GrapeScott

I had to get the camera out for this wine because I couldn’t find any decent pictures on the net. Any tips to take a better bottle shot would be appreciated. Sweetly perfumed, with cherry, raspberry, earth and a touch of oak spice: all soft and delicate. The palate is clear and clean: linear fruits, cherries and raspberries, with some spice. Supple with good persistence and no hard tannins. Quite a lovely wine, with the perfume being the highlight for me.

Rated : 87 Points
Tasted : Jan10
Alcohol : 13%
Price : $80
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2012-2017
Source : Eurocentric Wine

I recently read a profile of Domaine Lucie et Auguste Lignier on the Burgundy Report. Here’s a link. Anyway, it got me thinking about some Hubert Lignier wines I purchased several years ago, and that perhaps it was time to try them. And I’m glad I did, because though this one was enjoyable, it is certainly at its peak, or perhaps a little past it. A light red. Bold aromas, glossy cherries, earth and some spice. On the lighter side of medium bodied, rounded flavours with red cherries, brown spices and dried meats. Not terribly complex, but has some poise. Has some acid on the finish. Very nice with a potato and ham frittata. Drink now.

Rated : 86 Points
Tasted : Dec09
Alcohol : 13%
Price : $75
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2009-2010
Source : Cellar

I bought a few bottles of this a few years ago, trying to find a good value Bourgogne, which should be easier in years like 2002. I think I paid $35, and in hindsight I am not unhappy with the return on investment. Some browning near the rim. Cherries, brown earth, stalk, musky minerals with a touch of dried ginger and brown sugar. The palate was initially a little unfriendly, but opened up nicely to show sweet fruits, glacé cherries, stalk, pepper, minerals and a touch of sap on the finish. Pleasantly weighted but not terribly complex. Drink over the short term.

Rated : 87 Points
Tasted : Nov09
Alcohol : 12.5%
Price : $35
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2009-2012
Source : Cellar
Website : A.-F. Gros

Yes, the “A” in the wine name does stand for Aubert, the same Aubert de Villaine who is the co-owner and the co-director of the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti. Based in the Côte Chalonnaise in Bouzeron, they produce several red and white wines from this region.

A light and clear red in colour. A delicate nose; lightly spiced and lifted red fruits, minerals, animalé, with a touch of clean earth. The fruits are in the red cherry spectrum with perhaps some softly pressed strawberries. The palate is pleasant, gentle red fruits with a fair vein of rich minerals cutting through them; a bit austere and underweight without food, but has purity and some charm. Now even though it is from what might be considered a lesser appelation, it certainly improved with time in the glass and especially overnight, and according to their website and the wisdom of Allen Meadows, it is a wine that should be able to take some medium term cellaring. So leave it alone!

Rated : 87+ Points
Tasted : Nov09
Alcohol : 12.5%
Price : $55
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2013+
Source : WineStar
Website : Domaine de Villaine

This is a village wine from a lieu dit called “Les Topons”, but is not labelled as such. And I am told that it is a “Vieilles Vignes” as well, but this fact has also been neglected. Nevermind, because it is stuff on the inside of the bottle that matters and this was really a surprise. Quite a dark red in colour for a village wine, and showed aromas of dark cherries, minerals, hard fruits with notes of earth and charcoal. The palate is full (well, full for a relatively inexpensive Burgundy), with morello cherries and a touch of plumminess, spice and an undercurrant of minerality. The tannins are good, and the finish is dry. None of the hardness you might expect to see in a NSG. Solid value too. Needs a couple of years to settle. Only a few dozen remain.

Rated : 88 Points
Tasted : Sep09
Alcohol : 13.5%
Price : $91.95
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2011-2016
Source : Eurocentric Wine
Website : Dupont-Tisserandot

A long cork, but completely soaked through and some evidence of leakage. Was tasted next to the William Downie Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2008, which made for an interesting comparison. Anyhoo, the Ramonet (who is a producer better known for its white Burgundy) showed pink florals, quite pretty, with raspberries, cherries, minerals, new leather and dry spices. On the palate, tasty and tangy red cherries, leather and a touch of acetone. The finish is cleansing. Nicely balanced, but perhaps a bit rustic. Good length and it certainly filled out with time. Still young; needs more time – decant if you are impatient.

Rated : 89 Points
Tasted : Jul09
Alcohol : 13.5%
Price : $70
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2012+
Source : Cellar

I bought a few of the 05 Lafarges. This was first cab off the rank. A solid red in colour. On the nose, dark cherries, iron filings and some new leather. The palate is lightly bodied, with tart red cherry fruits, minerals, dry extract and savoury rustic flavours. The finish is dry. There is nothing silky and sexy about it at all. Could be a gamay, though a pretty good one. Perhaps needs another year to settle.

Rated : 86 Points
Tasted : Jan09
Alcohol : 13.5%
Price : $50
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2009-2012
Source : Cellar
Website : Michel Lafarge