What’s Not To Like? A Guide to Burgundy 2009 en primeur

The bromide ‘hurry while stocks last’ is so trite that it would be easy to ignore the clamour for 2009 Burgundy if there weren’t a risk of being crushed in the stampede for it. Burgundy’s 2009 vintage showed its hand in a series of London tastings in January and such is the demand for it that any wine lover who hasn’t already secured a case of six or more might need to start giving some thought, and fast, about whether this is an opportunity not to be missed. All hype and wine trade tripe?

There was a time when the only en primeur game in town was Bordeaux (unbottled samples of the new vintage, that is, delivered once the wine is in bottle). Keen not to be left out, every self-respecting UK Burgundy specialist worth their Maldons now holds a January en primeur tasting for trade, press and customers. In a year like 2009 it makes absolute sense. Arriving on the coattails of the genuinely fabulous Bordeaux 2009, lauded by enthusiastic bloggers and tweeters, Burgundy has seized the opportunity to sell, sell, sell, and the UK wine trade has grasped the baton and run with it.

It might be overegging the pudding to say that January’s consumer evenings were frenzied. But the well-heeled, spoken and coiffed were making a B-line, as it were, as if lives, or dinner parties at least, depended on it. Wine lovers who attend these bun fights are a savvy bunch and apart from quizzing growers on the arcana of vineyard and vintage, they were in no mood to come away without some sort of booty. Lay & Wheeler, the fine wine arm of Majestic, had sold out of half their available wines before their tasting even started. Other merchants talked about having to re-stock. All of them were grinning like Cheshire cats.

All of which is interesting because few claim that 2009 is quite on a par with the great reds of 2005 or the intense whites of 2008. And the wines are not given away. Among typical descriptors, ‘sexy’, ‘hedonistic’, ‘charming’ and ‘graceful’ are common along with the cheesier ‘nature’s gift’, ‘the child you want to have’ and ‘wines with smiles on their faces’. All true. 2009 is an abundant, immensely crowd-pleasing vintage for early to medium-term drinking with plenty of delicious chardonnay and seductive pinot noir. Quality is harmonious from bourgogne rouge and blanc at the base of the pyramid to grand cru at its apex. This level of consistency is unusual for Burgundy, so to the extent that it’s being hailed as an ‘exceptional’ vintage, fair enough.

Burgundy 2009 is a ‘what’s not to like’ vintage. That isn’t to say that you can stick a pin in it, but there’s a broader range to choose from, even if more limited quantities compared to Bordeaux make it advisable to get in there in good time. Every wine merchant whose tastings I attended reported intense demand with many top producers such as Cathiard, Mugneret-Gibourg, Fourrier, Barthod and Comte Armand often sold out. Despite the hype, some merchants will-re-stock, some less well-known for Burgundy still have reasonable stock levels, others have yet to release their wines. If you’re keen on the idea of buying a case or more, check out www.anthonyrosewine.com with my tasting notes on nearly 200 recommended wines, including 20+ wines under £150 a case, plus a how and where to buy guide.

Something For the Weekend 5 February 2011

Under £6

2009 Tesco Finest Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc

Classic old vine Cape chenin blanc, this is a mouthwateringly juicy dry white whose ripe apple and pear flavours are tinged with honey and supported by a bracing freshness. buy 2 = £5, Tesco, until 22 February.

Under a Tenner

2008 El Chaparral de Vega Sindoa Old Vine Garnacha

Made from old vine garnacha, this is a flavour-packed, full-bodied Spanish red from Navarra full of vibrant raspberry-sweet fruitiness infused with peppery notes and deliciously concentrated, textured richness. £9.99, buy 2 = £6.99, Majestic.

Splash Out

2005 Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River

This Western Australian blend from Vasse Felix punches above its weight with complex cedar, cassis and herbal aromas reminiscent of Margaux and a seductively savoury palette of black fruit and skilfully applied oak. £16, Marks & Spencer.

A GUIDE TO BURGUNDY 2009 EN PRIMEUR

WHITES

£150 and under

Bourgogne Blanc Domaine Bernard Moreau, £110, Flint Wines
12.5%
Good fresh nose, attractively juicy apple and pear fruitiness with nice full flavour ripeness and sufficient balancing fresh acidity. This will make an excellent house white burgundy. 88

Chablis 1er Cru Les Lys Domaine Daniel Dampt et Fils, £112, Haynes Hanson & Clark
13%
Fresh nose, apple and pear, lively fresh acidity, rich flavours, steely and mineral fruit quality, pure classic unoaked style. Not many chardonnays can do this. 91

Chablis 1er Cru Côte de Lechet , Domaine Jaeger-Defaix, £124, Flint Wines
13%
Fine nose, very good typical Chablis, lovely intense textured ripe Chardonnay fruit quality to this dry white which is seamless and pure and palate-coatingly crème-fraîche-like and full. 92

Rully 1er Cru Molesme, £130, Flint Wines
13%
Attractive nose, well-crafted with light smoky oak and vanillin aromas, good intense ripe fruit richness and texture with polished veneer of vanillin oak and fresh underlying acidity. 90+

Pouilly-Fuissé ‘La Roche’, Domaine Laborier-Chatagnier, £145, Flint Wines
13%
Fine nose, nice smoky touch of oak, intense rich chardonnay fruitiness, peachy with attractive layer of smoky oak and fine fresh acidity; very well-made. 90

Viré-Clessé, Les Heritiers de Comtes Lafon, £150, Justerini & Brooks

Fine nose, good intense old vine Chardonnay fruit quality here from Dominique Lafon, a dry white with good peachy richness, volume and butteriness cut by a trenchant blade of fresh acidity; an impressive dry white at the price.

Mâcon-Milly-Lamartine, Clos du Four St Véran, Dominique Lafon, £156, Berry Bros & Rudd
13%
Fine fresh nose, intense peachy chardonnay fruit quality and flavour with a sharp blade of refreshing acidity which is just what you need in this forward vintage; thoroughly well-crafted and full-flavoured; pleasure at an affordable price. 89+

Mercurey 1er cru en Sazenay Blanc Domaine Tupinier-Bautista , £136, O.W. Loeb
13%
Good colour, fine light smokiness on the nose, attractive richness and flavour with lovely crisp juicy appley fruit quality, delicate toasty oak and nice overall balance; good house white. 88+

Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaumes Domaine Adhémar et Francis Boudin, £114, Lea & Sandeman
12.5%
Fresh chablis nose, attractive ripe peachy fruit with a fine flinty streak of acidity and good bone dry finish, good seamless quality of fruit and real typicity in an atypical vintage. 90

Saint Véran, Les Pommards, Domaine Daniel Barraud, £114, Lea & Sandeman
13%
This Côte Maconnais dry white from the exemplary Barraud stable shows both subtlety and complexity with light toasted oak, a subtle leesy, mealy character and realintensity of buttery / butterscotchy flavours, finishing juicy and fresh. 90+

£200 and under

Pouilly Fuissé Vieilles Vignes En Buland Domaine Daniel Barraud, £192, Lea & Sandeman
13%
Fresh and intense, subtle nose with fine butterscotchy rich fragrance, lovely intense concentrated chardonnay fruit that's seamlessly juicy and yet complex thanks to a fine veneer of nutty oak, flavours of the stirred lees and fresh acidity. 92

Chablis 1er Cru, Vaillon, Cuvée Guy Moreau, Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils, £155.50, Haynes Hanson & Clark
13%
Lovely nose, intense fruit, tinged with smoky oak, fine concentration and richness, lovely freshness and minerality, really well-made, classic Chablis. 91

St Aubin 1er Cru, Murgers des Dents de Chien, Domaine Larue, £179, O.W. Loeb
13%
Fine fresh nose, attractively aromatic with delicate leesy quality on the nose and palate, light butterscotchy fruit and good fresh juicy acidity, mineral finish. 89+

St Romain “sous Roches” Blanc, Château de Puligny-Montrachet, £160, O.W. Loeb
12%
Attractively fresh nose, good full-flavoured and yet delicate Chardonnay fruit with fine buttery richness, good intensity of flavour and a lovely fresh twist of acidity; there’s real finesse and lean blade of acidity on the finish of this white Burgundy. 89+

£300 and under

Saint Aubin1er Cru, Clos de la Chatenière, Domaine Hubert Lamy, £264, Lea & Sandeman
13%
Real intensity and seamless quality, subtle white burgundy, deftly crafted with subtle oak and lees and good intensity of flavour; well-crafted and intense with nice mineral freshness and dry finish. 90

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, Vergers, Domaine Fernand & Laurent Pillot , £255, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Fine intense and inviting nose, very attractive fruit richness underpinned by classically mealy leesy complexing characters and neatly delineated by nutty oak and refreshingly crisp acidity; overall excellent finesse and balance here. 93

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, Fairandes, Domaine Fernand & Laurent Pillot, £285, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Fine intense aromatic quality underscored by leesy complexity; fresh spritz and excellent chardonnay stonefruit richness and concentration, lots of full apple and pear fruit flavours underpinned by leesy complexity and nutty oak and finishing seductively juicy and fresh. A good five to seven year wine. 93+

Meursault Narvaux, Domaine Rémi Jobard, £288, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Super nose, lovely toasty and leesy nuttiness on the nose, intense concentrated ripe stonefruit flavours etched with fine toasty oak and vivacious acidity; very juicy and seductive and yet complex at the same time. 93

Chablis 1er cru, Vaillons, Domaine William Fèvre, £105 / 6, Howard Ripley
12.5%
Fine classic Chablis nose, and lovely precision of Chardonnay fruit flavour in its cool climate elegant northern Burgundian terroir, showing delicious intense steely stonefruit quality with a fine blade of acidity bringing a bone dry finish and seamless fruit quality. 92

St Aubin, En Remilly, 1er Cru, Domaine Hubert Lamy, £270, Berry Bros & Rudd
13%
There’s lot of very attractive leesy complexity on the nose of this fine Côte de Beaune dry white, a refreshing spritz on the palate that enlivens this attractively mealy Chardonnay with its incisive acidity and delicately nutty, complex aftertaste. 90

Laroche Les Blanchots, Réserve de l'Obédience, Chablis Grand Cru, TBC
12.8%
Fine, fresh, classic chablis nose, lovely juicy fresh and intense appley fruit quality with freshness enlivened by fine blade of acidity, excellent balance, although overall still more medium than long-term drinking. 92

Château Long Depaquit Moutonne, Chablis Grand Cru, TBC
13%
Fine fresh nose, very attractively opulent peachy chardonnay fruitiness with nice texture and freshness, a seamless quality to the fruit that makes this Chablis highly approachable and yet with mineral depth on the aftertaste. 91

Chassagne-Montrachet Blanc, Domaine Blain-Gagnard, £226, Haynes Hanson & Clark
13.3%
With a third premier cru fruit in the mix, this is subtle and restrained and yet richly full-flavoured with a lovely stonefruit quality and nuttiness allied to deliciously refreshing, cleansing acidity. 90

Chablis Grand Cru Valmur, Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils, £258.50, Haynes Hanson & Clark
13%
Fine nose, lovely fruit quality, intense, very Chablis, steely and mineral but lovely concentration with oak fermentation bringing texture. Fresh and mineral. 92

Chassagne-Montrachet Blanc 1er Cru, Boudriotte , Domaine Blain-Gagnard, £295, Haynes Hanson & Clark
13.3%
Fine freshness and subtlety, hint of vanillin oak spice, juicy and full-flavoured with finesse and freshness, finishing mineral and nutty and dry, lovely subtlety. 92+

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, Chenevottes, Domaine Michel Niellon, £349, O.W. Loeb
13.5%
Fresh, subtle aromatic quality, butterscotch notes, lovely intense ripe chardonnay fruit with leesy and nutty complexity, a fine premier cru with nice salty dry mineral finish. 92

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, La Grande Montagne, Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard, £295, O.W. Loeb
13.5%
Lovely nose, very intense and complex with rich vanilla and butterscotch aromas, lovely intense and complex butterscotchy fruit with vanilla and coconut whiffs, extremely juicy and sensually textured ripe fruit with a fine blade of acidity. 93

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, Vergers, Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard , £295, O.W. Loeb
13.5%
Lovely intense aromatic power here, with intensely ripe and rich chardonnay fruit with full-flavoured butterscotch fudge and vanilla behind peachy opulent fruit concentration and a fine blade of refreshing acidity; an immensely complex and satisfying dry white Burgundy. 93

£500 and under

Meursault 1er Cru, Poruzot Dessus Domaine Rémi Jobard, £393, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Intense aromatic quality, very good richness and concentration of stonefruit flavours etched with a fine leesy quality and lightly toasty oak, while the fruit is voluptuously full-flavoured and intense, finishing with a delightfully fresh blade of acidity and mineral sense of place. 93+

Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru, Clos de la Mouchère Domaine Henri Boillot , £480, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Fine intense nose, delicately toasty and leesy, very complex and rich; lovely rich and intensely concentrated Chardonnay fruit with voluptuous stonefruit flavours, sweet butterscotch and toasty vanillin oak, framed by fine acidity and mineral finesse. A beautiful, intense and complex white Burgundy. 94

Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Demoiselles, Domaine Philippe Colin, £375 - £415, Lay & Wheeler
13.5%
Lovely nose, really seductive vanilla and coconut richness and intensity, fine fruit concentration and richness with lovely toasty oak veneer and gorgeously full-flavoured fruit quality underpinned by freshness, concentration and intensity, all in all making for a fine complex dry white. 94   

Chablis Grand Cru, Vaudésir, Domaine William Fèvre, £195 / 6, Howard Ripley
12.5%
Fine fresh aromatic quality, lovely precise steely quality of classic Chablis, focused, intense stonefruits flavours, fine concentration and purity of flavour and lovely streak of acidity underlining the wine's mineral qualities. 92

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru, Les Chenevottes, Domaine Philippe Colin, £180 / 6, Howard Ripley, £365 - £400 / 6, Lay & Wheeler
13.5%
Showing its class, as you'd expect, with its fine smoky, leesy aromatics, classic Chardonnay richness and concentration and an intensity of flavour marked by stonefruits, savoury mouthwateringly leesy notes of butterscotch and nutty oak, and finishing delightfully dry and mineral. 93

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, Les Baudines, Jean-Marc Pillot, £350, Flint Wines
13%
Intense, complex aromas of delicate smoky oak, lees and peachy fruit, fine-textured, voluptuous rich ripe white burgundy tinged with mealy, leesy characters and light vanillin oak, with a lively nutty finish. 93

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, Vergers, Domaine Bernard Moreau, £340, Flint Wines
13.5%
Complex nose, intense, chalky and mineral, lovely fruit quality combining ripe stonefruits richness with hints of lees and nutty oak in a seamless, integrated whole, and finishing seductively full-flavoured and rich, yet fresh. 93

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Grandes Ruchottes, Domaine Bernard Moreau, £215 / 6, Flint Wines
13.5%
Fine complex aromatic quality, fine intensity and complexity of aroma, lovely nutty and intense richly concentrated fruit quality, intense fruit flavours, pear, peach and stonefruits, with a taut minerality and freshness that exceeds the otherwise more simple, juicy vintage character. 93 – 94

Puligny Montrachet, Jean-Claude Bachelet , £312, Berry Bros & Rudd
13,5%
Good fresh nose, fine fruit quality, intensity of flavour, lovely fruit purity and concentration with stonefruit backrgound and a fresh, incisive minerality behind it. Very well crafted and intense. 90+

Chassagne Montrachet, Boudriotte 1er Cru, Jean-Claude Bachelet, £420, Berry Bros & Rudd
13.3%
Fine nose, lovely intense ripe fruit, good nutty complexity, lovely intense stonefruit and peach fruit flavours, nutty backgound, very juicy and seductive fruit quality with nice freshness and intensity. 92

Meursault, Les Gruyaches, Jean-Philippe Fichet, £330, Berry Bros & Rudd
13.7%
Fine nose, complex, fresh spritz, really rich and complex chardonnay fruit that's peachy-flavoured, juicy and intense with complex leesy characters, fine nutty oak and refreshing blade of acidity, mineral finish. 91

Meursault, Le Tesson, Jean-Philippe Fichet, £375, Berry Bros & Rudd
13.7%
Good intense nose, good complex mealy / leesy fruit quality, very nice purity and intensity of appley fruit flavour, seamless fruit with nutty oak edge to it, fine blade of refreshing acidity. 91+

Meursault, Domaine Arnaud Ente, £375, Berry Bros & Rudd
12.5%
Fine nose, subtle and complex, very nice fruit intensity and flavour here, classic chardonnay with the seductive juiciness of the vintage but a stylish undertone of toasty oak and nutty lees in a framework of good fresh acidity. 90+

Meursault, Clos des Ambres, Domaine Arnaud Ente, £246 / 6, Berry Bros & Rudd
12.5%
Complex inviting nose, deliciously intense nutty, leesy fruit quality with seductive Chardonnay fruit concentration, good intensity of flavour, texture and complexity and an incisive blade of refreshing acidity behind it. Beautifully crafted. 93

Domaine William Fèvre, Bougros 'Cote Bouguerots', Chablis Grand Cru, £480, Berry Bros & Rudd
13%
Intense fresh nose, lovely Chablis fruit quality, juicy and ripe with light smoky, nutty characters and a seamless blade of fresh acidity, finishing flinty and mineral and nicely dry, still tight, and with good potential for ageing thanks to lovely balance. 93

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, Morgeot, Domaine Bernard Moreau. £315, O.W. Loeb
13.5%
Richly concentrated fruit, very complex blend of peach fruit, butterscotch fudge malolactic and nutty oak with fine blade of balancing acidity and dry intense, tightly wound mineral finish, this is quite lovely. 93

Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Perrières, Etienne Sauzet, £485, O.W. Loeb
13.5%
Fine, classic intense nose, serious fruit concentration and purity of flavour, satisfying rich and intense chardonnay fruit quality here with underlying complexity of nutty oak and fine freshness; overall beautifully balanced with taut dry mineral finish and firm backbone that promises longevity in a vintage that doesn't always; this is stylish white Burgundy in anyone's language. 93

Meursault 1er Cru Perrières, Château de Puligny-Montrachet, £465, O.W. Loeb
12.5%
Super nose, smoky and flinty, classic Meursault with fine fresh nuttiness and leesy complexity and lovely intense, richly concentrated chardonnay fruit quality, a very seductively opulent and intense premier cru with beautifully balanced oak and freshness. 93

Over £500

Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru, Henri Boillot, £810, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Very powerful intense leesy complexity on the nose followed by intensely concentrated rich chardonnay fruit flavours framed by a mealy lees quality, a seriously intense and rather grand dry white more than justifying its grand cru status with its great power and concentration, still tight acidity and firm structure, guaranteeing improvement over a decade or more. 95

Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru, Champ-Canet, Etienne Sauzet, £545, O.W. Loeb
13.5%
Powerful, intense, fresh leesy spritz, lovely opulently ripe and intense chardonnay fruit richness, peachy flavours, fine underlying complexity of nutty intensity of fruit character, fine stylish dry finish, taut, textural quality, immensely stylish with a remarkable intensity and restraint. 93+

Criots-Batard Montrachet Grand Cru, Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard. £445 / 6, O.W. Loeb
13.5%
Very powerful intense aromatic power, lovely complex rich peach fruit with light toasty and nutty oak undertones of butterscotch fudge and a terrific intensity of flavour, taut concentration of full-flavoured fruit and lovely fresh balancing acidity. 94+

Chassagne-Montrachet, Caillerets, 1er Cru, Domaine Jean-Noël Gagnard, £540, Berry Bros & Rudd
13.%
Fine nose, good intense and concentrated fruit, still youtfhul and a tad closed, but lovely intense fruit flavours, subtle, restrained fruit character, very nice richness and seamlessly balancing acidity, mineral finish. Good complexity. 92+

Domaine William Fèvre, Les Clos, Chablis Grand Cru, £570, Berry Bros. & Rudd
13%
Fine nose, mineral and lightly smoky, lovely intense, textured rich fruit with tension between fruit and refreshing acidity, a very restrained style for the vintage that promises to keep and improve for a good five years plus. 93

Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Domaine Blain-Gagnard, £375/ 6, Haynes Hanson & Clark
13.5%
Powerful fruit concentration and richness, yet subtle and intense fruit quality, lovely pristine purity; fine nuttiness and mineral richness. Really intense and subtle. Understated at close to it best. Nuanced, layered finesse and power. 94+

REDS

£150 and under

Bourgogne Rouge, Domaine Hudelot Noellat, £95 - 96, Goedhuis, Flint Wines
12%
Typical pinot fragrance, violets, good juicy young raspberryish pinot with supple texture and deliciously juicy textured fruit quality; a very approachable early drinker. 88

Mercurey ‘La Framboisière’ , Domaine Faiveley, £66 / 6, Howard Ripley
13%
Attractively fragrant, raspberryish, juicy red fruits quality, supple tannins and nice freshness with some tannic grip and texture. 88

Mercurey 1er Cru, Clos du Roi, Domaine Jean-Pierre Chartron, £150, Goedhuis

This has really good, true good Pinot Noir fruit quality on nose and palate, a deliciously raspberryish, fresh and juicy red with a fine vivid, bright red berry fruit character, subtle oak spice and a seductively smooth texture; a very well-crafted red Burgundy. 89+

Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune, Domaine Françoise & Denis Clair, £88, Haynes Hanson & Clark
12.5%
Fresh , intense, very nice red fruits pinot noir, juicy and ripe with lovely fresh savoury acidity; surprisingly good fresh and juicy berry fruity pinot noir with grip at an attractive price. Delicious. 88

Bourgogne Rouge, Maison Dieu, £108, Domaine de Bellène, Berry Bros & Rudd
12.5%
Vivid colour, good ripe sweet seductive dark cherry pinot noir fruitiness with sufficient backbone of tannin and acidity to support the fruit, which is on the rich and opulent side style, albeit appealing. 88

Chorey-Lès-Beaune, Maison Champy, £116.50, Haynes Hanson & Clark

With its rich colour and ripe, fresh black cherry and loganberry scented Pinot Noir, this has a touch of sweet chocolatey juiciness with lovely fresh acidity; a what's not to like red Burgundy stand-out in this vintage. Classic house red Burgundy at an attractive price. 88+

Santenay Clos Genet, Domaine Françoise & Denis Clair, £144, Haynes Hanson & Clark
13%
Good fresh fragrant pinot noir, pure pristine fruit quality, dark berry fruits character, juicy and seductively fruity, a very well-made and approachable style. 89

Bourgogne Rouge, Au Pelson, £138, Domaine David Clark, Berry Bros & Rudd
12.8%
Bright, light, spicy, elegant, true cherryish red fruits pinot noir, with a lovely succulence and freshness to it; understated. 89

Bourgogne ‘Roncevie’, Domaine Arlaud, Morey-St-Denis, £108, O.W. Loeb, £112, Flint Wines
12.5%
Vivid bright ruby, very nice juicy red berry fruits flavours, juicy texture, bright fresh acidity and fine supple tannins, an honest, basic and yet true pinot noir with flavour and firm robust finish.

Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Domaine Pierre Damoy, £145, Flint Wines

Deep-coloured, intense dark cherry nose signals more than your average common or common basic red burgundy and sure enough, it’s a powerful red with fine fresh fragrance, black cherry fruit richness in a seductive framework of rich fruit, firm tannins and acidity; structured and serious. 90

Monthelie Rouge, Château de Puligny-Montrachet, £148, O.W. Loeb
12.5%
Very well-crafted aromatic and elegantly styled, juicy raspberryish Pinot Noir from the Côte de Beaune, a wine that’s understated yet seamlessly juicy and fragrant with deceptively firm backbone and grip for up to five years ageing. 88- 89

Mercurey 1er Cru Les Naugues, Domaine Paul Jacqueson, £135, Lea & Sandeman
13%
Good vivid colour, attractively raspberry fruit quality, nicely juicy red berry fruited pinot noir with slight rustic dry village tannins, as you'd expect, but good fresh acidity and juicy quality. 88+

£300 and under

Givry 1er Cru Clos Jus, Domaine François Lumpp, £183, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Intense colour, vivid, nice fresh raspberryish pinot noir berry fruits quality with a touch of spicy oak and good fresh acidity in a balanced framework and structure; very pleasurable young red burgundy at an affordable price. 89++

Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Domaine de Courcel, £195, O.W. Loeb
13%
Vivid colour, aromatic, attractively juicy cherryish pinot noir, nicely textured and fresh with good firm grip and more concentration of fruit than you'd normally expect at this level, a good house red Burgundy at an affordable price. A step or three up from your common-or-garden basic Burgundy. 89

Santenay, Maison Camille-Giroud, £78 / 6, Howard Ripley
12.5%
Good colour, nice vivid bright fruit fragrance, juicy raspberry and strawberry fruit richness, supple textured tannins and juicy fresh acidity, overall attractively balanced juicy seductive and fresh. 88+

Santenay 1er cru, Clos Tavanne, Domaine de la Pousse d’Or, £126 / 6, Howard Ripley
13%
Vivid bright colour, attractively perfumed, appealing juicy dark berry fruits richness of flavour with fine textured tannins and attractively juicy fresh acidity in a very good overall balanced framework. 89

Gevrey-Chambertin Vielles Vignes Les Jouises, Domaine Frédéric Esmonin, £96 / 6, Howard Ripley
12.5%
Vivid colour, aromatic, spicy, a juicy elegant style with lively red and blackberry fruits quality and juicy elegant acidity supporting the fruit, delicate sub-threshhold oak adding complexity and balance, overall an attractively proportioned and charming pinot. 90

Gevrey-Chambertin Les Jeunes Rois, Domaine Geantet-Pansiot, £126 / 6, Howard Ripley
Deep intense colour, powerfully fruit-packed pinot with ripe dark berry fruits flavours, fine tannins and good juicy fresh acidity, overall well-balanced with nice touch of spicy oak and savoury acidity. 89++

Marsannay , Champs Perdrix, Domaine Geantet-Pansiot, £144 / 6, Howard Ripley
12.5%
Vivid colour, beautifully perfumed, very juicy ripe seductive black cherry fruit with a fine blade of damsony acidity and deft touch of spicy oak framing lovely seductively rich textured fruit; this is moreishly juicy in the modern vein but with good grip too. A superior village red Burgundy. 90

Côte de Nuits-Villages , Domaine David Clark, £174, Berry Bros & Rudd
13.2%
Bright red ruby, nicely spicy, elegant cherryish red, very true and classic with lovely red berry fruits flavours and fine blade of refreshing acidity. 90

Pernand-Vergelesses, La Croix de Pierre, Maison Louis Jadot, £174, Berry Bros & Rudd
13.7%
Nice fruit, lightly smoky, well-made, quite complex with nice nutty element and lovely freshness, good intense, full-flavoured fruit quality, elevating a lesser appellation into something superior. 89+

Santenay, Grand Clos Rousseau, 1er Cru, Maison Camille Giroud, £198, Berry Bros & Rudd
13%
Vivid colour, nice fragrance, quite oaky modern style, good fruit richness and sweetness, tempered by supple tannins and nice fruit freshness, finishing with firm grip; well-crafted and seductive for a lesser appellation. 89+

Santenay 1er Cru Clos de la Comme, Domaine Françoise & Denis Clair, £189, Haynes Hanson & Clark
13%
One of three excellent ‘basic’ red Burgundies from this accomplished grower, this Pinot Noir shows a fresh fragrant dark berry fruits perfume, a flavoursome loganberry juicy fruit quality with very fine purity of flavour and lovely freshness of acidity. 89+

Nuits-St Georges, Vieilles Vignes, £288, Domaine de Bellène, Berry Bros & Rudd
13.5%
Pretty good sweet rich fragrant fruit and seductive dark cherry fruit quality with fine fleshy tannins and juicy acidity framed by spicy oak, very modern, sexy style. 90

Vosne-Romanée, Domaine Jean Grivot, £300, Berry Bros & Rudd
12.8%
Vivid bright colour, fine fresh red berry fruit fragrance, very nice silky textured cherryish fruit with a meaty edge and muscular tannins, not dry red though but a masculine style which in this vintage is rather different from the norm. Serious. 90

Beaune 1er Cru Sizies, Domaine de Montille, £269, O.W. Loeb
13%
Pale fragrant raspberry and fraise du bois, ultra-elegant red fruits style of pinot with deliciously juicy flavours and the most silky and succulent of tannins. 92

Morey-St. Denis, Domaine Arlaud Père et Fils, £239, O.W. Loeb
13%
Vivid colour, lovely fresh aromatic strawberry fruit fragrance, intensely juicy raspberry and strawberry pinot noir fruit with a touch of spicy oak sweetness to it, fine textured fruit richness and good balancing acidity. 90+

Chambolle Musigny, Domaine Arlaud Père et Fils , £249, O.W. Loeb
13%
Vivid colour and lovely fragrant red fruits quality to this fine Côte de Nuits Pinot Noir, very intense, ripe, sweetly juicy strawberry and cherry fruit flavours with deliciously juicy texture, delicately spiced oak and freshness. A typical what's not to like wine in this vintage. 91

Marsannay, Méo-Camuzet, £215 - £240, Lay & Wheeler
13%
Fine nose, lovely pure strawberry fruit pinot, very juicy, pristine and seductive with real finesse and freshness; a snip at this price for a good Côte de Nuits village red with a suitably robust finish. 89 

£500 and under

Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru la Toppe au Vert, (négoce), Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair, £350, O.W. Loeb
13.5%
There’s vivid colour, and fine spicy fragrance with lovely toasty oak and a spicy dark red fruits quality combining seductive loganberry and mulberry-rich fruitiness with fine toasty oak and exquisitely silky tannins and freshness; really lovely and a bit of a surprise.92+

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts, Maison Roche de Bellène, £315 - £350, Lay & Wheeler
13%
Vivid colour, fine aromatic quality, ripe, opulently concentrated dark berry fruits quality, with loganberry and plum in the mix, extremely juicy and seductive pinot fruit quality tinged with spicy oak and fine seductively juicy tannins and nice balancing freshness. 92    

Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Clos des Grandes Vignes (monopole) Ch de Puligny, £355, O.W. Loeb
12.5%
A tad reduced on the nose, possibly the sample. Ripe and spicy aromatic quality, good density of spicy strawberry and cherry fruit, lovely richness with a flattering veneer of vanillin oak and lovely juicy red fruits quality supported by fine tannins and freshness. More depth than the jeunes vignes and worth paying the extra £100 if you've got it. 92+

Pommard 1er cru, Grand Clos des Epenots , Domaine de Courcel, £240 / 6, Howard Ripley

Deep dense colour, intense bright dark berry fruit richness, very seductive dark berry fruits, quite firm tannins and a twist of astringency providing a useful freshness in this vintage. 91

Vosne-Romanée, Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg, £162 / 6, Howard Ripley, £306, Lea & Sandeman, £325 - £355, Lay & Wheeler
13%
Bright ruby in colour, this has an enticingly smoky, spicy red fruits aromatic quality with very seductively juicy strawberry and raspberry juiciness infused with lightly toasted and rather sexy oak in modern vein; an immensely seductive style with fruit tempered by firmish, sinewy grip and freshness. Lovely. 90+

Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes , Domaine Geantet-Pansiot, £168 / 6, Howard Ripley
13%
Deep colour, aromatic, intense, powerful ripe rich dark berry fruit flavours and concentration, a very ripe dark-fruited, rich style of pinot; fine spicy oak veneer bringing added complexity of flavour and structure to this intense young red burgundy. 92

Volnay 1er cru, ‘Clos de la Bousse d’Or’, Domaine de la Pousse d’Or, £240 / 6, Howard Ripley

Vivid bright dark ruby hue, fresh, perfumed, ripe, intense dark fruits, very firm-structured red with lots of acidity, tannin and spicy oak and yet the concentration of dark berry fruit flavours to absorb that level of tannins and oak, providing the backbone and structure for an impressive red in a muscular style. 92+

Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er cru, Les Chaignots, Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg, £216 / 6, Howard Ripley

Bright colour, very attractively vivid loganberry and mulberry fruit richness and freshness, a juicily seductive style of pinot noir with plenty of charm and all the elements of oak, tannin and acidity nicely integrated even at this early stage of its development. A charmer. 92

Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er cru, Les Damodes , Domaine Faiveley, £174 / 6, Howard Ripley
13%
Paleish ruby, typical aromatic, spicy raspberryish fragrance and good juicy fresh red fruits characters, well-crafted with light touch of spicy oak and elegant tannins and acidity, overall, very well-balanced and fresh. 91

Nuits-Saint-Georges 1 er cru, Les Pruliers, Domaine Henri Gouges, £186 / 6, Howard Ripley

Deep rich colour and fruit, intense and concentrated dark berry fruits quality, spicy oak, powerful, serious style but this has the fruit to support it where the Porrets is more doubtful at this stage; lots of dark berry fruits sweetness and concentration with firm tannic backbone; not an obvious or immediately seductive red Burgundy but in the context of the vintage, quite serious and intense. 91

Chambolle-Musigny, Domaine Dujac Fils & Père, £265, Flint Wines
13%
Bright colour, fine nose, light touch of toasty oak veneer over cherryish fruit, very deliciously fruit cherry and strawberry fruit juiciness on the palate, thoroughly seductive fruit flavours and texture with a really moreish textured fruit quality, Excellent stuff at a comparatively affordable price. 91

Gevrey-Chambertin1er Cru Aux Combottes, Domaine Arlaud, £220 / 6, Flint Wines, £375, O.W. Loeb
13.5%
Vivid bright ruby, delicately perfumed and equally, delicately flavoured with fine juicy ripe succulent raspberry pinot fruit, light toasty / spicy oak veneer; elegantly styled with the lightest touch of spicy oak and supple seductive tannins underpinning a deliciously juicy red fruits quality; seamless and bright, this is very seductive. 93

Gevrey-Chambertin ‘Clos Tamisot’, Domaine Pierre Damoy, £210 / 6, Flint Wines

Deep dense colour, violety perfumes, serious dark red berry fruits flavours, nice purity and finesse behind the structure, distinctive intense style with lots going for it. 92

Beaune 1er Cru Grêves, Domaine Hubert de Montille, £375, Flint Wines
13%
Fine fresh and vivid raspberry nose, this is lovely pure raspberryish pinot at very close to its elegant, juicy, vibrant bright best; there's a seamlessly juicy and pure quality to the cherry and raspberry fruit here that makes it impossibly moreish. Utterly pretty and charming. What's not to like? 92+

Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Aux Thorey, Domaine Hubert de Montille, £219 / 6, Flint Wines
13%
Lovely cherry and strawberry aromas and fruit, bright, vivid, intense and juicy with fine delicate veneer of toasty spicy oak, very juicy and intense dark fruits flavours with fine fresh twist of astringency and tannin on the finish adding complexity and tautness. 93

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots, Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot, £245 / 6, Flint Wines, £426, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Bright, vivid colour, attractively perfumed, spot on red berry fruits fragrance, lovely seductively juicy red berry fruits flavours of mulberry and strawberry with fine silky seductive tannins and yet good structure for ageing where the straight Vosne Romanée is more chewy. 92

Savigny-Lès-Beaune, La Dominode, 1er Cru, £375, Bruno Clair, Justerini & Brooks
13%
Lovely red fruits richness and concentration, bright, intense, juicy, with the concentration and finesse of a greater appellation; lovely dark berry fruits pinot noir; excellent fruit quality; an exceptional Savigny. 91

Nuits St.-Georges, Les Cailles, 1er Cru, Robert Chevillon, £490.00, Justerini & Brooks
13.5%.
Bright and vivid, fine fragrance, rich dark loganberry and plum fruits richness, very good concentration and intensity of fruit in dark fruits spectrum, fine, juicy tannins and fresh damsony acidity; very nice overall balance if on the powerful, chunky, firm structured side. 92

Morey St Denis, Domaine des Lambrays , £325, Goedhuis

Thierry Brouin describes 2009 as a cross between 1999 and 2005. Classic Lambarys fragrance, lovely seductive Lambrays raspberry fruit richness and spice, very succulent and juicy style that's seductive and finely balanced. A thoroughly enjoyable Lambrays. 90+

Morey St Denis 1er Cru, Loups, Domaine des Lambrays , £495, Goedhuis

This premier cru with its deep ruby hue and classically intense Lambrays fragrance of mulberry and smoky oak shows good intense and seductive red fruits richness and concentration with finely textured fruit and balancing freshness. This has the classic Lambrays terroir character in spades. 92+

Vougeot 1er Cru, Les Petits Vougeot, Domaine Fourrier, £210 / 6, Goedhuis

Mid-ruby, attractive fresh fragrance, fine juicy mulberry and strawberry pinot fruit quality, succulently juicy texture with nice fresh acidity and good overall balance; a seductive, charming style with plenty of fruit and pinot noir character. 92

Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru, Cherbaudes, Domaine Fourrier, £225 / 6, Goedhuis, Howard Ripley

Mid-ruby, fine fresh nose, good complexity and fragrance, fine juicy raspberry and mulberry fruit with a touch of sweet chocolatey oak, very attractive supple textured fruit quality, balanced by attractive freshness, showing the charm of fine pinot noir. 92

Chambolle-Musigny, Les Cras, Domaine Michèle & Patrice Rion, Berry Bros & Rudd

Violets and raspberries on the nose, lovely seductively juicy dark berry fruits quality, a twist of astringency and good acidity bringing nice freshness and balance to this accomplished pinot noir. 90+

Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Aux Boudots, Domaine Méo-Camuzet, £455 - £500 / 6, Lay & Wheeler
13%
Smoky scented and aromatic, there's some lovely seductive fresh strawberry juiciness here, really stylish textured succulence with well-crafted oak, tannins and balancing fresh acidity all in harmonious poise, very stylish and seductive fruit quality, lovely finesse and balance. 92 

Volnay 1er Cru Chevrets, Domaine Nicolas Rossignol, £342, Lea & Sandeman
13.5
Vivid intense colour and aromatic and fragrant pinot noir fruit quality; there’s fine concentrated red berry fruits richness and intense red fruits flavours here with fine, juicy fresh acidity and supple tannins; an intense red showing classic Pinot Noir character layered with fine spicy oak and freshness. 93

Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets, Domaine Nicolas Rossignol, £453, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Vivid colour, lovely red berry fruits fragrance, fine richness and concentration of strawberry and mulberry fruit flavoured pinot noir, very intense and juicy with fine fresh acidity and balance. 93

Pommard 1er Cru, Chaponnières, Domaine Nicolas Rossignol, £399, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Vivid colour, attractive pinot red fruits fragrance, very good concentrated red berry fruits richness with lovely red cherry and strawberry flavours, fine tannins and freshness infused with light spicy oak and overall finely balanced yet with firm backbone and structure for ageing. 93

Pommard 1er Cru, Croix Noires, Domaine de Courcel, £399, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Vivid colour, fine spicy red berry fruits fragrance, lovely intense and spicy mulberry and loganberry fruit opulence underpinned by a firm, chunky tannin structure and equally a fine backbone of acidity; a classic style that should improve over the next five years plus. 93

Pommard 1er Cru, Fremiers, Domaine de Courcel, £399, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Lovely intense aromatic quality with spicy, incensey oak and intense red berry fruits flavours of mulberry and loganberry underpinned by firm tannins and lovely freshness; this shows a silkily seductive Pinot fruit quality with a real spicy infusion of oak and juicy acidity; absolutely stunning flavours and quality. 94+

Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru, Beaux Bruns, Domaine Thierry Mortet , £432, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Vivid colour, fine raspberry and mulberry pinot noir fruit quality, precision and finesse with subtle touch of oak and fresh acidity in voluptuously full-flavoured and yet elegantly styled framework of fruit. 93

Nuits-Saint-Georges, Domaine J. Confuron Cotetidot , £273, Lea & Sandeman
12.5%
Fine colour, attractive fragrance, lightly spicy, very nice red fruits pinot noir flavours, ripe, rich and seductively crafted with fine balance and very good juicy pinot fruit quality; pretty good for a village red burgundy, this will deliver pleasure in spades. 91

Nuits-Saint-Georges, 1er Cru Les Vignes Rondes, Domaine J. Confuron Cotetidot, £411, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Bright colour, very attractive fragrance, good ripe rich intense red fruit quality, very mulberry and cherry with a lovely seductive richness of flavour and true pinot noir character with, fine tannins and freshness; there's a fine balance here and very good potential for ageing that singles this out as one of the better styles from this grower. Excellent. 93

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru, Petite Chapelle Domaine J. Confuron Cotetidot , £450, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Vivid deep colour, fine fragrance, lovely true red berry fruits pinot noir fruitiness, very juicy and seductively ripe, textured fruit quality with a fine intensity of flavour, subtle oak spic and fresh juicy acidity all in a beautifully balanced, elegant framework of pinot noir fruitiness. Excellent . 93

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru, Lavaut Saint Jacques Domaine J. Confuron Cotetidot, £486, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Vivid colour, attractive pinto fruit fragrance, good intensity of fresh mulberry and loganberry fruits flavours, quite firm structured with good backbone of tannins and fresh acidity behind a wine that's quite masculine in style with lovely pinot noir fruit quality; a rare blend of elegance and structure. 93+

Over £500

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Beaux Monts, Domaine Hudelot-Noellat, £259 / 6, Flint Wines
13.5%
Bright colour, fine fragrance, lovely silky seductively textured and spicy raspberry and mulberry pinot fruit quality that’s really seductive and juicy; finely balanced, bright red fruits flavours. 92

Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, Domaine Hudelot-Noellat, £395 / 6, Flint Wines
14%
Bright colour, intense kirsch cherry and strawberry fragrance, richly concentrated red berry fraise du bois and strawberry pinot fruit, fine tension between sinewy tannins, fresh acidity with firm subtle backbone and structure for ageing. 93+

Corton, Le Rognet, Grand Cru, Maison Camille Giroud, £255 / 6, Berry Bros & Rudd
13.5%
Deep colour, smoky fragrance, firm structure and concentration, fine dark cherry richness, very seductive sweet fruit, quite oaky and modern with an almost chocolatey edge to it. 92

Pommard, Clos des Epeneaux, 1er Cru , Domaine Comte Armand, £597, Berry Bros & Rudd
13.5%
Vivid colour, perfumed scent, attractively sweetly ripe dark cherry fruit quality, very juicy and concentrated, lovely dark berry fruit richness and concentration, and seductively juicy with some backbone of tannin and acidity to support the flesh. 92

Volnay, Taillepieds, 1er Cru, Domaine De Montille, £575-£576, Berry Bros & Rudd. O,W . Loeb, , £295 / 6, Flint Wines
13%
Vivid colour, fine scented black cherry and loganberry fragrance with juicy fresh berry scent and toasted oak spice, succulent sweetly ripe and juicy dark cherry and loganberry intensity with textured, silky fruit flesh on the bones, and fine balancing fresh acidity; a seamless, effortless quality of Pinot Noir that's thoroughly seductive and carried off with great style and flair, delivering satisfying silkiness of texture, yet built for a good seven years plus ageing. 94

Gevrey-Chambertin1er Cru, Les Cazetiers Domaine Faiveley, £360 / 6, Haynes Hanson & Clark
Lovely fruit quality, intense, richly concentrated and full-flavoured, dark cherry fruit, lovely purity of pinot red berry fruit flavour, with a polished veneer of spicy oak and fine balance. 92

Volnay, Clos des Ducs, 1er Cru, Marquis d’Angerville, £725.00, Justerini & Brooks
13.5%
Bright colour, intense richly concentrated dark cherry and mulberry fruit quality, firmly structured with plenty of flesh and muscle on the bone, this is a lovely, sexy red Burgundy with intensity of flavour, juicy supple texture and fine fresh acidity; firm backbone for ageing but very well-balanced overall. 94

Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru, Champeaux, Domaine Fourrier, £285 / 6, Goedhuis

Good mid-ruby brightness, attractive fresh raspberryish fragrance, classic red berry fruits pinot noir flavours with a subtle oak veneer behind nice richness and concentration but above all a really supple-texture and lively freshness in intense and classically balanced style. 93

Volnay, Champans, 1er Cru, Marquis d’Angerville, £480.00, Justerini & Brooks
13.5%
Bright colour, fine nose, lovely perfume, toasty oak, richly fruited pinot noir with fine concentrated and juicy mulberry and strawberry fruit quality, lovely silky-textured tannins and juicy acidity with a polished veneer of toasty oak. 93

Chambolle 1er Cru, Charmes, Domaine Hudelot Noellat, £560, Goedhuis

Deep colour, attractive fresh red fruits fragrance, good depth of mulberry and raspberry rich fruit, fine polished vanilla oak, real finesse and purity of fruit withy lovely supple texture and fresh balancing acidity. Very well-made, setting a new standard for this wine it seems and living up to its name. 93+

Nuits St Georges 1er Cru, Boudots, Domaine Jean Grivot, £675, Goedhuis

Deep colour, dark cherry fragrance, very good intense seductive bright cherry and raspberry fruit quality with firm backbone for structure and yet lovely seductive tannins and fresh acidity; overall really well-balanced, very fine seductively intense fresh red Burgundy. 93

Vosne Romanée 1er Cru, Brûlées, Domaine Jean Grivot, £695, Goedhuis

Good colour, intense, concentrated pristine red fruits quality, with very firm backbone and fruit concentration and intensity; lovely fruit quality with very fine freshness and balance. 93

Vosne Romanée 1er Cru, Beaux Monts, Domaine Jean Grivot, £695, Goedhuis

Fine dense youthful colour, spicy red fruits, mulberry and cherry richness, lovely pristine red fruits purity, intensely juicy and seductively perfumed fruit quality with razor-sharp acidity and freshness. 93+

Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, Domaine Jean Grivot, £395 / 6, Goedhuis

Dense colour, very fresh and intense fruit richness, lovely intense mulberry and bright sour cherry fruit quality, intense, seductively silky and supple with excellent juicy freshness and balance. 94

Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru, Combe aux Moines, Domaine Fourrier, £285 / 6, Goedhuis, £291 / 6, Howard Ripley

Behind the fresh and intense fragrance, there’s a seductive, sweetly ripe mulberry and bright cherryish fruit quality, a really charming and yet intense Pinot Noir fruitiness that's seamlessly balanced and framed by juicy refreshing acidity, subtle spicy oak and very fine tannins; and yet despite the deceptively drinkable style, there's good backbone and potential for ageing. Lovely 93+

Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru, Cras, Domaine Ghislaine Barthod, £575, Goedhuis

Good colour, attractive mulberry fragrance, good intense red fruits quality, classic pinot style with quite firm and yet supple textured tannins and good refreshing acidity with oak nicely balanced and deceptively firm backbone for ageing. Really well-crafted pinot with elegance and style. 92+

Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru, Clos St Jacques, Domaine Fourrier, Goedhuis, £445 / 6
Fresh and bright mid-ruby hue, powerfully fragrant and intense pinot perfume with lovely succulent fraise du bois, mulberry and raspberryish pinot noir fruitiness and concentration, and yet despite the fruit richness and intensity there's lovely refreshing acidity and supple tannins, a fine balancing act between fruit and structure that should make this fine red drinkable fairly soon, evening out onto a plateau for a good 10 years. 95

Romanée St Vivant Grand Cru, £925 / 6, Domaine Hudelot Noellat, Goedhuis

Intense colour, attractive fragrance, fine quality of red fruits concentration with excellent veneer of polished spicy oak, lovely red berry fruit-rich quality, very supple and juicy textured fruit and fresh acidity; deceptive for a grand cru in that it's almost approachable now. Lovely pristine fruit quality. 93+

Vosne Romanée, Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, POA, Goedhuis

Good dense youthful ruby, quite silky textured red fruits flavours, very nice supple tannins and fresh acidity; pristine red fruits purity and elegance, typical Cathiard seductive fruit quality. 90

Echézeaux Grand Cru, Domaine Jean Grivot, £550 / 6, Goedhuis

Deep intense red ruby hue; intense, concentrated , fine red berry fruits , lovely freshness and acidity, elegantly styled red berry fruits quality, fine seamless concentration, richness and balance and yet firm stannic backbone for the long haul. 94

Vosne Romanée 1er Cru, Chaumes, Domaine Méo-Camuzet, £475 / 6, Goedhuis

Intense ruby hue, fine intense fragrance, lovely balance of red berry fruits richness and intensity of flavour, pure fruit quality, fine silky tannins and pure fresh damsony acidity; very juicy, ripe and intense; excellent fruit quality. 93

Vosne Romanée 1er Cru, Brulées, Domaine Méo-Camuzet, £1050 / 6, Goedhuis

Dense colour, intense red berry fruit concentration, pristine fruit purity, powerful richness and concentration, lovely red berry fruits fragrance, intense, silky; structured backbone for the long haul; very intense, beautifully balanced, seamlessly crafted fruit quality. 94+

Nuits St. -Georges, 1er Cru, Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, £480 / 6, O.W. Loeb, TBC, Justerini & Brooks, POA, Goedhuis
13.3%.
Intense toasty oak and berry fruit fragrance, lovely richness of dark cherry and mulberryish fruit concentration with sexy spicy oak veneer and fabulously rich fruit concentration, fine silky tannins and lovely fruit freshness; the kind of red Burgundy you'd love to show to your friends but want to drink most of yourself. A flavour that lingers. 93

Vosne Romanée 1er Cru, Reignots, Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, POA, Goedhuis

Dense youthful ruby, very nice classic red fruits fragrance, a polished touch of spicy oak, classy feel, silky textured, seductively juicy, lovely dark red fruits, mulberry and loganberry, seemingly / deceptively oh-so drinkable now but with the concentration and firm backbone for the long haul; sexy and lovely. 94

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru, aux Malconsorts, Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, £695 / 6, O.W. Loeb, Lay & Wheeler, POA, Goedhuis
13.5%
Fine colour, vivid, sexy flatteringly spicy oak, intense, seductive fragrance and loganberry and raspberry fruit quality, so silky it just slips down oh so easily, a seductive juicy young red that's almost impossible not to drink now but that would be committing a bit of a sin. Gorgeously seductive and intense and so silky in texture. 94 +

Chambolle-Musigny, Les Fuées, 1er Cru, Domaine Ghislaine Barthod, £680.00 Justerini & Brooks
13.5%
Fine nose, lovely fruit concentration, really convincing richness of dark cherry and loganberry fruit flavours here; lots of richness and concentration yet with firm tannic backbone and finesse, beautifully balanced overall; lovely classic red Burgundy built for the short to medium term and the long haul too in this instance. 93

Bonnes Mares, Domaine De La Vougeraie, £450 / 6, Berry Bros & Rudd

Fine fragrance, intense and juicy red fruits character, fine concentration, silky textured and full-flavoured, lovely seductive richness but with a silkiness of texture and fine blade of acidity that makes it so stylish. Lovely. 93

Clos de Vougeot, Grand Cru, 360 / 6, Domaine De La Vougeraie, Berry Bros & Rudd

Fine intense fragrance, powerful concentrated and intense rich full fruit flavours, lovely silky textured richness, spicy oak and cherry fruit concentration with the backbone and acidity for ageing for a good 10 years. 93

Nuits-St Georges, Aux Thorey, 1er Cru Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, £780, Berry Bros & Rudd
13.2%
Fine nose, lovely ripe sweet cherryish fruit quality, intense raspberries and red fruits flavours, really silky with a polished veneer of lightly toffee-rich oak and lovely seductively juicy acidity. 92+

Nuits-St Georges 1er Cru, Les Pruliers, Domaine Jean Grivot, £318 / 6, Howard Ripley, £360 / 6, Berry Bros & Rudd
13.1%
Vivid bright colour, lovely intense, cherryish pinot noir, very true and classic fine red berry fruit, spice and freshness with firm tannin and acid structure; almost intellectual in style and yet delivering pleasure with its finesse. 92+

Clos de Vougeot, Grand Cru, Domaine Jean Grivot, £396 / 6, Howard Ripley, £450 / 6, Berry Bros & Rudd
13.3%
With its vivid bright ruby hue and fine fragrance, this is a truly intense and immensely concentrated dark cherry and loganberryish Pinot Noir, with a real vivacity to it, as if minerality and terroir are the guiding lights behind this wine. It has all the red fruits hallmarks of seductive Pinot Noir, and a deft touch of spicy oak, but there's more, a seductive concentrated flesh on the bone that's intense and alive; with seamless balance and mineral intensity; a classic style in a non-classic vintage. 95

Chambolle-Musigny, Les Baudes, 1er Cru Domaine Ghislaine Barthod, £315 / 6, Berry Bros & Rudd
13%
Fine classic red fruits ripeness with fresh acidity and fine tannins, very juicy and seductive red, living up to its Chambolle name and yet retaining a classicism that many others haven't always managed. 92

Latricières-Chambertin, Grand Cru, Domaine Rossignol-Trapet, £366 / 6, Berry Bros & Rudd
13.2%
Rather lovely wine, very silky tannin, fragrant freshness, fine cherry fruit pinot rich sweetness on the palate, intensely juicy and ripe without being overpowering or concentrated in any way, lovely silky texture and freshness and fine overall balance with sub-threshold spicy oak veneer. 93

Le Chambertin, Grand Cru, Domaine Rossignol-Trapet, £540 / 6, Berry Bros & Rudd
13.%
Vivid colour, darker red and black fruits fragrance, with sexy oak veneer, tighter structure and backbone, intense fruit flavours, lovely finesse and balance, fragrant fruit quality, very juicy and intense, lovely intensity and yet subtle at the same time. 93

Chapelle-Chambertin, Grand Cru, £450 / 6, Domaine Pierre Damoy, Flint Wines

Deep dense colour, lots of sexy oak, intense and concentrated dark fruits flavours, lovely purity and although quite oaky in sexy vein, there's enough fruit richness and concentration to see off the oak in the long term. Impressive. 92+

Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Grand Cru, £545 / 6, Domaine Pierre Damoy, Flint Wines
13%
Deep dense ruby hue, powerfully aromatic, intense, rich concentrated modern style showing lots of dark loganberry and black cherry fruit with a lift of damsony acidity and a subtle framework of oak, lovely silky textured tannins and fresh balancing acidity. 94

Charmes-Chambertin, Domaine Geantet-Pansiot, £390 / 6, Howard Ripley
13%
Vivid dark colour, intensely aromatic, dark berry fruits scented, seductively juicy intense dark berry fruits quality, mulberry and loganberry richness and intensity of flavour, taut and tense structure, with a seamless purity of flavour and textural quality finishing fresh, vivid and intense. Serious red burgundy that will change, and last. 94

Volnay 1er Cru Champans, Domaine de Montille, £535, O.W. Loeb
13%
Fine colour, fine intense fragrance combing spicy vanillin oak and red berry fruits, with raspberry and red cherry on the palate infused with spice and backed by good firm grip and balancing freshness all in a silk-woven framework . A wine of real finesse and style. 94

Pommard, Pézérolles, 1er Cru , Domaine De Montille, £535, O.W. Loeb, £540, Berry Bros & Rudd
13%
Smoky kirsch cherry and raspberry fragrance, lovely seductive pinot dark berry frits richness with very silky, seductive texture and fine incisive acidity; a thoroughly irresistible stylish pinot noir that pleases from the moment it’s out of the traps and has the deceptive structure, polished oak and backbone to go on for a good few years yet. Nothing not to love here. 94

Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Domaine Arlaud, £540, O.W. Loeb
13.5%
Deep vivid colour, fine dark berry fruits fragrance of mulberry and loganberry, lovely classic grand cru concentration and richness with super-succulent tannins and freshness, and a real voluptuous opulence of red berry fruit that makes this utterly moreish and seductive, and, while not cheap, it’s actually pretty good value for a grand cru. 93

Corton Renardes Grand Cru, (négoce) Thibault Liger-Belair, £286 / 6, O.W. Loeb
13.5%
Deep intense colour, very bright, fine perfume, richly concentrated and intense dark berry fruits quality; powerful dark loganberry and plum richness and intensity of flavour; immensely seductive dark berry fruits intensity with lovely succulence and actually not a bad price for grand cru. 93

Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru Domaine des Lambrays, £850, Goedhuis, £425 / 6, Haynes Hanson & Clark, £885, O.W. Loeb
13.5%
Vivid colour and uniquely classic Lambrays fragrance with mulberry fruit and a particular spicy and smoky quality, an almost cola-spice-like character on the nose and palate, instantly identifiable as Lambrays, this mulberryish beauty is concentrated, delicious and intense, with a pure sweetly ripe red fruits character, firmness of backbone and a mineral finish that will ensure lengthy ageing. 93+

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru En Orveaux, Sylvain Cathiard, TBC, Lay & Wheeler
13.5%
Fine colour, lovely nose, very sexy with smoky oak and red fruits and equally on palate intense toasty oak and raspberry / mulberry fruit juiciness with real silkiness of texture and intensity of flavour, all beautifully gift-wrapped in silky tannins and freshness. 94

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts, Sylvain Cathiard, TBC, Lay & Wheeler
13.5%
Fragrant fruit, intense and firm, lovely intense red fruits quality, classic fruit quality, fine purity of flavour and intensity, very juicy and seductive and yet sinewy and firm with a mineral quality that reflects its terroir. 92+

Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, Maison Roche de Bellène, £490 - £540, Lay & Wheeler
13.5%
Vivid colour, fine spicy nose, intense and concentrated spicy cinnamon oak and lovely juicy red cherry and mulberry fruit concentration; seductive, intense fruit flavours, fine oak, tannins and acidity all beautifully poised in a seriously seductive red that's almost approachable now but should guarantee pleasure for 10 years plus. 94

Pommard 1er Cru Rugiens Domaine de Courcel, £588, Lea & Sandeman, £288 / 6, Howard Ripley
13.5%
Vivid colour, fine fragrance, intense red berry fruits flavours and really seductively intense juicy loganberryish fruits quality, backed by firm tannic backbone, fine freshness and mineral sense of place ; a thoroughly well-crafted pinot noir with a seductive fruit opulence and character. Rather gorgeous. What's not to like? 93

Échézeaux Grand Cru, Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg, £828, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Vivid ruby hue and classic red berry fragrance lead into a seductively ripe and opulently concentrated intense loganberry and cherry fruity Pinot Noir in a stylish framework of very fine-boned tannins and fresh acidity; a powerful and polished full-flavoured red Burgundy that's destined to improve over the coming decade thanks to its firm backbone and absolutely gorgeous fruit. 94

Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru, Derrière la Grange Domaine J. Confuron Cotetidot , £531, Lea & Sandeman
13%
Good vivid deep colour, fine intense spicy fragrance, lovely intense, concentrated red berry fruits pinot noir with loads of mulberry and loganberry fruit flavours, firm tannic backbone and fresh acidity supporting the fleshy red fruits characters; fine classic style of red Burgundy with lovely intensity of pinot noir character, flavour and structure. A wine that should improve over the decade, or longer. 93

Clos de Vougeot Le Grand Maupertui Grand Cru, Domaine Anne Gros, TBC, Lea & Sandeman
13.5%
Deep vivid colour, fine intense fragrance of fruit and spicy oak, intense and concentrated, beautifully proportioned fruit, oak spice, tannins and acidity; stylish and intensely flavoured pinot noir with silky texture and real character and sense of place; lovely seductive pinot noir fruits quality. 94

WINE MERCHANTS

Here is a list of wine merchants offering 2009 Burgundy en primeur. I have asterisked the wines whose tastings I attended.

The January tastings were based on samples brought over from France by producers and / or wine merchants. Not all the samples were fresh, which meant some of the wines were difficult to taste.

Some of the wines are already bottled, others are still cask samples that remain to be bottled. In the case of wines still in tank or case, there may be work still to be carried out to the as yet unfinished wines. It’s not always possible to determine just how different they’ll taste, if at all, once in bottle.

Prices are generally in bond, which means that VAT at 20%, or the going rate at the time of delivery, will need to be added, along with excise duty and any delivery charges. Delivery should be available shortly for wines already in bottle but could be up to a year or longer for those wines that have yet to be bottled.

Some prices are expressed as POA (price on application) or TBC (to be confirmed) while others, like Lay & Wheeler’s, show a band width of prices, and some don’t even have prices. It’s all in the nature of the beast we know and love, or don’t, as Burgundy, I’m afraid.

I’ve put down stockists for the merchants whose tastings I attended. Some will have run out, some should still have decent stocks, especially the likes of The Wine Society and Laithwaites for instance, who have only recently put out their offers.

There is always considerable overlap in the trade however, so it’s well worth looking at other merchants’ offers in the case of wines you’re really interested in. Also worth looking at cases of six, or sharing a case with a friend or friends if you don’t want to put all your eggs in one basket.

I have included alcohol levels where possible but with so many mock-up sample labels and the like it’s not always possible.

*Armit
http://www.armit.co.uk/burgundy2009.aspx

* Berry Bros. & Rudd
http://www.bbr.com/fine-wine/burgundy-2009

Bibendum
http://www.bibendum-wine.co.uk/retail/en-primeur

Bordeaux Index
http://www.bordeauxindex.com

Corney & Barrow
http://www.corneyandbarrow.com/s-89-burgundy-2009-en-primeur-wines-corne...?

Edward Parker
http://www.edwardparkerwines.co.uk/pdf/EPW-Cat-2011.pdf

* Flint Wines
http://www.flintwines.com/2009%20Burgundy%20Offer.pdf

Genesis
http://www.genesiswines.com/en-primeur/2009/burgundy-2009-en-primeur/

* Goedhuis
http://www.goedhuis.com

Handford
http://www.handford.net

* Haynes Hanson & Clark
http://www.hhandc.co.uk/viewoffer.php?id=89