TANNERS Burgundy 2015 - & White Lying Abroad Opening Offer FEBRUARY UPDATE 2017 The Wines This is undoubtedly an outstanding year in Burgundy with growers likening it to a combination of the 2005 vintage for the fruit (though it is not as tannic) and with the acid structure of 2010, both these are fantastic vintages in their own right. The wines are ripe, it was after all a hot year, but crucially the night time temperatures were cool which was essential for keeping freshness. This, coupled with the drought conditions, led to higher natural acidity A dream vintage Ghislaine Barthod levels in the resultant wines. This has endowed a beautiful balance to the wines this year which are full of sweet, ripe, sun-drenched fruit with silky, rounded tannins but also lending them a crispness which adds a juicy character not often associated with warmer years. This is so for both the whites and the reds. The fruit Lying Abroad: What does it mean? All the 2015 wines in this offer are offered Lying Abroad. This means that you pay for the wine itself when you place your order and the duty and shipping (currently 2.85 ex VAT per 75cl bottle for mainland UK delivery) and VAT at the prevailing rates on the whole at the time of shipment. We anticipate shipping these wines in late 2017 and early 2018. Storage Wines purchased from Tanners by the case can be stored under bond. More information Please ring John, Robin, Graham or Rachel on 01743 234455 for advice. Golden slopes, glittering wines - the glorious Côte d Or in October flavours in the reds are on the darker side; our notes are full of references to black cherries, blackberries and cassis and for the whites more yellow fruit plums and sweet citrus and not many references to tropical fruit. Both have this juicy mouthwatering quality that will make them easy to drink throughout their evolution whilst endowing these wines with great capacity to age up to 20 years and beyond in some cases. The growers were happy with 2015 being variously described as: a dream vintage by Ghislaine Barthod; Marie Jacqueson said she wished every year was like 2015. Michel Prunier described it as a very, very good year, while in the Côtes de Nuits, Nicolas Drouhin said perfect, it s a great vintage like 2009. Given the shortage of wine reported in 2016 this would seem like a fantastic opportunity to stock up! The Weather A very mild, wet winter and early spring led to a fast bud-break and a very quick flowering. Some rain fell on the 20th June which helped the vines prepare for the exceptional heat that was to arrive in July. It was unusually hot with temperatures The red wines are exceptional and the whites are superb peaking at 36 to 38 C (or 97 to 100 F in old money). August was more mixed and more typical of the region with some rain falling in the first half of the month to refresh the vines. The second half of the month warmed up again and although some growers started the harvest around the 27th August most waited until the first 10 days of September when a short, sharp harvest took place in near perfect conditions (the exception to this was Chablis which sadly suffered a hail storm on the 1st September affecting about 300ha). The berries were exceptionally clean with sorting tables largely redundant in 2015. The berries, however, were small, great for concentration, less good for quantity, with yields generally down around 30% and in Beaune, Pommard and Volnay, where the vines are still recovering from being hailed upon in the three preceding vintages, down about 50%. SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455 1
Contents 2. The Cellars 3. Domaine Paul Pillot, Château Fuissé 4. Domaine Borgeot, Domaine Jacqueson 5. Domaine Bachelet-Monnot 6. Domaine Rollin 7. Dom. Tollot-Beaut, Dom. Henri Prudhon et Fils 8. Dom. Michel Prunier et Fille & Dom. Alain Gras 9. Domaine Chanson 10. Dom. Marcel et Blanche Fèvre & Dom. Moreau 11. Domaine Dauvissat-Camus 12. Etienne Sauzet 13. Domaine Leflaive, Dom. Henri Germain 14. Domaine Buisson-Charles 15/16. Domaine de Bellene & Maison Roche de Bellene 17. Domaine René Bouvier 18. Domaine Michel Gros & Domaine Henri Gouges 19. Méo Camuzet 20. Dom. G. Barthod, Dom. L. Boillot & Beaujolais 21. Drouhin Laroze 22. Domaine Odoul Coquard THE CELLARS Ready-made collections to add to your cellar CELLAR A Affordable s Four wines that show off brilliantly the bright fruit character of 2015 Burgundian Pinot Noirs. Four wines, 6 of each, 24 in all at 243 saving 24 ( 10.13 average price per bottle LA ) l Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Rouge, Prunier l Bourgogne Rouge Maison Dieu, Domaine de Bellene l Rully Les Chaponnières, Jacqueson l Santenay Vieilles Vignes, Borgeot CELLAR B Affordable Whites Classic Burgundian Chardonnay, crisp acidity with good minerality, with the richness and delightful fruit character of the vintage. Four wines, 6 of each, 24 in all at 252 saving 24 ( 10.50 average price per bottle LA ) l Bourgogne Chardonnay, Borgeot l Saint-Véran, Ch Fuissé l Rully La Chaponnière, Borgeot l Saint-Aubin Blanc En Remilly, Prudhon CELLAR E Famous Villages, Famous Domaines, three special reds from these famous villages to lay down. Three wines, 6 of each, 18 in all at 504 saving 54 ( 28 average price per bottle LA ) l Vosne Romanée, Maison Roche-Bellene l Gevrey Chambertin, Justice Bouvier l Chambolle-Musigny, Michel Gros CELLAR D Famous Villages, White Famous Domaines, three special whites from these famous villages to lay down. Three wines, 6 of each, 18 in all at 396 saving 36 ( 22 average price per bottle LA ) l Pouilly-Fuissé Tête de Cru, Ch Fuissé l Meursault, Germain l Puligny-Montrachet Les Meix, Borgeot 2 SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455
Domaine Paul Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet We started with a long conversation with Thierry Pillot about neighbours stealing grapes in 2016, such was the problem of an extremely short harvest! Luckily 2015 had been a bit better and they started harvesting on 28th August which turned out to be a good decision in order to avoid over-ripeness and low acidities. In style he feels 2015 lies somewhere between 2009 and 2012. I like this vintage because it is rich but has the finesse too, says Thierry. They use just 8% to 15% new wood, wanting to retain the terroir and fruit character of Chassagne-Montrachet unadulterated. This has to be one of the best addresses in the village. Paul s grandfather Jean-Baptiste Pillot was born in Chassagne-Montrachet in 1858 and was a cooper who tended a few vines. From these small beginnings there are now three Pillot domaines in Chassagne, not to be confused, which are all run by his descendants, among whom is also Madame Germain of Domaine Henri Germain in Meursault, a long-time supplier to Tanners. White l Saint-Aubin 1er cru Les Charmois DBW07315 6bts 141 The wines here excelled once again. A very rich feel, white fruit, some honey, gorgeous minerality, very long with citrus acidity pulling everything together. From 2018 to 2023. l Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru Clos Saint Jean Blanc DBW11315 6bts 234 A very elegant, powerful wine. White fruit and spice, very long, very mineral, very good. From 2018 to 2023. l Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru Les Caillerets # DBW11415 6bts 300 White fruits on the nose and a suggestion of oak, this has great intensity, big flavour, lemon and saltiness, along with pear and peach. Gorgeously lingering flavours, impeccable balance. From 2018 to 2023. Château Fuissé, Pouilly-Fuissé The Vincent family has been at the virginia creeper-clad Château Fuissé since 1862, although the estate itself dates back to 1368. Antoine Vincent now makes the wine, having taken over from his famous father, Jean-Jacques Vincent, whilst brother-in-law, Philip Tuinder, and sister Bénédicte run the commercial side. White l Saint-Véran DBW04815 6bts 66 Bright nose of ripe citrus fruit, no oak in this cuvée allows the ripeness and freshness to shine. From 2018 to 2020. l Pouilly-Fuissé, Tête de Cru DBW05215 6bts 96 Lovely ripe yellow fruit, apricots and peaches abound. A lovely hint of vanilla spice with a juicy finish. From 2018 to 2023. l Pouilly- Fuissé Les Brûlés DBW18715 6bts 165 Always the most powerful, very ripe and concentrated. Almost unctuous texture but with super freshness holding bit in check. From 2019 to 2024. l Pouilly-Fuissé, Le Clos Monopole DBW05415 6bts 180 Fresher than the Brûlés with more complexity. Lovely mix of citrus and soft yellow fruit. Plums, apricots and orange combine with gentle wood spice and give great length and depth. From 2020 to 2024. SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455 3
Borgeot whites are refined and concentrated in 2015 Laurent Borgeot reflects on his very fine range Domaine Borgeot, Remigny Laurent and Pascal Borgeot s 2015s have a beautiful roundness with excellent ripeness. Laurent, casting his mind back to another hot year, told us: It s very Pinot Noir, like 2003, but with better balance due to more rain. He feels the wines are fresher than 2009 and also riper, unlike what some of his neighbours say! We found the red wines to have more blackberry and less raspberry fruit this time, and the whites to be refined and concentrated. They started to harvest on 5th September taking 10 days to bring in the grapes in very fine weather. Minimal chemicals are used, Laurent describing the domaine as bio-raisonnée, a sort of halfway house between conventional and organic cultivation. This producer is terribly good and we would expect, with a smart address in a grander village, the wines would be very much more expensive. White l Bourgogne Chardonnay, Clos de la Carbonade DBW21415 6bts 51 Very good affordable White Burgundy that Pascal Borgeot compares to the 2009 but with a little less acidity. The 2015 is full and ripe, rich and fresh, all you would want from an entry level white burgundy. From 2018 to 2022. l Rully, La Chaponnière DBW25615 6bts 75 An elegant wine for the vintage, soft apples and a longish mineral finish. Creamy texture. From 2018 to 2022. l Santenay, Clos de la Comme Dessus Blanc DBW06615 6bts 96 A rich nose with citrus fruit and a hint of cream. Beautifully integrated oak, plenty of juicy fruit and a nice fresh finish. From 2018 to 2023. l Santenay 1er cru Les Beauregards DBR01815 6bts 96 Inviting nose, good depth with crunchy mulberry fruit, both red and black, grippy finish, very fresh and very satisfying. From 2019 to 2024. Domaine Paul et Marie Jacqueson, Rully A very successful vintage here in Rully and the ripeness certainly showed in the Aligotés. We tasted with Marie first thing in the morning and still there were private clients turning up at 9.00am to taste with us, such is the draw of this excellent property. A large proportion of the vines here are old which meant they weathered the hot early summer with greater ease than if they had been younger. The only negative here this year is the yields for the red wines which are down about 30% on average; otherwise Marie said she wished every year could be like 2015. One of the very best domaines of the Côte Chalonnaise, Domaine Jacqueson extends to 13 ha of well-sited, carefully tended vineyards, many containing very old vines, mostly in Rully, Bouzeron and Mercurey. Paul and daughter, Marie, use no herbicides and follow a strictly sustainable lutte raisonnée regime with minimal use of any chemical products. White l Bouzeron, Les Cordères (Aligoté) DBW01315 6bts 66 This wine showed extremely well, and was a great start to our visit. Citrus notes and white currants on the palate. The warmth of the year has added a wonderful extra layer of richness, giving a nice weight, well balanced by the fresh appley acidity. From 2018 to 2022. l Rully Blanc 1er cru Grésigny DBW05615 6bts 84 Always the top white from the Jacquesons, and this example did not disappoint! Lovely concentration on the nose, with great ripe peaches and cream note to the palate. Complexity is added by the subtle use of oak. From 2018 to 2022. l Rully, Les Chaponnières DBR01215 6bts 72 Full of blackberry and raspberry notes on the nose, following through to the palate, which is supplemented by sweet cherry flavours. Soft ripe tannins give the wine its structure. Excellent. From 2018 to 2022. l Mercurey 1er cru Les Naugues DBR25715 6bts 84 The style is fuller, richer yet softer that the Rully, with a touch of spiciness to the finish. More black fruit characteristics here. From 2018 to 2023. 4 SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455
The delightful village of Dézize-lès-Maranges, home to Alex & Marc Bachelet (above right). Domaine Bachelet-Monnot, Dézize-lès-Maranges Prior to tasting we had a long discussion with Marc Bachelet about how the weather has changed over the years but he feels the main factor in improving the wines has been the changes in viticultural practices, particularly bringing down the yields and having more leaves to sustain the vines. He feels 2015 is a very concentrated year for whites. They started harvesting on 28th August with superbly clean grapes which were very ripe, but not over-ripe. The fermentations were extremely long stretching over a period of four months. He describes the wines as extraordinary, rarely having seen such good conditions. For the reds they did whole bunch fermentation on about 15% of the crop. The resulting wines he feels are dominated by little red fruit and they have reduced the amount of wood to conserve this character. It was not a complicated year, Marc said, they had no need or desire to use old products or fertilisers on the vines. White l Bourgogne Chardonnay DBW19315 6bts 72 A superb Bourgogne, creamy and full but still retaining this domaine s characteristic fine steely linear style. Lovely balanced lemony acidity. From 2018 to 2021. l Puligny-Montrachet DBW18915 6bts 174 This has an enticing nose, spicy and toasty. A powerful Puligny, great concentration and depth of flavour, bright white fruit and ginger with a chalky like finish. Very good indeed. From 2018 to 2022. l Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru Folatières DBW20015 6bts 282 Really intense nose, spice with a touch of buttery oak. Lemons and peaches, lychees, lemons, salt and very ripe apples. There is a lot going on, lush! From 2019 to 2025. l Bâtard-Montrachet grand cru DBW20115 1bt 170 This wine was being racked so we didn t taste it. It has been stunning in previous years! l Bourgogne Pinot Noir DBR22415 6bts 75 They prefer a bright cherry colour here to the darker plum colours seen elsewhere, with a lovely aroma this is a wine with elegance and purity. Very precise with everything in the right place. A classy wine for the money. From 2018 to 2023. l Maranges 1er cru Clos de la Boutière DBR24215 6bts 96 Picking early to preserve the very pretty red fruit nose, this has elegance and style, very fine with redcurrant and raspberry, ripe tannins. The finish is mineral with good acidity and more of that super fruit. From 2018 to 2025. SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455 5
Simon Rollin in Pernand-Vergelesses A hitching post for the horses! Domaine Rollin Père et Fils, Pernand-Vergelesses This domaine has done well this year; in these warm vintages the vineyards of Pernand seem to keep a little more freshness than some other better known villages. Simon and his father Rémi were both pleased to be able to show us the results. The white are super with plenty of ripeness and a delicious juicy character, sometimes missing in drought years, whilst the red were ripe exhibiting soft black fruits and an approachable character. The new extension to the cellar is now complete and the extra space is welcome and means things can be better organised in the winery. In these cellars in Pernand-Vergelesses, just a few miles outside Beaune, the father-and-son Rollin team turn out consistently good wines for medium-term drinking, as well as being a wonderful source of longlived Corton-Charlemagne. The estate was started by Raymond Rollin who, in the 1950s, started diversifying from selling his crop to the large Beaune houses by marketing wines in bottle. It is his grandson Rémi, born in 1958, and great grandson Simon who are in charge now. White l Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Blanc DBW07415 6bts 60 Lovely nose, with just a hint of tropical fruit in the background. The palate is beautifully balanced round yet with great freshness and minerality. Ripe pear and apple fruit with a hint of peaches. From 2018 to 2021. l Pernand-Vergelesses Blanc DBW07715 6bts 99 As ever, smoother and richer than the Hautes-Côtes, with this warmer year giving the wine soft round style, but well balanced by the acidity. This is a lovely example of how a deliciously ripe chardonnay should be. From 2018 to 2022. l Pernand-Vergelesses Rouge DBR25915 6bts 87 Strawberries and black fruit on the nose. The palate here is soft with strawberries again, some ripe tannins and a fine, long finish. From 2018 to 2023. l Pernand-Vergelesses Rouge 1er cru Fichots DBR05815 6bts 138 Bigger, softer and rounder than the straight Pernand. Classic Pinot with beautifully silky fruit and a black-cherry core. The tannins are soft and ripe. Delicious. From 2019 to 2024. l Pernand-Vergelesses Rouge 1er cru Ile de Vergelesses # DBR27815 6bts 150 More depth, weight and finesse than the Fichots. Creamy black cherry fruit and lovely ripe tannic structure, with good minerality on the finish which lingers beautifully. Classy. From 2019 to 2028. Southern Beaune vineyards 6 SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455
Domaine Prudhon makes stand-out Saint-Aubin Cédric Gigant of Tollot-Beaut Inside Tollot-Beaut s cellars Domaine Tollot-Beaut, Chorey-lès-Beaune We tasted with Cédric, Nathalie s right hand man at the winery as neither Nathalie nor her cousin, Jean-Paul who is the winemaker, could be there at the time of our visit. The wines are concentrated and powerful but yields are down here too by about 30% with Blanches Fleurs particularly affected with just 3 barrels made this year. Harvest was very quick the whole thing being completed in eight days. All wines complete the same elevage regime regardless of appellations; 16 months in barrel before being bottled the following January, but the proportion of new oak is varied to suit the wines. Firmly established in Chorey-lès-Beaune on the Rue Alexandre Tollot (named after their great-grandfather, an erstwhile mayor), Tollot-Beaut has long been a trailblazer for Chorey wines. At almost 25 ha, it is a well sized domaine with all its vines in Chorey-lès-Beaune, Beaune, Aloxe-Corton and Savigny-lès- Beaune. Wines have been sold in bottle since 1921 and were exported to the US as far back as the 1930s, whilst Nathalie Tollot, who runs the domaine with her cousin, Jean-Paul, represents the sixth generation of the family at the estate. l Chorey-lès-Beaune, Pièce du Chapitre, Monopole DBR05115 6bts 108 A lovely cooked strawberry nose, with intense, rich, red cherry fruit on the palate and a crunchy juicy finish. From 2018 to 2023. l Aloxe-Corton 1er cru Les Fournières DBR05915 6bts 210 This is a more serious wine, with more power, weight and structure, however the tannins are ripe and the red and black fruit intense. From 2020 to 2026. Domaine Henri Prudhon et Fils, Saint-Aubin Brothers Vincent and Philippe are justly proud of their travails in 2015. As usual we tasted the full gamut of nine whites and five reds which is always interesting to get a handle on the vintage and the village. We always seem to like the same wines year in year out and as we usually sell out of them you, our customers, presumably do too! The harvest here started on the 2nd September nine days earlier than in 2014. This year was an easy vintage, according to Vincent, without many problems and with beautifully clean fruit arriving at the winery, just the yields a little down for perfection. Some of the vines are more than 80 years old and they use minimal treatments, belonging to a sustainable viticulture group based in Dijon. White l Saint-Aubin Blanc 1er cru Remilly DBW06215 6bts 87 One of our quickest sellers, and for good reason. Lovely sweet fruit, with flavours of pears, apples and greengage. Everything is beautifully balanced, and there is a clean, saline finish. From 2018 to 2021. l Saint-Aubin Blanc 1er cru Sur le Sentier du Clou DBW24015 6bts 87 Apples and pears on the nose. Not as rich as the Remilly, however this has a lovely mineral balance to the yellow plum and greengage fruit. From 2018 to 2021. l Saint-Aubin 1er cru Les Frionnes DBR01915 6bts 81 An attractive nose with black and red cherry notes, and a hint of strawberry. The palate is fuller, with the black fruit character dominating. Lovely long finish. From 2018 to 2023. SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455 7
Preparing barrels for the new vintage Domaine Michel Prunier et Fille, Auxey-Duresses We were met by Michel and Estelle, both on good form. The wines of this village did well this year with some north-west facing vineyards achieving good ripeness but maintaining a succulent acidity so important in warmer vintages. The harvest started early in September just after some light rain had refreshed the thirsty vines, a good thing this year. Michel said it was a very, very good year and when asked to liken it to any other vintage immediately likened it to 59 and 69 to which he said we must be familiar, I think we were having our leg pulled! The Prunier team represent the fourth and fifth generations to make wine here, Michel having grown the estate to 12 ha from only two hectares in 1986. As a result they have vineyards in Auxey, Beaune, Meursault, Volnay, Pommard, Chorey and the Hautes-Côtes, but the pride and joy probably remains the holding of Auxey-Duresses 1er cru Clos du Val. White l Auxey-Duresses Blanc vieilles vignes DBW06415 6bts 105 Floral nose, and lovely balanced fruit. Soft, rich and buttery and a touch of tropical fruit, with a subtle smoky saltiness of the finish. Quite Meursault-like. From 2018 to 2023. l Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune DBR01315 6bts 57 Full of juicy raspberry and strawberry fruit, a few herbal notes add complexity. A fruity easy-drinking Pinot for early drinking. From 2018 to 2022. l Auxey-Duresses Rouge 1er cru DBR02315 6bts 105 From three different vineyards. This has a big, concentrated sweet core of dark cherry fruit, with a touch of spice. Well balanced, and whilst there are tannins, they are very ripe making a very silky wine. From 2018 to 2023. Domaine Alain Gras, Saint-Romain An apologetic Alain Gras had to disappear quickly for a pow-wow with his fellow chasseurs, the police and neighbours, but we were ably looked after by Arthur, the youngest of his three children, now at the Lycée Viticole in Beaune. Their 15 ha, 13 of which are in 400 metre high St-Romain thrive in warmer years like 2015 producing wines of a ripeness usually found in the better known, lower villages. We love these wines and cannot understand why they don t have more of a following! Alain is the best grower in the beautiful, hilltop village of Saint-Romain Le Haut with its panoramic views. Through his friendship with the late, great chef Bernard Loiseau and his own sheer determination, he has his wines listed in most of France s Michelin three star restaurants. White l Saint-Romain Blanc DBW06315 6bts 84 l Saint-Romain Blanc Half DBW06315H 12hlvs 96 Up in the hills they produce a slightly more elegant and restrained Chardonnay, the zesty acidity and pear fruit topped off with a clean salty, mineral finish. Serious stuff for the money! From 2018 to 2022. l Auxey-Duresses Blanc Les Crais DBW24215 6bts 108 Another serious contender, this has the weight of a Meursault, a slug of new oak producing an intense wine with fine acidity. From 2018 to 2023. l Saint-Romain Rouge DBR02015 6bts 84 l Saint-Romain Rouge Half DBR02014H 12hlvs 96 l Saint-Romain Rouge Magnum DBR02014M 6mags 180 Very aromatic inviting nose, bright red hedgerow fruits fill the mouth, the finish has firm ripe tannin, mineral and some black fruit. A keeper. From 2018 to 2024. 8 SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455
At Domaine Chanson with, top right, Director Gilles de Courcel Domaine & Maison Chanson, Beaune We don t go to Chanson every year, but including a visit in our programme this time was well worthwhile! Gilles de Courcel, director and Jean-Pierre Confuron, technical manager, gave us a refresher tour of the tremendous cellars and Bastion. We tasted a succession of wonderful 2015 reds from barrel then whites, and finally a selection of rather good 2013s. One tends to forget that, beyond being one of Beaune s traditional old-timer merchants, Chanson is a very important vineyard owner. Jean-Pierre Confuron finds his 2015s have a juicy minty freshness due, he feels, to whole bunch fermentations. For this to succeed, he explains that you need well ripened grapes that go into the tanks at cool temperatures. To this end, since 2010, they have had a tunnel in which to cool the grapes, claiming it is the only one in France! White - Maison l Savigny-lès-Beaune Blancs 1er cru Les Hauts-Marconnets DBW25915 6bts 114 Very fresh and elegant Chardonnay, it has a more mineral tone with limes, pears and ginger. If the Beaune is Meursault like then this is Puligny in style. From 2018 to 2023. White Domaine l Beaune Blanc 1er cru Clos des Mouches # DBW26015 6bts 324 A rich and concentrated white, which is almost Meursault-like in its depth of flavour. A big and full mouthful, buttery with a zesty lemon finish. Very good indeed. From 2019 to 2026. - Domaine l Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er cru Dominode DBR29015 6bts 150 This big wine has a fresh inviting nose laden with red fruits, mouth filling fruits with spicy notes over the top of black cherries and ripe raspberry, the acidity is refreshing and there is structure. Very round, very well balanced. From 2019 to 2026. l Beaune 1er cru Clos des Marconnets DBR29115 6bts 156 Lovely fresh red fruited nose, very delicious damson and ripe black cherry, a charming wine with a long finish and soft ripe tannins. From 2021 to 2031. l Beaune 1er cru Clos des Fèves DBR03715 6bts 276 A spicier nose, a deep flavour of black fruits more spice, minty, the tannin is firm but ripe and the acidity refreshing, giving a long clean finish; a super wine for the long term. From 2022 to 2034. SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455 9
Julie Fèvre Christian and Fabien Moreau Domaine Nathalie et Gilles (Marcel et Blanche) Fèvre, Chablis This has to be one the cleanest cellars in the world with every little stainless steel tank iridescent and the floors painted bright blue and yellow. Julie, with whom we tasted, is the daughter of Nathalie and Gilles Fèvre and a great-great-grand-daughter of Marcel et Blanche whose names appear on the labels we have. There is no link now to William Fèvre, a cousin of her grandfather, whose company is part of the Henriot Champagne group with Bouchard Père et Fils. No, this is a perfectly formed 43 ha domaine, based in the village of Fontenay near the grand cru slopes. The 2015s we tasted were gorgeous and more opulent the rather more classically styled 2014s which we re-tasted along with a five-star 2009 1er cru Vaulorent. l Chablis 1er cru Mont de Milieu DBW25115 6bts 93 They have just 0.50 ha in this more southerly 1er cru which faces full-south therefore the wine is on the riper side. 15% fermented in second use wood. Very rich in the mouth, exotic and sun-filled. Very upfront and delicious, lifted by a mineral finish. Like it! From 2018 to 2023. l Chablis 1er cru Vaulorent DBW25215 6bts 105 Lots of fossilised oysters in this vineyard, therefore it is often treated as a separate part of Fourchaume, but it can be included. 15% wood used on this wine of which half was new and half two to three year-old oak. Masses of fruit that that wood just not showing, but has rounded it out. A saline, very fine wine with a good, dry, mineral finish. Superb! From 2019 to 2025. l Chablis grand cru Les Preuses DBW25315 3bts 99 Preuses faces mostly south-west, its deep kimmeridgian and marl soils allowing the roots to go down deep to give a true expression of Chablis. Aged 30% in oak, half of which was new, and half two to three year-old, and it shows a tiny bit more. Lovely richness carries the oak well however. Superbly powerful! From 2020 to 2028. Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils, Chablis We met Christian and Fabien Moreau on a bitterly cold, sleet-filled afternoon, a time to be in the office or at home, rather than in the very closed up town of Chablis! The conversation was more about the recent, disastrous 2016 vintage major frost and two catastrophic hail storms that we had to bring ourselves back to the job in hand, the 2015s. They had a frost free spring and good flowering finishing in mid-june. Summer was very hot and dry which finished with an extreme hail-storm on 1st September creating most havoc in grand cru Les Clos and Blanchot where up to 40% of the crop was lost. The harvest commenced on 3rd September and they managed to bring in the grapes without any oxidation, due in part to cool nights. They are lovely wines with, in the words of Messrs Moreau, A nice mineral style, a super balance between freshness and richness, acidity and concentration. Wood was kept to a minimum with no enriching lees stirring saying, It s not Meursault - we have a certain acidity and rigour and we don t want the wine too rich! Christian thinks that the 2015s will drink before the more classically formed 2014s l Chablis grand cru Vaudésir **JUST ADDED** # DBW20415 6bts 225 10 SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455
Domaine Dauvissat-Camus, Chablis We met Vincent Dauvissat on a cold dark evening when it was trying very hard to snow and the cellars felt rather warm by comparison! Vincent told us that 2015 saw no drought and it was a very sunny growing season, with average temperatures of 32 to 35 C in contrast to peaks of above 40 C in 2016. Catastrophically the day before the harvest, on 1st September, there was hail in all their vineyards and they started on the 2nd September having lost almost half the harvest. The worst affected area was the red Irancy (which we don t believe is exported) then Les Clos. And he doesn t insure against hail, believing in doing his own insurance! Fortunately there was no taste of hail in the wines, thanks to the proximity to harvest, even though they managed to collect a fair number of grapes off the ground; all went in! 2015 was certainly a year of ripe grapes with less acidity, but this held up well to give good freshness in the wines which one will be able to drink young as well as to keep. By contrast 2014 produced equally superb wines for him, but in a classical, pretty style. As always the ageing regime here is for wood, generally old and in both standard pièces and little feuillettes. We also tasted a glorious Forest 1996 just for interest which had fantastic truffley, little mushroom undergrowth flavours. Vincent described 1996 as: A big acidity year to keep another 10 years. l Chablis 1er cru Séchet DBW02815 6bts 210 From a sub-divison of Vaillons. Gunflint, smokey and iodine, oyster notes. Very mineral, calcareous and almost some tannin on the palate. Built to last with some very good white currant flavours. Extremely long in the mouth. From 2018 to 2024. l Chablis 1er cru Vaillons DBW03015 6bts 210 Sloe, almond and floral always a cocktail of many things, says Vincent. A limey, green apple nose with lovely richness on the palate which is chock-full of delicious fruit. Full and long to a grand cru level with a Riesling-like, floral edge. From 2018 to 2024. l Chablis 1er cru Forest DBW02915 6bts 210 From a sub-divison of Montmains. Rather exotic Mirabelle plum sweetness on the nose. Richer and sweeter than the Vaillons, more yellow plum density and mid-weight with a poised, dry finish. Superb! From 2018 to 2024. l Chablis grand cru Preuses # DBW03315 3bts 225 More closed. Smokey, flinty bouquet. Superbly rich on the palate. Structured with white fruits, particularly white currants with a bit of peach creeping in, and a grippiness too. Overall mineral and nervy, this is a wine to keep. From 2020 to 2027. SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455 11
Gérard Boudot reviewing our 2014 offer! Etienne Sauzet, Puligny-Montrachet Gérard Boudot has such an enormous bank of knowledge that he is always a go-to person when we want an honest opinion as to where a new vintage falls in the pecking order of its predecessors. This time he told us that he has never seen such a good run of vintages in his life as the run since 2009. He is extremely happy with their 2015s. July and August were sunny - une année solaire - but not overly hot at the end with 25 to 28 C for the harvest. They started the harvest on 31st August, completing it in six days of fine weather, moving quickly because the acidity was dropping fast. uction of yields through short pruning and de-budding is extremely important. Top quality oak is used in the spotless cellars, the proportion of new wood varying from 20 to 40% on the premier and grand crus. Emilie Boudot, and her husband, Benoît Riffault, increasingly run this estate. l Bourgogne La Tufera DBW00315 6bts 84 Hazelnuts and honey on the nose, creamy, full and ripe with lemons and white fruit with a twist of orange. Gérard Boudot was rightly very happy with his 2015s. From 2018 to 2022. l Puligny-Montrachet # DBW10915 6bts 195 The various parcels for the village wine are vinified separately and they use just 12% new oak. The resulting wine is beautifully balanced, soft, and full, white fruited with fresh citrus acidity. Very good indeed! From 2019 to 2024. l Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru Les Referts DBW12515 6bts 360 Seventy year old vines: having been replanted after the war. Gloriously aromatic this is a sensational wine, lychees and roses, lime and hazelnuts with a super mineral finish. Great concentration, it is a great wine! From 2019 to 2026. l Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru Champ Canet # DBW12815 6bts 432 Rich and ripe Champ Canet is situated next to Meursault-Perrières and possesses the fuller style of that appellation. Another exceptional juicy white fruited wine, with ginger and peach along with the typical Puligny mineral finish. From 2019 to 2028. l Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru Les Combettes DBW24315 6bts 534 A seriously good vintage declared Gérard at this point in the tasting; we re not sure that we needed convincing. Combettes is situated next to Meursault-Charmes and is possessed of a great deal of charm in its own right. Full flavoured with a floral nose, rich and peachy, round soft and fleshy. Terrific! From 2019 to 2028. Domaine Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet We tasted with Sylvain, the domaine s vineyard manager, who described 2015 as a holiday compared to 2016! He feels that the 2014 may be a more classic year, but the 2015 more of a crowd-pleaser, mentioning 2009 by way of comparison. Sylvain told us it was a very hot summer and they started the harvest early, on 28th August, in an effort to maintain respectable acidity levels. The grapes came into the winery in a very clean and healthy state. They have 25 ha and work it with 11 people and two horses, one of which Lola we saw working the next day in glorious, golden vines; for the harvest however they had 70 pickers! Brice de La Morandière, great grandson of founder Joseph Leflaive, is continuing the biodynamic focus of the estate so instilled by his aunt Anne-Claude during her tenure. The results in 2015 are superb with a wonderful citrus edge running through the richness and intensity of the wines. l Puligny-Montrachet DBW11215 6bts 315 Cakey nose, creamy with zesty lemons, very mineral with a touch of limes on the finish. Lovely balance, very easy to drink now! From 2018 to 2023. l Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru Clavoillon DBW12115 6bts 450 Powerful nose, ripe and rich. Bready with real depth, ripe and concentrated with the merest hint of creamy oak. Spice and citrus on the finish. From 2019 to 2025. l Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru Folatières DBW12715 6bts 786 Another powerful ripe wine, creamy rich fruit and citrus with gingery notes on the finish. Clearly a keeper! From 2019 to 2025. 12 SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455
Where you will find Domaine Borgeot Domaine Henri Germain et Fils, Meursault Jean-François Germain was quietly very pleased with his 2015s when we tasted with him in his cellars. He feels the wines are in line with whites from 2014, 2011, 2009 and 2005 and reds from 2010. The spring had been normal followed by a sunny summer. They started the harvest on 31st August and finished on 10th September with no rot at all. Another great performance from a winemaker who is increasingly respected by his peers as amongst the very best in the Côte de Beaune. Germain wines are reliably charming and complex thanks to a very full flavour profile that can be attributed to the domaine s cool, damp cellars, a factor that can stretch fermentation times to over a year. Due to the slow development of these wines in the cellars they always age extremely well. White l Bourgogne Blanc DBW24115 6bts 87 A nutty aroma, nice weight, good balance with lemon acidity and satisfying length. Looking forward to trying it with a bowl of mussels! From 2018 to 2022. l Meursault DBW08715 6bts 162 Toasty oak and hazelnuts on the nose, soft and ripe with mineral and lemons. This is classic Meursault and very delicious. From 2019 to 2025. l Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru Morgeot, Les Fairendes DBW11615 6bts 234 This has more weight and a touch more power and richness. Very fruity, beautiful balance and zesty lime acidity. From 2019 to 2027. l Meursault-Charmes 1er cru DBW09915 6bts 252 A bigger wine than the 2014, ginger spice with a lot of flair and zest! Long, long finish it will reward the patient. From 2020 to 2028. l Meursault Poruzots 1er cru **JUST ADDED** DBW25515 6bts 252 l Meursault Perrières 1er cru **JUST ADDED** # DBW21115 6bts 348 l Beaune 1er cru Bressandes DBR03815 6bts 180 Very ripe with an inviting cherry nose, deep concentrated blacker fruit flavours in the mouth, a good tannic structure and a long spicy mineral finish. From 2019 to 2028. SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455 13
Domaine Buisson-Charles, Meursault Patrick Essa, part-time PE teacher and part-time winemaker, is increasingly making waves in Meursault for the intensity in his wines and his sometimes alternative approach. For example in 2015, Patrick told us he waited to harvest between the 7th and 15th September, a full week after most of his peers. This, he insists, is the main factor in achieving greater ripeness (and therefore the impressive richness) in his 2015s. And, according to him, he evaded some rain storms too! He feels that the richness he has achieved means they will be good keeping wines, comparing the wines to Brigitte Bardot! Patrick s wife, Catherine Buisson holds the fort whilst Patrick is at work, and their son Louis works alongside them too. White l Bourgogne Aligoté, Sous Le Chemin DBW24415 6bts 69 Sourced from 70 year-old vines on the edge of Meursault village. Full of zip, pears and ripe apple with a little ginger, judicious use of oak adds some depth and richness. From 2018 to 2023. l Chablis 1er cru Les Lys DBW24515 6bts 156 Smoky gun flint nose. Drier than the Meursault (unsurprisingly!), but still with a Cote d or richness and a minerally length. Superb! From 2019 to 2028. l Meursault vieilles vignes DBW09015 6bts 192 Very fresh citrus nose, white fruit and lemons with a long mineral finish and balanced acidity. Some of the vines employed are 100 years old and produce a lovely elegant style of Meursault. From 2019 to 2028. l Meursault Bouches-Chères 1er cru DBW09415 6bts 330 This is fuller and creamier, hints of honey, peachy fruit, very round and ripe. It always benefits from some time in bottle so pop it away for a while. From 2020 to 2030. l Meursault Les Cras 1er cru **JUST ADDED** # DBW24615 6bts 330 l Meursault Les Charmes 1er cru **JUST ADDED** DBW24715 6bts 330 l Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru Les Caillerets DBW21915 6bts 420 This wine was being racked so we were unable to taste it. It has been most impressive in previous years. From 2020 to 2030. Patrick Essa and his wife Catherine Buisson 14 SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455
Domaine de Bellene & Maison Roche de Bellene (overleaf) Beaune Nicolas Potel had a great growing season with no botrytis or oidium in his vineyards making 2015 easy and successful. Ripening was very even, very steady with nice days of heat with five months of blue, blue cloudless sky. There was no high heat therefore they didn t lose acidity and therefore no rush to pick, starting on 7th September. This was a risk given the threat of rain, but Nicolas told us that his father Gérard always said: If you have a great vintage you don t need to take a risk, but if you don t, you won t get the rewards. They were rewarded with greater sugar ripeness and even more flavour development. The vineyard stands at 29 ha, but he is buying 7 ha more; no pesticides or herbicides are used. He feels his 2015 whites are all richer than the 2014s which are possibly more classical, comparing the former to the lovely 1992s. We now rate him equally highly as a white winemaker as red. White Domaine l Savigny-lès-Beaune DBW21515 6bts 84 Lovely aromas, fresh lime and ginger; and in the mouth more citrus with the merest hint of honey. Made for summer evenings, so very moreish and good value! From 2018 to 2023. Domaine l Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Maison Dieu DBR28815 6bts 63 This was exceptional and a MUST BUY for its rather modest price. Deep plum colour, good depth, dark fruit flavours, round and ripe. A real crowd pleaser! From 2018 to 2022. l Savigny-lès-Beaune, vieilles vignes DBR26715 6bts 84 and black fruits, balanced cherry and damson with a touch of spice. Smart wine for the money. From 2018 to 2023. l Côte de Nuits Villages, vieilles vignes DBR26915 6bts 84 Really delicious, good depth, super fruit, juicy black cherry and red berries and good backbone. From the southern Côte de Nuits. From 2018 to 2025. l Beaune 1er cru Les Cinquantenaire # DBR28215 6bts 165 This is a blend of five premiers crus. Appealing aroma of dark hedgerow fruits and spice, it is full and deep, long and lovely. From 2019 to 2027. SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455 15
Nicolas Potel, Domaine de Bellene who offers a huge range of glorious wines Nicolas s cellars in Beaune Maison Roche de Bellene, Beaune White Maison négociant l Puligny-Montrachet DBW18215 6bts 210 There is always have a shortage of Puligny despite its reassuring price, so we are very happy to offer this lovely example from Nicolas for the first time. He told us that it compared well with 1992 and that he loved 1992! This is an elegant example, slightly honeyed with spicy mineral character, orange and lemon acidity and long finish. Super wine! From 2018 to 2025. l Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet grand cru DBW25815 1bt 170 l Bâtard-Montrachet grand cru DBW24915 1bt 189 Really concentrated with depth and complexity. So much going on: pears and caramel, mineral and citrus. Brilliant! From 2022 to 2028. Maison négociant l Chorey-lès-Beaune, vieilles vignes DBR21315 6bts 84 Another star buy! Blackberry fruited nose, clean and fresh deep fruit flavours, raspberries and black cherries. Quite intense with ripe silky tannins, lovely! From 2018 to 2023. l Vosne Romanée, vieilles vignes DBR15615 6bts 192 This is the best range of négociant wines we have ever tasted with Nicolas Potel; there were many more we could have listed. Black fruits, silky fresh, juicy wine. Voluptuous! From 2019 to 2024. l Volnay 1er cru Clos des Chênes DBR28315 6bts 216 Deep colour with with a lovely nose, quite structured with firm tannins balanced by raspberry, cherry and blackcurrant fruit. One to keep. From 2021 to 2027. l Corton grand cru DBR27115 6bts 270 Super wine, really deeply flavoured, balanced acidity, damsons and chocolate with spicy notes on the finish. The first of a series of great grand crus from Nicolas. From 2020 to 2028. l Echézeaux grand cru DBR17315 1bt 110 A big masculine wine, powerful and tannic with masses of spicy fruit, cassis and dark chocolate. Very long, superb! From 2023 to 2030+. l Bonnes Mares grand cru DBR22815 1bt 170 l Chambertin-Clos de Bèze grand cru DBR22715 1bt 180 Weighty wine with floral notes leading into an explosion of black cherry and blackcurrant fruit. Very fine tannins and good acidity. A class act! From 2023 to 2030+. l Grands-Echézeaux grand cru # DBR28415 1bt 180 Near perfection from Mr Potel, this is a powerful and dense wine, spicy notes intermingling with chunky black fruits. From 2025 to 2035+. l Chambolle-Musigny 1er cru Les Amoureuses # DBR28915 1bt 185 l Le Chambertin grand cru # DBR19515 1bt 220 l Richebourg grand cru # DBR24415 1bt 470 Brilliant wine, although it is hiding its light under a bushell at present. A brooding beauty with dark fruits, ripe firm tannins, fresh acidity and a long lingering finish. From 2025 to 2035+. 16 SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455
The relief map at Domaine Gouges Bernard Bouvier Domaine René Bouvier, Gevrey-Chambertin Bernard Bouvier has been expanding, his winery we mean not the man himself. He has nearly doubled the amount of space and tanks that he has in the winery, all very clean, modern and computerised which can be controlled from his mobile phone! The harvest here was a little later than some, starting in Gevrey on the 7th September and then moving north to finish in Marsannay. A beautiful crop of clean grapes which Bernard described as being like caviar so perfect were the berries. Bernard has refined his winemaking so that his Gevreys are now some of the most precise expressions of terroir that one can find, along with very fine fruit flavours and sensual tannins. As much as anything this is down to less extraction before and during fermentation; there s no need to force the extraction, says Bernard, a beautiful grape gives everything that it has to give. His wines are very well written-up in the French wine guides, but he remains largely overlooked by British wine writers. White l Marsannay Blanc, Le Clos Monopole DBW21215 6bts 87 From 40 year-old vines, this has an attractive apple and pear nose mirrored on the palate with a hint of pink grapefruit and fresh acidity balancing the sweetness of the fruit. From 2018 to 2022. l Marsannay, Longeroies DBR23915 6bts 114 Good intensity of ripe plum fruit, even a hint of blackcurrant, there is also some judiciously used oak that is well integrated and some nice sweet tannin. From 2018 to 2024. l Fixin, Crais de Chêne DBR06815 6bts 126 A super nose of blackberry and blueberry fruit with creamy vanilla oak then you see the underlying structure, fine tannins and firm acidity. Lovely balance and poise. From 2019 to 2026. l Gevrey-Chambertin, La Justice DBR27215 6bts 156 Quite restrained at this stage but offering glimpses of succulent blackcurrant fruit, some silky tannin and even a hint of cherry pie on the long balanced finish. From 2018 to 2027. l Gevrey-Chambertin, Racines du Temps # DBR11615 6bts 228 Described as very old vines, they are in excess of 80 years-old. The low yield of these old vines delivers great intensity and complexity all highlighted with a hint of creamy oak and some beautifully balanced acidity. From 2019 to 2028. l Chambolle-Musigny 1er cru Les Fuées DBR28115 6bts 390 From vineyards next to Bonnes-Mares, a big rich wine with structure but tempered by a pretty floral character. Ripe mulberry fruit and a silky mouthfeel. From 2020 to 2030. l Charmes-Chambertin grand cru DBR12715 1bt 90 Lovely nose. Finely crafted and very attractive, the rich damson fruit is supported by super-ripe tannin and acidity in very good balance. A very fine wine with a long finish. From 2020 to 2035. l Echézeaux grand cru # DBR26115 1bt 99 An intense, deeply concentrated wine almost jammy fruit while the acidity gives it a silky moreish character. Great depth and outstanding length. From 2020 to 2035. SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455 17
James Tanner with Christian Gouges Antoine Gouges Domaine Michel Gros, Vosne-Romanée Michel and his wife, Georgia, have produced some super wines this year. The new single vineyard wine, Fontaine Saint Martin excelled in the Hautes-Côtes in this warm vintage, the altitude and the south easterly exposure adding to the quality this year. The harvest at the estate started the first week of September and Michel described it as short and sharp. The yields, as reported elsewhere, were down about 30% purely due to the lack of water in June and July. Michel likened the vintage to a combination of 2005 and 2010 but a bit more 05 if that makes sense? He also added these wines will have the capacity to age a long time, 20 years plus for the top wines. Domaine Michel Gros is part of the grand old Gros estate which dates from 1830 in Vosne-Romanée. One of the first to sell Vosne-Romanée wine in bottle, the Gros family s 1858 vintage went for five francs per bottle! l Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Fontaine Saint Martin DBR27915 6bts 84 Full of fresh crunchy black fruit, a lovely sweetness, gentle tannins and an attractive, juicy finish with a little structure to balance it all. From 2018 to 2023. l Vosne-Romanée DBR08015 6bts 210 Beautifully silky cherry fruit with a nice chocolatey character from the oak with good weight and excellent balance. The finish is long and fine. From 2019 to 2030. l Chambolle-Musigny DBR09315 6bts 210 Half of this comes from a plot next to Musigny, Les Argillières. Quite big for Chambolle, this has super ripe mulberry and cassis fruit with beautifully integrated tannins and good length of flavour. From 2019 to 2030. l Vosne-Romanée 1er cru Clos des Réas DBR08215 6bts 390 This is a Monopole, a vineyard wholly owned by one grower. Dark and brooding on the nose but still with sweetness to the mulberry and damson fruit. More expressive on the palate with more fruit, hints of mocha, dark chocolate and fine tannins on the finish. Smooth and velvety. From 2022 to 2036. Domaine Henri Gouges, Nuits-Saint-Georges We were met by Antoine Gouges who recalled a very dry summer in 2015. They had planned to harvest on 12th September but brought this forward to the 7th in order to keep balance and freshness. They harvested in a matter of days with a team of 60 people. Conditions were hot so they started at 5:30am each morning, finishing at 1pm because temperatures reached 35 in the afternoon. The harvest was smaller and the wine is fresher than the most comparable vintage, 2009, and older vintages pre-2005 don t compare because the winemaking style has changed for the softer. The tasting notes show a common theme of wonderful dark damson fruit running through the wines. We finished by tasting a fabulous bottle of 2000 Clos des Porrets St-Georges, very truffley with gorgeous sweet fresh fruit. l Nuits-Saint-Georges # DBR16615 6bts 165 Gorgeously fragrant with red and black fruit. Extremely well balanced with damson and rhubarb flavours. From 2020 to 2026. l Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er cru Les Pruliers # DBR16715 6bts 276 18 SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455
In the pristine cellars at Méo-Camuzet Méo-Camuzet, Vosne-Romanée Jean-Nicolas was sadly away in Hong Kong, the demand for these wines is international, so we tasted with one of the wine making team, Peer, who we have met on previous visits. The wines from this estate have a super elegance this year, they were amongst the first to start to harvest on the last day of August. Peer was one of the few to try to explain the surprising freshness of this warm year by saying it was the drought which caused the vines to shut down which limited the uptake of Potassium to the grapes, so preserving acidity. Whatever the reason, the wines are fantastically elegant and beautifully balanced. The estate came from Jean-Nicolas greatgreat-uncle Etienne Camuzet, the last private owner of Château de Clos Vougeot, via his daughter Marie who had no children. Jean-Nicolas came to the domaine in 1989 from Paris and California to take the reins under the tutelage of the great Henry Jayer, working with the talented vineyard manager, Christian Faurois. Tiny yields, strict vineyard management and high levels of top quality oak mean that all the domaine s wines are of a velvety grand cru level in quality, if not always in name. They also operate a négociant side to the business under the name Méo-Camuzet Frère et Soeurs. White Domaine l Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Blanc, Clos Philibert DBW05815 6bts 120 Really delicious, excellent concentration of exotic fruit, lovely creamy oak. Impressive. From 2018 to 2021. Frère et Soeurs négociant l Bourgogne Pinot Noir DBR00515 6bts 90 Plenty of zippy raspberry and richer mulberry fruit here and some decent weight for a wine at this level, showing some structure whilst well-balanced and elegant. From 2018 to 2022. l Marsannay DBR06615 6bts 120 Rich, black cherry fruit with some blueberries and damsons, easy-going and well-balanced with a nice vein of vanilla spice from the oak. From 2018 to 2024. l Fixin DBR06315 6bts 150 Very bright fresh raspberry and damson fruit, a lovely approachable style with some hints of vanilla under a dense core of darker fruit; plenty of structure too. From 2019 to 2024. l Gevrey Chambertin DBR21115 6bts 216 Very expressive fruity nose of mulberries, blackberries, cherries and damson fruit, plenty of toasty oak and a much finer, more mineral finish with great length. From 2019 to 2025. Domaine l Vosne-Romanée DBR08315 6bts 300 A beautiful, enticing nose with hints of violets amongst the black cherry fruit and a trace of oak. The palate has more of the same, enrobed in silk but with enough structure and acidity to ensure balance. From 2019 to 2026. SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455 19
Domaine Ghislaine Barthod, Chambolle-Musigny The first visit of the day, what a breakfast! A smiling Ghislaine described 2015 as her dream vintage, everything was early this year, with June and July being hot and dry, rainfall throughout the growing season was below average and the berries were perfect so no tris/passes through the vineyard this year, everything was just ready. She said of the vintage it was, très Pinot unusual in the warm climate and likened it to 2005 but with finer tannins and agreed with the suggestion there was more than a hint of 2010 in the acidity. Yields were the down side with just two barrels of Combottes produced this year and eight of Beaux Bruns. Maybe it is the soils of Chambolle-Musigny, or maybe it is Ghislaine Barthod s warm personality, but these wines always seem to have a feminine character. Much of the estate s reputation has been built by Ghislaine over the last 20 years for her pure Chambolle wines - new oak at this estate is always understated, only 30% being the maximum. Quantities available are tiny and we always point those who ve missed out to the wines of her partner Louis Boillot whose vines are tended by the same team and made in the same cellars. ALL SOLD Domaine Louis Boillot and Fils, Chambolle-Musigny Sharing cellars with Ghislaine, we tasted Louis wines after as befits the more masculine style of these wines. Louis was equally content with the wines from this excellent vintage. The volumes from the Beaune vineyards of Volnay and Pommard are still down partly due to the dryness of the vintage and partly as the vines are still recovering from the hail in previous years. Harvest was a little later here beginning 6th September with the grapes naturally reaching a potential alcohol of 13 to 13.5%. Very little chaptalisation, the addition of sugar to the must to assist the fermentation, was used anywhere in the region this year. The ripeness of the fruit means the wines appear softer this year but they have a fine underlying tannin and acid structure that will allow them to age gracefully, some for many years. Whilst the wines are made independently of each other, Ghislaine and Louis share the same team in the vineyards so much of the magic rubs off on each other, so given the small quantities of Ghislaine Barthod wines, these are the next best thing! l Gevrey-Chambertin DBR18015 6bts 150 From seven parcels of vineyards, a minimum of 50 years-old. Black cherries initially but with more raspberry fruit on the palate. Super weight and concentration, powerful but kept in check by the well-integrated tannin and acidity. Very good. From 2018 to 2028. l Volnay 1er cru Les Angles # DBR28015 6bts 240 Super concentration and depth. Chock full of ripe red and black fruits plus fine tannins and great structure with wild strawberry notes on the finish. From 2020 to 2030. l Pommard 1er cru Le Fremiers DBR20115 6bts 282 Low yields here has given intense spicy fruit full of crunchy black and cherry red fruit. A hint of creamy oak and fine tannins. From 2020 to 2026. Louis Boillot, Beaujolais Louis latest project is in Moulin-à-Vent in Beaujolais, with the same care and attention lavished on Gamay instead of Pinot Noir. The results are superb. l Moulin-à-Vent vieilles vignes DJR02815 6bts 75 Dark rich Gamay fruit. Sweet red cherries wonderfully juicy with plenty of length and depth. From 2019 to 2024. l Moulin-à-Vent, Les Brussellions # DJR02915 6bts 90 A very classy nose, almost Burgundian! Structured, mineral ripe tannins but gorgeous fresh red and black fruit flavours. Great length and character. From 2020 to 2026. 20 SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455
The Drouhin family showed us some spectacular wines Philippe draws a sample Drouhin-Laroze, Gevrey-Chambertin Caroline Drouhin and her father Philippe recounted as we tasted through their lovely 2015s, A perfectly beautiful year for the weather and we harvested very fine grapes which were small. Whilst we usually have 4 to 6 at the sorting table, we only needed two this year. It wasn t a big challenge! August was hot but not as hot as 2003 with the temperatures remaining in the thirties which was perfect for the holidays! Philippe recalls 1996 and 1983 as similarly dry years. The alcohols to their surprise all ended up at around 13% with none at 13.5%.They harvested from 3rd September to 11th September in very fine conditions, just before the rain began on 12th September. Lucky! They feel that their wine style is evolving and in particular they are looking to preserve fruit and freshness and never go beyond 80% new wood. They are also now using 20 to 40% whole bunches in the fermentations. The pleasure with this style of wine is that you can drink them early or in a very long time, says Caroline. Domaine l Gevrey-Chambertin DBR11015 6bts 150 This has a spicier, smokier nose, with good intensity, generous black fruits very ripe, very classy. Delicious now the fresh acidity and smooth tannins will ensure a fascinating future. From 2019 to 2026. l Gevrey-Chambertin, En Champs DBR28615 6bts 174 Very pretty nose, roses and violets, a delicious feminine style, round and smooth, silky and long, really beautiful blackberry fruited finish. From 2017 to 2026. SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455 21
Domaine Odoul Coquard, Morey-Saint-Denis This domaine, on the northern fringe of the village of Morey Saint-Denis, is a new one for us. They haven t been selling wine in bottle for many years hence perhaps the reason for being under our radar. It s very much a vigneron-run, family affair with 9 Ha of vines across 20 appellations. They cultivate Clos La Riotte which is owned by the village but allocated to the grower with the least premier crus, as long as some wine comes back for village knees-ups! The barrels are laid out in a good practical maturation cellar while above is a tasting room which is full of trophies, with some rugby memorabilia too as this is as passion of Sebastien Odoul and his father. This room was a good venue for our early evening run through of their wines with Sebastien. Again we heard a comparison to 2009, although he feels that 2015 is more complex and mineral. We found wonderful black fruit and freshness in the wines alongside silky textures; maybe that s due to hard graft in the vines; maybe it s due to the 50% limit on new oak; maybe it s the cold soak on the skins prior to fermentation that Sebastien practises. Whichever, these wines are great additions to our offer. l Gevrey-Chambertin 1er cru Aux Combottes DBR29515 6bts 270 Ten barrels made from 0.45 Ha, 50% new wood, the rest up to 4 years old. Sweet, black fruit, very dense and long. Quite spicy with a decent structure too. Serious but soft! From 2018 to 2025. l Charmes-Chambertin grand cru DBR29615 3bts 183 Grapes from 60 and 70-year-old vines go into this with a yield of only 30 Hl/Ha. Lots of black fruit with a very silky, very velvety texture. Long sweet Pinot Noir fruit on the finish. From 2021 to 2028. l Clos de Vougeot grand cru DBR29715 1bt 67 The domaine has seven rows of vines, each at 400 m long, to the left side of the Clos looking uphill, so on the Vosne side in a part called Quartier des Marei. A fruit bomb with very gorgeous soft plum and cherry fruit with a little more structure than the Charmes above. From 2022 to 2030. # = low stock 22 SALES & ADVICE 01743 234455