A rather random selection of relatively recent releases, tasted about a year ago. Mostly whites but a few reds in the mix as well. The overall quality was pretty even with no huge highs nor deep lows. I guess that’s just because the wines are still so young and most wines are more about promise than immediate drinkability. Some wines were pretty lovely now, others were only hinting at which direction they were going to go. And then there were a few bottles that didn’t inspire any awe now, nor will in the future.
We finished the night with a few extra blind Tuscan reds - albeit somewhat disappointing ones, unfortunately!
The main lineup
- 2023 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Rosé de Pinot Noir - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (19.9.2024)
100% Pinot Noir mainly from old vineyards in Hautes-Côtes de Beaune with a small portion from vineyards in Santenay. Aged in old oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12% alcohol.
Pale pinkish color. The nose feels fresh and fruity with aromas of melon, some crunchy red apple, light leesy notes, a little bit of spicy Pinosity, a hint of creamy oak, a touch of ripe redcurrant and a whiff of peachy stone fruit. The wine feels dry, crisp and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of lemony citrus fruits and chalky mineral bitterness, some tart Granny Smith apple, light cranberry tones, a little bit of tangy salinity, a hint of ripe redcurrant and a sweeter touch of strawberry. The finish feels dry and crunchy with a long aftertaste of crunchy cranberries and wild strawberries, some sharp Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light sweeter nuances of nectarine, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of apple peel bitterness.
A bright, sophisticated and quite zippy rosé from the white Burg maverick. Perhaps a bit direct and noticeably fruit-forward in style, but nevertheless shows good sense of minerality and flavor intensity as well. Maybe not really a wine you'd want to age - I'd say this wine is best for early consumption, ie. now or within the next handful of years. Good stuff.
(90 points) - 2022 Domaine Dupont-Fahn Bourgogne Blanc Chaumes des Perrières - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc (19.9.2024)
100% Chardonnay from a declassified lieu-dit in Meursault. Aged for 20 months in oak. 13% alcohol.
Pale, youthful whitish-green color. The nose feels a bit closed with somewhat restrained aromas of zesty citrus fruit and mineral notes of stone dust, a little bit of spicy red apple, light crunchy golden currant tones, a hint of herby character, a woody touch of savory oak spice and a faint smoky whiff of matchstick reduction. The wine feels dry, balanced and quite airy on the palate with a medium body and a bit closed flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of fresh Golden Delicious apple, light woody notes of savory oak, a hint of stony minerality and a toasty touch of sweeter oak spice. The high acidity lends good sense of freshness and elegance to the wine. The finish is dry and crunchy with a medium-long aftertaste of fresh red apple, some tangy saline notes, a little bit of ripe lemony citrus fruit, light stony mineral tones, a woody hint of savory oak spice and a touch of creaminess.
A nice, elegant and still pretty youthful white Burg that offers relatively little at this point. Even with some air the wine didn't really open up that much, but remained relatively reticent through the evening. A pleasant effort with good potential for future development, but offers relatively little at this point. I'd wait at least a few years more with this wine, in the hopes that it would open up a bit more.
(89 points) - 2021 Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Bourgogne Blanc Le Haut Des Champs - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc (19.9.2024)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from a lieu-dit southeast from Chassagne-Montrachet. Fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. 13% alcohol.
Youthful, pale yellow-green color. The nose feels dry and pretty reductive with smoky aromas of popcorn and struck flint, some spicy tones, a little bit of fresh Golden Delicious apple, light pineapple notes and a hint of zesty citrus fruit. The wine feels bright, harmonious and quite textural on the palate with a medium body and pretty dry flavors of fresh Golden Delicious apple, some fresh pineapple tones, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, light smoky reductive notes, extracted hints of spicy phenolics and general sense of concentration and a touch of tangy salinity. The high acidity keeps the overall feel zippy and structured with good sense of precision. The finish is crisp, lively and a bit extracted with a long and quite intensely-flavored aftertaste of lemony citrus fruit, some phenolic spice, a little bit of tart Granny Smith apple, light saline mineral notes, reductive hints of smoke and popcorn and a touch of fresh pineapple.
A nice, but also a bit high-strung white Burg that comes across as pretty stylish but also still a bit young and a tad awkward - the wine is maybe a bit all over the place and not that focused yet. I'd say the more open-knit 2020 vintage is more accessible and enjoyable at the moment, but it's possible this somewhat more concentrated yet less ripe vintage will age longer and maybe also will get better with enough age. I'd wait with this wine for some years more - there's definitely no hurry whatsoever.
(91 points) - 2020 Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Bourgogne Blanc Le Haut Des Champs - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc (19.9.2024)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from a lieu-dit southeast from Chassagne-Montrachet. Some sources say the wine was fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, others say the wine is aged in old oak barrels. 13% alcohol.
Youthful and quite intense medium-deep yellow-green color. The nose feels a bit restrained but also quite attractive with moderately ripe, sweet-toned aromas of honeydew melon, some leesy creaminess, light crunchy red apple tones, a little bit of fresh white peach, a nutty hint of chopped almonds and a faint flatulent whiff of reduction. The wine feels quite ripe, open-knit and harmonious on the palate with a medium body and nuanced flavors of ripe lemony citrus fruits, some fresh pineapple, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a little bit of smoky reduction, sweeter hints of honeydew melon and ripe white peach and a touch of nuttiness. The rather high acidity keeps the wine fresh and balanced with good sense of firmness. The finish is ripe yet dry with a moderately long aftertaste of spicy minerality and ripe red apple, some fresh pineapple tones, a little bit of nuttiness, light stony mineral notes, a hint of cantaloupe and a touch of crunchy white peach.
This wine was of similar quality as the 2021 vintage, but stylistically somewhat different - I have no idea if the wines have seen any oak or not, but this 2020 vintage certainly showed more breadth and notes of creaminess and nuttiness. Of course those might've come from the differences in the vintages alone, but with this vintage I felt the wine might've actually seen some oak, whereas I didn't get similar qualities in the 2021 vintage. I felt this 2020 was more accessible and enjoyable at the moment, showing more sense of focus and depth of flavor, but it might be that with enough time the 2021 will get better - it felt not only quite a bit younger, but also like a wine with more aging potential. That is not to say this 2020 wouldn't age, but of these two vintages I'd drink this 2020 now and would keep the 2021's for some time longer.
(91 points) - 2021 Domaine Eleni et Edouard Vocoret Chablis Les Pargues - France, Burgundy, Chablis (19.9.2024)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from lieu-dit Les Pargues. Whole bunch pressed, fermented spontaneously in stainless steel tanks, aged on the lees in tanks for 6 months, then racked into old, neutral oak barrels for another 12 months. 12,5% alcohol.
Youthful, pale whitish-green color. The nose feels very restrained - closed, even - with very subtle aromas of fresh Golden Delicious apple, some mineral notes of chalk dust and hints of fresh green currants. The nose doesn't give much even with some air. The wine feels dry and bright but also a bit neutral on the palate with somewhat understated flavors of sharp Granny Smith apple, some ripe lemony tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light crunchy white currant tones, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of apple peel bitterness. The acidity feels high, making the wine feel pretty structured, but also lacking a bit of that zip, making the mouthfeel somewhat round for a Chablis. The finish is dry and fresh with a medium-long aftertaste of fresh red apple, some ripe lemony tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light saline notes, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of chalk dust.
A nice, fresh and classically styled Chablis that feels like it is more about future promise than early drinkability; the classic Chablis elements - lemony citrus flavors, nice mineral core and high acidity - are all there, but the wine is just somewhat closed. It never turns particularly expressive, even with some air, making me think that the wine is in some kind of slump now and just needs a bit more time to come around. I enjoyed the fresh, pure and mineral style here, but next to the much more expressive and intensely-flavored Bas de Chapelet Chablis from the same vintage, this wine left a somewhat lukewarm impression. I really hope the wine does come around, because it does show good promise.
(89 points) - 2021 Domaine Eleni et Edouard Vocoret Chablis Le Bas de Chapelot - France, Burgundy, Chablis (19.9.2024)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from lieu-dit Le Bas de Chapelot, situated right below 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre. Whole bunch pressed, fermented spontaneously in stainless steel tanks, aged on the lees in tanks for 6 months, then racked into old, neutral oak barrels for another 12 months. 12,5% alcohol.
Youthful, pale whitish-green color. The nose feels somewhat restrained with a bit understated yet moderately ripe aromas of sweet Golden Delicious apple, some honeyed tones, a little bi of leesy yeast, light salty notes of oceanic air, a hint of creaminess and a touch of zesty citrus fruits. The wine feels ripe and textural yet still wonderfully crisp and racy on the palate with a medium body and somewhat concentrated flavors of spicy red apple and tangy salinity, some sweeter notes of ripe white fruits, light creamy oak tones, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, a hint of tart lemony citrus fruit and a woody touch of savory oak spice. The brisk, high acidity lends great sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is ripe yet zippy and incisive with a long aftertaste of steely minerality and chalk dust, some crunchy notes of sharp Granny Smith apple, light juicy white fruit tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of tart citrus fruits.
Although the wine was quite shy on the nose, the things were completely different on the palate: there was great sense of flavor intensity, pronounced minerality and wonderful, racy acidity. As a whole, the wine combines classic Chablis qualities - high acidity and tart fruit flavors around a cool mineral core - with juicy ripeness and subtle, judiciously used old oak nuances from the èlevage. A very fine and serious Chablis that drinks mighty well right now, but will continue to evolve and improve for years more. Highly recommended.
(92 points) - 2022 Domaine du Cellier aux Moines Montagny 1er Cru Les Combes Blanc - France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Montagny 1er Cru (19.9.2024)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from the 0,7-hectare (1,7 acres) parcel in 1er Cru Les Combes, planted in 2012. Aged in old 228-liter and 400-lter oak casks. 14% alcohol.
Medium-deep and quite intense lime-green color. The nose feels ripe and slightly spicy with aromas of greengage, some spicy red apple, a little bit of nuttiness, light flatulent notes of reduction, a subtle yet distinctive hint of peppermint, a touch of creamy oak and a touch of heavy, waxy character suggesting elevated ripeness. The wine feels ripe and broad yet still relatively airy on the palate with a full body and rich flavors of sweet Golden Delicious apple and cantaloupe, some nutty notes of wood, a little bit of greengage, light creamy oak tones, a hint of waxy richness and a faint touch of alcohol. The moderately high acidity manages to keep the wine pretty balanced, but with all the ripeness and richness, the wine comes across as a bit ponderous. The finish is ripe, juicy and slightly warm with a rich aftertaste of cantaloupe and creamy oak, some Golden Delicious apple tones, a little bit of sweet greengage, light nutty notes of wood, a hint of peachy fruit and a touch of alcohol.
A rather big, ripe and slightly too warm white Burg. Not bad in any way, but I prefer wines that show less ripeness and alcohol, more freshness and precision. I guess the wine might continue to evolve and hopefully also get better with additional bottle age, but I doubt the wine is ever going to drop all that ripeness and waxy richness - it doesn't feel like baby fat that is going to drop away as the wine gets older. My guess is that this wine was born a big boi and it is going to stay one as well. Perhaps a bit pricey for the quality at 42€.
(88 points) - 2022 Domaine du Cellier aux Moines Montagny 1er Cru Les Charmelottes Vieilles Vignes 1939 - France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Montagny 1er Cru (19.9.2024)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from 1er Cru Les Charmelottes, planted in 1930. Aged in old 228-liter and 400-lter oak casks. 14% alcohol.
Medium-deep and somewhat intense yellow-green color. The nose feels a bit understated but also somewhat concentrated with brooding aromas of fresh white peach, some honeyed tones, a little bit of nutty wood, light crunchy notes of Fuji apple, a hint of creamy oak, a touch of mineral spice and a whiff of alcohol. The wine feels ripe, juicy and somewhat concentrated on the palate with a full body and vibrant flavors of cantaloupe and white peach, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of stony and salty minerality, light honeyed nuances, a toasty hint of sweet oak spice and a touch of ripe Fuji apple. The moderately high acidity lends enough sense of structure and firmness to the wine to keep it from coming across as heavy or ponderous. The finish is broad, ripe and juicy with a long, somewhat concentrated aftertaste of white peach and cantaloupe, some spicy notes of savory oak, light honeyed nuances, a little bit of creamy richness, a hint of stony minerality and a crunchy touch of fresh apples.
This was a considerable jump in quality from the ripe and a bit unfocused 2020 1er Cru Les Combes - you had more of everything in this cuvée, most importantly a good amount of freshness and precision. Although this cuvée showed a bit more ripeness and concentration, it also came across as more balanced and structured at the same time. The old-vine concentration does make the fruit profile quite bold and impactful, but even if this wine packs a little bit of weight, it comes across as balanced and quite impressive, not soft or heavy. Thoroughly enjoyable already now, but most likely will continue to age and improve for a good handful of years more. Nice. Priced according to its quality at 57,50€.
(91 points) - 2021 Domaine Jean-Claude Bachelet et Fils Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Le Charmois Blanc - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru (19.9.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from vines planted in 1974, 1988 and 2000. Aged on the lees in oak casks for 18 months. 13,5% alcohol.
Youthful, pale and slightly hazy neon-green color. The nose feels very reductive with a pronounced streak of popcorn that is supported by aromas of flint smoke, some mineral notes of wet rocks and salty sea air, light peachy nuances and a hint of nutty wood. The aromas are pretty closed behind all that reduction and the wine needs either copious amounts of air, or a lot more bottle age. The wine feels crunchy, airy and a bit linear on the palate with a medium body and moderately reductive flavors of stony minerality and smoky notes of struck match, some popcorn notes, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, light sharp Granny Smith apple tones, oaky hints of creaminess and butter and a touch of something metallic. The rather high acidity makes the overall feel pretty dry, fresh and structured. The finish is lively, crunchy and moderately reductive with a rather long aftertaste of flint smoke and popcorn, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of sharp Granny Smith apple, light woody nuances, mineral hints of wet rocks and tangy salinity and a touch of butter.
A pretty nice and balanced Saint-Aubin 1er Cru that is just way too reductive at the moment. The reduction didn't blow off completely during the 4-5 hours we followed the wine - although it did tone down a little bit - so the wine really does call for quite a bit of aeration, or just a lot more time sideways. There was a tiny bit of metallic flavor in the taste that slightly distracted from the pleasure, taking a small toll on the final score. Other than that, the wine comes across as pretty sophisticated and enjoyable, and I'm pretty sure this will be a quite lovely white Burg once the rather heavy reduction starts to wear down.
(90 points) - 2020 Domaine Jean-Claude Bachelet et Fils Puligny-Montrachet Les Aubues - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet (19.9.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from vines planted in 1930, 1967, 1980, 1987 and 2008. Aged on the lees in oak casks for 18 months. 13,5% alcohol.
Youthful, quite pale and subtly hazy yellow-green color. The nose feels dull and unpleasant with a huge smack of mildewy TCA, some earthy tones and a sweeter hint of ripe yellow apple. The wine feels ripe, dull and unpleasant on the palate with a rather full body and musty, midlewy flavors of TCA. Moderately high acidity.
A corked bottle.
(NR/flawed) - 2021 Butterfield Saint-Romain Blanc - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Romain (19.9.2024)
100% Chardonnay. 12,5% alcohol.
Deep, luminous yellow-green color. The nose feels fragrant and quite expressive with rich aromas of nectarine and lemongrass, some cantaloupe notes, a little bit of fresh white peach, light herby or grassy nuances, a hint of vanilla and a touch of pear jam. The wine feels crisp, lively and a bit lean on the palate with a medium body and dry flavors of sharp Granny Smith apple, some lemony citrus notes, a little bit of leesy richness and creamy oak, light crunchy white currant nuances, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of something metallic. The high acidity keeps the wine fresh and balanced, yet for some reason the overall feel is not that energetic but quite mellow instead. The finish is lively, brisk and quite crisp with a rather long aftertaste of tart Granny Smith apple, some leesy tones, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, light saline notes, oaky hints of creaminess and savory wood and a touch of white currants.
A fresh and young white Burg that feels enjoyably electric yet - maybe a bit paradoxically - the wine doesn't come across as that energetic in overall feel. There's a tiny bit of something metallic in the taste that distracts a little, but otherwise the wine is pretty nice. Enjoyable, but maybe not particularly memorable. At least for now - maybe things change as the wine ages.
(90 points) - 2021 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Monthélie Blanc - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Monthélie (19.9.2024)
100% Chardonnay from four parcels in Monthélie. Fermented spontaneously. Aged for up to 18 months in 350-liter oak casks. 13% alcohol.
Youthful, very slightly hazy and quite pale lime-green color. The nose feels ripe, expressive and somewhat leesy with fragrant aromas of fresh red apples, some juicy white peach tones, light smoky notes of flinty reduction, a little bit of cantaloupe, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of savory wood spice. The wine feels ripe, broad and quite textural on the palate with a full body and somewhat concentrated flavors of ripe Fuji apple, some woody and nutty notes of savory old oak, light creamy oak tones, a little bit of smoky matchstick reduction, a hint of extracted spice and a faint buttery touch of diacetyl. The bright, racy acidity lends a great amount of freshness, structure and tension to the wine. The ripe finish is broad, juicy and textural with a very long and somewhat concentrated aftertaste of zesty citrus fruits, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of smoky reduction, light crunchy notes of nectarine, a hint of nutty wood and a mineral touch of wet rocks.
A very powerful, concentrated and impressive example of Monthélie. Maybe not super firm and precise due to the sense of ripeness and concentration, the wine still isn't lacking in structure or freshness one little bit. I was surprised how relatively modest the smoky reduction was here - most PYCM whites I've had have been considerably more reductive than this here. Even then, the style was unmistakably PYCM, with all the reduction, relatively high level of dry extract and punchy yet not overdone fruit. The wine might be a tad pricey for a Monthélie at 70,22€, but it still delivers for the price, easily. Impressive now and will get better over the next decade or so. Highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2021 Domaine Denis Mortet Bourgogne Cuvée de Noble Souche - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (19.9.2024)
100% organically farmed Pinot Noir from several parcels in Daix, north from Côte des Nuits. Average vine age 35 yo. The grapes are partially destemmed. Fermented spontaneously. Aged in oak barrels (20% new) for 18 months. 12,5% alcohol.
Youthful, luminous and fully translucent ruby-red color with a pale red rim. The nose feels quite sweet and somewhat dark-toned with aromas of black raspberries, some baked beet notes, a little bit of juicy cherry, light notes of tobacco, a hint of spicy Pinosity and a touch of wild strawberry. The wine feels dry, youthful and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and quite intense flavors of tart cranberries and lingonberries, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of earth, light brambly raspberry tones, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of fresh red plum. The structure relies mostly on the high acidity, but the medium tannins do slowly pile up on the gums, adding their own contribution to the overall sense of firmness. The finish is dry, crunchy and somewhat grippy with a long aftertaste of tart lingonberries and ripe cranberries, some earthy tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light brambly raspberry notes, hints of fresh redcurrants and red plums and a touch of wild strawberry.
A very lovely, bright and youthful red Burg. The nose here felt quite dark-toned, but on the palate the wine was as fresh and red-toned as one could expect from the 2021 vintage. Despite its very youthful overall feel, the wine never once came across as awkward or sweetly-fruited with candied primary flavors. No, on the contrary, the wine is perfectly ready right now - although I can imagine this wine will continue to evolve and unfurl as it ages. Drink now or within the next ten-ish years. A fine example of classy, well-crafted entry-level Bourgogne that punches above its lowly appellation. However, at 51€, it is also priced as such.
(92 points) - 2021 Domaine de Cassiopée Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Les Côtes Rouge - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune (19.9.2024)
100% organically farmed Pinot Noir from a 1-hectare parcel planted 55 years ago near Maranges. Fermented spontaneously, aged in old, neutral oak casks ranging from 228 to 450 liters. Bottled with a tiny addition of SO2. 12% alcohol.
Pale and slightly hazy ruby-red color. The nose feels fragrant and a bit wild with aromas of brambly raspberries, some crunchy cranberries, light lifted notes of VA, a little bit of strawberry jelly, a hint of appley character, a floral touch of violets and a reductive whiff of rubber. The wine feels dry, youthful and airy on the palate with a rather light body and moderately ripe flavors of black raspberries and wild strawberries, some licorice tones, a little bit of ripe cranberry, light herby nuances, a ferrous hint of blood and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. Bright, high acidity and firm, somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is clean, dry and somewhat grippy with a long, red-toned aftertaste of brambly raspberries, some wild strawberries, a little bit of licorice root, light floral notes of violets, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of volatile lift.
A bright, clean and playful red Burg from the lighter - and slightly wilder - end of the spectrum. The wine isn't overtly natty in any way, but you can definitely taste that the wine was made in a quite non-interventionist way. A tasty, spry little Pinot Noir. Nothing too stern or dead-serious, but nothing too whimsical, either; there is good sense of firmness, intensity and depth of flavor in the wine, even if it might not be a grand vin. Maybe a bit pricey for the quality at 49€, though.
(90 points) - 2020 Domaine Joliet Fixin 1er Cru Clos de la Perrière - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Fixin 1er Cru (19.9.2024)
100% Pinot Noir from a 4,5-hectare monopole vineyard where the average vine age is 50 years. Fermented spontaneously. 13,5% alcohol.
Deep, noticeably dark and only slightly translucent black cherry color. The nose feels big, sweet and quite dark-tone with expressive and rather sunny aromas of black raspberries and blueberries, some meaty tones, a little bit of cooked beet, light plummy tones, an earthy hint of forest floor and a sweet touch of ethery VA. The wine feels ripe, lush and quite solar on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and dark-toned flavors of black raspberries and sweet black cherries, some zesty Campari notes, a little bit of licorice root, light stone mineral notes, a hint of roasted beet and a touch of fresh bilberries. The overall feel is quite burly and muscular, partly in thanks to the rather high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, dark-toned and rather grippy with a ripe, solar aftertaste of tart cranberries and dark forest fruits, some black cherry tones, a little bit of fresh red plum, light licorice notes, a hint of beet and a touch of ethery VA.
A quite big and pretty complex but also very ripe and thus slightly awkward Fixin. You can immediately see and taste the wine is 2020: the color is remarkably deep and dark for a red Burgundy by any standards, and the fruit profile is quite dark-toned, ripe and sunny in quality. However, true to the 2020 vintage, the wine also sports a rather firm and muscular structure to keep up with that big, solar fruit profile. At the moment the wine is still in a somewhat awkward phase, coming across as somewhat monolithic and lacking in finesse. However, I feel the wine might just need a bit more bottle age to come better together. As the wine doesn't seem to be showing its best yet, I'd let it wait for another 5-8 years. Maybe a bit pricey for the quality at 62€.
(89 points) - 2021 Domaine Chanterêves Savigny-lès-Beaune Dessus de Montchenevoy - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune (19.9.2024)
A lieu-dit Pinot Noir from a 0,7-hectare estate vineyard. Vinified in whole bunches, fermented spontaneously with a pied de cuve. Aged in old 228-liter pièces. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with a minimal dose of SO2. 12% alcohol.
Quite translucent and slightly hazy pale pomegranate color. The nose feels fragrant, expressive and moderately wild with aromas of ripe cranberries, some pomegranate tones, a little bit of brambly black raspberry, light floral notes of violets, red-toned hints of cherries and wild straberries, a touch of herby character and a phenolic whiff of bretty spice. The wine feels lively, dry and crunchy on the palate with a light-to-medium body and brisk flavors of tart lingonberries and ripe cranberries, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light funky notes of brett, a hint of brambly raspberry and a touch of herby spice. The structure relies mostly on the high acidity as the supple medium-minus tannins only contribute a little bit to the sense of firmness. The finish is quite long, lively and slightly grippy with a crunchy aftertaste of sour cherries, some ripe cranberries, a little bit of bretty funk, light stony mineral notes, a brambly hint of raspberry and a floral touch of violets.
A rather natural - but not natty! - Savigny-lès-Beaune with good sense of freshness, flavor intensity and wonderfully heady aromatics. The overall feel is definitely on the light side, but the wine never once comes across as thin or too limpid - there's enough sense of concentration to keep the wine from feeling underwhelming. It's hard to say if the wine has much potential for additional improvement, but if you don't mind a little bit of funk and volatile lift, this is a lovely little Pinot Noir that is drinking really well right now. Tasty stuff - although I have one gripe with this wine, and it is its price; at approximately 80€ the wine feels too expensive for the quality. This is a nice, early-drinking village-level wine, but at that price I would expect something a bit more.
(91 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
The extras
- 2022 Cafaggio Chianti Classico Basilica Cafaggio - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (19.9.2024)
100% Sangiovese. I have no idea if this wine is any different from the regular Cafaggio Chianti Classico. For some reason this wine say "Single Estate", but it is also less expensive than the wine that says only "Chianti Classico". The producer website doesn't have any mentions of this wine. Go figure. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful, luminous and quite translucent cherry-red color. The nose feels very youthful and almost primary with aromas of ripe dark fruits, some black raspberry jam, a little bit of red licorice, light blueberry tones, a hint of pipe tobacco and a candied touch of cherry jellies. The wine feels clean, youthful and slightly primary on the palate with a medium body and ripe yet dry flavors of sour cherries, some gravelly mineral notes, a little bit of tobacco, light earthy tones, a hint of red licorice and a candied touch of raspberry jellies. The wine is high in acidity with moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is dry, crunchy and moderately grippy with a rather long aftertaste of tart cranberries and sour cherry bitterness, some earthy tones, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light red licorice notes, a primary hint of raspberry jellies and a touch of fresh bilberries.
A youthful, balanced and tasty Chianti Classico. Not big on depth or character, but showing all the textbook elements of the appellation. Still showing a bit too much of those candied primary fruit qualities at the moment, but I have no doubts they will go away with a year or two of additional aging. A solid example of good everyday CC - maybe not showing its best at the moment, but will be very nice in a year or two. Good value at 16,99€.
(89 points) - 2020 Tenuta di Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva La Forra - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (19.9.2024)
100% Sangiovese from Greve in Chianti. Fermented and macerated with the skins in stainless steel tanks four four weeks. Aged in French oak barriques for 24 months. The wine was taste from a bottle that had been open for a few days.
Youthful, quite dense and rather opaque black cherry color. The nose feels ripe, sweet and quite dark-toned with aromas of dark plums, some licorice tones, a little bit of cherry marmalade, light toasty notes of cloves and mocha and a hint of wizened red fruits. The wine felt ripe, dry and moderately oxidative on the palate with a full body and somewhat sweet-toned flavors of dark plums and sour cherry bitterness, some raisiny tones, a little bit of wood, light savory notes of meaty umami, evolved hints of beef jerky and dried dates and a touch of gravelly minerality. The wine comes across as pretty stern and structure-driven with its high acidity and ample, moderately grippy tannins. The finish is long, rather tannic and moderately tired with a long, somewhat oxidative aftertaste of dried dates and raisiny dark fruit, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of earth, light savory notes of meaty umami, a hint of dark plummy fruit and a touch of fresh blueberries.
I was surprised how evolved the wine felt - I was told the wine had been open for a few days, and it was obvious that the wine didn't come from a freshly opened bottle, but I felt the wine still seemed more evolved than that. As the wine came across as moderately oxidative and raisiny, it was hard to make a proper assessment of the wine, as it obviously wasn't supposed to be in this shape. I enjoyed the impressive, tightly-knit structure here, but beneath all the tired, raisiny fruit and meaty tones, the flavor profile seemed a bit sweeter and oakier than I like my Chiantis. I'm leaving the wine unrated for now, as it wasn't performing at its expected level tonight. Whatever the case, I doubt the wine is worth the price at 35,99€. - 2017 Tenuta La Fuga Brunello di Montalcino - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino (19.9.2024)
100% Sangiovese from estate vineyards southwest from Montalcino. Fermented and macerated with the skins in stainless steel tanks four four weeks. Aged in large botti casks for 36 months. 15% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Dark, somewhat translucent cherry-red color that doesn't look young nor old. The nose feels ripe and sunny with sweet-toned aromas of black cherries, some balsamico tones, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light sweeter notes of wizened figs, a hint of earth, a spirituous touch of alcohol and a whiff of sun-baked sandy soil. The wine feels big, dense and chewy on the palate with a full body and ripe flavors of sweet black cherries and wizened dark plums, some pipe tobacco notes, a little bit of balsamic VA, light earthy tones, a hint of died figs and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The high alcohol lends some noticeable heat to the palate, and the overall feel is pretty stern and muscular - more thanks to the ample and rather grippy tannins than to the somewhat soft medium-plus acidity. The finish is long, moderately warm and quite grippy with a juicy, dry-ish aftertaste of dark plums and black cherries, some pipe tobacco, a little bit of dried figs, light earthy notes, a hint of black raspberry jam and a touch of balsamic VA.
A big, stern and chewy Brunello that feels somewhat excessively ripe for my taste with its sweet fruit flavors verging on pruney in quality, too high alcohol and somewhat modest acidity. I guess the wine can still evolve for some years, but I'm not sure if the wine will actually get any better from here. To me, this is just clumsy and ponderous stuff. Impressive in its own way, but not necessarily particularly enjoyable. Better drunk sooner rather than later. Overpriced for the quality at 59€.
(88 points)