Burgundy-Report

gevrey-chambertin 1er clos des varoilles 2006

billn — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:41:38 +0000

Just a ‘test’ to see how my 2006s are holding. My original note for this wine (below) is from October last year, so here is an 8/9 months-on update: The wine needs at least 30 minutes to resemble the previous bottle, but slowly those lovely violet aromas come through. In the mouth it has [...]

gevrey-chambertin 1er clos des varoilles 2006

2007 chézeaux/ponsot chambolle 1er les charmes

billn — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 01:12:19 +0000

I don’t think I’ve opened too many 07 reds at home yet – but this is a resoundingly successful start! The Ponsot wines are bottled, but not yet in the distribution chain, but as you see here a few of the Chézeaux labelled bottles are just beginning to appear. Of-note, I see that [...]

2007 chézeaux/ponsot chambolle 1er les charmes

06 lucie & auguste lignier morey st.denis vieilles vignes

billn — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 01:16:11 +0000

I like the development of the branding here. The shell at the centre of the label, inter-twined with the scripted ‘L’ has remained constant, but the whole design now has more integrity end elegance. There is also a nice working of the capsule with the domaine name on the collar – but enough [...]

06 lucie & auguste lignier morey st.denis vieilles vignes

the loss of a faithful old friend…

billn — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:34:49 +0000

I’d heard rumours of its demise, but only now have the rooks come home to roost (chez moi). The wine retains an overly optimistic young hue given that both the aromas and flavours are coloured by oxidation – this wine has passed. I will drink my last bottle over the weekend; either to [...]

the loss of a faithful old friend…

2007 vrignaud chablis 1er la fourchaume

billn — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:25:28 +0000

2007 Domaine Vrignaud, Chablis 1er Fourchaume Pale yellow. Faintly citrus over an even fainter sweet core of yellow fruit. Nice freshness that’s emphasised by the citrus acidity. Not a really concentrated nor intense effort but there is a hint of salty seashore in the mid-palate and the bottle was finished in double-quick [...]

2007 vrignaud chablis 1er la fourchaume

offer of the day – clos du tart 2007…

billn — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:00:50 +0000

CLOS DE TART Grand Cru CLOS DE TART Grand Cru 2004 75cl 198.00 (Swiss francs) CLOS DE TART Grand Cru 2005 75cl 389.00 CLOS DE TART Grand Cru 2006 75cl 329.00 LA FORGE DE TART 2007 75cl 159.80 CLOS DE TART Grand Cru 2007 75cl 299.50 CLOS DE TART Grand Cru 2007 150cl 629.00 CLOS DE TART Grand Cru [...]

offer of the day – clos du tart 2007…

2007 michel bouzereau meursault les grands charrons

billn — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:32:53 +0000

2007 Michel Bouzereau, Meursault Les Grands Charrons Medium-pale yellow. The nose starts a little diffuse. In the mouth it’s very fresh but seems overly dilute – I think it’s too cold – let’s wait for the contents of the glass to warm a little. Warmer, the nose is a little tighter though [...]

2007 michel bouzereau meursault les grands charrons

red flag diary…

billn — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:24:44 +0000

I was recently searching for something-or-other and came across a very different Big Red Diary. Clearly it is run, since 2005, by a red-headed lady – I’ll make no other assumptions in respect of the word ‘big’ – anyway, zero complaints from me! But that got me wondering how many other ‘BRDs’ there could [...]

red flag diary…

june update

billn — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 05:46:10 +0000

Summer has appeared – with a vengeance. I was in the Côtes yesterday, and the temperature peaked just over 34°C in the latter half of the afternoon – today it was 35°. It’s the first really warm spell of the year, the last weeks were ‘average’ as far as temperature went; say 25°C. Things [...]

june update

2005 maillard père et fils beaune

billn — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:06:34 +0000

I’ve had a good run of ‘upper-end’ bottles, so now it’s time to have a modest week or maybe even two! I’ve not had a wine from this domaine before, and the label is not that inviting – it reminds me of bottles on supermarket shelves, but let’s see… 2005 Maillard Père et Fils, Beaune [...]

2005 maillard père et fils beaune

1999 frédéric esmonin griottes-chambertin

billn — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:37:31 +0000

Did I mention there was also a Griotte to open? – well, it’s so long since I opened the Fourrier! Now I should also correct myself; Esmonin was one of the rare bottlers to say ‘Griottes’ rather than Griotte! An interesting trio these 99 Esmonins; the Mazy was smooth but full of concentration, power and [...]

1999 frédéric esmonin griottes-chambertin

beaune 1er les cents vignes for sale

billn — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:53:05 +0000

For sure it’s cheaper than the previous Puligny, but is it me – or does €75,000 sound rather a lot for 0.4 of an acre? Anyway: 3,94 ouvrées plantées en cépage Pinot Noir Age de la vigne : environ 40 ans Situation : Belle exposition sud-est Vigne présentant un bel état général Good luck with your bids! a beaune 1er les cents vignes [...]

beaune 1er les cents vignes for sale

a life uncorked, hugh johnson (2005)

billn — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:41:22 +0000

This is quite a big book – not quite a coffee-table book, but close to 400 pages that have weighed down my laptop bag for 5 months or so. 5 months? Well, it’s a book that you can dip into, returning after 2 weeks absence is no loss… Frankly, I was expecting great things – it [...]

a life uncorked, hugh johnson (2005)

a vinexpo punch-up plus exclusive lighting

billn — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:50:26 +0000

I have to be honest, this really made me laugh over my morning coffee – childish I know! Anna Sério, whose Italissima event is being held throughout the week in the grounds of a hotel by the lake close to the fair told decanter.com that she was injured in a confrontation with Vinexpo marketing director Jean-Francois [...]

a vinexpo punch-up plus exclusive lighting

frédéric esmonin 99 ruchottes-chambertin

billn — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 01:38:44 +0000

1999 Frédéric Esmonin, Ruchottes-Chambertin Medium, medium-plus colour – paler than the Mazy. The nose starts quite dark and oaky – some dark toast notes that take at least 30 minutes to lift. Redder, less dense fruit is the result, though the dark oak slowly turns to make a nice coffee ‘coating’. Nicely [...]

frédéric esmonin 99 ruchottes-chambertin

frédéric esmonin 99 mazy-chambertin

billn — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 01:01:29 +0000

The weather was quite warm, so first I opened the bottle, then I left it in the refrigerator for about 90 minutes – clearly it would start too cold, but would be teased to the right temperature in the glass. 1999 Frédéric Esmonin, Mazy-Chambertin Medium-plus colour, still with some last vestige of cherry-red. Right from [...]

frédéric esmonin 99 mazy-chambertin

a corking corton

billn — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 10:14:02 +0000

Did I say normal service would be resumed? Well Friday evening’s bottle didn’t quite go to plan – it was horribly corked… (I hope tomorrow’s Mazis fares better!) a a corking corton

a corking corton

a few foreign whites

billn — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:00:42 +0000

Okay – I know that this is is the ‘big red diary’ and that these are whites, but nothing in this page’s title says where the wines have to come from… We’ve had a few sweltering days – really the first of the summer – and given that my last bottle of Deiss 97 [...]

a few foreign whites