Mâcon Villages "Mâcon-Milly-Lamartine" 2011, Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon

I am rarely confused by Burgundy wine labels so I hope that this wine is correctly categorized as a humble Mâcon-Villages produced by the Lafon family based in Meursault. This southerly chardonnay, purchased from a new store in the East Village of Manhattan, called Wine Shop, has a pretty nose of ripe lemon, flaked almond and wheatberry with a hint of dandelion. Fresh apple and pear flavours on the palate announce a crisp style with good length and consistency. Very pleasurable, easy to drink and superbly balanced. Scores 26 / 30 for a Mâcon-Villages. Photo shows some Maconnais vineyards in spring 2009.

Corton-Charlemage Grand Cru 2006, Jean-Jacques Girard

Finally I have received a tasting note from the trusted palate of the Sage of Saffron-Walden, T. Cobbold III also known as the Duck of Norfolk. I am at a loss to explain why, but the 2006 vintage seems to have been something of a wash out -- too soft, no jagged edges, a lack of acidity and minerality. This has resulted in some underwhelming wines. But some have delivered better than others and according to the sage this Corton-Charlemagne 2006 from Domaine Jean-Jaques Girard in Savigny is a winner. I quote: "Initial notes of wild chestnut and mincemeat gave way to cinnamon, apple, dried apricot, black fig and a touch of pastry cream. Structurally sound in weight, length and balance, a touch flat perhaps but on the whole very pleasing. Has restored some faith in '06 which in red always seems to under deliver, you generally sense overall promise but then find the fruit lacking." Founded in 1529, the domaine still has one parcel planted with 300 year old pinot meunier and gamay vines which produces one of the best kept secrets of Burgundian wines. Strict allocation rules apply of course.

Sonoma "Coastlands Vineyard" 2002, Cobb

Having recently relocated to New York it was inevitable that the Burgoblog tasting notes would need to diversify from pure Côte d'Or plus Chablis to include US vineyards. It will be interesting to see how these monstrous, fruit-laden, sugar-coated wines stand up to a palate trained on the mineral and elegant wines of Burgundy these last 20 years. When buying Californian pinot noir the first thing I do is to look at the back label to find out what the alcoholic percentage is. Anything above 14% is out of the question. Hailing from the cooler Sonoma Coast region this pinot comes in at an acceptable 13.5% and is a glossy, refined, berry-packed offering from the modest Cobb vineyard. Red currant, blackberry, cedar, redwood, pine on the nose. Gentle and fragrant. Evolved notes of leather. There are thick berry fruits on the palate, tastes riper than the nose, cherries, restrained. Definitely fruit-driven but not super-sized. An elegant and enjoyable wine. Another big thank you to one of California's leading wine tasters, Dr Lee of the Vintners Group, for sharing this velvety wine. Scores 25 / 30 for a Sonoma pinot.

Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2004, Frédéric Magnien

The Domaine Frédéric Magnien is a négoçiant house which is why, without owning any vines, the firm can produce an impressive portfolio of wines from the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune. The success of the domaine can be seen in the expansion of the volume of barrels produced: rising from 21 fûts in 1995 to more than 1,000 in recent vintages. And this is not reflective of a decline in quality -- Frédéric Magnien vinifies almost 30 premiers crus reds and 9 red grands crus. Making a good wine in the under par 2004 vintage would confirm the wine-maker's skill. This Clos de Bèze 2004 starts on fresh black currant, its slightly vegetal, raspberry, moss, a flat aroma profile. Monochrome. On the palate this pinot starts with tart blackberry, there is surprisingly good berry fruit given the lack of sunshine in 2004. There is nevertheless oregano and thyme on the finish reflecting the best that can be hoped for: sweet stalks. Makes me think of a two-tone Ford cortina being driven by an elderly Tom Cobbold in a flat cap. This Clos de Bèze 2004 wins plaudits for achieving good quality in a tough vintage but given the limitations of the year scores just 20 / 30 for a Clos de Bèze. Tasted courtesy of the Albert Lee private reserve.

Montrachet Grand Cru 1998, Jacques Prieur (tasting note 1,000!)

Tasted at the celebration of the birth of Dan's daughter Imogen this wonderful event happily coincided with the 1,000th tasting note on Burgoblog. We opened this bottle and decanted it 1 hour before tasting... not after a lot of debate about whether decanting was required. Citrus nose was there immediately but started fairly soft. Meyer lemon, lemon thyme, mint, basil, a hint of pineapple, multiple layers, marzipan. Fragrant as well as fruity with ionone style aromas such as hyacinth and rose. Definitely made in a feminine style in a vintage which could have had more power. Retains excellent fresh citrus and pear fruit on the palate, concentrated without being overpowering, complex, broad, fine with a long lingering finish. This is a fine and elegant Montrachet which contrasts with some of the 'power and glory' styles. Misses a little bit of 'luxe' but overall a splendid grand cru worthy of the great appellation. Scores 27 / 30 for a Montrachet. Photo shows the bottle with the generous and mysterious donor concealed behind the glass.      

Clos de Bèze 2000, Domaine Prieuré Roch

Domaine Prieuré Roch is an 11 hectare domaine located in the middle of the Côte de Nuits. We raided Albert Lee's cellar in San Mateo and took this bottle to a dinner at two Michelin star restaurant Saison in San Francisco. Whilst the wine turned out to be a triumph it was not necessarily the smartest choice to accompany 10 fish courses... We asked for this pinot to be poured straight from the bottle and not decanted so we could enjoy the ethereal aromas of the fragrant 2000 vintage. The wine was unfiltered and clouded the glass with suspended organic matter. Immediately on opening this grand cru burst into life with a beautiful nose of raspberry, sweet anise, orange, flowers and rosemary. Good fruit concentration from low yields sustained this aroma for a good hour. A beguiling nose. Perfectly integrated on the palate, the lithesome 2000 structure combined with excellent balance to produce a wine with a velvety texture and wonderful freshness. A sonnet of a wine. Scores 26 / 30 for a Clos de Bèze grand cru.

Bourgogne Blanc 2011, Yves Boyer-Martenot

The domaine Yves Boyer-Martenot has somehow eluded my visits to Burgundy over the last 20 years and indeed I may never before have tasted a wine from the domaine until I placed my hand on this cheeky little number in Crush Wines, Manhattan. This is actually a fairly significant domaine based in Meursault with 10 hectares of chardonnay spread across Meursault and one Puligny lieu dit. This Bourgogne chardonnay from the fresh 2011 vintage has a smutty nose of musk, almonds and dried orange peel. There is background fruit of orange and pear. Very good structure and concentration on the palate especially for a Bourgogne. This wine has oomph, kick and vroom! Excellent length, vibrant lime and orange flavour. Shows the liveliness and vim of the bright 2011 vintage. Will peak in 12-18 months. Already showing very well. Scores 25 / 30 for a Bourgogne blanc.  

Willamette Valley 2010, McKinlay

This Oregon pinot noir producer based in Newberg is taking the whole Burgundy-style approach to wine-making seriously... they don't have a website that is easy to find. This Willamette Valley pinot has that typical deep red, rather sombre looking hue, reminds me of my great grandfather's dark purple velvet curtains infused with a couple of decades of pipe smoke. A prickly nose of blackberry, black currant and spiced orange. Redolent of red licorice laces and aniseed gobstoppers which I enjoyed as a child. A fine structure, savoury and earthy upfront with a tangy, raspberry and blood orange finish. Definitely a food wine. And wonderfully restrained at 12.5% alchohol. Nose culminates on a sweet turd/cacao note. Scores 24 / 30 for a Willamette Valley. A triumph of style over potency. 

Chambolle-Musigny 2002, Ghislaine Barthod

Do female wine makers produce wines with more feminine characteristics? Hard to know, but would be worth a blind tasting. In the case of Ghislaine Barthod producing Chambolle the question seems academic. A fragrant nose of raspberry, wild strawberry and vanilla. An overlay of ripe red currant and white chocolate. The whole nose is elevated by a splendid oranginess. Soft, berry texture, lovely flavours of orange, cherry and red currant. This Chambolle 2012 is incredibly fresh, with ripe berry fruit and good tannins. Maturity shows through with a sourness on the finish. Delightful for what it is: honest not sophisticated. Scores 25 / 30   for a Chambolle. Courtesy of King's College pantry.

Saint-Aubin 1er Cru "En Remilly" 2008, Marc Colin & Fils

I feel as if I have been brought up on En Remilly from Domaine Hubert Lamy. So there is a sense of mischief when I try another producer's En Rem. This 2008 En Remilly from Marc Colin is tight and controlled at the start. Still pale and bright hay yellow. A cylindrical nose dominated by lemon, lime and green apple. You can sniff the tart on this one! I am getting daffodils, pine kernels and vanilla. Very bright, tangy and mineral on the palate with concentrated lemon and lime flavours. Mid-palate has an agressive fruit acidity kick. This is really sharp compared to a lot of the other softer and beguiling 2008s. Scores 21 / 30 for a Saint-Aubin 1er Cru. 

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru "Chenevottes" 2004, Bernard Moreau

Bought at the domaine in 2006 during a tasting that revealed Domaine Bernard Moreau to be a high class outfit producing wines of purity and complexity. Amazingly I have not opened any of the Chenevottes 2004 prior to this bottle. What patience! This chardonnay from the village of Chassagne has a radiant white gold colour. After some aeration there are aromas of baked lemon, orange marmalade, vanilla, marzipan. There are appealing flavours of pear, cherry and orange, tarte citron and green banana. It is still fresh. Despite having lost its linearity and attach due to the 9 years of bottle age this Chassagne 1er Cru retains a fresh uplift from a tangy citrus sourness and finishes on a sumptuous limoncello-textured note. This tremendous wine now stands at the dividing line between hope (youth) and despair (age). Scores 26 / 30 for a Chassagne 1er Cru. A benchmark for quality, depth and complexity.

Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune "Les Perrières" 2003, Domaine d'Ardhuy

My expectations for this 2003 chardonnay from the Hautes-Côtes were low. A super-warm year like 2003 was unlikely to produce long-lived wines due to the absence of acidity. Bright, shiny brass colour showing its maturity. Dried mushrooms (trompette), dried lemon peel, vanilla, sweat-of-a-lady. Weighty, dried orange, sour marzipan, spreads out on the palate and then leaves a bizarre chewy tannin-like finish. Fascinating richness and bitterness. A sour and heavy finish with long-lingering flavours and a stinging feeling in the windpipe. This is a weird wine and is unscorable, imagine eating a Still Life painting (I confess this was opened to make osso bucco....).  

Volnay 2009, Bitouzet-Prieur

Plucked from the nether regions of the Burgoblog cellar in Puligny this Volnay was procured following an excellent tasting at the Bitouzet-Prieur domaine in Volnay with Francois Bitouzet. A fragant and ripe nose of cherry, raspberry and wild strawberry, sweet without being jammy. Pleasing rather than serious. Medium to light bodied, this Volnay has verve. Fresh, perfectly ripe small berries with good plummy tannins. Very tasty and refreshing. Unlikely to age well though. I sincerely believe that 2009 is much more of a vintage for the tannic appellations of Pommard, Nuits and Aloxe than the fragrant and feminine terroirs. Scores 22 / 30 for a Volnay.

Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits 2008, François Lamarche

We tasted at the Domaine François Lamarche in the scorcing hot month of April 2011 and enjoyed tasting their wines in the cuverie literally from the cuve. This Bourugogne from the "high slope" above the Côte d'Or proper has a pleasant black currant and red apple aroma mixed in with a bag of hawthorn leaves and a sneaky little hint of broken twig. This is a mute nose not effusive. Fresh raspberry, red apple and plum flavours laced with a lively acidity. This 2008 really captures the zesty vintage characteristics. For the appellation this offers good fruit concentration and length. Has softened significantly over the last 2 years and is a pleasant surprise. Scores 24 / 30 for an Hautes Côtes de Nuits.

Willamette Valley "Prelude" 2010, Andrew Rich

Cherry colour, almost transparent. Raspberry, blueberry, ripe cherries, cooked strawberries, cassis, lovely sweet fruit aromas, reminiscent of 2010 Burgundy! This Willamette Valley 2010 is bursting with glorious, ripe berry and cherry fruit aromas. Indulgent, appealing, a late summer cherry orchard. Sweet spcies of cinnamon and vanilla. Beautifully framed. Rich cherry fruit laced with an enlivening edge of acidity. Great ripe tannins on the finish and tangerine. This is a fantastically structured wine and rams home the point that Willamette is superior to Napa and Sonoma pinots. Comes in at 13.5% alcohol which is the top end of acceptable before the alcohol dominates the fragrance of the pinot. Scores 24 / 30 for a Willamette Valley.  

Willamette Valley 2010, Ransom

By contrast with Burgundy, the pinots from Oregon represent a much broader range of wine-making style as the producers try out new approaches. This pinot is definitely in the "Burgundy imitator" category and succeeds fairly well. Notching up just 12.5% alcohol this Willamette Valley 2010 from the Ransom domaine, is a sombre cherry colour, opaque in the centre. Splendid aromas of plum, blackberry, roasted aubergine, sweet aniseed, bay leaf. Definitely on the black fruit palette. A full plum and cherry flavour, rounded, savoury initially and then sweetens up. There are evident tannins on the finish. More richness than elegance, very satisfying also good value. Scores 24/30 for a Willamette Valley. Much better than any equivalent you could hope to find in California.

Willamette Valley 2010, Lundeen

Dr Burgundy go make cultural learnings of America... back in 2006 I travelled to Oregon and greatly enjoyed 3 days of tastings in the undulating hills of the region. Friendly people, good local food and some interesting pinots. I understand why young Burgundy producers spend 6 months there for their "stage". This pinot started on a medium to light ruby red colour. A charming, sweet raspberry nose, jammy, cherry conserve, super fruity, no tertiary aromas. Imbibed this is balanced, toasty, grilled cherry, soft, background tannins, a soupcon of blood orange. A hint of bitterness on the palate, fairly short, a raspberry liqueur after taste. A well made, fruit-driven wine that has controlled the tendency to over-ripen in Oregon. Scores 22 / 30 for a Willamette Valley pinot.

Gevrey-Chambertin "Clos Prieur" 2010, Frédéric Esmonin

Procured from the venerable Larchmont Wine & Liquor store on Palmer Avenue in Larchmont, Westchester County, NY this turned out to be a solid and ripe Gevrey 2010 which contrasted with the problematic 2011 Côte de Nuits pinots. Deep purple colour with red tints, this 2010 Gevrey is not holding back on the extraction as it is opaque and sombre in a full glass. Nose of black currant, black berries and oak barrels. It is attractive, peppery and redolent of tobacco or even snuff. Tainted somewhat by a raw barrel edge. Rich cassis fruit on the palate, good structure, ripe tannins, enjoyable yet stern, there is fruit and then it is savoury. Solid and impressive. This is a Gevrey for the yeoman. And who can complain on a cold winter's night in New York?

Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2011, Drouhin Laroze

The Domaine Drouhin Laroze has a stunning range of reds from the Côte de Nuits and its also possible to have a home-made lunch in their small dining room that faces onto the vines behind the property. Great idea as long as you have time to sleep off the multiple egg dishes in the afternoon. For years I have considered the domaine's Gevrey a benchmark for the village yet they do not appear in the Norman/Taylor book on the Great Domaines of Burgundy. This Bonnes Mares 2011 starts on a pert aroma of violets, there is black currant, there is cherry, the nose is moderately open. Very good fruit shines through on the palate, leans somewhat on the tannins due to the difficulty of getting a perfect balance in 2011. Clearly a very high quality wine yet with a broad envelope of potential evolution and so scores 20-24/30 for a Bonnes Mares. Photo shows Peter trying to walk off his 12 egg lunch before going to Domaine Trapet.

Echezeaux Grand Cru 2011, Cécile Tremblay

Echezeaux is the grand cru counter-point to Clos de Vougeot, it is a more concentrated version of the velvety Vosne wines as opposed to being a more brutal version of the already masticatable Nuits wines, it tends to drink well within 8 years as opposed to needing 15 years to open up, and it is reliable and fairly priced! (I feel I am giving too much away here...) This Echezeaux Du Dessus from the relatively new (in Burgundy terms) Domaine Cécile Tremblay further confirms my hypothesis. A simpering, cute nose of fresh and ripe berries evolves to a pleasant violets and blueberry note. Excellent quality crunchy, crystalline fruit, good berry flavours, nice concentration and splendid length for a 2011. This is another triumph for a Côte de Nuits wine in 2011 and scores 22-24/30 for an Echezeaux. Chapeau! Photo shows the Echezeaux vineyard looking towards Vosne on a glorious day in early August 2011.