Rendez-vous avec les vins de Pouilly-Fuisse

16 December 2014: Earlier this month, I organised a 'live' training session in Hong Kong on behalf of BIVB.  The theme of the session was the wines of Pouilly-Fuissé. 22 participants attended this training, including representatives from the trade, media and educators, at the collaborative space of Umami Concepts. The wines from 5 different domaines were shipped to us directly from BIVB for this training.

 

The space at Umami Concepts, with everyone focusing on the tasting.  Chef Nolan at the far right.

Pouilly-Fuissé with its 760 ha is the second largest appellation of Bourgogne, after Chablis, and it is twice the size of Meursault. Stylistically, Chablis has long been known for its minerality and racy freshness, Meursault for the roundness and structure, and Pouilly-Fuissé's appeal is its subtle and inimitable fruitiness and elegance. The appellation with average yield of 55 hl/ha is in the region of the Mâconnais, and made up of 4 communes, from north to south, Vergisson, Solutré-Pouilly, Fuissé and Chaintré. The diversity of the climates (in the weather-sense, rather) is such that the date of harvest could be a week different between Vergisson in the north and Chaintré in the south. The appellation is essentially planted on sedimentary limestone on top of a Jurassic-period granitic subsoil of 200 million years old, with various outcrops of clay, schist, granite and even volcanic soil. 

Traditionally, Vergisson is a cooler site, but some microclimates do allow a good level of sunshine and warmth one the vines, especially the south-west or west facing slopes on the eastern part of the commune, such as La Maréchaude, well-sheltered from the wind, being at the foothills of the Roche de Vergisson, forming a heat trap to ripen the vines. Solutré-Pouilly is made up of Solutré to the west and the Pouilly part to the east, if you like, the grander sibling with the château and fancier houses. Clos de La Chapelle is a noteworthy climat here. Vers Cras is split between Pouilly and Fuissé. For example, Château de Beauregard's holding of Vers Cras is in Pouilly, rather than Fuissé and the soil is reddish-brown clay on top of fossilised limestone. Vers Cras continues into Fuissé which has a good share of both granitic and volcanic soils. Suppleness, richness and power are hallmarks of Fuissé wines. Some well-known climats are found in an amphitheatre setting of vineyards around the village Fuissé, including Les Vignes Blanches (east-facing, and a very high quality site), Les Ménétrières and Vers Pouilly (or Le Tournant de Pouilly at Domaine Ferret), all these on classic Bathonian limestone. Most of the vineyards of Chaintré face east or south, overlooking the Saône. Chaintré wines are well-exposed, with the best vineyards at an altitude. Some good examples are Vers Quarts and Les Chevrières, on the south side of the commune, with exposition SW - here you find red clay soil, with lots of stones of iron oxide.

Jean-Pierre on the screen, next to the Christmas tree

Our eminently knowledgeable tutor (at the end of the internet connection) for the session Jean-Pierre Renard interviewed Frédéric Burrier of Château de Beauregard at the domaine's cellar and they tasted a 2001 La Maréchaude which showed notes of marmalade, but a brilliant colour and plenty of energy and freshness for a wine at 13 years of age, followed by a 1975 Vers Cras which still showed a bright golden colour, with lots of tertiary aromas of truffle, mushroom and dried fruit, but the freshness on the palate was impressive, for a Pouilly-Fuissé at 39 years of age! A phenomenal example of how well Pouilly-Fuissé can age!

We then tasted the 5 wines in sequence:

2012 Pouilly-Fuissé Clos de La Chapelle, Domaine de La Chapelle (Catherine et Pascal Rollet): From the commune of Pouilly, made from old vines planted in 1921. A very small crop vintage, with lots of concentration. The wine is already very approachable, showing a supple texture, aromatic complexity, a nice balance between the richness and the freshness, with aromas of pear, apricot and lemon and a generosity on the palate.


2011 Pouilly-Fuissé Les Chevrières, Domaine Dominique Cornin: From the commune of Chaintré, limestone with red clay on top, facing southwest. Vinified in barrels. Quite closed still, a little austere at the moment in terms of structure, green fruit and pear notes start to emerge with aeration. A lot of mineral tensions and nervosity on the palate, and a tight structure. This is made to last - to try again in a few years time. This domaine has been organically certified since 2009.


2010 Pouilly-Fuissé Les Vignes Blanches, Domaine Thibert Père et Fils: From the commune of Fuissé. Here the vines ripen very well in the amphitheatre setting, facing east/southeast, with the vineyard overlooking the village of Fuissé. 2010 is a magnificent vintage, with superb balance, tension, complexity and an invigorating energy that is incomparable. Initially a little close, but opens up a bit with aeration. It is showing a lovely roundness and supple structure, amidst a vibrant freshness, with aromas of floral, nuts, citrus and green fruit, and a lengthy finish. One of my favourites in this tasting.


2010 Pouilly-Fuissé En Servy, Domaine Denis Bouchacourt: From the commune of Solutré. This domaine started bottling its own wine in 2004.  Vinified in enamel-lined vats. No influence of oak. Vines planted on steep slope, facing south. Some tropical notes here, such as mango and quince. Well-balanced, a bit more mellow in terms of acidity, clean and well-made, pure linear structure, finishes long.


2010 Pouilly-Fuissé La Maréchaude, Château de Beauregard: From the common of Vergisson. Here, the cool air in this commune is mitigated by the west/southwest exposure and wind shelter. All vines at the Château de Beauregard are hand-harvested. Single vineyard cuvée vinified in oak, with about 25% new oak. Beautiful balance, good tension, with a classy structure and depth of character. Needs time to develop. Another one of my favourites. This is one of the long-standing estates of Pouilly-Fuissé. 5 generations of Burriers have been at the château.


We did not taste 2013 nor 2014, but according to Jean-Pierre, 2014 was a fantastic vintage for whites in Bourgogne, with a lot of concentration and freshness. 2013 was challenging with the best producers delivering on balance and quality.

This live training was a great way to learn about the diversity of Bourgogne wines and in particular the diversity of Pouilly-Fuissé. There were visuals (the scenery from Bourgogne, the map of the region, the cellar visit by Jean-Pierre) and the actual tastings, all in one session.  We continued to enjoy the wines with a delicious buffet prepared by Chef Nolan. I highly recommend the relaxed, inspiring and collaborative space at Umami Concepts. It really was a great place for such an educational evening....and everybody could go back to the wines, retry them as they evolved during the evening. Even better when the glasses were sponsored by Zalto!

Did we fall in love with Pouilly-Fuissé?  I certainly did....and would love to see keep some of these bottles to see how they evolve over the next decade or longer.  I would like to see more of these great examples of such extraordinary terroirs on restaurant wine lists.  There is certainly no question about the value-quality that this appellation brings, and I hope will continue to bring, even in the event of some vineyards gaining their promotions! Fingers crossed!

22 vintages of Bruno Clair Chambertin Clos de Beze

18 November 2014: The highlight of our annual visit to Bourgogne this year was a vertical tasting of Bruno Clair's Chambertin Clos de Bèze. We were delighted to be joined by Bruno Clair and his son Edouard who started working at the domaine 4 years ago, after a degree in biology!

Bruno, seated in the middle, with his son Edouard on his left

Bruno is the grandson of Joseph Clair, originally from Santenay, who met and married a lovely girl from Marsannay, Marguerite Daü, during the 1st World War. Domaine Bruno Clair has 0.98 ha of Chambertin Clos de Bèze. The vines were planted in 1912 (about 2/3) and 1972. Bruno's vintage at the domaine was 1979.  When Joseph died in 1971, the domaine Clair-Daü was split up amongst the children and some of the vineyards either sold to Jadot or entered into metayage arrangements.

The 1966 bottle got squirreled away in this photo!

We tasted 22 vintages of the Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Bruno Clair and here are my impressions of the wine in brief:

1966 (this was a Clair-Daü label): Aromas of autumnal leaves, dried roses, mushroom and cinnamon spice filled the mature bouquet overlaid with mocha, caramel and dried fruit notes, evoking a sense of warmth and spiciness. A lovely mature wine, with silky texture, graceful balance, and a good dose of vibrancy on the palate. Definitely drinking now, and if kept well, should have a further life of 4 - 5 years, at least. 18/20


1989: Quite a bit of brett on the nose. Lacking in intensity and energy on the palate...though some complexity. Well evolved. I had expected more body/flesh, given the warmth of the vintage. 15.5/20


1990: Some ripe fruit still showing...but volatile acidity has started to poke through and is evident on the finish, with the fruit barely holding on. Strangely delicately-framed given the vintage's hallmark warmth and flamboyance. 15.5/20


1991: One of the star performers of the vertical. Plenty of intensity, concentration of ripe fruit, but maintaining a very elegant impression. Vibrant acidity, with well-integrated extremely fine tannin. Very harmonious and a most complete wine. 19/20


1992: A ripe fruit vintage. This has evolved nicely, still showing beautiful freshness. While attractive, the wine does not have the power and concentration of the climat. Drinking perfectly today but there is no upside potential to be had....this should continue to drink well for another 5 -6+ years. 17/20


1993: Quite a bit of brett on the nose. The acidity is firm. Quite austere, not very charming today. The best may still take some time to come? 16.5/20


1995: (From a magnum) A brett-dominated nose! Totally without charm today. Question whether this wine will ever turn around??!! 14.5/20


1996: Ripe fruit on the palate, but somewhat lacking in concentration, lively acidity, perhaps it's finally turning the corner?  I did not like the dry finish so much!   16.5/20


1998: Some brett and volatile acidity on the nose, but silky texture and well balanced. Seems to have more flesh than the 1996. Will need to revisit with further bottle evolution. (Richard remarked a good 1998) 16.5/20


1999: Another star performer for me. Beautiful aromatics (dried fruit, leather, spice, sous-bois and mushroom). Intense flavours and silky tannin structure lifted by firm acidity filling the rich and complex palate. Utterly moreish and finishes long. An excellent wine! (A remark from the group that the wine seems to have matured at a faster pace than expected....perhaps not one for the very long haul.) 18.5/20



2000: There was a bit of brett on the nose. Dark fruit and dried fruit (prune). Not as flamboyant and fleshy as expected of the vintage. Not very expressive. A little disappointing. Drinking well now! 16.5/20


2001: A lovely perfumed nose, well-balanced but delicate in its frame. A lovely lift on the finish....17/20


2002: Another star performer for me. There was a whiff of volatile acidity on the nose...but not enough to mar the enjoyment of this gorgeous, expressive, classy wine. Beautiful fruit showing ripeness and purity. Nicely concentrated, fleshy, beautifully textured and structured, with everything perfectly proportioned. Very refined. A classy wine of its terroir and vintage. 18.5/20

One of my favourites!

2003: A hint of burnt fruit...only a little, together with some spice and leather. There was an understated elegance in the evident richness, representative of the vintage but not over done. It will be interesting to retaste this in 5 years time to see how it has evolved. 16.5+/20


2004: Hints of the 'ladybird' secreted methoxypyrazine (an aroma compound like overcooked mushy peas), amidst a red fruit and floral nose. Still a little astringent......will need some time to develop but may not have the material to support long term development. 16/20


2005: Very attractive aromatics, showing bright and ripe berry fruit. Still very primary. Vibrant acidity with still firm but fine-grained tannin, needing time to resolve. The palate confirms its power, concentration and intensity. Today, this very complete wine is still a little closed but shows plenty of promise and will need at least 8 - 10 years to fully deliver! 19/20


2006: Plenty of ripe fruit...but lacking in precision in the detail......seems a bit loose in the structure. This will need some time to develop. 17+/20


2007: A little one-dimensional.....lacking in concentration or complexity, but a very fine effort. 16/20


2008: At first quite unyielding, with very firm acidity, and not much on the palate. Started to show better definition and structure with aeration. Could develop into a classy wine. 17+/20


2009: Fleshy and opulent, given the ripeness of the vintage. Already very approachable. Moreish. Needs time to develop more complexity. 18+/20



2010: A little muted but the linearity, elegance and purity are evident. Well crafted, a great expression of the vintage. Love the vibrancy and complexity on the palate. To revisit in 8 - 10 years' time. 18.5/20


2011: Lovely red fruit....a bit clunky and four-square. This could do with more time to resolve the firm tannin and develop some padding on the palate. 16.5/20

Bruno had brought along for us to taste a magnum of his 2008 Morey-Saint-Denis 'En La Rue de Vergy'. It showed lovely minerality, nuances of fennel seeds, still plenty of energy and a nice crisp finish. A lovely wine! Perfect with cheese!  He also brought a magnum of 1994 Clos Saint Jacques which according to those who were quick to the bottle, it was absolutely delicious!


What a fabulous tasting!  (And thank you so much to our wonderful lunch host!  I loved the sausage and lentil stew!)  These are expressive wines that reward patience!

Aren't they beautiful?

Lessons from nature: Domaine Comte Abbatucci

8 November 2014: Despite its long tradition of winemaking since 15th Century, the Abbatucci family had long been better known for its connection with Napoléon Bonaparte and his descendants. Jean-Charles Abbatucci (1770 – 1796) was a friend of Napoléon’s and while serving as General, he conquered Holland at the young age of 23 years. Jacques-Pierre-Charles Abbatucci (1791 – 1857) served as lawyer of Corsica, magistrate of Orleans and then Paris and eventually became the Minister of Justice of the Second Empire. He was well known for his love of all traditional products of Corsica and was responsible for crafting the modern Corsica.

Jean-Charles Abbatucci

The current winery of Domaine Comte Abbatucci has been making wine for over a century, covering 100 hectares of granitic terroir, about 20% of which are planted, in the area of Ajaccio. The winery is now run by Jean-Charles Abbatucci, whose father started planting some near-extinct local indigenous varieties in the family vineyard in 1960’s and spent 10 years preparing a notebook detailing results of his study including ampelography and cultural character of these varieties. There are an estimated 22-23 indigenous varieties in Corsica and you can find 18 of these at Domaine Comte Abbatucci. Jean-Charles is passionate to craft the best wines possible from his land, and since 2000, he started practicing biodynamics when he noticed that nature produced the best fruit possible when unadulterated. Apart from biodynamic practices in accordance with the lunar calendar, he has augmented such with phytotherapy. The most remarkable changes to his vineyard and wines since the adoption of biodynamics are that the depth of topsoil of decomposed granite has increased from 7 cm to 30 cm, more vigour in the canopy, greater biodiversity in the soil, greater concentration of micro-organisms in the roots, and the whites are showing much more minerality while the reds demonstrate a distinct aroma of the earth, especially in his top cuvée Ministre Impérial. The use of natural yeast has also ensured a better balance between aromatic complexity and complexity on the palate. It has been a long and rewarding learning process, learning about the harmony between nature, vines and man.

Some of Jean-Charles’s top wines, with the signature hallmark of elegance, freshness, and unique character, are sold as Vin de France, as they are not made in conformance with AOC requirements. The entry level wine range (AOC Ajaccio) is called Faustine, named after Jean-Charles’s daughter, with production levels of the red about 30,000 bottles, 20,000 bottles for the white and 15,000 bottles of the rosé. At the premium range, there is the Cuvée Collection, comprising 2 white labels and 1 red label. The whites are Diplomate d’Empire and Général de La Révolution and the red is Ministre Impérial. Just below these 3 top cuvées, there are 2 wines, namely Carcajolo-Nero (CN in short) and Barbarossa (BR) based on the varietals. About 25,000 bottles are produced all together for these 5 wines.

Faustine Blanc, Faustine Rouge et Cuvee Collection Ministre

During my tasting with Jean-Charles, I tasted 3 of his wines. I started with the 100% Vermentino, Faustine Blanc 2013, Vieilles Vignes. Vinified without use of oak. Aromatically, this recalled green grass, green apple and citrus. On the palate, there was a clean precise minerality, complementing the refreshing bright acidity. The wine finished long, with a saline complexity to the finish. Fabulous as an aperitif or to pair with seafood platter or sashimi.


The red Faustine I tasted was from the 2012 vintage, a blend of 70% Sciaccarello and 30% Nielluccio. Vinification in cement tanks, without any oak influence. The aromas presented wild berries, myrtle (characteristic of Sciaccarello), lavender and cardamom spice. Fresh acidity greeted the palate, together with fine-grained elegant tannin, lending a silky mouthfeel. Finishes fresh and spicy. Refined, aromatic and very attractive.


Both of these entry level wines are drinking well now and will continue to drink well for another 6 – 8+ years. Guided retail price about HK$200 a bottle.

I finished the tasting with the 2012 vintage of the Ministre Impérial, from the Cuvée Collection. Jean-Charles said he’s still trying to understand how the wine would develop, as its first vintage was only 2007! Made from a blend of 7 grape varieties, with Sciaccarello and Nielluccio making up 40% of the blend. Aged in 600-litre used demi-muids, without any new oak influence. The nose was intense but delivered great aromatic complexity and intensity, with nuances of raisin, plum, violet, earthy, iodine, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg spice. The intense flavours continue on the palate, and are built into layers and layers of complexity. The tannins are firm, ripe and fine-grained, giving a velvety roundness to the mouthfeel, balanced by vibrant acidity. The finish goes on for a few minutes. It embodies elegance, finesse and harmony, even at this young age. If served blind, it would be almost impossible to position this in Corsica! This wine has been well-received by some well-known winemakers from Bourgogne, with one famous winemaker from Puligny-Montrachet, likening its style to a wine between Chambolle Musigny and Château Rayas. Further, Jean-Charles believes in wax closure for additional protection, as he uses only minimum sulphur. Guided retail price about HK$ 850 a bottle.

It was very exciting to learn that Jean-Charles had just acquired a piece of 40-hectare vineyard at 600 metre altitude where he is envisaging an oasis of vines in the middle of maquis-covered land. (Maquis is a local term, very similar to garrigue in the Languedoc, with immortelle and myrtle as key components.)



  

2002 Montrachet, Fontaine-Gagnard and 1985 Corton Charlemagne, Louis Latour

1 November 2014: 17 years apart....and so similar in colour!

A Room Full of Gold: Australian Boutique Winemakers Trade Mission in HK

23 October 2014: Without the deep pockets, production volumes and international marketing panache of the big brands, it remains a challenging task for boutique wineries from Australia to reach out to export markets.  This year, with the sponsorship from Austrade, Judith Kennedy, CEO of the Association of Australian Boutique Winemakers Inc. (AABW) was able to embark on a sales mission into Hong Kong, joined by 7 Trophy winners and 3 Gold Medal winners.  Through a series of trade tastings, master classes and a degustation trophy dinner, trophy and medal winners were able to present their range of wines, including the winners, to local media and potential importers.   The Boutique Wine Awards is the only show in Australia where the top size limit is 250 tonnes, and they uniquely support the small and independent winemakers.

We certainly benefitted from this opportunity to taste these wines, made with such passion and dedication, and completely expressive of the personality of the winemaker, and regional characteristics. As Nick Bulleid MW, one of the speakers at the master classes, pointed out, Australia started making wine in 1874 but they had come through a long journey to more precisely map out where best to grow different varietals.  For instance, Riverina makes great botrytised wines, in the style of Sauternes, but it would never be able to make great Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz, even if it tried!  Nick himself makes a Pinot Noir at 910 metres altitude in Laggan, in the chilly Southern Tablelands of New South Wales (winery name Hatherleigh).....where he in some years has seen inches of snow in his 1 hectare vineyard.

It was not possible to attend all 4 of the master classes.  So I attended 2 of them: 1) Classic Aussie Varietals, Boutique Style; and 2) Terroir makes all the difference: West v South Showcase.  I was very impressed by the elegance, delineation, detail, clear regional definition and varietal expression of the wines in both master classes.  

Robert Fiumara from Lillypilly Estate (standing) and Nick Bulleid MW (seated)

Then there were the personal stories....Robert Fiumara, Owner and Winemaker of Lillypilly Estate in Riverina, told us that his father planted vines in 1972 when he was in 3rd form (about 8 years old), and in effect chose Robert's career for him!  His father made their first wine in 1982.  Lillypilly's Noble Blend Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 2011 (Trophy winner in the Sweet Wines class) was a beautifully crafted Sauternes-style botrytised wine, without any use of oak (74% Sauvignon Blanc/26% Semillon).  Intense aromas of apricot, marmalade, candied orange peel, barley sugar.  Luscious, balanced by refreshing acidity and a light tannin, which ensured a drying sensation on the palate.  The estate makes about 1000 cases in an average year.

From right to left: Rhythm Stick Red Robin Riesling 2013 (Clare Valley, SA), Grove Estate Nebbiolo 2013 (Hilltops, NSW), Smallwater Estate Shiraz 2013 (Geographe, WA), Lillypilly Estate Noble Blend 2011 (Riverina, NSW), Stanton & Killeen Rare Topaque (Rutherglen, Victoria) 

Established in 1875, Stanton and Killeen has probably the longest history amongst the boutique wineries present at this trade mission in Hong Kong.  Now run by the 7th generation, 2015 will mark their 140th anniversary.  Stanton and Killeen has built its reputation on full-bodied reds, luscious fortified wines including Portuguese style ports and a range of Muscats and Topaques (previously known as Tokays), and also a dry red blend based on Douro varietals.  CEO Wendy Killeen successfully wooed the audience with sips of the nectar of her winery, the Rare Topaque (Trophy winner of the fortified class). Made with Muscadelle, and aged for over 30 year, this epitomises craftsmanship and singular dedication.  Rare by name and nature, this Rare Topaque represents less than 1% of the winery's production. It was rich and opulent. Walnut, date, prune and toffee flavours coated the palate, and lingered for quite a few minutes!  A most memorable wine of the tasting!

Wendy Killeen of Stanton and Killeen

The West versus South Australia tastings just reminded us that there was no one terroir for Australia, nor even within a state: Clare Valley, Langhorne Creek and Adelaide Hills from South Australia all have their unique climate, soil and stylistic characteristics, demonstrated by some very well-defined wines as Tagai Scar Tree Shiraz 2012 and Rhythm Stick's Red Robin Riesling 2013.  And Geographe is not quite the same as Margaret River.......and what a fine example of Margaret River's terroir was Woody Nook's Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2012, with the vines planted in 1982.

From right to left: Talisman Riesling 2013 (Geographe, WA), Rhythm Stick Red Robin Riesling 2013 (Clare Valley, SA), Smallwater Estate Shiraz 2013 (Geographe, WA), Tagai Scar Tree Shiraz 2012 (Langhorne Creek, SA), Woody Nook Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2013 (Margaret River, WA), Anvers Brabo Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 (Adelaide Hills, SA)

Australia has recently seen its range of wines augmented by a number of European and South American varietals....when asked which ones had shown the most promise, Nick Bulleid thought that the best examples he had tasted were Tempranillo, Arneis, Sangiovese and Vermentino, when grown in ideal soil and climate conditions.  He also had high hopes for Mencia!

Extremely professionally organised, Austrade did a brilliant job in helping these small 'guys' reach out to markets normally beyond their reach!  So may this effort continue!

For full details of the trophy and medal winners, please refer to: boutiquewines.com.au

Musigny Dinner

24 October 2014: Special bottles are to be shared and what better way to share than to arrange a BYO dinner around the theme of Musigny.  It was a real privilege to be included in this dinner.

We started with 2 champagnes:

Selosse Version Originale.: (From the vineyards of Avize and Cramant, on the hillsides.) A medium golden robe. Mature oxidative nose of toast, shortbread, pear preserve, honey and acacia. Some spicy richness on the texture.  Finishes a little abrupt, not so exciting. 16/20

1980 Dom Perignon: Also golden in colour.  Ginger shortbread, liquorice, toast, honey and mineral, with a lovely saline quality on the palate. Mature, but still retaining a good energy level and very engaging this evening.  Medium body, finishes very long. A fine mature champagne without being outstanding. 17/20

2000 Bourgogne Blanc, de Vogüé: Minerality dominates the still firm palate, complemented by nuances of almond, toast, ripe pear, apple and citrus. Medium body, well-delineated, a nicely rounded mouthfeel, with weight to match and crisp acidity to balance.  Finishes long. Very fine effort for the vintage. Definitely drinking well now!  17.5/20

1971 Remoissenet Musigny: Pale garnet.  Notes of dry leaves, rose petals and nutmeg. Silky palate, with a lovely texture and some weight. Structure and balance impeccable for the age. Medium finish. An excellent example. 18.5/20

1978 De Vogüé, Musigny: unfortunately suffered from cork taint!

1979 De Vogüé, Musigny: Some noticeable volatile acidity on finish.  Still showing lovely complexity of sous-bois, earth, truffle and tea leaves.  Elegantly presented. Finishes a bit dry. To be drunk now. 15.5/20

1987 De Vogüé Musigny: A light weight version of the wine, but still featuring the hallmarks of Musigny.  Silky palate and beautiful balance and aromatics, if you do not mind the slight bretty character. Overall impression, a little rustic in style, lacking in charm, but well made for the vintage and nicely aged. 16/20

1985 Roumier Musigny: Sensational in one word. Savoury, freshness, plum, spice, mushroom. Silky palate, bright acidity, very long finish. Utterly harmonious. A very stylish and expressive wine crafted to perfection with a long life ahead. Drink now and over next 15+ years. 20/20

2003 Prieur Musigny: It is so unfair to try this immediately after the 1985 Roumier.  Very plum like, black cherry, some cloves and nutmeg spice. An opulent style, still quite muscular......though this might seem a bit brutish immediately after the super-elegant and captivating 85 Roumier. 16/20

1996 De Vogüé Musigny: Still showing lovely cherry fruit, good concentration, still youthful, try again in 4-5 years time, when the elements are more in harmony with each other. 17.5/20  (Interestingly, on the red capsule of this bottle, it actually said Bonnes Mares.....but we had checked with the domaine....which confirmed that if the cork said Musigny, this was definitely Musigny....just a labelling error!)

To finish, 

2005 L'Extravagant, Doisy Daëne (half bottle): (65% Semillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc)  This was very rich and intense, but beautifully balanced and did not leave you with a heaviness on the palate. Extraordinary effort. 19/20

2002 Leroy Savigny Les Narbantons hitting the perfect note!

19 October 2014:

2002 Leroy Savigny-les-Beaune Les Narbantons
Garnet hue. Pure intense bright pinot fruit of raspberry and violet, sous-bois, truffle, cinnamon, nutmeg, five spice and tea leaves. Silky and supple palate, vibrant acidity, but already very harmonious and attractive. An exceptional Savigny Premier Cru that has aromatic complexity, depth and character, and a lovely mid-length finish, showing just a hint of dryness. Drinking at peak now and over next 5 - 6+ years. 17.5/20

2003 Corton Charlemagne, de la Vougeraie
Golden colour. Honey, braised pear, roasted hazelnut, with ripe tropical pineapple and mango notes and acacia flowers. A rich luscious style, lowish acidity, finishes long with honeyed liquorice nuances. Great with foie gras or a rich creamy lobster dish.  Drink now. 16/20