A great week in Burgundy has come to an end. We drank some wonderful bottles off the restaurant lists. There have been some massive price rises on certain things, but there are still many bargains to be had. All of the bottles below were way under what you would expect to pay retail for them.
2014 Domaine Jacques Carillon Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet, Grand Cru : Direct, pure and unevolved. So fine and delicate on the nose, with exquisite white peach fruit, some fennel tops, flinty mineral and honeysuckle. In the mouth it is a complex and harmonious wine. It has a spine of minerally acidity, around which perfectly ripe orchard fruits gather. It has such great intensity and weight, but is not heavy in the slightest. Each sip unlocks something delicious and the wine stays with you for a very long time after swallowing. One of the greatest young white wines you could hope to encounter.
2017 Jean-Claude Ramonet Bâtard-Montrachet, Grand Cru : An expressive nose of white peach, spearmint, smoky mineral and aniseed. In the mouth it is rich, full, silky and layered. It has real latent power and flavours glide effortlessly over the palate, filling every crevice of the mouth. There’s precision to the finish and length to burn. Wonderful wine.
2020 Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Ruchottes : It is loaded with sappy orchard fruits. There’s some aniseed and spearmint too. The palate has so much flesh, and a rigid mineral spine that is buried for now. It has Grand Cru weight and power and draws in, to a precise finish, then drives on and on with delicious fruit and mineral flavours.
2017 Domaine François Mikulski Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières : It was right in the pocket, hitting its straps as soon as it was poured. What a lovely delicate nose of white flowers, white peach and spice. In the mouth it was silky and voluminous. It had excellent depth but was not forced. There was some butter and plenty of mineral and citrus to the long tail.
2016 Domaine Roger Belland Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet, Grand Cru : There are some candied peach and pear notes and plenty of spice. It is full and generous on entry to the palate. It has a fruit-sweet heart and builds, tightening to finish with minerally precision. The finish drives on and it is a wine of authority and depth.
2018 Hubert Lamy Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Derrière Chez Edouard Cuvée Haute Densité : Shy at first, with a bare whiff of lemon and white flowers. The palate is razor sharp, and it it weren’t for a light sheath of glycerol it would draw blood. There’s a hint of candied peel to the flavour profile and so much chalky mineral. It has a huge squeeze of grapefruit to the finish and length and depth are imposing. Wonderful but far too young.
2017 Bruno Lorenzon Montagny 1er Cru Les Truffières Blanc : It bristled with electricity and had an engaging nose of for a and fruit. There’s just a light butteriness creeping onto the palate and there’s generosity to the orchard fruit flavours, but also containment. The finish is salty mineral central and very persistent.
2020 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières : This is such a powerhouse, with its dense and sappy orchard fruits. It is by no means heavy, carrying zero excess weight and cut by a sharp line of grapefruit acidity. There’s spicy nuance, great volume and presence and a spice laden finish that drives on. Too young now, but the wine’s perfect balance allows you to derive pleasure.
2017 Pierre Morey Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières : Completely bound up by its sulphur to begin with. It slowly unfurls in the glass to show lemon and white peach fruit and a touch of rockmelon. Has the Perrières sharp line and gains flesh and sweetness at its core. It is balanced and energetic, with great cut and persistence. Still very youthful.
2014 Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts : Relatively tight to begin. Breathes up to show black cherry fruit tinged with ginger and aniseed. It is luscious and creamy through the mid and still relatively firm on the back-end. Could do with a bit more cellar time.
2013 Domaine Dujac Morey St. Denis : It breathed up beautifully in a larger bowled glass to show notes of blueberry, cherry, musk and violets. It was supremely silky, with fine, minerally bones. The finish was fresh with some mild spice. Beautifully proportioned and balance.
2013 Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Chaumes : There’s luscious black cherry at this wines core. It has some floral and earth nuance. It is rich and layered and there’s something cool and stony lurking. It is delicious and finishes with fresh, minerally tension and is very persistent. Just entering the drinking zone.
2020 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques : A deep, dark saturated colour. The nose has fresh berries, cherry and cherry stones. It is rich and flesh, but light on its feet. There’s a touch of earth and light florals too. Tannins are ripe and it has bright, minerally acidity.
