but based on the white I tasted from quality vignerons it is nudginginto a four star vintage. Like a well mannered and engaging friend, you will want to have itaround. 2006 is a better white than red vintage.Whereas 2005 was, undoubtedly, a very good vintage (although greater for reds than forwhites), the full rich wines were not to everyone’s taste. Many Burgundy lovers may prefer the2006s. The best white 2006s might have the edge in stylishness on some 2005s. Notably wherethe grapes became over ripe or over concentrated because of the hail. There are certainly betterwines in Saint-Aubin in 2006, and some areas of Chassagne were on better form.It is a good vintage. Classic white Burgundy with decent terroir focus. A vintage you will want todrink, rather than to admire.But take note, it is a vignerons’ vintage. It required work. It didn’t make itself and it will not be asuniform in quality across appellation and grower as the 2005s. The appellation hierarchy is moredistinct. Some whites will lack acidity leading to poor balance, lack of definition and freshness.There will be wines which are over ripe, loose knit and dull.Growers’ impressions:Jean-Marc Roulot; “This is not an exceptional vintage, just a good vintage and in this sort ofvintage the minerality of the terroir will help a lot.”Richard Fontaine-Gagnard is more favourable, remarking that he likes 2006, “More than 2003,less than 2004 and similar to 2005s.” (Although he evidently prefers the 2004s, he adds that thelong term potential of the 2005s is greater.)Domaine de la Romanée Conti picked their Montrachet on the 26 th and comment; “The low yieldsand amazing ripeness of the Chardonnay grapes, gold and juicy, full of sugar and slightlybotrytised - just what is needed - should give a great 2006 Montrachet.”ValueGrowers spoke of price stability for white wines. The same approach to pricing as the growers ofred, however the outcome for white is better. The whites did not increase in 2005 as much asthe reds. (Quite rightly so). Added to which the vintage is better for white in 2006 than for red.Whites therefore look set to have a fairer price/quality ratio. It depends on margins along theway, but the whites have the potential to be decently priced…for everyone.33

When to drinkSome growers’ opinions:Jean-Marc Blain; “Give the 2006s four years. The 2001s are tasting well now and perhaps the2006 are a little like the 2001s”Jean-Marc Roulot; “It is not a vintage for ageing a long time. 3 to 5 years.”Pierre Morey takes a different stance. He prefers it to the 2004s and believes it to have longerageing potential. “The 2006 will be good in middle age 5-10 years. If the wine has good purity, ithas the possibility to last for 20 years, but if very ripe then no.”Jean-Louis Chavy considers 2005 as “very strong and needs time.” Of 2004 and 2006 hecomments; “these two vintages are of good quality. The 2004 has more acidity and it is better towait a little after the 2006s”2006 is open and expressive and can be enjoyed in youth. The moderate acidity points to earlydrinking, although if the wine has good purity and is not too ripe, then over the medium term.Drink over 2 to 5 years for village, 3 to 7 for premier cru; and grand cru 5-10. (The 2004 vintagewill age longer). It will be a good vintage to choose in a restaurant.Drinking ‘from’ dates:Bourgogne and Village: From nowTop village Lieux-dits: From late 2009Premier cru: From late 2009/10Grand cru: From 2010/1134

Domaine Rene Lequin-Colin, Santenay................................................................................270Domaine Lucien Muzard et Fils, Santenay............................................................................273Domaine A et P de Villaine, Bouzeron ................................................................................275Domaine Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon, Macon ....................................................................27737

Maison Camille Giroud, BeauneDavid Croix studied viticulture and vinification in the Loire for two years before a further three inDijon, where got his degree in 2002 and began working for Camille Giroud just eleven days later.His uncle is a muscadet producer. Although his parents were not in wine, it was his father whooriginally inspired him. David recalls accompanying him to the cellar as a child. However David’schildhood passion for was for cars and he considered becoming an engineer. When he came tomake a decision at his lycée, he reasoned that he was not yet ready for five years of engineeringschool. He also wanted to be closer to nature. He went on to do his winemaking degree in Dijonduring which he did an internship with Benjamin Leroux who was four years ahead of him atDijon.David worked at Clos des Epeneaux during the 2000 vintage and was inspired by Benjamin, “Ihave always been sensitive to the organic approach and something special happened here. Icaught the ‘virus’ for Burgundy.” However he points out that working for a négoce, where thevineyards are leased or the fruit bought in, it is impossible to work totally organically. Only about10% is organic.Camille Giroud was sold in 2002. Until then it was still owned by the Giroud family who offloadedeverything but the vineyards. The vineyard property is tiny in terms of the whole operation.Becky Wasserman was the exclusive agent from 1990. She had built a relationship with theGiroud brothers and when they decided to sell they turned to her and she put them in touch withColgin Cellars in the Napa. The Colgin family who are lovers of Burgundy put together a group ofinvestors. Benjamin gave David the ‘tip off’ that a winemaking position would be available. Davidhad been thinking of going abroad to New Zealand, but the opportunity came and he was soonhired.He has swept the place with the proverbial new broom. The négoce had had been in the Giroudfamily for three generations and was, as David describes, “old fashioned Burgundy.” David setabout cleaning up the act. There were many changes which could be quickly made. In the wineryequipment needed replacing as there had been no investment for 30 years. He burnt 700 barrels.(Generally 15-20 percent new wood is now used, although a very few grand cru have 40%).The Giroud company had been close to bankrupt, so it was a huge job to turn things around,from the paperwork to the winemaking. Only now does David feel as though it is getting towhere it should be.At the end of their ownership the Giroud family were mainly buying Côte de Beaune and villagewine, now David is buying Côte de Nuits and grand cru. He has changed almost every contract,buying 85-90% in fruit and the rest in wine post malolactic. No signed contracts are made;everything is by hand shake. “We build a relationship and buy year after year if they are goodgrowers. Then they take you seriously. We worked hard to pick the right people from thebeginning. You have to give the growers responsibility.” The most significant influence David hasin the vines is on green harvest. “The challenge is to get ripe fruit through canopy management… there is the frustration of not being totally in control, but balanced against this is theexcitement of buying what you want.”As David buys fruit from growers spread across Burgundy, I wondered how found the vintageconditions and if there were highlights and lowlights in quality. To paraphrase: ‘In general38

flowering took place on the 12-13 th June in good weather; the conditions were great especially inthe Côte de Beaune and then July was very hot and August was terrible. The Côte de Nuits didmuch better than Côte de Beaune. In the Côte de Nuits there was nothing to sort. As in 2005 thegrapes were perfect. Vosne-Romanée is a village that did well. We found the most botrytis inBeaune. There was twice as much rain in Beaune than in Nuits-Saint-George in August. Rainlevels were 100 mm in Beaune and 50 mm in NSG. So the Côte de Beaune fruit needed muchmore sorting.’David describes his approach as “classical, nothing special in winemaking. I am after the bestbalance in the fruit and to be very respectful from picking to bottling.” They use a sorting table ofcourse, open vats and pigeage with a little pumping over at the end. “There is no recipe becausethere are so many different cuvées. Each tank is different. We taste twice a day.”In 2006 he did more extraction at the beginning, but less at the end “because there is not thesame phenolic ripeness. There is less tannin than 2005, but not massively lower sugar levels.”They didn’t need to chaptalise much in 2006. After the malolactic it was the pH was about thesame as 2005, but higher than in the 2004s.SMBourgogne RougeDavid wants to keep the purity in the fruit so will bottle in January.Attractive fruit, quite plump, fresh and with soft tannins. Nice simple fruit-driven wine. Verypleasant to attractive. From later 2008RedSavigny-Lès-Beaune, Les PeuilletsThis is from the premier cru section of Les Peuillets. At sorting 10% was selected outThis has lively fruit, which is bright on the aroma. The attack is juicy and the acidity fresh. Thetannins are ripe and there is plumpness to the body. The fruit is pure and bright. (David says “wealways get rounded and ripe fruit here”). A supple and attractive wine with some fair intensity, adecent structure and a fruit-driven finish. Good+. From late 2010/11Beaune, Les Cent-VignesLower aromas. Good firm attack to rounded palate with more grip in the middle. This has darkfruit with lively acidity. It is slightly less pure, but has gravely grunt and quite nicely roundedtannins. Very good. From 2010/11Beaune, Les AigrotsHigher aroma with more red fruit here. It is quite soft and plump, but the shape has a dumpyfour squareness and the wine is quite rustic. Good enough. From 2011Maranges, Premier CruThis is quite chunky and robust, but plenty of personality and body. The tannins are rounded atthe edges and there is decent quantity of ripe and attractive fruit. Good+. From 2010Volnay, TaillepiedsThere is nicely rounded and succulent fruit on the attack. It has firm tannins and is slightlygrippy, but not unduly so, and there is depth and nice concentration in the middle palate withsome minerality on the finish. Particularly good. From 201139

*Corton RognetThis has a deeper, darker aroma and a sultry depth of ripe fruit. It is broad, generous androunded with a slightly burly profile and firm, ripe, tannic structure with hint of liquorish. Fine tofine+. From 2012*Corton Clos-du-RoiThis has scented aroma and grippy palate. It has a direct profile with taut tannins and tetheredenergy. The ripe fruit is compact with high perfumed notes and slivers of stony minerality. Morecomplex, but also unusually unformed at the moment for this vintage. Fine++ From 2012*Vosne-RomanéeThere is an attractive depth of ripe fruit on the aroma. The palate has lovely plump fruit, floraland generous, nice freshness. It is very pure, really sings. Really good clarity of fruit andstructure and an attractive lusciousness. There is vivacity here which carries to a good finish.Good to Very good. From 2010*Nuits-Saint-George, Les VaucrainsSteely and dark with pure black fruit and soft lead minerality. The tannins are firm with a finegravely quality. The energy here is measured. It is rather well mannered and rathersophisticated. It is relatively light-bodied for Vaucrains, but what looses in weight and body itgains in elegance. Fine. From 2011/12Charmes-ChambertinVery perfumed on the nose and on the palate. It ripples silkily and seductively on the palate withsoft delicacy, fragrance and freshness. Not great depth for grand cru, but a super charming,light-bodied and rather an ethereal wine. Fine. From 2012Latricieres-ChambertinThis has an upright aroma and a contained palate, which is tightly mineral and chalky. There isgood tension and energy here; taut and close knit fruit and tannins. The finish is firm andtapering. Fine+. From 2012Chapelle ChambertinThis is grippy and deep with more obvious tannic structure. It is rather powerful and direct with afull-bodied palate, muscular and vigorous. More brute force here with a persistent finish. Fine+ChambertinLovely intense aromatics. Much more complete with an elegant structure, smooth and finegrained tannins. There is a slippery chalkiness laced with vivid fruit and a perfumed mineral finishwhich is really very long. Fine to Very fine.40

Maison and Domaine Joseph Drouhin, BeauneGeneral comments about the vintage for both red and white:“August was the main factor in this vintage as the weather triggered rot development,” remarksPhilippe Douhin. “The berries shrank as the botrytis developed. The final three weeks inSeptember allowed for complete ripeness of the grapes. The whites were ripe after the reds andChablis after Beaune. Both Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune benefited from this nice weather.The rain triggered more botrytis in the Côte de Beaune because it ripens first, but we had to sortfor rot everywhere. The quantities were good to start with but, because of sorting, the final yieldwas 14-15% down.”“In 2006 we were very happy looking at the white grapes,” remarks Frédérick Drouhin. “We didthe analysis and thought there would be four days until harvest, then the next day we saw theberries had much greater sugar and were turning slightly pink. We picked immediately. Werealised we had to go quickly,” says Frédérick. “Chablis before the Côte d’Or, which is veryunusual, but the concentration was increasing very quickly and the wine could become tooalcoholic.” They harvested in just two weeks what normally tastes three weeks and in 2007, took4 weeks. Frédérick feared the wines would be too exotic. “I don’t like exoticism. 2003 was tooexotic, but although there was ripe fruit and less acidity, it was not too exotic.”Philippe comments on the health of the vines during the vintage: “No vines suffered from frostdamage even in Chablis in 2006. Since 2003 it has been quiet on the insect front, perhaps theysuffered from the heat. Many people are now abandoning pheromones, because they areexpensive and the insect population is low. Cut worms have not varied. It depends on vegetationgrowth, if fast enough then vine is OK.”“Powdery mildew was not a major problem; downy only developed in August because of the wetand warmth, although it was cooler than usual. After August, young leaves developed and thesewere affected, but it was not an annoying damage like in 2007, where powdery mildew went intothe plant and hit the important foliage.”With Jéröme Faure-Brac now fully in charge, Frédérick remarks that the approach has notchanged. “We look for finesses and elegance. We are not great fans of oak and extraction. Ouruse of new oak is very reasonable. The malolactic went very quickly, so we bottled 2006 earlierthan usual.” Normally they age the wines longer in barrel, but apart from Montrachet all thewhites were bottled after the summer holidays in late August four months earlier than usual. Thealcohol is higher than in 2005 and 2004.Comparison with other vintages: “People expected a lot of the vintage after 2005. For theconsumer 2006 will be a seductive vintage to enjoy the lesser appellations for next 5 years. Thenthey can enjoy the 2005, (although I am sure many people would enjoy the 2005 now) and afterthis the 2004. I thought 2004 was a great vintage for acidity and tipicity of terroir for white. Thereds were similar in terms of seduction in 2004 and 2006.Ageing ability: “No one is drinking older white wine these days. Five years is old. Not a long termageing vintage, from now for the little wines and for 10-12 for the top wines. Not much acidityand this is the key to long term ageing.”I wondered if a village stood out, given that Drouhin work across Burgundy. Frédérick consideredthat “Meursault is a level above the usual. The charm and the ripeness went well with the style of43

the village. I think it will be a good vintage for typicity. The character of the terroir shows verywell. In 2005 the vintage dominated the terroir and 2004 the terroir was over the vintage.Reds in particularFrédérick remarks, “It was difficult vintage at the time of the harvest. Sorting is the key. There isno excuse though. Everyone is well equipped these days. The skins were not very thick in the2006s, which explains why a percentage started to rot before harvest. All the flavours werethere, so we tried to have very gentle pressing. Not looking for structure and extract. We werenot sure the tannins were ripe enough. So we destemmed 100% for most wines, although somegrand cru have 20% of whole bunches. We used shorter vinifications; two rather than threeweeks.”“The degrees were between 12.9 to 13.9. The malic acidity was low. We don’t like the malolactictoo soon. We like to postpone for complexity, yet most happened before Christmas. So we willbottle the reds early, some were bottled with the whites in July and August. It is very unusual tohave less then a year. Tasting the wine in cask, we felt the wines could dry out in barrel and losethe freshness, which was very seductive in August. The rest we will bottle in October.”We had hail in Les Amoureuses and Bonnes Mares, so the crop was very small. In Les Baudesthere was practically no production at all.The 2006s says Frédérick, “have charm and seduction and light structure. I think the style inBurgundy will be wide. If people have tried to extract too much when the tannins are stillgreen….”Drouhin, who are in a good position to have an overall view of the vintage, consider the Côte deNuits more homogenous than Côte de Beaune in 2006 for reds.Like most, Drouhin speak of price stability. As Frédérick points out the volume is less than in2005.It is quite clear from this tasting that Drouhin have been very careful with extraction. The wineshave refined tannins. They are supple with no aggressive edges. The wines are understandablyquite light. Overall an elegant set of reds. Very much the restrained Drouhin style. They haveworked well to maximise the potential of this vintage.Some thoughts on the subject of premature oxidation:Frédérick considers the cork to be a major factor and estimates that 10% in any line up might beoxidized. They worried if paraffin was a cause of premature oxidation. “In 1995 corkmanufacturers exchanged chlorine for peroxide and paraffin for silicon and I think that these twofactors had an effect on the sulphur levels of the wine.” Now there has been a return to paraffin.As for wine presses. He comments that in 1995, 1996 and 1997 everyone changed presses andhe wonders if they were working in too a clean an environment. At Drouhin they have a winepress dating from 1517, which they still use on occasion. It was used in 2005 and 2007 on someClos des Mouches as an experiment in make wine using all traditional techniques. It took a day44

Marzipan, floral aroma. Decent firm structure and richness to the middle palate. Some veryattractive loganberry fruit. A touch of sappy tannin and grip, which is fine here. It is upright andwell balanced with chalky minerality on the long, firm finish. Fine to fine+. From 2011/12Morey-Saint-Denis, Clos SorbéDarker, smokier, more feral character. Rich attack. Lots of fruit, black berries, and dark plums,but there is also a dark and slightly earthy character. Slightly more ‘rustic’ tannins. Rounded,even quite plump, then it focuses in on the finish. A robust wine. Particularly good. From 2010.*Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Procès65 year old vines and some younger 8-10 years old vines. This belongs to Laurent Drouhin.Rich, dark fruit aroma. Really juicy fruit, almost tangy on the palate. There is a touch of spice,some fresh acidity, lively energy, firm, ripe tannins with a little grip. Good statement for thefinish. Particularly good++. From 2010/11.*MusignyDrouhin own these vines.Very intensely perfumed and blossomy. This delightful and expressive perfume carries to thepalate with a delicacy and intensity. There is a taut core; a chalky minerality which surges thoughthe wine. The tannins are fine, lifted, knitting seamlessly into the wine. It flows with a current ofenergy which has great persistence. Fine to very fine. From 2011/12*Vosne-Romanée, Les Petits MontsTwo parcels which are cultivated using horses and belong to Veronique Drouhin. Half a hectare.Rich, dark aroma. Bramble fruits; slightly smoky and spicy with glints of dark chocolate. It has avery smooth, unctuous texture and thick, ripe rich tannins. It is full and rounded with a verycomplete middle palate. Slightly languid with a long, trailing, sustained finish. It should age verywell, despite the immediate fruit. Fine+. From 2013Grands EchezeauxAnother domaine wine.This is quite reserved with good firm structure, mineral, smoky richness, power and intensity. Itis a full bodied wine, dense in the middle palate and quite forceful on the finish. Fine. From 2013.Chambertin, Griottes-ChambertinRich and intense on the attack. Lovely, juicy mulberry fruit and good intensity on the middlepalate. The texture is flowing, the tannins ripe and rounded. It is layered and complex with along sustained finish. Very harmonious, clear and lucid wine. Fine to very fine. From 2013.Red wine tasted by SM46

WhitesWhites tasted by Katherine Richardson (KR)RullyA blend of domaine and bought grapes. About 10-15% of the final cuvée is made up of premiercru fruit.Ripe aromas of hay and pineapple with citrus notes. There is a hint of minerality on the palatethat comes through more clearly on the finish. The rounded mouthfeel is supported by ripeacidity. Pleasant+. From 2008.Chassagne-MontrachetMore mineral notes are clear on the nose aligned with ripe florals and marzipan. White peachemerges on the palate and there is an attractive balance between ripeness and freshness. Thetexture is smooth and shows breadth. Attractive+. From 2008/2009.Puligny-MontrachetThis is made from purchased grapes.This is more restrained on the nose. Stone and rich citrus fruits are layered with bright acidity.The minerality that sits within the core gives an edgy character to the wine. More tightly knitthan the Chassagne. Attractive to good. From 2008/2009.MeursaultGreen apple freshness, lemon and lees mark the nose. There is a touch of honey and thischaracter continues on the palate. There is a glossy smoothness to the mouthfeel. It feels biggerin charcter than the Puligny, but it is not heavy. Toasty notes come through on the finish.Attractive. From 2009.Puligny-Montrachet, FolatièresYouthful and restrained on the nose. There is mineral stoniness underlying the citrus and whitepeach fruit. Layers of vanilla spice and toast bring complexity. The depth on the mid-palate isgood and the finish is modestly long. Very good to particularly good. From 2009.Beaune, Clos de MouchesProduced from a vineyard that is characterized by a patchwork of soils. Frederic Drouhin thinks itis very good with grilled lobster.Lime zest and toasty oak are interlaced with smooth allspice notes. Freshness and clear aciditybalances breadth and depth. Quite muscular compared to the Folatières and the fruit is generous.Attractive grip on the finish. Particularly good. From 2010+.Meursault, PerrièresThe aromas are more subtle than the Clos de Mouches. On the nose and palate chalky mineralityand ample fruit sit side by side. The chalky notes give the wine a linear direction and guide thepalate. Bright, candied lemon peel lingers on the finish. Long and well balanced. Particularly goodto fine. From 2010.47

Corton-CharlemagneThe vines are situated in the centre of Charlemagne. The bunches are characterised by tightclusters of berries that have small, brown specks when fully ripe.Elegant aromas are marked by chalk and shale notes and hints of lime blossom. The palate ismouth filling, but not heavy. There is a gloss to the fruit and the acidity offers a streamlinedbackbone to the wine. Good persistence. Fine+. From 2011+.StockistsUK: Contact the agents: Dreyfus Ashby; Ballantynes of Cowbridge; DecorumVintners; Lea & Sandeman; James Nicholson Wine Merchants; Howard Ripley;Roberson Wine Merchant Ltd.USA: Dreyfus Ashby & Co.48

Maison Dujac Fils & Pere, Morey-Saint-DenisSMRedNothing racked yet. Dujac will bottle the négoce wine in December.Morey-Saint-DenisI like this more than the Gevrey Chambertin which follows. There is some grip here, breadth anddecent Morey-Saint-Denis typcité. Dark fruit, a bit gamey, attractively robust, quite vibrant andrather grunty on the finish. Good. From late 2009/2010Gevrey-ChambertinThis has attractive dark berry fruit, nicely balance and fresh with moderate tannins already quitesettled in the wine. Very attractive. From late 2009Chambolle-MusignyAlec Seysses comments that it is increasingly difficult to get Chambolle grapes from which theywant to make wine as the growers can earn more by bottling themselves – particularly in betteryears.This is bright on the aroma. Tense with red berry fruit and lively energy on the palate. Thetannins are soft and sit in the wine. Fresh and elegant. Good. From late 2009/2010WhitePuligny-MontrachetThis is in bottle. Vibrant with pure fruit with ucances of ripe pear. It has a rounded middle palatewith good richness and smooth minerality on the finish. Good. From late 200849

WhitesBourgogne ChardonnayThe fruit for this wine is sourced from vineyards in Puligny, Volnay and the Hautes Côtes. 15%new oak is used and it was bottled in August. Delicate peach fruit aromas continue on the palate.Fresh acidity adds a zesty edge. Fruity finish. From late 2008. Sound to pleasant.Fixin BlancAlso bottled in August at the same time as the Bourgogne. 30% new oak is used. Prior to bottlingthe wine was fined, but not filtered. They buy from the same grower each year, so they are ableto check the vineyard and harvest. Citrus and spice aromas linger on the nose and palate. Themouthfeel is fresh and fruity. Pleasant+. From 2008.Meursault Clos De CreminThe cuvée is produced from old vines with an average age of 60-70 years. The berries arenaturally very small and concentrated as a result. Rich, almost exotic in character. The fruit isglossy and the acidity is tangy. Minerals underlie the fruit on the palate. Attractive to good. From2008/2009.Puligny-MontrachetThis wine is sourced from two different vineyards. In total only 10 barrels were made. Lime zestcomes through and the wine naturally shows more minerality than the Meursault. Lively attackand fruit intensity is consistent. Attractive to good. From 2008/9.*Saint-Aubin, Les Murgers Des Dents De Chien30% new oak. Racked into vat in July. They planned to fine towards the end of October, thenwait until they felt the wine was ready for bottling – generally preferring at least 10 weeks afterracking before bottling (though this can vary from wine to wine). Delicious zesty, bright aromas.Vibrant attack and juicy acidity drives the palate and finish. Lovely balance and citrus finish.Good. From 2009.Corton-Charlemagne50% new oak. The sample was taken from vat. They bought must from two different supplierssituated in on the Pernand-Vergelesses, cooler Corton-Charlemagne sites. Lemon and chalkynotes make their way through the wine, scenting the nose and the palate. Good direction andstructure. Lighter body. Particularly good to fine. From 2010/2012.51

Maison Pascal Lachaux, Vosne-RomanéeSMChambolle-Musigny, Les CrasThis was racked once in July. There is more evolution in Les Cras so Pascal will bottle in January.Cherry blossom on the aroma and pure red cherry fruit on the palate. A long firm core to thiswine, freshness and vibrancy and a long chalky finish. Marked new wood. This is in new barrels,rather than the 500l used for a percentage of each of the domaine wines. Particularly good. From2010.Chambolle-Musigny, Les Grand MursShallower soils in this premier cru which lies under Les Feusselottes.This has ripe fruits, compote of summer fruits, rather ample, full and sweetly rounded. Thetannins are firm, but supple. There is some power on the finish of this Chambolle, matched bythe fine toned muscularity on the palate. Particularly good+. From 2010Clos de la RocheThe attack is smooth and dense with ripe cherry fruit. Then the palate closes in, compact andrichly muscular and coiled. The tannins are full and ripe. There decent depth and dimension here,a terse robustness and a long bullish, determined finish. Fine. From 2015.*Clos Saint DenisPascal remarks that last year (when Katherine tasted here) the Clos de la Roche was closed theClos Saint Denis was open and this year it is the other way around.This is much more expressive, perfumed and aromatic. The palate is lifted, scented. The tanninsare surprisingly smooth and the palate is not chunky at all. This is rather exotic and expansive.The freshness comes though on the finish which is very long and vibrant. Fine+. From 2014Bonnes-MaresDarkly mineral and less fruity on the aroma, while the first impression on the palate is of sweetblackberry fruit. The middle palate is firm, muscular and tense with coiled energy. No lack ofdensity and structure. There is grip and firm tannin even if this is somewhat cushioned in ripefruit. This is a powerful wine with an assertive finish. Fine+. 2014.Chambertin, Clos-de-BèzePascal remarks that he took out all the hail affected berries out at the end of August, which wasimportant to avoid the smell of hail taint.Lovely fruit on the aroma. Good intensity on the palate. Quite a refined structure, tight, lifted andvery expressive. The tannins are fine here and sit in the wine. There is an elegant touch to thisClos de Bèze; a bright energy and poise. Under the fruit lies a firm core which carries to a lovelylong red fruit finish, which is very persistent. It has a lovely balance and harmony. Fine++. From2014.*Mazis-ChambertinThis has an expressive and slightly exotic aroma. The palate is very spicy with notes of cinnamonand mocha and dark, pencil-lead minerality. It really sings with vivid forest fruit. Fine balance andfine intensity. It is direct and has notable definition and elegance. The finish is very long, mineraland pure. A delightful Mazis-Chambertin. Fine to very fine. From 201452

StockistsUK:USA:John Armit Wines; BibendumContact the agents: Russell Herman, World Wide Wine Source; Neal Rosenthal WineMerchant.53

Maison Morey, MeursaultThe vineyards were picked quickly from the 20 th September and Pierre comments that he hasnever needed to pick before the Ban de Vendange. He attributes this to his biodynamic approachin the vineyard, which gives sufficient acidity and better overall balance in the grape to enablehim to harvest a bit later. Pierre uses a mix of organic, biodynamic and lutte raisonnéeapproaches…“but we make progress.” The most important result from the biodynamics is toencourage the roots away from the surface of the soil. “The low roots did not pick up the rain in2007 in the same way.” 2007 was very much on everyone’s mind and the weather had beenwetter than in 2006.“It was necessary to make harvest very quickly with Chardonnay; at the right time and to selectthe healthy grapes. The grapes were a bit like 1986. The grapes were healthy here this year, butfor both 1986 and 2006 great care was needed in timing to prevent the noble rot deteriorating togrey rot.”Pierre normally racks once in the summer. Everything was sitting on fine lees until December orJanuary - 2 or 3 litres of lees in each barrel.“The best terroir in 2006 were dry terroir because of the mildew caused by the summer rain. Thebest are the higher vineyards and some others with good drainage.”SMRedAloxe Corton, Clos du ChapitreThis has pretty red cherry fruit and a touch of minerality. It is lively and has a fruity finish. Veryattractive. From 2010White*Saint-RomainOne parcelThis has a bright and zesty aroma and a pure, lemony, fresh palate with a fruity finish. Veryattractive village Saint-Romain. From late 2008*Saint-Aubin, Les PucellesOne parcel.Bright, sweet greengage fruit on the aroma. The palate is frothy with juicy, white peach fruit.There is soft and integrated acidity. This has very attractive fruit, a nicely rounded middle palateand silky ripe texture. Good+. From late 2008/2009Saint-Aubin, Premier CruTwo origins; Sur Gamay and Sur-le-Sentier-du-Clos.Rich and ripe with attractively fresh acidity and a firm, straight palate with a bit of grip. A directand nutty finish. Very good+. From late 200954

*Saint-Aubin, Les CombesThis comes from 2 parcels from different growers. One vineyard is 50 years old and the other 30-35.A sweet aroma of new mown hay combines with ripe, leesy intensity in the aroma. It is ripe,rounded and elegant with a touch of aniseed and fern on the palate. This has character andelegance and a fluid sweeping yet lively finish. Particularly good. From late 2009Auxey-DuressesThe total acidity in this was 4.0g (pH 3.20) which nicely balances the weight of the fruit.There is richness here although accompanied by slight reduction. The intense lemon palate, richand concentrated, is well balanced by zesty acidity. It is quite nutty and leesy in the middlepalate. Although it is gawky, it has all the right elements. It is a robust wine with plenty ofextract. Good+. From 2009MeursaultRich aroma with a broad and ripe middle palate, packed with generous and full fruit. the acidity ismoderate. It has good typicity for both the village and the vintage. Good to very good. From2009Meursault, Les BouchèresThis was picked on the 22 nd and 24 th . The potential alcohol was 13.6 and 13.7. The TA 3.7 and3.8. The pH 3.3Slightly exotic floral notes, heady and white. The palate has florid fruit, fair acidity and is fullbodied and broad. It is looser knit than usual with a crocheted, rather than a filigreed, texture.The finish is very spicy. Particularly good to fine. From 2009/2010*Meursault, Goutte d’OrEnticing ripe citrus and satsuma aromas. Very zesty and rich with high notes of cinnamon. Theattack is supple and effortless to a perfumed and amply rounded middle palate with soft glossyminerality. Just enough acidity. It is a relaxed and seductive wine with an exotic long and languidfinish. Fine. From 2011*Meursault, CharmesThis has a rich aroma and a silky palate with immediately present minerality. It is firm, verynicely defined and svelte with shimmering energy and a long, tight, focused and mineral finish.It’s a good Charmes. Fine to very fine. From 2010/11Meursault, Les GenevrièresFloral aroma. There is rose perfume on the palate, which is soft, petally and expressive. It isgenerously rounded with rich intensity of fruit in the middle. While it is certainly seductive, Iprefer the better defined palate of the Charmes. Fine+. From 2010/11*Corton-CharlemagneThis comes from 3 parcels which Pierre selected for their different exposures.Upright chalky aroma. The palate is dense, rich and compact; tight and long on the finish. Thereis a saline, vibrant minerality underlying the fruit. This is tense and reserved. Fine to very fine.From 2012StockistsUK:USA:Justerini and Brooks; Tanners; Lay and Wheeler; Harrods; House of Townsend; Adnams;Goedhuis; A ByrneWilson Daniels55

Maison Nicolas Potel, Nuits-Saint-GeorgesXavier Meney comments that the 2006s will be bottled a little earlier – by late October. They hadstarted bottling the Bourgogne rouge and the Savigny village and the rest will follow, running into2008. The grands crus will be bottled last, probably in March. He describes the wines as havingmore depth compared with the 2004s. Some of the wines will offer immediate pleasure, whileothers will benefit from being kept. He says the 2006s have a similar clarity to the 2001s, but in2006 the wines have more fruit and they are far more charming at this stage in their life.KRSavigny-Lès-Beaune, PeuilletsBright, berry fruit is reminiscent of strawberries. Clean and fresh palate. The balance is good andfruit leads the finish. There is good energy here and the fruit and phenolics are accessible andripe. Particularly good+. From 2009.Beaune, Grèves80 year old vines.Inviting aromas allude to milk chocolate, toast and cinnamon spice. The attack is lively. Thetannins are fine and smooth and fruit draws out the finish. Particularly good+. From 2009/2010.Volnay, Clos Des ChênesRed berries; redcurrant and cherries emerge on the nose. The structure of the wine is moreapparent, but the tannins have a smooth-grained quality that is combined with vivid acidity givingthe wine a direct mouthfeel. There is good breadth on the mid-palate and lovely length.Particularly good to fine. From 2010.*Chambolle-Musigny, Aux ÉchangesThey started working with this monopole in 2001. The vines are 33 years old.The nose and palate have a fragrant quality. The strike is smooth and the fruit has gloss, butwithout weight. The focus of the phenolics gives the wine a grounded quality. Fine. From2010/2011.Chambolle-Musigny, Les FuéesMire perfumed mulberry fruit is evident on the nose and throughout the palate. The tannins feelfirmer, but remain fine-grained and are layered with more mineral austerity and fresh acidity.More depth and more defined in structure. Long, fruit-scented finish. Fine. From 2011.*Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les MurgersSituated on the north side of Nuits-Saint-Georges towards Vosne.Dark fruit is met by a rich, glycerol-charged palate. Muscular toned tannins are upright andstrong. There is plenty of matter on the mid-palate and the fruit draws out the finish. There isdelicious richness and energy here, combined with refined control. Fine to very fine. From2011/2012.Vosne-Romanée, Les Petits MontsDried flowers, exotic spice and red fruits carry from the nose to the palate – plush, but definedtannic structure. Generosity is balanced by fresh acidity. The mouthfeel is both elegant andfulsome. Red fruit and spice come through on the finish. Fine+. From 2011.56

Vosne-Romanée, Les MalconsortsMore kirsch and cherry notes lace the aromas. Vibrant attack is balanced by strong, but elegantlyformed tannins – they have a toned muscular quality. More forthright than the Petits Monts, butit still has a plush underbelly of ripe fruit. Minerality is more overt on the finish. Fine+. From2012.EchezeauxDense, dark and brooding quality – smoothly textured fruit emerges for a coiled core of tanninsand acidity. Refined, but also expressing a sense of power, that is enhanced by the directstructure. The concentration is good and the finish is long and layered. Fine++. From 2012/2014.Bonnes-MaresThere is a heady quality to this wine and the intensity of fruit is apparent from the outset. Asubtle determination is conveyed by the taut tannins and bright acidity and the fruit hints atopulence while remaining controlled. Good proportions and breadth on the palate. Excellentlength. Fine to very fine. From 2014.StockistsUK:USA:USAContact the agents Graham Gardner, Gardner’s Folly.Frederick Wildman & Sons;(some states): Contact Selection Becky Wasserman, Le Serbet, France.57

The Burgundy Briefingnews, views and tastingsSarah Marsh MWEn-Primeur Tasting Red 2006If the domaines in this secion have white wines which were tasted, they will be listed after thered.SM (Sarah Marsh)KR (Katherine Richardson)Domaine Denis Bachelet, Gevrey-ChambertinDenis Bachelet immediately pointed out that the malolactics started late for his 2006s; most hadonly finished in September and October, so he feels the wines need a little more time to settledown. On the plus side, the late malos have provided the wines with the chance to maintainmaximum freshness before bottling. He never racks after malolactic. The racking is carried outjust before bottling, when the wine is put into vats for the assemblage. At this stage with the2006s, he is undecided when he will bottle, but thinks April is a possibility.He finds it hard to find a comparative vintage for 2006, although the evolution so far and theacidity remind him of 2001. He started harvest on 23 rd September.KRBourgogneBlackberry and cherry fruit us layered with lovely minerality and showing excellent depth andcomplexity for a Bourgogne. The palate is fresh, clean and smoothly textured. Very attractivevillage wine. From 2008/2009.*Côtes De Nuits VillagesFrom vines in Brochon, the largest parcel lies in Queue de Hareng between Fixin Perrières andEvocelles in Gevrey. The grapes yielded are regularly very small with a good skin to pulp ratio.25% of this cuvée is in new oak.Bright fruit exudes plum and briars notes – darker and denser than the Bourgogne. Thefreshness and the fine tannins round out nicely on the finish. Very attractive. From 2009.Gevrey-Chambertin, Vieilles VignesThis sample was taken from a two year old barrel.Minerality is immediately apparent, with graphite, coal and black cherry fruit coming through onthe nose and the palate. The fruit is woven with finely-wrought phenolics, giving an elegantshape and balance to the mouthfeel. Good core of matter and a long, lifted finish. Very good.From 2009.58

*Gevrey-Chambertin, Les CorbeauxAlthough it is a little closed at this tasting, hints of dark forest fruits and sour cherry emerge outof the wine. Fruit coats the mouth on the attack and the palate displays excellent depth andprecision. A scented, dark, mineral core adds complexity and is aligned with smoothly grippingtannins. Fine++. From 2011/2012.Charmes-ChambertinReticent at first, but a charming, glossy character starts to emerge. There is a fine balance to thetannins and acidity. The attack and mid-palate show richness and intensity, while remainingpoised and controlled. The finish is remarkably long, showing the stature of this wine. Dark fruitand graphite minerals linger. Very fine. From 2013.StockistsUK:USA:Morris & VerdinContact Selection Becky Wasserman, Le Serbet, France; Vinalia Imports Inc.59

Domaine Pierre Damoy, Gevrey ChambertinPierre Damoy highlighted that his malolatic fermentations rarely start early because he has coldcellars. In 2006 he says they started in spring and lasted for a long time. Across the wholedomaine he says there were high natural degrees in this vintage. He also observes that his yieldsare fairly consistent, especially in Clos Tamisot, but overall 2006 may be a little higher than 2005.He also states that, to a certain extent, he is able to maintain his yields levels by adjusting whathe chooses to sell to other producers and negoce. All the samples tasted were made from ablend of different barrels.KRBourgogne RougeProduced from one large parcel and one very small parcel in Fixin.The soils are deep and rich, but the yields are regularly low and give good acidity and fruit. Forthis reason he often harvests it later. Ripe fruit and spice on the nose give way to impressivestructure on the palate. Sweet red and black fruit on the finish. From 2009. Attractive.Gevrey-ChambertinThis is always a small cuvée, usually between 4-6 barrels although Pierre Damoy notes 6 barrelsis rare. The maximum yield he has had for this wine is 40hl/ha and it is made up of 4 plots.Cherry and blackberry fruit show good intensity on the nose and attractive weight on the palate.The fruit character is accessible and enhanced by a touch of peppery spice that lingers on thefinish. Fine tannins. Good. From 2009.*Gevrey-Chambertin, Clos de TamisotPierre Damoy comments that the young part of the clos, planted in 1945, is the key to openingup the intensity of the older part that was planted in 1922. He says that separately the twocuvées are good, but they are better together. The yield is often as low as 20-25hl/ha due tovine age and the richness that is innate in the wine comes, in part, from the warm, dry soil inClos Tamisot.The wine is darker and denser in character. The minerality that emerges on the attack sits withtight, finely texture tannins on the core and through to the finish. The ripe fruit on the mid-palateleads to a long compact finish. Very good. From 2010.Chapelle-ChambertinThis wine is made from 3 plots situated on very poor, stony soil. There was no rot here, but hehad to ensure thorough selection to remove any fruit damaged by the hail. They selected grapeby grape for one of his three plots. He said they spent 3 days harvesting the plot followed by upto 6 days of careful selection. As a result he says it is ‘… more concentrated than usual and veryfruity for a Chapelle”.The aromas hint at dark fruit and the strike is rich and layered with toned fruit. Direct, smoothtannins and freshness are woven into the ripe fruit on the palate and it is currently the fruit thatdominates the long finish. Fine to very fine. From 2013.Chambertin Clos de BèzeOne plot of his Clos de Bèze was hit by hail as well, but before he green harvested, so it wasmuch less problematic than the Chapelle.Attractive purity on the nose with nuances of violet and blackberry. A richness underlies therefined structure of the wine. Plenty of coiled fruit swathes the tannins and is entwined with60

ight acidity. There is a compact intensity to the wine and excellent balance. Stunningly long.Very fine. From 2014.ChambertinThe nose is slightly restrained, but there is a rich scent of dense, dark fruit starting to emerge.The balance between acidity, tannins and fruit is very finely poised and the texture has aweightless smoothness. The fruit on the core is rounded, rich and concentrated. There is obviouspresence, highlighted by the long finish. Very fine+. From 2014/2015.Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Vieilles VignesThis is a special cuvée from vines within a plot situated high up on the slope which were plantedin 1920. The aromas are rich, but scented and the fruit that emerges on the palate is refined butglossy, with a supple, velvety texture. This is aligned with tight, taut tannins and minerals. Onceagain the finish shows the intensity of the wine and is scented, showing concentration anddelicacy. Very fine+. From 2014.UK: Loeb; Layton; BancroftUSA: Frederick WildmanStockists61

Domaine Claude Dugat, Gevrey-ChambertinClaude Dugat considers the conditions were a bit like 2001. “Cooler August; a little more rainthan normal, but the September made the harvest. These three weeks ripened the tannins.”They began the harvest on the 23rd of September. There was some triage, about 8%, so a littlemore than normal here.He describes his 2006s as “very expressive with the presence of tannins. A little like 1995 in thispresence of tannins, but with the elegance of 2001.” He would probably drink the 2006s betweenhis 2004s and the 2005s.Claude is fortunate in having three children, two daughters and his son Bertrand who are allworking for the domaine. They seem to do a bit of everything. It’s lovely to see a family gettingon so well together and working in this way.This domaine makes beautifully pure, expressive and fragrant wine.SM*BourgogneA charming aroma, succulent summer fruits lifted with high notes. Lovely sweet attack and asupple middle palate, gently rounded with an integrated feel for such a young wine. It flowsaround the palate with supple fruit-cloaked tannins; deliciously fresh, fruity and lifted on thefinish. Really top notch Bourgogne. From 2008.*Gevrey-ChambertinA lucid, ripe aroma, rich with blackberry fruit. On the palate there is spice and sweet roundedfullness. A pure and well-mannered village Gevrey with rich and supple, fruit-coated tannins.Lovely fruit on the finish which is both fresh and well sustained. Top notch. From 2009.Gevrey-Chambertin, Premier CruThis is spicier on the nose reflected in a touch of liquorish and black pepper on the palate. It hasa fullish, rounded middle palate with good extract and some grip, although the tannins are finegrained. It glides across the palate and the persistent finish is enrobed in pure blackberry fruit.Particularly good++. From 2010.*Gevrey-Chambertin, Lavaux-Saint-JacquesClaude’s vines in Lavaux-Saint-Jacques are at the top of the cru, where there is just 30 cm of topsoil and this higher and thinner terroir he believes was an advantage in this year.Intense floral perfume with lovely clarity. Really sweet fruit on the attack, high and mineral in themiddle. A very lively and tightly defined palate. This is a delightful, elegant premier cru with amineral lift on the finish. Long taut, piano wire finish. Fine+ From 2011/12Charmes-ChambertinSummer fruit compote on the aroma. A bit more diffuse at the edges on the nose, moreexpansive. The attack is all fruit, pure red, luscious, ripe and direct. The palate opens to richbreadth and ripely rounded tannins. There is prettiness and softness to this wine, although thereis sufficient freshness to keep it balanced and bright, particularly on the finish. The mostexpansive and generous of the flight. Fine+. From 2011.62

*Griotte-ChambertinDeeper perfume, dense and intense. The palate has excellent depth, matter and substance. It isvery well defined. The tannins are supple, cloaked and fine grained. Certainly there is some grip,but it is restrained. The finish has dark bramble fruit. There excellent harmony in this wine. It isboth more stylish and complex than the Charmes. Probably very fine. From 2012.*Chapelle-ChambertinThis has a perfumed florality. Essence of rose petal, very lifted and expressive. The palate ismore battened down to begin with, but soon opens up to be marvellously intense and sweet withmore present tannins than in the Griotte, but they are enveloped. The texture is suede-supple.There is luscious fruit, superb depth, but it is all very contained. It has the edge in quality on theGriotte, but maybe I slightly prefer the Griotte for its character. Very fine. From 2012.StockistsUK:USA:Enotria WinecellarsRobert Kacher Selections.63

Domaine Fourrier, Gevrey-ChambertinJean-Marie Fourrier describes 2006 as a vintage of good and bad things. He notes that onestandout moment was the hailstorm that struck at the end of July leaving a trail of damage inselected areas from Vosne and Chambolle to Marsannay. He points out that less sheltered, windyareas suffered more, especially if there was less foliage to provide some sort of protection.Following the storm the weather changed and August was cold and cloudy, with very little sunand some rain in the Côtes de Nuits. The cool weather in August and during veraison resulted ingood tartaric levels being retained in the grapes, which he considers are similar to 2004. Thearrival of anti-cyclonic weather allowed the ripeness of the fruit to increase rapidly in Septemberand this, combined with the effects of millerandage at some sites, saw potential alcohol levelsincrease quickly too.He describes 2006 as a rare vintage with good acidity and small berries. Although the acidity isslightly lower than 2005, the balance between tartaric and malic is better. Jean-Marie says he islooking for “fruit and tannin integration and persistence in 2006.” He considers 2006 superior to2004.KRMorey-Saint-Denis, Clos SolonMinerals and sour cherry brings freshness to the aromas and that freshness continues throughthe palate and onto the finish. The form of the wine is defined and the tannins are supple. Thefinish is long. Good. From 2009.Chambolle-MusignyThe delicate blueberry fruit is lightly textured. Blackberry, blueberry and mineral core with finetannins. Freshness lifts the finish. A very complete village wine. Good+. From 2008/2009.Gevrey-Chambertin, Aux EchezeauxSituated just under Mazoyères-Chambertin, this is immediately more smoky and spicy incharacter, enhanced by the smooth texture on the palate. Quite hedonistic for a village wine.Fine-grained tannins and sweet fruit on the finish. Good+. From 2009.*Gevrey-ChambertinCrunchy black fruits are layered with shaley notes on the nose and palate. The tannins aresupple, but offer good grip and the acidity is clear. More linear in form than the Aux Echezeauxand the finish is clear and lifted. Good to very good. From 2009/2010.Vougeot, Les Petits VougeotsFresh cherry and bramble fruit is laced with kirsch notes and minerals. The tannins are fine andglossy and there is a lightness of touch to their handling. Good length to the finish. Particularlygood++. From 2009/2010.Chambolle-Musigny, Les GruenchersSavoury and mineral edge on the nose which leads to a palate that displays taut fruit andphenolics. There is a lovely sense of elegance and focus and freshness drives the finish.Particularly good to fine. From 2010.64

Gevrey-Chambertin, Les CherbaudesScented and fragrant fruit is woven with leather and spice. The tannins are finely-wrought andthe acidity is lively. Black cherry fruit comes through on the finish. Particularly good to fine. From2010.The same wine was tasted from a new barrel to compare the impact of the wood on the wine.The wine still exhibits a sweetly-scented quality, but the fruit is a little more dominated by woodspice and more weighed down by the oak. The structure is more forward, although the intensityof the wine can sustain this influence. This small proportion of new oak will be blended with thefinal cuvée and will make up around 20-25% of the final wine.Gevrey-Chambertin, Les GoulotsRich, red cherry fruit is balanced by gamey minerals on the nose and palate. The attack is morerounded and broad than expected, but is well-focused by firm, fine tannins. The minerality isconsistent throughout. Fine. From 2010/2011.Gevrey-Chambertin, Les ChampeauxEnergetic and rather exuberant attack. Sweet fruit and spice lace the palate. There is a hint ofgaminess. The phenolics are fine-grained and the acidity, which adds to the impact of the attack,is bright and fresh. Minerals come through on the finish. Fine+. From 2011.*Gevrey-Chambertin, Combe Aux MoinesWonderfully structure; a compact acid/tannin balance forms the central core of the wine androunded, ripe morello cherry fruit expands on the mid-palate. The texture of the mouthfeel isvelvety and the there is lovely concentration running through the wine, yet is never feelsweighty. Very fine. From 2010/2012.*Gevrey-Chambertin, Clos Saint-JacquesAlthough quite restrained now, the upright phenolics and acidity give a more masculine feel tothis wine compared with the Combe aux Moines. It is showing its intensity on the finish at thisstage with red and black fruits emerging with spice notes. Very long. Very fine. From 2011.Griotte-ChambertinThe fruit which infuses the nose and the palate is reminiscent of redcurrant and bramble. Thereis a clear sensation of elegance and composure with expansive fruit. Finely-wrought tanninsconvey an innate strength. Future generosity is indicated by the finish, which is coated withminerals. Very fine. From 2012/2014.StockistsUK:USA:John Armit Wines; Gauntley’s of Nottingham; Goedhuis & Co.; Raeburn Fines Wines;Howard Ripley; Seckford Wines; Stone, Vine & Sun; A & B VintnersRosenthal Wine Merchant.65

Domaine Hereszytn, Gevrey-ChambertinHarvest commenced on the 23 rd September at this 10 hectare, family-run domaine, after a littlerainfall on the 22 nd September. Stanislaus Hereszytn explains that the lack of sun, particularly inAugust, impacted on the yields. He says they were down by approximately 15% compared withaverage and confirmed that the overall crop was less than in 2005.KRBourgogneThis is in barrel and not yet racked. They are planning to rack in late October. They have fourparcels of Bourgogne rouge, which are vinified separately and assembled prior to bottling.The mix of red and black fruits have a perfumed quality. The fruit on the palate is juicy andlively. Fresh finish. Good Bourgogne. From late 2008.Chambolle-MusignyAgain, no racking and in barrel.Liquorice, bramble and violet florals – very attractive intensity to the aromas. Delicateconcentration on the palate is combined with fresh fruit and acidity. Attractive+. From 2009.Gevrey-Chambertin, Clos VillageThis was racked in mid-October and they plan to bottle between December and February.Black cherry fruit has a rich, enticing character. Elegant mouthfeel and a fresh, fine texture.Good. From 2009.*Gevrey-Chambertin, Vieilles VignesProduced from 12 parcels, 4 of which are around 72 years old. The rest are 60 years old. Inbarrel and not yet racked.The aromatics are quite dark and brooding. The strike leads to a more structured mouthfeel thanthe Clos Village. The tannins are ripe and firm. Minerals emerge on the finish. Good+. From2009/2010.Chambolle-Musigny, BorniquesThis is the first time they have made a wine from these 48 year old, premier cru vines that arelocated next to Amoureuses.Notes of toast give way to bramble and forest fruit. The palate is finely textured and the finish isscented. Particularly good. From 2009/2010.*Gevrey-Chambertin, La PerrièreInitially, the aromas are a little restrained at this tasting, and then they start to open up with airto show liquorice and spice. Dark fruit sits within a straight and elegant structure. The tanninsare fine-grained and the finish is fresh and refined. Particularly good, possibly fine. From 2010.*Gevrey-Chambertin, Les GoulotsThis was racked in mid-October.Bright blackcurrant and cherry notes exude purity. Touch more grip and the more overt structureis layered with elegant minerals. The core has more depth and weight of matter. Freshness liftsthe finish. Particularly good, possibly fine. From 2010.66

Gevrey-Chambertin, Les CorbeauxFirm structure of tight tannins and bright acidity. The palate feels quite strict and well-defined.Elegance is evident again. Stony, dark berries come through on the core and finish. Attractivelength. Particularly good. From 2011.Gevrey-Chambertin, Les ChamponnetsA very long, late malolactic finished in mid-September and the wine is still in barrel at point.Dark and red stone fruits with anise spice. The attack is also spicy and the ripe fruit is given extrapresence by the grip of the phenolics. More muscular and toned. The finish is incredibly mineralwith tar and coal lingering. Particularly good. From 2011.*Morey-Saint-Denis, Les MillandesBitter chocolate and nuances of graphite and tar. Quite austere in character and upright in form.On the mid-palate the fruit is supported by fine-grained, taut tannins. Dark fruit and freshnessdrive the finish. Possibly fine. From 2012.Clos Saint-DenisRemarkably expressive on the nose where plenty of blackberry and sour cherry fruit emergealong with liquorice and nutmeg spice. The palate is tightly-bound and a stony quality meets thefruits found on the nose. Tannins are woven with the fruit and supporting acidity. Good statureand presence. Fine+. From 2012/2013.StockistsUK: Cave de Pyrene; Lance FoysterUS: Kysela, Washington; Martin Scott, New York; Don Oliver67

Domaine Humbert Frères, Gevrey-ChambertinAt this 7 hectare domaine, Emmanuel Humbert says he likes to produce elegant wines thatreflect their appellation in terms of terroir and stature.In 2006 he states that careful extraction and moderate pigeage were important, feeling that 2006could be better than 2005 because the wines are generally more elegant with smoother, finertannins and possibly a little less acidity, while still remaining fresh. He points out that the grapesachieved good natural degrees before harvest; the Bourgogne had 12 degrees and the villagewines a minimum of 12.5, with the premiers crus achieving 13. Harvest started here on the 23 rdSeptember and finished on 28 th September.He thinks that the 2004s will drink first and 2005s are definitely wines to keep. 2006s are harderto define now because the fruit is so good. For him, there is more immediate terroir character in2006.KR*BourgogneThis wine is produced from three parcels in the village itself. All the oak used is two years old.Lively, juicy, hedgerow fruit on the nose and the palate. There is plenty of energy on the palateand the fruit is ripe and leads the finish. Very attractive Bourgogne. From 2008.*FixinThis is the first vintage of this wine at this domaine. The vines average 50 years old and the oakis all one year old.Blackberry fruit and minerals emerge on the nose. The phenolics are finely handled and the fruitis juicy and exuberant throughout. Lovely smooth texture and approachable character. Good+.From 2009.Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles VignesProduced from two parcels near Mazis-Chambertin. The average age of the vines is 65 years.Ripe, dark forest fruits lace the nose and the palate. A toasty top note is apparent. The tanninshave a glossy, smoothness and the freshness of the acidity gives definition to the assertive fruiton the finish. Attractive to good. From 2009.Gevrey-Chambertin, CraipillotsOnly three barrels of this cuvée made from 80 year old vines was produced in 2006.Smooth attack and mouthfeel combines with clear minerality and fine-grained tannins. Aciditygives the finish an extra lift. Blueberry and briar fruits run through the wine with a touch of aniseadding complexity. The overall feel is elegant. Particularly good++. From 2009/2010.Gevrey-Chambertin, Petite ChapelleSituated just under Chapelle-Chambertin. Approximately 20cm of shallow earth sits over rocks.The aromatics are higher-toned; spices like coriander and cherry are laced with chalky minerals.The strike and mid-palate are compact and tightly-formed. The finish is long and taut. Particularlygood to fine. From 2010.68

*Gevrey-Chambertin, Les PoissenotsProduced from a 1ha plot of 40 year old Poissenots, which is situated just before the woods.A combination of fruit and minerals layer on the nose and on the palate. The structure of thetannins and acidity is precise, but the fruit is still generous. Concentration is balanced with alightness of touch. Hints of black cherry and liquorice linger on the finish. Fine to very fine. From2011.Gevrey-Chambertin, Estournelles Saint-JacquesThe fruit aromas on the nose are currently quite restrained. However, the entry on the palateshows immediate lively, vivid fruit with balance, elegance and breadth. Mineral freshness andvelvety phenolics provide both direction and grip. Long, mineral inflected finish. Fine to very fine.From 2011/2012.Charmes-ChambertinThese 50 year old vines are situated north of Mazoyères.There is more intensity here. Generosity of fruit and breadth on the mid-palate is layered withtautly-formed tannins and good acidity. There is a glossy intensity to the core of the wine that isreflected in the finish. Incredibly long, liquorice and bramble inflected finish. Fine++. From2013/2014.UK: Laytons; Lay and Wheeler; DecorumUS: Frederick WildmanStockists69

Domaine Denis Mortet, Gevrey-ChambertinAfter hail on the 28/29th July Arnaud Mortet waited a week to see if it would be sunny or wouldrain. “There was lots of rain for three weeks,” he tells me, “so we took a team into the vineyardto cut out the affected berries to avoid rot developing. We worked for two weeks in the vineyardand then again during harvest on the triage table. The last week of August was good and thefirst two weeks in September. Chambolle was catastrophic and in Gevrey, Chappelle was alsocatastrophic.”Arnaud Mortet decided to reduce the extraction because the tannins were not as good as hewould have liked. He reduced pigeage; in some cuvees there was 50% less, particularly in theGevrey wines.“I like the 2006s. I prefer them to 2005, which is too explosive and rich for Burgundy. I likeelegance in the wine. I think it is importance. Together with my father we searched for thiselegance from 2002. I discussed with him about using less pigeage. It was difficult for him as heliked big wine. Now in 2006 I feel I am making more the style of wine that I like.”Arnaud considers his 2006s to be a little like the 2002s, although the 2002s had more structure,and a little like 2001 “for its elegance”. He points out that the 2001s were “very strong to beginwith, but have become very elegant.”Arnaud has juggled his village Gevrey. You will recall that in 2004 Denis Mortet blended hisvillage wine simplifying it to become the cuvée ‘Mes Cinq Terroirs.’ This cuvée was carriedthrough to the 2005 vintage. However Arnaud felt that the production was too large at some35,000 bottles, so in 2006 he has divided it into two Gevreys; a straight village wine and aVieilles Vignes. Mes Cinq Terroirs ceases to exist.The team at the fomaine has changed. The new head of the team is a man “who loves this work.I have known him since I was 3 years old,” remarks Arnaud. There are four permanent workersin total including a young man and a woman. Of course they have to take on more people in thesummer. This year they took on 14 people for 3 to 4 months. “There was much more work doneby hand this year, because of the conditions, but also because I have a different philosophy.”It is clear that Arnaud is asserting himself and taking charge of the domaine.He is changing the élévage. Arnaud now uses less new oak. The Bourgogne and village wines arenow in 75% new oak, as opposed to 100%.He is clearly aiming to strike a balance. He intends to follow his preference for more elegant, lessoaky style, while not departing entirely from the rich style perfected by his father. A style whichhad become synonymous with the domaine.A quick note on the 2007s. “In 2007 there was also lot of work..very bad weather but the qualityin 2007 is a good surprise. My team had no holiday in 2007. We spend a lot of time leaf pluckingbecause of the rain.” Arnaud thinks the 2007s will eventually be more like 2002. “2007 has a littlemore extract. It will be a good surprise. It was easier to make 2007 than 2006, because thetannins were better.”Back to the 2006s. The malolactic here finished in September, so it was very long. None of thewines have been racked and will not be racked until their bottling in the spring.SM70

BourgogneThe vines are situated North of Dijon at 500 metres on a rocky, calcareous site. Arnaud will bottlethis in March/April together with everything else. The domaine does not have its own bottlingmachine and uses a contractor. Hence the Bourgogne gets bottled much later than most. Arnaudis planning to invest in a machine for the domaine.This has blueberries on the aroma the palate is tense with good grip. There is purple florality anddecent intensity for Bourgogne, which is not overwhelmed by the new oak. Lots of fruit here andcool minerality. Certainly attractive. From late 2008/2009Marsannay, Les LongeroisVery perfumed and floral. The palate has some lovely fruit, a hint of nutmeg and it is gentle inthe middle palate with moderate intensity and a lifted and spicy finish. It is charming and nicelybalanced. Good. From 2009*FixinSmall parcel of 30 ares and 50 year old vines. There was lots of millerandage on this parcel.The palate is spicy and fruity with an exotic satsuma edge, probably due to the oak, which alsogives sumptuousness to the palate. It is surprisingly elegant with smooth tannins, a suppletexture and silkiness on the finish. A ribbon of fruit undulates elegantly across the palate. A verylikable wine and a pretty smart Fixin. Very good. From 2009Gevrey-ChambertinAll the vines in this cuvee are from 25 to 45 years old vines. There are about 35 parcels whichtogether represent about 3 hectares.Nicely perfumed aroma and elegant onto the palate. This is lighter bodied with fine grained,chalky, powdery tannins and pure pinot expression. A waft of pinot perfume on the finish andsome light spice. Good+. From 2009/10*Gevrey-Chambertin, Vieilles VignesThis cuvée is made from the old vines which range from 55 to 95 years old. It includes onehectare in En Champs with its 90 year old vines, which Arnaud considers to be his best villagewine. He has 6 parcels in En Champs situated to the top of the vineyard near Champeaux. TheEn Dérée is also very old and the rows are aligned North-South because it is flat and this givesthem better exposure to the sun. Lots of millerandage here.There is a good deal more intensity and richness on the aroma. The palate is dense on the attackand compact in the middle, rich with forest fruit, liquorish, tar and dark minerality. There is a hintof gun smoke and grippier, darker, meaty tannins and dark extract. The palate comes back withgood freshness on the finish. Much darker, more savoury and wilder than the light charm of thestraight village. Some definite muscle and matter here. Top notch village. Very good+. From2011Chambolle-Musigny, Les Beaux BrunsArnaud remarks how difficult this was in 2006 as it had 75% hail damage. He made just 3barrels in 2006 versus the norm of six. He kept just 4 bunches on each vines because the haildestroyed the leaves, so there was a severe green harvest. Although he is worried by the aromadue to the hail, it was pure. I think he has done a good job here. He spent 4 days in the parcelsto select the grapes.Perfumed and charming. The tannins are light. He has obviously been very careful withextraction. It has a soft, delicate plumpness to the middle. Not that intense, but rather delightfuland the fruit seems clear, red and streamlined on the finish. It will come forward earlier thanusual than Beaux Bruns at this domaine. Good to very good. From 201071

*Gevrey-Chambertin, Premier CruA blend of parcels from Petite Chapelle, Cherbaudes, Bel Air and Champonnets.This is silky on the palate. The tannins are supple, rounded and ripe; enveloped in rich fruit. Themiddle palate is generous, dark and plump and rounded. There is good clarity of fruit. It hasgras. The palate carries this profile, rich with dark forest fruits, supple and juicy, onto the finish.Particularly Good to Fine. From 2011*Gevrey-Chambertin, Les ChampeauxThis is made from 65 year old vines. There is a wall all around the cru and Domaine Mortet has 4parcels within this. This year Arnaud began work with horses in this vineyard. He tells me that he“wanted to work the soils properly.” There was some hoeing done before, but they still had touse herbicides. With horses he can work the way he wants and hopes to see the difference in 3to 4 years time.This has high, vivid aroma. It is pure and direct with lovely clarity of fruit. The tannins are satinyand ripple in a swath across the palate. This had great texture, supple suede and behind thisthere is a direct energy, keen minerality, good depth and intensity. This is all beautifullycontained to a fine mineral persistent finish. This is a good Champeaux. Fine+. From 2012Gevrey-Chambertin, Lavaux-Saint-JacquesThis is more floral the palate. It is rather closed at the moment, but I wonder if there is quite thedefinition and the intensity expected. There is some pretty red fruit, which is refined, but perhapslacking a little in depth; a little slight. It is lightly fragrant and the finish has perfume, an elegantchalkiness to it and is long, light and fresh. The balance is good. Give it time and it shoulddevelop rather elegantly. Particularly good to fine. There are better Lavaux-Saint-Jacqueselsewhere in 2006 and I prefer Mortet’s Les Champeaux this year. (In 2005 it was the other wayaround.) From 2012Clos De VougeotThis is a bit reduced. The wine is broad and bold on the palate; powerful, but not too heavy. It ismore savoury than fruity and has an earthy quality. It certainly has a four square character. Thetannins are very well managed though with no angularity present; The edges of the block arerounded. It has good typcité, but not the greatest depth or intensity given it is grand cru. Thereare more interesting wines at this domaine. Fine. From 2013/14*Le ChambertinA lovely lifted, violet aroma. Some fine complexity on the aroma. The palate attack is even andrich. There is a gloss to the texture. The tannins are suede-soft and the palate swells in themiddle and grows across the palate. This is a sophisticated, elegant Chambertin: Rich, butgraceful; powerful, but civilized, generous and polished, but not overtly so and the finish is very,very prolonged. The harmony and balance are excellent. Outstanding. From 2016Arnaud comments, “For me grand cru is not a big wine. It should be elegant. For me that isBurgundy. I want to have elegance and intensity…the style of the domaine but with moreelegance…this is my style. …it was always a discussion with my father. I want to blend thedomaine’s richness with my love of elegance.”StockistsUK:USA:Domaine Direct; Richards Walford; Anthony SarjeantMartine’s Wines Inc.72

Domaine Armand Rousseau, Gevrey-ChambertinEric Rousseau recalls that towards the end of July there was a ‘canicule’ or heat wave and on thelast day of the heat wave the hail storm hit. While it was not so important in Gevrey in theirpremier cru, it was much worst in Clos de Bèze, Chapelle and Griotte. In Clos de Bèze they madeonly 15 hl/ha and it was very difficult to pick. They did the selection during the harvest. InAugust there was rain, but the cloud cover was more significant. The grapes hit by hail dried out,so there was no problem with rot. September was lovely, not too warm, but sunny. They startedharvesting on the 21/22 nd .“It is a very fine and elegant vintage with red fruits. I think it will be vintage that is always open,while 2005 is closed now and we must wait. 2006 is like 2004 but with more structure andmatter, much more the vintage of pinot noir because it is very elegant,” comments Eric.SM*Gevrey-ChambertinThe vineyards are mainly in the South and the East of the village. Only En Vellé is in the North.Vibrant mulberry fruit, lifted and pure. Fine and supple tannins and good freshness. Really quitemineral, fine and long. There is both depth and elegance in this village wine. Top notch. From2010Gevrey-Chambertin, Lavaux Saint-JacquesEric points out that Lavaux-Saint Jacques receives a good amount of sun throughout the day. Itcatches it in the morning as the sun rises and through to about 6pm in the evening. At thebottom of the combe the village appellation of Les Marchais does not fare so well.Peonies and petals. It is expressively and richly floral. The fruit is juicy and elegant. The tanninsare refined. There is clarity and charming freshness. It certainly has lovely harmony and poise.Fine+ From 2011/12*Gevrey-Chambertin, Les CazetiersEric’s parcel is near the boundary with Clos Saint-Jacques and the vines are more than fifty yearsold.This has exuberant red fruits, juicy strawberries; fresh, lucid and bright. It is direct, has energeticpower and really sings on the finish. There is a taut, glistening thread of minerality which runsthrough this wine and onto the finish. This is a more tannic and firmly structured wine, which isemphasised by the chiselled minerality. A notch up for the energy and tread of minerality.Fine++. From 2011/12Charmes-Chambertin70% from Mazoyères and 30% from a parcel in the middle of Charmes.Broader with more powdery and exotically floral aromatics. Slightly more heady. This has a verypretty palate with generous fruit, very expressive and expansive. Ripe tannins, which are rich andsatin-supple. It is open and inviting. Although it is well composed, there is a softness, which isalso reflected in the more delicate and hazy finish. At best Fine+. From 2012*Mazis-ChambertinThis has pure high, direct fruit on the nose. The fruit chimes. The entry to the palate also sings,the middle palate has lovely ripe raspberry fruit and very good depth and precision. The tanninsare firm. There is quite a bit more grip but the texture is satiny. The structure is layered and73

complex, while being very lucid. The finish is assertive, mineral and very long. The structure andenergy leaves the Charmes behind. Very fine. From 2014*Clos De La RocheThe nose is much more grounded here, more terrestrial. The palate reflects this. Density, powercouched in domaine elegance. There is a richness and breadth and a fullness to the girth. Thegrain is broader and bigger. The fruit is dark, damson and dark chocolate coupled with a moresavoury earthiness. A wine of excellent full substance and dimension. The finish is low, dark andsuperbly long. Very fine. From 2015*Ruchottes-ChambertinThe Rousseau parcel is a 1 hectare clos which has 3 of its walls in tact and lies within the dessuspart of Rouchottes. Some younger vines are 10 years old. Others are 20 and 40 years old asRousseau replant systematically to maintain the age of the vines over the long term. The oldervines are 60 plus.This is lifted and upright with high aromatics, pure and direct. The palate is beautifully lucid andelegant. There are finely grained tannins and a taut, deep, rich core, which is tightly compact.There is a racy, chalky minerality which gives the palate lithe vivacity to its finish which is bothcrystal clear and very persistent. Finesse and vibrancy. Very fine to outstanding. I like this a lot.From 2013*Gevrey-Chambertin, Clos Saint-JacquesIn contrast to the Ruchottes which has no new oak, this has 100% new oak as have theChambertin and Clos de Bèze.This is seductively creamy, rounded and velvety. Although there is a rich generosity to the palate,it has energy and rhythm. There is a flowing river of satin through this wine in which richmulberry fruit and fine layers are woven with the oak. The fruit expression shows great clarityand there is a sumptuous sweetness to the finish. A very harmonious wine. Very fine. From 2013*ChambertinEssence of dried rose petals, sublime and intense. Rich, yet delicate; full, but not at all heavy.There is great equilibrium and harmony. The tannins are polished and fine. On the finish there isa lovely, long and lingering perfume, which leaves a delicious memory of crushed rose petals as itfades. However there is also strength and a serious backbone to his wine, which is presentedwith such refinement. It has great presence and for such a complex wine is surprisinglyaccessible now. Outstanding. This year I prefer the Chambertin to the Clos de Bèze. Last year itwas the other way around. From 2013.Clos De BèzeThis shows the concentration of yields as a result of the hail. The aroma is rich with concentrateddamson fruit, opulently fruity rather than floral. There is power with the elegance, grippiertannins, great density and extract. It is strong, compact and very muscular in a rippling tonedmanner. This is a serious, stately wine, albeit with more grip and muscularity than might beexpected. Very fine. From 2014StockistsUK:USA:Berry Bros; Lay and Wheeler; O.W. Loeb & Co.Frederick Wildman & Sons.74

Domaine Marc Roy, Gevrey-ChambertinKRGevrey-Chambertin, Vieilles VignesThe fruit is red, reminiscent of cherry and strawberry. The attack on the palate is smooth andleads to a rounded mouthfeel with plenty of generous, expressive, glossy fruit. Attractive togood. From 2008/2009.Gevrey-Chambertin, Clos PrieurThe aromas are more animal and gamey. There is a richness in the mouth that is balanced byripe tannins and fresh acidity. Leather and ripe strawberry fruit meet minerals on the finish.Good+. From 2009.*Gevrey-Chambertin, Cuvée AlexandrineMore minerality is immediately evidient on the nose. The attack is ripe and red. Black cherry fruitoverlays the tannins and acidity. Fruit and mineral freshness are drawn out on the finish. There isa more fragrant quality here. Good++. From 2009/2010.WhiteMarsannay blanc100% Chardonnay. Zesty, floral aromas are given extra complexity by chalky notes.The strike isrich and the mid-palate leads to a tighter finish. Lemon notes are layered with a touch of spice.Attractive. From 2008.StockistsUK: Lay and Wheeler; O W Loeb; Flint WinesUSA: Michael Skurnik Wines; Triage Wines; Transat Trade Inc.; The Miller Portfolio Selection.75

Domaine Christian Sérafin, Gevrey-ChambertinHere 2006 is described a vintage requiring lots of work in the vineyard. There was hail with somegrands crus, including Charmes and Chapelle, struck at the end of July. Harvest started on 23 rdSeptember and finished on 1 st October. There was some rain in August, but most significantly itwas cooler than average and there was very little sun.Yields were about normal, although selection (using a vibrating sorting table here) was essentialto maintain quality. Although Christian Serafin notes that selection began back in spring whenthey carried out debudding and continued when they carried out green harvesting. Overall, henotes that there is less acidity in 2006 compared with 2005, but observes that the character of2006 is more obviously elegant.100% new oak is used on the premiers crus and grands crus. The only village wine to receive thesame oak treatment is the Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes. No fining or filtration is carried out.KR*BourgogneIn barrel now. Made up of two parcels with an average vine age of 31 years. One plot has moregravel, the other more limestone.Bright, dark fruit leads to a fresh attack on the palate. Fine structure for a Bourgogne. The fruiton the finish is fresh and lively. Very attractive Bourgogne rouge. From 2009.Gevrey-Chambertin70% new oak and 30% one year old oak.Toast aromas and hints of coal and blackberry come over on the nose. Savoury, but lively strikeand smoothly textured mouthfeel. Fluid tannins lead to a fresh finish. Attractive to good. From2009.Gevrey-Chambertin, Vieilles Vignes100% new oak. 56 year old vines.Dense and rich in form and more phenolic than the previous wine, but again the tannins are ripewith clean acidity lifting the finish. Savoury notes of smoke sit alongside the fruit. Attractive.From 2009/2010.Gevrey-Chambertin, Les CorbeauxThe average vine age is 38 years and it is planted on flatter terrain.The fruit is toasty and rich, but the structure is controlled with strict, tight tannins and a hintmore minerals coming through on the finish. Very good to particularly good. From 2010.Gevrey-Chambertin, Le FontenyThe soil has plenty of limestone and is similar to Corbeaux, but is more sloped and the rocks arebigger – they often have to break them up.The nose is a little more restrained and the palate structure is tight, but mineral nuances comethrough. The texture is smooth. Particularly good. From 2010.Chambolle-Musigny, Les BaudesMore fruity aromas lead to a broader strike. The fruit on the palate is rich, but still inflected withminerals and lifted by clear acidity and silky tannins. Long, elegant finish. Fine. From 2010.76

Morey-Saint-Denis, Les MillandesTar, dark chocolate and a touch of violet florals create an already complex nose. The attack andmouthfeel are a complete contrast to the previous wines. Strict and linear minerals are softenedby ripe fruit and glossy oak. A masculine quality underlies this wine. Particularly good. From2011.Gevrey-Chambertin, Les CazetiersAlthough the aromas are taut now, the mid-palate reveals richness of fruit that is balanced withfinely gripping tannins and freshening acidity. The form is more robust and broad. Fruit, coal andsmokiness layer on the finish. Particularly good to fine. From 2011.Charmes-ChambertinProduced from two parcels, one in Mazoyères and another, slightly smaller parcel in Charmes.The average vine age is 65 years old with the vines in Mazoyères being a little older. ChristianSerafin’s father planted the plot in Charmes in 1951 and he bought the plot in Mazoyères in1994.Good tension between the tight tannins and clear acidity, giving the wine a fine, compactstructure. The fruit is knotted in the core and is hard to perceive now. But it has good densityand depth. Fine. From 2012.StockistsUK:USA:Berry Bros & Rudd; Enotria Wine Cellars; Goedhuis & Co; House of Townend.Robert Kacher Selections.77

Domaine de Varoilles, Gevrey-ChambertinGilbert Hammel arrived 17 years ago and is the first in his family to make wine in Burgundy. Thefamily comes from Switzerland where they have been making wine for 3 generations. His fatheralso had a wine business importing wines from Burgundy. When Domaine de Varoilles came upfor sale they knew the owner and purchased the domaine. The only thing which has changed isthe Bonnes Mares which has reverted.The approach they take here is a one week cold soak followed by two weeks fermentation withpigeage every day. In 2006, if I understood correctly, they did 10-12 days pre-fermentmaceration, versus seven days in 2006. However there was less pigeage, just one week followedby rack and return for a few days, because the tannins were rapidly extracted. The tanks aretemperature controlled and do not go above 32 degrees. There is no post ferment maceration.The new oak used for élévage is 10% for village wine, 40% for premier cru and 50-60% forgrand cru. They like about 15 months ageing for all the wines. So the bottling takes place inMarch.I didn’t really like the style of these wines which were too extracted, concentrated and sweet formy taste. But more importantly the samples we tasted (Katherine and I both tasted here) had atouch too much volatile acidity. I would like to think this was something to do with thepreparation of the samples or with specific tanks and I will try and taste these wines again. Thiswas particularly noticeable on Les Champonnets and Charmes, but as it seemed to bewidespread, I am mentioning it here rather than in the tasting note for each wine. For thisreason I have not marked many of the wines.SMGevrey-Chambertin, Clos du Meix des Ouches1 hectare which is a monopole with 18-84 year old vines.Very rich sweet wine with thick tannins. Rounded palate, broad and slightly jammy with softacidity. A forward and concentrated wine. From 2009Gevrey-Chambertin, Les ChamponnetsThis premier cru parcel is 0.7 hectares. The soil here is more calcareous and not quite so deep asthe argile soil of Clos du Meix des Ouches and is on a slight slope versus the latter.The palate is full, rounded and extracted with plenty of concentrated fruit. Rich and somewhatponderous with thick tannins, soft acidity and lots of upfront fruit. Good at most. From 2009/10Gevrey-Chambertin, La RomanéeI hectare of premier cru which lies above Clos de Varoilles and is also a monopole. It is southfacing and is described as “chalk and stones, just 50 cm to the silica bedrock and the vines are60 years old.”This has a very ripe aroma, almost New World in style. Very fruit driven with a rich middle palate,juicy, thick and soft and rather chunky. Very fruity. I expected something much more elegantfrom this cru. Good from 2009Gevrey-Chambertin, Les VaroillesAlso south facing with deeper more argilous soil and bigger stones than in La Romanée. 6hectares of premier cru and a monopole.This has more structure. It is both more intense and controlled. Plenty of ripe fruit here, moreacidity supported by some minerality. It is a fleshy and full wine, but with decent definition andassurance on the finish. Particularly good. From 201078

Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Varoilles, 1999Showing a lot of development on the colour. It has some nice fruit on the aroma with moreevolved forest floor and marmite flavours. The palate is succulently sweet with notes of leatherand new hay. It has ripe integrated tannins and is unctuous and languid with a little freshness onthe finish. Modest structure, but good aromatics and flavours. Score 16.5Charmes-ChambertinThis is chunky and rather diffuse at the edges. A broad, generous, ripe wine, which is very openand expressive and has soft acidity, however it underperforms for grand cru.Clos de VougeotThis is a bit more interesting. There is better structure, definition and freshness but it hadn’tfinished its malolactic so the sample had more acidity – albeit malic, which the finished wine willnot. The palate here is rich, ripe, extracted and full-bodied. It has dark fruit, luscious and black,but here the fruit more successfully fleshes out the framework of Clos de Vougeots. Lots ofextract and lots of wood and a modest finish for grand cru. From 2012/15UK: Corney and Barrow; Peter Watts Wines.Stockists79

Domaine Jean & Jean-Louis Trapet, Gevrey-ChambertinJean-Louis Trapet comments, “I believe more and more, that less is more, so I use the minimumof intervention. I use gravity. The only thing which is not by gravity is pumping over, but it is agentle pumping. We punched down just four times. Everything should be done at the beginning(in the vineyard) and everything else should be simple.”“I have been using biodynamics for 10 years and it forces you to change the way you think abouteverything. I think the wine needs peace and the people who are in charge of making the winemust be gentle and respectful in the vineyard and in making wine. I think one of the mainreasons that Burgundy can be so fine is because monks left a strong print on the vineyards. Thevineyards have been here for centuries. The culture has evolved over a very long time.”Jean-Louis views everything he does within the context of a long history of the vines in thisplace. “When you plant a vine, it is not only for you but for the next generation and so you mustbe very conscientious.”Jean-Louis describes how he feels that wine should lead you into the light - not be low anddepressed. This is reflected in his wine which is elegant and uplifting.SMMarsannayThis was racked last week and will be bottled before Christmas.Bright fruit on the nose with a hint of marzipan. Lively palate with red berry fruit, very clear andpure with soft tannins and good freshness on the finish. Very attractive to good. From late2008/2009.Gevrey-ChambertinJean Louis describes the band of hail which hit the village wine including Aux Etelois. The grandscrus hit above this were Chapelle, Griotte and Charmes. Up slope in Chambertin and Latricièreshis parcels were unaffected. “It was terrible,” comments Jean-Louis, “like winter in the summerand it went very deep in the vine.” Six hours after the hail Jean-Louis dusted the damagedberries by hand vines using talc. The talc contains arnica commonly used to calm burns. Oneweek later he treated the vines with clay and limestone powder. This was followed by thebiodynamic prep 501 which contains silica and was applied three times. “After the hail we werevery worried because there was humidity and wet weather, not heavy rain, but wet, and we wereconcerned that the berries would not dry. The treatments helped to dry the small berries.”Jean-Louis decided to purchase a new sorting table to help with the process of selecting out thedried berries. Selection was carried out at three stages; when picking the grapes; secondly onthe new sorting table and thirdly after destemming, when they sorted again on the table. “Thedried berries stayed on the table, so we avoided 99% of these dried berries.”Jean-Louis has two village wines which are blended from a number of parcels. The first is hisclassic cuvée, which was racked last week.Perfumed and lifted aroma. The palate is supple with pure, dark fruit. It is a lighter-bodied wine,but with enough intensity and fine tannins. It has a light, airy, straight purity about it and thefinish is fair for village. Very attractive to good. From 200980

*Gevrey-Chambertin, OstreaThis is the smarter cuvée which is selected from vines on the vineyards on the North side of thevillage, where they have several parcels, including some very old vines dating from 1919.The aroma is stricter and tenser. The ripe fruit on the front of the palate swells to a discreetlyrounded middle with fresh dark forest fruits. It is quite compact, finely grained and lively on thefinish. A rather elegant and harmonious village wine. Good to very good. From 2009.Gevrey-Chambertin, Petite ChapelleThis premier cru lies below En La Chapelle. Where the appellation changes to premier cru, theland becomes a little flatter and there are none of the large stones which can be found just underthe surface in En La Chapelle. Jean-Louis comments that the soil is deep, but very well drained.Dark powdery aroma and a soft sweetness on the front of the palate. It is gentle across thepalate. The fruit is dark and perfumed and there is a delicacy to the body and structure. It is fluidto a finish scented with dark flowers. Well mannered, if a little diffuse. Very good. From 2009/10Gevrey-Chambertin, Clos PrieurClos Prieur is divided in two. The premier cru is Haut Clos Prieur. Trapet also have vines in ClosPrieur Bas which is village status. The latter goes into the classic cuvée.More upright intensity on the nose. Lovely fruit at the beginning of the palate, black cherry andenergetic. Again the tannins sit in the wine, fine, supportive and the palate has good definition.This has a taut, fruity finish. Particularly Good+. From 2010*CapitaThis is the second vintage of Capita. Since 2005 Jean-Louis has selected some of the best grapesfrom the premier cru including Clos Prieur, Petite Chapelle, En Ergot and Les Corbeaux. (There isalso some Combottes in the blend.) The idea is to make a synthesis of premier cru Gevrey. Allthe premier cru are situated around the periphery of the grand cru area.Good aromatic intensity. Lovely texture with fine tannins. It is silky, yet shows minerality underthe surface. Fine, bright energy carries it on the finish which is rather long, mineral and refined.This is a rather refined premier cru Gevrey. Particularly good to fine. From 2011Chapelle-ChambertinThis is taut and deep on the front of the palate, mineral, tight and pure. There is more austerityhere, but also lovely clarity and definition. This has a tall, light filled architectural framework. Itshows the elegance which is characteristic of this flight of wine. It is finely wrought and the finishis very long with a delicate perfume. It is quiet wine. It would be easy to miss a wine like this in aline-up of more overt wines. There is a reticence to Trapet’s wines. Fine++ From 2014*Latricières-ChambertinThis grand cru has an emotional significance for Jean-Louis. It was purchased in 1904 and wasthe very first grand cru acquired by Jean-Louis’s forbearer and namesake Louis Trapet. (Hisgreat, great, great grandfather). Jean-Louis explains how Combe Grisard gives the cru its gravellysoil, helps to keep the air fresh and creates a certain energy in the vines. “So there are twoopposing forces, freshness versus forcefulness and energy. It will develop over decades.”Soil has washed down the combe which lies between Latricières and Chambertin. This is explainswhy, remarks Jean-Louis, the grand cru (Mazoyères) stretches lower down the slope than theother grand cru. For the same reasons, there are premier cru around the village of Gevrey, wherethe Combe Lavaux, which is one of the larger combs in the Côte de Nuits, has brought down thetop soil.81

This is more flamboyant on the aroma by contrast. Not showy, but with expressive fruit andflorality on the aroma. The palate is generous with plenty of ripe, dark fruit and shows a touch ofaniseed and liquorish. It reflects the contained and elegant style of this domaine, but is richerand well layered. It is not a ‘big’ wine. The finish shows its grand cru status, but in a moreassertive way than the Chapelle, and it has lovely fruit and dark minerality to the end. Fine toVery Fine. From 2014/15Interestingly it used to be the case that the Chapelle was always more expressive and theLatricières would be less so, but since 1999 Jean-Louis has noticed a gradual change in the winesto become the other way around.Le ChambertinThis has real ripeness on the nose, pure, expressive and aromatic with a delicious rose petalaroma. The palate is supple and ripe for the first impression. There is sweeping breadth and satintexture as it flows across the palate. It is refined, but also shows its power and intensity on thefinish, which grows and grows. It has poise and presence and wonderful intensity on the finish.This is certainly nudging into Very Fine. From 2015StockistsUK: Contact the agents Champagne & Châteaux Ltd.; Berry Bros & Rudd; Corney & Barrow.USA: Classic Wine Imports; The Stacole Co.; USA Wine Imports, NJ.France: Contact Patrick Lesec, France.82

Domaine David Clark, Morey-Saint-DenisDavid Clark has been in Burgundy since 2004. Before this he was working as an engineer in theUK. When he arrived, he studied for a year at the Lycée Viticole. He decided to buy some vinesfor practical experience and the opportunity arose to buy some Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire.When he bought his house in Morey-Saint Denis it came with a small vineyard. He is working ongradually building up the domaine.His vines were certified as organic in 2006 by Ecocert. He uses minimal tractor work in thevineyards, only employing it for ploughing and minimal spraying. All other vineyard practices,including hedging, are carried out by hand. He feels this is the best way to feel what ishappening in the vines.His average yields are less than 31-32hl/ha. This was his highest yield. In 2006 the yield wasdecreased by careful selection to eliminate rot. He says it was a slow and painstaking process,but necessary. He points out that the rot was brought on by the cold, damp and cloudyconditions in August, which followed the big hailstorm at the end of July. He has observed a linkbetween vine vigour and rot.KRBourgogne, Grand Ordinaire, Pinot NoirThe majority of this cuvée is sold to the USA.Fresh berry and savoury aromas. Lively, energetic palate and bright fruit. Good structure for aBourgogne. Pleasant to attractive. From 2008.Bourgogne, PassetoutgrainsApproximately 50/50 Pinot Noir and Gamay. The sample was taken from barrel.Fresh, wild, underbrush character on the nose leads to a vibrant attack on the palate. Finetannins and good acidity are rounded off by a juicy, animal finish. Pleasant. From late 2008.Bourgogne, RougeHints of spice and dark fruit. The tannins and acidity are carefully balanced with fresh cherryfruit. Good length for a Bourgogne. Attractive+. From 2009.Morey-Saint-DenisThis is David Clark’s first year with these village vines. The site was planted in 1944, but when hebought it the vineyard was very badly tended and he had to replant about 40% of the vines. Dueto this the yield was very low (16hl/ha in 2006), and will remain low until the new vines come onstream.Meaty aromas come through. The palate has good intensity and direction with stony notesunderlying the meaty character. Attractive. From 2009+.UK: Fields; Morris and Verdin.Stockists83

Domaine Dujac, Morey-Saint-DenisAlec Seyesses took me through the wine this year. Although Jeremy and Alec have officially takenover from Jacques, Alec tells me his father is as involved as ever. They discuss the wine together.“This is his 40 th harvest, so he has the wisdom.”Alec describes the vintage at Dujac; “2006 was all about sorting. The worry was about rot. Itstarted with lots of acidity like 2001, but then the acidities started dropping fast. The 2006slooked ripe. There are whole bunches, but we destemmed more than usual, inspired by the 2001vintage. Jeremy and I felt confident with the 2001s, so we destemmed like this. We destemmedthe négoce wine most and the village wines in Dujac more than the premier cru. For example inthe Morey-Saint-Denis premier cru they destemmed about 20%.“Not an exceptional vintage. It is not something we haven’t seen before …like the 2003s. Theripeness is good and the alcohol high, but not like 2003. We always look to extract the tanninswe are happy with. This takes 2 to 3 pigeage a day. We taste regularly and stop when we feelwe have extracted enough.”Note about the 2001s at Domaine Dujac. Jacques Seysses, known for this work with wholebunches, was not so keen on the destemming carried out by his sons in 2001. There are somewho have commented that it is not such a typical Dujac vintage, but Jeremy and Alec are happywith it. They are keen not to lose their Dujac identity, but happy to make wine as they did in2001. The vinification process has remained the same apart from this point. There are noprofound changes. As Alec points out, “my father accepted destemming in 2001 and in this year.”It appears he is coming round to quite liking the 2001s.SM*Morey-Saint-DenisGood spice on the aroma and dark red fruit. Density in the middle palate and the tannins arefirm. A robust palate with generous, spicy forest fruit. A good girth for village wine andattractively fruity on the finish. Forrest fruits abound. Excellent typicity. Very good village wine.From 2009Chambolle-MusignyThis Chambolle has sweet richness. It is very pure with lively energy, a gently rounded palatewith soft tannins and a delightful fruity finish. Lovely typicité. Very good. From 2007Morey-Saint-Denis, Premier CruRich dark fruits, good rounded feel to the fruit which cloaks the tannins and the edges of thepalate. It is a robust wine with more depth, grunt and grip than the village. There is a slightalmond kernel to the finish which is reasonably persistent. Very good indeed. From 2010Gevrey-Chambertin, Aux CombottesViolets on the aroma. Slight notes of bell pepper. The palate is energetic. The tannins have grip,no note of bell pepper on the palate, rather there is black spicy, taut fruit. It has a straight, moreaustere tannic framework. A direct, bold wine with firm structure and vigour. Particularly Good+.From 2011/1284

Chambolle-Musigny, Les GruenchersSome lifted floral notes here. Sweet fruit leads to a supple textural wine which weaves across thepalate, velvety and seductive. There is quite discernable grip, but cloaked in luscious red fruitswhich lifts to a fresh and lively finish. Nudging on Fine. From 2011*Vosne-Romanée, Les BeaumontsThe domaine has acquired a new parcel of Les Beaumonts taking the landholding to 0.75hectares. The new parcel of vines is between 40-50 years old. Alec comments that the location isgood and he expects to get the new parcel into shape in two years. Their original parcel ofBeaumont was replanted, so the vines are younger. In 2006 all the older and younger vines werevinified together so they fill a tank now. The trellising has been changed to Cordon Royat as thebunches were too cramped together. They pruned hard, so got little fruit here in 2006.Good depth to the nose and attack on the palate. Juicily attractive, generous and ripe. The topnote is floral and there is rich fruit beneath. It is elegant with decent depth and substance andthe finish certainly has plenty of ripe fruit. Soundly Fine. From 2011/12Vosne-Romanée, MalconsortsLast year this was labelled as négoce wine, although the parcel of vines had been purchased bythe domaine. The 2006 comes under the domaine label.The yields are low at 26-28 hl/ha because of hard pruning. Every post in three had to bechanged. Within the 1.5 hectares some areas evidently need quite a lot of work. They trimmed alittle lower than usual.This is assertively upright in structure. Distinctly grippy. Dark fruit with notes of spice, liquorishand mocha. Rather severe on the palate and strict on the finish.I tried a sample from another barrel. This sample was much more sumptuous, ample and intensein the middle palate with a richness and clarity of fruit. The tannins are suppler and sit in thewine. It is good depth and composure. The wine will certainly be Fine, quite possible very fine,but it is a little difficult to tell with two such differt samples. From 2012/13Charmes-ChambertinThere are 4 parcels, 2 in Mazoyères. They lost 20% during selection.This has good fruit depth and richness. It is seductive with ripe mulberry fruits. There is plenty ofgrip here, yet this does not detract from the purity of the fruit. It is quite languid, but thedefinition is good. The fruit is full on the finish and it is has decent enough length for grand cru.Fine+. From 2013*EchezeauxThe hail also hit the Echezeaux and they had problems, but I think the result is a very goodreflection of the work they put in.Lots of fruit up front on the palate. Lively acidity with a dark fruit juicy core to the wine; almostzesty. The fruit is vivid and the finish very long. It has a sweeping expansive palate, lively withforest fruits and engagingly vigorous. Quite a step up from the Charmes which is sound grandcru to a wine with much more expression, intensity on the finish and matter. Fine to very fine.From 2014*Clos De La RocheThey have 2 hectares of this including some very old vines, but on average 30 years old.A notch up again with this wine. Seductive fruit, rich tannins, velvet coated grip, density andsucculence. There is excellent substance in the middle palate. It is full, broad, slightly hedonistic,ripe and powerful and very full on the finish, which is impressively long. This is a wine withproper grand cru presence. Very fine indeed. From 201485

*Clos Saint-Denis(Alec mentions that the 1996 is coming around now)This has an elegance and stylishness about it. There is more upright fruit and a certain tension tothe middle palate and a distinct minerality on the finish. It is somewhat more austere andreserved than the Clos de La Roche. The tannins are perhaps a bit grippier. I like the definitionand vigour. Very fine. From 2014*Bonnes MaresNow they have 0.66 of a hectare as they have recently acquired a little more.Opulent richness, full bodied, lusciously rounded middle palate and very velvety tannins. There isrichly toned muscularity here, excellent depth and dimension with notes of mocha and blackcherries. Power and richness, yet the finish is very lifted with shards of dark minerality. This isvery fine. From 2014ChambertinThis is much more upright on the aroma. It is direct, tight and coiled with tannins that are firmand finely grained. There is excellent energy here; a lithe, fit vigour versus the slow muscle ofthe Bonnes Mares. The tension vibrates on the finish, although perhaps it falls a little short inintensity for this top grand cru. Fine to very fine.*Romanée Saint VivantSilky seductiveness. It is a very textural wine, rippling like rich, heavy silk across the palate.Gorgeous fruit and a lovely, long, long flowing finish. Just delicious and very persistent.Everything in balance and in harmony. Very fine to outstanding. From 2013Alec comments, “I recognise that Romanée-Saint-Vivant and Chambertin have that extra edge,much as I am attached to the Morey-Saint-Denis grand cru. These wines were the most excitingof our new acquisitions. To be able to work with Chambertin and Romanée-Saint-Vivant is just soexciting.”WhiteMorey-Saint-DenisFoulage (crushing) was used here. The grapes are placed in bins and then lightly trampled. In2006 Dujac experimented by doing 50% like this and 50% pressed in the normal manner. In2007 they have used foulage for the lot. The vineyard is on clay, essentially a pinot noir vineyardbelow the route 74. There is a dip in the land, so the vines are in a slight hollow where it iscooler.This has an attractive richness to it. Rather earthy, dense, broad and savoury. There is some griphere. It is robust, but in a good way, and meatily structured. I rather like it. Very attractiveindeed. From late 2008/2009Morey-Saint-Denis, Les Mont-LuisantsNaturally high acidity in this vineyard, so a late malolactic for this wine which is not yet in bottle.Alec Seysses, describes Mont Luisants as “classic Burgundian white wine soil.” The Seyessesvines are near Ponsot’s. This is 100% chardonnay and the vines are young; planted in 1997 and1998, so there are lots more to come from this vineyard. It is quite a curiosity and any Burgundylover would be interested to follow such a wine as the vines age.86

It has rich perfume, grip on the palate, density and a full-bodied profile. There is firm acidity anda slow muscular energy. It is rather dominated by new wood. Very good.I then was offered a second sample from older oak. When Jeremy Seyesses took over from hisfather in 2000, he reduced the 100% new wood. In the 2006 it will be just 20%. Now in thissample the fruit comes through. This is livelier, brighter with crystallised lemon fruits coupledwith more savoury notes. The stony minerality is exposed here which off sets the four squareprofile. It has proper Côte de Nuits power and masculinity. Very good to particularly good.StockistsUK:USA:O.W. Loeb; House of TownendChambers & Chambers; Wilson Daniels.87

Domaine Des Lambrays, Morey-Saint-DenisKRMorey-Saint-DenisThe bottling for this wine is planned for March.Beautiful floral and fresh cherry aromas. Fluid tannins and fresh acidity provide an elegantstructure, which is more open on the attack and tightens up through the palate and on the finish.Delicious purity of fruit. Good to very good. From 2009/2010.Morey-Saint-Denis, Premier CruComprised of a small proportion of Clos des Lambrays young vines (around 25 years old) and twopremiers crus; Les Villages and La Riottes.Bright cherry and black fruit on the nose. The attack is smooth, as is the mouthfeel and texture.Ripe tannins bring grip to the mid-palate and finish. Long, elegant and mineral inflected. Fine++.From 2011.Clos Des LambraysMore reticent on the nose, but throughout there are hints of expression to come. The rounded,ripe tannins and acidity are tightly bound, creating a vibrant tension and sense of control. Thelength is phenomenal and intensity is evident, but the feel of the wine is one of effortlesssophistication and refinement. Very fine. From 2012.WhiteMorey-Saint-DenisFoulage (crushing) was used here. The grapes are placed in bins and then lightly trampled. In2006 Dujac experimented by doing 50% like this and 50% pressed in the normal manner. In2007 they have used foulage for the lot. The vineyard is on clay, essentially a pinot noir vineyardbelow the route 74. There is a dip in the land, so the vines are in a slight hollow where it iscooler.This has an attractive richness to it. Rather earthy, dense, broad and savoury. There is some griphere. It is robust, but in a good way, and meatily structured. I rather like it. Very attractiveindeed. From late 2008/2009Morey-Saint-Denis, Les Mont-LuisantsNaturally high acidity in this vineyard, so a late malolactic for this wine which is not yet in bottle.Alec Seysses, describes Mont Luisants as “classic Burgundian white wine soil.” The Seyessesvines are near Ponsot’s. This is 100% chardonnay and the vines are young; planted in 1997 and1998, so there are lots more to come from this vineyard. It is quite a curiosity and any Burgundylover would be interested to follow such a wine as the vines age.It has rich perfume, grip on the palate, density and a full-bodied profile. There is firm acidity anda slow muscular energy. It is rather dominated by new wood. Very good.88

I then was offered a second sample from older oak. When Jeremy Seyesses took over from hisfather in 2000, he reduced the 100% new wood. In the 2006 it will be just 20%. Now in thissample the fruit comes through. This is livelier, brighter with crystallised lemon fruits coupledwith more savoury notes. The stony minerality is exposed here which off sets the four squareprofile. It has proper Côte de Nuits power and masculinity. Very good to particularly good.StockistsUK:USA:Berry Bros & Rudd Ltd.; O.W. Loeb; Lay and Wheeler: Howard Ripley, Hayes Hanson andClarke; Goedhuis; Laytons.Flint Wines, David Roberts Domaines.Weygandt-Metzler Importing Inc. PA89

Domaine Lignier-Michelot, Morey-Saint-DenisThis domaine also goes under the name of Vigile Lignier.Virgile Lignier describes 2006 as a vintage with “good definition of terroir.” He notes that thewine were transformed by the malolactic fermentation and for some wines he feels it is betterthan 2005. He perceives the fruit to be ripe, but with better definition than in 2003. The sugar atharvest was concentrated but not over-ripe, a characteristic he puts down to the fine weather atthe beginning of September. He says the grapes were still green in August.When comparing 2006 with 2005, Virgile Lignier says he prefers the acidity in 2006. The 2005shave more overall ripeness, but the acidity feels fresher because the minerality is more present.His yields are about 10-20% down in this vintage, when compared with the previous two. Hesays this is due to millerandage and his own selection using green harvesting and then a sortingtable at harvest.KR*BourgogneScented top notes of pure red Pinot fruits lead to a palate with a wonderful glossy smoothness,fine phenolics and freshness that brings added definition. Good finish. Very attractive Bourgogne.*Chambolle-Musigny, Vieilles VignesMore liquorice and dark fruit on this wine. The core has delicious concentration. Taut and finelygrainedtannins are layered with bright acidity that also lifts the elegant finish. Good to verygood. From 2009/2010.Chambolle-Musigny, Cuvée JulesThis wine is a blend of two premiers crus in Chambolle; Les Sentiers and Les Carrières. Freshblackberry and bramble fruit aromas emerge. There is a purity that runs through the winealigned with the fruit and tannins. Very long. Fine. From 2011.Morey-Saint-Denis, En La Rue De VergyThe aromatics allude to more smoke minerals and savoury notes. The phenolics are ripe andtight and the acidity is energetic. Direct in form and long with an evident drinkable qualityalready. Good. From 2009/2010.Morey-Saint-Denis, Vieilles VignesMore high toned – tar and briar notes come through. The palate is tighter and more inaccessiblenow. A dark mineral core runs through the wine and the same tar inflected minerals draw out thefinish. Good to very good. From 2010.Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvée BertanThis has a more animal, spicy and gamey character. Rich attack and initially open mouthfeelcreates a sense of opulence the contrast with the previous Moreys. The wine tightens up on thefinish and the supple grip of the tannins is layered with the fruit. The fruit lingers on the finish.Good+. From 2009/2010.90

Morey-Saint-Denis, Les CheneveryMore reticent on the nose, although the minerality is clear. The strike and mid-palate are directand focused. The tannins are closely knitted and balance the mineral acidity. The finish is strongand toned. Particularly good+. From 2010/2011.Morey-Saint-Denis, Aux CharmesStronger and broader than the Les Chenevery. It has more body. Red and black fruit top notesslowly emerge from dark spice and minerals. Supple tannins and vividly fresh acidity draw out thefinish. Good weight of matter is evident on the core and the finish. Particularly good to fine. From2011.*Morey-Saint-Denis, FaconnièresSmoke and tar are layered with darker, denser fruit here. Coiled, fine-grained tannins are wovenwith the acidity and fresh, crunchy dark berry fruit come through the minerality on the finish.Very long. Fine to very fine. From 2011.Clos Saint DenisLovely fluidity to the structure. The tannins and acidity are thoroughly knitted with the fruit. Itfeels effortlessly together already. Dark chocolate inflections add gloss to the mid-palate. There isa fine balance between elegance and muscle. Fine to very fine. From 2013/2014.*Clos De La RocheVery fragrant. Pure black fruits, spice and coal notes entwine in the aroma. Slightly bigger inform than the Clos Saint Denis – more upright and phenolic, showing excellent poise and texture.The core is intense and laced with fruit and a streak of stony minerals. Persistent finish. Veryfine. From 2014.WhiteBourgogne Grande Ordinaire Cuvée AxelleVirgile Lignier makes this wine for his daughter. It is a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20%Aligoté. It is all barrel fermented, but in older barrels.Citrus zest and mixed peel is given extra complexity by chalky nuances. It has a wonderfullyexuberant palate with plenty of fresh fruit. Delicious, tangy finish. Very attractive. From 2008.StockistsUK: Hayes, Hanson and Clarke; Gunston Fine Wines ; GenesisUSA: Selection Becky Wasserman, Le Serbet, France for Polaner (NY) ; International Wine ;Triage (Oregon).91

Domaine Du Clos De Tart, Morey-Saint-DenisSylvain Pitiot thinks there is likely to be a La Forge de Tart produced in 2006, but he is not fullysure yet and will decide closer to the completion of élévage. The wine is currently still on its leesin barrel and has not yet been racked.Sylvain Pitiot thinks 2006 is a classic vintage that will suit Burgundy lovers. For him. It is avintage that has produced wines with good tension that is more typical than vintages like 2003 or2004. It is more humble than 2005, but it does possess class and a racy quality.He describes 2006 as difficult after the ease of 2005. The weather was not very good overall, butflowering was normal, neither too late nor too early. He notes that July was good, but Augustwas catastrophic. Fortunately September was dry, but he said it was necessary to wait until theend of September to harvest, in order to pick grapes that had a good balance between sugar andphenolic ripeness (they started picking on the 27 th September).He draws a comparison with 2001, noting that in both vintages the colour in the wines developedgradually (harvested commenced at the same time in both vintages). He also points out that thelong, slow malolactic in 2006, which finished in July, was good for the wine.He observes that the alcohol levels in 2006 were the same as 2005, with an average of 13.7%across the cuvées. The same is true for the pH, with an average of approximately 3.50. Indeed,Sylvain Pitiot states that there is a good balance between the tartaric and the malic acid in thisvintage and that in this respect it is also showing a similar evolution to 2001 Clos de Tart.KRClos De TartWe tasted 4 cuvées, which related to the different subsoils in the clos, now that they have beenitentified.Sample one: This first sample comes from decomposed limestone that Sylvain Pitiot describes asless active limestone. The aromas hint at minerals like coal and to dark fruits. The palate is plush,smooth and glossy in texture. The tannins are fluid and hidden within the fruit, while theminerality and acidity provide direction and backbone. There is a clear sense of elegance andfinesse and ripe fruit.Sample two: This sample is taken from active limestone parcel in the middle part of the clos. Onthe nose the character is more savoury and restrained, feeling higher toned and upright than thefirst sample. The phenolics are a little more perceptible and tighter in form. There is a deepmineral core laced with spice, but this sample is more about texture than the first.Sample three: This sample is taken from Marne subsoils. The immediate impression is one ofincreased structure compared with the previous two. The tannins are strict and toned and thedensity of the fruit is controlled and compact. There is a sense of purity, minerality andsmokiness on the incredibly long finish.Sample four: This is also from active limestone, but taken from the top of the slope. This wineconveys a distinct presence. It has an upright posture and is strong in character. Ripe, very fine,92

firm tannins guide the fruit and acidity. The palate feels very focused, contained and muscular.There is amazing depth.This is the blend that is representative of the expected final wine: Although very unformed, as anentity there is a glorious sense of completeness and energy. Waves of velvet ripple across thepalate and at the same time the structure is defined and effortlessly poised. Berries and mineralsare woven through the phenolics. Both breadth and depth are conveyed. Very sophisticated andexpansive. Outstanding. From 2015.StockistsUK:USA:Contact John Comyn, Clos de Tart UK Office, Vinexcel Ltd.You may find it at the following - L’Assemblage; Bakers & Larners of Holt ; Cairns &Hickey Wines Ltd.; Castang Wine Shippers; Direct Wines Ltd; Dunell’s; Fine & Rare WinesLtd.; Haynes Hanson & Clark; Hallgarten Wines Ltd.; House of Townend; Justerini &Brooks Ltd.; Lay & Wheeler; Lea & Sandeman; Manwood Wines; William Mason FineWines Ltd.; The Merchant Vintners Co. Ltd.; Raeburn Fine Wines; La Réserve; UnwinsWine Merchants; El Vino Co. Ltd.; H.T. White & Co.; The Wine Society.Marie Brizard USA.93

Domaine Ghislaine Barthod, Chambolle-MusignyGhislaine and Louis Boillot describe how the hail in Chambolle went in a swath which caughtsome Musigny and Les Amoureuses and continued under the village. “Beaux Bruns was affected,but not the slopes; not Les Cras. The affect was on the quantity. 2004 which was much worse.Then it was necessary to go in and take off the bunches early on, so as not to have hail taint. In2006 fortunately it was too early to damage the quality.”Ghislaine Barthod is very careful with new oak to preserve the aromatics. Twenty-five to thirtypercent of new oak is used on the premier cru. Ghislaine was evidently disappointed whentasting with me that quite a few of the wines were not showing as they were before the rackingat the end of August when they displayed more weight and extract. This will come back with thesecond winter in barrel. For all the wines Ghislaine likes to have two winters in barrel.The purity of fruit was particularly evident at this domaine. These wines are really a delight. Theyare charming, fragrant and finely balanced.“For the 2006 vintage you can have pleasure to start at four to five years,” Ghislaine comments.“I feel the 2006 is perhaps a better representation of Chambolle than in 2005 as we have thefineness and freshness of fruit. It is quite classic and at the same time has pure fruit. I like thecombination and the soil, minerality and the purity. There is good structure and the fruit is veryexpressive.”Excellent expression of terroir in these wines. It is fascinating to taste through such a range ofdifferent Chambolle premier cru at one domaine.SM*Bourgogne“Good terroir for Bourgogne - near Gilly les Château on a little mound,” says Ghislaine.Lively, bright, pure character to this Bourgogne. Light tannins and a light touch. It has goodenergy and finishes well with appealing freshness. Very attractive. From late 2008Chambolle-MusignyA blend of 10 parcels, which includes higher soils and younger vines at the top of the village i.e.Les Véroilles and Les Cras. Down below the village there is fruit from the village parcel L’Orme.There is a good spread of terroir.There is lucidity to this village wine, purity, delicacy and fragrance. There is a bit of grip to thepalate and lovely fruit which sings to the finish, although there is not a great deal of depth. Goodto Very good. From 2009.Ghislaine says she will leave it until January to gain body and length. “It was longer before theracking.”Chambolle-Musigny, Les ChâtelotsThis is next to Feusselottes, but has deeper soils. Ghislaine remarks that Feusselottes usuallygives darker fruit. Here the vines are on average 45 years old.94

This has juicy red fruit aromatics. The palate is quite tight at first, but remarkably juicy, lively andfresh. There is a delicious succulence of fruit, ripe tannins and a straight direct red fruit finish. Ilike the purity and energy here. Particularly Good. From 2010Chambolle-Musigny, Aux CombottesThis premier cru is at the top of Aux Combottes, below Les Combottes. The lower part of AuxCombotte is village wine. There is a little depression in the topography here. Ghislaine’s vines runfrom top to the bottom of this mini slope which has less soil at the top. Twenty year old vines.Denser and darker aromatics. It is quite compact on the palate, grippier and spicier. Good depthand density if slightly robust in the context of this domaine. Particularly good+. From 2010/11Chambolle-Musigny, Les Beaux BrunsShe lost 35% to hail in Beaux Bruns. Ghislaine normally has 15 barrels, but this year there arejust nine. She had just done a green harvest, when the hail came and effectively did it all again.This has an alluring purity, intensity and ripeness. Sweet, juicy fruit on the attack. A fresh andexpressive palate with ripe raspberry fruit and supple tannins. It is elegant and vivacious to thefinish. It is all about fruit, but there is an intensity here which promises more structure. I feel thatthe body and extract that Ghislaine tells me has been suppressed in some of the wines is evidenthere. It should come back. Potentially Fine to fine+. From 2011/12*Chambolle-Musigny, Les BaudesDeeper red soil here. Good expression of its terroir.This is immediately seductive. There is toned muscle. It is like a little Bonnes Mares. The palatehas dark flesh and rich breadth. It is generous with good extract and silk cloaked tannins,somewhat spicy with a hint of graphite and slightly brooding presence. The finish is wellsustained for premier cru. Fine+. From 2012*Chambolle-Musigny, Les CharmesThere is a more floral aspect to this wine. It has the delightful perfume of a rose garden. Thepalate it is alluring. There is charming and ample roundness. The fruit is deliciously juicyunderscored by lively energy and then it closes in to become more compact and tight on thefinish. So it is rounded in the middle drawing in to a firm, mineral focused finish. This has a trulytextbook Chambolle profile – purity, intensity and florality. Fine+. 2011/12*Chambolle-Musigny, Les FuéesVibrant, high and scented. Lots of vivid ripe fruit on the front of the palate, then it tightens upand becomes really racy, taut and direct with a fine vibration to the finish. This has finesses andprecision. Fine to very fine. From 2012Chambolle-Musigny, Les VéroillesA small part of Les Véroilles received premier cru status in 1987. This is a parcel of just 37 arestucked in the corner of Véroilles planted by Ghislaine’s father. He applied to the authorities toraise the appellation status and they agreed. The vines here were planted 55 years ago. LesVéroilles is a steep appellation and was, until relatively recently, covered in trees. Now of courseit is under vine. Ghislaine also has younger vines in the village part, mentioned earlier, which gointo the village Chambolle. Veroilles has similar soil to Bonnes Mares, above which it lies, but it isrockier.95

This has minerality and focus. It is racy and fresh on the palate, counterbalanced with strikingdark forest fruits in the middle palate. There is juicy succulence and ripeness. The taut vivacitycarries the wine on the finish which is tight, chalky, pure and very persistent. This is lovely, butthe Fuées has the edge in terms of personal preference. Fine+. From 2012*Chambolle-Musigny, Les CrasVery fresh and breezy on the aroma with a saline minerality. Pure, bright and focused on theattack. It is linear and direct, skating vigorously across the palate, racy to the finish. It is finelycomposed with shaley layers, a millefeuille structure; minerality layering with vivid red fruits.There is a long limestone, pure and persistent finish. Exemplary Les Cras. Very fine. From 2012StockistsUK:USA:Richards Walford – principal agent.Neal Rosenthal Wine Merchant, NY.96

Domaine Louis Boillot et Fils, Chambolle MusignyLouis Boillot started harvest in the Côte de Beaune on 23 rd September and then began the Côtede Nuits on the 25 th September. The bad weather in August started to ease up from the middleof the month onwards. He thinks there was a little more rain, and subsequently, more incidencesof rot in areas like Beaune and Savigny, so triage was very important for quality. As a result, hesays yields are down overall by about 30% on 2005, although this did vary from village to villageand his Gevrey was only down by 10%.He describes the 2006s as having plenty of fruit purity and fine tannins. At the beginning hecompared the 2006s with the 2000, but with time he now thinks it is better, more concentratedwith greater structure and clearer fruit. He believes it is more classically Pinot in barrel incharacter than 2005, recommending that the 2006 be drunk before 2005, but after 2004.KRTasting: SM just for the first four wines. KR for all the rest.*BourgogneSome good dark fruit here, fresh and a little spicy. A decent straight forward Bourgogne.Attractive. From 2008.Côtes de Nuits VillagesThis is lively on the aroma. Softish dark fruit on the palate, light tannins, perhaps a little slight.Perfectly pleasant. From 2008.*FixinFrom 50 year old vines, located under the premier cru Clos de Chapitre in Fixin.This has good depth and intensity, dark fruit. It’s quite grippy with a fair amount of extract andgood tension. Straight and spicy on the finish with a decent tight core. Good+. From 2009/10.Pommard20 year old vines.This is rather elegant for Pommard. Very pure and straight with dark fruit, touch of blueberry andgood energy. It is lightish bodied for Pommard, but with pleasantly firm tannic structure andzesty lifted finish. Good+. From 2009/10.Volnay, Les Grands PoisotsThe yield was down to 30hl/ha for this plot, which is situated on the border with Pommard, dueto the selection that was carried out to eliminate the risk of rot. Hence Louis Boillot considers it ismore serious and concentrated.The attack is energetic and the tight phenolics are layered with rich, red fruit. The mouthfeel isquite robust and vivid, leading to an anise scented finish. Good from 2009+.*Beaune, Epenottes60 year old vines, located between the border with Pommard and the premier cru of BeauneEpenottes. At this tasting the malolactic was still only 70% finished.The nose is laced with pure cherry fruit and is followed by a very fragranced strike. The core ofthe wine is tight and threaded with fine quality tannins. The red cherry fruit is joined by asavoury spiciness on the mid-palate and finish. Really very good. From 2009/2010.97

Chambolle MusignyProduced from one single parcel. Pure, mulberry fruit runs through the wine. Delicacy is balancedwith supple tannins and spicy minerality. Perfumed and elegant, with delicious freshness on thefinish. Good to very good. From 2009.Gevrey-ChambertinProduced from six parcels with an average vine age of over 50 years.The aromatic and fruit characters are more gamey with cinnamon and nutmeg spice complexity.The velvety texture is offered support by ripe tannins and fresh acidity that runs alongside theminerality. The fruit and phenolics tighten on the finish. Good. From 2009/2010.Volnay, Les AnglesThis plot is located near Fremiets. Louis Boillot will be racking this wine again before bottlingbecause it is showing a little reduction now.Sweetly fruited strike leads to a finely-textured palate. Elegant freshness and cranberry andcherry fruit are layered with silky tannins that offer up enough grip to direct the wine. Particularlygood. From 2009.Volnay, BrouillardsParcels is located in the east of Brouillards and is planted with 60 year old vines. The soil is darkwith lots of red clay.Kirsch notes come through on the nose. Fruit is smooth and has a glossy sheen, although themouthfeel is direct and displays a little more grip than the Les Angles. Lovely fresh finish.Particularly good to fine. From 2010/2011.*Volnay, CailleretsDelicacy and more lightness characterises the mineral-inflected aromas. The palate is focusedand fresh, showing excellent clarity with ripe, but juicy, crunchy redcurrant fruit and chalky,stony notes, that are especially prevalent on the finish. Elegant wine. Fine. From 2011.*Pommard, Les Croix-Noires70 year old vines. Boillot owns a small plot in this premier cru that only covers 2ha and is splitbetween 4 producers.Plum and myrtle are woven through the nose and the palate of this wine. The tight phenolics arebound with acidity and balanced with fresh, pure fruit. Good length. Particularly good to fine.From 2011.Pommard, FremiersThe 60 year old wines in this parcel were planted by Louis Boillot’s grandfather.Spice and brambles and hints of ripe plum. Deliciously fresh attack and energetic mid-palate. Thetannins are firmer, but have a fine-grained texture. Fruit and minerality reasserts itself on thefinish. Fine. From 2012.Gevrey-Chambertin, EvocellesWonderfully perfumed aromas of fresh, high-toned dark fruit. Tense, elegant quality to the palateto the mouthfeel, combined with rich fruit. Glossy quality to the finish. Really very refined andneatly proportioned village wine. Very good. From 2012.Gevrey-Chambertin, ChamponnetsRed berries, brambles and tobacco and leather spice. The richness of the fruit on the core isbalanced by the freshness of the acidity and spiciness. Delicious vivid finish. Fine. From 2011-2012.98

*Gevrey-Chambertin, Les CherbaudesThe average yield of the 95 year old vines planted in this cru is 25-35hl/ha.Perfumed aromas of black plum fruit show ripeness. Muscular phenolics and fruit energy driveand structure the palate. Mineral undertones increase the complexity of the mid-palate. Refinedand strong. Fine to very fine. From 2012.Nuits-Saint-Georges, PruliersMore austerity is apparent and it is balanced by ripe fruit and edgy, racy minerals. The tanninsare ripe, but have a nervy, firm quality that adds vibrancy to the structure of the wine. Freshnessdraws out the finish. Fine. From 2011.UK: Richards Walford – Principal ImporterUSA: Neal RosenthalStockists99

Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier, Chambolle-Musigny“Back to a more classical vintage after 2005,” remarks Frédérick Mugnier. “Before harvest I wasquite anxious. The summer was cold and rainy. My anxiety was about rot. There was lots of rainthroughout France, but not so heavy in Burgundy. I monitored the reports of low pressure goingto the north and the south of France. Until the last week of September we were mainly preservedfrom the really heavy rain. We started picking on 18 th September and ended on Monday the weekafter, almost entirely under dry weather. So the rot did not spread in September because of thedry weather.”“My first impression right after fermentation was not good. I was worried by the high andabrasive tannins, so I left the wine until February. I didn’t want to be influenced. By this time thetannins had changed completely. They contributed to the flesh of the wine in the middle palateand were no longer astringent. I was surprised now by the depth of the wine; in texture quitecomparable to 2005 although different in style, construction and expression.”Frédérick is not sure what caused the tannin astringency. The 2006s had more malic acid thanthe 2005s and this may be an explanation. “The malolactic fermentation when it started inFebruary and March did have an effect, but it’s not the whole story which is as much to do withslow oxygenation.”“The 2007s are very different, yet 2007 was also cool and wet, but whereas the 2006 is tannicthe 2007 is not. The big difference was the weather in spring. In 2007 April was very warm, sothe vines were flowering very early and there was more water in 2007.”“I initially expected 2006 would be closer to 2004, but now not at all. More depth and structure.”The final pH is lower than 2004s.“2006 is extremely promising, better than my ‘99s; more expression than 1999 and smoothertexture and purity of fruit. I feel that this will age slowly and is a vintage to keep. Also somethingof the 2001 about this vintage. People were concerned the 2001 would close down, but deliciousnow and with potential for the future. It is more complete than 2001, because in 2001 thestructure was based on acidity and this more on acidity and tannins, so the balance is better.”SMChambolle-MusignyDeep colour. There is black cherry fruit. The tannins sit in wine and are fleshed with juicy fruit,although the palate is more firmly structured and grippier than one might have expected. It isboth fresh and mineral with a tight core. It is rather spicy which really shows on the lively finish.Very good. From 2011.Chambolle Musigny 2005Plumply rich and ripe fruit on the palate. Deliciously juicy, red fruits, excellent depth and luscioustannins. Very pure, generous yet elegant and well rounded. This is tasting well, in that it has onlyjust begun to close up, most obviously on the end of the palate where the tannins were moreexposed. Top notch village wine. Score 16.5-17.100

“For me the 2005s are a regressive pleasure,” explains Frédérick. In other words they are tooobvious and the pleasure one takes in them is almost childlike.Chambolle-Musigny, Les FuéesHigh lifted aroma. It is in the delicate dark fruit spectrum with fine black cherries. The pure fruitsings across the palate. It is vivacious and direct, and spiced with lively, slatey minerality. It hasa fine, dark mineral core encased in lucid dark fruit. Here the tannins sit in the wine. There is asvelte, linear quality to the texture as it flows sleekly across the palate, but there is also grip onthe finish. Fine++. From 2012.Bonnes MaresDeeply floral aroma. Super subtle on the attack to a middle palate of substance and firm tannins.Violet, dark flowers, slightly exotic. It has a firm profile with depth and dimension, vigour andgrip. The palate and the finish are well defined. Fine to very fine. From 2012/14When I asked if Frédérick had changed his approach to the winemaking in 2006, he a respondedthat he had not. He feels that in 2003 he changed a few things and regrets it. “I feel I shouldhave followed the same way with 2003 as with 2002 and every other year. Nature has a balanceof its own and it is better to rely on nature than on winemakers skills.”Chambolle-Musigny, Les AmoureusesThis has a deliciously scented, intense aroma. Hints of dried crimson rose petals and somethingzestier, a slight note of aniseed on the palate. The palate has a wonderfully sensual texture.There is depth and intensity. It is pure and rich with fluid silkiness. Vigour with some grip comesthough on the finish which is tautly persistent and vibrates with lively energy. Very fine tooutstanding. From 2012/3Frédérick always says he finds it impossible to describe wine, but here he volunteers, “It leaves atingle on the finish, which leaves you wanting more.” That’s exactly right.Le MusignyHigh floral aromas. The texture here is silk, fluid and rippling. The top palate is perfumedethereal, and beneath this is quite lightly bodied, but with excellent depth, mineral intensity anddefinition. The vivid fruit shimmies through the wine to a finish which is both firmly persistentand focused. It is firm, but graceful. Very fine to Outstanding. From 2013/14.Le Musigny, 2005This is luscious with gorgeous fruit. There is marvellous depth, vigour and dark, flowing richlysilky texture. It has gained gras and body since I tried it last. It has a stylish elegance and greatpresence. Closing down now. Score 20. From 2015.Frédérick says “I think this will live for ever…for more than 50 years. I will leave some for mydaughter.”*Nuits-Saint-Georges, La MaréchaleSpicy and dark on the palate. The tannins are grippy and there is a touch of tar and gravel notes.It is tense and energetic. There is violet floral aspect to the palate with smooth, polished stoneon the finish. It is firm and straight, but also notably pure and elegant for Nuits-Saint-Georges.Fine+. From 2012/13Frédérick seems a bit under whelmed by this wine, but I think it is very good. He responds,“Nuits-Saint-George is an old friend you can trust. There is a stability you find in Nuits-Saint-Georges, which you won’t find in Chambolle. In Chambolle Les Amoureuses is the mostChambolle of Chambolle and I see this as the most fabulous place to work…always a surprise,always unexpected.” This aside, La Maréchale in 2006 is a firmly elegant Nuits-Saint-Georges.101

Nuits-Saint-Georges, La Maréchale, 2005.Darker, dense fruit on the aroma and compact, rich palate. More massively fruity than the 2006.It has a muscular, broad and direct palate, but with good purity of fruit and cool coal-likeminerality to the finish. This is closing down and has become much more tannic and rigid. It willneed a lot of time. Score 18-18.5. From 2015“With time will come complexity,” muses FrédérickWhiteFrédérick grafted some chardonnay onto pinot noir rootstock in 2004 and in 2005 made his firstvintage. He selected new vine material, (not fully certified yet). The vines seem to have very lowyields. He had to pick the 2005 early as it had reached 14% alcohol. The acidity and the alcoholwere both high. He thinks the clones ripen too early in 2005 and the later ripening 2006 harvestwill be better, more mineral. The 2006 wasn’t available to taste. I think it had been sulphuredearlier that morning, but here is the 2005.Nuits-Saint-Georges, La Maréchale, 2005This has pear-like fruit, with a lot of weight, richness and roundness. It is broad and savoury withnutty depth. It is full bodied, muscular white. The freshness comes though on the finish. Score16.5-17.StockistsUK:USA:Georges Barbier of London; Haynes, Hanson & Clark; H & H Bancroft; Fields Morris &Verdin; Tremayne & Webb; The Winery.Martin Scott Wines Ltd.; Wines Unlimited; Selection Becky Wasserman, Le Serbet,France.102

Domaine Georges & Christophe Roumier, Chambolle-MusignyChristophe describes the conditions: “Bright weather; we had no worries with the conditions untilthe end of July. It was promising an average crop. We were looking after the young vines withgreen harvesting. Then on 28 th of July there was a hail storm. We were affected in theBourgogne and some of the village wines, especially those down the slope. All the hillsidevineyards were OK. Les Amoureuses usually gets affected, because it is so open, but not thistime. The hail in Morey-Saint-Denis was more serious than in Chambolle and worst still in Gevrey,in Mazoyères-Chambertin. The worst affected included Clos de Bèze and Griotte.”“There is no taste of hail. No mould taste. So, the signature of the vintage is not related to thehail storm, but rather to the rain and to the rot in the places that had hail. August was very rainyand cold. Not as bad as 2007, but bad. It rained until the 10/12 th September, but mainly at thebeginning and the end of August. The sun was better in September, but it was still wet; So it wasa competition between rot developing and ripeness developing.”“We started harvest on about the 22 nd and we began where there was rot. It was not easy toremove the affected bunches at the time (in August), so we removed rotten grapes at thebeginning of September. We were worried that veraison was not developing fast and that rot wastaking its place instead. The other places were OK, so triage took palce at harvest in the vineyardand winery.”“The sugars were OK. The lowest was 11.8% potential alcohol in natural sugar in Bourgogne, theChambolle reached 12.7% and the Bonnes Mares 12.9%. In comparison with 2005 the pHs werequite high after malolactic, as there was quite high malic in this vintage, as in 2007. (“In 2007the poor conditions were accentuated. No hail, but cloud, poor light and poor temperatures.”)The skins in 2006 reflect the lack of sunshine. Although, where there was no rot, it was not amassive problem. Those places with hail there was more of a problem because the canopy wastouched. Even though some more leaves had developed to take their place, the skins were quitethin. So they were not very tannic and there was quite a lot of juice because of the rain. Wecouldn’t have waited longer because the weather turned. We saw the physiological ripeness wasthere, so we picked.”After sorting Christophe was happy with the quality. “We went for the usual schedule ofpreferment soak at 14-15 centigrade lasting for 7 to 8 days. Pigeage and then post fermentmaceration for 6 to 7; A little longer for the places where there was no hail and less rot. I wasquite confident in the quality of the grapes so the fermentation was pretty much the same asusual. When we evaluated the quality and quantity of tannins during fermentation, it showed usthat the extraction was not great, so we could continue the maceration. We were afraid of thegreen tannins, but we didn’t see any so we continued with the maceration. The pips were ripe.The level of malic had cast doubt on the tannin ripeness, but they we not unripe.”“The biggest variation was in the way we are ageing the wines in barrel. We will bottle a littleearlier due to the higher pH. We delayed the MLF a bit. It finished in July/August and we will notrack until they are ready to go into stainless steel tanks prior to bottling.” So they rackedeverything, up to and including Les Combottes, in mid October and will bottle in December. Theother wines were still in cask and unracked when I tasted in later October. Christophe wouldnormally have racked them in September and then put back in barrel.He remarks that part of his decision not to rack the 2006s was because the vintage didn’t easilygo into that slightly reductive state necessary to maintain the wines longer in barrel. When finally103

they did show some reduction post MLF, he was confident he could keep them on lees in barrelfor a while longer, if not he would have had to bottle much earlier than usual.“I might wish for more concentration and depth, but I pleased with the wines. They have goodflavours. These wines are not so complex and not so concentrated. They are quite light-bodied.They are going to be very pleasant. I see the lovely fruit as an advantage. It is a vintage inbetween. Not a reference vintage. I find the fruit reassuring and delicately textured and it showsa real definition of quality between the different levels and cru. In 2000 one could say the wineswere dominated by the vintage flabbiness. They were so sweet on the finish. They were verynice to drink young. 2006 has the same body, but the wines are fresher, more vivid and there isa marked variation of texture following the AC level. More terroir influence than in 2000. Thehillsides show this. Also the age of vines is quite apparent in this vintage.”The samples were prepared to reflect the blend as it will be at bottling.SM*BourgogneSweet fruity aroma and on the palate it is clear and very pretty laced with red summer fruits andripe strawberries. Good freshness. Smoothly rounded and lifted on the finish. Very attractive.From 2008.Chambolle-MusignyRacked out of barrel 2 weeks ago. It is a blend of 5 cuvees, 55 barrels in total. Christophe doesnot make it parcel by parcel, but often blends parcels which have the same type of origin. Readyto bottle now with no fining or filtration as it has reached a good turbidity level.This good depth of summer fruit on the nose and intensity of fruit on the palate. Creamy tannins,smoothly rounded body; a supple and fruit driven wine, lucid, fresh and nicely lifted on the finishwhich is pretty and fragrant. Very chambolle. Very good+. From 2010Morey-Saint-Denis, Clos De La BussièreStill in barrel and will not be bottled until March.Dark fruit on the nose and bramble fruit on the palate. Surprisingly supple, generous and fresh. Areally juicy Clos de la Bussière this year without the usual chunkiness. A zesty lively palate withgood intensity and a rather spicy top notes; touches of black chocolate and pepper. Lighterbodied, smoother and a little more suave than typical. Particularly good+. From 2010/11.Chambolle-Musigny, Les CombottesThis has been part of the estate forever, but the fruit was always put into the village wine until1999. Half was replanted in 1982. Christophe describes it as a stony place, but not solid rock, amixture of big rocks and clay. It is quite flat, but has the quality of the hillside.” This was instainless steel awaiting bottling.Quite scented and high toned on the aroma. The attack is satiny. The palate is a light oval ratherthan richly rounded and is quite delicate. The tannins are fine and smoothly grained with a lightand supple texture. It is fresh and elegant with nice intensity of summer fruit on the finish whichis lifted and bright. Particularly good+ From 2011/12.Chambolle-Musigny, Les CrasThis is more closed at the moment. Christophe thinks it is very tense at the moment “racking willpolish it.”There is a light, high, tight perfume on the aroma. It is streamlined, taut and light but intense.Quite ethereal in a way, as it floats across the palate, but is underscored by a firm core of104

minerality. There are red fruits, fragrant wild strawberries on the palate. The tannins are fine,almost imperceptibly woven in the wine. It is a linear wine with a direct finish marked by a salineminerality. Fine+. From 2011/12Charmes-ChambertinCharmes-Chambertin and Ruchottes-Chambertin are share-cropped and come under theChristophe Roumier label, rather than Georges Roumier. (This Charmes is from Mazoyères-Chambertin.) Christophe sometimes likes to use some whole clusters on a small part of theCharmes, but in 2006 he destemmed 100%, “due to water, rot and hail, it not a vintage to playwith the stems here.” This will be bottled soon, unlike Les Cras and Bonnes Mares which willwait until spring.Very pure red fruit on the nose. Good intensity on the palate, which is charming on the attack,very open and expressive, then tightens up in the middle, where there is tension and surprisinglygood definition coupled with minerality and freshness. The texture is fine with smooth powderytannins. The finish is nicely persistent and marked by vivid red fruit. Fine+. From 2011/12*Ruchottes-ChambertinThis has almost 40% new oak and carries it well, certainly it gives it an extra gloss. Christophefeels this normally has more tannins and so he can use more here. Ruchottes escaped the hailentirely.Lucid fruit on the nose and very streamlined and vigorous on the palate. It attacks energeticallyand maintains the pace. This really sings, lithe and vibrant with firm minerality, good chalkinessand fresh, vivid purity. The tannins have grip, but are woven into the wine. Polished, harmoniousand vigorous. Very fine to outstanding. From 2013*Chambolle-Musigny, Les AmoureusesSeductively aromatic and the scent carries to the palate. It is very floral. There are peonies andAlbertine rose petals. The sublimely textural palate ripples like rich silk. There is marked richnessand ripeness to the fruit and chamois-leather softness to tannins. The energy flows but is morelanguid and carries seamlessly to a long ribbon-like finish. Probably outstanding. From 2012.*Bonnes-MaresThe 2 cuveés of this are kept separate and blended before bottling.Darker fruit with a touch of damson and black cherry. This is sleek. It has a rich tonedmuscularity. The rich tannins are enrobed in dark fruit. It is full-bodied with glimpses of darkspice. Although it is a substantial wine, but there is nothing burly about it. There is freshness anda supple, glistening sheen to the palate. The finish is long elegant and polished. Very fine indeed.From 2012/13.Le Musigny50% whole clusters. ‘Whole clusters brings a touch of emotion to the wine,” says Christophe,“but they must be from a top origin.”Lifted florality and intensity. The palate is very refined and understated. It has a taut and mineralspine. High, pure cherry blossom and rose petal fragrance floats across the top of the palate,beneath which ripples the fruit, which has a dewy translucency. It shows very fine intensity andgreat poise and a superbly long, perfumed and lingering finish. Outstanding. From 2012.105

White*Corton-CharlemagneThis is from the Pernard side. “This was a good surprise,” remarks Christophe. “It had a differentevolution. The fermentation only finished in August. The MLF went on in the middle of this. I wasworried how it would turn out, but I am surprised.” He racked it from barrel two weeks ago andit will be bottled in a month.Gloss to the aroma and crystallised citrus fruits. Silky seductive texture, notes of hazelnuts andalmond kernel. There is some good tension in the middle palate and chalkiness on the finish. It isan elegant, lighter bodied Corton Charlemagne which carries itself on stony minerality and purityof fruit rather than on body and richness and depth. Decent grand cru finish. Vine to very fine.StockistsUK:USA:John Armit Wines; Domaine Direct; Haynes,Hanson & Clark; Berry Brothers; Laytons;Gerard Seel Ltd.; Justerini and Brooks; Tanners Wines Ltd.; The Wine Society.Seagram Château & Estate Wine Co.106

Domaine Comte Georges De Vogüé, Chambolle-MusignyI love the way François Millet describes things. He tells me that “this vintage is our friend. It isappeasing as opposed to the 2005 where there is a contest of wills and we have to push againstit or be overpowered.”François Millet comments that July was even hotter than in 2003. Following the hail heconsidered it “risky to take off the affected berries. As there was no botrytis, just dried berries, itwas better to leave them and sort at harvest, rather than possibly damage the other berries.”They harvested on the 21st of September. “September was warmer with good but not hightemperatures. It was more the effect of the Southern wind. It is difficult to explain how thesevery different phases have affected the end result. Hot July, cool August, warm and windySeptember. Each month was quite extreme, yet the wine is so calm. Maybe violence induces nonviolence? But it is much less extreme than, for example, the drought of 2003. So I feel that this isclassic vintage; more within the perimeter we are used to here. With non-classic vintages, itdepends how you handle them.”“Although I want to achieve the full seduction of the vintage, the malolactic was recent (in July)and I don’t want to be seduced by the fact the wine has all this fruit.” He has not yet made hismind up when to rack.The racking here is carried out gently from cask to cask. “Each cask has a different development.Racking cask to cask, you have more information about the cuvée. You understand it better; somuch better than racking up to a tank and blending and then putting back in barrel. Youpreserve the individuality of each cask.”François Millet compares the purity of fruit to a jelly rather than a jam. “A very floral vintage.There are cherry flowers in the vintage.”SM*Chambolle-MusignySweet wild strawberries on the aroma. It is very expressive with a lovely intensity of pure, finered fruit. The texture is seductive and the tannins supple-soft. It is plump, rounded and polished.Fresh on the finish with a hint of spice and white pepper. Top notch. This was my top villageChambolle of the vintage. Very good to particularly good. From 2010/11When we discuss this wine François Millet agrees - with a qualification. “It is a true and friendlyseduction, rather than a treacherous one.”Chambolle-Musigny, Les Amoureuses20% new oak. The rest is in one year old oak.The fruit is deep, richly floral with violet flowers and flecked with a touch of aniseed. The textureis satiny and supple with a little grip to the end of the palate. It is complex and a little moreretrained on the palate than on the aroma. There is freshness, intensity and energy on the finishand smooth minerality. This wine has a lovely luminescence. Very fine. From 2012/13107

*Bonnes MaresSomewhat darker aroma, in the spicy cherry spectrum. Dark fruit on the attack with hints ofviolets, liquorish and a peppering of spice. It is vibrantly rich and fresh. There is a supple andgently muscular energy. It is smoothly rounded, but not heavy. It has an elegantly ripplingtexture more dark satin than velvet. There is a depth to the palate, but a certain reserve and thefinish is exceedingly long and sleek. Very fine to Outstanding. From 2013I liked Francois Millet’s description for the Bonnes Mares. I went something like this. ‘You are outfishing with him (the Bonnes Mares persona) and the end of the day comes. It’s getting dark andyou look at your watch wondering when you will pack up and go home, when ‘he’ says ‘no weare going to sleep outside tonight under the stars.’ He’s a bit wild. He may be elegant, but thereis something a bit more unpredictable in his character.’MusignyThis is very floral, expressive and vibrantly intense on the aroma. The palate is beautifullyperfumed. It is rich on the front of the palate then tightens up in the middle and becomes taut,deep and mineral. This tight core of minerality is enveloped in vivid, pure and silky textured fruit.There is freshness on finish coupled with a smooth steely minerality. After all the expressive fruitit is very assertive and has a glossy rapier-like finish. Very fine to Outstanding. From 2013“The Musigny,” remarks François Millet, “is the husband with its depth and body, and theAmoureuses is the wife. Together they represent the village. Musigny is always 3 months behindAmoureuses and Bonnes Mares. The time in barrel just has not had the same effect.”StockistsUK:USA:Contact the importer Corney and BarrowChambers & Chambers; Dreyfus Ashby & Co.; H2 Vino; Ideal Wine & Spirits; Import!;North Berkeley Imports; The Stacole Co Inc; The Wine Company; Atlanta Wholesale;C’est Vin108

Domaine Robert Arnoux, Vosne-RomanéePascal Lachaux describes the 2006 as “classic Bourgogne, great typcity for pinot noir and theterroir is respected. Today I prefer the 2006 to 2005 for its fruit and freshness.”“I feel it is very important to select in the vineyard; to select the best grapes a month beforeharvest,” Pascal Lachaux tells me. “If you have a very big selection to do at harvest, it isbecause you did not do it before. It was especially important in 2006 and 2007, so that the vinecan concentrate on the good grapes. Pinot Noir cannot accept too many grapes. The best iswhen we have millerandage. The old vines always have millerandage in each of the appellations.”Pascal did 2 to 3 selections in the vineyard versus just one selection in 2005. In July he did thegreen harvest. At the end of August the second generation came off and the pink grapes cameout. He was left with just the good grapes. A maximum of 6-8 bunches for one vine. After this,he needed to do no selection in the winery.For the domaine wines Pascal uses grass in the vineyard in a 50 cm strip along the middle of therow, but not under the plant. “We have a soil which can breathe under the vine. We have beendoing this natural aeration of the soil for 3 years now.” Once a year in the spring they hoe thesoil under the vines.Everything I tasted came from 500 litres casks. This size doesn’t have a name as such. It is thesize Pascal likes for its slow oxygenation properties. The wines from these will be combined withwine which is being aged in traditional barrels. I believe it is all new wood on the final blend,although the oak on the larger casks will obviously have less impact.This tasting stats with a lovely set of village wine all showing good typicity. They are very clearand precise. The pHs are the same about the same as 2005s.No Racking had been carried out when I tasted. It was scheduled for December and bottling forFebruary/March. Note that all the wines had quite a lot of enlivening CO2 as they had not yetbeen racked.SM*BourgogneA blend of grapes from Chambolle, Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-Saint-Georges. This was bottledbefore the harvest.Bright aroma, lively, forest fruits on the palate, soft tannins and acidity. A very nice Bourgogne.From 2008.Nuits-Saint-GeorgesSlight spice here, dark fruits on the aroma. Sweet ripe fruit on the attack. Fresh and lively andrather refined for village Nuits-Saint-Georges. Supple tannins. This is pure and clear on thefinish. Firmly good. From 2010.Vosne-RomanéeRounded red fruit on the aroma and on the front of the palate. Lifted and fresh with littlesucculent red fruits, fine supple tannins and freshness on the finish. Charming. Good. From 2010109

Vosne-Romanée, Les Hautes MaizièresA little more upright on the nose. Glossy, bright and fresh. Somewhat stricter tannins. It iskeener and somewhat more structured versus the simple fruit of the straight village. Good+.From 2010Chambolle-MusignyThis comes from several parcels on red soil containing a lot of iron.Charming and softly floral aromatics. The palate attack is pure and lifted. Lively delicate palatewith ripe red fruits. It has a lifted minerality. Decent village typicity here. Pretty and pure. Good.From 2010*Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les PoisetsDeep soil in this village parcel which lies just underneath Les Cailles. Pascal Lachaux remarks thatthe berries in the vineyard here are always very small because the vines are 70 years old.Ripe fruits, dark and luscious. Firm, assertive tannins, which are cloaked on fruit. Richness andbreadth and some grip on the finish. It has decent depth and intensity for a village wine. Verygood. From 2010Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les ProcèsMoving onto premier cru now. The vines here are 50 years old. Pascal points out that there arevines this age in many of his vineyards.Expressive dark perfume with a hint of silex. The palate is broader, much grippier, robust butwell defined. Muscle combines with the purity of black fruit on the palate, but it is the fruit whichsings through on the long finish. Particularly good+. From 2010Vosne-Romanée, Les ChaumesThe wine slides easily on the attack. There is soft minerality to the middle palate where it issmoothly textured. There are plump dark red fruits with a slightly exotic and lingering fragrance.It is a tad less focused on the middle palate than expected, but it comes through very wellenough on the finish where it shows more precision. It has charm. Particularly good to fine. From2010Nuits-Saint-Georges, Clos Les Corvées PagetsLovely deep pure dark fruit on the aroma and on the attack. It is velvet wrapped around a moremineral core. The tannins are firm, but surprisingly refined for the appellation. There is a mineralstrength and tautness on the finish, which is direct and assertively long. Nothing rustic here. It isa neat, lively and precise Nuits-Saint-George. Fine to fine+. From 2011/12Vosne-Romanée, Aux ReignotsThis received sulphur twenty days prior to tasting as the natural CO2 was insufficient. Pascal waskeen to point out that the fruit is depressed, and yes it was rather.Lower, not as lively as the previous wine. The wine is full and taut and there is good depth,breadth and muscle here. The tannins are grippy, firm, but not astringent. There is a firmlycompact structure and I am sure the fruit will come back on the middle palate. Potentially Fine.From 2011/12Clos De VougeotThere is notable fruit power and intensity on the aroma and the palate. More a powerhouse of awine. The palate is broad, and full, but the ripeness of the fruit gives it real succulence. Thetannins are so rounded. No angularity here at all. The profile seems very complete. This is a goodClos de Vougeots. Fine to very fine. 2013110

*EchezeauxThis is the second of two very polished grand cru.There is such a lot of colour in all these wines. The nose here is darker and more upright thanthe Clos de Vougeot. Spicier too. The attack is more of a pounce and the palate is grippy. Whilethe Clos de Vougeot has a laid back power, this is more assertive and tense, more edgy on thefinish. The structure is full with broad scope across the palate. Dark fruit wine. Excellent finishwith taut minerality. Fine+. From 2013*Vosne-Romanée, Les Suchots“This parcel is at the top corner, which gives the freshness,” Pascal tells me. His grandparentslabelled it grand Suchots or haut Suchots, not premier cru.Alluring aroma. Pure fruit cloaks the palate - beautiful fruit, fresh, vivid, deep and luxurious. It isgenerous in the middle palate and intensely velvet. It has a delicious texture with a firm structureunderneath. It is enveloping on the finish. Excellent Les Suchots. Very fine. From 2012Romanée-Saint-VivantThe malolactic fermentation was a month earlier on the Suchots. The Romanée-Saint-Vivant hadmore CO2 and was a livelier.This has an expressive fragrance. If the Suchots is about texture and fruit (note above), this isabout perfume and fruit and minerality. It is silky, supple and flowing. The movement it moreballetic than the Suchots, there is finesses here. An equilibrium poised between minerality, brightfreshness and fruit. The tannins are so fine they disappear into the wine and the finish is very,very pure, fine and persistent, with a glimmer of minerality. Probably outstanding. From 2012/13StockistsUK:USA:John Armit Wines; Gardner’s FollyContact the agents: Russell Herman, World Wide Wine Source; Neal Rosenthal WineMerchant.111

Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Vosne-RomanéeSébastien Cathiard has now joined his father at this family-run domaine. They describe 2006 as avintage for the winemaker, especially when compared with 2005, which was much easier incharacter, both in the vineyard and the winery.They picked their 2006s between the 20 th September and the end of the month and describe thecharacter of the vintage as more mineral than 2005, with good acid balance. As a result theythink there will be wines that will offer very good ageing potential. They noted that the 2004scan be drunk sooner than the 2005s, but think it is hard to say with 2006, a lot depending on thetaste of the drinker.The 2006s were racked before harvest in August, except the village Vosne-Romanée and theNuits-Saint-Georges, which were racked after harvest. They plan to bottle all wines in March andApril 2008.KRBourgogneThere is no new oak on this wine – the majority is tank and one barrels of one year old wood willbe blended into the final cuvée.Fragrant almost floral quality to the ripe berry fruit. Accessible and fresh with supple phenolics.Attractive. From 2008.Chambolle-Musigny, Le Clos De L’OrmeThis was racked from barrel and is now in tank. It has seen 60% new oak and was in barrels for12 months.There is a delicacy to the texture, smooth and light. Scented berry fruit and wood spice aresupported by lucid, fine tannins and freshness, which draws out the finish. Good++. From2008/2009.*Vosne-RomanéeProduced from 3 different parcels, one of which has 45-50 year old vines. The rest average 25-30years. Racked after harvest.Plush quality to the aromas with nuances of sweet cherry fruit and crushed petals. Silkymouthfeel and smooth tannins that are layered with the acidity. Long and refined. Splendidvillage wine. Very good+. From 2009/2010.Nuits-Saint-GeorgesFrom one vineyard of 55 year old vines. More mineral in character with a linear quality to thepalate. Fine, but more obviously grippy tannins contribute to the form. Black and red hedgerowfruit assert themselves on the finish. Attractive to good. From 2009/2010.Vosne-Romanée, Les ReignotsProduced from young vines, around 10 years old, grown on sandy soils on east facing slopes.Sylvain and Sébastien Cathiard note that it is an early ripening site; that is more precociousbecause of the young vines.Rose, strawberry and cranberry notes. Bright and energetic, with tight phenolics giving extraelegance and control. Good length. Particularly good+. From 2010.112

Vosne-Romanée, En OrveauxSituated just next to Echézeaux, this is a northeast facing site, so it is regularly the last to bepicked, but Sébastien Cathiard points out that it is excellent for retaining acid structure in warmyears. Vine age averages 52-53 year old.A hint of toastiness adds gloss to the aromas. Smooth attack and velvety mouthfeel. The brightacidity is woven with fluid tannins. The fruit on the finish exhibits generosity. Particularly good.From 2009/2010.*Vosne-Romanée, Les SuchotsThe average vine age is 55 years. Fragrantly ripe cherry and mulberry fruit. The elegance of thefruit on the palate is combined with plenty of matter. Fine-grained tannins and freshening acidityprovide a good framework on the core. The finish is cushioned by more fresh fruit – very fluidagain. Fine+. From 2010/2011.Nuits-Saint-Georges, Aux ThoreyThis parcel of premier cru vines was bought from Domaine Thomas Moillard in 2006, so this isthe first vintage of the wine for Cathiard. Interestingly they know the vineyard was planted with afine massal selection (approximately 53 years ago) because it was planted by Sylvain Cathiard’sgrandfather while he was working for Moillard.The character is one of minerals and darker fruits. The tannin/acid balance is tightly bound, butthere is a clear ripeness. Lovely clarity to the fruit on the mid-palate. Mineral finish. Fine. From2011.Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les MurgersThe 60 year old vines consistently yield small berries at this site. There is more limestone andstones in the soil, than in Aux Thorey, which is more a mix of argilo-calcaire.Cherry and blackberry fruit is met by a hint of liquorice. Phenolics are compact and ripe and thefruit is glossy. Freshness lifts and lengthens the fruit on the finish. Lovely elegance. Fine+. From2011.*Vosne-Romanée, Les MalconsortsVivid aromatics hint at cardamom and crushed forest fruits. The palate belies the generosity ofthe nose and taut, coiled tannins can be found interlaced with bright acidity on the core, giving amore muscular shape to the mouthfeel. Lovely, richly-scented finish rounds off the wine. Fine tovery fine. From 2011/2012.Romanée-Saint-VivantThe aromas convey a sense of silkiness and the fruit is suggestive of bramble and cinnamonspice. Opulence and elegance characterise the palate, where tannins are swathed in vivid, vibrantand glossy fruit. The class of the wine shows through on the finish with layers of freshness andfruit persisting for a long tome. Very fine indeed. From 2012/2014.StockistsUK:USA:Berry Bros & Rudd; FWW Wines (UK) Ltd; Goedhuis; Justerini and Brooks; Lay &Wheeler; O.W. Loeb; Robert Rolls Fines WinesSelection Becky Wasserman, Le Serbet, France.113

Domaine Bruno Clavelier, Vosne-RomanéeCertified organic production. They also practice biodynamics, but not certified. Excellent terroirexpression here.SMBourgogne AligotéThis was bottled in August. Bruno remarked that this parcel was a bit tricky in 2006 given heuses an organic approach and this vineyard is at the bottom of the slope in a humid place wherebotrytis can more easily develop. 80 year old vines. A massal selection by his grandfather. Bright,lively aroma. More savoury fruit on the palate. Nicely made with a bit of grip on the finish.Pleasant. From 2008Bourgogne Passetoutgrains90% pinot noir and 10% gamay. Bottled in August.A little feral, quite spicy, gamey, savoury wine with light tannins. Modest. From 2007Vosne-Romanée, La Hautes de BeaumontsThis is in the high section, which is a village appellation. It is in the part which is separate on thesouth of the vineyard. It has oolitic limestone with 25cm of sand beneath and no clay, whichBruno comments gives the wine its precision. It is cool up here, but south east facing, so it getsplenty of sun.Vibrant perfume and keen mineral core. Attractively racy palate with soft, fine light tannins. Veryattractive to good. From 2009Vosne-Romanée, La Combe BrûléeBruno has examples of the stones which are in the soil in this village vineyard which lies aboveAux Brûlée. When he struck two together, they sparked with a flinty smell. No clay here either.High nose, pure and racy palate, quite light-bodied and vibrant with lucid fruit. Soft tannins andacidity and a really ripe top note although it finishes with smooth minerality. Modest intensity.Very attractive to good. From 2009Vosne-Romanée, Les Hautes-MaizieresThis has a stone he describes as being like that in Gevrey, Clos de Bèze. Above this there is adeep top soil of clay. This village appellation lies below Les Suchots.This has grippier tannins and fresh wild-berry fruit. Some spicy mandarin notes with more bodyfat. Slight rusticity, but the finish is juicy, lifted and fresh. Good. From 2009/10*Vosne-Romanée, Aux BruléesBruno comments that we are “on aromatic stone as in Combe Brûlée here, but with 50 cm ofsand.” He mentions the coolness of the area and the pine trees which help preserve the cool airwithin the combe.This has a lovely spicy aroma, velvety tannins and lots of seductive ripe fruit. It is generouslyrounded, but with firm minerality which cuts through the richness of fruit and carries to thefinish. A finish which is really fresh and perfumed. There is a lovely blend of perfume, mineralfreshness and ripe fruit in this wine. It is a rather elegant, complete and very appealing AuxBrulées. Fine++. From 2011114

Vosne-Romanée, Les BeaumontsCompact oolitic soil with 20 cm of brown clay above.Very sensual with deep perfume on the nose and palate. Opulent fruit coupled with a burlierbody and smooth muscularity. The tannins are bigger but rounded. There is good depth in themiddle palate and freshness on the finish which is long and fruit laden. Very good typicity. Fineto fine+. From 2011*Chambolle-Musigny, La Combe D’OrveauxThis lies above and to the south of Musigny, below the edge of the forest. Oolitic bedrock againwith quartz. Above this there is a good top soil of clay and limestone. This is the premier crupart.Very perfumed, lifted and high-toned. The palate is bright, energetic with zesty acidity and tautminerality which carries to the lively finish. This has a firm spine and good intensity. It is verydirect with long piano wire persistence. Stylish wine. Fine+.Gevrey-Chambertin, Les CorbeauxThere was hail here twice, once in July and then August. This was the last parcel to be harvestedand they waited for it anxiously. Bruno says grey rot was not a problem (more of a problem in2007), which he attributes to organic production and deep roots. The vines soaked up less water.Darker aroma, black plum, damson and spice. The attack is grippy with more assertive tannins.Dark berry fruit with a touch of liquorish on the finish. The palate is quite broad, earthier, slightlywilder and much more terrestrial than the previous wines. The finish is grippy. Particularly good.From 2011.*Nuits-Saint-George, Aux CrasGood spicy palate with some grip here on the attack. There is richness and depth of dark fruit,but also a thread of minerality quivers across the palate. It is a dark, soft slately minerality, whichechoes the fruit. The tannins blend into the wine, integrated with just a bit of grip on the middlepalate. The finish lifts up and ends on a high note. It is lovely and long. Fine+. From 2012*Corton, Le RognetRognet is on the Ladoix-Serrigny side of the Hill of Corton.Perfumed with red fruits and flowers. The texture is suede-supple. The wine flows withstreamlined energy in a rich ribbon of fruit across the palate. The tannins are fine grained. Thereis an elegant and surprisingly light touch here for Corton Rognot. It has a gentle strength whichcarries to the finish which is rippling and long with a hint of spice on the end. Elegant. Fine+.From 2011StockistsUK: A & B VintnersUSA: Fruit of the Vine; Martine’s Wines.France: Comptoir des Grands Bourgognes115

Domaine Jacky Confuron-Cotétidot, Vosne-RomanéeYves Confuron-Cotétidot harvested at the end of September. He felt there was a similar quantityof rain in Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits. He harvested at the same time in both areas.He looks back on the vintage from the previous winter. “There was a long cold winter. The snowcame with St Catherine and it snowed for the last time on March 6 th . In the cellar where the2005s were spending their first winter, it was cold for so long, just 5 degrees in the de Coucelcellars in Pommard (where Yves also makes the wines) that it was more a cold storage thanélévage in barrel.”“There was a lot of rain in April - 10cm. Then it was very hot from mid June to 26 th July. Coldtemperature followed. It was colder than average in August. The night was unusually cold at 10-12 degrees. The days were 20 degrees. So there was a lot of polyphenol production. InSeptember we were waiting, because at the beginning it was cold too. It didn’t rain at lot inAugust, the cold was more memorable.“There was hail in Gevrey in general, and in Nuits-Saint-George and a little in Chambolle, all inthe hot period. In August and at the start of September things were so poor, there was very littledifference between the village and premier cru.”“After harvest the temperature was good enough for the cellars to be warm and the malolacticswere early. They ranged from December to January with Pommard a bit later.”“I generally found low acidity in both the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits. The same as in2005.”On style and quality Yves comments, “2006 has very pure aromas, fine tannins but in bigquantities. We should wait 5 to 6 years to taste the different terroir. You can smell it now, but it’snot so clear on the palate. While in 2005 there was a very good balance and it was very easy totaste, but it had ripe aromas; more new world aromas and a lot of ripeness also making it noteasy to see the different terroir.”“For me I look at 2006 and see 2001s, but with more fruit than 2001s and less acidity. It is moreclassic than 2005, which is going towards the new world.”The domaine has just bought some land in Meursault and planted it. The first vintage will be in2008.All these wines were quite a light colour and all very fragrant and sweet. There are several lovelyvillage wines here which really play to the strengths of the vintage, focusing on the perfume, softtannins and red fruits - the Chambolle-Musigny, the Gevrey-Chambertin and the new Pommard.SMVosne-RomanéeVery sweet strawberry aroma, soft gently entry to the palate, supple tannins which tighten up abit. Slightish, but pretty. Good. From 2009116

Nuits-Saint-GeorgeSome ripe plumy notes on the aroma. Rounded attack, straighter across the palate, Victoriaplum-like fruit, slightly grippy with moderate density, good acidity and a fair finish. Good enough.From 2010*Gevrey-ChambertinThis comes a slight hillock in Champs-Chenys, next to grand cru Mazoyères, Yves shakes hishead over the division of land in Gevrey and points out the proximity of this village wine to agrand cru. He is simply not convinced that Mazoyères is good enough for grand cru. “Mazoyèresis not grand cru soil; it is poor grand cru”.This is a rather elegant village Gevrey. Dark fruit on the nose and a firmish structure. Tauttannins, dark and peppery, softish acidity and some good minerality on the finish. Good to verygood. From 2010*Chambolle-MusignyLovely nose. Very fragrant and lifted with rose petals. On the attack there is a bouquet offlowers, headily fragrant. Then it tightens up a lot and becomes more mineral. The acidity isunderscored by minerality giving the wine a lively freshness. It is taut and has good energy.Although it is quite slight in the body, it is attractive with fine soft tannins and texture. The finishis good for village. A very good village Chambolle. From 2010*PommardThe domaine bought a small parcel of 0.4 in 2005.Ripe blue fruit aroma, quite intense. Sweet on the attack and perhsps a little clunky at first, but itpicks up energy and a more streamlined profile and packs in some good dark fruit. Plenty oftannins, which are black and coal-tarry. There is a lovely firm, dark pencil-lead minerality on thefinish. Fair acidity, not too low. This really plays to the strengths of the vintage. Very good. From2010*Gevrey-Chambertin, Lavaux-Saint-JacquesVery sweet fragrant aroma. A sweet attack. There is a lightness and fragrance with pure fruit;strawberries, little wild ones. A delicately ripe and refreshing palate with fine tannins almostpowdery and a fluid, yet with an edge of the Gevrey substance. It shows a lot of finesse. Fine.From 2011/12Nuits-Saint-Georges, Aux Vignes-RondesMore bell pepper on this and a slightly more herbal, methyl note. The palate is fruity, a littleunusual with sweet blue berry and ripe red capsicum. It is rounded, but quite light with smoothsoft tannins. It is rather low-key. I don’t think this is showing as well as it could. Certainlyparticularly good, but might be better. From 2011.Vosne-Romanée, Les SuchotsVery perfumed, very sweet. The substance is greater here, more tannins, more layers and somechalky grip. Slightly sour cherry top notes on this wine, but with a ripe fruit compote beneath.Soft acidity. Rather pretty, but rather lacks the proportions and intensity of Suchots. Particularlygood. From 2011/12Charmes-Chambertin50% new oak on the final blend, but the sample I tasted was from a new barrel of Hungarianoak. Yves says he finds Hungarian oak easier to taste in the cellar than French. “The tannins arevery nice; less dry than the French.”Deeper sweeter aroma, comfiture with smoky notes. Ripe fruit attack, rounded body, a softsupple texture and an appealingly plump middle palate. It is luscious and expressive with a117

fragrant finish but has it the gravitas of a serious grand cru? Like most Charmes in 2006 it failedto inspire. Fine. From 2012*EchézeauxLes Treux on the boarder of Clos de Vougeot and Grand Echezeaux EchézeauxQuite firm on the nose. It pounces on the palate with quite some grip and intensity. Slightlyaustere, but there is depth and rather secretive dark fruit beneath. It is a little more restrainedafter the attack, but shows good definition and matter. A reserved and quite distinguishedEchézeaux. Potentially Fine++ From 2013Clos De VougeotLocation, Location. Well Yves admits that his vines are at the bottom of the vineyard, but it is notas bad as it sounds. The vines stretch for 300 yards in rows going up the slope, so only part ofthe vines are actually at the bottom. (One négoce with quite a large block, make a wine fromtheir bottom vines and call it simply Vougoets.) In the middle of the bottom section the land dipsand this part is not so good. Yves vines are not here fortunately.Sweet, ripe aromatics. This tannins seem robust, but they are not helped by a lot of gas. It hasan expansive palate with succulent sweet, raspberry fruit, soft acidity, but not quite the definitionor matter expected of grand cru. A bit out of focus at the moment. To be looked at again. From2012Some older winesYves tells me “1996 is the best vintage in the decade in Côte de Nuits and 1999 for Côte deBeaune. Yield was crucial in 1996, above 37hl/ha was no good. The poor expression of 1996 iswhere the yields were too high.”*Bourgogne, 1996Tertiary aromas and a hint of forest floor. It has good intensity. The tannins are mellow and theacidity is nicely integrated. It still has an echo of lovely fruit. Astonishingly good for a simpleBourgogne. Score 13.5-14Vosne-Romanée, Les Suchots, 1996Gamey, but also upright and really fresh. This has substance and good extract. The tannins are alittle dry on the finish perhaps. Arguably it should look like a mature bottle and you would notnotice the tannins when having it with food, but never-the-less….Score 17Gevrey-Chambertin, 1996Tertiary aromas. Very sweet fruit, supple tannins and nice fresh acidity. The interesting thing isthe sweetness of the fruit and the fluidity of the tannins. The cork was not so good (!) so it ismore evolved in fruit profile than might be expected in relation to the 1993 which follows, but itis lovely and surprisingly energetic. The tannin is not too assertive. I slightly prefer it to the 1993.Score 15.5-16Gevrey-Chambertin, 1993Developed but with some sweet plum fruit. Slightly dusty tannins, not quite as defined and freshas the 1996. It has perfume and is slightly exotic with some savoury, meaty nuances. It is moregenerous and softer than the 1996 and the texture is looser. Score 15.5118

Clos Vougeots, 1993It is measured, broad and generous on the palate with wonderful perfumed sweetness to thefruit. The tannins are rounded and supple, but it has energy and a freshness which lifts the finishwhich is incredibly long; a lovely piquancy to the finish on which lingers the perfume of dried rosepetals. The tannins are so fluid and integrated you hardly notice them. I would drink this now.Almost too delicious to be a food wine. Perhaps best enjoyed without food, just for itself. Score18.5-19The 1993s are very charming. The 1996 are a bit more structuredGevrey-Chambertin, 1990Much older and gamier. Very harmonious and very sweet; an old bottle now. It has a lovelybalance of fruit, acidity and tannins. Very measured and even the finish is sweet. “Every time wehave tried this wine, it has been lovely,” Yves says. Score 15.5Gevrey-Chambertin, 1988“The good, top wines of 2004 are like 1988 and 1989,” comments Yves. “The aroma of 1989 andtannins of 1988, but less of both.”Excellent intensity. It is remarkably youthful still and firmly structured. Firm body with densityand power. Thick tannins. More energetic than the 1990 or the 1993 and more compact. I likethis best the flight of Gevrey. Score 16While the 1988 has excellent structure and is surprisingly youthful, but the question is do youwant to wait nearly 20 years for a wine to reach this point? Yves thinks the 2004 will age likethis.StockistsUK:USA:Lea and SandemanVillage Wine in New York119

Domaine Jean Grivot, Vosne-RomanéeIn the cellar where the village wines were maturing, the malolactic fermentation had finished inJuly and SO2 was added the week before I tasted. I have not written about the aroma of severalwines where it was too masked. In the part of the cellar which holds the premier cru, themalolactic finished in August and sulphur had not yet been added. No racking yet.I tasted everything from three year old barrels, so the notes are all about the fruit structure andflavours. But the finished wine will have an average of 30% new oak on the village wine. 40-60%on the premier cru and 50-80% on the grand cru.Etienne says it is difficult to compare 2006 with other vintages, because the months are sodifferent. “During the season it went from summer to winter.” However he feels that it is betterthan 2001 and 2004. “Not a great vintage, but one for 8-10 years. Very pinot noir, very fresh.Perhaps today a little closed, but I think it is an expressive vintage.”He recalls 1998 which he considers to have “too much ageing potential and not much for moreimmediate pleasure. Now I want to make a more extrovert style, while not losing the opportunityfor the wine to age and to travel well…it must be strong enough to travel to other parts of theworld. Not to be too modern in style; not to be too easy; not an instant pleasure. I don’t want tolose the freshness. You need the freshness if people are going to finish the bottle.”It was Etienne’s vision when he was younger to vinify wines in different places in the world, butnow he is totally contented to be here in Burgundy. However he admits, “I have an obsession tohave some Amoureuses and Bonne Mares.”SM*BourgogneSweet fruit on the attack and some grip as well. Fine tannins, good layering and ripe fruit on thefinish. Really quite structured for a Bourgogne. Top notch. From late 2009Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les CharmoisThis has been in the family for 150 years and I believe Grivot has 80% of this village vineyardwhich stretches up along on the south side of the combe and the village.A deep, dark and spicy aroma with a hint of violets. Lots of fruit upfront, seductive, rounded,supple and generous and nicely scented on the finish. One might expect the wine to be a bitrustic from this vineyard, but this is surprisingly composed. Good+. From 2010Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les LavièresAmple, ripe fruit on the palate. It is sweet, but thre is plenty of grip. It is well layered, smoothlyand roundly compact for a village wine and has verve, minerality and bright lifted freshness onthe finish. Very good. From 2010*Chambolle-Musigny, La Combe D’OrveauThis is a village appellation wine because it is at the beginning of the deep valley. It is separateand further up than the premier cru, but Etienne tells me how he tries to wait a week foroptimum ripeness. The trick is to do this and retain the acidity and with this the balance.120

Vivacious red fruit palate with ripe raspberries, fragrance, spice and some appealing brightacidity. It is high toned and racy and the tannins are fine grained. It has lightly layered palateand zesty finish. Attractively energetic. Very good indeed. From 2010*Vosne-RomanéeAt 15,000 bottles, this is a large cuvee. The palate is rich, rounded and plump the middle. Moretannic, undeniably grippy and dense, but smooth at the edges. It has very good intensity andtypicity for a village wine. Very good. From 2010*Vosne-Romanée, Les Bossières“While this is not a premier cru, it has a large expression of Vosne Romanée,” says Etienne.This is more precise. There is depth here with finer nuances, a touch of spice and some brighthigh notes. There is smooth coal-like minerality and a tight long finish for a village wine. Verygood++. From 2010/11The following wines were ageing in the premier cru cellar and went through malo one monthlater than the village wine. Etienne had not added sulphur or racked when I tasted.Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les RoncièresThis is slightly less defined at the beginning of the palate then becomes lively and higher on thepalate with more lifted notes and a bright, chalky finish. There is a dark, quartzy raciness. Lots oftannic grip here too. The finish is long. Fine. From 2012Etienne describes wines as an orchestra and the winemaker as a conductor, “so even though Idon’t want to disturb the character of a wine, I bring my heart from Vosne Romanée. Myinterpretation of Nuits-Saint-George is not the same as Gouges’s for example.”“Vosne Romanée needs to be luminous and Nuits-Saint-George is normally denser. In 2003 I feltthat it went riper. I felt it was too late for my vision of Vosne Romanée, but I learnt that thisworked well in Nuits-Saint-George, so I now pick later there.”“I think Les Roncières would be good planted with Chardonnay. Les Pruliers and Les Roncièresare very close yet Pruliers is typical Nuits-Saint-Georges and Roncières is very elegant, but notfor the same reason as Vosne Romanée. Roncières is white flowers and more garrigue, mint,exotic. In the vineyard there is some white pinot in the top. Less than 1%. This goes into theblend, just 80 -100 vines.”*Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les PruliersRich, black chocolate and violets. This has suppleness on the attack and then the grip comes inand the tannins are firm. There are floral nuances combined with a touch of lead pencil on thefinish, which is very long and mineral. There is depth and dimension here but also an engagingfruit and vivid purity. Despite Etienne’s description above I prefer this to Roncières. It seems a bitmore complex and complete. This is not a tough burly Southern Nuits-Saint-George. It is reallyquite sophisticated. Fine+. From 2010/12*Nuits-Saint-Georges, Aux BoudotsA voluptuous Nuits-Saint-George. Rich chocolate and damson fruit on the nose. On the palatethere is blackberry, ripe mulberry and ground coriander. Much more velvety, unctuous andopulent. The tannins are thicker and cushioned. There is an opulent depth to the fruit in themiddle palate and sweet fruit on the finish. It is looser knit than the Prulier and very open andexpressive. It has certain panache. Fine+. From 2012/14121

Vosne-Romanée, Les RougesHigh perfume. Lightish on intensity, but an elegant profile with supple tannins. More in theredcurrant, cranberry red fruit spectrum. Very bright. It certainly shows fluidity and delicacy.Charming. Particularly good+. From 2010Vosne-Romanée, Les ChaumesLower toned floral aromas. Forward, plump and gentle, not massively structured or precise. Ithas softness to the palate, but is amply generous and pleasing. Particularly good+. From 2010*Vosne-Romanée, Les BrûléesIntense aroma. Raspberry, perfumed and higher spice with a touch of cinnamon and notes ofmandarin on the palate. A vivacious wine which pounces on the attack. Energetic, bright andzesty with taut and grippy tannins. It has an upright and direct profile with a floral high note. Thetexture is fine and the line is long and mineral. The finish is assertive and direct. I imagine it willput on a bit of fat, but for the moment it is very straight. Fine++. From 2012/13*Vosne-Romanée, Les BeaumontsDense velvety aroma. Rich first impression on the palate. Deep, thick textured and rich. There isgrip certainly, but the tannins are ripe. Compact, dense middle palate with hint of dark chocolate,damson and spice. It is broad with a velvety satin texture, but remains well contained anddefined. It has a rich elegance and a very good finish. Fine to very fine. From 2012/13Vosne-Romanée, Aux ReignotsThis is rather exotic and scented, yet it has a straight, well defined, energetic profile. Not asmuch gras as Beaumonts, but more high notes and firm slately minerality, although it doesn’tseem to have quite the intensity expected, given the calibre of the surrounding wines. Fine. From2012*Vosne-Romanée, Les SuchotsThis is very even, sweeping and harmonious on the palate with purposeful, but finely grainedtannins which really sit in the wine. A refined, well structured palate with complexity, purity andtypicity. It has both flair and finesses. Very fine. From 2012/14Clos De VougeotSurprisingly aromatic. Ripe red fruits and spice to the broad, full, sweeping middle palate. Thereis some minerality on the finish. It has a certain elegance and perfume in this vintage. Fine++.From 2013EchezeauxThis is rather elegant too and understated. The tannins are fine and there is a subtle perfume onthe palate. The finish is both ripe and rather mineral with an attractive hint of chalk at the end. Ithas a charming, relaxed, low key feel. A bit longer on the finish than the Clos de Vougeots. Fineto very fine. From 2014*RichebourgThere is real depth to the aroma. It is also very fragrant on the front of the palate showing asubtle strength, rather than an attack. It grows across the palate to become generous, full andrich with nuances of dried rose petal and light spice floating above the fruit. Power encased invelvet; a wine of strong curves. Very complex with great intensity and persistence. It has a rich,powerful, yet restrained finish. Outstanding. From 2015122

StockistsUK: Ballantynes of Cowbridge; Berry Bros & Rudd; Bibendum; Goedhuis; Lay and Wheeler;Raeburn Fine Wines; Seckford; The Wine Society;USA: Diageo Château & Estate Wines.123

Domaine Gros Frère & Soeur, Vosne-RomanéeBernard Gros says it is very difficult to find a comparison for 2006 because no two vintages arethe same, but he does feel that 2006 reminds him of 2000, but with more structure. He plans tobottle in January after all the wines have been racked.KRBourgogne, Hautes Côtes De NuitsSavoury, mineral and wild underbrush character. Smooth, supple texture and tannins are layeredwith ripe fruit. The finish is juicy. Pleasant+. From 2008.Vosne-RomanéeRacked from barrel to tank. Plumy fruit runs throughout the wine. Plush and generous attack andmouthfeel. The fruit on the mid-palate tightens up with clear acidity and minerals on the finish.Attractive to good. From 2008/2009.*Vosne-Romanée, Premier CruThis is declassified young vine Echezeaux. Expressive quality of the fruit is controlled by finegrainedtannins and bright acidity. The fruit is intense on the core and continues on the finish.There is an opulent character to the mouthfeel. Particularly good to fine. From 2009/2010.EchezeauxFresh aromas on the nose lead to a smooth and velvety textured palate, where generosity isevident, but is balanced with a freshness that brings elegance. Tannins are very supple and thefruit on the finish is redolent of kirsch and macerated berried. Particularly good to fine. From2011.Clos De VougeotFrom the lieu dit of Musigné in the clos. Floral, violet top notes are met by bramble and liquoricenotes. Firm, but smoothly glossy tannins and lively freshness direct the fruit on the palate. Goodlength on the finish. An elegant Clos de Vougeot. Fine. From 2012/2013.Grands EchezeauxMore restrained in character than the Echezeaux and Clos de Vougeot. The mouthfeel is taut anddisplays a nervosity. Cherry fruits is laced with minerals on the palate and the tannins and acidityfeel tighter in form. Persistent length. Fine+. From 2013.RichebourgThe fruit and phenolics are toned and defined and a feeling of control pervades the wine. Theproportions are definitely that of a grand cru. The fruit is dark and coiled with the tannins andacidity, currently and minerality lifts the finish. Fine to very fine. From 2014.StockistsUK:USA:Wine Corporation.Atherton Wine Imports; Classic Wine Imports Inc.; Fine Wines LLC; Grands Crus ImportsInc.; The Stacole Co. Inc.; USA Wine Imports.124

Domaine Anne Gros, Vosne-Romanée“This vintage was an exception, an extraordinary surprise,” remarks Anne Gros. “I harvestedsoon at 13.5% natural sugar for the young vines (I think she was referring to the Hautes Côtes)and the maturation was very good.”She started picking on the on the 22nd with the Hautes Côtes and then came back and finishedwith the whites on the 26th. “Unlike 2007, everything was ripe at the same time. Nothing todisturb them. It was not an exceptional August, but the maturation was made in September,which was very quick, just three weeks. There was a complete cycle of the plant and no greentannins.”In 2006 Anne picked at a warmer temperature, 22 degrees, and didn’t cool it at all. The wineswent through in 13 days, but she always likes a quick fermentation. Only in 2004 did it take it 2days longer and she wasn’t very happy.“It is not a vintage for keeping for 20 years, but it’s very pleasing. A good vintage to start with.Everything is there, but nothing is aggressive.”Anne will bottle the reds in December for she prefers to do it before Christmas.SMBourgogne, Hautes Côtes De NuitsThis has lovely clear fruit, ripe raspberry, neat and very pure with light supple tannins zestyenergy and good balance. Nice fragrance on the finish. Certainly attractive. From late 2008.BourgogneThre are 20 barrels from 4 parcels in Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-Saint-Georges. 20-25 year oldvines. 0.8 altogether.Lovely purity here. This has some grip. The fruit is very bright, more blueberry than the Hautes-Côtes and a touch more mineral. It is fresh and charming and the finish is quite long and lacedwith lively fruit. Very attractive. From late 2008*Chambolle-Musigny, La Combe D’OrveauHalf the vines are 12 years old and half are 32 in this village wine. It was sulphured 3 weeks ago,but is expressive.Sweet perfume on the nose and on the palate. Lifted, charming fruit and lively energy. It is light,but quite intense with gentle elegant tannins, which are already well integrated into the wine.Fine and almost powdery on the finish. It has an attractive texture and energy. Very goodindeed. From 2009*Vosne-RomanéeAnne tells me that this would normally be ‘stricter’. It was harvested after a day of rain on the25th October. “The acidity is less strict than normal, but it makes the wine that much morepleasant now.”A generous aroma, perfumed and floral. This glides across the palate in a harmonious fashion. Ithas pure fruit, blueberries, ripe red cherries and some minerality. It is vivacious and vivid withfine grained tannins and a red fruit finish. Very elegant. Very good+. From late 2010125

Clos De Vougeot“This is never does an aggressive wine,” says Anne. “This is the magic of the terroir.” Shedescribes how she how she sees this as a wine which rises up from the soil.”Very supple with smooth tannins. This grows across the palate, becomes rounded and full, butalso elegant. There is a light touch to wine, a refinement. The wine swells, but does not becomelarge. This wine shows on the length, not on the body, intense and fine with lovely fruit andminerality. Fine to very fine. From 2013*RichebourgLovely perfume with nuances of dried rose petals, intense and fragrant and very pure. The palateis well defined and so expressive. It is fresh, has very fine tannins and lucid, shimmering fruit.There is depth and intensity without any heaviness. This has wonderful texture and fluidity. ThisRichebourg is floaty, sensual and harmonious. A luminous wine. Outstanding. From 2013WhiteBourgogne Blanc, Hautes Côtes De NuitsThis was bottled at the beginning of August. Ripe white peach and pear. Zesty, pure and vibrant.Well balanced and surprisingly good on the finish. Very attractive. From 2008StockistsUK:USA:Adnams; Laytons Wine Merchants; Lay & Wheeler LtdAtherton Wine Import; North Berkeley Imports.126

Domaine Michel Gros, Vosne-RomanéeMichel Gros started on the 23rd of September in the Côte d’Or and the following week was spentin the Hautes Côtes.“The pHs for the vintage are about 3.6.” Michel points out that when he needs to acidify, he onlyever adds tartaric during the fermentation, although this was barely necessary in 2006 given thatthe ripeness was very good and the malic acidity was very low, so they stood to lose very littleacidity in the malolactic fermentation.Michels’s normal vinification: Never a cold soak. He adds selected yeast and controls thetemperature to 30 degrees, warming the tank at the end of the maceration to 36-37 for one day.In 2 days it diminishes to 30 degrees and then he presses. The natural level of sugar was 12.5 to13 for all the cuvees.The wines will be assembled next April, going into stainless steel before bottling in August. Hiscellar is cold even in summer when it is air conditioned to 15 degrees, so the evolution is slow.“The skins are finer in 2006 than in 2005 so the tannins are different. Everything which comesfrom the tannins is less. The 2005s are abnormal. The 2006s are normal.”“A very classic vintage where the maturity is a late maturity - in September when thetemperature was not too high, so we have conserved the very fresh fruit and the acidity is good.The balance is good.”When Michel first tasted the 2006s, he thought they would be easy to drink young, but after themalolactic he says “I am not so sure now. The acidity is fresh and the tannis are more present.This is not a light vintage and may take more time.” He muses, “ I am suprised with 2003. It isvery open. It did not close down. It remained open, while the 2005s of course clamped down.The 2005 Hautes Côtes is beginning to close. The 2005s will close very quickly now.” We tried afew 2005s which are included below.SMBourgogneThere is one parcel in Nuits-Saint-Georges and two in Vosne Romanée. They are vinifiedtogether.Pure summer fruits on the nose. Very decent structure for a simple Bourgogne Rouge with goodacidity, fresh fruit and firm tannins. Quite a bit of grip and pure dark fruit on the finish. Jolly goodBourgogne. From 2009Bourgogne, Hautes Côtes De NuitsFirm, ripe and pure dark fruits on the nose. The palate has some grip. There is a gravellyliveliness coupled with sweet and vivid dark fruit. It is fresh on the finish. Again there is verygood structure here for this level. It’s a good Hautes-Côtes. Very attractive++. From 2009127

Bourgogne, Hautes Côtes De Nuits, 2005Lovely sweet fruit, generous middle plate, just tightening up a bit. Dark and rich with ripetannins. It has excellent concentration and finish for a wine from the Hautes Côtes. Over delivers.Score 14-14.5*Vosne-RomanéeThis is aged in 2/3 old barrels and 1/3 new. This sample was from an old barrel.The aroma is very fresh with nuances of wild strawberry. The fruit is also expressively ripe andlifted on the palate. The tannins are light and fine. It is very well defined, direct and energeticwith a pure straight finish. Lovely clarity and good intensity for village wine. Very good. From2009/10.Vosne-Romanée, 2005A lusciously seductive palate, rounded with generous and juicy fruit, rich tannin and a tantalisingfreshness on the finish. Delicious. Score 16.Morey-Saint-Denis, En La Rue De VergyMichel described this as “a very steep place. The soil is not deep. There are lots of stones andthe style of the wine is always very fine; never powerful always fine.” It is village ground, tuckedin the corner between Clos de Tart and Clos de Lambrays. Michel produces 4 or 5 barrels eachyear.Reserved aroma with tight, high dark fruit. The palate is quite light bodied, surprisingly suppleand flows across the palate with lucidity and energy. It has a fine silky texture, soft mineralityand long fluid finish. This is really a delightful and well mannered wine. Very good. From 2010Michel comments that the lighter body and supple character is probably due to a combination ofthe soil and the young, 15 year old vines. Michel comments that the maturity was good, but thecolour is never dark. “Normally is the most approachable wine in the cellar.” He tells me hetasted the 2000 last week and it was youthful. The colour was still the same. 2000 was his firstvintage.Nuits-Saint-GeorgesMichel makes up a cuvée of three parcels of vines which are all situated on the Vosne side. Hehas one parcel up slope with lots of stone and a 30 cm top soil. “The top parcel for finesse andthe bottom ones for the power,” says Michel.The palate is pure with concentrated dark berry fruit. The tannins are ripe and there is good gripand juicy acidity. The wine is energetic with a lively finish. Good. From 2010.*Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les ChalliotsThis has a darker, charcoal note; a soft minerality. Sweetness to the front of the palate, freshacidity and vigour. The tannins are firm, but ripe and cloaked in fruit. It has a very zesty finish.There is a minerality, directness and precision to this wine. Very good indeed. From 2010..*Chambolle-MusignyThe vines for this village wine come, in the main part, from Argillières (where appropriately thereis more clay than common in Chambolle). “It lies very close to Musigny, but the parcel begins toturn northwards, from the East facing Musigny vines.” Michel describes how the vines here areplanted in two directions. Those planted North – South were hit by hail which came from theWest. The others escaped relatively unscathed. He also has 3 parcels below the village.This has an intense perfume for a village wine. The palate is floral, but with plenty of summerfruit. It has quite a strict, tight structure neatly containing the perfume and red fruit giving it aslightly more reserved profile. It is direct and quite masculine for village Chambolle. There is a128

taut spine, clear definition and distinct minerality and energy in the finish. Very good++. From2010Vosne-Romanée, Clos Des RéasThis is aged in a fifty-fifty split of old barrels and new barrels. This sample reflected theseproportions.Charm and depth to the palate. Seductive fruit with firm, fine supportive tannins. It is a veryelegant wine with lovely lucidity, harmony and directness onto the finish. The finish is intense,persistent and precise. It has Fine+. From 2011/12Vosne-Romanée, Clos Des Réas, 2005This is perfumed and intense with sweet red fruit. It is an elegant profile, but with substance anddepth. It is beginning to close in on itself. A taut thread of pure fruit and minerality comesthough on the finish. Score 18.5*Vosne-Romanée, Aux BruléesThis has ½ new and ½ old barrels.Seductive aroma and attack, but this belies the strength; the firm structure and grip. There isvelvet shrouding steel beneath. Luscious black fruit coupled with taut muscularly and long astony core. Fine to very fine. From 2012/13*Nuits-Saint-Georges, Premier CruThis is a combination of Vignes Rondes and Murgers. Michel points out that there is just 300metres separating the two. The total area is just 1/3 hectare. He made 6 barrels year. He doesn’tlike making very small cuvée, so prefers to make them as one. He also points out that he hasmany cuvées already and it is complicated enough.Michel has been travelling a lot since I saw him last year. Not only is his English excellent now,but he has broadened his culinary knowledge. He has been experimenting with Asian food andfinds this goes very well with spicy lamb dishes.Dark ripe fruit on the aroma. The palate is strictly structured, compact, dark and grippy. There isintensity, purity and a core of firm minerality. It is focused, long and vigourous. The finish isdirect with notes of liquorish and charcoal. Fine+. From 2012.Clos De VougeotThe vines are now 18 years old. It is in 100% new barrels.This has lively clarity of fruit. It is really ripe and sweet, flowing, supple and fruit driven. It is veryexpressive with freshness and vivaciousness to the finish. A stylish and generous Clos de Vougeotfocused on delicious fruit. It gains a little bit more in depth and on the finish each year. Fine.From 2011/12StockistsUK: Hayman, Barwell Jones Ltd.; Thorman Hunt; Tanners Wines Ltd.USA: Chambers & Chambers; Martin Scott WinesCanada: Vins de Terroir Wine Selections129

Domaine Du Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne-RomanéeThe wines that were racked in October are expected to be bottled in mid-December. Those yet tobe racked are likely to be bottled in February or March 2008.KRVosne-RomanéeRacked two weeks before the tasting and the samples were made before sulphuring. This is anew cuvée for the domaine and is a blend of 11 parcels. They are increasing the work in thevineyards, especially the soils, and feel the wine will improve as they start to make more of amark in the vines.Texturally smooth and showing a sweet ripeness to the fruit. Supple, fluid tannins are alignedwith fresh acidity and lead to juicy forest fruit finish. Attractive to good. From 2009.Vosne-Romanée, La ColombièreBelow the house is a 0.6 hectare parcel of 60-80 year old vines planted on clay soils. This wasalso racked two weeks prior to tasting and the samples made pre-sulphuring.Ripe fruit and a hint of smoky spice on the nose. Ripe phenolics are layered with spicy notes onthe palate. Pure fruit comes across on a long finish. Generous and expressive. Good. From2009/2010.Vosne-Romanée, Clos Du ChateauThis clos is situated on limestone soils. Racking and sulphuring as before.Minerals come through slightly balsamic notes. Ripe fruit is woven with chalky notes that stretchout the finish and supple tannins provide support. Good. From 2009/2010.Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les LavièresA very small new cuvée situated between Vosne and Nuits-Saint-Georges.Coal infections mark the minerals and the fruit is reminiscent of darker berries, a characteristicthat continues on the palate. Fine tannins provide a hint of grip, but are enveloped in therichness of the core. Good length. Attractive to good. From 2009.Vosne-Romanée, Les ChaumesProduced from a small plot of 50 year old vines covering just 0.12 hectares on mostly clay-richsoils. It is well placed just below La Tâche.A little restrained at this stage in its life, but the palate already has wonderful energy withcrushed red and black fruits, spice and clear freshness. Supple, ripe phenolics are interlaced withthe smooth texture of the mouthfeel. Sweetly-fragranced finish. Particularly good. From 2010.Vosne-Romanée, Les Petits MontsRacked two weeks before the tasting and the samples were made before sulphuring. This newcuvée is located just above Richebourg between Reignots and Cros Parentoux.Touch of balsamic sits alongside spiced fruits and dried flowers. This has a stricter structure withdefined tannins and acidity forming the wine’s framework. Minerality pushes through on thefinish. Particularly good. From 2010.130

Vosne-Romanée, Les BruléesThis is just a one barrel cuvée and will not be going on the market. Racking as before.Tightly bound acidity and tannins are aligned with sweet, glossy fruit. The finish is good andlong. Particularly good+. From 2011.Nuits-Saint-Georges, Aux CrasSituated between Boudots and Richemone on the east side of the slope on very poor soils. Thevines are between 60-80 years old. Currently in barrel and a little closed at this point.There is tightness and more austerity to the form. Very fine tannins are layered with mineralsand fresh acidity. Blackberry fruit and toast assert themselves on the finish. Muscular withoutlosing elegance. Fine. From 2011.*Vosne-Romanée, Les SuchotsThis is another new wine for the domaine in 2006 and it is still in barrel. Reticent on the nose atthe moment, but there are hints of dried rose and berry fruits, which take on a more voluptuouscharacter on the palate. The phenolics are beautifully supple, but strong and form a controlledframe for the wine. More languid than the Les Cras. The wine is generous and harmonious, fittingtogether perfectly. Long, fresh finish. Fine to very fine. From 2012.*Vosne-Romanée, Aux ReignotsThis is in barrel still.The aromas are restrained, but minerals are more dominant on the nose. Lively, vivid attack,with minerality. Acidity and tannins are interwoven on the mid-palate structuring an intense coreof sophisticated, glossy fruit. Scented almost stony finish. Very refined and elegant. Very fine.From 2012.EchezeauxStill in barrel at this tasting, this new wine is situated in two parts of Echezeaux. Approximatelytwo thirds of the vines are in Vigne Blanche with the remaining vines in Champs Traversin, thelatter is the most sloped part.The aromas hint at energy and depth despite their restraint now. The key constituents are tightlycoiled in the core. There is a sensation of strength and direction, the wine is statuesque inproportions without being big. Very well-balanced. The finish has presence. Fine to very fine.From 2013.*La Romanée0.8452 hectares.Although the aromas are rather restrained at this point in its life, the nose still displays a sense ofquiet confidence. The scented attack leads to a mouthfilling and expansive mid-palate that isundeniably poised. Tannins and acidity are completely interwoven with the fruit. Sense ofopulence and composure linger. The wine embodies concentration and a lightness of touch. Veryfine+. From 2014.StockistsUK:USA:UK & USA:Justerini & Brooks; Richards Walford.Vinalia, CA; Wines Unlimited.Contact Selections Becky Wasserman, Le Serbet, France.131

Domaine Méo-Camuzet, Vosne-RomanéeSMNégoce WineMarsannayThis is a blend of several parcels.Ripe with a fruit-driven palate. No that fresh on the finish. Pleasant enough. From 2008FixinPlenty of fruit with summer compote aromas and flavours. Fruit driven, simple and pretty. Veryattractive to good. From 2008Fixin, Clos du ChapitreThis is the third year of this wine.Good perfume here. Bright on the attack, some pure pretty fruit, lively, direct and floral on thefinish. Nice piquancy and zest to this. Good+. From 2009Nuits-Saint-Georges , Les PerrièresReserved on the aroma and tense on the palate. Plenty of tannins, dark minerality and a certainpebbly, shaley quality with attractive blackberry fruit and good tension on the finish. This hasgood direct, energetic palate. Particularly Good+ From 2010Chambolle-MusignyThis is slightly astringent for Chambolle. The fruit is red. The acidity lively. The palate isenergetic, but the finish is a little hard. See how this develops. A little lacking in Chambolleelegance at the moment. From 2009Chambolle-Musigny, Les FuesselottesAttractive ripe fruit on the nose. It has good richness to the aroma. The attack is full, ripe withlots of red fruit and loganberries. A structured Fuesselottes with quite lot of grip, rich in tanninand fresh on the finish. Particularly good. From 2010*Chambolle-Musigny, Les CrasThis is reserved on the nose and tight on the palate. It is mineral, taut, streamlined and the fruitis pure. The palate lively and mineral on the finish. Proper Chambolle refinement and intensity.Fine. From 2011Domaine WineBourgogne, Hautes Côtes De NuitsThis was bought in 1990. New planting.Fresh, lively fruit with nice acidity. Well balanced and well ripened. Attractive. From late 2008132

*Vosne-RomanéeGood depth to the nose. The attack is rich, full and sumptuous with red fruit. It is very nicelyrounded in the middle. The tannins are firm, but well coated. The balance is spot on the finish isgood. A delicious village wine. Very good. From 2010Nuits-Saint-GeorgesQuite light in the palate. Pleasant enough bramble fruit, but a touch astringent. It is quite juicyand peppery on the finish. I found it somewhat lacking in identity. From 2010Vosne-Romanée, Les ChaumesGood ripe, red berry and flowery scent on the nose. On the attack it has a sweet compote of redfruits, plump but with quite some tannic grip in the middle palate. Maybe it is a little diffuse themiddle palate, but it is very nicely scented on the finish which is decently long for premier cru, soI think it has some promise. Particularly Good to Fine. From 2010Nuits-Saint-Georges, BoudotsQuite reserved for Boudots on the aroma. However the palate has apparent and appealingplumpness on the attack. It grows over the palate and the dark fruit becomes more evident.Clear and crisp on the finish, which is stretched by dark, soft charcoal minerality. This is perhapsmore direct and restrained style overall for this cru. Particularly good to Fine. From 2010Nuits-Saint-Georges, MurgersLike all the Nuits-Saint-George in this tasting this seems quite closed on the nose. However thepalate is clear and direct with pure, small dark fruits and a soft minerality. An attractive juicinessto the fruit is very apparent on the finish too. This has appeal, although the finish is perhaps notquite as long as the Boudots. Particularly Good+. From 2009/10.Clos De VougeotFloral, red fruit charm on the aroma and attack. After this the energy, density and largerdimension of the cru comes though. There is austerity and lots of grip. The fruit is pure andzesty. This has a long and taut finish. A good and rather restrained Clos de Vougeot. Fine+ From2012*Corton, Clos RognetsVery reserved with a touch of chalk and spice. Rich attack, lots of grip here, power andminerality, chiselled and tense. This has plenty of fruit in the middle palate; plenty of compactenergy. It has chalky restraint and minerality and a long, assertive finish. While it is ratherunyielding at the moment, very disjointed (unlike so much of this vintage) the finish is good,persistent and well defined. There is excellent definition. Not heavy in any way, just a littleaustere. Fine to very fine. From 2013*EchezeauxThere is distinct dark fruit ripeness on the attack. The middle palate has depth and richness withvery juicy, clear and pure fruit, almost crystalline for Echezeaux. There is a lightness of touchhere too and it is vibrant. It has a lovely direct purity and minerality about it. The tannins aretaut, present and fine grained and the finish is pure, long and chalky. More refined than the ClosRognots and better quality than the Clos de Vougeot. Nudging on very fine. From 2012*Vosne-Romanée, BrûléesLifted perfume here. This is seductive on the attack, showing richness and suppleness as itmoves across the middle palate. There is generosity, yet with an assertive structure anddefinition. It finishes quite strict, taut and long with distinct purity of fruit and shards of cold133

minerality. It shows a lovely balance of fruit and minerality coupled with a certain austerity. Thispossibly very fine. From 2013*Vosne-Romanée, Cros ParentouxThere is good intensity and depth to the aroma. Deep red fruits, loganberry rich on the attackand this wine really does attack. Nothing quiet about it. It is a chest beater, even in this vintage,and it is just a little whacky. The palate is structured, upright, firm, and taut with plenty of flesh.It is assertive and muscular with masses of tension. It has coiled, leashed power and it iscompact and dense on the finish too, which really drives home. Very fine. From 2012/14RichebourgFlesh and richness on the nose, which is enticingly scented and this is reflected in a fragrant frontpalate. It has a full, seductive and fleshly deep middle palate. There is weight and stature. Themuscle here is enrobed. It really tightens up on the finish, becoming strict, direct and very, verylong with a stoniness encased in fruit the very end. Very fine. From 2014StockistsUK:USA:Berry Bros & Rudd; Bibendum; Fields Wine Merchants; Goedhuis & Co. Ltd.; Justerini &Brooks; Richards Walford.Boston Wine Co.; Garnet Wines; Kermit Lynch.134

Domaine Dr. Georges Mugneret/Mugneret-Gibourg, Vosne-RomanéeThis time I was shown thought the wines by Marie-Christine.Marie-Christine described how it was so warm in July they had to green harvest in the morning.There was no heavy rain in Nuits-Saint-Georges and no hail. It was cool and cloudy so the lightwas not so good either.100% destemmed here as is normal at this domaine. “During the vinification there was a lovelysmell in the vats and when we opened the cap, lots of red fruit. The smell during thefermentation is very important for us. It is a really good indicator of the vintage. So after theuncertainty of the summer and the rain, this was a good thing.”“I think these wines might be expressive all along though their life, as they began life with a lotof expression.” Marie-Christine favours drinking this vintage young. “Drink these for theirfreshness and the red fruit with the vibrancy of youth. Although like the 2004s, wait 2 years orso.”We tasted a few 2005s, although some, for example Les Vignes Rondes, are not showing wellnow. They are closing down to become very tannic and inaccessible.SM*BourgogneIn 1935 the vines for the Bourgogne were declassified from Vosne-Romanée status, but GeorgesMugneret’s father always maintained that he was happy to have some good Bourgogne as anentry level to the portfolio. (North/West corner of Lutenière) It is an old parcel of 35hl/ha.Very bright and juicy fruit, zesty acidity, rounded, clear and delicious with soft tannins. Veryattractive. From 2008*Vosne-RomanéeLovely clarity of fruit, rounded and luscious aroma; very Vosne. The palate is full and generouswith supple tannins and a velvety texture. There is a lovely plump middle palate with plenty ofmatter and real sweetness to the finish. Very good. From 2010Vosne-Romanée, 2005Dense blueberry and dark fruit. Very intense and compact. Massively tight at the moment.Closing up to become quite austere. Very dense on the finish. Score 15.5. From 2009/10*Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les ChaignotsVines here are about 50 years oldDark morello cherries and lovely purity with a peppering of spice. The palate is more grippy, butstill very elegantly fruity with a generous a sweep to the middle palate. It is compact in themiddle with good intensity and well toned muscle. The finish has dark graphite minerality and anice balance of freshness and fruit. It is an elegant and deliciously fruity Nuits-Saint-Georges.Fine. From 2011Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Vignes-Rondes35 year old vines. The soil in the Vignes Rondes is deeper and it is flat, versus the thinner soil onthe slopes in the Chaignots.135

Slightly more closed on the nose and palate at the moment. The middle palate is compact. Thetannins are tauter and grippier. The fruit is deep and dark with more liquorish and slateyminerality. Without the singing fruit of the Chaignots, but with good definition. Particularly goodto Fine. From 2011Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Vignes Rondes, 2005More red fruit on the nose. The tannins are taut, grippy, closing down to become quite sinewy.Compact, straight, powerful palate, stretched on to the finish. From 2010/11Chambolle-Musigny, Les FeusselottesMarie-Christine tells me the vines directly in front of the village including those in Feusselottesescaped the hail.Bright red fruit aromas. It is a direct, light, quite elegant wine. The palate has some grip on themiddle palate. It has lively acidity, pepperiness, medium intensity and some mineral chalkiness tothe finish which is nicely fresh. Particularly good+. From 2010Chambolle-Musigny, Les Feusselottes, 2005Lovely intensity here. Very lifted, rich and dense and velvety for Chambolle. The energy behind itis tangible and the minerality comes out on the finish. Lovely. Score 18. From 2012EchezeauxThe nose is full and intense, the palate dense and quite burly. There is gravelly grip andgumption. It is bold, broad, but curved at the edges and the tannins are well managed. There isno rigidity here. It is surprisingly open and the finish is very long with a lovely balance of fruitand acidity. The finish ends fresh and lifted. Fine+ From 2012Gevrey-ChambertinFirst harvest was in 2002 as the vines were planted in 2000. Young vines of Ruchottes. Thedomaine has 0.6 of a hectare, half of which has been replanted. The parcel is in the Ruchottes duBas section.Lively aroma. This is good for such young vines. Pure, zesty fruit and the tannins are quite light,although they might not be quite as ripe as some of the previous wines. There is a touch ofastringency. There is energy and purity on the finish. The harvest and the malolatic happened atthe same time as for the old vines. Marie-Christine made the point that the green harvest is veryimportant in the young vines. They do less extraction in the younger vines, less pigeage and postferment is shorter. It seems they press as soon as the fermentation is finished. From late 2010“The young vines are like a teenager,” says Marie-Christine. “When they become Ruchotteseverything will be in the right place.” In 2007 they will call it Ruchottes, Jeunes Vignes, as thealcohol was too high for village wines.*Ruchottes-Chambertin55 year old vines here. In all the wine the acidity was about the same in 2005, 2006 and 2004.The Ruchottes however always has a higher pH though due to the potassium which still lingers inthe soil.Rich, dense fruit on the nose and it swirls energetically onto the palate. Intense, very pure,peppery and vibrant. This has excellent vigour. There is grip, balanced by sweet ripeness. It is anelegant, upright Ruchottes with vivid fruit and soft powdery lead minerality. Fine, maybe veryFine. From 2012/13Ruchottes-Chambertin, 2005Very alluring aroma. Spicy, elegant, vibrant and upright. The palate is mineral with lovely depthand vigour. There are notes of frangipane and fennel. It has a very persistent chalky, pure andlively finish. It is all beautifully contained. I really like this. Score 19.5. From 2014136

Clos De VougeotThis is in Montiotes hautes. In the top corner of Clos de Vougeot, below and to the north of thechâteau, which Marie Christine tells me, created a buffer against the hail in 2006.Big aroma and really fleshy fruit on the attack. Plenty of extract in the middle. This is butch andpowerful in comparison with the elegant and upright Ruchottes. There are burly tannins in thisbroad-bodied wine. Dense and rich and grippy it packs a punch on the finish. It is a monolithicClos de Vougeots. Dark and brooding; a bit like the château, in the shadow of which it lies.Fine++. From 2014StockistsUK:USA:H & H Bancroft; Berkmann Wine Cellars; Haynes, Hanson & Clark; Lay & Wheeler Ltd.;Lea & SandemanEsquin Imports Inc.; Ideal Wine & Spirits Co. Inc.; North Berkeley Imports; MichaelSkurnik Wines; The Stacole Co. Inc.; Vintner Select; The Wine Company.137

Domaine De La Romanée-Conti, Vosne-RomanéeAt Domaine De La Romanée-Conti Aubert de Villaine was relieved with the result of the vintage,“A challenge won,” he remarks.It is pointed out that “the philosophy of the harvest itself was a major factor in the quality of thegrapes we brought in. An ultra-meticulous sorting was crucial in order to eliminate the botrytis.Our experienced team of pickers did a great job. Then in the winery, Bernard Noblet’s teamperformed once again ‘haute couture’ selection on the sorting table and put the finishing touchesto the pickers’ work.”They were careful about the date of the harvest; “It was necessary to wait until the grapes werefully ripe, but to bear in mind that the rot was spreading. Then the yields had to be quite low andit was essential to have a final selection by sorting the grapes.” They picked starting with theRichebourg on the 20 th and 21st of September and finished with the last of the Echezeaux andRomanée-Saint-Vivant on the 27. th Yields of the red wines do not exceed 28 hl/ha. (TheMontrachet was harvested on the 26 th which is quite late.)Aubert de Villaine describes the reds as having “very good ripeness,” with sugar levels similar to2005. He compares them with 2004 in quality and adds that this is not to devalue the 2004 reds,because he likes them very much.SMThe red wines at this domaine are delight to taste this year. They are much easier to read than inthe 2004 and 2005; more open and expressive and immediately textural.*Vosne-Romanée, Cuvee BlochotThis is an assemblage of all the younger vines from the grand vineyardsRipe, red fruits on the aroma. Plenty of fruit on the attack and curvaceously rounded in themiddle palate. It has succulence offset by fresh acidity. Soft rich fruit enrobes the tannins. Thisreally sings. Very seductive, it has lots of intensity for village wine and a lovely pure finish. Topnotch. From 2010EchezeauxThis wine was racked in June.This is lifted on the aroma; intense with dark cherry fruit. The wine has a graceful sweep acrossthe palate. It is very open and expressive. The tannins are subtly supportive and finely grained.There are ripe mulberries and slight spice. There is nothing heavy as sweeps elegantly onto thefinish. It is a stylish Echezeaux. Very Fine. From 2012/13Grands EchezeauxThis is much darker on the aroma and much more upright. The palate is compact on the attack.There is tension here and tight dark minerality. Much more layered and strict and the layers arefinely compact. Where the Echezeaux has mulberry fruit this has ripe, but darker fruits. There isgood freshness balancing the richness. It has toned, fit muscle and the ripe tannins are couchedin the wine. The finish is very long and dark, very well defined and chiselled. Very fine. From2015138

*Romanée-Saint-VivantThis has a floral elegance on the aroma; very expressive with alluring notes of Albertine rosepetals. It unfurls gracefully to a scented palate which is a melody of delicacy and great intensity.The exture has a sensual fluidity, laced with delicious pure and juicy fruit, which really sings. Thetannins are filigree fine. There is true finesse on the finish which is perfumed and very, very longwith a touch of fragrant cherry blossom at the end. This has wonderful harmony, balance andmovement. It dances across the palate. A balletic wine. One of my favourite two or three winesof 2006. Outstanding. From 2013/15RichebourgThis has richness on the aroma, darker red fruit and more power. The palate is full and dense. Ithas a bold, but toned and smooth structure. It swells in the palate, gathers richness power andenergy to a long and assertive finish. There is gloss and muscle. The tannins are strong, but rich,ripe and smooth. There is a crescendo of velvet richness. A wine of serious and seductivesubstance. Very fine to outstanding. From 2016La TâcheThis has great presence. It is a full, broad wine. It is very well defined and with a lot of matter inthe middle palate. This is a much stricter wine, more masculine and assertive. The fruit is darkberry; the power is compact and coiled, ready to pounce. The finish is tremendously long, denseand powerful. This is like a rock, impressive, grand, and chiselled at the edges. Again this showsexcellent balance of acidity, ripe fruit and surprisingly enrobed tannins. Statuesque. AlsoOutstanding. From 2016*La Romanée-ContiHere again we return to expressive florality; to the alluring scent of rose petals. The palate isvery sensual. It weaves across the palate. There is ripe fruit and a wonderful satiny texture. Thetannins are refined and swathed in the fruit. It flows lithely. This is all about the perfume andtexture of pinot noir. The minerality lies beneath, giving the wine its freshness and the harmony.It has a surprisingly melodious structure, already knitted seamlessly together. It flows onto thefinish which is scented and fragrant. This is the perfect example delicacy with intensity. It haswonderful poise. Outstanding. From 2016WhiteLe MontrachetSample one: Citrus and sherbet aroma and some minerality. The palate has crystallized citrusand honeyed notes. It has focus in the middle palate with good grip. The finish is mineral withlovely intensity and purity.Sample two: This has a creamy, rich, citrus, ripe aroma. The palate is rounded and full-bodied.Two techniques had been employed here; ‘roulage’, or rolling and in the other sample bâtonnagehad been used. Katherine and I both tasted the samples blind and thought the second sampletasted more like a wine with bâtonnage, but in fact it was the first. Bernard Roblet described thegross lees sticking to the side of the barrel, so the wine has contact only with the fine lees. Basedon the samples we tasted, roulage seems to have a greater impact than this would imply.The third sample was lovely. It had been fermented in barrel where it also went throughmalolactic before being transferred to stainless steel tank. It was upright, citrus and intense. As139

with the other samples it is rich, but also very fresh, vibrant and energetic. The minerality wasapparent and the palate had lovely clarity. A zesty energetic finish with good focus and intensity.This ageing is an experiment and I think the wine is destined to be bottled separately to see howit develops.StockistsUK:USA:Contact the UK agents: Corney & Barrow. John Armit Wines; Berry Bros & Rudd; EldridgePope; Fine & Rare Wines Ltd.; Justerini & Brooks; Lay & Wheeler; Planet Wine Ltd.; ReidWines.Wilson Daniels Ltd.140

Domaine De L’Arlot, Nuits-Saint-Georges, PrémeauxThe malolactics had all finished in December for 2006 and they began to rack from March toJune. After the racking Olivier Leriche the Technical Director thought the wines seemed very thinto begin with and was worried, but then they gained weight again. Now they have returned topre-racking profile and he is more reassured. They will not bottle any earlier than normal. Healways prefers to wait for the second winter. “I am not afraid now. It will be beneficial to leavethem.”“The 2006 are very sensitive. It is a little unpredictable how they will respond to bottling. Theywill age well certainly.”Olivier describes the earlier part of the season; “There were very heavy snowfalls in winter,followed by a damp spring during which we had to be particularly vigilant to avoid mildewdeveloping. It was then very hot during the month of July, and there were a lot of rainy spells inAugust - 100mm fell over the month.” He speaks of the sunny weather keeping the botrytisunder control and enabling the grapes to ripen well. They picked the whites in sunny conditionsfrom the 18 th , but had damper conditions for harvesting the reds, which started on the 22nd. Alittle light rain, 3 – 5 mm, fell at night, prompting them to get out boots and raincoats.Harvesting continued in cooler, sunny weather.He points out that there was no lack of ripeness. “We waited for the reds then it went veryquickly. On the 27th we finished and were very happy. Three or four days after this and theywould have developed rot.”The yields were small, just 25hl/ha. They did a selection at harvest, but this was not the onlyreason. “Maybe we did too much green harvest. We had small quantities of clusters. The impactof the very warm temperature in July and a very cool August limit the development of theclusters.”In mid July they selected clusters and weighed them. Normally the weight gain from mid July tomid August is 30-60%, but this year it was just 10-15%. Olivier remarks that the vineyard gavethe impression in mid August, when they were leaf plucking, of having lots of clusters, but in factwhen they weighed the grapes, this was not the case at all. In the winery this was reflected in alower juice to skin ratio. (For more see the vintage report)SMCôte De Nuits Villages, Clos Du ChapeauLovely sweet ripe fruit. It is lively with dark fruit and some grip on the finish. There is a littletouch of liquorish. Very nicely balanced and expressive. An attractive Côte de Nuits Village. Fromlate 2009.Nuits-Saint-George, Petite de l’ArlotDeclassified vines from Clos De L’Arlot made into a village wine. The young vines are 6-8 yearsold and are located right at the top of the vineyard where, Olivier says, it is a little warmer. Thisis a small production of 5-10 barrels141

Appealing sweet ripe fruit and supple tannins. It is pure and fragrant with slightly spicy blueberryfruit. It is quite simple yet not without refinement. It flows brightly across the palate with goodlifted freshness on the finish. Supple and accessible. Very good indeed. From late 2010Nuits-Saint-Georges, Le Petits PletsPremier cru made from the younger vines of the Clos des Forêts. The vines are 17-20 years old.This is a bigger cuvée of 30 barrels.Again lovely pure fruit, but more grip here. There is some density in the middle palate and dark,forest fruits with a peppering of spice. Firm minerality is present on the finish of this wine, whichis quite taut and precise. Particularly good. From 2010*Nuits-Saint-Georges, Clos De L’Arlot62 year old vines. The youngest vines are 55 years and oldest close to seventy. There are 1.25hectares.This has very perfumed aromas. On the palate too, it is fluid, fine, intense and supple. It movesgracefully and is beautifully scented. There is light petally quality; white roses, and apple blossomand wild strawberries. The fruit is pure and limpid and the finish fragrant, long and lingering. Fineto very fine. From 2012*Nuits-Saint-Georges, Clos Des Forêts Saint-GeorgesMuch darker, more assertive aroma and the palate is grippy, powerful and muscular, but notheavy in any way. There is a compact core of deep, dark, liquorishy fruit. This is much morechiselled and mineral on the finish. Very long, straight and vigorous. Fine++, but I prefer theClos d L’Arlot. From 2012/13.Vosne-Romanée, SuchotsRipe red aromas and rich morello cherry on the palate. A seductive attack moves to a welldefined rounded middle palate. There is plump sweetness to the fruit and a little a grip. It has alightness of touch. Slightly hazy, but the finish is good. Fine. From 2011Romanée-Saint-VivantPlenty of perfume on the nose and on the palate. Fine chalky tannins and alluring purity. This hasa fine tension in the middle palate and clear and fragrant summer fruits. It is restrained,contained and poised with a tightly sprung energy which carries to the persistent and tight finish.Fine++ From 2013WhiteOliver comments that, “The whites are mineral and ripe at the same time.”*Nuits-Saint-Georges, La GerbotteThis is a parcel in the Clos de l’Arlot. It will be left for another 3 months in vat to finish ageingand gain more minerality before bottling in December.Ripe pears, slightly exotic. The intensity is decent for a village wine and there is plenty ofexpression. Lots of lychee fruits. Quite rounded, but also nicely fresh. Very good. From 2008*Nuits-Saint-Georges, Clos De L’Arlot, BlancThis is fuller, richer and rounded with good density. Marked wood. Ripe with generous fleshierexotic fruits and a touch of mango. It is dense, yet the acidity is lively and the minerality reallycomes though on the finish. A powerful, masculine wine, which gathers pace to a gutsy finish.Fine+. From 2009/10142

StockistsUK: Anthony Byrne Fine Wines; Corney & Barrow; Goedhuis & Co.; House of Townend; Lay &Wheeler; Gerard Seel Ltd.; T & W Wines Ltd; The Wine Society.USA: Jeroboam Wines; Burgundy Wine Co.; Chambers & Chambers; Classic Wine Imports Inc.;Ex-cellars Wine Agencies Inc.; Old Vine Imports; Co.; Selection Becky Wasserman, LeSerbet, France.143

Domaine Jean-Jacques Confuron, Nuits-Saint-Georges PrémeauxAt this tasting all the wine were still in barrel and unracked. Alain Meunier said they plan to bottlein November or December.He describes this vintage as quite rich and dense and views it is a medium-keeping vintage withimpressive fruit. He describes 2004 as more immediate and 2005 as more of a monster incomparison with 2006. He would recommend drinking the 2004s first, followed by the 2006s andthen the 2005s. He thinks an average start date for the 2006s is around 2010-2011, although thisdepends on appellation.He considers there is less acidity in 2006. When compared with 2005 and he says the yields weresmall with an average at the domaine of 28hl/ha. The yield was brought down by rot, after theweather in August favoured the development of botrytis. As a result their triage was threefold;first during August to remove rotten grapes from the vines; second at harvest where the pickerswere required to be very selective and third on reception in the winery on the sorting table. Hesaid they started harvest around the 23 rd September and had to work fast to prevent the spreadof any botrytis. They completed picking in 6 days.These are very smoothly textured wines and Alain Meunier says the smoothness of the tannins istypical of the 2006s, due to the sugar-rich grapes (the natural degrees ranged from 12.8-13.5 atharvest) which showed good phenolic ripeness. He notes that at harvest the seeds of the grapesthat went into the vats were brown, not green and says that a gentle élévage on lees helpsround out the phenolics in the final wine. He also states that the skins were not quite as thick asthey were in 2005, but that the grapes were small. He carried out a normal alcoholicfermentation, but he reduced his pigeage from 3-4 a day to just 2 a day to control the phenolicextraction.KR*Côte De Nuits Villages, Les VignottesFrom one parcel of vines in Primeaux near the property.Juicy black fruit is layered with minerality and supple phenolics. Freshness provides a clear streakthat runs through the wine and lifts the finish. Very attractive. From 2008.Chambolle-MusignyDark notes of blackberry fruit and spicy top notes characterise the nose. Ripeness and elegantacidity are balanced on the palate and the fruit is sweetly scented on the finish. Lovely length.Good+. From 2009.Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les FleurièresA little closed and reduced now, although the aromas do hint a smoke, toast and slate. Theseelements also emerge on the palate to be joined by more muscular black cherry fruit. Thesmooth tannins give grip and form a frame for the fruit along with the acidity. Lovely freshness.Good. From 2009.*Chambolle-Musigny, Premier CruThis is made from two different, but adjoining premier cru sites in Chambolle: Feusselottes andChatelots. The nose is quite restrained at this stage and the palate is more tightly bound showing144

a step up in appellation. This is echoed in the fruit character. A dark mineral core is laced withsour cherry and leads to a fresh finish. Particularly good to fine. From 2010.Vosne-Romanée, Les BeaumontsRather savoury character. The fruit, reminiscent of hedgerow fruit, has an opulence and thetannins are fine. A little lighter on the mid-palate, but fresh acidity draws out and lifts the finish.Very good to particularly good. From 2009/2010.Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les ChaboeufsIn the south of Nuit-Saint-Georges.Tight, tense and more muscular tannins give the structure a more austere feel, although this isbalanced by ripe fruit. The acidity is bright and energetic and fresh berry fruit and liquorice lingeron the finish. Particularly good to fine. From 2010/2011.Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les BoudotsNorth of Nuits-Saint-Georges.Coffee, anise and spice create delicious aromatics. Graphite notes are given extra lift by freshacidity and the tannins are enrobed in fruit. The finish is long and lively; laced with fruits andmocha minerals. Fine. From 2010/2011.*Clos De VougeotThis parcel of Clos de Vougeot is situated just behind the Château on shallow, calcareous soilsover rock.A suggestion of berry fruit purity manages to make it through the restrained aromatic character.The palate is coiled, but shows elegance and freshness. Acidity and tannin sit within the stonefruits in the core and chalky complexity emerges on the finish. Fine to very fine. From2012/2013.*Romanée-Saint-VivantFloral top notes of crushed petals and violets draw you into the wine. There is lightness to thetexture and mouthfeel that belies the innate structure of finely-wrought tannins and acidity thatform an elegant backbone. Long, floral and concentrated finish. Very refined. Up to very fine.From 2012/2013.StockistsUK:USA:EnotriaRobert Kacher.145

Domaine Henri Gouges, Nuits-Saint-GeorgesPierre Gouges describes 2006 as a classic vintage, showing the differences between the terroirs,unlike 2003 and 2005. The yield was higher than 2005, but only by about 1-2%, with an averageof 38hl/ha across the domaine.He says they were very impressed with the degree of natural ripeness at harvest, as well as theripeness of the tannins. This was despite a year that was marked by a fairly humid spring,(although they had very little problem with powdery mildew) and a humid, cool August.September brought a dry, north wind and good amounts of sun. The bright, warmer days helpedripen the tannins and cool nights conserved the acidity in the grapes.They started harvest on 25 th September and harvested for seven days, which was normal. Theyused 50 pickers for hand harvesting and the poor grapes were removed at the sorting table.Pierre Gouges describes the vinification as traditional with extra remontage and a little pigeage.He points out that the naturally tannic profile of Nuits-Saint-Georges means it is always veryimportant to pay attention to pressing. The malolactics were very late, starting in August andSeptember, with most finishing in October. They plan bottle in February or March.KR*BourgogneCinnamon and orange peel aromas mix with red berry fruit. The palate is freshly fruity and lightlybalanced. The structure is both direct and accessible. Delicious Bourgogne rouge. Attractive.From 2008.*Nuits-Saint-GeorgesTen parcels make up this cuvee. The vines are of varied ages. Pierre Gouges explains that this isgood for the balance of the wine. The grapes are 100% destemmed.The aromas are fresh and cleanly mineral. The palate is vivid and full of life. The form is straightand finely wrought and the tannins are woven with citrus peel, minerals and briar fruit. Verygood. From 2009.Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les ChaignotsThis small 0.5ha parcel lying on the Vosne-side of Nuits-Saint-Georges is planted with 30 year oldvines.There is opulence to the fruit that is balanced with defined, direct phenolics. The acidity is freshand lifts the fruit on the finish – controlled but not overly tight. Particularly good++. From2009/2010.Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chaines CartauxThe structure is a little tighter and more measured than the Chaignots, but the fruit is stillexpressive and the ripeness of the tannins contributes to the elegance of the fruit/acid balance.There is lovely intensity on the core of the wine that lingers on the finish. Particularly good++.From 2009/2010.146

Nuits-Saint-Georges, Clos Des Porrets Saint-GeorgesA classic Nuits-Saint-Georges. Aromas of spice, coal and minerals continues on the palate withripe dark fruits. There is a strictness and austerity to the structure that contains the fruit, withoutdetracting from the energy of the wine. Long finish. Fine. From 2011.*Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les PruliersPierre Gouges says the 70-80 year old vines in this cuvée contribute colour and concentration,while the younger 15-20 year old vines bring fruit and freshness. The old vines yield very smallberries with rich, thick skins.More black fruit comes across in the aromas and a blackberry and mineral spiciness run throughthe palate. The core exhibits concentrated phenolics, layered with rich fruit that is seasoned withminerals, especially on the finish. Fine to very fine. From 2011/2012.Nuits-Saint-Georges, VaucrainsMore restrained at this stage. Slate and graphite notes layer with compact tannins and savourynotes. The mid-palate is dense and rich. Although it is unwilling to show itself fully now; onlyhinting at truffle and stone fruits. Amazingly long and fresh on the finish. Fine to very fine. From2012.Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Saint-GeorgesThe average vine age for this premier cru is 50 years. Majestic in character with plenty ofpresence. Phenomenal structure and intensity is clear from the outset. The ripeness of the fruit isevident, though knotted within the core at this early stage. The framework of the wine isprovided by tannins that are toned and muscular and precise acidity. Very long. Very fine. From2013/2014.StockistsUK:USA:UK & USA:Averys; Flint Wines; Genesis Wines Ltd; Hayman Barwell Jones Ltd.; H & HBancroft; O.W. Loeb & Co. Ltd.; Raeburn Fine Wines; Anthony Sargeant FineWines; Charles Taylor Wines Ltd. & Montrachet; Frank Ward ltdVineyard Brands Inc.Selection Becky Wasserman, Le Serbet, France.147

Domaine De La Vougeraie, Nuits-Saint-Georges, PrémeauxDomaine de la Vougerie is certified organic with Ecocert and practice biodynamics for theirpremiers and grands cru. The domaine is 34ha in total.Pierre Vincent, the estate manager, describes 2006 as a difficult vintage. This was his firstvintage at Domaine de la Vougerie, before that he was with Jaffelin. Rain in August, particularlyin the Côte de Beaune, and some rain at harvest made it a challenge. As a result he thinks theCôte de Beaune is a little lighter and the Côte de Nuits is more complex, although one characterthey share is a more typical Burgundian style with each appellation showing itself clearly, interms of climats characteristics and appellation hierarchy.In 2006 the maximum yields for reds averaged 30hl/ha and for whites the maximum averaged35hl/ha. About 15-20% was removed through sorting. Vincent says that overall this is about 5%less than 2005.KRPinot Noir "Terres de Famille"20% new oak, this is a blend of Pinot from Vougeot (70%) and declassified Beaune (30%).Currently in barrel, Pierre Vincent plans to bottle in February or March.Fresh red berries and a hint of spice. Fresh, light and pure on the attack with a modest finish. Itis accessible. Pleasant. From late 2008.Côte de Beaune "Les Pierres Blanches"They produce a red and a white here and the vineyard is situated on the top of the hill near LaMontagne de Beaune.Redcurrant and raspberry fruit and a juicy, lively attack. It has delicate smooth phenolics andfragrant finish. Very drinkable. Attractive. From 2008+.Pommard, Les Petits NoizonsThis 1ha parcel is south facing and Pierre Vincent notes that it is easier to work organicallybecause of its size. 30% new oak.The fruit is darker and more mineral. Finely balanced fruit and acidity are woven with thestronger, more robust phenolics. Attractive. From 2009+.Beaune, Les GrèvesProduced from one small parcel that produces, on average, only 4 barrels.Vivid attack, quite a savoury, sauvage character runs through the wine. Toned tannins and ripefruit are balanced by the fresh acidity that leads the finish. Very good to particularly good. From2009.Gevrey-ChambertinThis cuvée is a blend of 5 parcels in Gevrey and Brochon. 30% new oak.Immediately the wine is more gamey with cherry and brambles. The phenolics are bound withbright acidity that gives wonderful freshness throughout the wine. Attractive to good. From2009+.Gevrey-Chambertin "La Justice"A lieu dit in the south of Gevrey near the bottom of the village. Due to geological faults theterroir is rich in rock. They vinify the fruit from areas with less rock separately and then select bytasting the cuvées will become La Justice. The rest is declassified as Bourgogne rouge.148

The fruit is darker on the nose and the palate and has a scented quality that combines withsmooth tannins and shale notes, which are reinforced by the acidity. Good. From 2009/2010.Gevrey-Chambertin, Les EvocellesProduced from 40 year old vines growing on rocky terroir, north of Champeaux.Underbrush and meatiness are met by nutmeg and tobacco spice on the nose and palate. Thereis elegance and breadth to the attack and the tannins are fine-grained. Minerality emerges on thefinish. Very good. From 2009/2010.Vougeot, Les CrasThere is lots of limestone in the soil. Bottling is planned for next spring. 40% new oak.The wine is bright and energetic with notes of toast and spice. The phenolics are contained andthe freshness of the acidity drives the finish. A mix of red and black fruits lace the aromas andmid-palate. Particularly good+. From 2010/2011.*Nuits-St-Georges, Les DamodesOn the north side of Nuits-Saint-Georges, near Vosne. It only finished its malolactic at the end ofAugust.Anise and cherry notes are layered with heady, dark florals. Lovely elegance for Nuits-Saint-Georges. It has a straight profile. The tannins are woven with plush fruit and graphite minerals.Spiciness lingers on the direct and focused finish. Fine. From 2011/2012.*Corton Le Clos du Roi60 year old vines. There is 50% new oak in this cuvée and it was racked into old barrels aftercompleting its malolactic.Cinnamon spice aromas give a scented quality to the nose and palate. The latter is both elegantand expansive with good weight of matter on the core. Bright acidity and smoothly, fine tanninssit neatly and compactly within the fruit. The long, harmonious finish adds gravitas. Fine to veryfine. From 2012/2013.Clos de VougeotThey have two parcels; the larger 1.5ha plot is at the top near the Château and the other, just0.3ha, is at the bottom of the clos. To control quality they sell the barrels that do not make it intotheir blend to negociants.A touch restrained on the nose now, but the palate shows richness and elegance. The form andstructure of the wine is very controlled. A refined style of Clos de Vougeot. Particularly good tofine. From 2013+.Charmes-Chambertin, Les MazoyèresSituated in the middle of the grand cru, east of Lactricères. The vines are old; some are 100years old, and they often use these for massal selection across the domaine. 60% new oak isused.Dark, tight, animal and savoury. Tense tannins are layered with fresh acidity. Elegant but moremasculine in form and style than the Clos de Vougeot. Fine. From 2013/2014.Bonnes-Mares70% new oak. Tight, tense and difficult to approach at this stage in its life.The mouthfeel is structured and well-muscled. The fruit is knotted tightly in the core of the midpalate,but the finish is long and shows the potential of the wine. The oak is already wellabsorbed by the fruit. Fine. From 2014.149

*Musigny Grand CruOnly 2.5 barrels are produced. In 2006 they had 800kg of grapes. They vinify the wine in smallopen vats. The grapes are detemmed by hand. Ten people work for 4 hours a day overapproximately a week to destem the berries. The grapes are then put into the vats whole.Blackberries, cherries and minerals contribute to the sublimely delicate and ethereal texture. Thephenolics are hidden away and the freshness is interwoven within the fruit. Lightness andconcentration are perfected poised. Very long. Very fine. From 2014/2015.WhiteBâtonnage was limited for all the whites in 2006 in order to retain the freshness in the wines.The view was that they were already naturally rich enough and too much lees stirring wouldbring excessive weight and fatness to the final wines.Beaune BlancCurrently in tank; the cuvée has no more than 20% new oak. It is Pierre Vincent’s preference tofinish this wine in tank in order to retain the freshness.Citrus zest gives vibrant aromas. A lively palate attack is followed by rich fruit, balanced by clearacidity. Grippy finish. Good. From 2008.Vougeot, Le Clos du PrieuréThis monopole is located in front of the village and is planted with both red and white grapes. Itis treated biodynamically even though it is not a premier cru.Fresh and pure in character. The palate shows grip and tone with bright acidity. More whiteflowers and herbal notes emerge on the palate and draw out the finish. Good+. From late 2008.Vougeot, Le Clos Blanc de VougeotThis premier cru vineyard is planted with 3% Pinot Gris, together with the Chardonnay. It wasstill in barrel at this tasting. The final wine will have 30% new oak in total.Notes of hay and fern meet the lemon fruit and give a sense of generosity to the aromas. Thereis a clear step up in intensity with the premier cru. The mouthfeel has a smooth, languid qualitythat is lifted by minerals and the acidity giving an attractive tension to the palate. Particularlygood to fine. From 2010+.Corton-Charlemagne Grand CruChalky, herbal and citrus aromas give the nose an attractive tension. There is a mouth coatingsensation on the strike, suggesting richness but minerals are still evident on palate. Overall itfeels a little reticent and quite restrained; a trait which continues on the finish. Particularly goodto fine. From 2010++.UK: Berry BrothersUS: Veritas; Boisset, USA.Stockists150

Domaine d’ArdhuyCarel Voorhuis, Régisseur at Domaine d’Ardhuy, noted that yields across the domaine wereaverage in 2006, although some sites lost yield to botrytis, particularly the vineyards that usuallycrop higher. He describes the summer of 2006 as “…not great. After the cool weather and rain inAugust things did not look good”. He then observes that the return of better weather at the endof August and into September made a huge difference.He believes the acidity in 2006 is lower than 2005, but the texture of the tannins is very silky. Hedescribes the 2006s as “...the perfect vintage to stop people drinking the 2005s too soon!”Defining a drinking order he finds difficult as some wines are more accessible than others. Heviews 2004s as a very strong terroir vintage, whereas in the young 2005s the fruit is still hidingthe terroir. In 2006 the terroir character of each wine is immediately clear again. He thinks thatpeople who did serious work in the vineyards and were willing to carry out thorough triage haveproduced good, classic reds.KRSavigny-lès-Beaune, Aux ClousBottled just before harvest. The vines were planted in 1945 and each year they produce buncheswith very small berries.Fresh and bright in character. Plenty of red berry fruits – cranberry and redcurrant. Fine, fluidtannins direct the palate of this premier cru. Fresh acidity draws out the finish. Very good++.From 2009.Volnay, Les FremietsCrunchy red fruits come through on the nose and palate. The texture on the attack is smoothand the tannins are fine. There is an accessible elegance to this Fremiets. Particularly good. From2009.Aloxe-CortonTasted from barrel. The bottling is planned for early December, slightly earlier than usual.Tighter in form than the Fremiets. Balsamic notes and forest fruits lace the aromas and thetexture of the tannins are fine, but with more grip. Fruit and form on the finish. Good. From2008/9.Aloxe-Corton, Les ChaillotsThe is situated underneath Bressandes on a heavy stone and clay soil.A bit more spice and toast enters the mix here. The feel of the wine is more robust, but this isbalanced with attractive minerals and well toned phenolics. Bright acidity lifts the finish. Goodlength. Very good to particularly good. From 2008/9Clos des Langres, RougesThe two samples tasted here will be blended for the final wine. The first sample is from entirelydestemmed berries, the second was whole bunch fermentation.Sample 1: The aromas possess a liquorice and aniseed quality. The fruits are darker in characterthan the previous wine and the phenolics are finely-textured. Minerals push through on the finish.There is more breadth and immediacy to the mouthfeel. Partcularly good++. From 2011onwards.151

Sample 2: The aromas have more red fruit and nutmeg with star anise top notes. The palatefeels more toned, precise and linear. The same minerals come through on the finish, but thewine feels more elegant and more contained. Long finish. Partcularly good++. From 2011.*Corton Les PougetsFeminine and refined. Spice and crushed petals are woven with vivid red fruits. The tannins areelegantly formed and taut. The fruit hints at generosity without losing any definition. The aciditysits within it. Good depth and intensity in the core. Very persistent and fragrant on the finish.Deceptively concentrated. Fine to very fine. From 2012.Corton Le Clos du RoiMinerals, bramles and cherries are layered with coal undertones. The acidity has bright freshnessand the phenolics are tightly-bound and direct the structure of the wine. More full-bodied thanthe Pougets, but also embodying finesse. Again, the finish is long. Fine++. From 2012/2013.Corton RenardsRicher and darker in character than the previous two Cortons. The attack is dense and expressesmore opulent plush fruit. There are focused tannins and lively acidity. There is an excellentbalance and presence to this wine. Smoothness is poised with muscle that hints at power tocome. Fine to very fine. From 2013.Clos de VougeotFrom Petit Maupertui, south of Grand Maupertui. The wine was racked in June and was 100%whole bunch fermentation.Expressive aromas allude to mulberries, blackberries and spice. The attack fills the palate, butretains precision and direction. The core of the wine is tense and bound now, but the smoothlytextured, long finish shows the intensity of the wine. Very fine Clos de Vougeot. From 2013/2014.WhiteLadoix, Le RognetsSituated on the Corton hill, this is well located and surrounded by Corton-Charlemagne andCorton. Limestone dominates the soil.The herbal and citrus freshness is enticing and vivid. The attack of the wine is exuberant and fineacidity sits with ripe fruit. The finish is juicy and scented. Particularly good+. From 2009.*Corton-CharlemagneThey plan to bottle this in December.Beautifully fresh aromas – chalky, citrus notes of crystallised lemon perfume the nose and palate.The strike on the palate is direct and tightly-bound. Hints of marzipan and stone add furthercomplexity. The finish is straight, precise and long, still showing the aromatics. Fine++. From2011.StockistsUK: Wimbledon Wines Cellars ; Philglass & Swiggot, Averys Wine Merchant ; Reid Wines ;Winegrowers Driect ; Wine FantasticUSA: Wineferry, NY ; Elite Wines, Washington ; Beaune Imports, CA ; Triage, OR & WS.152

Domaine Michel Mallard, Ladoix-SerrignyMichel Mallard is the 5 th generation. In 2005 he took over from his father. The domaine has 13hectares.Michel is unusual in harvesting by machine. They started this way at the domaine 23 years ago.He is careful to regulate the machine. Picking when they want, he tells me, is the big advantage.It means he can stop and start. He can time the picking to when the fruit is at optimum ripeness.He may harvest over an entire month or within three days. Everything but the Corton-Charlemagne is handled this way. The latter is too small a parcel. They cannot turn the machineat the end of the rows.In general Michel likes a cold maceration for 1 week, then 10 days fermentation. He might thenwarm some cuvées, taste and wait. Les valozières, Les Joyeuses and Corton Rognets have thelongest maceration.The extraction technique used here is pigeage, both by machine and in wooden vats by pichou.There is a promising array of small stainless steel tanks along one side of the spaceship winery,as well as the comfort of some beautiful wooden vats.He changed the barrels when he came in 2005. “My father had lots of new barrels on allappellations and used just one origin, one cooper and high toast. Now I have expanded things. Iuse 4 coopers. I like Tronçais, and always medium toast.”In 1999 Michel’s grandmother died and the family took down her house which was next door tothe domaine. They dug beneath it to make a cellar below and a state of the art winery above.Everything which happens in the winery is controlled from a glass office. This is the technologynerve centre which has software developed at the domaine. Mallard proudly points out that thissoftware is now exported all over the world.The new winery first used in 2006 and the old cellar is now used to store bottles. Mallard placesgreat stock in this. “We store wines. We do not release the wines immediately. In fact we havejust released the 2003s. We still retain some 1999s and others to see how they develop.”“I am making wine I like. Not focusing on the market. Not making wine for others. It is mychance to be free. I don’t think I have bad taste. I know people like the wines that I am making.I am making wines that age well. It is not our concep that wine should be drunk early. Wemaintain the way we always made wine. This approach starts to be very rare. It is a pity thatpeople have sold their 2005s.”About the vintage he says, “The 2006 is not ridiculous after the 2005s. We have got goodpotential. It is classic and elegant.”(Mallard is now also making wines at the resurrected Domaine Engel.)SMLadoixThis comes from three parcels from the north end of the village. There is no new oak. The yield153

is 29hl/ha and he takes 6-8 bunches per vine. “I didn’t want to make this at such low yields, butit happened. This is bottled now.Pure fruit on the aroma. Lively red berryish fruit on the palate which is light bodied. Deliciouspinot noir typicity. Fragrant and well balanced with easy tannins. Very attractive indeed. Ready.*Ladoix, Le Clos RoyerThis was in tank when I tasted, but was due to be bottled in November. Mallard described thisvillage vineyard as being protected from the wind. It gets millerandage. It achieved 13.5% innatural sugars. “My wines are true. I do not want to add things to them,” he remarks. This has a25-27 day fermentation/maceration.Dark ripe fruit with good density on the nose. Round on the attack with blackberries, ripe tanninsand a firm middle palate. Also nicely fragrant with good acidity and velvety texture. It has plentyof fruit on the finish. Very attractive to good. From late 2008Côte de Nuits1 hectare north of the village. Mallard describes the parcel as cold with clay soils. This is alreadyin bottle.More peppery fruit, zesty, slightly grippier tannins, dustier and narrower body than Le Clos Royerand not as pure as the Ladoix village, both of which I prefer. Attractive enough. From 2008Chorey-Lès-BeauneMichel was not keen to have some Chorey as he is worried that it will be confusing if he spreadhimself too thinly. In the future he might prefer to focus on fewer wines, particularly as the lesserwines take just as much time and effort.Crunchier on the nose and redcurrant fruit on the palate. Light tannins, juicy and zesty. A bright,pretty energetic wine with lots of fruit on the finish. Very attractive. From late 2008/2009Aloxe-CortonMore bell pepper on the nose, but Michel points out that this is a cold block and he is pleasedwith the result given what he might get from here. So a well managed wine. He has been carefulwith the tannins, which are not too austere. Although it has quite a lean structure it is not toothin. However it is not as fragrant and open as the previous wine. A little disappointing. From2009Savigny-Les-Beaune, Les SerpentièresMallard describes it has having 40-50 cm top soil then sand underneath. Some CO2 here. It hasnot been racked.This premier cru has a pretty, softish structure. A very fragrant palate with softly floral, pillowytannins and a fragrant finish. Nicely balanced and rounded. It wafts across the palate. Verygood+. From 2010Ladoix, Premier CruThis is a blend of 2 parcels. La Corvée and Bois-Roussot.Some energy and fair concentration here. The firmish and slightly coarse tannic structure issoftened by ripe blackberry and dark cherry fruit. There are notes of marzipan and ruggedminerality. It might be rather unsophisticated, but it has a rustic appeal. Good+. From late 2010*Ladoix, Les JoyeusesGood depth to the aroma. Very scented with warm strawberries and slight spice. It has a rather ascented palate too, a silky texture and an amply plump middle with lots of sweet fruit. It ischarming and has an appealing fruit driven finish. Very good+. From 2010154

Aloxe-Corton, Premier CruMallard explains this is a blend of La-Toppe-au-Vert, which gives elegance and finesses, and LesPetits Lolières which gives more structure.Bright red cherry aroma, which is vibrantly fruity. The palate has slightly methyl and cherry notesand is medium bodied. The tannins are rather rustic. Correct but undistinguished.Aloxe-Corton, Les ValozièresHigher and more mineral. More refined tannins here although they are certainly firm and tight.This is altogether tauter with coiled energy and layering. It has fair premier cru structure, for alesser appellation, and firm minerality on to the finish. It shows a notable step up in quality. It ismore Corton. Very good+. From 2012.*Corton, Les Maréchaudes”Always the most feminine Corton as opposed to Les Renardes,” remarks Mallard. This was thefirst to be picked in 2006 on the 15 th September, so before the Ban.Perfumed aroma with a seductive and gently structured palate. Lightish and more refined. It issupple and scented. It has a lovely, long drawn out palate, which ripples elegantly. Fine. From2012*Corton, Le Rognet1.3 hectares. It lies above Les Maréchaudes in an ancient quarry where there is less soil.Dense, and quite closed aroma. This is more battened down on the palate too, not nearly asexpressive. Quite tautly layered and shows polished power. Dark fruit with low spice glimpses ofnutmeg and mocha. Fresh acidity, coiled energy and more spice on the finish. It has a certainsleek muscularity and the finish is of decent lenght. Fine+. From 2012Corton, Les RenardesMallard is drinking the 1998 now.Much burlier on the nose, which is darker and brooding. This is a rich, full and generous wine. Amuch bigger structure, but the power is well contained and fleshed out with ripe cherry fruit.Very spicy (due no doubt in part the Allier oak). The tannins are large and muscular, butsmoothly toned. Fine++.WhiteBourgogne BlancThe fruit comes from the East side of the R74 where Mallard has pulled out all the red andplanted white. This is mainly for restaurants.Luscious, pear fruit, ripe and rounded with a hint of marzipan. Pleasant enough. From now.Ladoix, Le Clos RoyerMallard is the only person to make Ladoix, Le Clos Royer in white. He comments that the vineson this site always ripen earlier and he considers it could be a premier cru area. It has rich soils.This wine is fermented in barrel and was already bottled.Nutty, ripe and quite full on the nose. The palate is quite straight and stony with a somewhatmasculine structure. Decent depth for a village wine. Earthy density and a nutty, savoury finish. Ilike the brazil-nut savouryness here, making it a food wine. Very attractive+. From now.Ladoix, Les Gréchons, 2004This appellation became a premier cru in 2001. Stony soil, high up. We tried the 2004 for somereason. I cannot remember why. I wasn’t keen on this. It had tinned asparagus characters on the155

aroma. Other than that it was nutty, direct and stony with good acidity, but not much precisionand a very modest finish.Corton-CharlemagneHe has the top right hand corner in Les Pougets. His five rows make 3 barrels.This is very reticent on the aroma, but there is an inkling of citrus fruit and stony characters.There is good minerality on the palate and it has a straight, direct profile. It has power and coiledenergy. It really shows itself on the finish which is very long. (Mallard prefers the 2006 to the2005 for the purity. We tried the 2005. In this he stopped the MLF about half way through toretain sufficient acidity. This has a touch of the tinned asparagus about it too.) Jury out on the2006 until I can taste it in bottle, given how the two bottled whites were tasting, but potentiallyFine+. From 2010UK: SwigStockists156

Domaine Bonneau Du Martray, Pernand-VergelessesJean-Charles Le Bault de la Morinière very helpfully gave me a detailed account of the conditionsin 2006. To paraphrase.There was a long and cold winter starting in mid-November with snow in late November andDecember. The dry, colder and deeper winter started in January when it was cold and cloudyfollowed by three months of bright weather with snow. It was a long winter with 20 days of snowover the course of the season. This was not a great help for winter pruning. The temperaturewas then milder from March and low though April with bud burst in late April. In 2004 the budsburst on the 19th April and on the 26th in 2005, so the timing was normal. They did not have torace to fasten the branches.May was cool and cloudy in the morning and only warmed up from the 10th June. The coolspring resulted in gentle growth of the plant. It helped with the outdoor work allowing them toget tidied in good time, which emphasises Jean-Charles is important for it has consequences onthe whole vintage.Then June was warm even hot with very little rain and showed some comparison with June 1976.Flowering happened in a very short time from the 12th to the 16th June, in just four days and inperfect conditions. Within a few days they could see the berries. July was warm and sunny andthe development was fast. They saw adult sized berries by the 4th of July.August was cool. There was a little humid and it was gloomy. There was not much rain. It raineda little bit less here (Hill of Corton). Veraison happened suddenly from the 9th to the 21st August.Normally one would expect it to take a month. It was very quick. Because of the impulse of theprevious month the ripening process never stopped. They started analysing from 21st August.Jean-Charles could not understand why people were so depressed. The figures were good. Thenthe temperature picked up and was higher than normal for September.They picked from the 18th to the 23rd September in wonderful conditions. Overall the health ofthe crop was 100%. Beautiful for the whites. For the reds they needed to sort, but rejected only2%. Yields for white were 41.5 hl/ha and for red 33.8 hl/ha. Jean-Charles’s goal for whites is 40hl/ha, so this is good. For the reds, Jean-Charles looks for a maximum of 35 hl/ha. So he is quitehappy.They were quite ahead of others in harvesting which, Jean-Charles tells me, has to do with theirfarming methods. Nowadays they are close to organic. This contributes, but he believes it ismore to do with their philosophy of pruning and of acting with the vines at key times. One actionthat is essential is the timing of the topping. They use shears and do it very late. They likeaccommodate the natural growth of the canopy, so when it is growing, they let it. The priority isto allow air and light into the rows. If they trim too early when the canopy is too low, they haveobserved that the vines never stop growing leaves and have to be trimmed seven times. Workingwith the vine’s natural growth, they just trim just once. They observed this over several years.Their canopy is therefore higher than normal and, crucially, the ripening is much more even. Thisalso helps at the end of the season when the branches lignify.A very easy vintage for the vigneron Jean-Charles tells me. It has a ‘happy character’ from thewinemaking perpective.157

There are very small differences, considers Jean-Charles between the quality of 2005 and 2006.The acid balance is perhaps even better than in 2005. Both and reds and whites maybe betterthan in 2005. Jean-Charles thinks he might be even happier than with 2005.SM*CortonJean-Charles tells me it had a “Nice long fermentation, long quiet and natural. The mostspectacular vatting I have ever seen. The old vignerons say that the wines which behave well inthe vatting, will make a good vintage.” This was racked at the end of September for the firsttime.Rich, dark aroma with good depth and intensity. The palate is full, but elegant in the body. Itswirls onto the palate and there is a smooth ripeness and fine grain to the tannins. The fruitgenerous, while being pure and fresh. Ripe blackberry fruit with a glimpse of liquorish. It hasvitality and a firm polished backbone. There is complexity here which carries to long finish whichhas both fruit and soft minerality. Fine++. From 2011/12White*Corton-CharlemagneThis was racked in August. It rests on fine lees in stainless steel at present and will be bottled inthe spring. Jean-Charles explains that second part of the élévage is not just for clarity, but for thewine to become more focused in taste.The nose is crisply reserved. It is very direct and potent on the attack. In the middle palate thereis an excellent haromony of acidity and ripe, tautly coiled fruit. It is focused and has a current ofmineral energy, a steely core and a powerful stone and mineral finish. There is wonderful poiseand already shows marked precision. This is more linear than the 2005, powerful and ripe yetreserved. Very fine to Outanding. From 2012/13.StockistsUK:USA:Contact the agents: Corney & Barrow Ltd.; Also John Armit Wines; Avery’s of Bristol;Bennetts Wine Merchants; Berry Bros & Rudd; Bibendum; Andrew Bruce; Direct WinesLtd.; Farthinghoe Fine Wine Ltd.; Goedhuis & Co.; Justerini & Brooks; Haynes, Hanson &Clark; Laytons Wine Merchants; Lay & Wheeler Ltd.; Luvians Bottle Shop; Morris &Verdin; Christopher Piper Wines; Raeburn Fine Wines; La Réserve; Roberson WineMerchant Ltd; Tanners Wines Ltd.; Wilkinson Vintners Ltd.; The Wine Society.Diageo Château & Estate Wine.158

Domaine Remi Rollin, Pernand-VergelessesThe tasting was with Simon, Remi’s son. He started working with his father in 2002 afterstudying in Beaune and completing work experience in Alsace, the Médoc, the Loire and NewZealand.He describes the 2006 vintage for the reds as elegant and balanced. He states that it is moretypical than 2003 and 2005. He notes that 2004 and 2002 were different to 2006, but like 2006,they expressed the typicity of Pinot Noir clearly, showing natural minerality and the character ofeach terroir. He feels that the acidity is the same as in 2005, but in 2006 it gives a differentimpression on the wine - the fruit is lighter and the acidity is more obviously expressed. Yieldswere slightly lower, due to the importance of thorough sorting, both in the vineyard and at thewinery.KRBourgogne Hautes Côtes de BeauneBottled in July. On the nose plenty of crunchy red fruit abound. The palate is finely constructedwith fresh acidity and fine phenolics. Pleasant to attractive. From late 2008.Pernand-VergelessesOn tasting this, the wine was in tank having been racked from barrel in mid-September. Theyplan to bottle in December or January.Graphite notes are layered with redcurrant and cherry fruit. The entry is fresh and fine tanninsgive a structure to the fruit and the fresh acidity. Good length. Attractive to good. From 2009.*Pernand-Vergelesses, Les VergelessesStony minerals and cherry fruit, maybe slightly darker that the village wine. The palate is morestructured creating a direct mouthfeel. The tannin and acid balance is finely balanced andelegant. The fruit and minerals assert themselves on the finish. Very good+ From 2009.Pernand-Vergelesses, Les FichotsMore pepper spice and cherry notes. The attack is more rounded. The tannins are closely-grainedand also rounded in texture. More body, power and muscle than the Les Vergelesses. Juicy fruiton the finish. From 2009/2010.Pernand-Vergelesses, Ile des VergelessesThe least approachable and most structured of the three premier crus at the moment, this istighter and more compact. Minerals and fresh berry fruit meet fine-grained tannins that providegrip. A fine streak of acidity that cuts through the palate draws out the finish. From 2010.Particularly good.Aloxe-CortonThis is made up of 3 parcels; Les Boutières, les Caillettes and Les Guérets. The latter is a premiercru, but Simon explains that it is naturally too tannic and dry to be a stand alone wine and theyfind that by blending it with the more fruity lighter village wines they can achieve a betterbalanced cuvee.More reticent aromatically. Firm structure is outlined by the tight grip of the tannins and livelyacidity. Slate and dried flower notes add complexity to pure Pinot fruit and lift the finish. Morerobust in form than the Pernands. Attractive++. From 2010.159

StockistsUK: Justerini and BrooksUSA: Rosenthal Wine Merchant Ltd, NY160

Domaine Chandon De Briailles, Savigny-Lès-BeauneI tasted with Claude de Nicolay. She is a qualified oenologist and in charge of making the wineand overseeing the vineyards.Their concerns about mildew developing led them to use biodynamic infusions and silica, whichthey found to be very effective. They sprayed 10 days before picking “to encourage the berries tocontinue maturing,” The outcome was just a little mildew in the Savigny-Lès-Beaune, “it was alittle bit touched, but the middle slope was good.”Chandon de Briailles use horses in Volnay, Caillerets, Corton Maréchaudes, Corton Charlemagneand the Aloxe-Corton to avoid compaction problems.In the winery they like no more than 30 degrees and use only plunging in concrete tanks. “I hatepumping. It takes away the aromas. Plunging is not as aggressive and does not extract from thepips.”They will bottle the whites soon. The reds will not be bottled until January to May. They aretasting well now. Claude thinks this is partly because the winter was not hard in the first year andbecause they picked late - from the 27 th September to the 3rd October. Ten days of picking. “Iwas very happy with the September weather. It was not too hot. It didn’t race. It went slowly. Ididn’t like 2007, when the weather went very quickly. There was some rain in August, but not asmuch as 2007. The Pinot is not as complex in tannins as in 2005, but I like the style, the ripenessand freshness. The balance is good as the tannins are in the wine, not outside; really linkedespecially for the cuvee that took time to be balanced in barrel.”On the subject of climate and terroir Claude comments, “When you get a cold climate at the endof summer - the cold nights in August and September in 2006 - it helps the deeper soils. Thethinner soils not so good.” It gives freshness and energy. Claude mentions this in relation to theCorton, Maréchaudes, but also refers to the Volnay and the Bressandes. “The Bressandes washelped with this freshness too.”Claude considers the 2006 to have, “the ripeness of 2000 and freshness of the 2004s. The 2004swere not so acidic here. The pH after malolactic was 3.5 to 3.6 pH, so pretty normal.”In 2006 the Côte de Beaune are more friendly than usual. The 2005s are now really severe,”remarks Claude.I really like the reds here. They have truly made the most of the vintage in a village whereresults are very mixed. I think the 2006 suits the domaine very well. They capture the eleganceof the vintage. The tannins are fine. The wines are light, but intense and are surprisinglyexpressive now with the exception of the Clos de Roi.SM161

Savigny-Lès-BeauneThey have just bought some land on the Beaune side and will add to this to the existingproduction of 3000 bottles. It may change the style as the new parcel is on stony soil, while theexisting one is on clay. This is 100% detemmed and is the only wine treated this way. It wasracked in July.Perfumed with supple, soft tannins, light-body and elegance. It is quite well defined and hascrunchy red fruits; with a hint of redcurrant and cranberry. Fresh and balanced with verve on thefinish. Good+. From 2009Savigny-Lès-Beaune, Aux FournauxJust at the beginning of the slope, so not the best premier cru land. Claude believes it willbecome a better wine with biodynamics, which they started practicing here in 2005.Rich cherry aroma and a firmer line. Elegant, but with more depth in the middle palate. Fresh,crunchy red fruit, lovely purity and a streamlined profile. The tannins are well integrated. Very toParticularly good. From 2010Savigny-Lès-Beaune, Les LavièresFull South exposition. “After 15 cm one finds very flat and fragile limestone, so the roots go deepand catch the flavours,” says Claude. It is planted with 50 year old vines. They were a massalselection from Tollot Beaut who had a nursery in 1956. It was planted at the same time as AuxFournaux. 80% whole bunches are used.Delicate, floral aromas and a pure palate with tight, chalky minerality. Good precision to thepalate, taut and powdery tannins. Finely integrated with a light saline note on the finish. It israther refined. Particularly good to Fine. From 2010/11Pernand-Vergelesses, Ile Des Vergelesses“An island surrounded by a road, not water! Shaped like an island and the best part is theSavigny part. Full East exposition, which towards the end is more North North-East.” Fourhectares planted with both red and white. Claude’s mother planted the Chardonnay in 1985.Some of the red vines are 60 years old. “The soil is very poor. The bottom is a little richer, but20m up the slope and the soil is very poor and stony white.”This has a deeper aroma with a glimpse of ground coriander. The attack is fuller and richer.There is plumpness on the front of the palate and pure summer fruits in the middle. Fresh andclear. The tannins are firmer, but well integrated; a bit more grip and some darker fruit on thefinish. Particularly good to fine. From 2011Volnay, CailleretsThey rent this vineyard. When they started in 2000 they changed everything to organic. Since2005 they have used horses and have worked hard to rectify use of chemicals on this land beforethey took it over. 100% whole bunches.Attractive frangipane notes with nice intensity on the aroma. There is vibrancy and slight mineralin the middle palate. There is pure fruit and a certain delicacy to the profile, but also a touch ofastringency to the tannins. Very to Particularly good. From 2010Corton, Maréchaudes“I felt that in the past this lacked freshness and acidity, but the biodynamics have helped and theacidity has gone up in the analysis. The prep 500 used in the autumn and 501 in the spring hashelped the roots to go down,” Claude tells me. “The pH has really dropped. Now it is 3.66 and itused to be 3.76.” About the soil she comments, “They are rich soils with lots of clay. It is in themiddle of the slope and always has very ripe fruit and tannins.”162

Rich aroma of ripe summer fruits. The fruit has lovely clarity. The tannins are quite grippy here.The palate is ripe, layered, not finely layered, more obviously so, and is rather compact. Acurrent of energy runs through the wine. The acidity is nicely balanced. There is depth andintensity and a final fresh lift on the finish. Fine+. From 2012/13*Corton, BressandesThey have 4 different blocks in the big sweep of the cru, so it is a good representation of thevineyard as a whole. The vines are 20-60 years old.This has a funky aroma with hint of truffle and mushroom. It’s interesting and Claude tells me itnever goes to animal with age; it always keeps the fruit. While the aroma is attractivelyintriguing, the palate is more conventional. Tight, yet integrated, finely compact and with wellharnessed power. A purposeful wine but it also has elegance linked to freshness, and a longtapering finish. Fine to very fine. From 2013/14*Corton, Clos Du RoiVery high, just under Le Corton with very poor soil, white marn, slippery limestone. The vines are50 years old and yield just 28 hl/ha. The vines are above 300m altitude so the flowering is neverthat good. It often gets millerandage. 100% whole bunches are used. This will be bottled in May.Intensity perfumed and direct. This is strict, taut, powerful, tight and stony. The tannins are finebut grippy. It is compact and battened down with a sense of leashed vigour. There is excellentdepth and the finish is persistent, taut, chalky and powerful. A stately, yet elegant grand cru.Very fine. From 2013/14WhitePernand-Vergelesses, Ile Des VergelessesGood citrusy intensity on the nose and some minerality. The palate is ripe, generous, quiteseductive, but nicely fresh. There is a bit of attractive grip especially on the finish. It has a freshand more savoury, stony finish. It will probably develop quite quickly. Particularly good. From late2009Pernand-Vergelesses, Ile Des Vergelesses, 2004This is developing spice and crystallized fruit. The palate is surprisingly filled out. There isexcellent minerality and good flesh here. Claude remarks that she has never seen a vintageclosing up on this terroir. The level of maturity was less than in 2006; the acidity is the same. Itlooks as though the 2004s will keep for a longer time for the whites than the 2006s. Score 16.5-17. A touch better than the 2006.Corton, BlancThis comes from three different terroir. The top part of Les Bressandes; one and a half barrelsfrom Les Renards, which gives the minerality and 2 barrels from Les Chaumes, which is muchlower and in the Aloxe area.Muffled and tense on the nose, but there is richness on the palate. A big step up inconcentration. The finish is compact. Much more stone on this, rounded, smooth stone and ripeweight and concentration on the finish. Good balance and tension. Fine to fine+. From 2011*Corton-CharlemagneThis was harvested on the 3 rd October. This was the last to be picked at 13.3% in natural sugars.It will be bottled at around 13% (losing 0.2-0.3 during the fermentation). This is in LeCharlemagne, so it has a very good exposure. Claude says, “The acidity is never a problem here163

even when we pick really late. It is always around 3.3 after MLF unlike the Corton Blanc, becauseof the red soil.”This is really expressive with lemon, satsuma and flecks of crystalised ginger. Spicy attack, thenthere is a lovely, swirling richness af ripe citrus fruit; there is thickness and density to the textureand powerful substance on the middle palate. While it is really expressive now, it is a veiledpower and the on the long finish thick mineralality and citrus fruit converge. Maybe very fine.From 2016StockistsUK:USA:Haynes Hanson & Clark; H & H Bancroft; Lay and Wheeler; Lea & Sandeman; TannersWines Ltd;Beaune Imports; David Bowler and Ideal Wine.164

Domaine Simon Bize, Savigny-Lès-BeaunePatrick Bize describes the difference between 2005 and 2006 in terms id the shape of the winesand how they feel. To him, 2005 is more rounded, while 2006 is more square in shape. Bothvintages have plenty of fruit it is just expressed differently. His yields were less than 2005, afigure he attributes to the impact of botrytis, although for some vineyards suffered little or notrot, while others had up to 5%.KRBourgogne, Les PerrièresRacked two weeks prior to tasting after 13 months in barrel. The bottling is likely to be betweenJanuary and March/April.Fresh orange peel, cinnamon and redcurrant. Lively attack and fresh, purity to the palate.Fruitiness is accessible and. Attractive. From 2008.Savigny-Lès-Beaune, BourgeotsRacked to tank and blended.Pure red berry fruits. Juicy acidity and a fluidity to the tannins, but still displaying good acidity.Fruit reasserts itself on the finish. Pleasant to attractive. From 2009.*Aloxe Corton Le SuchotMore mineral notes run through the wine and crushed berries lead to a sweetly-fruited attack.The fruit is expressive and layered on the mid-palate and tannins are smooth. Freshness lifts thefinish. Good++. From 2007/2008.Savigny-Lès-Beaune, Les SerpentièresCoriander and nutmeg top notes are supported by red fruits. The mid-palate hints at redcurrant.The tannins are tight and finely-textured. The wine has a scented quality, which defines thefinish. Particularly good. From 2009.Savigny-Lès-Beaune, MarconnetsNotes of spice are more brooding and the fruit is darker. The palate has a linear form and freshacidity is woven with tight tannins. A little more grippy than the Serpentières. Fruity mineralityleads the finish. Particularly good. From 2010.Savigny-Lès-Beaune, Les FourneauxMore reticent aromatically. The attack and shape of the wine feels more robust. Phenolic grip isupright and firm. Fruit is concentrated on the core. More muscular. Particularly good. From 2010.Savigny-Lès-Beaune, GuettesThe fruit is fresh and lively, but the tannins feel tighter and harder than the previous premierscrus. The structure is direct and firm. Difficult to taste now. Good to very good. From 2011.Savigny-Lès-Beaune, Les VergelessesThese two cuvées will be blended before bottling. The first, it was revealed, is from destemmedgrapes and the second is from whole bunches.165

Sample 1: On the nose this is more restrained than the Guettes. Strawberry scented berry fruitsare layered with smoky spice. The attack is vivid and the mid-palate is tightly put together andfilled out with rounded fruit. Fine. From 2011.Sample 2: Overall the aromas and mouthfeel are tighter. The fruit is crunchy, reminiscent offresh cranberries and the tannins feel more controlled and focused. Overall, more elegant incharacter. Fine. From 2011.Latricières ChambertinVery restrained on the nose at the time of tasting. The raw materials on the palate form a clearbackbone to the wine. Plenty of minerality comes through on the core and continues on thefinish, while hints of ripe, spiced fruits show the start of complexity. Fine. From 2012.WhiteThe whites are made by Guillaume Boit, who explains that the raw materials in 2006 were verysugar-rich. For this reason he chose not to use bâtonnage, feeling that the wines alreadypossessed enough matter, richness and texture. The fermentation for the whites was long, withsome only just finishing by Christmas. This was due to the naturally higher sugar levels inhibitingthe yeasts, so he worked hard to give them the best conditions possible for the completion offermentation. Overall the wines display very good balance and Guillaume describes them as richand ripe in style.Patrick Bize explains that they have 5 hectares of Bourgogne Blanc in total and they select whatthey need and sell the rest to negociants.*BourgogneThe wine was bottled in June and underwent 100% tank fermentation and élévage.Fresh, lively, herbal and citrus. Juicy accessible and very drinkable. Really very approachable andattractive. From 2008.Bourgogne, Les ChamplainsThis wine is normally fermented with 50% in tank and 50% in barrels and is blended beforebottling, but in 2006 because the yields were reduced it was 100% barrel fermented with amaximum of 20% new oak and 6-7 months élévage.Crystallised citrus notes – ripe and racy. It has a very elegant and rich palate strike for aBourgogne. Toasty complexity sits alongside freshness and citrus fruit on the palate and finish.Attractive. From 2008.Bourgogne, Les PerrièresThe winemaking is the same as for Champlains with 100% barrel fermentation, of which amaximum of 20% was new. It was aged for 6/7 months.More mineral in character throughout. Very fresh and clear on the palate with hints of smokyoak. Attractive. From 2008.Savigny-Lès-Beaune BlancMinerals and fern notes. Delightful balance and weight of matter on the palate. Plenty of fruitconcentration on the core of the wine. A touch of toast is woven with the fruit on the finish. Goodlength for a village wine. Good to very good. From 2009.166

*Savigny-Lès-Beaune blanc, Les VergelessesWonderful zesty intensity on the nose and the palate. Ripeness is layered with minerals. The oakis thoroughly absorbed and adds texture and complexity. Mouth coating citrus peel fruit isbalanced by clear acidity on the finish. Particularly good to fine. From 2009.Puligny-Montrachet, La GarenneThe fruit for this wine is bought in. Richly fruited nose. Toast, spice and lemon peel fruit comethrough on the palate. It is quite rich and weighty for a Puligny. Up to very good. From 2009.Corton-CharlemagneThe wine was racked just before harvest and is currently in tank on its lees. Fining is planned forlate October and filtering will be carried out 3 weeks after that. Bottling is expected to be at theend of November.Attractive weight with juicy precise fruit which is layered with vanilla spice and candied lemon.Toned minerals sit within a rounded glossy mouthfeel. Particularly good to fine. From 2011.UK: John Armit WinesStockists167

Domaine Jean-Marc Pavelot, Savigny-Lès-BeauneI tasted with Hugues Pavelot who describes the conditions in Savigny. “Sun, not too hot and notbad rain. Three weeks before we started vintage it was very sunny. The sunshine began at theend of August. There was a little bit of rot so we made a selection for this.” They started theharvest on the 20 th September.They used a longer vatting than in 2005. It was 15-16 days for the village and 17-19 for thepremier cru. By leaving them longer, together with the effects of remontage and some oxygen,Hugues found the tannins became more rounded.He tells me they are using less pigeage and more remontage. They are aiming for a softer,rounder style with sweeter fruit and finer tannins, which they will achieve by the longer vattingand different maceration.It was 1999 when Hugues started properly at the domaine. He tells me that it good thing to startwith a very good vintage, but on reflection it was not so good that he tried to do treat thefollowing vintages in the same way. He now realises that he must work more with the vintageconditions and so he has modified things.He describes his 2006s as “very generous and pure. They have sweetness. The matter is presentand the tannins are fine.”The wines are a good deal softer, sweeter and more accessible.SMSavigny-Lès-BeauneThis will be bottled before the end of the year and the other wines in January and February.Slightly jammy on the nose. More precise on the palate where there is attractive juicy fruit andmodest intensity. It is quite lively and has light tannins. Very Pinot Noir and a decent village wine.From 2009.Savigny-Lès-Beaune, Les PeuilletsThis has a ripe blackberrish aroma and alluring sweetness on the front of the palate. It is quitestreamlined and lightish with soft tannins. Gentle, nicely fresh and very pretty in a black-bramblefruity way. Good+. From 2009/10Savigny-Lès-Beaune, Les SerpentièresThis was purchased in late 2005. Hugues comments that there was a lot of work to be done onthe soil. The vines are between 50-60 years old.It has a lifted raspberry aroma. Very sweet on the attack, it is juicy and relatively light bodied.Thre is a little more grip and tautness to the texture. Well balanced acidity and a touch ofminerality comes though on the finish, which is nicely drawn out. This is very pretty, but hasdecent backbone too. Very to Particularly Good. From 2010Beaune, BressandesMade from young vines that are approximately 16 years old.This is rather closed on the nose. Again there is sweet fruit here, ripe on the middle palate.However it is slightly coarser in texture and has rather modest intensity. Not quite as interesting.Good+. From 2010168

Savigny-Lès-Beaune, Les NarbantonsQuite light on the attack with soft tannins, but some grip comes in on the middle palate. Puresweet fruit, if a little slight. The finish is light with a waft of delicate minerality. Very good+.From 2010Savigny-Lès-Beaune, Les GuettesDarker aroma with more intensity. The palate is zesty and vibrant. Certainly more depth andpersonality. The tannins are a little rustic, but the finish has attractive vivacity. Particularly good.From 2009Pernand-Vergelesses, Les VergelessesSlightly pastille aroma. Supple attack; rounded and soft into the middle palate. There is someplump ripe fruit here. The tannins are larger grained, ripley rounded and chunky. The texture isquite loose. I prefer the Guettes. Very good+. From 2010.*Savigny-Lès-Beaune, Aux GravainsAttractive and lively aroma with a hint of crushed rose petals. It is more floral and aromatic onthe palate too. Good intensity on the front of the palate and in the middle there is decent depthand concentration. The tannins are quite finely grained and the fruit has lovely clarity. It isharmonious and balanced. This is surprisingly elegant with a properly long, pure and fine finishfor premier cru. Particularly good to fine. 2010.*Savigny-Lès-Beaune, La DominodeMuch more upright; dark and haughty on the aroma. Firm red fruit with clear intensity. On thepalate it is well structured with a certain reserve and tight, fine tannins. Good tension and moreneatly layered. There is some complexity here and the finish is vigourous. Gravains andDominodes are clearly the stars of this tasting. This is masculine versus the feminine finesse ofGravains. Particularly good to fine. From 2010.Hugues mentioned that their 2003s are very fresh, so we tried Savigny-Lès-Beaune, LaDominode 2003, which has warm ripe strawberries on the nose. It is certainly pretty sweet andrich, but still in the Pinot ballpark. The palate is amply rounded, broad across the beam and verysweet. There are a lot of tannins, large-grained and chunky. As for the freshness…it is balanced.Score 16.5-17WhiteSavigny-Lès-Beaune, BlancVibrant estery fruit. Nicely ripe on the palate with pear-like fruit, a roundish body, but also somemore masculine and gravely grip. There is attractive ripe fruit on the finish. Very attractive. Fromnow.StockistsUK:USA:Domaine Direct.Selection Becky Wasserman, Le Serbet, Beaune, France. Esquin Imports Inc.169

Domaine Du Comte Sénard, Beaune“I didn’t believe in the reds at the beginning and was not at all confident,” says Philippe. “It isdifficult coming after 2005. I would describe them as classic, not exceptional, fruity without thestructure and the texture of the 2005. You will not have to wait long. My perception is that 2006is good vintage while waiting for 2005.”“The whites were good in 2006. I prefer the whites. While the 2005 is more a red than a whitevintage, I prefer the 2006 style of white.”“In Savigny-lès-Beaune there was lots of rot and more rain. The soils are more humid. The claykeeps the water and in 2006 and 2007 the humidity plays a big part. While the soils in theCharlemagne filtered away the water. In this vintage it is a question of maturation. TheChardonnay benefited. The reds were trickier than the whites. It was the opposite in 2003, wherethe Pinot Noir handled it better. I am a fan of 2003s. I think it is a great vintage,” says Philippe.They started picking here on the 20 th . Philippe recalls that growers around them started as earlyas the 15 th . They began with the whites then stopped while they waited for the reds. There waslots of sorting necessary for the reds, except for the Grand cru, which was easy, “but in thevillage wines there was lots of rot. We needed about 10 people.”Philippe points out that it was not difficult in 2006 to extract too much. They used a short coldmaceration compared with 2005. Not more than a week followed by a pretty fast fermentation,especially on Corton. They finished the fermentation in barrel to gain some fatness and it workedpretty well. It was Laurent’s idea, although Philippe has done it before to add richness and gras.Lorraine, Philippe’s daughter, is increasingly in charge.“We had a very small harvest unlike in 2007 where we have big quantities, unlike most who say2007 is very small.”“I would compare the 2006s with the red 1997s, which was a surprising vintage. 1997 came afterthe good 1996 vintage, which put it at a disadvantage, yet we saw very good grapes in 1997.They are vintages not to stay in the memory for ever, but which many people will appreciate.”I asked Philippe about the 1996 premature oxidation problems: “People were taking more risks,using less S02, because it was a la mode not to use so much SO2, but maybe they didn’t useenough. There was also an issue with pneumatic presses and less lees. This creates a problem inageing the whites. It was not only the cork, but several things and the wines are more fragile.Perhaps it is also something to do with global warming and earlier picking?”They have moved to an alternative closure injected with a neutral gas. Philippe has spent tenyears looking at it. He will be using it for both red and white and is just waiting for the machineto do the bottling.The reds are rather forward and soft.SM170

Aloxe-CortonA pretty and supple wine with red fruit and a gently rounded and light body with enough acidity.Simple. Very attractive. From 2008.Aloxe-Corton, Les ValozièresThis premier cru has more perfume and redcurrant on the nose and more depth of red fruit onthe palate. It is vibrant and energetic on the middle palate. There is a slight astringency (therewas lots of gas which wouldn’t have helped, but Philip agreed and will smooth this out when hefines the wine). Good+. From 2009.Corton, Clos De MeixLots of warm strawberry fruits. Subtle attack, ripe and gauzy with soft, fine tannins and a silkytexture. A delicate, drifting wine with an elegant and perfumed finish. The emphasis is on thearomatics here. It’s very pleasant but not up to grand cru status. Particularly good to fine. From2011.Corton, PaulandsThis is quite rich and more substantial. The depth is matched by a lightness of touch. There is asmooth, satin roundness, some plump succulent fruit in the middle palate, but also glimpses ofmore chalky minerality here as well and some grip at the end of the palate. Particualrly good toFine. From 2011*Corton, Les BressandesHigh perfume. A light feline pounce on the attack. Red fruits and fine powdery, chalky minerality,There is bright, lively tension and fine layering; a millefeuille of fruit and minerality. This is lightwine which relies on its fine minerality which carries to a decently long and finely attuned finish.Fine+. From 2011Corton, Clos Du RoiThere is a touch of iron; a cold minerality on the aroma. A light and elegant palate with pareddown frugality and reserve. More mineral than fruit. Fine texture with some grip, but it doesn’thave the substance expected of Clos du Roi. Fine at best. From 2011White*Aloxe-CortonLovely lemony aroma. Expressive and full on the attack with rich citrus fruit and a glint ofminerality. A seductive style with a firm and mineral finish. Good to Very good.*Corton BlancMore power and vigour on the aroma. This has a ripe attack and is full on the middle palate witha slight honeyed character. It is very rich with moderate acidity and a seductive, crystallised fruitfinish. Very generous. Fine. From 2010.UK: Rare & Fine Wines.Stockists171

Domaine Germain, Chateau De Chorey-Lès-BeauneBenoît Germain comments on the vintage. “2006 is more tannic than 2005 and more interesting.It has less acidity than 2004 and 2005.”“It is a bit like 1998 and 1995, well more like 1995. A vintage not too drink too early. It needs 4to 5 years. It is a classic year if you worked a lot in the selection and you did not extract toomuch in the vinification. We had to be light in extraction especially as the juice was very low. Youcould extract much more from 2005. I think the 2006 red is a little better than the 2004.”Benoît tells me there was some rot, maybe 10% was de-selected. “As with the 2007 vintage,clones 113 and 114 were the worst grapes we had with 20% rot.” Benoît’s father planted these.The neighbouring parcel is planted with new material, originating from d’Angerville’s vineyards,which is being sold via nurseries, but doesn’t have certification. This apparently had no rot at all.Clones 777 and 667 fared well too, and 115 was in the middle.SMBourgogne RougeThis is lovely Bourgogne, bright and fresh. There is a little bit of grip to the lively fruit, which hasa slight satsuma edge. Certainly attractive.Chorey-Lès-BeauneFloral, purple, lively aromas and the on the attack there is sweet fruit. Crunchy cranberry fruitwith nicely balanced, zesty acidity, hints of violets and modest intensity. The tannins are lightish,if a little rustic, but overall quite pleasant. Very attractive. From late 2009Chorey-Lès-Beaune, Vieilles VignesMore intensity here on the nose and a lot more extract and density in the middle palate. Quite astep up and the fruit is that much riper and the tannins more rounded. Blueberries and spice.The finish quite assertive. Good+. From 2010Beaune Premier Cru, Domaine Des SauxThis name is taken from the family who sold the château to the Germain family. 50% Bouchrotte,25% Cent Vignes and 25% young Teurons. Benoît has treated this differently this time.Sample one: This had had partial carbonic maceration. It is very estery, but has lots of tannin. Itwas left for ten days, crushed and then trodden by foot. This is where the tannins come from.When pressed there was still 10g of sugar, so it finished fermentation in tank.Sample two was made traditionally: This is grippy, but the grip is balanced by deep black fruits.There is good body, depth in the middle palate and richness. I prefer this. Particularly good.The blend will probably contain 2/3 of the traditional cuveé. I may be sent sample after it isblended and bottled. If so I shall report.Beaune, Teurons“Good material. It needed very little chaptalisation,” said Benoit. “The grapes were very little.There was 14% less juice than usual, which is why the wines are very concentrated with lots ofcolour.”172

Richness on the aroma. Breadth and generosity on the palate with muscular tannins. It is fulland spicy, with hints of liquorish and nutmeg. It certainly has a robust structure and plenty ofgrunt on the finish. Particularly good. From 2011.*Beaune, Vignes FranchesLovely ripe, red loganberry aroma and a luscious palate. It is generous and sweetly rounded withappealing freshness. Lovely fruit with glints of high spice and notes of warm frangipane. It has asupple texture, but there is also firm structure and some grip. However the palate is draped indelicious fruit which carries to a generous, fruit-driven finish. Particularly good to Fine. From2011Beaune, Les CrasThis has an upright aroma and a straight, precise and well defined palate. There are glintingslivers of minerality, fine tannins and a streamlined profile to the finish. Possibly fine, but I preferthe Vignes Franches in 2006. From 2011Beaune, Cuvée De Tante BertheThis has a seductive richness of the fruit which carries the new oak quite well, although it showsmore on the palate. Good density of fruit, which is ripe blackberry and a little sultry. The palate isample, smooth and full. The tannins are rounded and the acidity soft, although it comes thoughfresher on the finish with a lifted fruity note at the end of the palate. Particularly good to Fine.From 2011/12WhiteBourgogneHalf a hectare of this is made into cremant, which I will try next year.Melon fruits, soft and rounded, but also fresh. Simple and fruity. Pleasant enough. Drink now.Pernand-VergelessesVery ripe and somewhat topical aroma. On the palate it is ripe, rounded and quite heavy withlower acidity. Rather too blousy. From 2008*Meursault, Les PellansThis is much more interesting. It is rich on the attack with a rounded body, a firm core andsmooth minerality. A broad palate, creamy and glossy, very Meursault. Nicely fresh and balancedwith a perfectly decent finish for village wine. Very good. From 2009/10Pernand-Vergelesses, Vieilles VignesThe vieilles vignes has more definition and grip than the straight village Pernand. It is a lot morecontained and has a better balance of freshness and richness. It is an ample with a touch ofminerality on the finish. Good+. From 2009/10173

Beaune, Sous Les GrèvesAgain this is ripe on the nose and rich on the attack. It is full and broad. There are tropical notesand it has an earthyminerality. Very good. From 2010StockistsUK:USA:Georges Barbier of London; Direct Wines; Domaine Direct; Growers Direct Ltd.Atlanta Wholesale Wines; Diamond Wine Merchants; Horizon Wines; Simon “N” Cellars;Frederick Wildman.174

Domaine Du Comte Armand, Clos Des Epeneaux, PommardBenjamin describes the season. “A good beginning to the season, pretty classic, but by the endof July it was getting like July in 2003; in other words getting very warm, so with the experienceof 2003 we decided not to trim too short. We were in the middle of ploughing when the bigchange came and it became very wet and cold. Where we hadn’t ploughed the weeds had grownvery fast. It seemed to be a mistake, but where the weeds were growing they sucked up thewater and there was less botrytis in these places. So this year (2007) we left the weeds. The‘mistake’ saved the crop in 2006.Not much was affected by the botrytis, just about 10% of the two village wines. The rest werenot affected at all. But at the end of August we were not happy with the ripeness. Some fruit wasgetting ripe, some was half and half and some was not ripe at all.”“It was pretty amazing to see how the biodynamics worked at this point. We used Prep 501 threetimes. It helped with photosynthesis. It helped the vines take the water from the soil and respireit. We normally wouldn’t use it before harvest as it’s pretty strong (we use it before flowering),but this pushed the grapes into ripening, so by harvest the crop was quite homogenous; someover ripeness, but on the sorting table we were mainly taking out some unripe berries, notbotrytis affected fruit.”They harvested the Volnay Fremiets on the 29 th ; the Auxey-Duresses village on the 26 th and thepremier cru Auxey-Duresses on the 27th. They finished on the 29 th and the weather changed thenext day.Generally the wines had slightly les acidity than in 2004 with an average final pH of 3.5. Exceptthe Fremiets which apparently always comes up at about 3.7 pH.“The structure is better than 2000, but the fruit is close, or like 2001 with more sweetness.”“A nice vintage in Burgundy, better than average and pretty surprising. Better than 2004.”SMAuxey-Duresses, LargillasSouth South/West. In 2007 Benjamin says they got good phenolic ripeness, but in 2006 it wasnot so successful so they needed to focus on the fruit. There was no cold soak and a quickerfermentation. It was racked this week and is in tank now, but will go into barrel again. So it hasreceived air and SO2.This has a bright palate with attractive fruit; ripe blueberries. It is floral and lively with a freshfinish. Very attractive. From late 2009*Auxey-Duresses, Premier CruThere are 28 ares of this premier cru and the vines are 20 to 80 years old vines. This is a blendof one third Les Duresses and two thirds Les Bretérins. The latter has a due south exposure andis on a steep slope of white marl. There is 1.1 hectares of both. Leroux blends beforefermentation. This is back in barrel after racking, where it will stay until March. The malolacticwas pretty late. Benjamin tells me he didn’t rack because of reduction, but because it wasbecoming apparent that the wine was drying a bit on the tannins. He says he found this tastinggenerally at other domaines as well. All his wines here go into older barrels after racking for afurther 18 months maturation. This had been in one third new oak.175

There is certainly more depth here. It is darker with good richness, vibrant energy and ripenesson the finish too with a shiver of minerality. A lively, vibrant and slightly floral wine with somevery attractive fruit. Very good to particularly good. From 2010VolnayGood intensity on the aroma, which is much more open and has benefited from being racked.The palate has firm, dark red fruit with good minerality and fresh acidity. The finish isstreamlined and slightly perfumed. The tannins are just sufficiently supple. Good. From 2010Volnay, FremietsThis was racked two days before tasting and put into barrel that afternoon. The grapes includesome shrivelled berries. When the degree was 13.5 Benjamin started the picking, which wasearly, before the whites.Generous on the aroma and really expressive on the front of the palate, purple fruit, big up frontand then it really tightens up and becomes much more compact, sturdy and stony. It has veryfirm tannins and quite a lot of extract. There are ripe fruit flavours and rich, slight pastille note onthe finish. Again good enough acidity balancing the wine and the finish is long certainly. Plenty ofstructure. Fine. From 2011/12Benjamin did less pigeage in 2006; a maximum of 2 pigeage a day, but he kept the usual 5 dayspost ferment with just slight pumping over to wet the cap. “My idea was not to make light wine,not just fruit. I thought the tannins would be a little lighter, but I am always experimenting onthe Fremiets, so went more than on the others. However the ferment on the Clos des Epeneauxhad hardly stated when the Fremiets had finished.”*Pommard, Premier CruThe young vines of the Clos become the premier cru: 20 and 24 years old. 40% is in new oak,although in late October Benjamin had taken it out, all but a small percentage, which wastransferred into older oak. 10% goes back to these barrels. “As I felt that feel most of the 2006swere becoming dry, 40% new oak would be too high. So 40% new oak for one year and 10% forthe next.” This seems like quite a lot of oak to me, for any premier cru let alone youngish vines,but it soaks up the oak amazingly well.This has really attractive fruit, purple and dark; lively and floral. The tannins are ripe, the texturedense. It is not too heavy; bold but medium-bodied with very decent depth and quite smoothgrained, rounded tannins. There is good ripeness. A deep dark wine, but with lifted, darkly floralfinish. There are glimpses of minerality especially on the finish, which is really rather good andhas a taut thread to the very end. Fine. From 2011/12Pommard, Clos Des EpeneauxAs usual we tried different samples. Pretty classic fermentation for the Clos Des Epeneaux. Fourweeks maceration, but less plunging than in 2005.Sample one: 28 to 44 year old vines…..not racked at the time. 50% new oak, down to 25% inthe second year. The grapes hung for three days more on the vine than the younger vines in theprevious wine.This is very compact at the moment, battened down, sternly structured and very dense. Thetannins are strict, but with no hint of astringency. You can sense the depth of fruit, but it’s justclamped down now and the finish is very long, but it is drying. It is really powerful and there arelayers when you look hard. (It really does need racking!). Benjamin tells me they were all likethis before racking. The potential is there.176

Second sample: 50 years plus. Racked today. This makes a huge difference to the aroma, whichis very expressive, and to the front of the palate, where there is plenty of delicious dark fruit.Rich density of fruit on the middle palate. Very taut on the end of the palate. The tannins arecertainly there in quantity, but are less strict, less dry, more ripe and open. Lots of fruit on thefinish.Old vines: The oldest were planted in 1930. So they range from 65 years to 72 years. This is notracked yet.Again battened down on the palate but handles it much better than the younger 35 year oldvines, so there is dense fruit on the front of the palate. It is meshed and so compact; yes it israther dry on the finish, but there is fruit evident at the edges and on the very end of the finishthere is a very slight sweetness. Very powerful, gravelly and dark. You can imagine the depthand gravitas this will bring to the final blend. 80% new oak.“I will rack this next week. I don’t want to wait if it is going to slight dryness. I want to rack andtake out some of the new barrels.”I did not taste the blend, but potentially Very fine.WhiteBourgogne BlancThese are young vines planted in 1996 in a Bourgogne area of Volnay. This domaine is alone inusing Chardonnay here. Benjamin Leroux got a massal selection from Olivier Merlin, includingsome Chardonnay Muscat plants, which have small bunches and yield around 45-50 hl/ha. Hetells me that it is always gets very ripe - around 13.5%. Benjamin often has to apply for specialpermission to go above the official level for Bourgogne. Fortunately it also gets good acidity,which Benjamin reasons must come from the plant. He makes just 4 barrels a year. It was rackedbefore harvest and kept on fine lees to be bottled in January.It is very scented on the nose and palate and is certainly ripe, generous and quite broad, butnicely fresh. Attractive. From 2008*Auxey-DuressesBenjamin runs a small négoce producing only white wine under the name of Nicolas Marey.Marey was the owner of Clos des Epeneaux who put the wall around the clos and named it backin 1805. By 2009 the négoce will be called Benjamin Leroux. Benjamin now has winery premisesin Beaune. The négoce wines are Auxey-Duresses and Meursault.The Auxey-Duresses has good balance of several terroir; La Macabrée, Les Boutonnieres and LesHautes. Benjamin is working with just one grower and seems to oversee the vineyard work. He isencouraging his growers (also for the Meursault) to take organic approach, but it takes time.Good depth of fruit with smooth minerality and a nicely rounded palate which is fresh on thefinish. Ripe citrus flavours, slightly crystallized. Very good. From late 2008/2009StockistsUK: Berry Bros.; Lay & Wheeler; Lea & Sandeman; Morris & Verdin; Thorman Hunt & Co.USA: Selection Becky Wasserman, Le Serbet, Beaune, France.177

Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot, PommardThey selected out 30% in the cellar and as usual destemmed 100%. They used remontage in2006 as they did in 2005, while in 2004 they used both. The maceration was shorter. Quite a bigdifference. Three weeks for 2005 and 2 weeks on 2006. There are in cuve at the moment andwill be bottled in March. The samples were taken straight out of the cuve and were cold withplenty of CO2, which perhaps didn’t show them in their best light.SMVolnayGood red fruit, nice and lively, quite plump palate with soft tannins. Very fruit driven andcharming. Rather simple. Very attractive. From late 2009.Volnay, CarelleQuite perfumed on the nose. Bright on the palate with attractive fruit and nice balance, but slightastringency to the tannins. Light-bodied and a touch coarse. From 2010Volnay, RonceretsThis has dark, plumy fruits and more richness. The plump attack leads into a violet fruity palatewith a touch of liquorish. Fresh with good vibrancy and a glimpse of cold mineral. Again there isslight astringency and it is a little chunky, but it is well balanced and quite a step up in intensity.Very to particularly good. From 2010/11Volnay, PituresMore perfume on the palate. A lighter, more feminine touch. The tannins are much more refined.The palate is shot with slivers of gravely minerality. It is neat and has a longish and more precisefinish. Particularly good. From 2010.PommardRather reduced. Deeper, black and gruntier, this has a meaty texture with sinewy tannins Gooddensity for village and a liquorish, graphite minerality particularly on the finish. A robust andgrippy village Pommard. Good. From 2010*Pommard, JarollièresThis has high perfumed aromatics. It is almost seductive on the attack which tightens up to moresubstantial and dense middle palate with some grip. It has a measured pace and a certainharmony. The finish is lively, long and rather floral. Particularly good to fine. From 2011.*Pommard, RugiensOne small parcel of 30 ares, Rugiens Bas.More weight on the front palate, roundness and gras in the middle. It is freshly juicy and quitepowerful with riper tannins and smoothed edges. Not especially complex and quite a bullish blockbuster, but good density and follow though. Particularly good to fine. From 2011/12.178

*Pommard, EpenotsThese vines came from Jean Boillot. 2006 is the first vintage. The vines are 30 years old.Reserved aroma and a more relaxed, floral character. There is a lighter svelte texture andelegance for Pommard. It is quite mineral with a sweeping broad palate rather than the fatnessof the Rugiens. A very even and harmonious wine with attractive fluidity and energy. Fine. From2011/12WhiteThe whites were all bottled in June.*BourgogneAttractive, pear-like fruit; ripe and a touch exotic and nicely balanced with freshness. DeliciousBourgogne.Puligny-MontrachetRipe and rounded fruit on the attack. Really quite plump with modest acidity and a hint ofminerality on the finish, where it really tightens up. Very pure. It is fair village but not asimpressive as the Bourgogne is for a regional wine. Good. From 2009*Puligny-Montrachet, Les RefertsMuch richer florality on the nose and more substance on the middle palate. A firm current ofmineral energy runs through this wine. Powerful stony finish. Fine. From 2009Puligny-Montrachet, Champ CanetThis has glossy weight. The ripe and broad middle palate is quite spicy and soft. It lopes acrossthe palate, a little loosely knit. Very good. From 2008.Puligny-Montrachet, CombettesReserved upright aroma. A smoothly stony, cool palate. Restrained citrus fruits, ripe but fresh.There is polish to the texture and a slow cadence to a prolonged finish. Fine. From 2010.StockistsUK:USA:Berry Bros & Rudd; Bibendum; Decorum Vintners; Domaine Direct; Goedhuis & Co. Ltd.;Lea & Sandeman; Seckford Wines Ltd.; Richards Walford.Vineyard Brands179

Domaine A.F. Gros, PommardFrançois Parent (see below) is the husband of Anne-Françoise (née Gros). Francois Parent andAnne-Françoise Gros describe August 2006 as complicated. They said the fruit was healthy at thebeginning of the month, but the cold temperatures and humidity brought a risk of botrytis.François Parent said he worked the soil during July and August to prevent it becoming too denseto discourage humidity. He encouraged good aeration around the bunches by carrying out leafremoval. They said it was fortunate that the final quality of a vintage is often decided in the last3-4 weeks before harvest, but also noted that vintages like 2006 and 2007 require at least 20-25% more work in the vineyard, compared with years like 2005, in order to maintain quality.They started harvesting on 23 rd September and said they were pleasantly surprised by the sugarripeness, high natural degrees of potential alcohol and good balance between malic and tartaricacid. François Parent said the cool nights following warm days in September helped the grapesretain the tartaric acid, while reducing the levels of malic acid.When comparing 2006 with other vintages François Parent said it was difficult. In term of thegrowth of the vines, he compares the vegetation and vineyard work with 1986. He said heremembers similar difficulties with humid, cold weather in August and good weather at harvest,although he thinks the yields were higher in 1986.He said that tasting the 2006s now he finds them a little closed and this reminds him of the1993s when they were at this stage during the élévage, but the other elements of the wine, andthe vintage characteristics, are very differentKRBourgogne, Hautes Côtes De NuitsPure mulberry fruit and a ripe, delicate mouthfeel. Moderate weight of matter on the palate.Fresh finish. Pleasant. From 2008.Vosne-Romanée, Les MaizièresSituated just by Grands Echezeaux.Violets and red berry fruit leads to a light palate where smooth tannins give form and freshnessdrives the finish. Attractive. From 2009/2010.Vosne-Romanée, Aux RéasCrushed petals and forest fruits sit alongside tighter tannins – the mouthfeel feels morestructured and taut than the Maizières and the elegance of the fruit is clear throughout. Good.From 2009/2010.Chambolle-MusignyProduced from vines situated in four parcels near Musigny, not the Morey side of the village.More plum notes are layered with crushed petals. These characters are laced through the palate,as well as scenting the nose. The entry is silky and the mineral balance with the fruit. Smoothtannins. Good finish. Good++. From2009/2010.Savigny-Lès-Beaune, Clos Des GuettesThe grapes yielded in this vineyard are from a very old massal selection that was planted in 1990and the berries and bunches are always very small.180

Juicy red berry dominate the aromas. The phenolics feel tight and toned and are balanced by thefruit. There is good matter on the core and the finish, reminiscent of more red berries, lingers forsome time. Particularly good. From 2009.Beaune, BoucherottesThe character is of red cherry and framboise. Moderate intensity of fruit on the palate is balancednicely with the tannins and acidity. Minerality starts to emerge more on the mid-palate. Verygood. From 2009.Pommard, PezerollesDelicious mulberry top notes characterise the fruit character. The phenolics are firm, but alsosmoothly textured and fine-grained. The fruit is smooth and ripe and this continues onto thefinish. Very good to particularly good. From 2010.*Pommard, ArveletsThe aromas on the nose are very perfumed with morello cherry and graphite notes. The attackon the palate is energetic and the texture of the tannins is smooth, but still grippy and the acidityprovides a good backbone to the fruit. Minerals on the finish. Long. Particularly good to fine.From 2011.EchezeauxThis parcel of Echezeaux is located in Les Champs Traversins.Coal notes mark the minerals and fragrant notes of mulberry and bramble contribute to anexpressive already rather complex nose. The entry is immediately mouth filling and the tanninsfeel swathed in fruit, providing deceptive grip. Plenty of concentration and a lengthy finish.Fine+. From 2011/2012.RichebourgSpiciness of cinnamon and nutmeg are layered with red and black fruit. Tight, tense palatestructure is less giving than the nose. All the key components are tightly-bound together, butthere is a distinct sense of depth and elegance to the toned form. The persistence of the finishsees the fruit and spice return. Fine to very fine. From 2012.StockistsUK:USA:Cambridge Wine Merchant; Decorum Vintners; Rodney Densem Ltd.; Ferrers LeMesurier; Four Walls Wine Co.; Handford Wines; Haynes Hanson & Clark; Hicks & Don;Knighton Wines; Mayfair Cellars; Reid Wines; La Réserve; Roberson Wine; EdwardSheldon Ltd.; Hicks & Don; Michael Jobling Wines Ltd.; Villeneuve Wines Ltd.New Castle Imports Inc.181

Domaine De Courcel, PommardYves Confuron-Cotétidot, who makes the wine at Courcel as well as at the family domaine JackyConfuron-Cotétidot, found that there was a marked difference in the colour of the Vosne winesand the Pommard wines. This was possibly to do with the malolactic (and increased pH) whichwent through very quickly in Vosne, while it was later in April for the Pommard. The vines in eachvillage were harvested the same time and had started with the same quantity of anthocyanins.“When the malolactic is earlier, you have more finished wines. I prefer natural timing for themalolactic. It may not be as you dream the wine should be, but it is more natural for it is theterroir.”Some excellent wine which shows how the vintage can result Pommards of some refinement.SM*Bourgogne“In Pommard we have very good soil for regional wine when you compare it with Gevrey forinstance,” says Yves. (The family domaine has land in Gevrey)Sweet cherry aroma. An honest palate with simple juicy fruit and some grip. Really quiteattractive. Good Bourogone rouge. From 2008*PommardThis has a very pure, intense and dark cherry aroma. The palate is rich on the attack. It hasdelicious, dark fruit and some grip. The chunky body is quite full with hints of mocha, marzipanand almonds. There is a bright and juicy finish. A very appealing village wine with good intensity.Very good. From 2010.Pommard, Les Croix-NoiresCoucel have 0.6 of the 1.2 hectares of this premier cru.Slight medicinal aroma. Quite a lot of gas on here. Good ripeness and tarry, chewy, black fruitpalate with a hint of black pepper. It saunters across the palate, smoothly chunky, not at allcoarse, and it has a deep coal-like minerality. There is lovely black fruit on the finish. Particularlygood. From 2011*Pommard, Les FremiersThe medicinal note is evident here too. This sweeps onto the palate, supple and seductive, thenreally tightens up. This is an elegant Pommard with smoothly grained tannins, plenty of them,but good ones. It has lithe energy. Rather neatly compact, contained and layered with pencil-leadminerality on the finish, it certainly shows a quite a lot of finesses for Pommard. Fine. From 2011Pommard, Grand Clos des EpenotsThis is rich, broad, full-bodied, but light on its feet, drawn up by its fit energetic character. It hassmoothly gliding tannins and ripe dark summer fruits with notes of wild strawberries and glints ofhigh spice. It has a sweeping, expansive palate, quietly loosely textured, but then it tightens onthe middle and finish where there is lovely fragrance. This shows its calibre on the finish, which islong and lingering. Fine++. 2011182

Pommard, RugiensHaut Rugiens with white soil and an East West aspect. “A good place to make Chardonnay,” saysYves.Lovely perfume with notes of fallen rose petals. Sweet attack, rippling on the front of the palate;A subtle middle palate, but there is vigour underlying this. Plenty of ripe tannin, but they are fineand strongly supple, woven into the juicy mulberry fruit. Delicious and very harmonious. It hascertain panache and a long tapering finish. Fine++. From 2012UK: Lea and Sandeman; O.W. Loeb & Co. Ltd.USA: Diageo Château & Estate.Stockists183

Domaine Aleth Girardin, PommardAll the wines were still on their lees in barrels. Usually, two months before bottling Aleth Giradinwill blend the wines and keep them in concrete vats, but with their lees. Bottling is planned forMarch. Aleth feels her 2006s have more acidity, tannin and more fruit than the 2004s. Shestarted harvest on 18 th September and the picking lasted 6 days, which is normal for theproperty. They carried out plenty of triage, using a sorting table to ensure that all the fruit withrot was discarded.KRBeaune, Clos des MouchesWarm, if restrained aromas. The tannins are rounded and elegantly formed. The mouthfeel issupple and bright red berry fruit comes through on the finish. Very good to particularly good.From 2009.*Pommard VignotsMineral salinity and dark red forest fruits create fine aromatics. This continues on the palate,where the attack is smooth and finely wrought tannins give the wine a direct and clear structure.The acidity is fresh and interlaced with the fruit. A sense of refinement marks the wine. Good tovery good. From 2009.Pommard, Les NoizonsThe soil here is deeper than Vignots and rockier.The minerals are still pronounced here and the fruit is slightly darker in character. The texture ofthe wine is more muscular and the mouthfeel is broader. The tannins remain supple and offerfine grip. Fruit asserts itself on the finish. Good+. From 2009.Pommard, Les CharmotsThis premier cru marks a step up in intensity. Coal and blueberry fruit are evident on the noseand palate. Fresh acidity is layered with dense, but ripe tannins, and good balance is clear on thepalate. Particularly good. From 2011.*Pommard, EpenotsThis is a blend of 2 plots, one in Petits Epenots and the other in Grands Epenots. The vines areapproximately 100 years old and they produce small concentrated grapes with an average yieldof 30ha/hl.The aromas of the wines are wonderfully spicy, almost peppery and the attack is freshly mineral.The structure is streamlined with fine, firm tannins and energetic acidity. Freshness and fruityminerals draw out the finish. Fine. From 2011.Pommard, RugiensFrom Rugiens Bas, the vines here are also 100 years old.Dense character with good complexity – mineral salts, diesel and black cherry fruit. Dark fruitundertones run through the palate alongside a finely wrought phenolic and acid backbone.Tightly put together and more muscular in form than the Epenots. Fine. From 2010/2012.184

UK: Lay and WheelerStockists185

Domaine François Parent, PommardMonthelie, Champs FuillotsThe aromas are quite restrained and hint at crunchy redcurrant and raspberry fruit. The tanninsare fine and ripe and the fresh streak of acidity forms a distinct backbone to the wine. Goodpoise and mineral definition on the finish. Very good++. From 2008/2009.Volnay, FremietsRounded, supple form on the palate. Smooth and finely textured tannins are woven with theacidity and ripe fruit, which hints at red cherry and bramble. A touch of spice lifts the finish.Particularly good. From 2009.Pommard, RugiensRicher, denser and more muscular in character. Sour cherry and red plum fruit is controlled byfirm, toned phenolics and fresh acidity. More robust and broad shouldered, but still displayingrefinement. Particularly good to fine. From 2011.2005s from François Parent and A-F Gros which were previously omitted:Monthelie, Champs FulliotThey started with these vines in 2004. They came from a cousin.Perfumed aromas with violets and mulberry. Delicately structured and open. The fruit is forwardon the palate with minerals drawing out the finish. Very good. From 2008.Monthelie, Les DuressesAgain, this is the second vintage of this wine.The aromas are more restrained, but some complexity is evident with cherry and spice notesemerging. More mineral and savoury than the Champs Fulliot and hints of cherry stone and toastlinger on the finish. Particularly good. From 2008.Beaune, BoucherottesThis premier cru is situated just under Clos du Mouches.Griotte cherry and hints of briar fruit give the nose a pure fruit character that continues on thepalate. The tannins are smoothly textured and ripe; fresh acidity sits alongside them. Firmnessand strength meet the fruit on the finish. Particularly good. From 2010.Volnay, FremietsPerfumed aromas of florals and ripe red fruits come through on the nose. Silky tannins areswathed in ripe fruit and fresh acidity provides good focus and draws out the finish. Themouthfeel is elegant, but also contains plenty of intensity and matter. Particularly good to fine.From 2010.186

Pommard, PezerollesDelicately-scented with youthful fruitiness laced with redcurrants, anise and brambles. It has ahigh energy strike and a rich mid-palate. Supple tannins support the fruit. There is a long redberry inflected finish. Fine++. From 2011.UK: Berkmann Wine Cellars; Decorum Vintners.Stockists187

Domaine du Marquis d’Angerville, VolnayGuillaume d’Angerville describes the vintage. “It is going back to a classical vintage again. Moreclassical in the purity of the pinot noir. We harvested on the 22 nd September, a little later thanthe others; about a week later. I felt we picked up a little more maturity and I felt this was thebest way for harmony. We hung on for a week, but the fruit was very clean. We de-selected just2% for botrytis. It did rain in August, but we had a lovely September. It was different to 2007which fast forwarded because it was warm before. The conditions in 2006 were more similar to2002, which had a wet August and same dry wind and good light in September, which helps.”Guillaume will start the bottling in December with village Volnay and the remainder will be bottledbetween December and March. He would like to leave as much time as possible between the endof the malolactic fermentation and the bottling. As with the 2004s some wines were still finishingthe malolactic in October. However Guillaume feels more relaxed this time, having seen it before.“To begin with I was worried about the body, but now I feel it was unjustified. Initially it tasted abit meagre, but then it gained weight. There is a higher pH in 2006. No capitalisation wasnecessary.“This vintage has very good terroir typicity.”The Mitans and Fremiets play to the strengths of the vintage. They capitalise on the lighter body,elegance and purity of fruit.SM*VolnayThere are two parcels close to the village.The palate has plenty of red fruit with decent depth, fresh acidity and fine grained tannins.Charming with decent intensity and good minerality. Good+ From 2010Volnay, Premier CruThis is a blend of Les Pitures, Les Angles and l’Ormeau. Guiallaume also adds the younger vinesof some of the grander terroir.Good attack and intensity to the palate. The tannins finely grained and sit in the wine. The fruit isripe. It is nicely rounded and pure and has juicy acidity and a floral finish. Very to particularlygood. From 2010/11*Volnay, MitansThis is the L’Ormeau part, although the whole Mitans vineyard pretty much shares the sameterroir. It can however be labelled separately now.Lifted, pure and spicy perfume. Quite an austere structure with straight, but surprisingly sleekprofile. Strict tannins and a touch of pencil to the fruit. A rather elegant, long dark fruit andmineral finish. Particularly good to fine. From 2011/12*Volnay, FremietsPlenty of vibrant fruit on the attack. The palate has dark red cherry fruit, firm tannins and plentyof grip. It is fresh and precise with lots of vigour and high, pure top notes. The finish is tight andenergetic. Particularly good to fine. From 2011/12188

Volnay, CailleretThis has a tight, chalky and well defined palate. It is nervy and quite light-bodied with pure fruitand a delicate perfumed finish. Not the deepest or most intense Cailleret, but an appealinglucidity and finesse. Nudging Fine. From 2011*Volnay, TaillepiedsAccording to folklore, Guillaume tells me, the name Taillepieds came about because people wouldcut their shoes on the sharp stones in the vineyard. “When I think of Taillepieds, I think of an oldand serene peasant who is very wise,” he adds.This is more substantial. An upright wine, straight and direct with tension and top notes. Beneaththis there is layering, intense fruit and dark minerality. A taut current of energy runs to the long,richly slately finish. Fine to very fine. From 2011/12Volnay, ChampansGuillaume describes the parcel. “Imagine very long rows; the full 330 yard-long sweep. Thebottom has deeper soils and the top is rocky. We have 4 hectares and are largest owner ofChampans. We pick it in one go, but treat it as three different cuvées. The 4 hectares is in 2pieces and has vines of different ages, although the average is around 35 years. There is somenew panting, but this is separated out. Some is a massal selection and some is ‘Fin’ clones.There is generous, plump fruitiness with nuances of frangipane on the middle palate and juicyfreshness. The fine tannins are supple. It has a sweeping sensual palate with flowing texture andrather laidback energy. The finish is very long and limpid. Fine+. From 2011Volnay, Champans 2001On the 4 th August there was a hail storm with huge ice pellets. Champans was the worse hit. “Fora long time this was a very hard wine with a hard and abrupt finish,” says GuillaumeThis shows plenty of development on the bouquet and is quite gamey. The palate is not hard atall. It has evolved very quickly. The tannins have integrated and smoothed. There is some sweetstrawberry fruit mingled with a tertiary, mulchy, woodland character. Moderately intense. Drinknow.Volnay, Clos des DucsThere is something about this wine that needs to be looked at again, so no quality assessment isgiven. That apart, the wine shows a rich, deep, compact palate with violets and ripe mulberries.The body is round and dense with smoothly granular tannins, which sit comfortably in the wine.It has a rich, velvety power and a long succulent finish. From 2012Guillaume tells me the 2000 Clos des Ducs is drinking very well now and the 2001 is cominground. The 2002 is closed. “This will be a very long lasting vintage. It will be good until 2020.”He puts aside 2003 for the moment. “2004 is reasonable; an easy drinking vintage for 8-10years. I recommend you leave the 2005s for a very long time. Among the recent vintages, it willtake a very long time to reach its full potential.” Apparently the 1990 is lovely now, but couldcontinue developing for another 5 years in Guillaume’s view. The 2006 vintage he considers tohave mid-range potential - 8-12 years to maturity, “but you could easily drink it before.”Meursault, Les SantenotsThis is in Santenots. It was still finishing its fermentation. “We are doing nothing to hide the factthat this is a terroir for red wine. This is Santenots, so everything is bias to this. We use lessbâtonnage. We like the energy and want to maintain this.” This has changed from his father’sday, when all the fermentation was in stainless steel. It goes straight into barrels now.Pure and ripe fruit are underpinned by smooth minerality and vigour. There is gras and depthwith richness on the finish. Fine. From 2009189

Domaine Jean Boillot, VolnayAll the wines were racked to tank at the time of the tasting and bottling was planned for the endof December and beginning of January.KRSavigny-Lès-Beaune, Les LavièresCrunchy red fruit runs throughout the wine with added complexity from a touch of spice. Thetannins are fine and the fruit/acid balance on the mid-palalte is good. Very good+. From 2009.Beaune, Clos Du RoiCinnamon and briar aromas lead to a scented palate. The tight phenolics have a smooth texture.Red berry fruit emerges on the palate and continues on the finish. Very good. From 2009.Volnay, Clos-de-la-RougeotteMeaty, savoury, smoky notes are layered with darker bramble and cherry fruit on the nose andpalate. Minerality adds definition with the freshness of the acidity and fine tannins. The structureis direct and elegant. Very good++. From 2010.Volnay, FremietsThis is more restrained and broader shouldered than the Clos de la Rougeotte. The mouthfeel istighter and the tannins show more grip. Minerals and savoury toastiness come through on thefinish. Very good to particularly good. From 2010.Volnay, ChevretAgain a little reticient on the nose at this stage in its life. The fruit is darker and top notes ofanise and liquorice come through on the nose and palate. The texture of the wine is silky and thetannins are finely layered with the acidity. Partciularly good. From 2011.Volnay, CailleretsThe form feels more upright and direct with minerals and toastiness leading the wine. Thetannins are focused and streamlined and the core is layered with forest fruits, spice and toast.Minerality returns to dominate the finish. Partciularly good. From 2011.Clos VougeotThey buy the grapes for this wine.Blackberry and liquorice. Knotted and concentrated core. Tannins are firm and present and theacidity is fresh. The finish is savoury and pretty long. Up to fine. From 2012.Charmes ChambertinThe fruit is bought in for this wine as well.The aroma and fruit character on the palate is a touch more opulent than the Clos Vougeot. Thestructure is broader and the mid-palate contains ripe tannins that tighten up in the finish.Particularly good to fine. From 2012.ChambertinThe grapes come from the same sources as the Charmes and Clos Vougeot.More austere and statuesque. The tannins are firm, grippy and strong and form a tight backbonewith the acidity. Fruit emerges on the finish, which is persistent. Fine+. From 2013.190

Bonnes MaresAs with the previous wines the grapes are bought in. This is restrained now. The form is compactand toned. The fruit and tannins have a muscular quality, but remain elegant. Good length offinish. Fine. From 2013.WhiteSavigny-lès-Beaune, Les VergelessesCitrus and hay notes. A rich and full mouthfeel is balanced by good acidity. Good to very good.From 2008.Puligny-MontrachetMinerals and oak toastiness on the nose. The fresh acidity has a taut quality and contains theripe fruit. The finish is modestly long and laced with hints of toast and citrus fruits. Attractive.From 2008.Puligny-Montrachet, Les PerrièresSpicy vanilla notes are woven with chalky-stone and lemon on the nose and the palate. Thepalate is well-focused with tightly coiled acidity. The finish is spicy and vivid. Very good+. From2009.*Puligny-Montrachet, Clos-de-la-MouchèreThis is a four hectare monopole, lying within Perrières. The vines are 65 years old.The mineralty and oak spice is met by lime blossom floral notes on the nose. The acidity isenergy and controls the rich, fulsome feel and form of the wine. The finish is long. Particularlygood. From 2010Puligny-Montrachet, Les PucellesHalf a hectare and the vines are 40 years old.More fruit is apparent and generous on the nose – ripe, white peach and stone fruits. Themouthfeel continues to reflect the generosity of the aromas and, again, the acidity is juicy andfresh. Particularly good. From 2010.StockistsUK: Raeburn Fine Wines; Fields, Morris and VerdinUSA: The Sorting Table, CA.191

Domaine Thomas Bouley, VolnayThomas Bouley took over the winemaking at the family domaine in 2002. He has gained workexperience in numerous places in the world including Oregon and New Zealand.In 2006, Thomas says that his yields were down. He attributes this to some frost in May,millerandage, sorting at harvest and the harvested fruit having more pulp and less juice. Inaddition he uses cordon royat pruning, which he feels further controls yields.He describes the season as having a dry July that caused some vines to suffer (some young vineslosing leaves), but August was characterised by colder conditions, rain and humidity. Septemberand the good weather that came with it enabled the grapes to ripen. He states that sorting wasessential in 2006 because the fruit was not as healthy as 2005, which was an easy vintage bycontrast. At the sorting table he removed any dried out, rotten, green or pink berries.He feels that the old vines coped better than the younger vines in 2006 and observes that overallacidity was higher than 2005 with low pHs across his wines e.g. the Volnay 1er cru Carelles has apH of 3.30. He thinks that the 2006 reds will be drinking after the 2004s, but it depends on theappellation as to whether some 2006s will drink before the 2005s or at the same time. Hebelieves some wines in 2006 have the structure and classic balance for ageing and others aremore expressive and approachable.KR*BourgogneRipe berry aromas. Good structure for a Bourgogne, well-balanced and attractive fruit weight onthe palate and finish. Attractive. From 2008.Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de BeauneThe vines are situated on south facing slopes on red, rocky soils.This is currently more restrained on the nose, although the palate has a scented quality. Thetannins are tightly grained and pretty red cherry fruit lingers on the finish. Pleasant. From 2008.Volany, Clos de la CaveThe vineyard is located behind the house. It is east to southeast facing and naturally gets plentyof sun. The malolactic finished in May.Crunchy red fruit and bramble notes. Supple quality to the mouthfeel – very smooth. The tanninsare fine and sit alongside an intense core. Good+. From 2009.VolnayFrom vines located on the plain.Redcurrent and cherry fruit is layered with taut phenolics and fresh acidity creating a moreforthright, strong character. The finish is direct and punchy. Good. From 2009*Volnay Vieilles VignesThis is made up of 3 older plots on the plain with vine age ranging from 45-60 years. He hasmade this wine since 2002. Previously his father blended it with the Volnay.The restrained aromas lead to an energetic palate which shows ripe, red forest fruit and freshminerals that provide and upright core. Lovely concentration for a village wine. Good to verygood. From 2010.192

PommardThis wine is produced from vines on a naturally cool site, facing east to northeast and grown onlimestone-rich, white soils.Blueberry fruit is met by pepper spice. There is a dense core of tightly bound tannins and acidity.The finish is lifted and lengthened by freshness. Attractive to good. From 2009Beaune, Les ReveréesThe soil has have good drainage and the vines regularly ripen early. In 2006 the millerandagewas quite severe reducing the yield to around 30-35hl/ha. The berries were also very small. Goodminerality and weight of matter. The tannins are ripe and provide a focused structure. Attractive,fruity finish. Particularly good. From 2009*Volnay, En L’OrmeauThe fruit and tannins display a beautiful, silky texture. Savoury notes are woven with redcurrantand raspberry fruit. Attractive generosity marks the palate, but the wine also displays an elgance.Particularly good+. From 2010.Volnay, CarellesThomas describes this as a good sunny spot and notes that the vines are only 12 years old andas a result it is one of the parcels he picks first because it ripens quickly.Toast and spice are apparent here. The juicy palate balances lovely, chalky freshness with abroader mouthfeel and fulsome core. The good finish is lifted and clear. Very good to particularlygood. From 2010.Volnay, Clos des ChenesTwo plots, one planted with 35 year old vines and the other with 45-50 year old vines.Good intensity and direction. Precise tannins and vibrant freshness. The palate is refined, but isalso concentrated, dense and richly-fruited. Savoury notes layer with the ripe cherry fruit on thefinish. Particularly good to fine. From 2011.*Pommard, Fremiers25% whole bunches are used for the Fremiers. This is a technique Thomas has employed since2005. He feels the whole bunches increase complexity and length, but only if the stems are fullyripe. The rest of the cuvée was 100% destemmed in 2006.Peppery spice and mulled berries scent the nose. The attack is fresh and lively leading to asweetly fruited core. The tannins have a sense of refinement and are swathed in the fruit, whichlingers on the finish. Fine. From 2011.Pommard, RugiensThe vines are situated in Haut Rugiens. The aromas are meatier and darkly fruited. On the paltethe fruit has a rounded weight and is very expressive at this stage. The generosity and ripenessis controlled by the fine grip of the phenolic and acid structure, which tighten up the finish. Fine.From 2011193

Domaine Michel Lafarge, VolnayMichel Lafarge recalls that “much of August was good. The grapes were in good health; lovelyand with no botrytis, because the grapes were very small.” He also is sure the grass between therows and the biodynamics helped in achieving this result.On the vintages and when to drink them Michle remarks, “You can open the 2006s earlier,because they are so pleasant, while you are waiting for the 2005.” He prefers his 2006s to the2004s. “In 2006 the maturity was better than in 2004 and the health was so good.”“The vintage is characterised by red fruit; very intense and very pure.”SM“Elegance is the vintage,” remarks Michel. “A very easy vintage to taste. The tannins areparticularly easy to taste. A vintage of pleasure.”Everything was racked in June and will be bottle in March or April for the reds.We went back afterwards and tasted many of the 2005s. I have placed them in the text after the2006 wines.Bourgogne PassetoutgrainsThis has a fresh and crunchy aroma. A light-bodied, somewhat narrow wine with light fruit, whichis pleasantly redcurrant and fresh. Simple. From 2008.Bourgogne Passetoutgrains L’ExceptionalThis has notes of mocha with the red fruit on the nose. There is more fruit, body and tanninhere. It is lively, fresh and fresh. Pleasant. From 2008Bourgogne, Pinot NoirMocha and dark chocolate nuances on the aroma. More fruit weight on the front of the palate.Darkish fruit, some grip and a little astringency. The finish has fair fruit. Pleasant.Bourgogne Pinot Noir, 2005There is delicious ripeness to the fruit here with rounded, ripe tannins and softish acidity. Score13.5. From 2008.Côte de Beaune VillagesThe vines are in Meursault.This has a creamy attack with smooth red fruits and a slight succulence in the middle palate. Thetannins are rounded and there is some decent fruit and scent on the finish. Nice varietal flavours.Certainly attractive. From late 2008/9VolnayThere is a perfumed aroma, a slippery texture and light powdery tannins. This is an elegantvillage wine with fine tannins. There is a lively, lightness of touch and a gauzy, delicacy to thefinish. Good+. From 2009/10194

Volnay, 2005Plump fruit, luscious with a generous full middle and very satiny tannins. A delicious, full andappetising wine. Score 16. From 2010*Volnay, Vendanges SélectionnéeThe perfume is richer and more volumous. The attack is pure and fruity. It has a nicely roundedmiddle palate and ripe, fine grained tannins. There is freshness, lightness and minerality hereand lovely balance. Elegant and delicate. Very good indeed. From 2010Beaune, Les AigrotsThe third vintage of this wine. The vines are on rich, deep soil. Michel described it as the sameterroir as Clos de Mouches with a S/E exposition. The pinot noir is below the chardonnayplantings.Dense aroma and sweet attack. The fruit is quite plump with some light muscle and decentdepth. It shows careful handing. The finish is attractive, lifted and fresh, but not as long as theVolnay, Vendanges Sélectionnée. Good to very good. From 2010Beaune, GrèvesVery old 81 year old vines which are situated half way up the vineyard.Rich perfume. This is immediately tight and compact. It has a straight and battened down palatewith gravelly tannins. It is grippy and mineral and quite robust with a good slatey finish, but it isa little dry, so let’s see how this develops. Very good to particularly good. From 2009Beaune, Grèves, 2005High toned peppery aroma and sweet pastille fruit. The attack is rich and leads to a ripe andgenerous middle palate. The tannins are fleshed with fruit and this ample fruit cloaks the firmfinish. The minerality of the terroir will take a lot longer to reveal itself than in the 2006. Score17.5-18. From 2012/13Volnay, MitansThis is the third vintage to include the vines from the 40 year old parcel which is relatively new tothe domaine. (Michel also has two seventy year old parcels). The newer parcel has beenconverted to biodynamics. However Michel tells me that the previous owner was “a very goodviticulturalist,” who used lutte raisonée.Rather lifted and spicy aromatics. It is quite smooth on the attack and middle palate. It has grip,but is refined and the tannins are firm, but fine grained. There is a tightness and soft charcoalminerality. Possibly fine. From 2011Volnay, Mitans, 2005The extra flesh of the 2005 suits Mitans. Even here there is an austerity to the structure, but it iscloaked in fruit, which also envelops the firm tannins. An undercurrent of graphite mineralitycarries to the long finish. Score 18. From 2012*Volnay, ChanlinsThe seductive perfume is so different from the Mitans. It is svelte and the fruit dances. There isan engaging purity and more refinement to the tannin structure. It is satiny smooth with shardsof minerality. The finish is long, pure and intense. Fine. From 2010Clos du Château des DucsThis is much more closed on the aroma. It has well defined structure with tautly harnessedenergy, compactly layered minerality and tight tannins. The fruit is very restrained at themoment. Fine+. From 2010195

Clos du Château des Ducs, 2005This has a dark, ripe fruit aroma. It is swathed in rich fruit on the palate and with firm, ripetannins and compact slately minerality. Densely layered, complex and forceful, it will take a longtime to develop. Score 19-19.5. From 2013*Volnay, CailleretsThis is all silk. It delicately ripples across the palate. Balletic wine in which the fruit sparkles anddances. It has refined tannins and wonderful perfume, together with delightful purity andtranslucence of fruit and minerality. There is excellent poise and balance between the fruit,tannins and acidity. The persistent finish glints with minerality. Fine to Very Fine. From 2011/12Volnay, Caillerets, 2005Here the minerality pierces rich fruit. It has wonderful intensity and poise. The balance issuperb. There is a shimmering elegance to the fruit. It is deep and intense but glides across thepalate to a long, scented and lingering finish. Dreamy. Score 19.5. From 2012*Volnay, Clos Des ChênesRich on the aroma and attack with serious depth to the middle palate. The seductive, ripe andintense fruit manages to be both velvet and strict. There is effortless energy linked to a steelycore and a wealth of vivid, juicy fruit. It is intricately woven and layered and has that extra levelof complexity over the previous three wines. Fine to Very Vine. From 2012/13Volnay, Clos Des Chênes, 2005Unctuousness aroma and heady perfume on the palate. There is great density to the fruit; thetannins are ripe, rich and generously layered. This wine is hidden behind the massive fruit. It isall on the huge finish. Effortless velocity and a marvellous fusion of elegance and power. Score19.5. From 2013*Pommard, PezerollesMuch darker with rich black fruits on the aroma. Sweet attack to a rounded, broad palate withripe tannins. There is grip, but velvety enrobed in vivid, succulent fruit. It has a long sweetlyfruited finish. Fine. From 2010Michel will bottle as normal in February.WhiteBourgogne AligotéAttractive spicy aroma with good fruit on the palate. It has citrusy acidity and is fresh and lively.Fair for an Aligoté. From 2008Bourgogne Aligote, Vieilles VignesThis has a more golden aroma and the palate is rounder. The more generous fruit is woven withsoft acidity. Good Aligoté. From 2008MeursaultNice weight on the palate; the attack is fulsome and the middle is rounded and glossy with withfair freshness supporting the wine. The balance is good and there is an attractive smooth, glossyminerality. Good. From late 2008/2009196

Meursault, Vendanges SélectioneesThe selection is made based on terroir rather than selecting specific fruit each vintage. There arethree parcels, all of which have thinner soils.This has a pear-like, glossy richness. It is more textural and silky, while being elegant and liftedwith lively minerality. An attractive fruit-driven finish. Good+ From late 2008/9Beaune, Les AigrotsThis is Domaine Lafrage’s second vintage for this wine. They have 30 acres of 35 year old vines.Nicely perfumed on the aroma and quite robust on the palate. It is medium-full and sultry. Wellbalanced with fresh acidity and earthy minerality. From 2009. Good+StockistsUK:USA:A & B Vintners Ltd; Bibendum; Berry Bros & Rudd; Ben Ellis Wines; Fine & Rare WinesLtd.; Gauntleys of Nottingham; Goedhuis & Co. Ltd.; Haynes, Hanson & Clark; SeckfordWines; The Winery.Selection Becky Wasserman, Le Serbet, France. Esquin Imports Inc.197

Domaine Pousse d’Or, VolnayWhen Patrick Landanger started harvesting on the 22 nd September in Clos des 60 Ouvres theripeness in sugar stood at 13.2% in potential alcohol, although one parcel was as high as 14%.“It is normal that this ripens first,” he remarks.Partick was unusual in doing more extraction in 2006 than in 2005. He generally does onepigeage in the morning and one in the evening. He explains “it was to do with the phenolics. Welook to extract 60, and it was much easier to extract this in 2005.”For those of you with Pousse d’Or in your cellars : Patrick is currently drinking the 2000s. Hedidn’t sell any 2001 because of the hail. He is leaving the 2002s alone and will drink 2006 after2004, but before 2005.The Volnays have quite a lot of tannin, grip and oak. There is a lovely Santenay, Clos Tavannes.SMSantenay, GravièresGood tight and firm palate with gravely tannins. Lots of dark red fruit with some grip, decentlayering for Santenay and a firm finish. Very Good+. From 2009.*Santenay, Clos TavannesThere is 30% new oak on both these premier cru Santenay. The vines here are 72 years old,while the Gravières are 30.This is surprisingly luscious and rounded. The tannins are sweetly curved and the middle palatedeciliously succulent and nicely fresh. It has an ample and satisfying palate and a plump finish.Top notch Santenay. Particularly good+. From 2010Volnay, En CailleretsThere is marked smoky oak on the nose and some minerality on the firm attack. The fruit israther cloaked in oak, but the minerality and chalkiness shows through. It has a streamlinedprofile, good focus and a surprising amount of grip. Particularly good+. From 2011I find the oak rather aggressive and wondered if it was Allier. The breakdown is as follows. 10%Tronçais, 60% Allier and the rest is Vosges. Patrick says “I think Allier goes well with Volnay andI find that the Tronçais is uncomfortable to begin with and only comes together at the end.”Volnay, Bousse D’OrThis has some good layering. It is quite densely textured with a compact middle palate. There isdistinct, dark minerality. The smoky character, apparent o the Caillerets, is present here and Ifind it troublesome. However there is well defined tight fruit on the finish, which is long.Particularly good+. From 2012.Volnay, Clos D’AudignacThe fruit here is uppermost. It is lush, generous and purer with violently bright notes. This iscoupled with more appealing peppery and spicy characters from the oak. It has a very firm, tighttannic structure woven with minerality. Good intensity carries across the palate to the finish. It issleeker and smarter than the Bousse D’Or. Fine. From 2012.198

Volnay, Clos des 60 OuvresThis has some appealing, deep, cherry fruit. It is bright, zesty and vibrant. There is much moreenergy here. It is well defined and more elegant with a delicious silky texture and fluidmomentum which extends the palate. Fine. From 2012.*Pommard, JarollièresThere is a slight Volnay touch to this wine for as a certain lifted panache. It is also tight, mineral,compact and focused with dark red fruit and a touch of liquorish and spice. Toned and sleek witha powerful, strong supple finish. It’s a good Pommard. Fine. From 2012.Corton, BressandesAn austere structure to this Bressandes, which is very tannic, tight, compact and grippy andfleshed with some chewy fruit. There is certainly no lack of extract and the oak is marked. Amuscular wine, which is quite big on the finish. Maybe Fine. 2013Corton, Clos de RoiThis is generous on the attack and the middle has richness, roundness and reasonable depth forgrand cru. Plenty of structure here. Again a lot has been extracted from this wine. A big, sturdy,grunty finish. Fine to Fine+. From 2012/13USA: North Berkeley Wine ImportsStockists199

Domaine Nicolas Rossignol-Jeanniard, VolnayNicholas Rossignol says it is hard to compare 2006 with other vintages. He feels there is lessacidity and more roundness than in 2005. He also thinks the wines will drink before 2005, butafter 2004. He considers the vineyards which have benefited in 2006 are those which are usuallyharvested later. There are located in cooler, higher places where they naturally retain theirfreshness.Overall, at this domaine, yields were lower in 2006. He partly attributes this to millerandagewhich increased the natural concentration and partly to sorting in areas were there was a littlemore rot. Rot was controlled in the vineyard by having a high canopy and combining this withleaf removal around the bunches to ensure good aeration. As a result he did less sorting thanexpected, although it did vary from site to site with naturally humid areas suffering more andneeding more triage. He also observes that many grapes had less juice and more pulp, thusreducing the yields further.About three weeks before harvest and after an awful August, Nicholas said “I looked at the fruitand could not believe how green the berries were. We thought there would be no sugar.” Hesays the warm weather that marked the beginning of September, accompanied by a warm, northwind resulted in very fast ripening over a two week period.The tannins in all his wines are very smoothly textured and sensitively handled. He puts thischaracter down to thorough vineyard management in 2006 and his decision not to carry out anycold maceration. He also carried out less punching down during fermentation, stopping in themiddle and then increasing the temperature at the end to (30-32 o c) leach out tannins gently. Forsome wines he also used a little more punching down at the very end.KRBourgogne, l’HéritièreThe average age of the vines is 80 year (the majority were planted in 1922). They are situatedunder the Château de Pommard.The aromas are mineral and dark red in character and the palate is smooth and concentrated fora Bourgogne. The phenolics are well managed and bring just enough grip to the palate. Veryattractive. From 2008.Savigny les BeauneThe topography here is fairly flat, but the soil is deep and stony.The aromas show more crunchy red fruits and a touch of cinnamon spice and this continues onthe palate. Very fresh and lively with Pinot purity on the finish. Attractive+. From late 2008.Savigny les Beaune, Aux Fourneaux30% whole bunches are used in this cuvée. It has currently been racked to tank.The fragrance on the nose shows similar red berry fruit to the village wine, but here the mineralpresence is more pronounced. The structure is more finely-tuned with fine tannins and clearacidity. This is quintessential Côte de Beaune Pinot Noir. Very good to particularly good. From2009200

BeauneThe fruit for this wine is from one single plot on the Pommard side of Beaune.Redcurrant aromas are softened by hints of milk chocolate and minerality which continues on thepalate. There is good balance between tannins and acidity and a hint of toast and mineral on thefinish. Attractive to Good. From 2008/2009.Beaune, Clos du Roi30% whole bunches are used, There is a high proportion of sand in the soil with rocks, so thisvineyard often ripens quite quickly.There is a savoury, tight quality that runs throughout this wine. The tannins are supple and theacidity is fresh, both of which provide a framework for the spicy, berry fruit. Nice length on thefinish. Possibly Particularly Good. From 2009.Beaune, Clos-des-MouchesAromatically this feels a little more open than the Clos du Roi at this tasting (the Clos du Roi hadjust been racked and sulphured and this is still in barrel). Forest fruit notes are deeper and moreexpressive. The mouthfeel is fresh and generously textured with ripe tannins. Broadly fruityfinish. Very Good to Particularly Good. From 2009/2010.VolnayCherry fruit is layered with tobacco spice. There is a good freshness to the palate that is wovenwith tightly-bound phenolics and juicy fruit. Again, good clarity on the finish. Attractive to Good.2009.*Volnay, TaillepiedsThis wine was still in barrel. 100% destemmed.A scented quality runs through the wine. Fresh red fruit and minerality lead to a bright and directmouthfeel. Fine-grained tannins and crunchy berry fruit make for a contained and elegant palate,The finish is long and perfumed. Fine. From 2010.*Volnay, CailleretsThis had been racked and sulphured. Again, 100% destemmed.Minerals are also apparent here and a touch of spice is layered with redcurrant and raspberry.The palate is very refined and focused. The tannins are direct and smoothly texture, balancingwell with the fruit. Streamlined finish. Fine+. From 2010/2011.Volnay, ChevnetAgain, this wine had been racked and sulphured. The final cuvée consisted of 50% wholebunches. Nicholas would have preferred 30%, but the yields were even lower than expected.However, the wine is a delight.Liquorice and darker berries fruits lace the nose. The mouthfeel is rounded and there is plenty ofripe fruit on the attack. The tannins are enrobed by the fruit and the freshness of the acidityincreases the perception of finesse poised with ripeness. Up to fine. From 2011.Volnay, SantenotsThis wine had been racked and sulphured, too. Nicholas Rossignol notes that there is lots of ironin the soil here.Broader and more generous in character. The structure conveys a feeling of opulence. The strikeis rich and mouthfilling, the tannic grip is svelte and the freshness comes through on the finish. Itfeels more hedonistic. Fine+. From 2011201

StockistsUK:USA:Lea & Sandeman.Robert Kacher.202

Domaine Joseph Voillot, VolnayThis family-run domaine is spread across 35 parcels in Volnay, Pommard, Meursault and Beauneand comprises just over 10ha in total. Jean-Pierre Charlot allows the structure in the wines tocome from the fruit and uses only 15-20% new oak. The wines tasted here expressed lovely fruitpurity and elegance. Harvest started on 23 rd September, six days later than in 2005.KRVolany Vieilles VignesJean-Pierre Charlot notes that old vines with deep roots give good texture and minerality towines. He does not regard the vines as truly old until they are over 40 years.Beautiful, intense aromas of fresh strawberry and cherry. The palate is equally vibrant and brightacidity balances well with the energy of the fruit and the silky tannins. The finish is finelytextured. Very good. From 2009.Pommard Vieilles VignesMulberry and spice. Smoothly textured phenolics are layered with bright acidity and lively fruit.The palate is grounded and shows breadth of fruit, but is not at all heavy. Overall, rather refinedfor a village Pommard. Good+. From 2009.Volnay, CailleretsThis wine was in tank and had been sulphured and racked approximately a week before thetasting.Sour cherry and spicy minerality come together with a lightness of touch. The elegance of themouthfeel is accentuated by the fresh acidity and silky, linear tannins, which form a delicateframework. Particularly good. From 2009/2010.Volnay, FremietsA little more savoury in character than the Caillerets – underbrush and forest fruits on the noselead to a vibrant attack on the palate. The texture of the wine is smooth and the body isdelicately balanced. Minerals assert themselves on the finish. From 2010.*Volnay, ChampansThe fruit is darker, combining redcurrant and damson notes. The palate is sweetly-ripe and atight core of smooth tannins and clear acidity give a defined structure to the fruit. The finish islong and fragrant, hinting at a touch of opulence. Up to fine. From 2010.*Volnay, BrouillardsThe structure and mouthfeel of this wine is tight, toned and focused. The linear form keeps themore expessive fruit contained. There are notes of briar and cranberry. The finish is vivaciousand punchy. Particularly good to fine. From 2010.Pommard, PezerollesNutmeg and cinnamon spice and mulled red berries scent the nose and layer with the acidity andtannins on the palate. The phenolics are fine and offer enough grip and a core of freshness liftsthe finish. Good intensity and length. Particularly good to fine. From 2011.Pommard, RugiensThe vines are situated in Rugiens Bas.203

The nose is deeper and darker with hints of blueberry and loganberry woven with tobacco spice.The strike is bold and the mouthfeel is broader than the Pezerolles. The tannins have tonedmuscle, without being bulky and the fruit is generous on the mid-palate. Particularly good+.From 2012.*Pommard, EpenotsThere is a lovely weight and texture here. The aromas are sweetly-scented with plum and spicedstrawberry. The fruit is woven with muscular, smoothly grippy tannins and the freshness of theacidity brings extra definition to the palate structure. Fine. From 2012.WhiteMeursault, Les ChevalièresA floral aroma, ripe but fresh and very attractive. The fruit is equally ripe on the palate, but notoverly so and there is a pure, fresh acidity giving backbone and leading the finish. Good+ From2008.Meursault, Les CrasAromas of hay and golden peach. The attack is pure and layered with fruit and the mid-palatehas plenty of matter and concentration. The acidity is juicy and this continues on the finish. Verygood to particularly good. From 2009.StockistsUK:SH Jones; Balls Brothers; Harrods; Goedhuis & Co; House of Townend; Adnams; Dudley-Jones Fine Wines ; John Harvey & Sons Ltd204

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The Burgundy Briefingnews, views and tastingsSarah Marsh MWEn-Primeur Tasting White 2006If the domaines in this secion have red wines which were tasted, they will be listed after thewhite.KRDomaine Robert Ampeau et Fils, MeursaultMeursaultThis comes from a parcel in les Crotots and a small plot in Sous la Velle. The vines were plantedin 1975.There is clear minerality on the nose and fresh pure fruit on the palate which is balanced byprecise acidity. It has a rounded texture and a clear bright persistence. Pleasant to attractive.From 2009.*Meursault Blagny, La Pièce Sous la BoisThis 1.5ha parcel is divided into 50:50, red and white. The Chardonnay is planted on the slopeabove the Pinot.Beautifully pure aromas – very clear with notes of white peach and hints of lime blossom. Thepalate has an edgy, fine acidity and a focused finish. Very good. From 2010.Meursault, Les PerrièresAromatically this wine is more opulent and intense – sweetly-fruited apricot and lemon peelemerges on the nose and palate. The mouthfeel balances rounded, ripe fruit with fresh acidityand underlying stony minerality. Particularly good. From 2010/2012We tasted some splendid older vintages at Ampeau, which highlight the ageing capacity of thewines produced here. All the wines were deliciously drinkable now with lovely layers ofcomplexity. Notes are below:Meursault, 1992The warm, sunny perfume with hints of florals alongside toasted nuts and honeyed lemon isseductively complex. Tight and focused acidity cuts through the glossy fruit that coats the palate,creating an attractive balance. Score 16Meursault, 1993This is more taosty, smokier with hints of butterscotch and prune adding intricacy on the noseand palate. Again the acidity provides a youthful streak of freshness that harmonises with richfruit. Showing development, but overly so. The fruit is still plentiful. Score 15.206

Meursault, 1994The fragrance of the wine is wonderfully different again. Herbal nuances are layered with honeyand ripe citrus. The complexity is increased by almost biscuity notes on the mid-palate that addweight and balance the energetic acidity. The structure feels fine and forthright still. Score 16Meursault Blagny, La Pièce Sous la Bois, 1982The toasted nutty notes of developing Chardonnay reveal the complexity age has brought to thiswine. On the palate these elements are balanced by direct and remarkably youthful acidity.Layers of stony minerals are laced with almond, citrus and hay notes. Certainly holding its own,but delicious now. Score 16Meursault Blagny, La Pièce Sous la Bois, 1994The character is more mineral and restrained, especially when compared with the Charmes.Minerality and refinement guide the wine. Savoury notes lead onto a palate that feels tighter andmore controlled that the Meursault 1994. It is direct and possibly a touch more youthful at thisstage. Citrus notes do emerge, but stoniness characterises the wine. Good, but maybe a littlelonger will add to its complexity. Score 16Meursault, Les Charmes, 1991Beautifully golden with the aromas of acacia honey, hay and hazelnut showing plenty ofcomplexity and concentration. Candied lemon and orange peel are layered with acidity andminerality on the palate. There is rounded opulence to the fruit on the palate that continues ontothe finish. Scented and rich throughout. Deliciously fine. Score 18Meursault, Les Perrières, 1985The palate has a glossy, rich and rounded quality. There is still plenty of fruit layered with hintsof smoke and nuts, but a fresh lemon peel character sings through contributing the astonishinglyfresh palate and youthful finish. Stone and grapefruit zest linger on the finish. Score 18Meursault, Les Perrières, 1987Rich, nutty aromas that hint at toasted almonds and ripe lemon. Bright acidity is layered withdeveloped fruit and directed by stony minerality. The finish shows excellent persistence. Score18.5-19Meursault, Les Perrières, 1988Wood smoke, roasted hazelnuts and hints of fudge layer over a taut mineral core. The palate ofthe wine is poised and elegant and the tight acidity draws out a graphite inflected finish. Complexin character, but in no way weighty. There is a delicacy to the intensity here. Score 18.5.Meursault, Les Perrières, 1990More nuttiness and smokiness create a savoury top note to the aromatics that run through thewine. The attack is fresh and leads to generous fruit on the centre of the palate. The finish isdeliciously lemony. This wine has the capacity to hold on if you can resist the temptation to drinkit now. Score 17.5.Puligny-Montrachet, Combettes, 1986There is freshness, lightness and straight focus to the mineral structure of the wine that singles itout as a Puligny. Shale and stone are layered with lemony fruit and savoury notes that linger inthe finish. Ready now. Score 17.Puligny-Montrachet, Combettes, 1993More lifted lemon fragrance is met by chalky notes while rich honey overtones provide depth.The mouthfeel is intense and tightly formed. It is rich and developed, but also elegant and207

precise. Not quite as persistent as expected, but this is a quibble and it is deliciously drinkablenow. Score 17.5.Puligny-Montrachet, Combettes, 1995Graphite minerals sit with honey and caramelized hazelnuts notes. Very concentrated. The attackand mouthfeel exude a richness and opulence. There is good weight and matter on the midpalate,but swathed amongst the fruit is a fine and freshening acidity that peeks through on thefinish. Very good now, but will develop further. Score 18-18.5208

Domaine Michel Bouzereau, MeursaultJean-Baptiste Bouzereau described the weather from spring into June as normal. He said the Julywas and dry, but in August there was a noticeable change that saw the arrival of cold, humid andwet conditions. At the end of August and into September the good weather returned, so hestarted harvesting on the 20 th August. The picking was completed in 10 days. He observed that awarm wind before harvest encouraged the sugar leaves to rise quickly. Overall, he says thehealth of the grapes was good.He did note that one vineyard on the plain, for Bourgogne Blanc and Aligoté, suffered somemillerandage, reducing the yields and ensuring the remaining fruit became very ripe, but ingeneral, yields across the domaine were average.He describes the last three vintages as very different in character: 2004s is very pure and classic,2005 is long-term and 2006 has good weight and acidity. He feels that 2006 is rounder and fullerthan 2005, but in conjunction with lots of fruit there is also lots plenty of elegance.He racked all the wines at the end of August. The village wines and Bourgogne were racked intotank and the premiers crus were racked back into barrel. The intention is to bottle the Bourgogneat the end of October (the Aligoté was bottled in July) and all the rest will follow betweenNovember and January depending on the cuvée.KR*Bourgogne AligotéThere is one hectare of 70 year old vines and another half hectare of younger vines.Delicious fresh aromas of citrus zest and minerals. Animated attack and the energy continues onthe mid-palate. Bright finish. A very delicious Aligoté. Ready now.*Bourgogne2 parcels in Sous la Velle and Magny – the former brings weight and gras to the wines and thelatter contributes finesse and elegance.There is clarity to the citrus fruit and minerality on the nose that remains evident on the palate.Tightly bound and displaying a very refined crispness for a wine of this level. Top notchBourgogne. From 2008.Meursault, Les Grands Charrons4 parcels, 3 in the top section, just under Tessons, where it is chalkier and one at the bottomwhere the soil is deeper and the fruit matures earlier, giving depth and richness to the wine.White peach ripeness is met by chalky minerality. Vibrant attack. The mid-palate starts as roundand rich, then tightness up and provided focus for the finish. Long. Good to very good. From2009/2010.Meursault, Le LimozinSituated beneath Genevrières on south facing slopes of calcareous soils.Plenty of minerals on the nose are layered with lime zest. The palate is rather intense and thereis a serious quality to the linear structure of this Meursault that is buffered by notes of pear andspice. Lovely freshness throughout the palate. Mineral inflected finish. Very good+. From2009/2010.209

*Meursault, Les Tessons50 year old vines.Taut and coiled aromas suggest purity and minerality with hints of white flower blossom. Refinedand finely structured mouthfeel. The fruit is ripe with good gras and the acidity is direct. Lovelyexuberance to the finish. Very good to particularly good. From 2010.*Meursault, BlagnyThis premier cru is higher up and naturally cooler. There is more white clay in the soil here.Restrained aromas hint at lime blossom and citrus fruit. The attack is direct, but not forceful.There is presence and persistence but this is combined with a graceful elegance. Fruit, mineralityand acidity are interlaced throughout. Long finish. Particularly good to fine. From 2011.Puligny-Montrachet, Les Champs GainsWet stone and lime zest. More open and flamboyant than the Blagny. The attack is forward andthe ripe fruit is reined in by a linear acid and mineral structure. The finish is scented with citrusnotes. Particularly good. From 2010.Meursault, Les GenevrièresButterscotch and lemon peel is enticing and almost exotic on the nose. After this expressive nosethe palate structure is more controlled than expected, although plenty of rich fruit still abounds(apricot, candied peel and spice). It is managed by fresh acidity and an elegant finish. Theintensity is clearly evident. Particularly good+. From 2011.Meursault, Les Charmes1 parcel is near Genevrières and another is beneath Clos de Perrières.Ripe lemon and toast give the aromatics an opulent edge. The entry sees the fruit expand andcoat the mouth. On the mid-palate the concentrated richness is balanced with fresh, brightacidity. Particularly good to fine. From 2011*Meursault, Les PerrièresThere is a feeling of building complexity already – orchard fruit, stone and chalk lead awonderfully energetic attack. High-tuned minerals are aligned with citrus fruits and nuances ofspice. Pure, refined and incredibly persistence. Fine to very fine. From 2011/2012.Puligny-Montrachet, Les Caillerets.Rich aromas are met by a hint of wet stone. The upright structure on the palate gives a definedshape to the wine, framed by crisp acidity and hints of lime zest. Long, stony finish. Stylish wine.Fine. From 2010.StockistsUK:USA:Berry Bros and Rudd; Charles Taylor Wines; Lay and Wheeler; The Wine SocietyH. B. Wine Merchants; Noble Wine; Old World Imports.210

Domaine Arnaud Ente, MeursaultAll the wines are racked into tank. They were racked just before harvest. Arnaud Ente plans tofine some before bottling, but will see how they develop now they are in tank.Arnaud Ente comments that the summer was mediocre. June was fresh and cooler than average,then July saw the temperatures increase, but in August the rain arrived and the weather wascolder than average. September’s fine, warm weather brought harvest on more quickly than firstexpected. Here, they started harvest on 30 th September.Arnaud Ente comments that the conditions of 2006 did not favour a particular site and says thatthe fruit was generally healthy, without too many problems with rot for the whites. He notes thatthe texture of the wines on the palate are similar to 2005, but the acidity feels fresher. Heprefers the 2006s to the 2005s, adding that it is more classic and, in this respect, it is more like2004. For drinking, he thinks 2006 should be started after 2005. He also notes that thefermentation of the 2006s was one of the fastest he has seen since he started in 1992.KR*Bourgogne AligotéStony, chalky character. Vibrancy and richness on the palate show excellent depth for an Aligoté.Delicious, expressive mineral finish. Really very attractive. From 2008.Bourgogne BlancScented aromas hint at white flower blossom and lime zest. The fruit on the strike is sweetly-ripeand fragrant giving the palate a lifted freshness. Pleasant to attractive. From 2008.MeursaultProduced from two parcels in Meursault. The blend is approximately 60% from L’Ormeau and40% from Les Casse-Tetes. 25% new oak.Coriander leaf and lime aromas continue to the palate. The attack is lively and the mouthfeel issmooth in texture. A very well proportioned village wine. Very good, From 2009+.*Meursault, Clos des AmbresThis village cuvée is from L’Ormeaux. Arnaud Ente takes some of the best barrels for this wine.Fresh, zesty and concentrated. More compact and precise than the straight Meursault. The fruit iscitrus-scented with notes of hay and fern and the acidity is finely balanced with the ripeness. Ithas a lingering finish. Good+. From 2009/2010.Meursault, Les Petits CharronsThe soil here has a sandier texture and the plot is small, just 0.3ha on the edge of the vineyard.The mouthfeel is slightly broader and the fruit is supple, smooth and layered with bright aciditythat forms a clear streak from the mid-palate to the finish. The finish shows excellent clarity.Good+. From 2009.Meursault, Gouttes D’OrThe aromas are more intense and notes of pear and chalk layer with richer characters of hay.Savoury nuances come from the spice of new oak and pear and lemon fruit is balanced by thefreshness on the palate. Concentrated, but not heavy at all. The finish is very long. Particularlygood+. From 2010.211

Meursault, La Seve du ClosThe vines for this cuvée are situated in Ormeaux. Remarkably zesty and juicy. The minerality andacidity give a delicious mouthwatering tightness and direction to the palate. There is a strongsense of elegance. Medium to long finish. Good+. From 2009.Puligny Montrachet, RefertsHigh toned aromatics of grapefruit zest, nutmeg spice and stoniness emerge on the nose andcontinue on the palate. The structure of the wine is ripe and precise and the minerality draws outthe finish. Particularly good+. From 2011+.StockistsUK: Berry BrothersUSA: Kermit Lynch212

Domaine Jean-Philippe Fichet, MeursaultDavid Verot notes that the harvest was very fast in 2006 because they wanted to preserve thefreshness in the grapes. He said the ripeness turned very quickly over a three-day period.All the Bourgogne appellation level wines are vinified in 600 litre barrels with only 20% new oakto “keep the oak discreet”.KRBourgogne AligotéBottled in early August.Clean, fresh and attractively precise. There is a minerality that underlies the fruit on the palateand freshness is clearly evident giving the wine lift and lightness. Very pleasant. From 2008.Hautes Côtes de BeauneThis was in tank at the time of this tasting.Attractively lemon aromas lead to a palate that is lively and fresh with more citrus notes givingdefinition and energy to the core. The character is direct and attractive. It is eminently drinkable.Pleasant. From 2008.Bourgogne BlancThey blend together parcels from Les Grands Coutures and Les Dressoles for this cuvée.Lime zest and more mineral notes sing through here. Lovely clarity and freshness to the fruit onthe palate. The acidity is bright on the finish. Attractive. From 2008.*Bourgogne Blanc, Vieilles VignesThe vines are situated in Les Pellans and are on average 60 years old.Vivid, zesty character to the fruit on the nose is met by a denser, juicy palate. There is moredepth to the fruit on the mid-palate and the finish is longer and freshly-scented. Very attractiveBougogne. From 2008+.MonthelieThe fruit is bought in for this wine and the average vine age is 20 years old. The aromas aregrassier with underlying stony minerals. The attack on the palate is vigorous and clear. Purecitrus fruit layer with fine acidity. Modest finish. Pleasant++. From 2008/2009.Auxey-DuressesPlenty of lemon and grapefruit notes on the nose and the palate exhibits a more toned structure.The fruit has lovely purity that continues on the finish. Attractive. From 2008+.MeursaultVarious parcels give this wine its character. There are parcels in Criots, Les Clous Dessus, LesNarvaux and Les Limozin.Hay and ripe lemon notes come through on the nose and continue on the palate. There areminerals underlying the acidity and bringing definition to the mouthfeel. Good. From 2009.213

Meursault, Meix Sous Le ChâteauThis site faces west towards the hills.Lovely, delicate intensity runs throughout the wine and the ripe, crystallised fruit has a subtleweight. Fine acidity leads the finish. Good. From 2008/2009.*Meursault, GruyachesOld vines, planted in 1924.The aromas are currently restrained on the nose, but the attack is vibrant and leads to anintensely fruity mid-palate. Ripe, supple white peach fruit is layered with fresh acidity and hints ofchalkiness. Good+. From 2009+.Meursault, Les ChevalièresWarmer, riper aromas of peach stone and orchard fruits linger on the nose and palate. Themouthfeel is smooth and glossy, showing breadth across the palate. The ripeness is restrained byhints of minerality that provide a backbone to the wine. Good. From 2009 onwards.Meursault, TessonsThis is immediately more compact and tightly formed. Bright, glossy fruit sits within the structureand fills out the minerals. There is good concentration and presence. The finish is composed andlong. Very good. From 2010.Meursault, GenevrièresThe grapes are bought in for this wine and this is the first year they have made it. The aromasare spicy and almost exotic. This continues on the palate. Hints of toastiness add complexity andcontribute to the weight in the core of the wine. Very good to particularly good. From 2010.Puligny-Montrachet, RefertsMore minerals are evident and are interlaced with candied peel notes throughout the nose andpalate. There is a streak of fresh acidity that drives the structure of the wine and draws out thefinish. Modest length. Very good. From 2009.StockistsUK: Genesis Wines Ltd; Goedhuis & Co.; Fields, Morris and Verdin/Berry Brothers; The VineTrail LtdUSA: The Rare Wine Company, Sonoma214

Domaine Henri Germain, MeursaultJean-François Germain describes the weather in 2006 as mixed. A god spring was followed by adisappointing summer that was notable for its lack of sun. September brought with is goodweather that pushed along the maturity of the grapes. He started harvesting on the 23 rdSeptember, starting with their Chassagne, followed by the Meursault Charmes, then thePerrières. The village Meursault was picked next, followed by the lieux dits of Chevalières andLimozin, respectively and finally the Bourgogne Blanc.He notes that the health of the fruit for his whites was good, especially for the premiers crus, butstressed that sorting was still important to ensure quality, first in the vineyard and then in thewinery. He feels that the terroirs that naturally produce more mineral wines were the mostsuccessful in 2006, citing his Perrières and Limozin as examples. He states that yields werestable, the quanities for the premiers crus being much the same as 2005. Though maybe a littleless for the Bourgogne and village wines.At this stage Jean-François feels that the 2006s are too young to draw an accurate stylisticcomparison with other vintages. However, in terms of the growing season he compares 2006 to1986 because the maturity of the grapes came on very quickly in September.KR*BourgogneThis wine was racked at the end of August and is now in tank.There are ripe aromas of white peach with rich fruit on the palate and clear acidity. It finisheswith a lift. Very good length on the finish. Attractive wine. From late 2008.MeursaultThis will have up to 20% of new oak.Fresh herbs and ripe lemon with hints of toast adding a spicy note. A vibrant attack leads to arich mid-palate. The fruit has an opulent feel and the finish is drawn out by freshening acidity.Attractive. From 2009.Meursault, ChevalièresThis wine had not been racked and was still in barrel on its lees. There is 20% new oak.More mineral nuances come through the layers of citrus fruit and richness. Fresh aciditycontributes to a lively mouthfeel. Good+. From 2009/2010.*Meursault, LimozinLike the Chevalières this wine is unracked, still in barrel and on its lees. 20% new oak.A little reduced at first then bright, zesty notes start to emerge. Vibrant entry and intense midpalatecharacterised by freshness, ripe stone fruit and citrus pith. Buoyant and persistent finish.Very good to particularly good. From 2010.Meursault, CharmesGermain’s parcel crosses over dessous and dessus, mostly in the higher part, reaching almost tothe top of the climat. The youngest of the vines are 35 years old. There is 20-25% new oak.The extra richness of the aromas is striking; peachy notes are met by floral top notes. The palatefeels expansive and glossy, showing ripeness balanced with fine acidity. Particularly good to fine.From 2010.215

*Meursault, PerrièresThis is a parcel at the edge of Dessous. 35 year old vines. This wine exudes a graceful sense ofcontainment. From the outset mineral restraint is evident; herbs and stony overtones penetrateripe, intense fruit. The core displays plenty of matter, while never losing its elegance. Poised,long finish. Fine to very fine. From 2010/2011.*Chassagne-Montrachet, MorgeotsThe nose conveys perfume, peach stone and chalky minerals and leads to a palate redolent ofground almonds and apricot kernel, laced with clear acidity. An exuberant finish rounds off thislively wine with a fruity, mineral flourish. Particularly good to fine. From 2010/2011.StockistsUK: Domaine Direct; Adnams; Tanners Wines, Lea & Sandeman.USA: Petit Pois Corp.; Sussex Wine Merchants.216

Domaine Patrick Javillier, MeursaultPatrick Javillier comments on maturity: “The difference is in the maturity. The 2006 is at the verylimit. A little more would be too much. In 2007 the evolution was very slow and in 2006 it wasvery quick. In 2006 we began on Wednesday; maybe it would have been better two days before,when the potential alcohol was 13.5, which is the maximum for me. The 2006s were 0.5 degreesmore than the 2005s and that’s the difference. I prefer the situation in 2004 where we addedsugar. But the customer will find 2006 very pleasant.”Patrick felt that the 2006s needed be bottled earlier and this was completed at the beginning ofOctober.Considering the balance between the character of the vintage and of the terroir, Patrick has thisto say. “Take the 1999 which is lovely, but the vintage dominates the aroma. In 2006 the vintageis important but so is the terroir. Of course, because the majority of consumers drink wine youngand the less mineral terroir are always popular, but the more mineral terroir will appeal totraditional customer.” Patrick takes Clos de Cromin as an example. “This is great for the majority,but the traditional person will prefer the mineral terroir such as Tillets” In the more mineralvineyards such as Tillets there is a good balance between terroir and vintage character. Themore mineral vineyards have the balance in 2006 because the ripeness is high in this vintage. Itwas less important in 2005 where the terroir can show through more easily.“I think the UK consumer will prefer 2004 and 2005. They will develop more complexity, while2006 is tight now, but will not have the complexity in ten years time.” However Patrick points outthat at least the 2006s will be tasted at the optimum moment when the 2005 and 2004 will notbe tasted at their best.“2006 was a better vintage for white than for red. The whites had better maturation.”SMBourgogne, Cuvée Les Forgets“The 2005 is only now coming round. The 2006 will be pleasant earlier in life,” says Patrick. The2006 is in tank on lees and will be bottled in November.It is smooth with stone fruit flavours and quite an exotic twist. Very fruit driven with plenty ofcharacter and expression. There is an appealing harmony in the combination of lowish acidity andripe fruit making it a wine for early drinking. Very attractive. From 2008*Bourgogne, Cuvée OligocèneBottled 10 days ago, so understandably quiet on the aroma and Patrick says it showed morecomplexity before bottling.It is silky ripe and citrus on the entry and swells to a ripe middle palate, which is delicious andconcentrated. This is very pleasurable and has some minerality on the finish. It has lots ofcharacter for a Bourgogne. Very attractive. From late 2008Savigny lès Beaune, Les MontchenevoyThis came from Patrick’s mother’s family. It was planted 17 years ago. Patrick comments that italways has more acidity than his other wine and he likes to leave it a year longer. If you have2002 you should drink it. He rates it as among his bestLovely minerality and fresher acidity. It is lovely, fresh, saline and mineral and has firm citrusflavours, vibrant energy and a fruity finish. It is surprisingly attractive. Good. From 2009217

Puligny-Montrachet, Les LevronsThe vines 40 years old. The village Puligny was first to be picked. The vines here need pickingswiftly because they quickly lose their style.Enticing aroma with minerals, saline notes and grilled nuts. Warmer attack than expected. It istight on the middle palate, quite compact and mineral. It is a little dry on the finish, but decentlyprolonged (the dryness is quite probably an effect of the recent bottling) and has fruit and stonyminerality on the finish. This should come round. Good, maybe good+. From 2009* Meursault, Clos Du CrominThis is a very old vineyard with 70 to 80 year old vines. Just 20% was replanted when the rootsdied. Javillier feels that having only old vines is not necessarily best for the wine, but rather tohave the ‘accessibility’ of some younger vines. He didn’t need to rush to pick these old vines.Much more seductive on the nose, rich and a bit heady. An opulent palate, full and plump withconcentrated, generously ripe fruit. It has a lazy feel with some hazy minerality on the finish. Aripe, rich Meursault, delicious in this style. Very good+. From 2008.“The minerality does come back with time,” says Patrick. He found this out in a blind tasting ofolder wines, in which he mistook Clos de Cromin for Narvaux.*Meursault, TilletsThis is light and high. Lemon and citrus on the aroma. It pounces on the attack. A spirited Tillets,which is tight with compact shaley minerality, good focus and vibrancy. This is a narrow winewith a high backbone which relies on its minerality more than its fruit. Top notch Tillets.Particularly good. From 2009.Meursault, Les ClousotsSince 2004 Patrick has put wine from Les Clous and Les Crotots together as the name reflects.This is rich and vibrant with decent momentum to begin with, however the alcohol slows it down.Rather voluptuous and broad with generous fruit to the finish. Notes of ripe orange and passionfruit, slightly tropical and billowing. Lots of concentration and a good, thick sustained finish, butnot my favourite. Very to particularly good. From 2009Meursault, Tête De MurgersThis is a blend of Au Merger de Monthélie with Les Casse-Têtes. Les Casse-Têtes is relativelysteep and its easterly exposure provides the palate with good attack and minerality. Murger facesmore South West. Used alone, Javillier feels that Murger can be a bit heavy, so, rather unusually,he blends the two.This has lightness to the front of the palate, slightly more lifted, yet it is also richly rounded, fulland ripe. There is generous layering of fruit and smooth pencil lead minerality. The wine hasgood harmony, balance and a glossy finish. It is a good example of the vintage’s ripe fruitcharacter with the terroir providing backbone. Particularly good. From 2009/10*Meursault, CharmesElegant, lifted and fragrant with rippling melody and a silky profile. It is subtle and has elegantsubstance and structure. The wine unfurls quietly across the palate to a long, lingering and purefinish. Very Fine. From 2011Corton-CharlemagneThis has a reserved and slightly saline aroma. The structure is immediately apparent; stately andupright with chalky grip and almond bite. The opulence of the vintage shows in the middle palatewhich has rich substance and broad dimension. The finish is powerful. Fine to very fine. From2014218

RedsPatrick comments; “2006 is classic pinot noir from Burgundy. 2006 has lots of fruit and lots ofpleasure. The quality is between 2004 and 2005; less than 2005. In style it is perhaps like 1997;lots of fruit and elegant, but without strong matter.”“Drink 2006 before 2005. 2005 will keep 10 years, while 2006 will be good for 4 or 5 years. Drink2004 red now and for 2-4 years, because the fruit is good but the structure is not so good.”The first reds received sulphur a few days before as they were due for bottling.Savigny-lès-BeauneStrawberry fruits, lively, very fresh and lifted. A fragrant wine with a slight mineral edge,moderate intensity and light tannic structure. Good to very good. From late 2008Savigny-lès-Beaune, 2005This has good depth and ripe morello cherry fruit. There is more intensity and body in the 2005.It is fresh and invigorating with vibrant energy to the finish. Delicious and nicely structured.Score 16. From 2009Aloxe CortonThis came though Patrick’s wife’s family. It is a 40-50 year old vineyard.Crunchy red fruits. Fragrant and nicely fresh on the palate. Good vitality and light fine tanninswith a bit of grip. Very decent village Chorey. Very attractive to good. From late 2008Savigny-lès-Beaune, Les SerpentièreBottled in August.Lovely summer fruits; a bright compote of red fruit. Sweet on the attack with a lightly roundedpalate. It is not particularly intense and has a soft structure, but there is attractive red fruit and alittle grip on the finish. Very good. From 2009Savigny-lès-Beaune, Les Serpentière, 2005In 2005, Javillier tells me, he was the last to harvest the grapes here. Hence the acidity isactually no more than in 2006, although it seems higher.Denser and tenser on the nose. Immediately more rounded on the attack. There is richness inthe middle palate accompanied by juicy acidity. This dances. It is both fragrant and mineral andhas an attractive fresh finish. Score 16.5-17StockistsUK: Justerini and Brooks; Corney and Barrow, Fields, OW Loeb, Lay & WheelerUSA: Total Wines; Langdon Shiverick; Martin Scott Wines; North Berkeley Imports219

Domaine François et Antoine Jobard, MeursaultAntoine Jobard is 29. He studied in Beaune at the Lycée Viticole and has worked with his fathersince 1998. He did some work experience with Jean-Pierre Diconne in Auxey-Duresses. He hastwo sisters, one of whom who is married to Jean-François Germain. In 1860 Antoine’s greatgrandfatherbuilt the house, under which is the domaine’s cellar where we tasted. Before the1860s the family had a few vines.When Antoine joined his father in 2002 the name of the domaine was changed to François andAntoine Jobard. Antoine does not tell people of the name change; only when asked directly. Heseems very self-effacing.I wondered if Antoine had instigated any changes. He looked faintly alarmed, but after thinkingabout it, volunteered that since 2005 they do a little filtration. His father had stopped filtering in1994 but Antoine wanted to begin again, as he considers wines are purer with a little filtration.Antoine has managed all the vinification since the 2004 vintage. “I don’t want to change much aswe have a classic style and I don’t want a modern style. I don’t want new oak. We have 15%-20% but I do not want more than this. We don’t want to do any bâtonnage. There is no addedacidity, no yeast – no…. just a classic approach.”In Bourgogne Blanc and En La Barre there was a little botrytis in 2006. Antoine explains, “Therewas a small storm three days before harvest and in two days the grapes became very ripe sobotrytis developed. These two vineyards were hit because it rained a lot in the summer so theground was humid and when the bad weather came the grapes were too ripe.”I asked him for his impression of the vintage, “It is very early to characterise the vintage; it’seasier after the bottling, but it was a rich year, richer than 2001; a little like 2001, but with moreacidity. There is a little more sugar than in 2005 and little less acidity. Less equilibrium than in2005. The pHs are 3.2 on average for 2006 and 3.1 for 2005. Perhaps the 2006s might drinkbefore the 2004s, which are really tight now and need 5-6 years.”SM*BourgogneThis will be bottled in March.This has lovely ripe fruit, slightly exotic. It is amply rounded with lower acidity, but is nicelybalanced. Delicious. From late 2008/2009.*Meursault, En La BarreRich, deep ripe fruits on the nose; crystallised lemon. The attack is seductive as it rolls onto thepalate. The rich fruit flecked with honey and it hunkers down to a weighty, firm middle palatewith long vigorous finish. It has energetic richness. Good++ From 2009.Meursault, TilletsHigh, slightly perfumed and chalky aroma. The richness of the attack merges with bright acidity.It is very straight on middle palate; elegance and quite energetic with ripe lemony fruit and afinish which is silky and long with a touch of saline on the tail. Very good. From 2009.220

*Puligny-Montrachet, Le TrézinThis has lemon and chalky aromas with hints of gun-smoke and fennel on the palate, which islithe and flowing. Excellent balance and good persistence for village wines. Top notch.Particularly good. From 2010*Meursault, BlagnyAntoine remarks that it was “Beautifully healthy up here, because it was fresh.” This was the lastvineyard to be picked. Together with Trézin, it was picked a week later than the rest.Reserved aroma, slight almondy. It is very straight onto the palate, assertive and direct. A moreaustere style with nuances of aniseed and fern. It gathers momentum and weight on the finish.This Blagny fuses rich fruit with a certain muscular strength. Fine+. From 2010Meursault, PorusotLower and more reticent. It is slightly earthier with a rounded entry to the palate. The ratheropulent and broad palate has a touch of mango ripeness balanced with sweet lime-like acidity. Agenerous sleek wine; a bit of a ‘fat cat’, with a soft, glossy fruit finish. Particularly good+, but notmy favourite here. From 2009/10*Meursault, GenevrièresThe vines are 30-32 years.Very scented with the perfume white flowers. There are notes of jasmine and on the palate,which is also very scented, long, fluid and rich. It had quite lot of weight in the middle palate,where it is smooth and toned. Lovely harmony here. The finish is long and exotically fruity. It isvery stylish. Fine to very fine. From 2010*Meursault, CharmesThe parcel is just under Perrières dessous.This is more reserved; sleekly golden on the nose and a touch mineral. This develops across thepalate, where there is a poised balance of polished minerality and fruit. It has elegant, glassyripeness, a lovely harmony and freshness, and a persistent, smooth stone finish. Very elegant.Very fine. From 2011StockistsUK: Richards Walford. Anthony Sarjeant Fine WinesUSA: Kermit Lynch; Martine’s WinesFrance: Les Caves Taillevent221

Domaine Des Comtes Lafon, MeursaultEverything was racked in July. Dominique was among those who applied to pick before the Bande Vendange on the 18 th . He picked the Chardonnay on the 15 th September. “We really workedon picking dates to be exact; to pick at the right moment.” They finished Meursault on the 20 thand started in Mâcon on the 16th where it took 10 days. For the reds they stopped for 5 daysand picked again from the 25-28 th . The yield was 40-50hl/ha for the whites, which was morethan in 2005. “It was small in 2005, maybe too small.” 30-35 ha/hl for the reds.There is a svelte glossiness to these wines.SM*MeursaultAs usual this comes from 3 vineyards; En la Barre, Luraule and Chaumes des Narvaux. In 2005there was not much premier cru wine declassified to join this, just 10%. In 2006 Dominique willdeclassify 2 barrels of Genevrières to join this blend, although it was not in the sample I tasted.To be bottled in March.This has crystallized fruit aroma and is very expressive on the attack. It is rounded, soft, citrusywith a touch of honey. It is slightly opulent, but fresh and balanced. A supple, ample and lushvillage wine with decent finish. With the Genevrières in will be better still. Very good. From 2009Meursault, Clos De La BarreThis is rich and ample with glossy breadth. I like its flamboyance. It has a gently smoothminerality and some soft acidity comes through on the finish. Very good. From 2009/10*Meursault, Goutte D’OrFour of the five barrels of this are racked and in tank. One barrel had still not finished malolactic.The others finished their malolactic very late. So this wine was at a different stage from theothers in this tasting.This is more obviously adolescent. It has a large rich palate, quite four square and bullishlycompact at the moment. There is power and intensity and plenty of potential here. Fine. From2010Puligny-Montrachet, Champ GainDominique has leased this vineyard for 10 years.This has a floaty, airy character. There are saline note on the palate. It is very lifted andattractive with lively minerality. It is gently streamlined and very long. This has finesses and itsings. From 2009Meursault, GenevrièresSpicy aromatics with a hint of nutmeg and ground coriander, and a heady, floral palate. It isrichly woven, very spicy, golden and sensual with an almost a chunky opulence to the finish. Inthis vintage it is exotic and very expressive, while in 2004 it benefited from being reined it. Fineto very fine. From 2011*Meursault, CharmesMuch more control in the Charmes. It has a more sophisticated palate with ripe minerality and arich, glossy stoniness. It is lithe and ripples with supple, smooth energy across the palate to avery persistent finish. Long, pure and well defined. Very fine. From 2010222

* Meursault, PerrièresThis was the first to be picked for it had reached 13.8. It loses a bit, 0.2, during fermentation.This is very svelte. The minerality shimmers across a palate which is enrobed in satin-ripe fruit.This fruit is lucid and seductive. The silky texture and wet, smooth stone minerality combinebeautifully. It has a long, rich and very polished finish. Very fine to outstanding. From 2010/11*Le MontrachetThe 1/3 hectare, or 32.8 ares, yields 4 barrels at 25 hl/ha.This has power and intensity with white flowers, almost a delicacy to the edges. There is anapple blossom delicacy to the entry of the palate. In the middle it is intricately layered in acomplex millefeuille of pure fruit and floral intensity, flecked with minerality and woven with ripeacidity. The palate is deceptively subtle and the finish is impressively sustained. It is carried onthe perfume and the floral characters. Despite being picked later this wine combines delicacywith power and intensity. Outstanding. From 2012/13Reds“It was fun although it was hard work,” comments Dominique. “I didn’t feel too much pressure.The goal was to pick late on the right dates, and then to sort. This was the reverse of 2007 whenwe picked early. We picked the whites, stopped harvesting, and then did the reds. The weatherat harvest was good. The botrytis came in August and then it remained stable untill harvest. Wedid two sortings, once in the vineyard and once on the table.”“The aim for this vintage was to get cleanness of the fruit and just enough structure, but not tooverdo it.”Lafon did a pre-ferment maceration to lower the temperature of the fruit to 12-13 degrees. Afterfive days the fermentation began. It was quite slow, about three weeks. A peak of 32 degrees,while in 2007 some went to 34 degrees. In 2006 he stopped pigeage before fermentationfinished and changed to some gentle remontage. The press was done 4 to 5 days post ferment.He changed things in 2006 because “I was looking for smooth tannins and end part the postferment is key to this. You have to taste and not to be nervous.”“Pretty much in style for 2000 but better,” says Lafon. “Unlike the 2005s this will open and tasteearlier. The 2005s have clamped down now. This is far more enjoyable and is for earlier drinkingover the next 5 years.”Monthelie, Les DuressesDominique replanted this in 1986, although a few of the vines are 35 years old. The sample Itasted was from old and new barrels. The goal is to keep it on lees until just before bottling inJanuary.Lovely dark fruit aroma. Soft tannins, moderate acidity and slightly peppery fruit. Very attractiveand nicely balanced. Very attractive+. From 2009VolnayThis is made from the young vines which are just 5-10 years oldLovely bright red cherry aroma. Rather seductive on the attack with a lightly rounded palate. It isperfumed and lively with pure fruit and soft tannins. Good. From 2009/10223

Volnay, Clos de ChenesThis was replanted in 1972. The vines are now 35 years old and it will have a little less than onethird new oak.Lovely, bright morello cherry fruit. There is slight perfume and firm, but light tannins and a quitesupple texture. It is quite slight and a little insubstantial for Clos de Chenes, but the fruit isshown off in the best light and it is rather elegant. Particularly good+. From 2010Volnay, ChampansPart of the vineyard is 35 years old and some vines are 18 years old. Lafon remarks that this isthe place that gets the least botrytis. The soil has less clay and drains well.There is plumpness and richness on the aroma and it is slightly floral. The attack is appealingplumped with some luscious pure fruit. There is more gras, substance and ample fruit in themiddle palate than in the Clos de Chenes. The tannins are well managed, rounded and soft. Lotsof fruit on the finish. A lovely lucid wine. Fine. From 2010/11Volnay, SantenotsFull deep cherry aroma. Rather a suave wine with a svelte entry to the palate. The tannins arechamois-leather smooth. The texture is supple and flowing. It is very approachable and has vividfruit. It shows a light touch. Fine+. From 2010/11Volnay, Santenots, 2000This is showing some development on the aroma, but nice fruit too. It is rounded and supplewith some peppery notes. “The 2006 should be better than 2000 as they have a bit more acidityand a bit more fruit,” says Lafon. However the 2000 is surprisingly good and is drinking very wellnow. Drink up your 2000s.StockistsUK: Admans; Dmaine Direct; Justerini and Brooks; Lay and Wheeler; Fields, Morris & Verdin;Tanners.USA: Beaune Imports; Burgundy Wine Company; C’est Vin LLC; Chambers and Chambers;Classic Wines Imports Inc.; Connoisseur Wines; Esquin Imports; Horizon Wines; MichaelSkurnik Wines; Wiens Unlimmited.France: Selection Becky Wasserman, France.224

Domaine Latour-Giraud, MeursaultKRBourgogne BlancThis was in tank, having been blended. Bottling is planned for Christmas.Very zesty and fresh and the fruit is vibrant and accessible, showing generosity. Fresh acidity islaced with the fruit. Very pleasant. From 2008.Meursault, Cuvée Charles MaximeMinerals and florals emerge on the nose. Freshness characterises the attack and mid-palate withbalanced, supple fruit and an intense finish. Good. From 2009.Meursault, Les NarvauxThere is a balance of finesse and richness. Juicy fruit is woven with hints of citrus peel andminerality. The acidity is precise and touches of minerality increase the complexity and focus.Good. From 2010.Meursault, Les BouchèresThis is a small cuvée of only 2 barrels. Lime, spring blossom aromas create a more restrainednose, which belies the richness and concentration on the palate. Toastiness brings weight andtexture to the mid-palate and the acidity helps to draw out the finish. Particularly good. From2010.Meursault, PorusotsMore peachy in character. The opulence and breadth of the fruit create a more muscular, richand strong wine. Spicy notes that hint at nutmeg emerge with stone fruits on the palate. It has arounded mouthfeel and generous finish. Particularly good. From 2010.Meursault, Les CharmesA hedonistic character is reined in on the nose at the moment, but this hints at richness andopulence with notes of fudge and citrus fruit. The palate is more fulsome and mouth coating, butcandied lemon and honeyed notes are unpinned by minerals. Very long. Particularly good to fine.From 2010/2011.*Meursault, Les GenevrièresMore contained and nuanced than the Charmes. The aromas and texture suggest tightly-boundintensity. The oak is absorbed by the fruit, just giving extra matter to the core. The palate isfinely-tuned, scented and reminiscent of crushed petals. Fruit leads the finish, which is long. Fine.From 2011+.Meursault, Les PerrièresThere is an immediate sense of refinement and the minerals dominate and control the fruit.Svelte, chic and smooth with an edgy, nervous quality from the stoniness. Lovely precise acidityand focused mouthfeel give the wine a toned structure. Very persistent. Fine+. From 2011onwards.Puligny-Montrachet, Le Champ CanetA herbal, citrus top note sings on the nose. The ripeness of the fruit is drawn out by a moretense and taut acid/mineral structure. The mouthfeel is stricter than the Meursaults, but there isan underlying richness. It feels more restrained and held back now, but clearly very finelywrought. Particularly good to fine. From 2012.225

StockistsUK: Bibendum; Clarity Ltd; Fortnum & Mason; Thorman Hunt.USA: Classic Wine Imports Inc.; Fine Vines L.L.C.; Stacole Fine Wines. Contact Patrick Lesec,Paris, France.226

Domaine Pierre Morey, MeursaultAn exemplary set of white wines from Pierre Morey.SMBourgogne AligotéThis is a fruity, lively Aligoté with very expressive greengage fruit. It is lively and a little grippy.Certainly attractive. From 2008.*BourgogneA rich Bourgogne with a generous palate, pleasantly fresh acidity and very good vibrancy. Lovelyand energetic. Top notch. From late 2008*MeursaultThere are 3 parcels; Les Pellans, Les Chaumes, Les ForgesThis is really restrained yet has plenty of fruit balanced by silky sweet acidity. Excellent tension,vitality and balance. Plenty of vivid fruit on the finish. Really very good. Top notch straightMeursault. From 2009Meursault, Les Terres BlanchesPierre bought this 2005. This is his first vintage. He has changed the approach to biodynamics.The vineyard was in good condition. It had been organic, but Pierre must wait until 2009 for it tobecome certified biodynamic. The average age of the vines is 27 years old.Wonderful intensity and verve. It has lively freshness, a taut mid palate shimming with soft glintsof minerality and a purposeful finish. Very Good+. From 2010*Meursault, TessonsThis is a rich Tessons. Peachy. There is a glossy thickness to the attack. The palate is verystraight, but has girth. Sweet acidity runs along the top with a smooth stone minerality. It is verycontained and focuses in upon a long and powerfully dense finish. Particularly Good+. From 2010*Meursault, PerrièresMany of the whites in 2006 are for early and mid-term drinking, but this is a good example of awhite wine which should age effortlessly over a decade and perhaps into a secondThere is a pure, vital current of minerality and energy here. It is tight onto the palate, veryfocused and vigorous. It has an excellent balance of ripe fruit and racy minerality with brightpoints of tension and a deep, long dark stone finish. Very fine. From 2012*Bâtard-MontrachetPierre’s father planted this in 1965. This is another wine which will repay ageing.This has great volume, strength and muscular intensity. The palate is broad and full in girth withdeep, smooth stone minerality. It has huge tension and substance. Outstanding. From 2012.227

RedThe reds now represent 30% of Pierre’s production. “Pinot Noir in 2006 was a lot of work. Whitewas easy to produce after the table de tries, but reds! The first thing was to be very precise inthe sorting and then not to do a lot of extraction.” Pierre’s daughter Anne is now the chief of redwine. These were racked recently and are in cask now.BourgogneSimple lively wine with bright red fruit and light tannins. Attractive. From 2008MonthelieBlack cherry fruit with notes of liquorish and fresh acidity. Slight astringency. Attractive. From2009Meursault, Les DurotsPlumpish with red cherry fruit, medium body, modest intensity and fresh acidity. There is a slightherbaceous quality to the tannins. Attractive. From 2009Volnay, SantenotsMore perfume on the aroma. More and better fruit on the palate and firm tannins. Gentlyrounded, but a bit slight for Santenots. Good. From 2010Pommard, Les Grands-EpenotsDarker hedgerow fruit on the aroma. It has sweet fruit first impression, decent density andbreadth. There are bramble fruits and slightly chunky tannins. A robust wine with a fair finish.Very to particularly good. From 2011www.morey-meursault.frStockistsUK: Justerini & Brooks; Lay & Wheeler;USA: Wilson Daniels Ltd.228

Domaine Guy Roulot, Meursault“It was a serene vintage with very quick maturity over 25 days. Because the grapes ripened veryquickly it was a more fragile vintage and we needed to work fast. We started on the 16thSeptember. There is more acidity in 2005 and in 2007 there is more again.”“2006 is an ‘easier’ vintage than 2004 and 2005. It will be easier to drink for 3 to 5 years. Goodfor restaurants. It is not a vintage for ageing a long time. I think perhaps the terroir withminerality will show in a better way. It is a little bit supple. The acidity is not as good as 2004and 2005 and it reminds me of the way the 2000 tasted at the beginning after the 1999 whichwas high acidity level. In 2000 there was rain before the harvest which diluted the degree andthe acidity. So at the beginning the 2000 seemed very accessible. But some of the 2000s areageing surprisingly well.”The weather conditions. “August was raining. There was mildew trouble on the leaves, so theend of the maturity process was difficult. The Ban de Vendange was on Monday 18 th Septemberand it was too late. 2006 and 2007 were very different. In 2007, time was with us. We could andshould wait, but with the mildew we had a small window of 5 or 6 days after the Ban in 2006 andthen the fruit changed. It turned becoming brûlée. We picked Luchets and Vireuils last as theyare north east facing and colder.”“There is less acidity on the 2006s in general. The potential alcohol at picking was 12.96 up to13.6 for Bouchère. The ban was too late. Although we asked to pick 4 days earlier, the degreewas still 13.6.”In order of quality Jean-Marc Roulot rates recent vintages. “First the good 2002, then 2004, the2005s, then 2006 and lastly 2003, which I don’t like, although I liked to vinify it.”“Now I would drink 2001 and 2003 and drink up the 2000. Leave the 2005 and 2004 and the2006 for now.SM*Bourgogne AligotéThis was in bottle in July.This has vibrant aromas with a touch of stone and lemon. Sweetly fruity and supple with bit ofgrip. It has a a savoury note and slight mineralality at the end of the palate. Very open andaccessible. Lovely Aligoté. Near term drinking.*BourgogneThe malolactic was late. It is still on its main lees and will be bottled later than usual because oftiming issues with the 2007s vintage.This has a nutty, biscuit aroma. Bright fruit, nicely ripe, but also lively. It is lightly rounded, butnot too full; gently curved at the edges and it finishes with a good gravely grip. Very attractiveand accessible. From 2009229

Meursault, VireuilsIt is higher on the slope, but not that exposed; almost flat. This is dessous. The dessus is moreexposed and sometimes better, but it is near to the trees.There is some reduction. A rich first impression with very ripe fruit and a hint of greengages. It isdistinctly mineral with a kerosene top note and a firm stony character. The finish is decently long.Good+. From 2009Meursault, LuchetsThis has a lifted perfume on the the aroma and a straight pounce on the attack. The minerality isimmediately apparent. A direct, quite slight-bodied wine with lively energy and vivid lucidity in itsfruit. Very good. From 2009*Meursault, Meix ChavauxJean-Marc will keep this and bottle in March.Real warmth and ripe richness on the aroma. Golden on the attack, rounded, supple, svelte, yetthe acidity is chalky and straight and carries this wine on the finish. Good depth and dimensionwith a firm, slightly more austere finish. This has rich presence. “The gras is the typicite of MeixChavaux,” says Jean-Marc. Very good to particularly good. From 2009/10*Meursault, TilletsSlightly more East facing, than the North-East of Vireuils and it is harvested a few days beforeLuchets.This wine sparkles and dances with vivid and elegant ripe fruit. There is depth in the middlepalate, but it is very contained and direct with a smooth sheen of minerality, which becomeschalky on the finish. The greengage fruit is fluid and lithe. It is a very well mannered wine,intense, focused and elegant. Particularly good+. Top notch. From 2009/10*Meursault, Tessons, Cuvée De Mon PlaisirThis has gloss and sleek, elegant minerality, yet it is broader than the Tillets and has more overtpower on the finish with weight and fruit. It has a toned fitness versus the more ethereal Tillets,The finish is assertive and long. Another excellent Lieut-dit. Particularly good+. From 2009Meursault, Bouchère“Here the slope is very steep and the maturation in the vineyard is always faster,” remarks Jean-Marc. “The sunny aspect makes it necessary to pick it earlier than the others.” After malolacticthe pH was 3.27, the TA was 3.6 and it had 13.5 potential alcohol despite being harvested 4 daysbefore the Ban. Jean-Marc describes it as ‘greedy wine; gourmand wine.’It doesn’t show this richness overly on the aroma, which is ripe and slightly honeyed. The palateis more obvious with unctuous and somewhat tropical fruit, amply rounded and loose knit in themiddle; a crochet texture rather than fine filigree. However it comes through well enough on thefinish, relatively fresh with a note of crystallised fruit. Very good+. From 2009/10Meursault, CharmesA smooth and gentle Charmes. It has a polished, rounded, supple palate. Quite intense and verywell balanced, it ripples in a well mannered way to the finish. It is perfectly charming, but doesnot have the depth and definition of the Perrières. Fine. From 2010230

Meursault, PerrièresMuch more lively on the nose, which is lifted and mineral. This is smooth and sleek and hasdistinct definition and depth. The structure is layered and complex. The finish is focused andlaced with fine minerality. A sophisticated wine. Very fine. From 2010StockistsUK: John Armit Wines; Domaine Direct;USA: Kermit Lynch; Michael Skurnik Wines.231

Domaine Martelet de Cherisey, BlagnyThis seven hectare domaine is run by husband and wife team Hélène De Cherisey and LaurentMartelet who have four children. They have been working on their domaine since 2003. Everything here is premier cru.They picked the whites on the 23rd September and the reds a week later. The red needed a lotof selection, partly because of some botrytis. The whites have no bâtonnage and no rackingduring the year. The natural alcohol was 13.5 to 14.5 and the pH at harvest 3.2 in 2006. While in2005 the degrees was 14 and the pH 3.15 at harvest.“The maturity in 2006 is different,” remarks Laurent, “lots of sun in July, lots of rain in August,but the quality was made in September, which was fine.”Laurent suggests one starts drinking the 2006s at the end of 2008. “2006 is very aromaticwithout the minerality which naturally occurs here. For the Chardonnay it is more about thevariety than the terroir and the pinot noir is very fruity.”The wines are still in wood and will go into bottle in December. They would normally leave themfor 18-20 months instead of about 14 months, but Laurent considers they need no more time inwood. (30% new and 70% in one to three year old wood.)“You normally find that Hameau comes forward first, then Chalumeaux and then MeursaultBlagny, but in 2006 the Blagny and the Hameau have greater expression and the Chalumeaux ismore retarded.SMWhitePuligny-Montrachet, Les ChalumeauxThese are very old vines planted in 1946.Lifted melon and pear aromatics. The palate has plenty of ripe fruit too; luscious white pear andsubtle florality. It is fresh enough and nicely rounded; soft and seductively attractive. It has amodest finish. Very good. From late 2008Puligny-Montrachet, Les Chalumeaux, 2005Rich aroma, but tight too, golden and nutty. It is very expressive on the palate, perfumed,rounded, lush and slightly exotic, but with a nice, light earthy thread of minerality which carriesonto the finish. This minerality did not show last year at this point, so it may become apparent onthe 2006s. A decent finish. Score 16.5. From 2008*Puligny-Montrachet, Hameau De BlagnyThis is intense and directed with a touch of gravelly, mineral character cloaked in the fruit. Lovelypure palate with stone fruit, white peach, some grip and the finish is focused and carries well.There is good matter here in the middle palate and the wine has vigour. Fine. From 2008232

Puligny-Montrachet, Hameau De Blagny, 2005This has a very attractive aroma, taut and slightly floral. The palate is straight and controlled withcool minerality, which is steely. It is ripe, but with a very toned fit vigourous profile. Intensity andtension carry to an assured finish. Score 18. From 2009*Meursault Blagny, La GenelotteThe exposition here is different to Hameau de Blagny. The vineyard is the other side of a dip.There is no stone in this vineyard, rather it has a deep agile soil. Probably because of the deeperclay soil it is fresher. In 2005 the vines were less stressed than the Hameau de Blagny and in2006 Laurent mentions that the soil is colder, 10 degrees rather than the 12 degrees on thePuligny side in 2006 in August when it rained.There is wet stone minerality to the nose with some fragrant white flowers. Much thicker on theattack with a rich ribbon-like palate, which is quite broad, but straight and smoothed at theedges. It has moderate intensity and slow purposeful, very controlled energy. The acidity is goodand balances the nicely ripe fruit. Not as mineral as the Puligny perhaps, but nicely fresh on thefinish. Particularly good to fine. From 2009/10Meursault Blagny, La Genelotte, 2005This is lower toned with rich ripe pear fruit and seductive scent. On the palate there is generousfruit, an expansive profile, good breadth and smooth stone. It is very smooth and more looslyknit than the Hameau. A very open and sunny wine. Score 17. From late 2008/2009RedBlagny, La GenelotteThis is quite perfumed, high toned with a touch of iron filings. Threre is a soft entry to the palate,which is light-bodied and gentle with billowy tannins, sweetly ripe red fruits and just sufficientacidity to be fresh. Not a great deal of focus, but softly fruity and attractive for near-termdrinking Attractive. From 2008Blagny, La Genelotte, 2005Firm, fruity morello cherry aromas. The attractive ripe fruit is brightly expressed. It has ripetannins which are finely grained and there are glimmers of black chocolate. A lively palate with areasonable finish. Score 15.5. Drink now 2008.StockistsUK: Justerini and BrooksUSA: Le Serbet (Becky Wassermann)233

Domaine Alain Chavy, Puligny-MontrachetAlain Chavy noted that the young vines struggled in 2006 because their roots are not as deepand they less able to cope with the vagaries of the weather. He said that May and June weremostly warm and dry and that the big change came in August with cool, wet and humidconditions. Like many other growers, he felt that the good weather that returned in Septemberenabled the grapes to ripen completely. To emphasise this point he observes that his lowestnatural degrees of potential alcohol at harvest were between 13-13.5.Weather was good at harvest and picking started on 20 th September at this domaine, lasting for6 days. Alain Chavy says there was a small amount of rot to contend with after the conditions inAugust, but overall the yields were a little bit larger for them than in 2005. When comparing thestyle of two vintages he says that 2005 was rich and elegant, but 2006 is more aromatic and richwith slightly higher alcohol levels. He feels that the acidity is similar between the two vintages.Alain Chavy thinks that the 2006s will be drinking before the 2005s and the 2004s. At themoment his preference would be to drink 2006 first, followed by the 2005s and then, lastly,2004, which he feels have a balance between elegance and acidity that gives ageing potential.Introduction KR.Tasting Notes SM*Puligny-MontrachetThis is nicely rounded, firm, tense and mineral. It has pure, glossy fruit and a good tight finish forvillage. Good+ From 2008Saint-Aubin, En RemillyThis is floral and exotically perfumed. It is rounded and has plenty of very attractive fruit. Notespecially profound, but generous and ripe. Very good. From late 2008/2009Puligny-Montrachet, Les CharmesThere is richness and decent intensity on the nose. The fruit is very ripe, quite glossy andmoderately intense. There is good tension and firm wet stone minerality. Very good. From late2008Puligny-Montrachet, Les Champs GainsThis has a high-toned perfume. It is bright with keen citrus fruit, vivacious energy and tautminerality. A neatly defined wine. Very good++. From late 2009*Puligny-Montrachet, Les PucellesA very floral aroma. There is more intensity here and a fine, delicate texture. It is elegant withrippling fluid fruit which really sings. The palate is layered quite intricately and the finish is firmand long. Particularly good to fine. From 2010*Puligny-Montrachet, Les ClavoillonsThis is round and rich with a glossy weight and a full body. The dense fruit is pierced by firm,smooth minerality. It is more serious. Particularly good to fine. From 2009234

*Puligny-Montrachet, Les FolatièresThis is expressively aromatic. The richness on the palate is cut through with high perfumednotes. There is smooth stone minerality, good depth and plenty of vigour. It is toned andcompact and has an assertive long finish. Fine. From 2009StockistsUK: Fields, Morris and Verdin/ Berry Bris.; Christopher Piper Wines; Enotria Wines; CharlesTaylor Wines.USA: Diago, Chateau and Estate Wines.235

Domaine Jean-Louis Chavy, Puligny-MontrachetHarvest started here on 19 th September, the day after the Ban de Vendenge. They started withthe Les Charmes, then picked the premiers crus and finished with the Bourgogne. Jean-LouisChavy states that in 2006 the acidity was not as elevated as 2004 because of the rapid increasein ripeness that came with the sunny weather in September. Again, the natural degrees herehighlight this point, averaging between 13-14 degrees.Jean-Louis Chavy also believes that the 2006s will be pleasantly accessible while young andready to drink early. However, in contrast to Alain Chavy, he then thinks that the 2004s shouldbe opened and that the 2005s should be waited for. He explains this by describing the 2005s asstrong and needing time. He believes the higher acidity in 2004 means they will need more timethan the 2006s, which are good quality, while being very expressive already. In 2006 he feelsyou should wait up to 4-5 years for the village wines and 6-7 years for the premiers crus.The wines have been racked once on 14 th July.KR*BourgogneCurrently racked to tank.Very pretty aromas of dried petals, white peach and apple blossom. The palate has brightenergy, but remains delicate and accessible in structure. Very attractive Bourgogne. From 2008.Puligny-MontrachetThe village Puligny is made up of 10 different parcels that are vinified together. The parcels varyin location. Some are to be found in Tremblots and some are near Meursault.Cool minerals and orchard blossom scent the wine. Vibrant attack and intense core. Fresh aciditygives the ripe fruit a sense of equilibrium. Good+. From 2009.Puligny-Montrachet, Les CharmesSpicy florals and ripe lemon with hints of stone are evident on the nose and palate, which arevery expressive. More intense fruit than the straight village and maybe a touch more extravagantin character. The finish is layered with fruit and minerality. Good+. From 2009.*Puligny-Montrachet, Champ-GainsSpice and citrus aromatics which maintain a sense of control. The palate is less overtly opulent,more structured and tightly concentrated. The acidity is fresh and there is good energy andelegance to the fruit on the finish. Very good to particularly good. From 2010.Puligny-Montrachet, Les Perrières20 year old vines.Pretty and pure with pear, citrus and a touch of vanilla spice. Minerality on the palate is plumpedout by ripe fruit. The finish is as fragrant and scented as the nose. There is gentle, if possiblydeceptive, accessibility to this wine and certain finesse. Particularly good. From 2010/2011.Puligny-Montrachet, Les Clavoillons55 year old vines.There is a lovely density to the aromas and to the core of this wine. The strike is lively and theminerality zesty, which lightens the concentrated character. Bright, citrus fruits linger on thefinish. Particularly good to fine. From 2011.236

Puligny-Montrachet, Les FolatièresA little more closed than the Clavoillons, but ripeness and minerality are evident. There is plentyof ripe matter in the core of the wine. The attractive fresh acidity gives the wine an uprightbackbone which is emphasised by an underlying chalkiness. The finish displays clarity and length.Fine. From 2011.StockistsUK:USA:A & B Vintners; Berry Bros & Rudd; J.T. Davies; Decorum Vintners; H & H Bancroft;Thorman Hunt; Lay & Wheeler; Mayfair Cellars; Christopher Piper; Roberson WineMerchant; Charles Taylor.Château and Estate Wines.237

Domaine Benoît Ente, Puligny-MontrachetFour days before the Ban de Vendange Benoit phoned the INAO and the technicians came toPuligny to analyse the grapes. “The maturity moved very quickly and the acidity was decreasingfast. We started on the 14th September and finished on the 19 th . We picked Aligoté on the 14 th at13%. The Hameau de Blagny reached 13.75.”“The 2006 has more alcohol, more maturity and is rounder than 2005. The acidity is between2004 and 2005. I much prefer the 2004s to the 2005s. 2004 is magnificent and I really like theacidity. The 2005 is very lovely and elegant, but I would like a little more acidity here and in2006. So I like 2004 a little more than 2005, and 2006 is in the middle.”In this vintage Benoît is using 300 litre casks because the oak will be less present than whenusing the traditional barrique. The wine was bottled in August before the 2007 vintage.There is one new appellation - Hameau de Blagny. The vines are next door to Martelet deCherisey. Benoît works the vineyard and has to buy the grapes. He has also acquired a little morePuligny and a bit more Aligoté.An excellent set of wines from this talented young grower. I could happily star all of them. Thisvintage seems to suit the style of Benoît Ente more than the 2005s. The domaine style isfocused, mineral and direct and very pure.SMBourgogne AligotéThe Aligoté needed a green harvest to the tune of 40%. It is a young vineyard on its 3 rd harvest.It is on cordon to control the yield. Clone 264.Nicely fresh and citrus. Really straight, slightly mineral, vibrant and fresh. Jolly nice. Spot on.*Bourgogne BlancTwo parcels one in Puligny (80%) and one in Meursault. The vines in Puligny are 35-50 years old.Pear and perfume with some floral characters on the aroma. This is very straight, very pure,fresh and direct. This is typical of the style here. It is quite light and has a touch of mineralityand citrus fruits. An attractive Bourgogne.Puligny-MontrachetBenoit had 8 ouvreé and now he has 12 spread among 4 parcels.Attractive nashi pear and white fleshed stone fruit. This is also pure and direct. It has someweight, certainly there is a sense of ripe fruit in the middle palate, but it is nicely fresh and theminerality really carries this wine to the finish. It is well defined for village wine. Good to verygood. From 2008*Puligny Montrachet, ReferetsThis is high toned and elegant on the nose and has a hint of satsuma with the citrus fruit. Asmoothness characterises the front and middle palate, whichs is satin supple, yet really homes into become much more vivacious, mineral and focused. Rather pure and finely balanced with anenergetic finish. Particularly good to fine. From late 2008/9238

*Puligny-Montrachet, Champ GainThis is rather quieter on the nose. The palate is pure and direct with an iridescent thread ofminerality through the core. It has a lean and straight profile with a tight backbone, pared downflesh and good vitality. The tension carries to the finish. Possibly fine. From late 2008/2009Puligny-Montrachet, Hameau de BlagnyThis is new for Benoit. There are just 426 bottles. The vines yielded just 20 hl/ha which shows inthe ripeness and concentration here. It is aged in 100% new oak in larger 300 litre casks.Spicy firm aroma, floral and scented on the palate. It is very expressive. After the Champ Gainthe opulently ripe and exotic fruit here seems looser knit and a little hazy at the edges. Theacidity is just sufficient, but is notably bolstered by a robust, cold minerality which gives thepalate a firm backbone and propels the wine to the finish. An unusual dichotomy of very scented,fully ripe fruit and very keen minerality. Particularly good to fine. From late 2008/9*Puligny Montrachet, En La RichardeThis comes from top left corner of Folatière next to Peux Bois. It is calcareous and rocky and ona steep inclination with S-S/W exposition. The vines are 45 years old.It is tight and very compact; stony with taut coiled energy, minerality and plenty of tension. Apowerful, direct wine, which has gras and becomes more expansive and vigorous across thepalate. The ripe fruit is spicy, perfumed and has an earthy minerality. It is very long. Fine,possibly very fine. From 2010StockistsUK: Fields, Morris and Verdin.USA: Kermit Lynch239

Domaine Leflaive, Puligny-MontrachetPierre Morey (régisseur) and Eric Remi (Cellar Master) at Domaine Leflaive recollect the seasonas it affected this domaine:They started harvesting the 20 th with Bourgogne Blanc for two days, before they rushed to thepremiers crus and grands crus, returning to the Bourgogne afterwards; the young vines were thelast to be picked on the 27th and had reached 14.2 potential alcohol. The average was 13.5.Domaine Leflaive was among the few domaines that picked ‘later’ and retained balance andfreshness, restrained energy and minerality. The wines will be bottled between March and May in2008.Pierre comments on the drinking dates for the three most recent vintages. “The 2005 will begood as a young wine, in middle years and as an old wine. The 2004 is interesting young. It haspurity and minerality and with food will be lovely this year or next year, but the best time for2004 will be in 5-10 years. The 2006 will be good in middle age, 5-10 years, but if the wine hasgood purity, it has the possibility to last for 20 years, but if very ripe then no.”SMMâcon, VerzéThere are five parcels in Mâcon Verzé (9.3 hectares) including the 3 hectare parcel ‘Les Chenes’which is not yet made under a separate label. Chenes is on the East side, facing west. The soil isstony. Pierre remarks on the north wind which funnels through the valley. “This is the mostimportant aspect. It is very fresh and causes the harvest to start after Puligny.”They comment that it usually rains more here than in Puligny. “For us it is the first vintage herewith a normal yield. The grapes were healthy. We harvested a little later than in Puligny,beginning on the 24th and finished on the 1 st October.” The Chenes is riper. The parcel called EnPerret has the most acidity and makes a good blend with the riper Chenes. These two parcelsrepresent 55%.This is appealingly citrusy and very ripe on the palate. It is freshly mineral, while carring quitesome weight. The amply rounded middle palate has decent acidity and the finish is full and fruity.Very attractive indeed. From late 2008.*BourgogneThis is from two parcels. Some of the vines are quite young at 15 years old. The remainder are25 years old.Fruity and expressive aroma with pears and limes. It has a good attack for Bourgogne. Thegenerously rounded body has plenty of ripe fruit, which is balanced by lime-like acidity. A glossyBourgogne. Top notch. From late 2008*Puligny-MontrachetAs noted previously Domaine Leflaive was among the few that picked later and retained balanceand freshness. This can be illustrated here. Before malolactic the acidity in this was 4.0 and pH3.25.Expressive and vibrant palate with firm, earthy graphite minerality and juicy acidity. The fruit isrich, ripe and broad with surprising steel behind it. Top notch. This is the best village Puligny Itasted. From 2009240

Meursault, Sous Le Dos D’AneYoung vines, one third of which were planted in 2005 and two thirds in 2003. A massal selectionfrom Clavoillon and Pucelle was used for the most part.Golden aroma. This is ripe and slightly exotic with notes of ripe papaya and spice, but nicely it iscontained with a glimmer of peppery, spicy minerality on the finish. A harmonious Meursault.Very good+. From 2009Puligny-Montrachet, ClavoillonThs has a slippery gold quality to the aroma. It glides on to the palate, suave and ripe. It issubtly curvaceous, well groomed and self possessed and ripples seductively to the finish. There isgood intensity and polished minerality. A smooth operator. Fine. From 2010*Puligny-Montrachet, Folatières26 year old vines.This is much more mineral on the aroma. The palate is ripe at first, but tight in the middle. It isnot as forward and expressive as the Clavoillon, but much more impressive. There is a finelywrought quality to the structure and although the palate has breadth it shows a light touch.There is tension and balance. The fruit flavour is flecked with fennel and almond and silkyminerality shimmers through the palate to the fine finish. Excellent Floatières. Fine to very fine.From 2010/11Puligny-Montrachet, CombettesThis is on a slight slope and the soil warms up quickly. The grapes are always very mature,comments Pierre Morey, and the stones are like layered plates describes Remi Eric. There is 40-50 cm of top soil in between these stones. Clavoillon is much nearer the water table, while herethe water drains away. The vines are at least 36 years old. Given the comments on the soil,which were made last year, I wondered what this would be like in 2006…a warm place, but welldrained… It was picked midway through the harvest.The aroma is ripe, but not overt and a little honeyed. The first impression on the palate is riperthan the nose suggests. There is a lot of spice, exotic flowers and honeysuckle. The middlepalate is broad, but focuses on a taut steely spine. The minerality is more severe with a darkpolished stone character. A fit and vigorous energy carries to the assured finish. The ripeness ofthe vintage is contained and the palate given definition by the terroir. Fine++. ExcellentCombettes, but I prefer the Folatières. From 2010/11*Puligny-Montrachet, PucellesLeflaive has 3 of the 7 hectares of Pucelles in two strips though the middle of the vineyard, so itgives a comprehensive expression of the cru.This is closed on the aroma, but the palate flows in a fluid ribbon of velvet fruit, rich florality andsweet acidity. It has more depth and intensity than the excellent Floatières. It combines floralelegance with power. A wine with poise, presence and precision. Don’t be lured by the sheerindulgence of fruit into opening this wine too soon. Very Fine. From 2011Bienvenues-Bâtard-MontrachetThe parcel is 1.15 of the 4 hectares and lies close by Pucelles.This is very rich on the aroma and spicy. The wine is bold on the attack; broad and powerful anda touch honeyed. After the Pucelles the palate seems a little ponderous, rather than profound,and it is a touch out of focus at the moment. It is a massive, muscular masculine wine with a bigfinish. Probably very fine, but I would like to try it again. With some patience this should sortitself out. From 2013241

Pierre agreed that it is a little out of focus and if he had to bottle now he would need to fine it tomake it more precise. But of course it will be left over the winter with no fining. “He is a teenagerwho runs every which way.”Bâtard-MontrachetGreat strength and power on the aroma which is honeyed, contained and dense. The palate ismore vigorous than the Bienvenues, more focused and defined. Great depth and presence. Avigourous wine with toned physique, but not overly muscular. A cut above the Bienvenues andthe finish is more sustained. Very fine+. From 2013/14*Chevalier-MontrachetVery stony, contained and perfumed. The palate is sleeker at the edges than expected fromaroma. There is lovely ripeness here and generosity on the pouncing attack, but it tightens tobecome dense and compact, revealing glimpses of a steely spine running through the palate. Ithas powerful, coiled energy and a certain austerity. This shows the vintage, but the terroirdominates, while in the Bienvenues and the Bâtard the vintage is more present. On the finish itprecise, rich and deep. The stony minerality grows with the palate and lasts, long and lingering,with a hint of chalk. Among my favourite white wines of the vintage. Outstanding. From 2013/14Le MontrachetThere is lifted perfume on the Montrachet accompanied by floral notes. The palate is verycomposed. Quiet to begin with, it unfurls in a satiny, elegant, fluid melody across the palate. It issophisticated, but reserved. It is beautifully balanced and executed with fine minerality andintensity. However it really reveals its potential on the marvellous and effortlessly long finish. Thisis not a massive wine. It is decidedly more refined than the Bâtard and Bienvenues and lessaustere than the Chevalier. It has perhaps more poise and certainly has more reserve than theChevalier. Outstanding. From 2013/14StockistsUK:USA:John Armit Wines; Corney & Barrow.Wilson Daniels Ltd.242

Domaine Paul Pernot, Puligny-MontrachetPaul Pernot started harvesting on the 25 nd and the wines are very ripe, although I am told theacidity is at the same level as in 2005.After some impressive wine in 2004 and 2005, I find the wines a little too ripe and fleshy withoutthe clear terroir focus and good definition of other vintages. Of course the more importantappellations handle this better.SMBourgognePerfumed aroma and a rich palate with ripe pear and mango fruit. It is soft and accessible.Pleasant. Ready.Puligny-MontrachetRich and somewhat heady village Puligny. It is soft, loosely knit and has unctuous, ripe, tropicalfruit in its broad palate. Very expressive and the fruit is attractive, but not very typical. Veryattractive. Ready.Puligny-Montrachet, Clos de La GarenneThis has a higher toned, very fruit driven palate, which is slightly tropical but more in the kiwifruit spectrum. It is also soft and loose knit and a tad short on focus, although the mineralitykeeps it relatively energetic. Ready.Puligny-Montrachet, FolatièresPretty ripe aroma with spicy mandarin and honey notes. This is opulent, soft and ripe with morethan a touch of chunky Oxford marmalade about the fruit. Rather delicious, but not typical andlacks the firm minerality and structure one expects here. Very good. Drink soon. From 2009Puligny-Montrachet, PucellesThis is laidback, supply rounded and ripe. It is certainly very pleasant, but it meanders across thepalate with dreamy lethargy and without a great deal of focus. However there are some nicefloral notes and soft minerality which comes though especially on finish, which is quite long andwafting. Particularly good. From late 2008Bienvenues-Bâtard-MontrachetSpicy aroma with nutmeg and ground coriander, which also comes across on the palate. This hasmore energy and the acidity is more apparent. It is broad and buxom, but it suits this wine.Crocheted complexity rather then a filigree. It has an exotic perfume and earthy minerality,golden and unctuous. In this wine the terroir does stand up to the vintage ripeness. It is softerand not as well defined as usual, but a sumptuous feast of fruit never-the-less. Fine. From 2010Bâtard-MontrachetThe Bâtard is better then the Bienvenues this year. It is rich and ripe and broad but morecontained. Cool, smooth minerality provides a more precise undercurrent to the structure. Thereis a more solid architecture here and the finish is very long and powerful. The terroir powersthough. Fine++. From 2011243

StockistsUK:USA:Robert Rolls & Co.; The Winery.Little Wine Company and Atherton244

Domaine Etienne Sauzet, Puligny-MontrachetGérard Boudot describes 2006 as a very rich vintage despite the bad weather conditions inAugust. Three weeks of bright, warm weather in September worked to turn things around. Hementions the rain at the start of harvest which necessitated speedy picking before the onset ofbotrytis. Harvest started on the 18 th September and was completed within one week. He alsonotes a big difference between the natural potential alcohol at the beginning and end of harvest,ranging from 13.7-14.2 degrees.He describes the acidity as good, drawing parallels between 2005 and 2006 and the style ofanother pair of consecutive vintages - 1985 and 1986. He elaborates saying that 2006 remindshim of 1986, where richness was balanced with good acidity. He thinks the vintage is mostsuccessful for sites that are located at the top of the slopes, where limestone and minerality helpbalance the richness.In terms of longevity and ageing, Boudot explains that the acidity is accessible, so it will bepossible to try the wines when they are young, but he also thinks they will age for 7-8 years.After élévage, if they still resemble the 1986s, they would be capable for going further ageing.KRBourgogneThis was bottled at the beginning of August.Initially aromas are delicate, but gain in expression and richness with white flowers and lemonpeel. The acidity is ripe and there is a glossy, sleek quality to the fruit. A good Bourgogne Blanc.From late 2008.Chassagne-MontrachetFining will be carried out towards the end of October and they are planning to bottle aroundChristmas time.Smooth fruit is layered with fine minerals and a touch of marzipan. The finish is lively and ofgood length. Attractive to good. From 2009.*Puligny-MontrachetAgain, fining will be carried out towards the end of October and they are planning to bottle at theend of the year, at the same time as the Chassagne. This is made up of 7 different parcels thatare vinified separately and tasted before blending.A more mineral and herbal character is immediately evident. Delicious vibrancy and a zestyquality that combines richness without heaviness. The finish is long. Very good. From 2009.Puligny-Montrachet, La GarenneThis is located on the top of the hill on poor soils.The aromas are reminiscent of lime zest and coriander leaf. On the palate there is a clearincrease in intensity and concentration. Sweetly-scented fruit and energetic minerals pull out thefinish. Good freshness throughout. Particularly good+. From 2009/2010.Puligny-Montrachet, Champs GainsThe soils here are deeper than in Garenne, but the slope is steeper and limestone is stillimportant. Vine age averages 40-50 years.245

Florals and chalky notes are layered with vibrant acidity giving the wine a tight structure. It feelsvery poised. Delicious depth on the mid-palate. Particularly good+. From 2009/2010.Puligny-Montrachet, Hameau de BlagnyThis is a small plot and on average they only have up to 5 barrels.The controlled and freshly acidic structure is woven with rich fruit, notes of spice, stone andcitrus pulp. It feels more rounded on the finish. Very good to particularly good. From 2009.Puligny-Montrachet, Les PerrièresBoudot notes that the drainage in this vineyard is very good.A combination of stoniness and pear is layered with ripe lemon. The attack is smoothly texturedand balanced by a touch of raciness from the acidity. Precise, feminine and sophisticated. Fine.From 2009/2010.Puligny-Montrachet, Les RefertsThe soil in Referts is deeper clay with less limestone. The wine feels denser and more muscularthat the Perrières. The fruit exudes notes of lemon rind and candied peel. The mouthfeel is vividand fulsome and has greater breadth. The finish is long and fruit-led. Fine. From 2010.*Puligny-Montrachet, Les FolatièresFrom two parcels in Folatières, one to the north of the cru and the other in La Richarde to thesouth, where the soil is poorer and chalkier in character.The aromatics are higher and a sense of tension travels through the wine. A mineral core formsthe backbone and directs the focus of the wine. The freshness of the acidity is enhanced by thisstructure. It has a lovely, long finish. Fine to very fine. From 2010.Puligny-Montrachet, La TruffièreNutmeg, stone and citrus create an immediate and attractive complexity. The richness of theattack is contained by a tightly bound acidic and mineral core. Fresh and intense with a compactelegance. Fine+. From 2010.*Puligny-Montrachet, Champ CanetGérard Boudot notes that the terroir is good in this vineyard because there is a fine balancebetween the clay and limestone and because the slope not too steep and it is south-east facing.Golden aromas and herbal top notes suggest ripeness and elegance. The attack is moreforthright and athletic creating a sense of flavours building. The fruit is glossy and rounded withplenty of gras. This is no wilting violet. Fine to very fine. From 2010/2011.*Puligny-Montrachet, Les CombettesMore thoughtful and poised than the Champ Canet, while displaying a subtle sense of strength.Lime juice and ripe, white peach fruit runs through the nose and palate. Plenty of matter on themid-palate leads to an astonishingly persistent finish. The structure is tight, but the fruit has anexpansive quality. Very fine. From 2010 to 2011.Bienvenue-Bâtard-MontrachetIt is difficult to identify a clear character at this stage in the élévage. There is a hint of driedflowers and ripe lemon and the structure does manage to embody elegance and control. Thefinish shows the stature of the wine. It is long and layered with concentrated fruit. Fine. From2010/12.Bâtard-MontrachetMore precise aromatically that the Bienvenue, there are plenty of citrus notes on the nose andlovely minerality. The palate feels more rounded and expansive in texture and the mid-palate246

shows a plush opulence and concentration, but this is balanced by an elegant freshness andminerality that continues to assert itself on the finish. Very fine. From 2012.*Chevalier-MontrachetHigh-toned minerality is immediately apparent creating a sensation of precision that continues tobuild throughout the wine. This wine is very finely-wrought, focused and linear. The fruit iscompact and tense, forming an intense core on the mid-palate. There is a high energy andvibrant character that marks both the fruit and the acidity. The finish goes to a distant point.Really delicious. Very fine. From 2012.Le MontrachetIncredibly young and unformed at the time of tasting, but all the ingredient of a top grand cruare present. There is a continuous, spherical quality to the mouthfeel in both the structuralelements and the fruit, creating a sensation of the wine being endless. Knotted richness andintensity form the core. There is no mistaking that this wine has a statuesque presence alreadyand should reward patience. Very fine to outstanding. From 2012/2014.StockistsUK:USA:Justerini & Brooks; Lay & Wheeler; O.W. Loeb; Tanners Wines Ltd.; The Wine ScoietyRobert Hass Selection.247

Domaine Hubert Lamy, Saint-AubinOlivier started with a small team on the 19 th and harvested for ten days. He nearly always workshis way around from the En Remilly end of the village. There are some exceptions, for exampleDerrière Chez Edouard has high acidity so can wait untill later, while Clos de Meix ripens morequickly and so needs attention sooner.“The fruit is ripe and the finish is fresh and mineral,” remarks Oliver. “I like the balance. It is verypure and easy to understand the terroir. It has the energy of the 2004s, but with a little moreripeness. Making a comparison with the 2005 is more difficult. The 2005 has more structure andless elegance. The 2004 and 2006 have elegance and a ‘digestive’ quality in common. The 2005is very closed at the moment.”SM*Bourgogne, Les ChataignersThis is from two different vineyards En Jorcul and La Traversaine. At the time of classificationOlivier’s grandfather made sure that some of these vineyards remained as Bourgogne. This keepsthe quality of the Bourgogne high. There is half a hectare. This is bottled.The wine is mineral on the front of the palate. There is good weight to the middle coupled withnice fresh acidity. It tightens up on the finish. An attractive, nicely balanced wine with plenty ofcharacter and minerality. Very good Bourgogne. From 2008Saint-Aubin, Les PrincéesThis incorporates many parcels including some declassified premier cru. It makes one large cuvéeof about 80 barriques in total.A rather perfumed aroma. The palate is floral on the attack. It is harmonious with nicelyintegrated acidity. It glides across the palate with glassy ripe fruit, but it also fresh and lively.Good to Very good. From late 2008Saint-Aubin, Clos De MeixThis is spicy and slightly exotic on the aroma. This has a ripe attack with an open and roundedmiddle palate, which is rich and ripe with a chalky undertone. A good tightness comes through onthe finish, where it becomes more focused, accompanied with an attractive juicy character. Verygood. From 2008Saint-Aubin, Les FrionnesMore depth here. There is richness, but with firm definition. The middle palate is stony and hasboth intensity and layering. There is certainly some grip on the finish, which is long and mineral.I like the precision here. The ripe fruit is contained. Particularly good. From late 2008/2009*Saint-Aubin, En RemillyOlivier has four smaller lots in Les Cortons, which is down the slope and always riper. (This cango under the label En Remilly, as it does here). There is also one hectare in the upper part of EnRemilly.This has a silky mineral profile; svelte and elegant. It is very neatly compact the middle palateand finely attuned to the terroir. It is layered in a millefeuille of shaley minerality and pure fruit.It is ripe but not overtly so. There is an intensity, but also a delicacy to this wine. The balance isprecise. An elegant Saint-Aubin. Possibly fine. From late 2008/9248

*Saint-Aubin, Murgers Des Dents De ChienThere is some austerity on the palate, which is straight, tight and stony. The fruit is dense, butlifted with juicy acidity. It has a firm line and an assured finish. It is between the En Remilly andClos de La Chatenière in style and structure. More chiselled and perhaps less refined than EnRemilly and more restrained and less overtly rich than Chatenière. Particualrly good+. From 2009Saint-Aubin, Clos De La ChatenièreHubert Lamy bought this in 1992. It represents 1.3 hectares in one clos, which is enclosed by anold wall. As the land curves, the exposition changes. It is South facing for one part and more tothe west for another part. Everything has to be done by hand as it is on a 40 degree slope. It issimply too dangerous to use a tractor.This is more reserved at the moment on the nose. The palate is full, rich and burnished, but alsotightly battened down and very compact. It is expansive and expressive on the finish which isfull, bold and satiny. Particularly Good+. From late 2009Saint-Aubin, Derrière Chez EdouardThis is not yet in bottle. Olivier finished the fining four days ago with a small quantity ofIsinglass; 0.2g for 200 litres, which he describes as “homeopathic quantities.” There is 25% newoak and 600 litre barrels. The analysis reads 13.5% and a pH of 3.2.There is low toned and slightly muted fruit, which may be due to the recent fining. Howeverthere is a distinctive steely quality to the minerality on the palate. It is firm and tight withmuscularity and earthy quartzy character which carries to the long finish. Particularly good. From2009*Saint-Aubin, Derrière Chez Edouard, Haute densitéThis is the high density plantation, discussed in issue 7, which is picked one week earlier than thenormal density. After tasting the wine Olivier let on it has 14.1% and a pH of 3.17. This iscertainly unusual. It is aged in one year old barrels.This is very intense and full with a finely toned, well defined muscularly to the fruit. Very compactand smoothly mineral with purity, freshness and coiled vigour. Nuding into Fine. From 2010Puligny-Montrachet, Les TremblotsPure fruit with soft minerality which grows gently across the palate. It is quite lively and nicelyfocused with decent enough length for a village wine. Good. From 2009Chassagne-Montrachet, Les MacherellesRich, full aroma. This has a rounded first impression and a full and generous middle palate withripely golden fruit. It is slightly burly and has a gravelly minerality. It expands onto a bullishfinish. Particularly good. 2009*Criots-Bâtard-MontrachetRather perfumed aroma. It has a direct attack. Cool and reserved in the middle palate, it showsits potential on the finish which is intense, mineral, powerful and long. It is not a ‘big’ grand cru;rather it is streamlined and pure with a focused finish. Fine+. From 2013StockistsUK:USA:Berry Bros: Lay and Wheeler; Domaine Direct; Genesis Wines; Lea and Sandeman; H&HBancroftLe Serbet249

Domaine Larue, Saint-AubinKRSaint-AubinMinerals and savoury ground almonds on the aroma. Attractive consistency between the noseand palate. There are mineral nuances on the finish. Pleasant to attractive. From 2008.*Saint-Aubin, Les CommesThis premier cru is located on deep soils next to Charmois.Quite restrained, but still embodying an enticing mineral raciness. The palate balances focus andripeness giving the wine a very good balance and structure. Good length on the finish. Possiblyparticularly good. From 2008/2009.*Saint-Aubin, Vieilles VignesFrom the limestone-rich Saint-Aubin premier cru site of Gamay, on south to southeast facingslopes. The vines are 60 year old.Stony notes are interlaced with hints of spice. The mouthfeel and palate are intense and tight;the fruit is glossy and precise. It has a long finish. Particularly good. From 2009.Saint-Aubin, Les CortonsThe vines for this premier cru are 20 years old and are situated on south-south east facing slopeswith plenty of limestone and small stones.Shale and citrus fruit come through on the nose and the palate. The strike is lively and thefruit/acid balance continues to provide energy on the mid-palate and finish. Very good++. From2009.Saint-Aubin, En RemillyImmediately mineral and zesty. Lime, lemon zest and coriander leaf lift the palate. The mouthfeelis concentrated and fresh acidity is layered with the ripe fruit. Very good to particularly good.From 2009/2010.Saint-Aubin, Les Mugers des Dents de ChienChalky notes are woven with fruit that is reminiscent of candied lemons. On the palate the fruitdisplays a breadth and intensity. There is good focus and hints of toasty spice. Very good+. From2009/2010.Puligny-Montrachet, Le TrézinA clear-cut quality characterises the minerality. The attack is focused and compact, as is the formon the mid-palate. The acidity is refreshing and combines with a hint of toast and citrus mineralson the finish. Good to very good. From 2009 onwards.Puligny-Montrachet, Sous-le-PuitsThis premier cru is on the limit with Meursault.Plenty of matter and density to the core. The ripe lemon and fern fruit is drawn out by fresh,clean acidity. The finish has good length and minerals show themselves here. Very good toparticularly good. From 2010.250

Puligny-Montrachet, La GarenneWet stone forms the top note of this wine. The attack on the palate is fairly austere and upright.This is softened by white peach and ripe, lemon-infected fruit. Hints of nutty spice and bouncyacidity enhance the form and complexity of the wine. Very good to particularly good. From 2010.StockistsUK:USA:O W Loeb; Hayman-Banwell & JonesCRU wines CA; Vini France Import251

Domaine Jean-Marc Blain-Gagnard, Chassagne-MontrachetJean-Marc Blain describes the wine, the season and his approach.“We had good weather during harvest and at the end we were surprised by the quality. If therehad been a big storm, it would have made a difference.”“We used bâtonnage once a week until January for the 2006s, which is normal. The 2003 and2005 were sufficiently rich so needed less bâtonnage and we stopped in December. It was theopposite in 2004 when we did lots of stirring. I felt the wine was too small to begin with. It is alldone on tasting. For 2007 I will probably do lots of stirring.”There is 10-12% new oak and 25% for the grand cru.“We have one racking after the malolactic and then one before putting the wine in vat prior tobottling. I like to do the racking early so the wine has time to “recuperate,” and do it in Junebecause in the summer we have a lot of work in the vineyard. I like to keep lots of lees at thefirst racking. It is good for the structure.”“Because the caves are quite dry, the wine evolves quite early, so we need to bottle in August tokeep the freshness. It is not interesting to wait longer. It could be good to put them in tank, butnot to leave them in barrel.”“I feel that it is a good vintage for showing the terroir. So 2006 is like the 2004. 2005 is so rich itshows more of a commune characteristic.”“The 2006 is very floral, charming and elegant.” Jean-Marc felt that in 2006 the calcareous soilsdid well. In 2004 he preferred the soils with clay, because the year was lighter and the vines herenaturally had more body.“Give the 2006s four years. The 2001s are tasting well now and perhaps 2006 is a bit like 2001”On other vintages he remarks. “At the moment I like the 2004s. The 2005s are very rich, butvery closed.”An elegant flight of wine form this domaine.SMChassagne-MontrachetThis is a blend of different blocks; 60% of village blocks and 40% of declassified premier cru,because the vines are young or the parcel is too small.This has lovely purity and a streamlined and elegant palate with freshness on the finish. Good+.From late 2008*Puligny-MontrachetJean-Marc has owned these vines since 2001. There is one parcel in La Rue aux Vache, wherethe soil is rich with humous.“This and the Boudriotte always have the most acidity in thedomaine,” he comments.252

Rather floral and upright. The palate is lifted, elegant and pure with a shards of mineralitytogether with nuances of fennel and almond. It is pure and tight on the finish. I prefer it to thevillage Chassagne. Very good indeed. From 2009Chassagne-Montrachet, Clos Saint-JeanThis is in Le Rebichets, which is in the lower part of Clos Saint-Jean. In the top part there is moreclay, and below more pebbles. Jean-Marc finds it makes more feminine wine than the upper part.The vines are 20 years old.Nicely perfumed. The palate has a delicacy with white peach and apple blossom and a creamy,light texture. It is elegant and not too rich. It has soft flowing movement with gentle mineralityand flowery characters. Particularly good to fine. From 2010Chassagne-Montrachet, La Boudriotte“This is more calcareous,” comments Jean-Marc, “for Morgeots is more often red clay and lesspebbly.” There are 50 year old vines in his parcel. “Good vines, no degeneration.”Lovely, silky fragrance on the aroma. It rustles gently. The fruit is supple and delicately intense.There is a lighter touch on this Boudriotte, but underneath a taut minerality and very fine acidity.The finish has stony vitality. Fine+. From 2010Chassagne-Montrachet, MorgeotsThis comes from Les Bourettes, where there is a lot of clay and Champs Jendreau, which alsorich in clay and lies just below the Boudriotte. “The clay gets stuck to your feet and it often givesa big wine with big body,” Says Jean-Marc. There are some 50 years old vines, “always with verysmall grapes.” There are also some 20 and 15 year old vines.This is richer and lower-toned on the aroma. The palate is much more four square and quiteweighty, full, broad and dense. A robust Morgeots which is well balanced and has decent acidityand harmony. Good typicity, without being too rich or ponderous. Fine. From 2010/11*Chassagne-Montrachet, Caillerets30% of the vines are 5 years old and 70% are 47 years old. “Lots of shells on the top of theslope, then more calcareous at the bottom of this slope. It is not deep, just 40 cm of soil, andthen rock. The rock is in many strata compared to Morgeots where there are just big stones,called the head of monk.” This is in the lieut dit of Vigne-Derrière, and is a slice from the top tobottom of this slope. When Jean-Marc had just one parcel at the top, it was more like Morgeots,but with the bottom parcel, came the finesses.This is fragrant and elegant; it is neatly defined, taut, straight and pure. Thre is both substanceand finesses. It has a lovely poised balance and a nervosity to the finish. Fine+. From 2010/11.Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet1.5 hectares in total for this AC which is divided between 7 owners. It looks South and SouthEast. “It has more chalk compared with the Bâtard, lots of small pebbles. It is in one parcel with3 different ages of vine; 30, 50 and 70 years old,” remarks Jean-Marc.This is remarkably expressive and exotically floral, even slightly florid. This very open ripeness iscoupled with power and depth. It is remarkably spicy. The overt first impression initially masksthe firm structure and energy and for that matter the potential, which is more readily evident inthe long mineral finish. Fine to very fine. From 2012Bâtard-MontrachetOne quarter of the vines are 20 years old; half are 60 years old and the remainder are 30. “Thesoil is much deeper in Bâtard. There is relatively shallow soil in Criots.”This is rich, but not spicy. It has ripeness and gras, but a notable restraint and elegance forBâtard. It’s not a big, grand Bâtard, but lighter, more mineral and contained expression of the253

cru. It is very nicely balanced and fresh. The finish is particularly prolonged and stony. ProbablyVery Fine. From 2013Le MontrachetThe vines are 45 years old. The family bought 2 blocks in 1978. In a normal year it produces 1.5barrels, although since 2001 Jean-Marc has put them in one large barrel. He didn’t like it in abarrique and half-sized barrel for it aged too quickly. This is not new oak for Jean-Marc feels theinfluence would be too strong if it were. In the first year the barrels are used for Bâtard. He likesthis wine to have a little oak, without it hiding the wine.The nose is quite discreet. It unfurls slowly and elegantly across the palate for it has a markedreserve. It is perfumed and gentle honeyed and gradually grows to reveal marvellous gras and itstrue presence, which is underscored with firm, sleek minerality. The profile is pure and precisewith a very long refined finish. As should be expected, this is the most compete of the grand cru.Very fine to outstanding. From 2013254

Domaine Bruno Colin-Déléger, Chassagne-MontrachetHarvesting began on the 20th September at this domaine and lasted for about 7-8 days. BrunoColin feels that 2006 favoured sites that produce wines which are naturally more mineral in style.Like many others, he noted that the potential alcohol levels increased rapidly in the fine weatherin September, with an average of 14 degrees at picking. He feels that that acidity is slightlyhigher in 2006, when compared with 2005. The average pH ranges from 3.20-3.25, levels whichhe regards as average. He also notes that yields were possibly a little bit lower than normal, butadds that a fluctuation between parcels is expected, depending on vine age and location.KRBourgogne AligotéBottled in August.Fresh, lively and zesty fruit characterises the wine as a whole. Green apple freshness lingers onthe finish. Pleasant. From 2008.BourgogneBottled in August. From two parcels, one in Saint-Aubin and the other in Santenay.Citrus aromas lead to a lively, vibrant attack. Good intensity and length for a Bourgogne Blanc.Attractive. From 2008.*Saint Aubin, Les CharmoisAlso bottled in August.Ripeness and richness is balanced by fresh acidity and underlying minerals. There is stone fruitand ripe lemon on the palate with fruit and minerality driving the finish. Particularly good. From2009.Chassagne-MontrachetThis comes from four parcels. The fining has recently been completed and bottling is planned forDecember.Ripe citrus and crisp orchard fruit create a sense of heightened freshness, which is boosted bythe acidity. Broad, but compact in character. Attractive to good. From 2009.Chassagne-Montrachet, ChauméesFresh herbal and mineral aromas and flavours dominate the wine. A good energy runs throughthe wine contributing to the clarity that comes across on the palate and finish. There is goodintensity here. Particularly good. From 2019/2010.*Chassagne-Montrachet, Les VergersThis is more obviously stony with notes that hint at coriander leaf. The palate displays a morehighly-tuned character. This edginess is balanced by the ripeness of the fruit, creating a fineharmony on the palate. Lovely poise and persistence. Particularly good to fine. From 2010.Chassagne-Montrachet, Les ChenevottesThe nose is riper and more overtly fruity than the Vergers. Notes of yellow peach and lemon peelemerge. The mouthfeel is smooth and the fruit has a glossy texture. Overall, a little moremuscular. Particularly good++. From 2010.255

Chassagne-Montrachet, La MaltroieLemon and stone aromas are layered with hints of grassiness. The palate shows lovely breadthand the fruit leads the finish along with an acidity that contributes a touch of racy freshness.Particularly good. From 2010/2011.*Chassagne-Montrachet, BoudriotteFern notes are interlaced with lime zest and chalky freshness. There is a distinct feeling ofcomposure and refinement. The fruit and acidity in the core is very well balanced and leads to along, citrus-infused finish. Fine. From 2010/2011.Chassagne-Montrachet, Les MorgeotsMinerals and peachy fruit are met with marzipan notes. The palate in muscular and beautifullytoned. The texture of the wine is rich and mouth coating; a characteristic that is balanced byfresh acidity. Fruit drives the finish. Particularly good++. From 2010.Chassagne-Montrachet, En RemillyToned and more linear in form. Citrus zest and wet stone notes drive the palate. There is goodconcentration in this elegant wine and freshness is threaded throughout. Particularly good tofine. From 2010/11*Puligny-Montrachet, TruffièreStony, taut and compact. Plenty of fresh fruit, laced with lime juice and green herbs, is containedtightly within the core. Very elegant and poised. The finish displays vigour and subtle intensity.Fine. From 2010/11.StockistsUK:USA:A & B Vintners; Berkmann Wine Cellars; Berry Bros & Rudd; Bibendum; Cave Cru Classé;Elridge Pope; Philip Eyres Wine Merchant; Goedhuis & Co.; Lay & Wheeler; Raeburn FineWines; La Reserve; Howard Ripley; Seckford Wines; Richards Walford; The Wine Society.Robert Chadderdon; Seagram Château & Estate; Kermit Lynch.256

Domaine Vincent Dancer, Chassagne-MontrachetThe wines were in tanks by the time we tasted, having already spent 12 months in barrel. Theywere racked at the end of August with their lees and Vincent Dancer plans to fine them inNovember, although no filtration will be carried out. Bottling is planned for the end of the year orJanuary.Vincent Dancer remarks that 2006 favoured the white wine sites that naturally lend themselvesto minerality. For the reds it was a more difficult vintage and a lot of sorting was required toeliminate all the rot and ensure that only healthy fruit went in the vat, a factor that broughtaverage yields down for the reds. He compares the whites to 1998, drawing similarities betweenthe higher alcohol levels and ripe fruit in both vintages. However he feels the acidity is fresher in2006, possibly similar to the acidity in 2002. For the reds, he compares the elegance of the winesto red Côte de Nuits in 2000.KR*BourgogneLovely, vibrant character. The nose and palate are alive with juicy, citrus fruit. Delicious lengthand intensity for a Bourgogne Blanc. Attractive to good. From late 2008.Chassagne-MontrachetThe vineyard was planted in 1999.Lime blossom and ground almond notes lead to a tangy palate that displays consistency andlength. Good intensity for young vines Good. From 2007.Meursault, Les CorbinsThis is situated just below Volnay, Santenots. The topography of this vineyard is quite flat, but itis very stony.Nuts and lemon peel create a fruit-driven nose and palate. There is an attractively glossy fruit inthe core which is supported by good acidity. There is a sense of containment and it shows goodtypicity in the weight of the wine. Good+. From 2009.*Meursault, Les Grands CharronsThe vines here are older, planted in 1958 and yield small quantities that average 27hl/ha.Minerals are more evident, although they are layered with ripe, stone fruits. The core of thewines feels concentrated and dense. Vibrant minerals push through and draw out the finish.Good++. From 2009/2010.Chassagne-Montrachet, Tête Du ClosSituated in the highest part of Morgeot and planted in 1954. The yield is low with an average of30hl/ha.Lime zest, basil and florals are woven throughout the wine. There is a breadth to the attack andmouthfeel and plenty of matter leads to a concentrated, long finish. Particularly good+. From2009/2010.*Chassagne-Montrachet, La RomanéeVincent Dancer explains that in spite of its height on the slope, this can be quite a warm terroirbecause there is very little north wind.257

The aromas hint at nutmeg spice and yellow peach which is balanced by stony minerals. Thefreshness of the acidity gives the wine structure and the fruit profile is generous. Particularlygood+. From 2010.Meursault, PerrièresThe minerality feels very different here. It is lacier and the citrus notes move more towards whitegrapefruit and it displays good freshness from the start. The texture is racy but elegant and thefinely structured palate leads to a long stone and citrus finish. Fine. From 2010/2011.*Chevalier-MontrachetRestrained on the nose but with definite minerality. Smooth sophistication marks the attack andthe fruit at the core is both rich and direct. Incredibly long and elegant. The fruit is layered withfreshness and minerality lingers on the finish. Possibly very fine. From 2012/2014.RedsBeaune, MontrevenotsVincent remarks that this premier cru, which lies just above Les Clos des Mouches, is the lastpremier cru on the upper slopes and benefits from being south facing.Coffee and cherry notes are interlaced with fine tannins and a light fruit texture. The finish isfresh and lifted. Very good. From 2009/2010.Pommard, PerrièresThe fruit displays a very attractive purity which hints at blueberry and morello cherry. Thephenolics are finely tuned and the acidity has energy. The wine shows intensity, but there is nosense of heaviness. Good to very good. From 2009/2010.*Chassagne Montrachet, La Grande BorneLa Grande Borne is the last terroir of Morgeot before Santenay and lies just below Clos Pitois.Minerals that are reminiscent of coal and forest fruit emerge on the nose. A fruity attack givesway to an energetic mid-palate and finish. The tannins are smoothly textured. Particularly good+.From 2010.StockistsUK: Richards Walford. J&BUSA: Michel Schumberger Wines Ltd.Website www.vincentdancer.com258

Domaine Richard Fontaine-Gagnard, Chassagne-MontrachetRichard Fontaine-Gagnard started harvesting on the Tuesday 19th September. This was alright inChassagne, except for the wine they use for cremant, for which it was too late. His daughterCeline was working in Meursault on the 18 th on the day of the Ban and she comments, “already itwas too late here (for starting the harvest). In the mornings there was fog in Chassagne, while inMeursault it was already sunny.”They started picking with premier and grand cru as these has very good maturity; higher than inthe village and Bourgogne vines, but as the harvest progressed, the maturity rose very quickly.By the time they returned to the Bourgogne and village vineyards, the grapes were very ripe aswell.In the cellar they wait for 24 hours for a natural deboubage. In barrel they do bâtonnage once aweek, depending on the vintage. In 2006 they stopped quite early as the vintage was naturallyrich. They buy Allier wood which they dry in the garden to be sure of the quality and then take itto the cooper. It has two years of drying. The percentage of new wood is between 20-30percent, although sometimes they use none, depending on the vintage and volume. They preferthe malolactic to happen as late as possible June or July. Richard remarked on the unevenmalolactics for the 2006s. The last finished in June. The whites have 11-12 months in barrel.The reds have more. Sadly we ran out of time to taste these.Celine, who tasted with us, is now working full time in the business. She studied for 4 years inbusiness school and before that in Beaune at the Lycée Vitcole. She did work experience atMestre-Michelot in Meursault. Meanwhile Richard’s son is studying for his helicopter diploma. Hispassion is flying, but he helps at the domaine during the weekends.On the age-ability of the 2006s, Richard remarks, “They are nearly ready to start; in one year,but only after five years will you see their future.” Richard believes that while this vintage is veryopen and expressive now, it may well tighten up and if so, will need time. He advises leavingthem a minimum of five years.Richard likes the vintage “more than 2003, less than 2004 and similar to 2005s.” He clearly likesthe 2004s, but adds “the 2005s are not attractive in the short term, but in the future have thegreater longevity.”A splendid flight of wines. The style is both elegant and mineral.SM*Bourgogne BlancThis is from in the regional lieut-dit called Plantes-Longes. It was planted more than 20 yeas ago.They bought it in 2003. This was bottled in mid-August.Attractive marzipan aromas, very nutty with a fresh and rich palate which has good balance.There is decent acidity, notes of ripe pear and a touch of minerality. Top notch Bourgogne. From2008.*Chassagne-MontrachetThis is a blend of five parcels; Voillenot dessus and dessous (which have decent acidity); EnJournoblot and Les Masures (for richness) and les Essarts and La Bergerie (which have more259

minerality). They press this in three batches and make 3 cuvées which are blended later. Richarddoesn’t want to make different cuvées of village wines as he feels he already has too manywhites with all the premiers crus.Citrus aroma with plenty of richness and intensity. It is nicely rounded with silky edges and notesof orange and honeysuckle. Broad and slightly spicy and floral. There is plenty of ripe weighthere, but enough acidity to balance. Textbook village wine. Very good indeed. From 2008*Chassagne-Montrachet, Grande MontagneThis was planted in 1987.Expressive high perfume on this wine. It is nervous and tight with an intense chalky character.The profile is streamlined, very mineral and direct. It is a ‘high wire’ wine; elegant and taut witha persistent, nervy finish. Delightful. Fine to fine+. From 2009Chassagne-Montrachet, Clos Saint-JeanThese vines are 25 years old and are in the les Murées part.This is richly golden, full, spicy and dense. A ripe and concentrated wine with a burly profile anda big finish. Particularly good to fine. From 2009/10*Chassagne-Montrachet, Clos des MuréesThey have a monopole of 35 ares, which was acquired in 1995, but planted 35 years ago. Theterroir is a little different from Saint-Jean comments Richard. “It is stonier and has less wind as itis more protected between the houses. Clos Saint-Jean is windier, so there is always a differencein maturity. We don’t pick it first, rather mid to late harvest, before the Vergers.”This is more elegant on the nose than Clos Saint-Jean, more aromatic and lifted. It is intense,mineral and very strict. The profile is directly channelled and pure and carries to a lovely, longfinish flecked with quartz. There are some complex characters of spice, mandarin, fennel andalmond which are neatly layered in the streamlined palate. Fine+. From 2010Chassagne-Montrachet, ChevenottesRichard comments that there is more acidity in this.Very expressive aroma with notes of allspice and ripe golden peach. It has a plump fruit centre,generous breadth and creamy minerality which glides between the ripe fruit. It is rich, but floaty.It has a fruitier profile than the Clos des Murées, but it is fresh and maintains its elegance. Fineto fine+. From 2010Chassagne-Montrachet, La BoudriotteRichard remarks that if this were the lower part of Fairendes, it would be more suitable for redwines, but the soil here is better for white.Perfumed, lifted and rather elegant. This is rounded, but stony, full ripe and generous in themiddle palate with freshness and smooth minerality. There is firm grip on the finish. It seems abit quiet at the moment, a little reserved perhaps, but it grows on the finish, which is verypersistent. Fine+ From 2010Chassagne-Montrachet, La MaltroieThis is Ez Crets.It has a rich and ripe aroma and it attacks the palate with good intensity and energy. It has aspiky minerality and is chalkier, more savoury and angular on the palate versus the fruit androunded profile of the Boudriotte. It has more vigour and a zesty jump on to the tight finish.Fine. From 2010260

*Chassagne-Montrachet, VergersThis has an attractively lifted and perfumed aroma with mandarin, citrus and white flowers.There is a supple elegance. It dances across the palate, silky and rippling. A balletic wine withpoise and grace. It has a long, fine piano wire finish. Fine++ From 2009Chassagne-Montrachet, MorgeotsLes Brussonnes.This has creamy perfume and on the palate it is also creamy, fragrant and rounded with a glassyminerality, which cuts through this rich texture and carries it to the finish. The satin fluidity isunderpinned by tight minerality which also defines the straight and long finish. Fine+ From2010/11*Chassagne-Montrachet, Caillerets“There are two parts,” comments Richard, “a very sloping higher part which gives the mineralityand a lower part with white clay at the bottom which provides the richness.”This is more austere on the aroma, yet has great verve on the palate. Fresh, almost tangy withvigourous intensity, compact depth, a firm core and fine precision. It is taut, stony and layeredand energetically channelled to a persistent, cool and flinty finish. Possibly very fine. From2010/11*Chassagne-Montrachet, La Romanée“This very steep slope gets lots of sun. It is SW facing so there is sun into the evening.”This is more airy, ethereal and floral. Very perfumed on the palate with high, bright and ringingtop notes. It has a fine spine with racy energy and a saline chalkiness. It is very precise with afinish which is razor sharp, intense and very persistent. This rates among my favourite whitewines of the vintage. Very fine. From 2010Criots-Batard-MontrachetA rich wine, which is full-bodied densely compact and honeyed. It has muscular power and iscomplexly layered with strong smooth stony minerality which carries to a forceful finish. Fine tovery fine. From 2013Batard-MontrachetThere is a lovely fragrance here; a rich slightly exotic perfume which carries to the palate. It isdense and broad and very ripe and opulent; on the outer limit of ripeness. Despite this, there isgreater focus in the middle palate than in the Criots. It has a measured, even cadence andcrescendos to a rich, powerful finish. Although it is very glossy, it finishes on minerality. A notchup. Very fine. From 2013Le MontrachetThis is very elegant with floral top notes. It is surprisingly harmonious. Although it is rounded andrich, the middle palate is layered, tight and restrained. It is sleek and sophisticated and focusesin upon a persistent and discreetly intense finish. Very Fine to Outstanding. From 2012StockistsUK:US:John Armit Wines: Laytons Wines MerchantsLauber Import261

Domaine René Lamy-Pillot, Chassagne-MontrachetSébastien Caillat draws a common point between 2006 and 2004 because both vintages offerpleasure in their youth, whereas 2005 closed up after bottling. He also notes that 2006saccumulated unusually high levels of potential alcohol in contrast to 2004. He points out that thenatural degrees were higher than 2003 because the combination of warmth and rain helped pushup the natural sugar levels in the last weeks before harvest.At this domaine harvesting started on 18 th September and finished on 28 th September. Sébastienbelieves it is important to look at the individual parcels and decide carefully when to pick toachieve optimum fruit quality. The weekend of 23 rd September marked a changing point in theweather and the harvest. The weather became close and more humid and in some parcels thesugars increased quite dramatically (up to 14.5-15 degrees) in a 2-3 day period. He observes thesites picked before the 23 rd have an easier balance and those picked after this date were moredifficult to work with, unless they were from naturally cooler sites.He feels that the acidity may be a little bit less in 2006 than in 2005, especially if the fruit waspicked after 23 rd September. However, his wines have retained good levels of pH from 3.35 –3.40. If he had to decide on a drinking order he would like to drink the 2006 reds and whitesbefore the 2005s, but he would like to drink the 2004 whites, before the 2006 reds, followed bythe 2006 whites and finally the 2004 reds.Sébastien was very interesting on the subject of premature oxidation in white Burgundy. Hebelieves a number of factors are coming together to create the problem: corks, the moreaccessible way of making wine and frequent use of techniques like bâtonnage and careful, gentlepressing resulting in less phenolic contact. He notes that wine today is more approachable earlierin its life, but as a result it has lost some of the extra backbone is displayed 20 or 30 years ago.He says that he is working to find the middle ground between the two styles, by concentrating onhis pressing, lees, oak usage and bâtonnage, as well as monitoring the corks.KRSaint-Aubin, Les PucellesThe average vine age is 35 years in this, high, steep (400m) and south facing vineyard. Theslopes here get the sun more in the afternoon and evening.Creamy citrus notes lead to a smooth attack. The fruit on the palate has a delicate ripeness andthe finish has a zesty freshness that lingers. Attractive. From late 2008.*St-Aubin, En CréotThis vineyard gets sun quite early on in the morning and throughout the afternoon. It is a slightlylower plot than the les Pucelles, at about 300m rather than 400m.Warmer aromas of nuts and honey are lifted by pure, citrus freshness. The mid-palate shows azesty quality that balances the ripeness of the fruit. The finish is attractively fruity. Very good.From 2009.Chassagne-Montrachet3 parcels make up this cuvée; Les Clos Reland, Les Pierres (Sébestian notes this plot is easier towork because there is less clay) and Les Houillères.Notes of greengage meet ripe citrus aromas. The palate is finely constructed from the smoothattack onwards and bright acidity adds balance. Attractive+. From 2008/2009.262

Chassagne-Montrachet, Pot BoisThis is also located high up on the slopes. It is a slow ripening vineyard.The overall structure is direct and straight, but the ripeness of the fruit still shows good breadthwith nuances of ripe, white peach and lime blossom. Attractive. From 2009.Chassagne-Montrachet, Clos Saint-JeanEnticingly aromatic, with candied citrus peel and stone fruits. This fragrant quality runs throughthe palate. Fresh acidity underlies the ripeness of the fruit. Very good to particularly good. From2009/2010.Chassagne-Montrachet, Premier CruFrom Vergers, Fairendes and Maltroie.The aromatic profile is more reminiscent of crisp citrus fruits – hints of petals add complexity andlace the nose and the palate. There is a taut quality to the minerals and the acid structure givinggood focus to the palate and finish. Particularly good+. From 2009.*Chassagne-Montrachet, Les MorgeotsMore lemon and lime top notes, layered with ground almond. The ripeness of the fruit iscontrolled on the palate, showing good concentration and delicate handling. Freshness and fruitpurity linger on the finish. A lovely premier cru. Particularly good to fine. From 2009/2010.Chassagne-Montrachet, La Grande MontagneSupply is limited because the production is only 3 barrels. The vines are located on poor soils thatare similar to Caillerets and the berries yielded are typically small.Tangy lemon and pink grapefruit notes combine with rich, broad mouth feel. Fruit-led finish.Particularly good. From 2010.*Chassagne-Montrachet, Les CailleretsMore restrained at this tasting than the Grande Montagne. The structure feels more direct andfocused. The acidity and minerality are interwoven on the palate and lead to a compact andpersistent finish. Fine. From 2010.StockistsUK: Anthony Byrne Fine Wines; Laytons.USA: Parliament Wine Co.; Flynt.www.lamypillot.fr263

Domaine du Château de la Maltroye, Chassagne-MontrachetThe oak seemed very apparent when tasting here this year. Jean-Pierre Cornut had to leave forParis and his agent stepped into the breach. I wonder if I had samples from new barrels.SMChassagne-MontrachetThis is a blend of several parcels, some are situated in front of the Château. Those in Morgeotcontribute the fatness.Firm aromas, bright and lifted. The palate has richness and good depth. It is very ripe, but hasdecent acidity and distinct minerality. There is an appealing florality to the finish. Good+. Fromlate 2008/9Santenay, La CommeThe upper part of the vineyard is for the white and lower part for red.Quite a fragrant aroma. Very ripe with crystallized citrus flavours and really quite rounded, butsufficiently fresh. The finish is decently prolonged. Good+. From late 2008Chassagne-Montrachet, Les ChenevottesReticent and compact on the nose. There is marked new oak on the palate. (50% new oak onthis wine and the following two). The fruit is ripe and rich and a little warm. A full on and fullbodiedwine, which is concentrated rather than intense. Very good to particularly good. From2009*Chassagne-Montrachet, Morgeots, Vignes Blanches1 hectare in Vignes Blanches.There is a rich, spicy and floral quality to the aroma. On the palate it has good intensity withoutthe sluggish weight of the Chevenottes and it soaks up the oak. There is juicy fruit, energy and afirm, mineral and long finish. An elegant and richly floral Morgeot. Particularly good to fine. From2010Chassagne-Montrachet, Clos du Château de la MaltroyeRipe with low spices, ground coriander and anise. Marked new oak. It is very rounded and fullbodied with an unctuous and generous palate. Think and rich in texture, it is not especiallysubtle, but it certainly has some firm muscle. The acidity is fair and balanced, underpinned bygood vitality and dark earthy minerality. A bit four square. Particularly good+. From 2010*Chassagne-Montrachet, Grandes RuchottesThis is restrained and mineral on the nose, but the oak is very apparent. (70% new oak on thisand the following wines.) This glides onto the palate with lovely fluidity and a light touch despitethe oak. Ripe but graceful. The smooth minerality and acidity blend seamlessly into the wine. Ithas a slightly exotic perfumed finish. The fruit is translucent to the terroir; a quality achieved inthis wine and in the Dents de Chien. Elsewhere the vintage dominated. Fine+. From 2009/10Chassagne-Montrachet, La RomanéeThe attack is lifted. This is streamlined, but broader than expected. The raciness and purity ofthe appellation is somewhat masked at the moment. It will be necessary to wait see how itappears as the oak integrates. There is plenty of ripeness here and very good intensity with afirm and long finish. However I prefer the Grandes Ruchottes at the moment. It is more elegant,vital and mineral. Fine. From 2009/10264

*Chassagne-Montrachet, Dents de ChienIn this wine the minerality of the terroir properly starts to show through. A more subtle andelegant first impression. It has both substance and finesses. The fruit sparkles and is lit withshards of minerality. It has a persistent, racy and refined finish. Fine++. From 2010RedsThe SO2 was adjusted during the racking the previous week. They were not showing well. TheSO2 has depressed the fruit, particularly on the little wines, and had accentuated the tannins.BourgogneSome red fruit on the aroma. It is crunchy, light bodied and lively, but a touch astringent on thetannins. Modest.Chassagne-MontrachetThis is suffering a bit. The fruit is modestly redcurrant; the body medium; the tannins peppery.The acidity is fresh enough.Santenay, La CommeThis is better; a lively red plum aroma. More fruit on the attack and a bit more weight and bodyon the palate with some attractive summer fruit. The tannins are not high, but are peppery. Thewine is well balanced and the finish is quite good. Very attractive. From 2009Chassagne-Montrachet, Clos Staint-JeanThis has a rather jammy summer fruit aroma and on the palate it has grippy tannins and darkerfruit. Quite slight in body. From 2010*Chassagne-Montrachet, BoudriotteA rather floral aroma and a flowery palate with more delicacy here and the tannins are finer. Ithas fruit to balance the tannins and give the wine some gras and roundness. The fruit is morelifted and fragrant. There is some very attractive minerality on the finish too. This is altogethermore interesting. Good long mineral and elegant finish. Particularly good+. From 2011Chassagne-Montrachet, Clos du Château de la MaltroyeThis vineyard is planted in a patchwork of red and white, which must be a nightmare, particularlyin a year like this. The treatments are different for white and red. In operations such as toppingthey have to make a balance between the white, which could be done earlier, and the red, whichcould be later; so everything is a compromise. They have to keep a close eye on the pickesr tomake sure they don’t miss vines at harvest.Luscious aroma with summer fruits, lot of raspberries and strawberries. On the palate too there isplenty of juicy red fruit and decent acidity, although the tannins are a touch herbaceous. It has areasonable finish. Very good+. From 2010StockistsUK: OW LoebUSA: F. Wildman & Sons ; Wine House; Contact Jeanne-Marie de Champs; Contact Domaine &Saveurs, Beaune, France265

Domaine Marc Morey, Chassagne-MontrachetKRBourgognePlenty of minerality and lemony fruit. Direct in style and fresh on the finish. Accessible and wellbalanced. From late 2008. Pleasant.Chassagne-MontrachetRather vibrant and juicy in character and a step up in intensity from the Bourgogne. Citrus fruit islayered with almond notes. Lively fruit and acidity on the finish. Attractive. From 2009.Saint-Aubin, Les CharmoisLime zest and florality come through on the nose on this Charmois. The attack is full of energyand ripe citrus fruit layer on the palate. The ripeness of the fruit gives a sense of accessibility.Very good. From 2008/2009.Chassagne-Montrachet, Les VergersThere is good consistency between the fruit on the nose and the palate here. The citrus notesare fine and high toned. They are scented on the nose and linger through the mid-palate givingdirection and weaving with the acidity. Minerality leads the finish. Very good++. From 2009..Chassagne-Montrachet, Les ChenevottesThe impact of this wine is richer and rounder. The fruit shows more breadth on the palate andfresh acidity sits within the ripe matter. Hints of spice and peachiness run through the wine. Verygood to particularly good. From 2009/2010.Chassagne-Montrachet, Les MorgeotsIn this wine there are notes of preserved pear and peach stone, which are made more complexwith nuances of dried flowers. The bright acidity and lively attack balance the broad fruit in themiddle of the wine and contain the ripeness. Although more muscular, there is a good sense ofequilibrium. Very good to particularly good. From 2010.Chassagne-Montrachet, En VirondotThis premier cru is high on the slopes, on the same contour as La Romanée.Stylistically it feels very different to the Morgeots with the aromas and flavours being led byminerals rather than fruit. Ripe lemon fruit is evident, but is layered with shale and stone notes.The mouth feel is more compact and contained, as is the finish. Particularly good. From 2010.Chassagne-Montrachet, Les CailleretsCitrus, marzipan, and almond notes with hints of green fern show some immediate and attractivecomplexity. A juicy and lemony attack on the palate leads to a core of tight minerals and freshacidity that draw out the finish. Particularly good+. From 2010.Puligny-Montrachet, Les PucellesThere is a sense of richness and ripeness. Lime and petal aromas give way to wet stone andchalk. The shape of the wine is linear, but the fruit is still bright and ripe on the palate. Theacidity has a strictness that controls it and drives the finish. Particularly good+. From 2010.266

Bâtard-MontrachetThis is bright, lively and remarkably expressive. Lemon, minerality, hay and spice come throughon the nose. The entry is expansive and the fruit moves across the mid-palate coating themouth, while still showing clear mineral definition and elegance. The finish shows concentration.Fine. From 2010/12.StockistsUK: John Armit Wines; A & B Vintners; Laytons Wine Merchants; Clarion WineUSA: Robert Kracher; Ideal Wine267

Domaine Roger Belland, SantenayThe reds and the whites tasted were fined the week before the tasting – the reds just three daysbefore the tasting, on the previous Friday. Roger Belland explained that his daughter Julie worksalongside him and is increasingly taking control of the viticulture and vinification.Roger comments that the 2006 vintage was notable because the bad weather in August wassaved by hugely improved conditions in September, before harvest started. Although he alsopointed out that their use of grasses between the rows helped reduce the impact of the Augustrainfall. As a result, the health of the grapes remained good, which helped to reduce the amountof sorting required at harvest. During triage all unripe fruit and, for the reds, any rotten berrieswere rejected (the whites suffered very little botrytis at this domaine).Belland compares the whites in the 2006 vintage with 2002, seeing similarities between theripeness of the fruit and acidity, as well as the stylish minerality. For the reds he looks towardsthe 2000 vintage, noting that in 2006 the fruit is more precise and ripe.KRSantenay, Commes-DessusThis wine is located near Chassagne-Montrachet and is on stony soil.Bright, white peach fruit is layered with a glossy texture on the palate. There is a delicacy to thestructure that is supported by a freshening acidity. Good length on the finish. Attractive. Fromlate 2008 to 2009.Santenay BeauregardThere is a scented quality here with orchard fruits, citrus notes and chalky minerals. A core ofintense fruit is balanced by a zesty, lively acidity that gives the wine definition and backbone.Particularly good. From 2009.Chassagne-Montrachet, Morgeot Clos PitoisAbout 35-40% new oak is used, but here Vosges plays a more significant role because of itsdrier, tauter style. This monopole in Morgeot is situated on a hill between Santenay andChassagne. It has stony soil and is often windy. The vines are approximately 55-60 years old,planted by Roger Belland’s father after the war.Purity of aromas and clear stony minerals contribute to the tightly-bound structure of the wine. Itis nicely compact and elegant with oak completely interwoven into the fruit. Stone fruit lingers onthe finish. Particularly good. From 2009/2010.Puligny-Montrachet, Champs-Gains35-40% new oak is used on this cuvée with a little more Alliers. Roger Belland believes thisrounds out the minerality.Lively, energetic aromas with pink grapefruit and lime zest. Lovely clarity on the palate, which istaut and quite racy on the attack. Minerals layer with juicy acidity leading to a focused finish.Particularly good++. From 2009/2010.268

Meusault, Les SantenotsThe level of new oak is 35-40% with a mix of barrels used for Santenots.Crystallised lemon peel aromas crate an intense perfume on the nose which continues on theenergetic palate. It is full of breadth and ripe fruit underscored with hints of smoke and minerals.Freshness draws out the finish. Particularly good+. From 2009.Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet100% new Tronçais oak.The oak is barely perceptible on the nose. It is fully absorbed and contributes hints of nuttinessand honey, which sit well with a floral top note. The attack is poised and the mid-palate issmoothly textured. Ripeness is balanced by glossy minerals. The concentration is goodthroughout and the finish is persistent. Fine. From 2011.Red winesSantenay, CharmesThis is situated near to the premier cru site of Grand Clos Rousseau. 100% of the bunches aredestemmed prior to cold maceration and the start of alcoholic fermentation.Cherry and red berry fruit is balanced with a mineral salt character on the palate. The tanninshave grip, but are finely textured. The fruit reasserts itself on the finish. Attractive. From 2009.*Santenay, Commes100% destemming prior to cold maceration and the start of alcoholic fermentation. Morerestrained aromatically than the Charmes, but hints of fruits start to emerge with air. Tighttannins and fresh acidity is aligned with pure Pinot fruit that asserts itself on the mid-palate andthe finish. Linear and pretty. Particularly good. From 2010.Santenay, Beauregard25% whole bunches are included in the fermentation of this cru.The nose and palate are characterised by liquorice notes, together with berry fruit. It feels atouch darker than the Comme. Austere undertones sit beneath juicy, rounded fruit. The ripenessof the fruit comes through on the finish, but the control remains. Particularly good+. From 2010.*Santenay, GravièresShale and darker berry fruit come through on the nose. It has a focused and direct mouthfeel;density is evident across the palate. The tannins are fine-grained and layered with fresh acidityand mineral salt notes. Tight, defined and long on the finish. Possibly fine. From 2010/2011.Chassagne-Montrachet, Morgeot Clos PitoisThe vine age and vineyard character are the same as for the white. The planting is about 50/50between Pinot and Chardonnay.Bilberry and forest fruits with a touch of spice are evident on the aroma, through the palate andon to the finish. There is a distinct purity to the fruit character. The tannins are swathed in thefresh, ripe and elegant fruit. Violet notes are evident on the finish. Particularly good to fine. From2010.UK: BerkmansStockists269

Domaine Rene Lequin-Colin, SantenayFrançois Lequin comments on the season: “We had hail in May so we lost volume, but notquality, because those berries fell to the ground. In 2006 we had no more than normal rain. Thewhites are very ripe - 13.5-14%, making very rich, but not heavy wines.”“I think the wines are good to taste now, but have good potential for ageing. The acidity in 2006was one gram more than in 2005. The 2006 whites have the perfect balance of richness andacidity.”Most of the white was bottled in August with just the Bourgogne bottled in July.François Lequin has plenty to say on the subject of premature oxidation. For a start he is movingaway from cork.The Bourgogne is 100% under a screw cap for the first time in 2006. François started with sometrials with screw cap in 2001 and this year some bottles in all the appellations, even the Bâtard,are under screw cap. His goal is to show people the benefits of screw cap. Although they arefocusing on the lower appellations to begin with, some grands crus have been ordered withscrew cap. He is very passionate about it and has found the North of Europe and the UK areparticularly accepting of the change.The seal he is using has controlled ingress of oxygen, unlike the natural cork. There are degreesof permeability; high, middle and low. The Bourgogne is sealed under a medium level cap, as itwill be drunk within a year. The Chassagne and grands crus have the least permeable caps.He also considers the use of presses is at fault in premature oxidation. “There are less and lesslees at pressing. We have to move back to less gentle pressing, bringing wines back to a morereductive state in barrel.” He is also doing less debourgage; selecting the best lees. “If there arehardly any lees you have no choice.”“Fining is also important. If you don’t do it, it can affect the ageing potential. It is important toget rid of the already oxidized components of the wine. So probably the fact that people weredoing less fining has contributed. It was a fashion 10 years ago not to use it. Yet go back anothergeneration and 40-50 years ago they used a lot of fining material.”François Lequin comments on fining his 2006s. “They are rich and fruity and I wanted them tostay this way, so I got rid of the oxidized components and kept the fruit. I want to maximize thefruit in 2006.”SMWhitesBourgogne ChardonnayLifted pear-like fruit. Very bright, zesty and ripe with good acidity. Attractive. Ready.The following three wines are very different styles, from three different, but closely situatedterroirs.270

*Santenay, En FoulotThis cool site was replanted in 2002. When François grubbed up the vines and ploughed, he hada good look at the soil. “It has a very thin, very white top soil. The roots are in the chalk.”This is bright and fruit-driven. Fresh and lively with sherbety and white peach fruit. It is pure andclear with slight minerality and a chalky, breezy finish. Light, stylish and elegant. Good. From2008Santenay, Les HâtesThis faces South South-West. “The underground is quite heavy and on the surface there is stone.The roots are in the clay, but the vines get the reflection of the sun on the stone. It is always aripe terroir, making strong Santenay reds. My father planted it over 20 years ago.”This has a big, rich aroma. Generous on the attack with a rounded body, which is full, ripe andbroad. It is certainly a meaty and sturdy white with a gutsy finish. Typically robust Santenay andcompletely different from the last wine. Very attractive to good. From 2008*Santenay, Sous La RocheThe terroir here is stony and chalky, almost all rock, and on a steep slope which drains very well.This is more mineral than Les Hâtes with stone fruit and smooth stony minerality. It is very ripewith breadth and intensity and a firm richness on the finish. The energy is more contained. Verygood village Santenay. A cut above the others. Good+. From late 2008/2009*Chassagne-Montrachet, Les CharrièresThis village parcel is under Vide Bourse.This starts quite reserved, yet opens to a rich middle palate with ripe but vivid white peach fruit.A subtle floral character floats above the fruit. The palate has breadth and generosity and carriesto a decent finish. Good village wine with lovely purity. Very good. From 2008/9*Chassagne-Montrachet, BaudinesFragrant and high toned in aroma, this has a tight and bright palate; very mineral, pure anddirect. It is ripe, but vivacious. Linear lucidity and racy energy are embedded in the structure.Particularly good to fine. From 2009/10Chassagne-Montrachet, MorgeotsFrançois Lequin’s parcel is situated just below the Abbey.Full and opulent aroma. Generous, broad and rather meaty, yet laced with glossy minerality andspice. This has a firm, quite chunky structure, coiled energy, good intensity and a surprisinglyedgy finish. Particularly good. From 2009/10Corton-CharlemagneThe vines are on the Aloxe-Corton side in Languettes. François’ grandfather bought this after theSecond World War. They replanted it in 1989. It had been planted in red, but in 1985 theappellation was given the appellation of Corton Charlemagne if planted in Chardonnay. Theyimmediately replanted.An upright lifted and mineral aroma. Ripe attack with a generous, rounded and full middle palate.It is savoury and fruity; peachy, fennel and hazelnuts. Broad certainly, but not at all heavy andvery contained with coiled vigour. Persistent and fine on the finish. Fine+. From 2013271

RedBourgogne, Pinot NoirThis is all under stelvin and was bottled in late August.Good typicite of pinot noir. There are strawberries and red fruits with lovely purity together withsoft tannins and some pretty florality. Very pleasant indeed. Ready.*Santenay, Vieilles VignesRich aroma, dense and quite meaty. This is lower toned with loganberry fruits and plums on thepalate. Quite full and robust. It is carrying a bit of weight. It has a decent concentration of fruitand ripe if somewhat rugged tannins. There is a nice lift to the finish. Decent enough villageSantenay. Very attractive. From 2008Santenay, La CommeGood intensity of red fruit on the nose. Plump richness on the attack. There is plumy fruit, gutsytannins and a rather meaty body. It is earthy and robust with some grip, fresh acidity and a fairfollow through. Very attractive. From 2009StockistsUK: Oddbins; Stone Vine and Sun; Gunson Fine wines Ltd,; Private Cellar; Oliver winesUSA: Metropolis (NY), Margate Wine & spirit (NJ), Grantham (FL), Fine Vines, Purveyor of finevines, Dee Vine Wines (CA)272

Domaine Lucien Muzard et Fils, SantenayThe wines were racked three weeks before we tasted and they plan to bottle at the beginning ofDecember. As in previous years, no fining or filtration will be carried out on any of the wines.This is a stylistic decision, says Hervé Muzard, to protect the texture and fruit of the wine.Hervé notes that the acidity in 2006 has a direct quality, but in general feels there may be a littleless than in 2005. However, he notes that the style of Pinot Noir in 2006 is more typical and thatthere is greater minerality in this vintage, which gives the wine an elegance that reminds him ofsome 1999s. He feels that terroirs like Faubard and Clos de Tavennes were particularly good in2006 and that careful, light and swift extraction was important for the balance of the wines.KRRedsSantenay, Champs Claude Vieilles VignesThis climat on the limit of Santenay, before Chassagne, is planted with vines with an average ageof 70 years.The wine has a wonderful, bright colour and is laced with attractively pure fruit. There is adelicacy to the palate where fine tannins and fresh acidity form an elegant backbone.Attractive+. From 2009.Santenay, MaladièreThough the average vine age in this 5ha premier cru is lower at 35-40 years, Pinot Noir thrives inthe chalky, clay and pebbly soil.The fruit is a touch more savoury with black and red fruit supported by hints of spice. The attackis energetic and the fruit is rich on the mid-palate. Refined tannins help to create an elegantmouthfeel. Very good to particularly good. From 2009.Santenay, Clos FaubardExpressive fruit throughout with forest fruits and floral complexity woven in a focused and directpalate. Tannins are fine and well balanced with fruit and clear acidity. There is a generous andmuscular quality to the fruit on the finish. Very good to particularly good. From 2009.Santenay, GravièresGood depth and density from the outset. Lovely aromatic profile that hints a violets, black cherryand plum. Notes reminiscent of slate sit beneath the fruit and the ripe tannins have a deceptivestructure. There is an upright strength to this wine combined with Pinot fruit. Particularly good.From 2010.*Santenay, Clos de TavannesAlthough more reticent on the nose than the Gravières at this tasting, hints of stone fruits areevident. There is an opulence to the entry that is supported by juicy ripe fruit on the mid-palateand tightly-packed, fine tannins. This wine has a serious quality and good presence. Fine. From2010.273

Pommard, Les Cras Vieilles VignesThe vine age is around 80-88 years old and yield on average 30hl/ha. It is a small parcel of lessthan 0.5ha.Blueberry and plum fruit comes through on the nose and palate giving the wine a sweetlyscentedquality that is balanced with a concentrated, tight palate. The phenolics are muscular,but not four square. Freshness draws out the finish. Good. From 2009/2010.Volany Les Chalans, Premier CruDried flowers and red berry fruit display ripeness on the nose. It is aromatic and fragrant. Thetannins are grippy, but fine-grained and layered with fruit. The finish is persistent. Very good toparticularly good. From 2010.Corton-GrèvesGrand cru proportions are apparent. The aromas are currently restrained, but there is plenty offruit and structural tannins on the palate. Bright, juicy cherry and redcurrant berries are layeredwith spice, hinting at future complexity. Minerality emerges on the finish. Fine to very fine. From2012.UK: Pol RogerUSA: Vintage 59 ImportsStockists274

Domaine A et P de Villaine, BouzeronPierre de Benoist runs the domaine. His uncle is Aubert de Villaine.Just to recap on the vineyards: The vineyards lie on a South East facing slope; on the oppositeslope, and on the flat ground to the South of the village in the direction of Rully. The issue withAligoté, Pierre explains, is one of ripeness. It ripens a week later than Pinot Noir andChardonnay. In the first two expositions it can reach the right degree, but in the third the vinescan struggle, depending on yields.Pierre reflected on the conditions in 2006. “They were acceptable growing conditions. Althoughmore and more the seasons are not so marked. Short, soft winters, summers which are not sowarm; seasons without extremes. There was alternating rain and sun, which was good for theleaves and perfect for the grapes; they were stressed then received a little watering, so therewas no break in the progression to maturity. We had a bit of botrytis in August, although 2007was more difficult. We started harvesting on 20 th September. In the flat part to the south of thevillage it was very difficult to get the acidity down in 2007, so had we to wait. In 2006, it was notso extreme. 2006 prepared us for 2007.”There are three pruning methods at the domaine. Aligoté is on goblet for yield control. SomeChardonnay is on guyot. For the majority of Chardonnay, and all the Pinot Noir, cordon is used.Pierre’s instinct tells him not to work in an entirely biodynamic way. However the domaine is onehundred percent organic.Ageing the wines: The Aligoté has 8-10 months ageing and the Rully one year. The foudres are40-50 hl in size.SMWhite*Bouzeron, Aligoté de BouzeronPierre comments. “This is more than just an aperitif. It is good with oysters.”An attractive aroma with notes of marzipan and citrus. It has gentle lemony fruit on the palate,and is ripe but with fresh acidity and an appealing almond kernel finish. This is a delicious andvery nicely balanced Aligoté. Top notch. From 2008.“At the beginning I was not sure if it was a good thing to have this Bouzeron appellation,” musesPierre. “Now for me the only real plant from Burgundy is Aligoté. In other words Aligoté is theonly variety that is not copied throughout the world. The particularity of this variety is keepingthe yield down. But this is the only totally Burgundian plant. I love Aligoté.”Aubert de Villaine remarks, “This is the very best we have produced.” He thinks this is becausethe Aligoté did not have the same level of stress as in 2005, during which it shut down in theheat wave. In 2006 the conditions were more even.275

Bourgogne, Côte Chalonnaise, Les ClousThis is practically the same terroir on which the Aligoté is planted, but it is further down theslope. Both foudres and pièce are used in maturation. They were about to bottle this.It has a fresh and appealing brightness on the aroma. Lively onto the palate with pure citrusfruit, zesty freshness and a touch of minerality. A stylish Bourgogne. Certainly attractive. From2008Rully, St-Jacques“In Rully it is flatter and the soil is deeper than in Bouzeron. There are not a lot of stones and itis more calcareous and there is silt in the soil,” says Pierre. This village wine is a parcel justbelow Clos St Jacques. The vines yield just 20-25 hl/ha. “The wine is good, but I am not totallysure it’s Rully because there is a little sur-maturité.”Golden aroma and ripe on the attack. It has a rounded palate with nice intensity, a touch ofminerality and a spicy finish. Very attractive to good, but I preferred Les Clous. From late 2008RedBourgogne, Côte Chalonnaise, La FortuneThis has slight spice on the nose. Lively red cherry fruit with zesty tannins, vivacious energy anda lightish body. It is a spicy, fruity charming wine with a pretty red berry finish. Attractive. Fromlate 2008/2009*Bourgogne, Côte Chalonnaise, La DigoineThe same exposition as La Fortune, but with 35 years difference in the age of the vines.More intensity on the nose. Black fruit, slight spice and an edge of liquorish. There is a little griphere. Good richness of fruit with nuances of black chocolate and aniseed. The tannins are lightishand there is a touch of dark minerality on the middle palate, which carries to the finish. Veryattractive indeed. From 2009.Mercurey, Les MontotsIn 2006 selection was necessary and the harvest yielded 30-35 hl/h. This is still in barrel. Theyhave changed the vinification of this since the very warm 2003 harvest. “We reduced theextraction to preserve the fresh expression of Pinot Noir and we continue this way." Before 2003the fermentation and maceration took 20 days, but since 2003 it has been reduced to between12 and 15 days. (In 2007 the grapes were ripe yet the pips were green, so they did a very shortmaceration not to extract the green tannins.)Dark fruit with a slightly savoury edge and lightish tannins. Nicely balanced straight palate with amore robust structure and a touch of slately minerality on the finish. Good. From 2009StockistsUK: Adnams; Corney and Barrow; Anthony Seargent; Anthony BurneUS: Kermit Lynchwww.contact.de-villaine.com276

Domaine Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon, Macon“A very Mâcon style vintage. It was almost vin du gard in 2005, while 2006 is very ripe andfruity, good to drink now. I worry that the 2005s are being drunk too early. So I think the 2006swill appeal.”“The game with Chardonnay in 2006 was to pick early. It went over very quickly and we rushedto pick in Mâcon. The Ban de Vendanges was 30 th August (like 2007 in the Côte de Beaune), soyou could pick when you wanted and take responsibility.”“The alcohol was pretty high in the Mâcon for 2006. None were over 14% because we rushed topick, so 13.2-13.5 for the southern part. All the northern part of Mâcon achieved great ripeness.”(There are some figures on the Mâcon Uchizy, Les Maranches.)SMMâconThis is designed for summer drinking and has a screw cap. It was sold out last June. A fresh, ripefruity wine with pear-like richness. Simple and pleasing.Mâcon VillageMade in 50hl casks and bottled in July.A little more depth of fruit and a creamy smooth palate. Ripe and seductive. Ready. Verypleasing.Mâcon, Milly-LamartineThis has just been bottled.This is buttery with lovely ripe lemon fruit. It has soft acidity, gentle texture and a rounded bodywith hints of butterscotch. Attractive. Ready.*Mâcon Bussieres, Le MonsardThis is a tiny bit more reserved and darker on the nose. Cooler and more reticent on the palate.There is a savoury mineral character with fruit on the finish. It is nicely balanced and it finisheswell on a slightly gravely note. There is a bit more tension here. Very attractive. From 2008Mâcon Uchizy, Les MaranchesThe pH was 3.35. The TA 3.5 and the alcohol 13.5-14This is floral on the aroma and has an equally flowery, slightly blousy palate. A full andexpressive palate, which is soft and quite exotic and has a florid finish. Very attractive. From2008*Mâcon Chardonnay, Clos de CrochetteDominique has owned this vineyard for 4 years now and is waiting for it to realise its potential.The vines are just 7 and 8 years old.This is on the same side as Uchizy yet is more mineral on the attack with ripe flavours; notes ofcrystallized lemon on the palate. It is fresher than the Uchizy and relatively lively with a decentlifted finish. Good. From 2008277

*Mâcon Milly-Lamartine, Clos du FourIt is a high, stony, calcium rich, mineral site. Lafon has been working this vineyard since 1999,bringing it to a condition with which he feels happy; whereas the Clos de Crochette is still work inprogress. This was the last to be bottled just 2 weeks ago. It had a light filtration, but there wasno time to bottle before harvest.This is more serious with some weight and intensity and a tight stony character. There are ripecitrus flavours and minerality onto the finish. It is expressive and broadens across the palate, butretains control. It has a lovely finish for Mâcon. Top notch. Good+. From 2008278

The Burgundy Briefingnews, views and tastingsSarah Marsh MWBest Burgundy Hit list of favourite red 2006The following list of wine is provided to simplify choices for those who want an easy ‘hit list’ ofgood wine, but is not a substitute for looking though the full list of tasting notes. Within eachdomaine the wines which were liked most were given a star. A selection of these appear in thelist below.Within each villages the premier cru are listed alphabetically to make it easier for subscribers tofind specific wines. The growers listed are in no particular order.BourgogneBourgogneDomaines Thomas Bouley; Christian Sérafin ; Humbert Frères ; Henri Gouges ; Claude Dugat ;Georges Roumier ; Domaines Dr. Georges Mugneret/Mugneret-Gibourg; Robert Arnoux; JeanGrivot; Courcel; A et P de Villaine (La Digoine)Hautes-Côtes De Nuits VillagesDomaine Michel GrosCôte De Nuits Villages, Les VignottesDomaine Denis BacheletMarsannay & FixinFixinDomaines Humbert Frères ; Denis Mortet, Louis BoillotGevrey-ChambertinGevrey-ChambertinDomines Claude Dugat ; Pierre Damoy (Clos de Tamisot), Armand RousseauGevrey-Chambertin, Vieilles VignesDomaine HeresztynGevrey-Chambertin, Premier CruDomaine Denis Mortet279

Gevrey-Chambertin, Les CazetiersDomaine Armand RousseauGevrey-Chambertin, Les ChampeauxDomaine Denis MortetGevrey-Chambertin, Clos-Saint-JacquesDomaine FourrierGevrey-Chambertin, Combe-Aux-MoinesDomaine FourrierGevrey-Chambertin, Les CorbeauxDomaine Denis BacheletGevrey-Chambertin, Les GoulotsDomaine HeresztynGevrey-Chambertin, Lavaux-Saint-JacquesDomaines Claude Dugat ; Armand RousseauGevrey-Chambertin, PoissenotsDomaine Humbert FrèresGriotte-ChambertinDomaine Claude DugatLatricières-ChambertinDomaine Jean & Jean-Louis TrapetGrand CruRuchottes-ChambertinDomaines Armand Rousseau; Christophe Roumier; Dr. Georges Mugneret/Mugneret-GibourgChambertin Clos de BèzeDomaine Pierre DamoyChambertinDomaines Armand Roussseau ; Denis MortetMorey-Saint-DenisMorey-Saint-DenisDomaine DujacGrand Cru280

Clos De La RocheDomaine Lignier-Michelot ; Armand RousseauClos De TartDomaine Du Clos du TartChambolle-MusignyChambolle-MusignyDomaines Comte Georges De Vogüé, Lignier-Michelot (Vieilles vignes) ; Jean Grivot (La CombeD’Orveaux); Michel Gros; Jacky Confuron-CotétidotChambolle-Musigny, Les AmoureusesDomaines Georges Roumier; Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier; Anne GrosChambolle-Musigny, Les BaudesDomaine Ghislaine BarthodChambolle-Musigny, Les CharmesDomaine Ghislaine BarthodChambolle-Musigny, La Combe D’OrveauxDomaine Bruno ClavalierChambolle-Musigny, Les CrasDomaine Ghislaine BarthodChambolle-Musigny, Les FuéesDomaine Ghislaine BarthodGrand CruBonnes-MaresDomaines Georges Roumier ; Comte Georges De VogüéLe MusignyDomaines George Roumier ; Comte Georges De Vogüé ; Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier ; DomaineDrouhinVosne-Romanée and Flagey-EchézeauxVosne-Romanée,Domaines Sylvain Cathiard; Dr. Georges Mugneret/Mugneret-Gibourg; Jean Grivot; Anne Gros;Méo-Camuzet, Vosne-Romanée, Romanée-Conti (Cuvée Blochot); Camille GiroudVosne-Romanée, Premier CruDomaine Gros Frère et Soeur281

Vosne-Romanée, Les BeaumontsDomaines Jean Grivot, Bruno ClavelierVosne-Romanée, Les BossièresDomaine Jean GrivotVosne-Romanée, Les BrûléesDomaines Bruno Clavelier; Jean Grivot ; Michel Gros ; Méo-Camuzet,Vosne-Romanée, Les Malconsorts2005 Domaines Dujac; Sylvain Cathiard2006 Domaines Sylvain CathiardVosne-Romanée, Cros ParentouxDomaine Méo-CamuzetVosne-Romanée, Les Petits MontsDomaine DrouhinVosne-Romanée, Les ReignotsDomaines Liger-BelairVosne-Romanée, Les SuchotsDomaines Jean Grivot ; Robert Arnoux.Grand CruEchézeauxDomaine Dujac ; Meo-Camuzet, De La Romanée-Conti,RichebourgDomaine Jean Grivot ; Anne GrosRomanée-ContiDomaine de la Romanée-Conti,Romanée-Saint-VivantDomaines Sylvain Cathiard ; Robert Arnoux ; De La Romanée-Conti,Nuits-Saints-GeorgesNuits-Saint-GeorgesDomaines Jacky Confuron-Cotétidot; Henri Gouges; Robert Arnoux (Les Poisets); Michel Gros(Les Challiots);Nuits-Saint-Georges, Premier CruDomaine Michel GrosNuits-Saint-Georges, Clos De L’ArlotDomaine De L’Arlot282

Nuits-Saint-Georges, Aux BoudotsDomaine Jean GrivotNuits-Saint-Georges, Les ChaignotsDomaine Dr. Georges Mugneret/Mugneret-GibourgNuits-Saint-George, Aux CrasDomaine Bruno ClavelierNuits-Saint-Georges, Les Procès2006 Domaine DrouhinNuits-Saint-Georges, Les PruliersDomaine Jean GrivotNuits-Saint-Georges, La MaréchaleDomaine Jacques-Frédéric MugnierNuits-Saint-Georges, Les MurgersMaison Nicolas PotelNuits-Saint-George, Les VaucrainsMaison Camille GiroudCorton, Aloxe-Corton, Pernand-VergelessesAloxe-Corton, Le SuchotDomaine Simon BizePernard-Vergelesses, Les VergelessesDomaine Remi RollinCorton, BressandesDomaine Chandon de BriaillesCorton PougetsDomaines d’ArdhuyCorton, Le RognetDomaines Méo-Camuzet; Bruno Clavelier Michel MallardCorton, Clos de RoiDomaine Chandon de Briailles; Maison Camille GiroudChorey-Lès-BeauneChorey-Lès-BeauneMaison Joseph Drouhin283

BeauneBeaune, Les EpenottesDomaine Jean BoillotBeaune, Vignes FranchesChâteau de ChoreyPommardPommardAleth Giradin (Vignots); Courcel; Jacky Confuron-CotétidotPommard, Premier CruDomaine Comte ArmandPommard, ArveletsDomaine Joseph VoillotPommard, EpenotsDomaine Joseph Voillot; Aleth GiradinPommard, FremiersDomaine CourcelPommard, PezerollesDomaine Michel LafargePommard, RugiensDomaine CourcelVolnayVolnayDomaine Thomas Bouley (Vieilles Vignes)Volnay, BrouillardsDomaine Joseph VoillotVolnay, CailleretsDomaines Nicolas Rossignol-Jeanniard, Louis Boillot ; Michel LafargeVolnay, ChampansDomaine Joseph Voillot ; Comte LafonVolnay, ChanlinsDomaine Michel Lafarge284

Volnay, FremietsDomaine Marquis d’AngervilleVolnay, En L’OrmeauDomaine Thomas BouleyVolnay, TaillepiedsDomaines Nicolas Rossignol-Jeanniard, Marquis d’AngervilleSantenaySantenay, Clos-de-TavannesDomaines Muzard, Pousse d’OrSantenay, CommeDomaine Roger BellandSantenay, GravièresDomaine Roger Belland285

The Burgundy Briefingnews, views and tastingsSarah Marsh MWIssue 9, Winter 2007/2008Best Burgundy Hit list of white 2006The following list of wine is provided to simplify choices for those who want an easy ‘hit list’ ofgood wine, but is not a substitute for looking though the full list of tasting notes. Within eachdomaine the wines which were liked most were given a star. A selection of these are in the listbelow.Within each villages the premier cru are listed alphabetically to make it easier for subscribers tofind specific wines. The growers listed are in no particular order.BourgogneBourgogne AligotéDomaines Michel Bouzereau ; Arnaud Ente ; Pierre Morey ; François et Antoine Jobard; GuyRoulot; Richard Fontaine Gagnard; Hubert Lamy (Les Chataigners)BourgogneDomaines Michel Bouzereau ; Henri Germain ; Vincent Dancer ; Jean-Philippe Fichet ; Jean-LouisChavy ; Simon Bize ; Jean & Jean-Marc Boillot ; Benoit Ente ; Patrick Javillier (Cuvée Oligocène)Nuits Saint George, Clos de L’Arlot2006 Domaine de L’ArlotCôte de NuitsCorton-Charlemagne, Corton & Aloxe-CortonCorton-Charlemagne performed splendidly well in 2006. The quality, but also the consistency wassurprising. Almost without exception the wines tasted were very fine.Aloxe-CortonDomaine SenardCorton BlancDomaines Chandon de Briailles ; Comte Senard286

Corton-CharlemagneDomaines d’Ardhuy; Bonneau de Martray; Chandon de Brialles; Christophe RoumierSavigny-Leès-Beaune, VergelessesSimon BizeSavigny-Lès-BeauneAuxey-DuressesAuxey-DuressesMaison Nicolas Marey (Benjamin Leroux); Maison MoreyMeursaultMeursaultDomaines Pierre Morey ; Arnaud Ente (Clos des Ambres)Meursault, Les Grands CharronsDomaine Vincent DancerMeursault, GruyachesDomaine FichetMeursault, LimozinDomaine Henri GermainMeursault, Meix ChavauxDomaine Guy RoulotLieux-ditsMeursault, TessonsDomaines Pierre Morey ; Guy Roulot (Cuvée De Mon Plaisir)Meursault, TilletsDomain Patrick Javillier ; Guy RoulotsPremier CruMeursault, Les CharmesMaison Morey-Blanc ; Domaines Javillier ; François et Antoine JobardMeursault, Les GenevrièresDomaines Latour-Giraud, François et Antoine JobardMeursault, Gouttes d’Or287

Maison Morey-Blanc ;Meursault, PerrièresDomaines Michel Bouzereau ; Henri Germain ; Pierre Morey ; Comte LafonBâtard-MontrachetDomaine Pierre MoreyGrand Cru, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-MontrachetChevalier-MontrachetDomaines Etienne Sauzet ; Vincent Dancer ; LeflaiveLe MontrachetDomaine Comte LafonBlagny, La Pièce Sous la BoisDomaine Robert AmpeauAround BlagnyMeursault, BlagnyDomaines Michel Bouzereau, François et Antoine JobardPuligny-Montrachet, Hameau-de-BlagnyMartelet de CheriseyPuligny-MontrachetPuligny-MontrachetDomaines Etienne Sauzet ; Alain Chavy ; Maison Drouhin ; Leflaive ; Jean-Marc Blain-GagnardPuligny-Montrachet, Champ GainDomaines Jean-Louis Chavy; Lafon; Benoît EntePuligny-Montrachet, Les ClavoillonsDomaine Alain ChavyPuligny-Montrachet, Les CombettesDomaines Etienne SauzetPuligny-Montrachet, FolatièresDomaines Etienne Sauzet ; Alain Chavy ; Benoit Ente (En La Richarde); LeflaivePuligny-Montrachet, Les PerrièresDomainePuligny-Montrachet, PucellesDomaines Leflaive288

Puligny-Montrachet, Les TruffièresDomaines Bruno ColinChassagne-MontrachetDomaine Richard Fontaine GagnardChassagne-Montrachet, Les CailleretsDomaine René Lamy PillotChassagne-MontrachetChassagne-Montrachet, Les Grandes RuchottesDomaine Richard Fontaine GagnardChassagne-Montrachet, Les MorgeotsDomaine Henri Germain ; René Lamy PillotChassagne-Montrachet, La RomanéeDomaines Vincent Dancer ; Richard Fontaine-Gagnard.Chassagne-Montrachet, Les VergersDomaines Bruno Colin ; Richard Fontaine-GagnardSaint-Aubin, Premier CruDomaine Larue (veillies vignes)Saint Aubin, Le CharmoisDomaines Bruno ColinSaint-Aubin, Les CommesDomaines Larue ; Maison Morey-BlancSaint-Aubin, En CréotsDomaine René Lamy PillotSaint-AubinSaint-Aubin, Les Murgers-Des-Dents-de-ChienMaison Alex Gambal ; Domaine Hubert LamySaint-Aubin, En RemillyDomaine Hubert LamySantenay-Beauregard, Sous La RocheDomaine Rene Lequin ColinSantenay289

ChalonnaisBouzeronA et P de Villaine, Aligoté de BouzeronMâconnaisDomaine Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon, Mâcon Milly-Lamartine, Clos du Four290