Burgundy 2010 – The Wines

In the Côte Chalonnaise

The tastings in London in January were based on samples brought over from France by producers and wine merchants. As can happen, not all samples are always in pristine condition.

A few of the wines are already bottled, but most are still cask samples that remain to be bottled. In these cases there may be work still to be carried out. It’s not always possible to determine just how different they’ll taste once in bottle.

Prices are for the most part in bond, so VAT at 20%, or the going rate at the time of delivery, will need to be added, along with excise duty and delivery charges. Delivery should be available for wines already in bottle but could be up to a year or longer for those wines that have yet to be bottled.

Some stockists may have run out of the most in-demand wines. It’s well worth looking at other merchants’ offers in the case of wines you’re really interested in. Also worth looking at cases of six, or sharing a case with a friend or friends.

I have not included alcohol levels because with so many mock-up sample labels it’s not possible.

The Slope of Gold

Whites

£150 and under

Petit Chablis, Domaine Moreau-Naudet.
£78, Lea & Sandeman
Fine nose, fresh, lively promising; lovely soft juicy ripe chardonnay with lemony acidity and a fine bone dry finish. 88.

Mâcon Pierres Polies Domaine Daniel Barraud
£87 Lea & Sandeman
Fesh appley nose, lovely sweet juicy appley fruit flavours, juicy refreshing and dry; a great house white. 88

Chablis Domaine Moreau-Naudet
£90, Lea & Sandeman
Fine intense aromas, ripe lemony fruit with succulent juiciness and a taut, bone dry minerality that’s classically Chablis. 89

Mâcon Vergisson La Roche Domaine Daniel Barraud.
£105. Lea & Sandeman
Intensely aromatic, dry Cox’s apple-like fruitiness, intensely juicy, refreshingly crisp and dry with a voluptuousnes of texture that’s invitingly stylish. 89

Saint-Véran En Crèches Domaine Daniel Barraud
£111. Lea & Sandeman
Fine nose, appley flavours, intense, dry white Burgundy with a seamless fruitiness and succulence of flavour and texture. Surely among the best of the appellation. 89

Chablis ‘Pargues’ Vieilles Vignes Domaine Moreau-Naudet
£111. Loeb.
Good fruit quality, nice richness and intensity, finishing crisp and dry, classic seamless lines. 89

Saint-Véran Les Pommards Domaine Daniel Barraud
£135. Lea & Sandeman
Fine nose, ripe rich appley fruit, very intense, concentrated and juicy with a subtle seductive quality and fine dry finish; really classy stuff that’s perhaps better value because it’s not Pouilly Fuissé but could just as well be. 90.

Domaine Philippe Colin
£57 per 6. HR
Clean fresh, rich and full-flavoured with refreshing citrusy acidity, the basic Bourgogne from Philippe Colin rarely disappoints and makes one of the most appealing house white Burgundies at an affordable price on the market. 88

Chablis, Domaine Jean-Paul Droin
£60 per 6. HR
Fine fresh aromas, intense crème fraiche fruit quality, intense, taut, mineral and dry, this is wonderfully pure and full-flavoured with a fine blade of trenchant acidity and super bone dry finish. Classy Chablis that doesn’t need to rely on oak for its quality. 90+

Savigny-lès-Beaune Hauts Marconnets 1er Cru, Domaine Chanson
£58.73 per 6. Mentzendorff.
Fresh, leesy nose, characterful dry white with flavour and a degree of complexity, finishing refreshingly citrusy. An excellent buy at this price. 89

Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaumes, Domaine Adhémar et Francis Boudin.
£120. Lea & Sandeman
Really good Chablis, fine aromas, lovely fruit flavours with touches of exotic pineapple and melon and a soft ripe fruitiness yet underscored by classic bone dry Chablis acidity. 90

Bourgogne Blanc, Jean-Philippe Fichet
£120.00. Goedhuis.
Good fresh characterful smoky, nutty nose, deliciously ripe nutty fruit with a degree of nutty complexity and fresh bone dry acidity. 89

Bourgogne Blanc, Domaine Bernard Moreau
£120. Flint.
Delicious basic white Burgundy, lots of flavour, weight and fine fresh balancing acidity. 88

Rully 1er cru Grésigny, Domaine Michel Briday
£60 per 6. HR.
There’s a lot of intensity of flavour in this dry white Burgundy from the Cote Chalonnaise, a wine with richness and concentration of flavour, quite deliciously focused fruit and full and yet with a fine savoury cutting edge of acidity that gives it excellent balance. 89+

Bourgogne Blanc, Marc Morey
£120. Armit
Superior basic white Burgundy if that’s not an oxymoron, with fine fresh peachy fruit that’s ready to drink now, and wouldn’t last long if it were my house dry white.

Bourgogne Blanc, Domaine Ballot-Millot
£120. Flint
Really good powerfully aromatic crafted white Burgundy aromas with lovely full-flavoured rich chardonnay fruit that surprisingly complex and full-flavoured for a relatively humble appellation and finishing lively and fresh. Mini-meursault. 89+

Pouilly-Loché “En Chantone”, Domaine Clos des Rocs
£122. Flint Wines.
Very attractive concentrated chardonnay with really rich flavours and lovely balancing freshness, very stylish in Pouilly Fuissé–like mould, only cheaper. Lovely fruit purity and very well-crafted dry white Burgundy. 90

Chablis 1er Cru Côte de Lechet, Domaine Bernard Defaix (Héléne et Didier Defaix)
£128. Flint.
Taut mineral and intensly flavoured this is tight and stony at the moment but with excellent concentration, classic Chablis steel and flint with fine racy acidity and bone dry finish, will develop with age. 92

Rully 1er Cru “Molesme”.
£135. Flint.
Good nutty nose, nicely concentrated, stylish dry white Burgundy with fine stonefruit and apple juiciness and lively bite on the finish. 89

Pouilly-Loché «Clos des Rocs».
£135. Flint.
Fine nose, opulence and fruit flavour, really rich and concentrated, very stylish in Pouilly Fuisse –like mould, only cheaper. Lovely fruit purity and very well-crafted dry white Burgundy. 90+

Pouilly-Fuissé «Clos des Rocs».
£135. Flint.
Lovely fruit quality, intense, pure richly concentrated chardonnay with deliciouys ripe stonefruit fruit and freshness. 90+

2010 Chablis 1er Cru Montmains Domaine Moreau-Naudet
£138. Lea & Sandeman
Lovely nose, intense, fresh, inviting, very good taut dry minerally chardonnay fruitiness with that tension between ripe fruit and the savoury acidity that makes for an appetisingly bone dry finish. 90

2010 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons Domaine Moreau-Naudet
£138. Lea & Sandeman
Very intense nose, rich and concentrated, almost opulent fruit, quite exciting for Chablis in its intensity of almost exotic stonefruit flavours and fine dry aftertaste. Lovely. 91

Rully 1er Cru Raclot, Jean-Marc Boillot
£145.00. Goedhuis.
Good fresh leesy nose, nice dry white Burgundy with good nuttiness and clean dry finish, well-made with some intensity. 88

Bourgogne Blanc, Domaine Roulot
£140. Armit
£150. HR
Attractive, complex nutty nose with a surprising level of richness of fruit and complexing leesy character; a basic white Burgundy, this has flavour and character in spades, a mini-meursault in the making and one of the no-brainer buys of the vintage – if, that is, you can still get your hands on any. 88+

Rully 1er Cru La Pucelle Domaine Paul et Marie Jacqueson.
£150. Lea & Sandeman
Nice touch of smoky oak, very fresh and juicy, a very stylish and well-made dry white Burgundy with lots of subtle and intense fruit flavour and an almost sinewy texture to add to the wine’s complexity; very stylish dry white Burgundy at a relatively affordable price. 90

Bourgogne Blanc Cuvée Oligocene, Domaine Patrick Javillier
£155.00. Goedhuis.
Full-flavoured, plump, fresh and ripe, this is creamy in texture and yet delightfully dry on the finish, a good affordable dry white Burgundy from a fine meursault producer. 88

Saint-Aubin 1er Cru “Sur Gamay”, Domaine Bernard Moreau (Alex Moreau)
£195. Flint.
Lovely fruit quality, nicely ripe and rich with fine full-flavoured fruit intensity and very good trenchant blade of fresh acidity. 90

William Fèvre Chablis
£115 per 6. Fells.
Clean fresh and aromatic, this is an appetizing northern Burgundian chardonnay that’s all about precision and focus of peachy flavoured fruit whose incisive cutting edge and nutty finish neatly defines the fruit and refreshes the palate with its bone-dry, savoury, tongue-clenching acidity. 89

Guy Roulot at Ripley

£250 and under

Chablis, 1er cru, Vaillons , Domaine Jean-Paul Droin
£78 per 6. HR.
Fine nose, fresh spritz, richly concentrated, pure expression of chardonnay with a really taut mineral dry fruit quality and an intensity of flavour and freshness that’s very fine and thrilling. Remarkable quality and purity of flavour for the price. 91

Bourgogne Blanc, Domaine Francois Jobard
£175.00. Goedhuis.
Attractive nose with some complexity and freshness, very nice chardonnay fruit flavours with a refreshingly clean dry melon and stonefruit flavor and a nutty dry finish almost worthy of a superior appellation. Pretty good value. 89

Ladoix, Bois des Gréchons
£180.00. BBR.
Forget the fact that this comes from one of the lesser names in the Côte de Beaune, this has a fine complex, leesy nose, lovely juicy succulent, full-flavoured chardonnay fruit with a full-flavoured rich leesy quality and a nutty undertow underscored by the juiciest acidity imaginable. For a relatively affordable dry white Burgundy this is about as good as it gets. Poor person’s Puligny-Montrachet. 90

2010 Pouilly Fuissé Vieilles Vignes La Verchère, Domaine Daniel Barraud.
£180. Lea & Sandeman
Fine nose, lovely opulent chardonnay fruit concentration with juicy concentrated liquid apple flavours and equally fine appley bite, very long, intense and stylishly dry; just so seductively and moreishly fruity you want to keep drinking this. 91

Pouilly Fuissé, la Roche, Domaine Daniel Barraud
£99 per 6. HR
Seriously fresh rich and appley on the noise, the chardonnay is richly concentrated with a precision and definition that makes it exciting; just lovely concentrated rich fruit with a crafted complexing nuttiness and leesy character. 90

Pouilly Fuissé La Roche Domaine Daniel Barraud
£210. Lea & Sandeman
Lovely nose, very intense, very good ripe appley fruit and richly concentrated chardonnay fruit flavours with a fine minerally intensity to the fruit and a light spicy oak touch whose youthfulness suggest a year or two’s ageing in bottle will add to the complexity of flavours. 91+

Pouilly Fuissé Vignes Les Crays Domaine Daniel Barraud
£201. Lea & Sandeman
Fine nose, intense taut chardonnay fruit, dry and mineral yet full-flavoured with fine subtlety of flavour and texture finishing with an intense flourish of bone dry acidity. A stylish wine of flavour, texture and structure stucture that needs time to really open out. Mineral, dry, intense. 92

Pouilly Fuissé Vieilles Vignes En Buland Domaine Daniel Barraud
£213. Lea & Sandeman
Rich, delicately smoky and intense on the nose, opulent yet taut, dry minerally chardonnay fruit concentration; subtle dry fruit flavours, succulently fresh acidity, superb fruit quality. 92+

St Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly, Domaine Marc Colin
£220.00. Goedhuis.
Good nose, fresh, attractively rich and concentrated dry white Burgundy with a dry savoury and nutty element bringing complexity and super balance to this stylish dry white. 89+

Chassagne-Montrachet, Domaine Michel Niellon.
£235. Loeb
Pure, smoky mineral nose, elegant richly concentrated with lovely streak of savoury acidity; fine mineral dry finish. Very classically styled. 91

St Aubin 1er Cru Sur Sur Le Sentier du Clou, Domaine Marc Colin
£220.00. Goedhuis.
Fine nose, very well-made rich and creamily concentrated chardonnay fruit with an underlying lessy savoury quality that finishes with a hint of nutty oak and a bone dry finish. Very well-crafted. 90

2010 Chablis Grand Cru Valmur Domaine Moreau-Naudet.
£249. Lea & Sandeman
Lovely nose, hints of zesty grapefruit, rich and opulent very dry chardonnay fruit with lovely texture, a seamless quality of fruit that’s taut, restrained, intense and finishing bone dry, Lovely 92.

Meursault Domaine Henri Germain.
£249. Lea & Sandeman
Very fruity nose, excellentfruit quality, nice richness and intensity of appley fruit flavour, lreal freshness, with nutty features and lively fresh acidity. 90

Chablis Grand Cru Valmur Domaine Moreau-Naudet.
£249. Loeb.
Superb richness of chablis fruit concentration, good intensity of flavour and seamless Chardonnay fruitiness.

Chablis Les Clos, Grand Cru, Domaine Chanson
£124.82 per 6. Mentzendorff.
Stunning rich and concentrated grand cru Chablis with an intensity of flavour and a suggestion of honeyed opulence of fruit that’s shot through with a delightful grapefruity acidity and tight mineral spine ensuring a good 10 years of life and maybe more.

Meursault “Criots”, Domaine Ballot-Millot
£250. Flint
Super-intense aromatic power, very intense and concentrated chardonnay fruit with lovely nutty undertones to the richly concentrated stonefruit and apple flavours, finishing with a lively fresh bite and minerality. 92+

At the Lea and Sandeman tasting

£500 and under

William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru , Vaudésir
£237 per 6. Fells.
Fine nose with a stony, flinty element to it, lovely pure, classic Chablis fruit quality, with real intensity of flavour and fine blade of trenchant acidity bringing a bone dry finish and allowing the mineral stoniness to show though. 93+

William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru , Bougros 'Cote Bouguerots'
£237 per 6. Fells.
Lovely subtle yet expressive nose, rich and creamly concentrated and textured chardonnay fruit quality with a tautness and almost sinewy character indicating structure and with its fien rach acidity the ability to age beautifully. 94

William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru, Preuses.
£240 per 6. Fells.
Lovely intense fresh and racy aromatic power on this grand cru, good creamy textured intensity of flavour, fine length and purity, one of the wines I found most difficult not to swallow for its sheer delightful flavour and bone dry finish. 93+

Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Vergers Domaine Fernand & Laurent Pillot.
£255. Lea & Sandeman
Fine rich savoury leesy nose, good intense ripe savoury leesy fruit quality fine nutty / savoury finish and lovely freshness and minerality with that salty mineral dryness that distinguishes it from mere chardonnay. 91

Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Champgains Domaine Fernand & Laurent Pillot.
£255. Lea & Sandeman
Excellent savoury, leesy nose, intense concentrated and juicy dry white Burgundy with pungently savoury nutty qualities and a fine, salty dry minerality that’s so appetising on the aftertaste it just makes you want to go on and on. 92

Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Domaine Fernand & Laurent Pillot.
£255. Lea & Sandeman
Intense, rich, concentrated, powerfully rich and concentrated chardonnay fruit , almost onomatopoeic in its texture, with an almost flinty, chalky mineral dryness linked to lovely freshness; intense and stylish dry white Burgundy. 93

Saint Aubin 1er Cru Rémilly Domaine Hubert Lamy.
£267. Lea & Sandeman
Good intense leesy and nutty aromas, richly concentrated full-flavoured fruit with a strong almost pungent leesy quality and fine stylish nutty dry finish; very well-crafted classic St.Aubin. 90

Saint Aubin 1er Cru Clos de la Chatenière Domaine Hubert Lamy.
£267. Lea & Sandeman
Fine savoury , leesy nose, lovely juicy and intensely concentrated rich chardonnay fruit with strong leesy, nutty elements and fine bone dry fresh acidity. Fine intense fruit quality. 91

2010 Chablis Grand Cru « Vaudesirs » Domaine Long Depaquit
£275. Flint.
Fine nose, lovely rich creamy appley fruit concentration and intensity that seems to be a step up even from Les Clos, with deliciously generously fruity and textured pure chardonnay fruit and fine minerally dry bite on the finish. 93

Puligny Montrachet Tremblots Domaine Hubert Lamy.
£285. Lea & Sandeman
Very intense aromatic quality, seriously leesy and nutty with really richly concentrated savoury chardonnay fruit character that says more about the location and its mineral qualities than the fruitiness of the chardonnay grape itself. 92

Meursault Le Meix sous le Château, Jean-Philippe Fichet
£295.00. Goedhuis.
Super-intense nutty smoky nose, deliciously rich and concentrated nutty / leesy fruit complexity bisected by a trenchant blade of acidity with a nutty flourish of oak and lees on the finish and a mineral dry element. 92+

Meursault Narvaux Domaine Rémi Jobard.
£297. Lea & Sandeman
Fine nose, vibrant and fresh, a really juicy and voluptuous quality of chardonnay fruit here mingling fresh stonefruit-like characters with an intensity of flavour and the very savoury and mineral aspects of the Meursault location, finishing dry and succulently juicy at the same time. 93

Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Vide Bourse Domaine Fernand & Laurent Pillot
£318. Lea & Sandeman
Intense, tight, minerally, concentrated, lovely fruit quality with fine taut rich savoury qualities; very intense and savoury. Lovely stuff. 93

Chassagne Monrachet Les Chenevottes 1er Cru, Domaine Chanson
Delightfully fragrant nose with an enticing delicately toasty, nutty character and absolutely delicious full-flavoured ripe peachy fruit whose powerful butterscotch and praline characters are underpinned by a refreshingly cleansing citrusy acidity and mineral dry finish. 93

Meursault 1er Cru Caillerets Domaine Fernand & Laurent Pillot
£318. Lea & Sandeman
Super fruit, rich, classic Meursault opulence, but with it an intensity and tautness thanks to a sinewy kind of fresh acidity and leesy nuttiness. Full-flavoured intense chardonnay fruit that will need time to be put through its paces because it’s no pushover, but really serious white Burgundy. 93

Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Grandes Ruchottes Domaine Fernand & Laurent Pillot.
£330. Lea & Sandeman
Intense aromatic power, hugely juicy and intense concentrated chardonnay fruit quality but when you say fruit there’s more savoury and nutty than fruity elements to this wine and so a kind of salty dry minerality that really defines the best of Chassagne. Quite lovely fruit quality and purity . 94

2010 Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir Domaine Drouhin Vaudon.
£333. Lea & Sandeman
Fine nose, lovely fruit, touch of oak, quite creamy and textured, very nice richness of tight chardonnay fruit that’s both voluptuously rich and yet dry; fine fruit quality and intensity. 92

2010 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru “Maltroie”, Domaine Bernard Moreau (Alex Moreau)
£350. Flint
Excellent nose, concentrated bright fresh fruit with delicate nutty undertones, a very elegant style with racy acidity and an underlying nuttiness, freshness and dry minerality. 92

2010 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru “Chenevottes”, Domaine Bernard Moreau (Alex Moreau)
£350. Flint
Classic nutty fresh aromatic quality, very elegant, and restrained understated style whose concentration of flavour creeps up and delivers intensity of flavour, super freshness and satisfying textural qualities over a period of time with always something going on while you’re drinking it. Fine mineral dry finish. 93

Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru En Virandot, Marc Morey
£360. Armit
£30 a bottle in bond may sound quite a lot but if you compare this £ for £ with most of its counterparts it’s actually rather good value: a richly concentrated chardonnay with intense, leesy, nutty characters complemented by deliciously juicy freshness and verve.

Chablis Grand Cru Grenouille, Domaine Jean-Paul Droin
£180 per 6. HR.
Intense and very concentrated, this has an excellent purity and concentration of chardonnay fruit that ‘s all about subtle flavours and textures ; too elemental in its first flush of youth to really sing as yet, but there’s little doubt that as it develops in bottle over the years, it will continue to show greater and greater complexity. A wine with powerful flavour and structure. 93

Chablis, Grand Cru Les Preuses, Domaine Billaud-Salmon
£370.00. Goedhuis.
Fine nose, mineral rich and concentrated chardonnay fruit, lovely clean fresh stonefruit intensity of flavour, fine blade of acidity and mineral finish. 92

2010 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru “Caillerets”, Domaine Paul Pillot
£187 per 6. Flint.
Intense nose, fine nutty streak through the aromas and flavours, fine dry mineral and concentrated chardonnay fruit with super freshness flavour and minerality, a powerful dry white with flavours that go on and on; very stylish. 93

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Chenevottes, Domaine Michel Niellon.
£375. Loeb
Fine nose, intense, lovely fruit concentration and purity of stonefruit flavours with great length and intensity, a seamless line of chardonnay fruit that’s bone dry and mineral with a real twist of limey fresh acidity. 94

Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Vide Bourse, Domaine Marc Colin
£385.00. Goedhuis.
Fine fresh nutty nose, really intense, delicious fruit quality, very concentrated and taut with a super-creamy texture and intensity of flavour, something extra special about this wine, a step up in its intensity of flavour and concentration and satisfyingly bone dry nutty finish. This is really excellent. 94

Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru , Les Chenevottes, Domaine Philippe Colin
£186 per 6. HR.
Fine classic smoky sweet vanillin aromas, lovely rich and intense smoky, opulent peach, apple and almost plum-like fruity chardonnay concentration with a vanilla-spicy edge to it and classic mineral bone dry finish. Classy white Burgundy at a relatively affordable price. 92

Chassagne Montrachet1er Cru Champs Gains, Domaine Marc Colin
£395.00. Goedhuis.
Fine, intense fresh nutty nose, pure chardonnay fruit richness and concentration with an underlying savoury quality and nutty oatmealy tones, finishing mineral fresh and bone dry with lots to it. 93

Chassagne Montrachet1er Cru En Remilly, Domaine Colin Deleger
£395.00. Goedhuis.
Fine intense smoky / savoury nutty nose, very good rich sweet and savoury fruit intensity and concentration, with fine nutty undertones, super-savoury acidity in a taut framework of beautifully defined , restrained and yet expressive fruit. Really impressive. 93+

Chablis, Grand Cru Les Clos, Domaine Billaud-Salmon
£395.00. Goedhuis
Very intense, concentrated and mineral dry, lovgely freshness and purity of flavour and creaminress of texture; real finesse with the potential for development with age. 92

Meursault Genevrières, Maison Roche de Bellène.
£420.00. Goedhuis.
Fine nutty nose, lovely intense coconutty rich peachy concentration of fruit with real freshness and nutty complexity; absolutely delicious classic Meursault which though generous in flavor and texture, maintains its freshness and finesse and finishes bone dry and mineral. 93+

Meursault 1er Cru Genevrières Domaine Rémi Jobard.
£426. Lea & Sandeman
Fine nose, hugely concentrated fruit with fine full-flavoured juicy fruit character; taut dry minerality and intensity of fruit, a wine so elemental and youthful that it’s almost painful to taste at this stage; needs five to seven years to really come through and show its true worth but with that bone structure and flesh, it will repay hanging onto. 94+

2010 Chablis Grand Cru « La Moutonne » Domaine Long Depaquit Monopole
£450. Flint
£225per 6. Jeroboams-Laytons
Fine nose, lovely rich and intense, concentrated fruit showing an opulence and creaminess in sour cream / crème fraiche style thanks to lovely savoury fresh and intense bite of acidity and minerality. 93+

Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Champ Canet Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot
£453. Lea & Sandeman
Very Intense, savoury, rich, concentrated, savoury and mineral dry fruit quality, an exotic element, very intenes flavours and fine mineral dryness. 92

Meursault Genevrières, Domaine Ballot-Millot
£240 per 6. Flint.
Stunningly intense nose, just gorgeously seductive and intensely flavoured nutty savoury character with a salty mineral element and fine acidity. Absolutely gorgeously rich and full-flavoured fruit quality with real mineral dry finish. This is very sexy and absolutely delicious. 94

Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Champs Canet, Jean-Marc Boillot
£495.00. Goedhuis.
Fine nose, really intense, deliciously juicy intense and concentrated fruit quality with savoury, nutty undertones, a lovely tautness and yet creaminess of texture and fine dry intense finish. This is deliciously voluptuous. 93

Meursault 1er Cru “Perrières”, Domaine Ballot-Millot
£250 per 6. Flint.
Fine nose, very intense and concentrated rich chardonnay fruit with lovely intense nutty quality and fine savoury acidity bordering on minerality ; very voluptuous and richly fruity yet with real finesse and style. 93

Chardonnay chez soi

The Sky’s The Limit

2010 Domaine Laroche Chablis Grand Cru ‘Les Blanchots’
£360 per 6* (note this is RRP). Liberty Wines.
Fine nose, intense clean dry fruit, finely textured and juicy with fine blade of acidity finishing bone dry and classic in shape with sharp mineral blade of savoury acidity92+

2010 Domaine Laroche Chablis Grand Cru ‘Les Clos’
£450 per 6* (note this is RRP). Liberty Wines.
Superb aromatic quality, nose, intensely rich yet clean pure racy fruit, really pure and quite delicious with bone dry finish and mineral streak running throughout to give it a firm structure and savoury appetising finish. 93+

2010 Domaine Laroche Chablis Grand Cru ‘Réserve de l’Obédience’
£570* (note this is RRP). Liberty Wines.
Fine opulent nose, quite exotic and opulent, and very good richly concentrade fruit quality with serious length of flavour, structure and mineral tautness suggesting that this wine will develop beautifully over 7 – 10 years into something truly special. 95

Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Mouchère Domaine Henri Boillot.
£522, Lea & Sandeman
Fabulous leesy nose, lovely intense fresh and savoury chardonnay fruit quality, really fine-boned and intense with a minerally element behind the fruit concentration that adds that extra touch of subletey and complexity. Seriously mineral bone dry white Burgundy. Fabulously intense, taut, tight, fine-boned, mineral fruit quality. 95

William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru, Les Clos.
£265 per 6. Fells.
50 – 60% oak fermented, no new oak, full malo. Fine fresh and intense nose, lovely richly concentrated and intense fruit with creamy texture and fine-boned structure discernible in its concentration of fruit and fine blade of acidity bringing a bone dry finish and mineral element to this wine. 94+

Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts, Jean-Philippe Fichet
£540.00. Goedhuis.
Lovely savoury fresh leesy oatmeal-smoky aromas assail the nostrils on this superior dry white; while the palate is richly concentrated and suffused with a mineral, savoury rich character that veers between creamy textured sweetness of fruit and nutty savoury elements; very complex and satisfyingly dry and mineral. 94

Meursault 1er Cru Genevrières, Francois Jobard
£545.00. Goedhuis.
Fine intense nose, lovely fresh dry nutty fruit concentration and intensity of flavor, a taut balance between intense rich, almost honeyed flavours of melon and peach and the bone dry minerality that gives it such a stylish balance and finesse. 93+

Puligny Montrachet 1er Les Perrières, Etienne Sauzet
£560.00. Goedhuis.
This Perrières is quite superb, aromatic, taut rich and concentrated with lovely complexity of flavor combining fine stonefruit flavours with a fine nutty leesy quality and a superdry mineral finish. Very good indeed and the best in the range I tasted. 93

Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes, Jean-Marc Boillot
£615.00. Goedhuis.
Very fine intense fresh smoky, nutty, leesy nose, lovely richly concentrated stonefruit flavours flecked with nutty, leesy elements and finishing with real finesse, intensity of flavor and bone dry finish all contained in a lovely mineral quality. Great finesse. Lovely wine. 94

Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières, M&M
£330 per 6, Armit.
Mischief & Mayhem is a good name for this classic Meursault from Michael & Fiona Ragg because while it’s quite gorgeously fruity with taut concentration and richness allied to a refreshingly bone dry minerality, its price could be said to be a little on the mischievous side. 94

Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Pucelles, M&M
£330 per 6, Armit.
Seductively nutty and rich with vanilla and lemony undertones, this is a supremely elegant Puligny combining delightful nuttiness and fruit with floral undertones and a lively citrusy finish. Yetmore Mischief & Mayhem from Michael & Fiona Ragg. 93

Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru Henri Boillot.
£786. Lea & Sandeman
Fine intense and complex nose, quite gorgeous seamless and intense chardonnay fruit quality that’s all about silky and seamless texture, intensity of flavour and power thanks to an extraordinary level of voluptuous fruit concentration; to call this magnificent would be no exaggeration. 95

Boillot and Barthod - white and red specialists

Reds

£150 and under

Bourgogne Rouge, Domaine Jean Guiton
£95. Flint
Fresh and juicy raspberryish pinot, very true varietal character from Guillaume Guiton with juicy sweet fruit quality, a very pretty young red Burgundy, and good fresh acidity. Bit of a star at the price. 88

Mercurey, ‘La Framboisière’, Domaine Faiveley
£69 per 6. HR
Nice nose, attractively sweet raspberryish pinot fruit, soft and supple with lovely succulent textured dark berry / loganberry fruitiness and freshness. 88

Bourgogne Rouge, Domaine Darviot-Perrin
£72 per 6. HR.
Good vivid colour, clean fresh fragrance, vibrant strawberryish sweet fruit with real energy and vibrancy about the fruit, so much so that it’s almost bouncy, lovely sweetly succulent tannins and refreshing finish. 88+

Santenay 1er cru, Clos Tavanne, Domaine de la Pousse d’Or
£144. HR.
Deep vivid ruby, attractively scented, very nice vibrant spicy dark cherry and loganberry fruit richness, quite deeply flavoured and full and with firmish tannin structure yet fine succulently textured fresh fruitiness that’s a real pleasure to taste – and presumably drink, from now and for 5 – 7 years. 89+

Bourgogne Rouge ‘les Grands Chaillots’, Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair.
£144. Loeb.
Rather attractively sweet and spicy, almost almond essence-like aromas, good juicy ripe sweet raspberry fruit tinged with similar spiciness and finishing with a little grip and freshness. 88+

Marsannay Les Boivins, Coillot
£155. Flint
Nicely aromatic and fresh, good juicy modern dark berry fruited pinot with black cherry and loganberry flavours beneath a veneer of lightly toasted oak ; a tad lacking in subtlety but good vivid fruit quality in sturdy village mould. 89

Ploughing a Furrow

£250 and under

2010 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru “Haut-Jarrons”, Domaine Jean Guiton
£180. Flint.
A touch of spicy oak, aromatic, nice fruits pinot richness with good concentration, more structure than the basic bourgogne, and juicy acidity. 89

Mercurey 1er Cru Les Veleys Domaine François Raquillet
£159. Lea & Sandeman
Intense colour, juicy raspberryish fruit with some mid-palate sweetness, a little more concentrated than the Mercurey 1er Cru Les Vasées shot through with a fine streak of acidity. 89

Mercurey 1er Cru Les Naugues Domaine François Raquillet
180. Lea & Sandeman
Vivid colour, aromatic, fresh raspberry and mulberry fruit quality, nice supple tannins and vibrantly juicy acidity; very well-crafted with subtle oak
veneer. 89+

Pernand-Vergelesses Les Vergelesses 1er Cru, Domaine Chanson
£82.17 per 6. Mentzendorff
This is a delightfully fresh and fragrantly dark berry-scented pinot noir with a surprising degree of fruit underscored by light spicy oak and a nice twist of fresh acidity. Anyone looking for a good value ‘house red’ could do a lot worse than invest in this excellent value Pernand. 89

2010 Pernand Vergelesses 1er Cru “Les Vergelesses”. Domaine Jean Guiton
£185. Flint.
Attractively aromatic, lightly smoky, juicy young red berry fruits pinot with smoky veneer nice richness and fine acid and tannin balance. Really refreshing and yet has good grip. 89

2010 Beaune 1er Cru “Sizies”, Domaine Jean Guiton
£185. Flint.
Good aromatic power, sweet rich pinot fruit in cherry vein with stylish veneer of oak, good concentration, fine tannins and juicy acidity. Nice grip and structure. 90

Volnay “Les Petits Poisots”, Domaine Jean Guiton
£198. Flint.
Smoky oak and red berry fruits aromas, nicely concentrated, good grippy red berry fruits pinot noir with fine tannins and juicy succulence of texture, overall very nicely balanced , rather fine red Burgundy with structure and grip to it. 91

Gevrey-Chambertin, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Frédéric Esmonin
£101 per 6. HR.
Pale vivid colour, scented red berry fruit and attractively textured mulberry and loganberryish pinot made in an elegant style in which succulent tannins merge with a fine blade of acidity that brings a balancing elegant quality to the fruit. Well-crafted. 90+

Volnay Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Jean-Marc et Thomas Bouley
£105 per 6. HR
Good vivid colour, attractively scented, nice vivid ripe palate of sweetly succulent and juicy loganberry fruit richness, ripe succulence of texture in a framework of refreshing acidity; overall well-balanced and rather charming pinot noir. 89+

Auxey Duresses 1er Cru Domaine Comte Armand
£216. Lea & Sandeman
Ruby colour, attractively sweet mulberryish nose, nice mulberry fruit with that crisp red fruits flavour and a snap of acidity behind it all the while supported by nice lightly grippy tannins. Very juicy and pure. 89

Fixin, Domaine Verdet
£108 per 6. HR
Vivid pale ruby, a pretty nose with a really attractively spicy and rhubarby scented quality and similarly rather attractively juicy dark berry fruit sweetness that’s easy on the palate not to mention the pocket. 88+

Morey Saint Denis, Domaine Verdet
£117 per 6. HR.
Quite vivid colour, touch of spicy oak, quite attractively sweet and succulently juicy pinot noir fruit in dark berry vein with a delicate twist of astringent acidity and firmish tannin that overall fits nicely into the balance of the wine. 89

Beaune 1er Cru Bressandes Domaine Henri Germain
£249. Lea & Sandeman
Nice colour, pleasantly light cherryish aromas and very nice light purity of cherryish fruit on the palate with sub-threshhold oak, succulent tannins and juiciness; an elegant style bordering on the charming. 90

Etienne Grivot

£500 and under

Beaune Clos des Mouches, 1er Cru, Domaine Chanson
£127.83 per 6. Mentzendorff.
Another triumph from Beaune for Domaine Chanson in this vintage, a wine of seductive fragrance and vivid dark berry fruitiness, comprised of a mulberry and loganberry-like intensity of flavour and real precision and class; a nuanced pinot noir of considerable complexity and finesse. 91

Beaune Clos des Fèves, 1er Cru, Domaine Chanson
£127.83 per 6. Mentzendorff.
Beaune is one of the revelations of this 2010 and combined with the sea-change improvement in Chanson’s wines, this excellent pinot noir really deserves attention for its intensely scented, raspberry and loganberry fragrance and fruit quality, the suggestion of opulence delivered on the palate with lovely dark berry fruit framed by spicy oak and a fine backbone of acidity and tannins. 92

Volnay Vieilles Vignes Domaine Jean-Marc Bouley
£255. Loeb
Good colour, aromatic, juicy and delicate cherry and strawberry-like red berry fruits with very nice silkiness of texture and clarity of fruit flavour, finishing with a nice fresh twist of acidity. 90

2010 Morey-St-Denis, Dujac Fils & Père
£265. Flint. Loeb.
Perfumed, very nice pinot fruit quality, sweetly opulent strawberry and cherry, juicy succulence of fruit with firmish tannins and attractive balancing freshness finishing with a rustic village grip of dry tannins. Typically well-crafted and voluptuous red village Burgundy. 90

Chambolle-Musigny Dujac Fils et Père.
£265. Loeb.
Vivid colour, attractively aromatic, classic juicy cherryish fruit with nice sweet core of dark cherry /. strawberry fruit, easy supple textured tannins but nice grip and freshness too. 90

2010 Chambolle-Musigny, Domaine Francois Bertheau
£275. Flint.
Toasty coconutty oak aromas, quite sweet fruit, a tad oaky and modern with a fair whack of oak but very good juicy strawberryish pinot fruit quality with good density of texture and flavour, a sinewy quality and very fine tannins for a village red making it quite charming and rather voluptuous. Very good for a village red. 90+

Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Evocelles, Domaine de la Vougeraie
£276.00. BBR.
Intense aromatic quality, very opulently juicy sweet dark berry pinot noir with really seductive tannins and fine fresh acidity; a crowd-pleasing, moreish style with lively savoury acidity and subtle spicy oak that ‘s hard to dislike. 91

Chambolle Musigny, Domaine Fourrier
(very limited) £140.00, per 6, Goedhuis.
Good aromatic depth, intense, raspberry fruit very juicy and sweet, lovely delicacy and freshness, firm tannins that catch up on you and surprise. 90

Gevrey-Chambertin, Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot
£285. Flint.
Good colour, nice fresh and spicy aromatics, fine strawberryish pinot noir fruit concentration, very appealing smooth yet robust tannins texture and juicy fresh balancing acidity all make for a very attractive and approachable village Gevrey. 90

Vosne-Romanée, Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot
£285 / £295. Flint. Loeb.
Modern style with quite a lot of sexy vanillin oak on the nose and ditto on the palate which is concentrated and seductively juicy with vibrant sweet dark berry fruit richness, and showing good grip and freshness and a veneer of quite sexy vanillin oak ; at this stage a bit excessive but should soften and blend nicely . 90+

Pommard 1er Cru Rugiens Domaine Fernand & Laurent Pillot.
£30. Lea & Sandeman
Vivid colour, aromatic, very nice fresh clean raspberryish sweetness on the mid-palate, real purity of fruit flavour and succulent ripe juiciness bisected by firmish tannins and refreshing bite of acidity; a seamless balance overall with the oak nicely integrated. 91+

Morey-St-Denis, Domaine des Lambrays
£350. Flint
Intense, fresh, strawberryish, very juicy and voluptuously concentrated fruit, lovely red berry fruit quality with fine blade of acidity and very nice freshness and succulence. Serious red Burgundy. 91

Pommard Les Vaumuriens, Domaine de Courcel
£180 per 6. Flint
Vivid colour, spicy, almost Lambrays like mulberry nose and similarly fruit, an attractively spice red-berry fruited expression of pinot noir that’s vivid and expressive with quite firm tannins and delicate fine acidity. 90+

Beaune Les Grèves 1er cru, De Montille
£185 per six. Flint. Loeb.
Relatively pale, lovely floral fresh cherryish fragrance, and very juicy sweet raspberry fruit quality with delicate tannins and freshness, a delicate yet moreish style with freshness and deceptive spine and grip that makes you want to swallow, not spit – always a good sign. 93

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Craipillot, Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot .
£399. Loeb.
Vivid colour, intense dark berry fruits nose, fine concentrated rich loganberry and mulberry fruit richness with firm backbone of tannins and fresh acidity; very juicy with an almost seamless texture. 93

Pommard 1er Cru “Fremiers”. Domaine de Courcel
£205 per 6. Flint
Quite pungent expressive nose with vivid dark red fruits and a slightly wild character ; this is vivid in its expression of loganberry and black cherry with firm grippy tannins and good fresh acidity, a wine whose firm structure indicates that it needs time – and food. But very good. 92+

2010 Vosne Romanée, Les Quartiers de Nuits, Domaine de Bellène.
£360.00. BBR.
Vivid colour, spicy nose, silky textured, dark loganberry fruit quality with a balance of juicy suave tannins and a streak of fresh acidity with a mineral dry finish; overtly spicy and really nicely balanced with purity and structure. 91

Gevrey Chambertin 1er cru, Les Cazetiers, Domaine Faiveley
£216. HR
Pretty good robust vibrant and sinewy red, lovely richly concentrated mulberry fruit quality laden with spicy oak, fine muscular tannins and lovely fresh bite to it; an excellent example of pinot, robust and beautifully balanced, ready for the long haul. 92

Gevrey-Chambertin, Cazetiers, 1er Cru, Faiveley.
£432.00. BBR
Quite oaky, but stylish oak and big dark red fruit flavours currently dominated by oak but lively acidity and juicy tannins create nice balance. 90

Pommard 1er Cru Fremiers, Domaine Jean-Marc Bouley.
£435. Loeb.
Good colour, pleasantly aromatic, nice layered spicy oak over dark red berry fruit concentration and good fresh acidity ; overall an attractive style with really nice purity of flavour and elegance. 91

Vougeot 1er Cru Petits Vougeot, Domaine Fourrier
(very limited) £220.00 per 6, Goedhuis.
Fine fresh pinot red fruits aromatics. Juicy and delicate cherry and raspberry fruit sweetness, smoky oak veneer and savoury acidity, well structured. 91

Nuits-Saint-Georges, 1er cru, Clos de la Maréchale, Domaine Frédéric Mugnier
£225 per 6. HR
Vivid, scented, elegant raspberry pinot, quite linear in style with a very juicy fresh quality to the pinot noir fruitiness, lively bite of acidity and fine-grained tannins. Well-crafted balanced if powerful red Burgundy, with quite chunky dry finish. 91

Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Cherbaudes, Domaine Fourrier
£225, per 6 HR.
(very limited) £230.00 per 6, Goedhuis.
£245 per 6, Armit.
Smoky spicy almost coconutty oak aiming at high sex appeal and achieving it, this is a seductively fruity red in mulberry and rasperryish mode, very silky and seductive with concentration and freshness, allied to a modern touch of smoky oak and deceptive tannin / acid structure. 93

Beaune Rouge 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Domaine Joseph Drouhin.
£471. Lea & Sandeman
Fair colour, savoury aromas, some light cherry raspberry juicy pinot noir fruitiness, with some mid-palate juiciness and sweetness, fine tannins and freshness in an attractively charming style, albeit a tad lacking in richness. 90

Volnay, 1er cru, Clos de la Bousse d’Or, Domaine de la Pousse d’Or
£240 per 6.
Vivid colour, sweetly scented and vibrant sweet dark red berry fruits quality, an attractive textural element adding complexity to the lovely purity of the fruit with nicely rounded tannins and vivid fresh acidity bringing a sinewy quality, an elegance and structure to the finish. 92

Pommard, 1er cru, Grand Clos des Épenots, Domaine de Courcel
£250 per 6. Flint
£264 per 6. HR.
£528. Lea & Sandeman
£549. Loeb.
Vivid colour, lovely sweetly perfumed rhubarb and dark berry fruit character, spicy dark cherryish fruitiness with a streak of elegant acidity and fine tannins behind the fruit, which is sinewy and elastic in texture , a vibrant modern red that’s nicely rounded and finishing with satisfyingly muscular, firmly structured tannins,. 92

Nuits-Saint-Georges, 1er cru, Les Chaignots, Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg
£258 per 6. HR
Vivid colour, scented, attractively rich and concentrated dark berry fruits, very pinot noir in a dark cherry and loganberry-like way with nice fine seductive textured tannins and good juicy fresh acidity; firm backbone; overall very well-crafted and satisfying fruit quality. 92

Volnay, 1er cru, En Caillerets ‘Clos des 60 Ouvrées’, Domaine de la Pousse d’Or
£276. HR
Dark colour, attractively sweetly scented aromatics, lovely vibrancy of juicy, concentrated loganberry-like fruit quality that’s dark-hearted, sweet and juicy despite the serious concentration of fruit, muscular tannins and quite firm structure. Lovely wine. 92

Eric Rousseau

Sky’s The Limit

Vosne Romanée 1er Cru Suchots, Maison Roche de Bellène
£520.00. Goedhuis.
Fine perfumed sweet pinot noir, very juicy fresh and opulent cherry and mulberry-like pinot noir juiciness that’s really succulently juicy in texture and flavor with deliciously voluptuous fruit quality. Good structure. 93

2010 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots, Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot
£265 per 6. Flint.
£525. Loeb.
Vivid colour, beautifully perfumed, fine concentrated pinot noir with lovely dark red berry fruits opulence and richness on the palate, fine smooth tannins and freshness, overall very well-defined and balanced. Lovely balance and pure fruit quality. 93

Pommard Les Pézerolles 1er cru, De Montille
£265 per 6. Loeb.
£268 per 6. Flint.
£275 per 6. Armit.
This has a lovely pinot perfume full of fresh flowers and berry fruits ; the palate is both intensely flavoured with a silky mulberry-sweet juiciness that’s incredibly seductive and moreish, showing the charm and seamless style in other words of which pinot is capable and at the same time the backbone it needs for ageing. 93

Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St Jacques, Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot
£285 per 6.
Vivid intense colour, lovely intense perfume of spice and red berry fruits, similarly deliciously concentrated and seductive palate of strawberry and mulberry with a sinewy structure of fine tannins and vivid lively fresh bite that combine in a beautifully balanced, refreshing and impressively refined, mineral red. This is really, really good. Star quality. 95

Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Champeaux, Domaine Fourrier
(very limited) £285.00 per 6. Goedhuis.
Fine colour, vivid, lovely aromatics, cherry and strawberry, intensely juicy and seductive strawberry and red berry fruits with concentration and lovely fresh acidity and fine tannins. 92

Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Combe aux Moines, Domaine Fourrier
(very limited) £285.00 per 6. Goedhuis.
Vivid colour, a touch of smoky oak, fine raspberry aromatic and intense sweetand savoury cherry strawberry fruits quality, excellent concentration and structure a tad dominated by oak at the moment. 93+

Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds, Domaine de Montille
£296 per 6. Loeb.
Pale in colour with good fresh intense aromatics, this is a little more powerful and grippy than the Beaune, firmer in structure and yet with lovely concentrated sweet cherry and raspberry fruit quality that merges seamless into a melting, textured elegance. 94

Gevrey-Chambertin, 1er cru, La Combe-aux-Moines, Domaine Fourrier
£291 per 6. HR.
Sweet-scented almost kirsch-like nose, very attractive raspberryish pinot noir fruit concentration with a lovely succulent sweet middle to it, intense fruit flavours, very soft and silky tannins and fine blade of acidity; all adding up to a very voluptuous style that’s marked by spicy oak at the moment but should settle and balance. 93

Pommard, 1er cru, Les Rugiens , Domaine de Courcel
£339 per 6. HR.
£666. Lea & Sandeman
Attractive nose, this is delightfully rich and concentrated with a fine, spicy oaky, dark red berry fruit opulence and concentration; very well crafted raspberry and dark berry fruit flavours, quite deliciously juicy and approachable and yet with a firm sinewy backbone of tannins and fresh acidity. Is De Courcel one of the more underrated names in this vintage? IMHO, Yes. 93

Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras. Ghislaine Barthod
(very limited) £340.00 per 6. Goedhuis
Deep ruby hue, vivid colour, nice richness and concentration of dark berry fruit, quite sturdy with fine fruit sweetness, rather masculine in style with firm structure of tannins and freshness. 91

Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Baudes, Domaine Lucie & Auguste Lignier
£345 per 6. Flint
The first in the range that really comes together for me. Vivid aromatics, spicy, very seductively juicy fresh concentrated dark red berry fruit with fine tannins and lovely fresh acidity; spicy, structured, firm and very intense, a wine for the long haul. 93

Charmes-Chambertin, Maison Camille-Giroud
£348 per 6. HR.
Vivid pale colour, finely scented red berry fruits, lovely sweetly juicy and concentrated raspberry and mulberry-like fruitiness; fine purity and concentration of pinot noir fruitiness that’s nicely rounded and yet racy and refreshing, and so while almost drinkable now (usually a good sign) it’s a wine that should improve for 10 years plus. 93

Pommard, 1er cru, Clos des Épeneaux, Domaine Comte Armand
£360 per 6. HR.
£690. Lea & Sandeman
Pale in colour, vivid, attractively scented, delicate style of red berry fruit pinot noir with fine tannins and lively fresh acidity; lovely almost ethereal raspberry and mulberry-like pinot noir that has you doubting its intentions for a moment but there’s style and complexity of flavour and lovely balance here with the pinot charm in spades. 93

2010 Clos de Vougeot, Grand Cru, Domaine de la Vougeraie
£360.00 per 6. BBR.
Vibrant, rich, powerfully concentrated, voluptuous, fine balance of fine-grained tannins and acidity, lovely juicy opulent dark berry fruits, powerful modern –style red with quite obvious oak spice and seductive fruit quality. 93

2010 Vosne Romanée, Les Malconsorts, 1er Cru, Maison Roche de Bellène.
£350 per 6. Armit
£375.00 per 6. BBR.
Vivid colour, attractive berry fruit fragrance very nice silky texture and sweetly opulently dark cherry and loganberry fruitiness with fine balancing blade of acidity; a really voluptuously juicy and elegant style that’s almost drinkable now but should age nicely with this balance for up to 10 years. 93

Pommard 1er Cru Arvelets Domaine J. Confuron Cotetidot
£387. Lea & Sandeman
Vibrant, very attractively spicy red fruits aromatics, lovely succulent and pure juicy cherryish and strawberryish red fruits flavours, balanced by firmish tannins and lovely freshness; a beguiling, pure style of pinot in which fruit and oak are nicely balanced within a framework of fine tannins a fresh acidity. 92

Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Boudots, Domaine Jean Grivot
£775.00. Goedhuis.
Fresh, mineral, dark berry fruits nose, fine concentrated mulberry and loganberry like dark berry fruits opulence and concentration with a long savoury sweet finish and fine tannins and structure. 93

Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, Maison Roche de Bellène
£425.00 per 6. Goedhuis.
£450.00 per 6. BBR.

Powerful, perfumed and intense with a lovely intensity of sweet dark cherry and loganberry fruit quality, plenty of flavour and succulence of texture with fine tannins and juicy fresh acidity; a wine marked by its terroir that should only start drinking after five years but go on for twice that length of time. Lovely fruit quality. 94

Echézeaux Grand Cru, Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot
£425 per 6.
Attractively perfumed and dense in its concentration of red fruits and powerful structure, this is sinewy and rich, still elemental in its youthful red fruit quality, a hugely concentrated red that needs time to really emerge from its as yet pretty closed shell but with great potential for ageing. 95

Corton, Clos des Cortons Faiveley, Grand Cru.
6 bottle case, £432.00. BBR
Aromatic, rich and concentrated dark berry fruits flavours and concentration, very nice fine tannins and fine fresh blade of acidity in a powerful, finely-honed red Burgundy. 93+

Vosne Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts, Domaine Jean Grivot
£435.00 per 6 (very limited). Goedhuis
Fine, savoury dark berry fruits fragrance, excellent voluptuously and richly concentrated dark berry fruits quality with mineral element to the balancing freshness and fine structured, pure fruit quality. Serious red Burgundy of precision, finesse and structure. 93+

Gevrey-Chambertin, 1er Cru Belair, Domaine Taupenot Merme
£470. Armit
Fresh and spicy-scented with a fine dark berry fruits fragrance and fruitiness too, there’s a real vibrancy and freshness about this concentrated rich pinot noir which should be ready for drinking relatively soon although it spine of acidity gives it the structure for ageing as well. 91

Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Prieur Domaine Thierry Mortet.
£471. Lea & Sandeman
Deep vivid ruby, primary slightly animal and strawberryish aromas, attractive sweet richly concentrated strawberry cherry fruit richness on the palate, powerfully fruity and concentrated with sturdy muscularity and nice freshness. A wine that needs time but should come through nicely. 93

Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St Jacques, Domaine Fourrier
(very limited) £230.00 per 3. Goedhuis.
£264 per 3. HR
Lovely fresh red berry fruits perfume, intensely flavoured and richly concentrated strawberry fruits with a fleshiness of texture and a veneer of toasty oak and lovely exhilarating freshness bringing balance and structure. Sheer classy elegance and purity of fruit. Fabulous. 93

2010 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, Domaine des Lambrays
£480 per 6. Flint
Vivid and relatively pale, powerfully perfumed, lovely intense and concentrated raspberry and fraise du bois fruitiness, a real lacy delicacy of texture behind the powerful and intense raspberryish fruit flavours with firmish though rounded tannins; quite gorgeously seductive and classic red Burgundy at close to its very best. The ultimate in elegance and backbone. 93+

Latricières-Chambertin, Domaine Faiveley
£504 per 6. HR.
Vivid colour, fine scented spicy oak aromatics, very vibrant and perfumed sweet dark berry fruit quality that’s quite muscular in its structure with lovely rich concentration of spicy flavour; very good intense rich fruit quality with a fine savoury acidity that really complements the richness of fruit beautifully. Has the wherewithal to improve with age for a good 10 years plus. Quite gorgeous wine. 95

Vosne Romanée 1er Cru, Reignots, Sylvain Cathiard
(very limited) POA per 6
Fine sweet red fruits aromatic with light toasty oak that’s more integrated than in the Murgers, lovely opulent cherry mulberry intense fruit flavours and concentration with a fine blade of fresh acidity and almost imperceptible, yet very present, tannins for structure. 93+

Charmes-Chambertin, Domaine Armand Rousseau
£620 per 6. HR
Powerfully scented aromatics, intense richness and concentration of juicy raspberry and mulberry fruit tinged with an undertone of spicy oak, very fine tannins, almost lacy in texture with a sinewy structure really juicily refreshing acidity. Lovely wine. 94

Échézeaux Grand Cru Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg.
£1014, Lea & Sandeman
Vivid colour, fine nose, fine raspberry and mulberry fruit with sharp blade of acidity cutting through layers of juicy red fruits with very silky sweet tannins; a lovely, moreishly elegant style of pinot noir with a mineral intensity to it that adds to its complexity. 94

Bonnes Mares, Grand Cru, Maison Roche de Bellène
£675 per 6. Armit
This is just goregeously seductive, immensely perfumed with the finest most fragrantly-infused dark cherry and loganberry-scented fruit quality that’s deceptively contained within a structure of acid and tannins that will age if you want it to. 94

Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Grand Cru, Domaine Chanson
£437.20 per 6. Mentzendorff.
Outstanding grand cru red Burgundy, whose deep intense ruby hue is followed by a fine fragrance and richly spicy veneer of oak and strawberry / dark cherry fruit concentration that’s really intensely flavoured and powerfully constructed, and yet retaining an almost silky delicacy of texture and structure that belies the intensity and concentration of fruit. 94+

Gevrey-Chambertin, 1er cru, Clos-Saint-Jacques, Domaine Armand Rousseau
£n/a. HR
Exciting, powerful aromatic quality, intense and concentrated rich strawberry and mulberry pinot noir with really juicy acidity and fine-boned tannins; a wine with powerful intensity of flavour and structure. Very moreish and seductive flavours and yet behind the flavours there’s an iron fist of structure to keep this wine fresh and vibrant for many years to come. 96

Chambertin, Domaine Armand Rousseau
£n/a. HR
Deep coloured, gorgeously intense red berry fruits richness on the nose, totally voluptuous concentrated mulberry and red cherry fruit with a sinewy, elastic structure of very fine-grained tannins, spicy sweet oak and lovely acidity; a very seductive hedonistic sweetly opulent yet serious pinot noir that makes you realise what the fuss is about. Magnifique. 97

Chambertin