Domaine de Bellene’s Côte de Nuits Villages from the 2018 vintage is a lovely wine. It opens to attractive and fragrant aromas of spice and blackcurrant, with an end note of smoke and cedar. It can only be Burgundy. The palate is medium bodied and more workmanlike with characters akin to red currants. This attractive wine is approachable now. Rating: Good to Very Good. Website: http://domainedebellene.com/. Reviewed: July 2020.
This is a restrained and elegant expression of village level Chorey Lès Beaune from Benjamin Laroche. In the glass, it has a coiled aroma of minerals and cherries. The palate has medium tannins, notes of refined cedar and an elegant finish. Enjoyable now, or over the next 5 to 6 years. Rating: Good. Abv: 13.0. Price: $80+. Website: NA. Reviewed: May 2020.
The 2012 Burgundy vintage continues to provide very enjoyable wines that have sufficient fruit and charm to be approached now. From Domaine Faiveley, the 2012 Échezeaux grand cru has ethereal aromatics of cherry, blackcurrant and undergrowth befitting of this esteemed appellation. The palate is also delicious, with firm tannins and good length suggesting a long life ahead. I would cellar this wine for a further 5 to 8 years, but certainly I would not hesitate to drink now if you would prefer not to wait. Rating: Very Good to Outstanding. Abv: n/a. Price: high. Website: https://www.domaine-faiveley.com. Reviewed: December 2019.
This 2012 wine from Sylvie Esmonin presented somewhat atypically for a Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques, an appellation that I have taken a liking to, unfortunately. Its expression is very youthful and ripe, with overt cedar and sulphur characters. On the palate, it has intense fruit and good length. Overall, I think this wine will benefit from medium term cellaring for at least 5 to 8 years, rather than drinking now. Rating: Good. Abv: N/A. Price: N/A. Website: N/A. Reviewed: August 2019.
This is a refined Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de la Bussière from Domaine Roumier and the 2007 vintage. Its aromas remind of redcurrant, iron filings, blackcurrant and are pure in expression. The palate has great length and, in terms of structure, expresses gentle acidity, a graceful balance and modest fruit intensity befitting the lighter 2007 vintage, Overall, this is a very good Morey-Saint-Denis, but one that is ready to drink now. Rating: Very Good. Abv: N/A. Price: N/A. Website: http://www.roumier.com. Reviewed: August 2019.
This wine from Domaine Ponsot is in a very difficult stage of its development. It presents in a raw fashion, with very fruit driven aromas of cherry and blackcurrant and resounding acidity and hardness on the palate. It is quite a difficult wine to appreciate at this point, and needs at least a further decade of cellaring to even show its potential. I don’t think decanting will be sufficient to present it for current drinking. Reflecting on this wine across its dimensions of esteemed producer, great vintage and wonderful vineyard, it is difficult to recommend this wine at this stage. Oh well, someone has to try these wines. Sealed using the unusual Ardea seal. Rating: Good (in the future), Acceptable now. Abv: not recorded. Price: $300+. Website: http://www.domaine-ponsot.com.
This is a resoundingly delicious wine from Claude Dugat. From Lavaux-Saint-Jacques, the biggest of the Gevrey-Chambertin premier cru vineyards at 9.53 hectares and situated immediately south of Clos Saint-Jacques, the wine is quite deeply coloured (for pinot noir) and opens to aromatics of blackcurrants, fruit and violets. The palate has fantastic length, with fresh acidity, tannins and great fruit. This wine can be approached now, but should evolve and improve with a decade in the cellar. Rating: Outstanding. Abv: 13.5%. Price: $300+. Website: na. Tasted: October 2018.
I’m yet to taste a poor Robert Chevillon wine. This is another outstanding one, this time from Nuits-Saint-Georges and the premier cru appellation of Les Cailles. Les Cailles is a 7.11 hectare plot and is directly north of Les Saint-Georges, the greatest climat in Nuits-Saint-Georges. It is said to be subtle, feminine and have softer fruit flavours. In the glass, the 2006 vintage of Chevillon’s Les Cailles, has rich aromas of blackcurrant. The palate is full bodied with hints of licorice, the finish long and the acidity towards high. This is a delicious wine that can be approached now, or safely cellared for a further decade. Rating: Very Good to Outstanding. Abv: 13.5%. Price: $200+. Website: www.domainerobertchevillon.fr
If you are looking for more information on every Burgundy appellation, the Bourgogne Wines website is excellent. The link is here. Clos du Roi is one of the more commonly declared lieux-dits of Corton Grand Cru in the Côte de Beaune. And here’s an example with 25 years of age on it. From Domaine Thomas-Moillard, the wine has a light to medium colour, with tawny edges towards the rim. It opens to aromas of sweet fruit, game, licorice, tertiary tea leaves and old cedar. The palate is earthy, with high acidity and mid range length and is in a light style. This is certainly ready to drink and a tertiary expression of pinot noir that is enjoyable, but ultimately past its best. Rating: Good. Abv: 13.5%. Price: na. Website: na
Saint-Aubin is probably not the best known of the Burgundian appellations. It is in the Côte de Beaune and neighbours Puligny Montrachet and Chassagne Montrachet. I was very pleased with this particular wine from Pierre-Yves Colin Morey and the 2010 vintage. It has refined and racy acidity and overtones of lemon and cashew. In its drinking prime, the only issue is navigating the great looking, but ultimately annoying wax sealed capsule. Rating: Very Good. Abv: 13.5%. Price: $90. Website: na.