Thibault Liger-Belair Chambolle Musigny premier cru “les greuenchers” 2008

89 points

Light ruby colour. Spritzig.

Slightly syrawberry jam like but not annoyingly so. Quite vivacious. Fresh.

Pierre Andre Puligny-Montrachet 2009

89 points

13%

Flavoursome. Bit too oaky for me but that is true to the Montrachet style. Good wine.

Domaine Christian Moreau Chablis vaillon 2011

90+ points

Chablis, Burgundy. 13%. Diam.

Good fine Chablis. Quite rich. Without the piercing acidity of some lessor Chablis.

Reminded me of top class cool climate Australian chardonnay – which says how far Australia has come recently.

Oliver leflaive Chassagne-Montrachet 2009

85 points

Simple sound Burgundy.

Domain Lucien Boillot Volnay les caillerets 2006

89 points

Burgundy. 13%

There is some off-putting Brett on the nose, in fact nothing really to attract, but the palate is a revelation. Good core of ripe fruit. Acidity in balance.

Drinking well with perhaps 10 years ahead of it still.

Joseph Drouhin Clos des Mouches 2002

90 points

Beaune, Burgundy. 13%

Very enjoyable aged burgundy. Lovely relaxed style. But not profound.

Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuissé 2006

80 points

Burgundy. 13%

Golden colour very developed.

Oatmeal creamy texture but dilute wine lacking acid, alcohol. Flavour of oak still.

Edmond Cornu & Fils Chorey Les Beaune les bons ores 2007

75 points

Burgundy, France. 13%

The out of balance acidity is disappointing. But gradually a swamp water character starts to assert itself.

Nicolas Potel Nuits Saint-Georges les cailles 2009

89 points

Characterful, almost spicy Burgundy. Medium weight and concentration. Food friendly acidity. Drink now.

Viré-Cless, Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon 2009

80 points

Alcohol obvious. Unctuous burgundy.

Domaine Rene Monnier Volnay 1er Cru Clos Des Chenes 2004

91 points

Volnay. 13.5%

A little bit of everything in lovely proportion. Very drinkable, concentrated enough to be table friendly but in no way forced/extracted. A perfect mid weight wine starting to develop some aged complexity. Reminds me somewhat of a fine mid weight Northern Rhone.

Louis Bouillot Bourgogne Mousseux Rouge

80 points Burgundy, France. 12.5% Real sparkling
Burgundy. I knew of this wine style only by reading a few
(uncomplimentary) lines in Hugh Johnson’s “Wine” many years ago.
It’s a pleasant, if innocuous, drop. Dry light strawberry
flavours – that do not stand up to food. Like a sparkling
rose. Drink outdoors on a sunny day.

Verget Pouilly-Fuisse ‘Terroir de Pouilly’ Les Combes Vieilles Vignes 2005

87 points

Pouilly-Fuisse, Burgundy, France. 13%

Despite being under screwcap this shows a lot of development, much which has happened lately. The degree of oxidation is quite pleasant but I’d advise drinking now. And maybe checking out other bottles of 2005 white burgundy if you have any cellaring.

 

Domaine Des Lambrays Clos Des Lambrays 2002

83 points

Nice mature Burgundy but that’s all. Unexciting and over-priced.

Perhaps not the best bottle?

Dominque Laurent Marsannay clos du roy veilles vignes 2005

89 points

Burgundy, France. 13%

Unusual in that it lacks the floral charm of the best Marsannay and other minor Burgundies yet isn’t as profound as the best premier league wines. What it is is a fairly weighty masculine Burgundy.

I’d leave it until 2012 to see if more charm develops though it’s a good solid drink now.

F and D Clair Santenay 1er Cru Clos Des Mouches 2002

90 points

Burgundy, France. 13%

The last bottle of a thoroughly enjoyable case of Burgundy. Nothing forced, nothing over-blown. Gentle but it put on weight over the years and comfortably aged to 8 years old.

Not a show pony but a few years back in a small competitive tasting against 1 or 2 good Australian pinots it showed its class.

Good value.

Dominique Laurent Chambolle-Musigny vieilles vignes 2004

85 points

Burgundy, France. 13%

This reeks of oak, too much especially at 6 years of age. Each sniff and swirl brings to mind mahogany furniture.

Fair degree of gylercol weight, acid and alcohol offsett by sweet ripe fruit. Interesting but not the light fine complex wine I would expect for Musigny.

My previous reviews of this wine gave been so much more flattering, I even wrote that “the oak is completely in the background”. Either there is bottle variation, or it’s the fact that I’m getting over a cold, or that my palete is improving (or all three?).

Domaine Saumdize-Michelin ‘les creches’ Saint-Veran 2004

88 Points

St-Veran, Burgundy, France.  13%

Surprisingly oaky (limey oak) and young.  Very nice with oysters.  Recommended.  Drink over the next 5 years.

Dominique Laurent vielles vignes Chambolle-Musigny 2004

90 points

Burgundy. 13%

I think this needs another year to open up a little more, though I could be wrong it’s certainly not raw. Vinous and nicely balanced, oak is completely in the background. Drink until 2014.

Dominique Laurent Volnay vielles vignes 2005

87+ points

Quite dense with a spine of acid. Dark colour. Leave until 2011 to try again.

Henri Germain and Fils Meursault Clos des Mouches 2002

85 points

Once this was awfully oaky now this seems to have all faded but leaving a wine surprisingly light in colour and flavour. Odd. Not unpleasant but underwhelming.

Henri Germain et Fils Beaune Bressandes 1999

89 points

Burgundy, France. 13.5%

Mature, a little frail but not drying out. Very enjoyable. Drink now.

Dominique Laurent Chambolle-Musigny vielles vignes 2004

90 points

Bigger more concentrated than the other Laurent Burgundies I’ve tried recently. Good stuff needs 2-3 more years.

Dominque Laurent Beaune 1er Cru vieilles vignes 2004

90 points

Burgundy, France. 13%

An odd wine. Very enjoyable. Like a cross between Burgundy and Southern Rhone. Spicy rich gluggable.

Dominique Laurent Marsannay Clos Du Roy 2005

87+ points

Young a bit rugged and complex but on a lightish frame. Interesting. One to watch over the next 3 years.

Domaine Armand Rousseau Mazy Chamberlin 1996

91 points

Mazy-Chamberlin, Burgundy, France. 13%

A fine old Burgundy. I’m not really qualified to speak but I would doubt there would be any value in keeping this any longer and would be surprised if it lasted for more than 5 more years, but then again I’ve learnt that the aging trajectory of Burgundy is nothing like the short arc of New World Pinot Noir.

Warm moderately rich (drying out a bit?) mid palate with long firm acidity – the acid being a characteristic of the vintage. I don’t mind this acid finish, especially with food.

Joseph Drohin Chambolle-Musigny amoureuses 2002

91+ points

Burgundy, France. 13%

This still young Burgundy could perhaps be overlooked on a busy dinner table or with the wrong food.  But give it a bit of attention and it is quite a revelation.  Serious depth and controlled richness, considerable length.  The weave of acidity that runs right through is just enough to give the wine vinosity (remind you that it is made of fruit).  In no way syrupy or overly lavish.

It is very enjoyable now, but I don’t really have the experience to know what a Premier Cru in a good balanced vintage like this will become given another 3-6 years of age.  I suspect not an awful lot better, but as I say, I don’t know.

Domaine Poulleau Pere & Fils Volnay ‘viellelles vignes’ 2002

86 points

Volnay, Burgundy, France. 13%

Quite a dark coloured, brawny Burgundy with a mixture of ripe and greenish fruit. Not the most sophisticated or fine, nor necessarily exciting (it lacks real depth of fruit) but drinks rather well know and complements food.

Domaine Henri Gourges Nuits-St-Georges 2001

85 points

Nuits Saint Georges, Burgundy, France. 13%

Mellow, drink now Burgundy. Pleasant, warm, a bit light. Match to mild flavoured food. A nice change to have a wine that is properly mature.

Domaine François Lumpp ‘Petit Marole’ Givry 2005

89+ points

Givry, Burgundy, France. 13%

Givry is a minor Burgundy appelation in the Côte Chalonaise, largely producing red wines, and largely ignored by fine wine writers. But like other areas of Burgundy (e.g. next door Mercurey) improved viticulture and winemaking mean that some of these “bistro wine” areas are starting to produce wines of some class and are where the bargains of Burgundy can be found.

This Premier Cru is a strong flavoured wine with good structure, reflecting the excellent vintage. There is a lot of oak, perhaps too much, but then again it seems to have the acid and oak to handle it. Drink in 2008-10 when it may even warrant a higher score than I give it today.