The other day I tutored a tasting of seven Burgundy Premiers Crus for the Harrogate Medical Wine Society. After a glass of well-chilled Hunter’s Sauvignon Blanc, we started the tasting with the only chardonnay of the evening, Saint Aubin Premier Cru Sur Gamay 2002 from the Nuits-Saint-Georges negociant Jean-Claude Boisset. The Sur Gamay vineyard is situated in the hills above the pretty little village of Saint Aubin at an altitude of about 350 metres, just past the hamlet of Gamay. The wine, deep yellow in colour and may be, just starting its down hill journey, was perfumed and satisfying. The Gevrey-Chambertin Corbeaux, Domaine Denis Bachelet 2004 that followed, despite Bachelet’s excellent cellar practices (low yields, complete destemming of fruit, cold maceration, long lees contact and hand bottling without filtration) was less pleasing with leafy top notes and a rather rustic finish. Nuits-Saint-Georges Damodes, Domaine Jean Chauvenet 2004 was a typical northern Nuits with good black fruit and a rounded palate. Volnay Brouillards of the hot 2003 vintage from Domaine Louis Boillot was the most pleasing wine of the evening with perfumed soft fruit and a long finish.  Chambolle-Musigny Charmes, Louis Boillot 2002 was elegant with great length of flavour. Normally robust and meaty Pommard Pezerolles 2004 from Domaine de Montille was silky and elegant in the understated Montille style.

Vosne-Romanee

Francois Lamarche’s 2006 Vosne-Romanee from the great Malconsorts Premier Cru adjoining La Tache had immense purity and showed its breeding.