Lovely medium ruby core with some lightening towards the edges. Enticing and still elemental varietal nose brimming with dark plums, pinot sap, sweet earth, a tweak of beetroot and some wonderfully-judged spicy, cinammon oak. A class act with fantastic integration of components and, seemingly, with substantial development in store. After a slightly shaking beginning the palate builds weight and structure as it sits in the glass to rival the wonderful bouquet. Strong elemental flavours of sappy plums, high quality new French oak, sprited acidity and firm tannins frame the nucleus of quite a stunning Pinot with a gorgeous but enigmatically long finish of pinot sap, bitter chocolate, sweet cherry and black plum. At least 5-10 years evolution for this wine to peak! This makes many an expensive French Burgundy look a trifle ordinary and I have no hesitation in awarding it 93 points. A revelation! Thanks to Sue Courtney for her astute guidance in putting me onto this beauty.

13.5 A/V and sealed with a traditional cork closure.

For those unaware about this domaine, this vineyard belonged to Bruno Clair’s mother, Genevieve Bartet. Until 1998, the wine was sold under the label Domain G. Bartet with Bruno controlling the cultivation and vinification since 1986. As from the 1999 vintage the wine has been marketed under the Domaine Bruno Clair label.

For those lovers of funky, feral Burgundy’s, this wine’s aromatics delivers in spades. Thankfully, allowing the wine to rest (i.e. no swirling), the damp earth, sous bois and barnyard dissipates to allow attractive aromas of sap, satsuma and well-hung game to provide a greater degree of interest and pleasure with suggestions of cardamon, smoke and malty oak following as top notes later. The palate appeals from the outset - typical for the vintage - revealing a tight personality, slightly green tinge to the plummy/cherry fruit, awash with bright acids and firm, resolute tannins, a decent departure and probably at least another decade of cellaring potential. 88 points today with a chance of a slightly higher score if the “cool” fruit can hold up while the acid and tannin soften and integrate. Very good indeed and verging on excellent, but no better on tonight’s performance. 13.5% A/V

Displaying an elegant light ruby with only a modicum of maturity in the edges this classy Pinot reveals amazingly fresh and attractive aromatics of sappy red cherries, minerals, game and integrated new spicy French oak. The medium-bodied palate delivers an instant replay of the descriptors found in the bouquet along with a crunchy succulence, melting fine-grained tannins, excellent length but retains vitality and freshness from some lively acidity. I’ve been impressed with the rare elegance of this particular wine since release and believe it will last for up to a decade if stored in pristine cellaring conditions (although ready to go now). 92 points. A great effort from a difficult vintage!

Substantial bricking belies the fresh and lively bouquet that houses deepset black fruit offset by strong malty/savoury oak, freshly turned sod of earth, game and pinot sap with intriguing faint top notes of miso, soy, ginger and cinnamon stick. The thumbprint of Burgundy’s 1996 Pinot’s - cool fruit, high acidity and potential for extended longevity plasters itself all over the palate. Unlike the 1996 Echezeaux from the same Domaine, the Ruchottes displays the requisite level of ripeness with no “green” or “rough” edges. The elegant, silky mouthfeel sits perfectly with fine lacy tannins and perky acidity that offer the correct amount of grip for this slightly austere style with a finish that provides quite ample length and some decent authority. Drink 2010-2016. 93 points

Mature hue, mostly rusty browns, a little amber with a light ruby core. Attractive multilayered bouquet of pinot sap, sweet earth, undergrowth, plum, black cherry over a solid base of savoury oak. Quite masculine and with enormous depth. The palate marches to the beat of the same drum - solid, well-endowed, plenty of earthy, sappy, plummy fruit with resolute support from a firm, but integrated, tannin regime and lively acidity. Finishing with excellent persistence, this very impressive wine has the potential for another 5-10 years of superior drinking. 90 points

My first try-out with this vineyard from this excellent producer. 13.5 % A/V and cork sealed.

Transluscent medium ruby with a distinct rusty/pink meniscus. Opened with a gorgeous floral perfume (mostly violets) eventually picking up quite impressive sappy, musky undertones with extended breathing to the solid core of black cherry and plum fruit. The initial rush on the palate was of a sexy, light, feminine pinot but, again with time, displayed a more boisterous, masculine personality, highlighting the serious need for this excellent fruit-driven wine to be left in the cellar for some years yet. An abundance of furry, puckering tannin delivers a long and quite assertive departure. 90 points. Drink now-2015+

Comte de Vogue occupies a very special place in the top echelon of the Burgundy heirarchy. Unfortunately, over the many years of collecting and drinking fine wines from the Cote D’or, I’ve only tried this producer’s offerings on, perhaps, half a dozen occasions.

Fellow blogger, Dave Brookes (who also earns his bucks as Sydney Auction Manager for Australia’s leading wine auctioneers, Langtons) kindly brought a bottle of 1983 de Vogue Chambolle-Musigny to my place earlier this year which, after a very shaky start, unfolded and blossomed in the glass into a glorious Burgundy worthy of an outstanding rating. A great effort, particularly for a village wine and a difficult vintage where hail and then rot caused considerable problems across the Cote.

Excellent juice. Typically for Chambolle, not a great depth of colour and just a bit too oaky (for me) on the nose just at the moment but underneath the sappy/musky Pinot fruit was trying its best to make some sort of counterbalancing statement. The palate tells a different story with ripe glossy red cherries, green plums and even a touch of blackberry to the fore, the acidity/oak/tannin balance is nigh spot on and the finish is exemplary - everything sitting on a medium-bodied, relatively elegant platform. Probably will merit a higher score later (give it 3-4 years), but on last night’s performance somewhere around 90/91. Drink 2010-2015.
  

I’ve enjoyed Esmonin’s Burgundies since the 1990 vintage and this wine certainly is up there with the best I’ve tried thus far.

Displays a saturated plummy red core with considerable rust in the edges. This wine possesses all the aromatic hallmarks of such a renowned cru from a top vintage - Asian spices, undergrowth, exotic mushrooms and sweet earth intermingle with deepset plummy/sappy fruit with a strong backdrop of savoury oak. The palate is drop-dead gorgeous, smooth and silky with creamy plum and cherry fruit, a nice dose of pinot sap, terrific integrated acidity and ripe, fine-grained tannins. The oak plays a secondary role here compared to what’s found in the bouquet. The finish is ripe, soft, long and savoury with enough grip to provide this taster with renewed invigoration for more. Lovely wine that drank every bit as well the second night without a trace of deterioration or oxidation. 92 points. Drink now-2016. 13.5% A/V    

Transluscent medium-ruby with plenty of rust in the outer edges. Pronounced white meniscus. Heavenly perfumed bouquet of pinot sap, sour cherry and plum, a little sous bois, truffles, spice box and beautifully integrated savoury oak. Silky light- to medium-bodied palate with similarly etched fruit backed by the vintage thumbprint of elevated, but in this case, not overblown, acidity and fine-grained, sympathetic tannins. Finishes soft and long with a delicacy I enjoy with this winestyle. Excellent and definitely worth of a look now but should last/improve for many years to come. Went brilliantly with the most succulent marinated free range/drug-free chook slow-cooked in the Weber. 90 points.

Mature hue with flashes of light ruby in the core but mostly rust. Elegant, earthy, feminine nose of spices (cinammon and nutmeg), game, red cherries, green plums and a little rose hip backed by some varietal sap/tomato stalk and a nice complimentary touch of oak. Of light- to medium-body, the palate reveals an exemplary silky texture combined with a seductive delicateness only Pinot Noir can deliver. Although lighter in style, there is no lack of intensity in flavour with sappy notes of cherry and plum combining effortlessly with subtle savoury oak, lacy fine tannins, gorgeous ripe acidity and a resolute soft finish. Drinking beautifully now, this wine is fully mature and should be drunk over the next several years. Excellent for what it is. 89 points.