This was a fine start to the Autumn tasting season. A large number of producers were showing their wines and I was very selective. Burgundies from Fèvre, Jadot and Bouchard Père & Fils had pride of place and were well worth the detour.
Vignobles Lorgeril, Cabardès
I like the wines of this estate which were presented by Miren de Lorgeril. Cabardès is situated close to Carcassonne at the watershed between the Atlantic and Mediterranean, has a climate with features from both together with both Bordelais and Mediterranean grape varieties. This is reflected in the wines which have the brightness of fruit and structure of the former and generosity of the latter. The estate is extending into Languedoc with recent acquisitions in Minervois and Faugères.
Chardonnay de Pennautier 2009 (€6,50) was a good palate cleanser at the beginning of the tasting. Fresh lime aromas with a touch of rusticity on the palate; 14.5/20.
Château de Pennautier Cabardès 2008 (€6,50), made from CabSauv, Merlot, Syrah and Grenache with a preponderance of the first two and tank aged, is a great QPR stand-by. This 2008 showed bright black currant and ivy aromas and quite full body, roundness and fragrance; 15.5/20 QPR!!
Château de Pennautier Cabardès Terroirs d’Altitude 2006 (€10,40) with a similar varietal composition but barrel aged (15% new) showed a softer and more velvety texture and firmer finish; 15.5/20 QPR.
L’Esprit de Pennautier Cabardès 2003 (€24), aged with a higher new wood component, was richer, even more velvety with sweeter fruit, more structure and length; 16/20++.
Minervois La Borie Blanche 2008 (€7,25) was generous with attractive spicy dark fruit and a touch of rusticity; 15/20+++ QPR.
William Fèvre, Chablis
A lovely range here, but the prices are much higher than at Fèvre’s shop in Chablis. Wines from Fèvre’s own land is indicated by (D); the rest are négoce. (The same applies at Bouchard ; information not given at Jadot but is on the labels, I think.)
Chablis 2009 (€15) was quite round, fruity, surprisingly rich and not very Chablis but with lively acidity; 14.5/20++.
Chablis (D)2009 (€17) was a step up being more mineral with a meaty hint, lively acidity, better focussed and longer; 15.5/20++.
Chablis 1er cru Montée de Tonnerre 2007 (€34) was richer and more complex but with more tansion than the previous showing spicy elements and lively acidity; 16/20.
Chablis 1er cru Fourchaume 2007 (€34) added greater minerality and moreish crisp acidity to the comlexity of the previous; 16/20+.
Chablis 1er cru Les Vaillons (D)2006 (€34) was softer, more supple and less brightly focussed than the previous but showing lively acidity and muted minerality; 16/20.
Chablis 1er cru Les Vaillons (D)2007 (€34) showed a return to the greater tension, minerality, crsip acidity and focus of 2007 but seeming nevertheless more fragrant and rounded; 16.5/20+++.
Chablis grand cru Les Clos (D)2007 (€76) was finer in every dimension showing greater depth and fragrance and retaining lovely minerality and crisp acidity; 17.5/20.
Bouchard Père et Fils
Another lovely range including fine Beaujolais properties acquired in 2008 by the Henriot family, the owners of Bouchard P&F and Fèvre. I concentrated on the reds.
Fleurie Réserve (D)2009 – Villa Ponciago – (€14,50) was a with fragrance, flesh, red fruit matt minerals and great charm; 16/20++.
Beaujolais Villages 2009 was more rustic than the previous but fruity and quaffable; 15/20++.
Pommard 1er cru Les Chanlins (D)2002 – (€53) was quite light but very elegant with fine Pinot cherry and hints of cedar; not going much further I think; 16/20++ now.
Beaune 1er cru Clos de la Mousse (D)2004 – (€28) was also very charming in a slightly fruitier, richer and less refined way; 16/20 now.
Beaune 1er cru Marconnets (D) 2006 – (€28) showed more grain, structure and tension needing time for the promising fruit to blossom; potentially 16/20.
Volnay 1er cru Caillerets (D) 2006 – (€60) added subtle richness and greater velvet to the previous; already charming; potentially 16.5/20++.
Beaune 1er cru Grèves Vignes de l’Enfant Jésus (D) 2006 – (€65) was more closed aromatically and therefore less charming now than the previous but showed more intensity, complexity and depth; potentially 17/20+.
Nuits Saint-Georges 1er cru Clos Saint-Marc 2004 – Domaine du Clos – (€56) was even more closed but with fuller substance and more structure than the previous; potentially 16/20++.
Louis Jadot
Domaine Ferret of Pouilly-Fuissé has recently been acquired by Jadot. These whites easily held their own against the 1er crus on show from the Côte d’Or.
Reds
Côte de Beaune
Santenay Clos de la Malte 2007 – (€22) was quite light but attractively fragrant and fruity; already drinking well; 15.5/20.
Beaune 1er cru 2005 – (€27) was richer in fruit with more substance, structure and length; surprisingly ready for the year; 16/20.
Beaune 1er cru Vignes Franches Clos des Ursules 2006 – (€47) was much less ready than the previous but showing more depth and structure; potentially 16.5/20.
Pommard Cuvée Billardet Hospices de Beaune 2001 – (€56) was singing with Pinot cherry and mineral aromas and, whilst not big, showed intense fruit and good structure; 16.5/20+++.
Côte de Nuits
Marsannay rouge 2007 – (€19) was approachable like the Santenay of the same year but rounder and more complex; 15.5/20++.
Gevrey-Chambertin 1er cru Clos Saint-Jacques 2001 – (€77) was not as flamboyant as some Gevrey I have had but was quietly and harmoniously rich fruited, with depth and grip; 17/20.
Whites
I loved the vibrancy and crisp acidity on these 2008s, which have the stuffing to go a long way if they are spared the pox.
Saint-Véran Chapelle aux Loups 2008 (€14) added greater suppleness on the palate than the tensely mineral and even metallic nose suggested; 15.5/20.
Chassagne-Montrachet 2006 (€42) showed pineapple mingled with minerals and the overall effect was supple with a touch of sweetness and butter which, for me, cloyed at bit on the finish; 15/20.
Savigny-les-Beaune 1er cru 2008 – (€27) was much more lively, crisp and mineral than the previous but with a deliciously caressing feel; 16/20+.
Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru 2008 – (€47) was deeper and more complex than the previous with lush pineapples touches and a crisply mineral finish; 16/20++.
Beaune 1er cru 2008 – (€34) showed similar crisp acidity and minerality with a tad less lushness; 16/20+.
Pouilly-Fuissé 2008 – Domaine Ferret (€25) was surprisingly bigger and riper than the last three but balanced by tension and minerality. Jadot’s enthusiastic representative thinks that this would pair well with Asian food; 16/20.
Pouilly-Fuissé tête de cru Le Clos 2007 – Domaine Ferret (€35) added a touch of pineapple and cream to the profile of the previous whilst retaining crisp liveliness; 16/20++.
Pouilly-Fuissé hors classe Menetrières 2007 – Domaine Ferret (€46) was deeper, richer and more structured than Le Clos with similar crispness and minerality and less exotic and creamy touches; 16.5/20++ with potential.
Joël Taluau, Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil (“SNB”)
I don’t understand why this estate doesn’t get a better press. I always enjoy its wines.
SNB L’Expression 2008 (€10) fruity, round with minerality, lively acidity and a touch of rusticity but charmingly quaffable; 15.5/20 QPR.
SNB Le Vau Jaulier 2006 (€11) was softer and more ingratiating with pretty red fruit and touches of pepper; 15.5/20+ QPR.
SNB Vieilles Vignes 2005 (€15) was deeper and more structured with pencil shavings, ripe red fruit and leather touches; very nice 16/20++.
Les Vignobles André Lurton, Bordeaux
I only tried four here out of a vast range. All four were polished efforts but I sensed a lack of soul.
Château Bonnet Bordeaux rouge 2006 (€10), made from 50/50 Merlot and CabSauv, soft, round, fruity and polished going down easily but a bit short of grip; I have had other Bordeaux similar to this around €5; 14.5/20.
Château La Louvière Pessac-Léognan (red), from Cabernet Sauvignon 64%, Merlot 30 with CabFranc and PV – I expected more from these wines-
2002 (€20) – the first bottle opened the previous day and beginning to oxidise was kindly replaced. The second was soft, fruity and polished with a tad more grip than Bonnet; 15/20.
2003 (€20) – also opened the previous day but not so tired as the first 2002 showed somewhat more concentration and tannic structure with leather and some sweet fruit which avoided being candied or jammy; 15.5/20.
2006 (€28)– was the liveliest of the three with red fruit tinged with tobacco, fair depth and firm tannins; probably already enjoyable with red meat; potentially 15.5/20+.
Guicciardini Strozzi, San Gimignano
This table was graced by the charming presence and manner of Natalia Strozzi, who is related to Leonardo’s Mona Lisa http://www.stpauls.it/club3/0712c3/1207Art_Gioconda.pdf . Alas I thought that the wines lacked similar grace.
Vernaccia di San Gimignano Cusona 2008 (€8,50). Vernaccia di SG was the first wine to be accorded the DOC status. This one was fresh, fruity and friendly with apple hints and a nice bitter tang on the finish; 15/20++ QPR.
Vernaccia “Cusona 1933” 2008 (€15) was made to a recipe of Ms Strozzi’s father which includes one-third of grapes which were “passerillés” (dried on the vine). I was unconvinced. The nose was weird with an oxidative touch (bottle open too long?) but the palate was better showing a contrast between a slightly sweet undertow and crisply acid fruit; 14/20.
Chianti 2009 (€8,50) was fruity and supple with some structure and a touch of rusticity; 14.5/20++.
Chianti Colli Senesi Titolato 2008 (€11). I am more tolerant than most of animal aromas but this one was too much for me. Aromas of the pig sty dominated but behind I sensed some good fruit and substance. A pity. Maybe other bottles are less infected; 12/20.
Bolgheri Ocra 2007 (€14,50), made from CabSauv, CabFranc, Merlot and a dash of Syrah and seeing 1 year in barriques, was aromatically a bit closed with floral touches, dense fruit, pepper, firm tannins and hints of vanilla from the wood which should integrate with time; 15.5/20++ potentially here.
Sòdole IGT Toscana 2005 (€28), made from Sangiovese 100% and seeing one year in barriques, was not yet ready, had a subdued but brambly nose and dense fruit with firm structure and was spoiled for me at present by dry caramel on the finish. If I believe Ms Strozzi, this is a wine for the long haul and the caramel streak will be absorbed in time. However it is a bit worrying that it is still so marked after 5 years. With benefit of the doubt, potentially 16/20.
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