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2016 Château des Rontets Pouilly-Fuissé Pierrefolle - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Pouilly-Fuissé (29.2.2020)
An organic Chardonnay from Pouilly-Fuissé, sourced from vineyards averaging 45 years. Aged for 18 months in used oak barrels (of 2nd, 3rd and 4th use), blended together and left to age for another 6-10 months in tanks. Bottled unfined. 13% alcohol.
Youthful lemony yellow-green color. Cool and restrained nose with fine-tuned aromas of ripe lemony citrus fruits, some creamy oak tones, light herbal nuances of menthol, a hint of sweet vanilla-driven oak spice and a touch of crunchy golden apple. The wine is medium-bodied, structured and pleasantly textural on the palate with flavors of stony minerality, some peachy stone fruits, a little bit of butter, light mineral notes of chalky bitterness and a hint of sweet golden apples. The oak feels still somewhat unintegrated, lending a somewhat mealy and slightly sawdust note to the flavors. The high acidity keeps the wine wonderfully structured and focused throughout. The finish is lively, quite acid-driven and crisp yet still silky smooth with long, refreshing flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some creamy oak, light notes of sweet oak spice, light mineral notes of chalky bitterness and a crunchy hint of fresh red apple.
A crunchy, bright and sophisticated Pouilly-Fuissé with wonderful sense of freshness and focus. However, the oak component still seems a bit unintegrated, jutting out at times and lending a slightly sawdusty flavor to the taste. All in all the wine shows good promise, but since it doesn’t feel like it is showing its best right not, it most likely just needs some time. Seeing how very youthful the wine is at the moment, it is going to be going up for a long time. I’d let it wait for at least a few years and preferably even some more. (88 pts.)
Translucent and slightly developed pomegranate color with a thin, colorless rim. Brooding and slightly developed nose with aromas of wizened red fruits, some earthy spices, a little bit of beet root, light cranberry jam tones and a hint of rose hip soup. The wine is light-to-medium-bodied, crunchy and somewhat lean on the palate with dry flavors of tart lingonberries and crunchy cranberries, some sanguine notes of iron, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light leathery tones, a hint of fresh redcurrant and a touch of gravelly minerality. The structure relies mostly on the high acidity, not on the quite light tannins that barely offer any grip. The finish is dry, lean and slightly bitter with a bit austere but also quite intense flavors of tart lingonberries, crunchy cranberries, some gravelly minerality, a little bit of earthy Pinosity and a hint of savory wood spice.
A somewhat lean and rather linear but also pleasantly unapologetic and acid-driven Marsannay. Definitely not a soft nor fruity wine, but offers good drinkability and pleasure who want their Burgundies dry and lean. The wine might gain some welcome complexity with age, but I’m not sure for how long the fruit will last, since the appearance and nose suggested some development already - you don’t want the fruit to recede from the level it is now so that the wine won’t appear as hollow. It’s hard to say if the wine is at its best now or if it will benefit from further aging. (89 pts.)
Brooding and somewhat developed dried-blood color that permits relatively little light through. The nose feels dark-toned and somewhat restrained with brooding, fine-tuned aromas of wizened cherries, some ripe cranberries, a little bit of bloody meat, light plummy tones, a hint of woody oak spice and a touch of smoke. The wine is medium-bodied and silky smooth on the palate with dry flavors of brambly black raspberries, some sour cherries, a little bit of lingonberries, light bloody notes of iron, a hint of savory oak spice and a nice, lifting floral touch of violets. Overall the wine feels very harmonious with its good acidity and somewhat grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, moderately grippy and fine-tuned with a layered, seductive aftertaste of ripe raspberries, some crunchy redcurrants, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light stony mineral tones and a hint of savory oak spice.
A very balanced, harmonious and tasty 1er Cru Gevrey that isn’t particularly open or super-expressive at the moment, yet still manages to come across as very poised and seductive in style. The wine doesn’t come across as ripe as some warmer vintages of red Burgundy and the overall feel is quite structured, yet the wine shows enough depth and concentration so that it doesn’t come across as lean or austere in any way. It is very enjoyable right now, but shows good potential to develop for another 10-15 years or even more. Very nice! (92 pts.)
Very translucent and surprisingly pale ruby red color with a colorless rim. Sweetish and somewhat developed nose with fragrant aromas of wizened strawberries, some raspberry juice, light dried red plum tones, a floral hint of violets and a touch of marmalade candy. The wine is surprisingly ripe and relatively voluminous for the appearance, coming across moderately full-bodied on the palate with juicy flavors of sweet strawberries and ripe raspberries, some mineral notes of wet stones, a little bit of wizened cherries, light crunchy notes of cranberries, a brambly hint of dark berries and a touch of earthy spice. The wine is moderately high in acidity with slowly piling up medium tannins that make the wine feel somewhat grippy towards the aftertaste. The finish is quite dry, moderately grippy with ripe, juicy flavors of brambly raspberries, some mineral bitterness, a little bit of tart lingonberries, light savory woody tones and a hint of meaty umami.
A juicy and sophisticated Savigny-lès-Beaune where the pale, thin appearance and surprisingly succulent and full-bodied expression are weirdly in stark contrast with each other - almost like in a ripe Nebbiolo. All in all, a very pleasant and balanced red Burgundy with a good deal of ripe fruit, firm structure and lots of nuance. Might benefit from a few years of further aging, but drinking wonderfully right now. (90 pts.)
Moderately translucent and slightly pale ruby red color. Big, ripe and juicy nose with slightly developed, red-toned aromas of sweet cherries and brambly raspberries, some wizened dark berries, a little bit of beet root, light earthy tones, a hint of savory wood spice and a subtly wild touch of floral lift. The wine is medium-bodied, bright and wonderfully textural on the palate with vibrant, layered flavors of ripe dark berries, some floral notes of violets, a little bit of some wild, lifted notes of chinotto peel, light cranberry tones, sweet hints of juicy black cherries and slightly pruney dark fruits and a touch of black raspberry. The wine is wonderfully high in acidity with very gentle, silky tannins. The finish feels slightly more grippy with juicy and rather persistent flavors of ripe cranberries and brambly raspberries, some tart red plums, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light gravelly mineral tones and a hint of savory wood spice.
A beautiful, fresh and harmonious Savigny-les-Beaune with very impressive length and sense of precision. The wine is showing the first signs of development, but since its overall character is still full of life and vibrant fruit, I doubt this wine is going anywhere but up for at least the next handful of years. A great mélange of crunchy red fruits, sweeter dark fruits, perfumed floral nuances and cool minerality. A textbook example of a seductive, nuanced Burgundy. Highly recommended. (94 pts.)
Quite deep, brooding dark and - for a Pinot Noir - surprisingly opaque black cherry color. Big, brooding and quite dark-toned nose with slightly sweetish aromas of wizened dark berries, sweet black cherries, some licorice, a little bit of savory wood spice, light raisiny tones, a hint of wild strawberry and a touch of prune. The wine is dense, full-bodied and quite chewy on the palate; surprisingly big and muscular for a Burgundy, yet not particularly heavy in weight. Intense and somewhat sweet-toned flavors of black cherries, some plummy fruit, a little bit of toasty mocha oak, light raisiny tones, a hint of wizened raspberries and a touch of spicy Pinosity. The warm vintage really shows here. Moderately high in acidity with rather grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is rich, quite textural and moderately tannic yet still relatively soft on the palate with long, ripe flavors of sweet dark plums, some wizened black cherries, a little bit of sweet chocolatey oak, light stony mineral tones and a hint of earth.
A big, burly and rather concentrated Pommard where the characteristics of the warm vintage really show. The overall style is not only ripe and concentrated, but also rather modern, glossy and leaning heavy on oak influence, which only seems to boost the already sweet-toned fruit flavors even more. Burly and somewhat clumsy, lacking in finesse. The wine could really benefit from further aging in the hopes that it would integrate the oak better with the fruit, but I doubt any amount of aging will make the wine gain sophistication. Impressive with its big size, but not really a Burgundy for my taste. Definitely worth its price at 19€, though. (88 pts.)
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2012 Maison Albert Bichot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Château Gris - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (29.2.2020)
From a 3,5-hectare (8,75 acres) monopole vineyard, of which 2,8 hectares (7 acres) are planted to Pinot Noir. Average age of the vines 35 years. Fermented and macerated with the skins for 30 days in conical foudres. Aged for 12-15 months in oak pièces (25% new). 13% alcohol.
Luminous, moderately translucent and still relatively youthful, deep cherry red color. Rich, powerful and - surprisingly - slightly reductive nose with aromas of skunky sulfurous character and some gunpowder smoke, a little bit of cooked beet root, light cranberry tones, a toasty hint of oak and a touch of darker fruit. I wonder if the wine is just reductive or has had a bigger dose of SO2? The wine is full-bodied, quite big and rather ripe on the palate, but the reductive tones from the nose follow to the taste, making the fruit feel somewhat subdued. Flavors of cranberries and brambly raspberries, some sour cherry bitterness, light stony mineral tones, a little bit of peppery spice, reductive hints of gunpowder smoke and a touch of sweet, chocolatey oak spice. The moderately high acidity and the gently grippy medium-minus tannins keep the wine balanced, but it lacks the structure a big Burgundy like this calls for. The finish is dry, juicy and gently grippy with somewhat restrained flavors of black cherries, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of sweet, toasty oak and a brambly hint of black raspberry that fall somewhat on the short side.
A rather big, polished and slightly clumsy 1er Cru NSG suffering from something that might be reduction. It’s quite rare for me to taste a reductive red Bugundy - let alone one at 7½ years of age - but all signs seem to point towards reduction, so I guess that must be it then. The way it seems to dull the fruit flavors a bit doesn’t really work in the wine’s favor, but I must say I’m not really impressed by the style of the wine, be it reductive or not. Even if the fruit was singing, the wine feels a bit too big, soft and oaky for my taste. I enjoy the sense of power here, but this feels more like a Cali Pinot drinker’s Burgundy than a Burgundy drinker’s Burgundy. Cellaring might make the wine gain a few points more if the oak integrates with age, but I doubt this wine will ever become a grand vin. (86 pts.)
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2013 Domaine de la Vougeraie Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos de Thorey - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (29.2.2020)
From a monopoly vineyard owned completely by Domaine de la Vougeraie. 100% destemmed fruit, not crushed. Pre-fermentation cold soak for 5 days before fermentation, fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts and macerated for 20 days. Aged for 15 months in oak pièces (40% new). Bottled unfined with light filtration. 12,5% alcohol. Total production 7000 bottles.
Luminous, youthful and quite translucent raspberry red color with a pale pink rim. Seductive, fragrant and wonderfully performed nose with delicate aromas of boysenberries, brambly raspberries, some dried herbs, a little bit of roasted beetroot and a hint of savory spice. The 40% portion of new oak stays well hidden. The wine is ripe, broad and moderately full-bodied on the palate with clean, vibrant and very slightly wild flavors of crunchy cranberries and tart lingonberries, some savory wood spice, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light floral notes of violets and rose petals, a sanguine hint of raw meat and a touch of sweet raspberry-driven red fruit. The moderately high acidity and ripe, well-behaved medium tannins keep the wine’s balance nicely in check while keeping the mouthfeel velvety. The finish is ripe and juicy with complex flavors of ripe cranberries, brambly raspberries, some fresh cherries, a little bit of tart lingonberry, light savory wood tones, a hint of sweet spices and a touch of floral lift.
I had my reservations on this wine, since I remembered Vougeraie wines to be a bit on the slightly too oaky side for my taste. However, this wine managed to surprise me very positively with its pure, vibrant and wonderfully perfumed overall character. While some oak tones shine through, oak use here is very judicious and the overall feel is of real finesse, combining beautifully fragrant and even delicate red-fruited tones to sense of harmony and understated power. Drinking ridiculously well right now, but showing lots of potential for future development. I don’t see why this wine couldn’t ramp up its score with cellar age. Pretty lovely stuff. (92 pts.)
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2009 Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune 1er Cru Beaune du Château - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru (29.2.2020)
The special 1er Cru cuvée of Bouchard, made since 1907. A combination of 17 different Beaune 1er Cru vineyards, all vinified separately and blended together to show the quality of the vintage. Aged for 12-14 months in oak pièces (25-35% new). 13,5% alcohol.
Pale, translucent and somewhat developed pomegranate color. Quite open and somewhat developed nose with aromas of roasted beet, some savory wood spice, a little bit of ripe cranberry, light meaty tones, a hint of smoke and a sweet touch of wizened dark berries. The wine is ripe, full-bodied and quite sinewy on the palate with brooding, dry-ish flavors of black raspberries, some sweet black cherries, a little bit of meaty umami, light charred notes of soot, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of crunchy cranberry. The wine is pretty balanced with its moderately high acidity and quite gentle medium-minus tannins. The finish is juicy and gently grippy with ripe and moderately long flavors of black raspberries, some meaty umami, a little bit of sour cherries, light sweeter notes of dried red fruits and a hint of beetroot.
A surprisingly balanced, bright and sophisticated for a 2009 red Burgundy - although the vintage character feels rather obvious when tasted comparatively with the 2010 vintage. While this is balanced, but a bit of the gentle and silky side, the 2010 vintage is leaner and drier with obviously more potential for further development. While this wine might continue to improve for a handful of years more, it really doesn’t feel like a vintage built for the long haul - and it definitely isn’t calling for any further age either. A nice and thoroughly enjoyable effort for a 2009 1er Cru Beuane, but nothing particularly memorable at the end of the day. (89 pts.)
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2010 Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune 1er Cru Beaune du Château - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru (29.2.2020)
The special 1er Cru cuvée of Bouchard, made since 1907. A combination of 17 different Beaune 1er Cru vineyards, all vinified separately and blended together to show the quality of the vintage. Aged for 12-14 months in oak pièces (25-35% new). 13,5% alcohol.
Luminous, medium-deep and very translucent cherry red color. Brooding and somewhat restrained nose with slightly sweet-toned aromas of brambly black raspberries, some cherry tones, a little bit of pure red-fruited Pinosity, light tobacco notes, a hint of gamey meat and a touch of roasted beetroot. The wine is dense, structured and textural on the palate with medium body and firm flavors of crunchy cranberries and ripe lingonberries, some sour cherry bitterness, light meaty notes of game, a little bit of gravelly minerality, a hint of tobacco and a subtly sweet, developed touch of dried red fruits. The overall feel is somewhat muscular with the rather high acidity and somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is dry, long and gently grippy with savory flavors of ripe raspberries and crunchy redcurrants, some black cherries, a little bit of earthy Pinosity, light peppery tones, a hint of raw bloody meat and a touch of stony minerality.
A very lovely, fresh and structured vintage of Beaune du Château. Tasting this alongside the vintage 2009, this one felt firmer and more structured with more savory fruit, whereas the vintage 2009 felt stylistically very similar but with softer structure and sweeter-toned fruit. While the difference wasn’t remarkable, this one felt quite attractive and much to my liking, while the vintage 2009 was much more uninteresting - even very small things can make a quite big difference. While this wine showed some developed characteristics, the overall impression is that of a relatively young wine and I can imagine this will continue to develop easily for another 10 years or so. Nice. (91 pts.)
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2007 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros Côte Bouguerots - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru (29.2.2020)
The grapes are sourced from a monopole sub-plot (2,11 ha / 9,97 acres) within the Grand Cru Bougros vineyard (12,62 ha / 31,55 acres) where the already steep incline of Bougros turns into a steeper slopes of Côte Bouguerots. Aged for 14-15 months in used oak barrels (50-60% of the blend; average barrel age 6 years) and stainless steel tanks (40-50%). Aged first on the lees for 6 months and then racked off the lees. 13% alcohol.
Medium-deep yellow-green color. Ripe, quite sweet-toned and slightly developed nose with aromas of white peach, some golden apples, a little bit of leesy creaminess, light stony mineral tones and a hint of ripe citrus fruits. The overall feel is quite youthful for the age. The wine is broad, intense and medium-to-moderately full-bodied on the palate with firm and wonderfully textural mouthfeel. Flavors of developed creaminess, fresh red apples, some white peach, a little bit of steely minerality, light tangy saline tones, a hint of chalky bitterness and a touch of cool, wet stones. Good, bright acidity that keeps the wine nicely structured without making the wine feel lean or crisp. The finish is bright, racy and mouth-cleansing with persistent flavors of tangy salinity, tart lemony citrus fruits, some spicy red apple, a little bit of ripe white peach, light chalky mineral tones, a hint of cool steel and a sweet touch of wizened stone fruits.
A beautifully mineral, firm and crystalline Grand Cru Chablis that feels like it has gained some age, but doesn’t feel particularly developed for its age. A delightfully harmonious overall feel with a wonderful balance between the fresh and crunchy fruit, sweeter and creamier developed tones, structured acidity and cold, mineral core. In a wonderful shape right now, but most likely will continue to gain depth and complexity with age. Drink or keep. (93 pts.)
Medium-deep burnished golden yellow color. Sweet, developed and quite expressive nose with complex aromas of creamy panna cotta, melted butter and ghee, some chalky minerality, a little bit of ripe apricot, light exotic notes of banana and pineapple, a hint of poached pear and a mineral touch of chalk dust. The wine feels mature without coming across as particularly old yet. The wine is rich, full-bodied and developed on the palate with tertiary flavors of browned butter, bruised apple, some nutty oxidative tones, a little bit of cooked cream, light notes of hay, sweet-toned hints of pineapple and peach and a touch of chalky minerality. Balanced, moderately high acidity. The finish is lively, bright and tangy with mature flavors of wizened golden apples, some steely minerality, a little bit of hay, light buttery tones, a hint of tart lemony citrus fruits and a touch of nuttiness.
An enchanting, mature 1er Cru Chablis at its peak. The wine shows some wonderfully developed tertiary characteristics, but is yet to go downhill. In a fantastic shape right now. Although the wine could score even a higher score with a bit higher acidity, since the wine feels a bit soft with the richness brought by the age, this is still a delightful effort. Won’t benefit from further cellaring; best to drink now. (94 pts.)
Pale, limpid lime-green color. Very attractive and fine-tuned nose with aromas of fresh green apples, some flinty reduction and subtle gunpowder smoke tones, a little bit of leesy creaminess, light zesty citrus fruit tones, crunchy hints of red apples and star fruit and a touch of savory wood spice. The wine is ripe, broad and slightly oily on the palate with moderately full body and wonderfully textural mouthfeel. Intense and rather concentrated flavors of tangy green apples and tart lemony citrus fruits, some buttery oak, light creamy leesy notes, a little bit of flint smoke, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of stony minerality. The high acidity keeps the wine wonderfully firm and structure from the first sip to the last drops. The finish is long, precise and complex with dry, layered flavors of tangy salinity, tart lemony citrus fruits, some leesy creaminess, light buttery oak tones, a little bit of ripe white fruits, a hint of woody oak spice and a touch of cool, stony minerality.
A beautiful, precise and still so very youthful Ramonet. The wine doesn’t feel primary anymore, but nevertheless very youthful, emphasizing the point that this wine is about future potential, not about immediate pleasure - although the wine is stunningly good right now. The slightest touch of that flinty reductive smoke adds a wonderfully mineral character to the otherwise rather concentrated fruit. The combination of very rich, textural and almost oily mouthfeel and precise, high acidity takes this wine to a whole another level. A beautiful white Burgundy and probably the best white St. Aubin I’ve had. Most likely needs another decade before really starts to sing. Very highly recommended. (95 pts.)
Concentrated, medium-deep lemon-yellow color. Ripe, juicy and somewhat waxy nose with sweetish aromas of freshly pressed apple juice, some nectarine, light creamy oak tones, a little bit of honeyed richness and a hint of bruised pear. Not your typical white Burgundy nose, but very lovely nonetheless. The wine is full-bodied, structured and very juicy on the palate with vibrant and quite concentrated flavors of tart green apples, tangy salinity and ripe lemony citrus fruits, some chalky and slightly steely mineral tones, a little bit of nail polish VA, light fruity notes of ripe quince and pear, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of white currant. Lots of everything here, really. Although the wine feels very ripe and juicy, it boasts surprisingly high acidity, which keeps the wine wonderfully crisp and structured. The finish is clean, long and tangy with bright, acid-driven flavors of tangy salinity, ripe citrus fruits, some creamy oak, light mineral notes of chalky bitterness, a little bit of developed buttery character, a hint of tart green apple and a touch of spicy red apple.
A very ripe, concentrated and singular Saint-Aubin with a distinctive, slightly wild character that gives the Derain wines their own, idiosyncratic character. The fruit profile is something much more one is accustomed to see in Chardonnay and while the wine shows some oak influence, most woody tones stay well out of sight. Even the lifted notes of VA don’t seem to bother one bit here. Although there are some subtly developed tones here, the wine still seems to be on an upward trajectory. Distinctive, captivating and very enjoyable. (93 pts.)
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2011 Domaine François Mikulski Meursault - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault (29.2.2020)
A blend of organically farmed Chardonnay sourced from several climats in Meursault, vinified separately and finally blended together. Average vine age 35 years, annual production around 9000 bottles. 13% alcohol.
Youthful, pale grassy green color. Cool, fresh and rather youthful nose with precise aromas of sweetish white fruits, some ripe red apples, a little bit of creamy oak, light flinty mineral tones, a hint of pineapple and a touch of savory wood spice. Very bright overall impression, not really showing age or much oak influence. The wine is clean, youthful and lively on the palate with a medium body and bright, focused flavors of saline minerality, tart green apples, some ripe lemony citrus fruits, a little bit of chalky mineral bitterness, light creamy oak tones, a hint of spicy red apple and a touch of fresh and crunchy white fruits. Overall the wine feels quite high-strung, lean and mineral with a quite tightly-wound character. The racy acidity keeps the wine wonderfully fresh and structured. The lively, acid-driven finish is crisp, steely and mouth-cleansing with precise flavors of Granny Smith apple, creamy oak, some tart lemony citrus fruits, a little bit of buttery richness and a mineral hint of cool, wet stones.
A very precise, remarkably fresh and surprisingly youthful Meursault with a noticeably mineral overall character. True to the Mikulski style, this is not a rich, buttery and showy Meursault, but instead a rather lean and focused effort with emphasis on high acidity and stony minerality. Even at the age of 8½ years, the wine is still very youthful and tightly-wound like a violin string. While the wine might not be that complex due to its relatively youthful character, the wine feels like it is brimming with unrealized potential. Needs easily another decade or so before starting to sing. Expect the score to ramp up another point or a few as the wine ages. A very promising effort for a village-level Meursault. Recommended. (92 pts.)
Pale lemon-yellow color with a subtly greenish hue. The nose feels ripe, youthful and somewhat sweet-toned with aromas of juicy citrus fruits, some sweet golden apples, a little bit of creamy oak, light notes of star fruit, a hint of cantaloupe and a touch of sweet, toasty oak spice. The wine is full-bodied, ripe and moderately oak-driven on the palate with flavors of ripe white peach, some spicy red apple, a little bit of sweet, toasty oak spice, light apricot tones, a hint of tangerine and a touch of chalky minerality. Balanced, high acidity. The finish is lively, enjoyably acid-driven and quite precise with ripe flavors of tart green apples, leesy creaminess, some apple peel bitterness, light pithy notes of pomelo, a little bit of peach, oaky hints of toasty wood and caramel and a touch of yeast.
A quite sophisticated for such a rich and oaky Burgundy, but perhaps a bit too sweet-toned and oaky for my taste. The high acidity keeps the wine really nicely in balance and there is some nice sense of sophistication here, but the toasty oak tones and sweeter fruit flavors it boosts do strip away some of the finesse here. However, since the wine is so youthful, I can give it the benefit of doubt - perhaps the wine is just in a clumsy, awkward phase and it will come better together if given some age? I’m not promising this will turn out to be a great white Burgundy, but it is certainly a possibility this will perform much better if given a handful of years more. (88 pts.)
Youthful, quite translucent and rather deep raspberry red color. Open and beautifully fragrant nose with seductive aromas of ripe raspberries and red cherries, some savory woody spice, a little bit of earthy Pinosity, light herbal notes of thyme and Chartreuse, sweeter hints of black raspberries and kirsch and a touch of stony minerality. Very lovely. The wine is ripe, very juicy and wonderfully clean on the palate with medium-to-moderately full body and lively flavors of black raspberries, wild strawberries, some woody and slightly stemmy tones, light sauvage notes of thyme and orange zest, a little bit of peppery spice, sweeter hints of boysenberries and black cherries and a touch of gravelly minerality. With air the wine gains subtle nuances of licorice and toasty oak spice. The overall feel if fresh and focused with balanced high acidity and ripe, textural and friendly tannins. The finish is clean, juicy and subtly grippy with long, youthful flavors of red-toned primary fruit flavors of brambly raspberries and wild strawberries along with lighter nuances of red cherries and redcurrants, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light stemmy tones and a savory hint of woody oak spice. Especially the vibrant red-fruited flavors carry on for a good while on the tongue.
A very stylish, harmonious and balanced red Burgundy. Still very youthful - even primary - at the moment, so the wine is perhaps a bit too young for its own good at the moment, showing less complexity and more explosive fruit character at the moment. There’s still tons of pleasure in the youthful exuberance of this wine, so opening one bottle now is not a grave crime. However, I’m sure this wine will settle down and start emphasizing finesse over fruit if just given enough time. I’m going to keep my hands away from this wine for the next 6-10 years and see how it is holding up then. Priced according to its quality at 34€. (91 pts.)
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2015 Maison Albert Bichot Clos Vougeot Domaine du Clos Frantin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (29.2.2020)
From plots covering parts from all around Clos Vougeaot: the lower parts, the middle section and the higher parts. Macerated with the skins for 20-28 days. Aged for 14-18 months in oak pièces (60% new). 14% alcohol.
Youthful, moderately translucent raspberry red color with a thin, almost colorless rim. Very ripe and rather sweetish nose with big, lush aromas of fresh cherries, concentrated strawberry-driven red fruit, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of boysenberries, light cocoa tones and a peppery hint of spicy Pinosity. The wine is medium-bodied, broad-shouldered and very intense on the palate with noticeably ripe flavors of juicy red cherries and wild strawberries, some tart red plums, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light sweet notes of toasty oak spice, crunchy hints of redcurrants and cranberries and a touch of stony minerality. The overall feel is rather muscular and even quite tightly-knit with the high acidity and moderately grippy, structured tannins. The finish is rather grippy and stern with long and quite intense flavors of raspberries, sour cherry bitterness, some crunchy redcurrants and lingonberries, light stony mineral tones, a little bit of cocoa oak, a hint of wild strawberries and a touch of alcohol warmth.
A very big and impressive Grand Cru Burgundy, but also one that feels a bit too ripe, polished and oaky for my taste. The wine shows wonderful intensity and impressive sense of structure, but the overall feel is rather heavy on oak and the fruit shows so much ripeness that there is a somewhat Rhône-ish undertone to the fresh Pinosity. The high alcohol really doesn’t help one bit at this. I guess with age the oak can integrate with the fruit, but most likely no amount of aging is capable of hiding the pronounced ripeness and high alcohol. This is in its own way quite attractive for the style and surprisingly crunchy for the obvious ripeness, but ultimately not up my alley. (89 pts.)
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2016 Fanny Sabre Volnay - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay (29.2.2020)
From vineyards averaging 40-50 yo. Semi-carbonic maceration with the skins for 4-5 days in stainless steel, gentle pressing, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts in oak barrels for 15 days. Aged in oak barrels for 15 to 18 months. 12,8% alcohol.
Pale, slightly rusty raspberry-red color with a russet hue. Very open and fragrant nose with seductively crunchy aromas of fresh raspberries and wild strawberries, some slightly wild notes of chinotto zest, a little bit of earthy spice, light spicy notes of allspice and a perfumed hint of violets. The wine is ripe, medium-to-moderately full-bodied and crunchy on the palate with a velvety texture. Bright flavors of sweet black raspberries, some red cherries, a little bit of stony minerality, light cranberry tones, a hint of tart lingonberries and a subtle touch of slightly perfumed and slightly funky sauvage character. Good, high acidity with somewhat grippy ripe tannins. The finish is very slightly grippy, fresh and lively with bright, crunchy flavors of sour cherries, some tart lingonberries, a little bit of ripe cranberries, light wild and perfumed notes of chinotto rind and a hint of stony minerality.
A slightly wild and still wonderfully pure Volnay that is all about freshness and transparency. Not so much an impressive or complex wine but instead one of remarkable purity and drinkability. There’s a good, underlying sense of structure here, but the wine is not particularly structure-driven. However, the wine isn’t that fruit-driven either, even though it is all about vibrant fruit. A delicate and wonderfully perfumed yet still quite firm and serious Volnay. Terrific. Hard to say if this a wine that needs any aging, but this is something very enjoyable right now. Recommended. (92 pts.)
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2016 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Clos Saint Philibert Blanc - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits (29.2.2020)
A unique wine in the sense that this is a white wine and Méo-Camuzet is quite strictly a red wine producer. This is from a single monopole vineyard planted between 1990 and 1992 on shallow, rocky soil. The Clos Saint Philibert vineyard is planted to 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Blanc, but due to strict selection, fewer Pinot Blanc grapes make it to the final wine. Since the vineyard is situated at a rather high elevation, it ripens very late, but due to the lack of potassium in the soil, the grapes always retain noticeably high acidity. Due to the cool microclimate, Clos St. Philibert is very susceptible to oidium and thus is the only non-organic vineyard of Méo-Camuzet. The wine is typically a blend of Chardonnay (95%) and Pinot Blanc (5%); in some vintages Pinot Blanc is vinified separately, in others it is not. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in oak barrels, aged in oak pièces for 10-11 months, blended into stainless steel, fined and bottled. 13% alcohol.
Luminous, very youthful and quite concentrated lime-green color. Very youthful, somewhat restrained and subtly reductive nose with attractive aromas of zesty citrus fruits, some smoky flint tones and nuanced of struck match, a little bit of wet stone minerality, light fruity notes of fresh peach and red apple, a floral hint of white flowers and a touch of gunpowder smoke. The wine is full-bodied, mineral and quite tangy on the palate with very dry yet quite concentrated flavors of ripe citrus fruits, saline minerality, some sweeter notes of golden apples, light leesy notes of creaminess, a little bit of white peach, mineral hints of cool steely character and chalk dust and a creamy touch of sweet oak spice. The high acidity keeps the wine very precise and makes the wine retain great sense of structure. The finish is long, crisp and crunchy with flavors of ripe citrus fruits, creamy oak, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of pithy pomelo, light spicy red apple tones, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of leesy yeast.
A very youthful but nevertheless remarkably impressive white Burgundy that combines effortlessly ripe fruit, quite crisp and tightly-wound structure and cool, rather pronounced minerality. A wonderful, classically built wine that is a real overachiever for its lowly Hautes-Côtes de Nuits appellation. Based on its very youthful and slightly reductive nature it is quite obvious that this is really a wine built for the long haul. Very enjoyable right now, but promises huge potential for another decade or even two. Highly recommended. (93 pts.)
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