The full tasting notes for red and white wines - by Margaret Rand
THE WHITES
Domaine Clos des Rocs, Macon Loche 2009
(GOOD VALUE CHOICE) Nice crisp acidity and nutty fruit, a note of sour milk; very appealing. It’s well structured and has personality, too, and balance, and a fine mineral texture. Drink 2011-8. (17 points)
£85/case (in bond)
Flint Wines, London (020 8777 4737)
Dominique Lafon, Saint-Veran 2009
(GOOD VALUE CHOICE) A generously spicy and oaky wine, very seductive and enveloping. Excellent balance, too. Drink 2011-7. (16.5 points)
£138/case (in bond)
Berry Bros & Rudd, London SW1 (0870 900 4300)
Bret Brothers, En Carementrant, Pouilly-Fuisse 2009
A lovely balance of elegance and lushness, with peach and quince fruit and a mineral streak, very enjoyable. A big finish. Drink 2011-8. (16.5 points)
£189/case (in bond)
Berry Bros & Rudd, London SW1 (0870 900 4300)
Domaine A et P de Villaine, Les Saint-Jacques, Rully 2009
Sour milk and minerality: a structured, precise wine with a big finish. Drink 2011-7. (16.5 points)
£165/case (in bond)
Corney & Barrow, London (0207 265 2430)
Domaine Chataigneraie-Laborier, La Roche, Pouilly-Fuisse 2009
(GOOD VALUE CHOICE) Peach and orange-zest fruit and some oak: an intense, vivid wine with a mineral finish. Drink 2011-7. (16.5 points)
£145/case (in bond)
Flint Wines, London (020 8777 4737)
Olivier Merlin, Clos des Quarts, Pouilly-Fuisse 2009
A very modern, lush, sumptuous wine with a tight core. Drink 2011-8. (16.5 points)
£186/case (in bond)
Berry Bros & Rudd, London SW1 (0870 900 4300)
Jean Rijckaert, La Roche, Vieilles Vignes, Pouilly-Fuisse 2009
Creamy, nutty wine, sleek and rich with puppy-fat over a fine bone structure. Drink 2011-7. (16 points)
£168/case (in bond)
Clarion Wines (020 8747 2069)
Domaine A et P de Villaine, Bouzeron 2009
Hay and sour cream fruit, chalky and ripe; a detailed wine with pretty fruit. Drink 2011-6. (16 points)
£125/case (in bond)
Corney & Barrow, London (0207 265 2430)
Les Heritiers du Comte Lafon, Clos du Four, Macon-Milly-Lamartine 2009
Milly Lamartine always sounds like a French night-club singer, and this is indeed vivid and opulent. It has ripe quince fruit, notes of smoke and cream and a big, powerful finish. Drink 2011-8. (17 points)
£156/case (in bond)
Berry Bros & Rudd, London SW1 (0870 900 4300)
Olivier Merlin, le Grand Bussiere, Saint-Veran 2009
Quite a bit of oak; a sturdy, ripe wine with a slight skinsy note on the finish. Drink 2011-7. (16 points)
£174/case (in bond)
Berry Bros & Rudd, London SW1 (0870 900 4300)
Domaine de la Croix Senaillet, les Buis, Saint-Veran 2009
Mineral and closed; a promising wine, restrained, very long, with lovely balance. Tightly knit, with a good texture. Serious wine. Drink 2011-8. (16.5 points)
£95/case (in bond)
OW Loeb & Co, London SE1 (020 7234 0385)
Chateau Fuisse, le Clos, Pouilly-Fuisse 2009
A lot of oak: it dominates at the moment, but the finish is good, powerful and vigorous. It’s a bit Kevin the teenager-ish at the moment. Drink 2011-9. (16 points)
£220/case (in bond)
OW Loeb & Co, London SE1 (020 7234 0385)
Domaine de la Croix Senaillet, En Pommards, Saint-Veran 2009
(GOOD VALUE CHOICE) Spicy and rather exotic, but with a tight core keeping everything under control. A tightly wound wine; powerful, with lovely balance, and a powerful finish. Drink 2011-9. (17 points)
£95/case (in bond)
OW Loeb & Co, London SE1 (020 7234 0385)
Les Heretiers du Comte Lafon, Clos de la Crochette, Macon-Chardonnay 2009
Very nice chalky, creamy wine with good concentration, very nice texture and enlivening acidity. Drink 2011-6. (16.5 points)
£138/case (in bond)
Berry Bros & Rudd, London SW1 (0870 900 4300)
Celine & Vincent Dureuil-Janthial, les Raclots, Vieilles Vignes, Rully 1er Cru 2009
(GOOD VALUE CHOICE) Nutty and mineral; very terroir-driven. Pure and complex; a fascinating wine with a big finish. Drink 2011-8. (17 points)
£135/case (in bond)
OW Loeb & Co, London SE1 (020 7234 0385)
Domaine de la Croix Senaillet, Saint-Veran 2009
Bright, vibrant, balanced; tight and closed now, but with considerable depth lying in wait. A very promising wine. Drink 2011-7. (16 points)
£79/case (in bond)
OW Loeb & Co, London SE1 (020 7234 0385)
Chateau Fuisse, Vieilles Vignes, Pouilly-Fuisse 2009
A powerful wine; a touch raw on the day of tasting, but characterful, if adolescent. A good finish and plenty of fruit and minerality. It will sort itself out. Drink 2011-9. (16.5 points)
£239/case (in bond)
OW Loeb & Co, London SE1 (020 7234 0385)
Olivier Merlin, Vieilles Vignes, Macon-la Roche Vineuse 2009
Soft, ripe and rich, with some nice minerality and a good long, generous finish. Drink 2011-6. (16 points)
£111/case (in bond)
Berry Bros & Rudd, London SW1 (0870 900 4300)
Domaine Tupinier-Bautista, En Sazenay, Mercurey 1er Cru Blanc 2009
Vegetal fruit, very expressive and mineral, with a big finish. A distinctive wine with a real sense of place. Drink 2011-8. (16.5 points)
£136/case (in bond)
OW Loeb & Co, London SE1 (020 7234 0385)
Bret Brothers, les Quarts, Pouilly-Vinzelles 2009
Quite powerful and structured; this takes ripeness to the edge. But it stays just in balance, with the richness kept in check by acidity. Drink 2011-7. (16.5 points)
£198/case (in bond)
Berry Bros & Rudd, London SW1 (0870 900 4300)
Domaine Vincent Dureuil-Janthial, Rully Maizieres Blanc 2009
(GOOD VALUE CHOICE) Oaky and smoky, powerful, very nutty; complex and rich. Quite showy, but good balance and very Burgundian. Drink 2011-8. (16.5 points)
£129/case (in bond)
OW Loeb & Co, London SE1 (020 7234 0385)
Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot, les Raclots, Rully 1er Cru 2009
Lean, tight, firm, promises very well, with mineral streaks and sumptuous fruit. Drink 2011-8. (16 points)
£145/case (in bond)
Goedhuis, London SW8 (020 7793 7900)
Bret Brothers, Cuvee Terroirs du Maconnais, Macon-Villages 2009
Cream with a mineral backbone, lush and ripe, with good fresh acidity and a long finish. Drink 2011-6. (16 points)
£90/case (in bond)
Berry Bros & Rudd, London SW1 (0870 900 4300)
Celine & Vincent Dureuil-Janthial, Montpalais, Rully 1er Cru 2009
(GOOD VALUE CHOICE) Much tighter, more restrained; a subtle wine with a big, flavoursome, expansive finish that promises very well. Very good and very long. Drink 2011-8. (17 points)
£129/case (in bond)
OW Loeb & Co, London SE1 (020 7234 0385)
THE REDS
Celine & Vincent Dureuil-Janthial, Clos de Montagus, Mercurey 1er Cru 2009
(GOOD VALUE CHOICE) Tight and complex, with cherry and strawberry fruit, pure and vibrant, spicy, and with very, very good length. Lovely fresh wine, very sleek and confident. Drink 2012-9. (17.5 points)
£149/case (in bond)
OW Loeb & Co, London SE1 (020 7234 0385)
Domaine Tupinier-Bautista, En Sazenay, Mercurey 1er Cru Rouge 2009
Bright and perfumed, very pretty and subtle; spicy, vibrant and very fresh, and very long. Very appetising and moreish. Drink 2011-8. (16.5 points)
£130/case (in bond)
OW Loeb & Co, London SE1 (020 7234 0385)
Domaine Jean-Pierre Charton, Naugues, Mercurey 1er Cru 2009
Ripe, with a lovely balance of bright fruit and opulence; very fresh. Drink 2011-7. (16 points)
£175/case (in bond)
Goedhuis, London SW8 (020 7793 7900)
Domaine Laurent Mouton, Grand Pretans, Givry 1er Cru 2009
Lovely bright fruit and supple tannins, very confident, and with the alcohol nicely wrapped into the wine. Drink 2011-8. (16.5 points)
£165/case of 12 (in bond)
Genesis Wines, London SW1 (020 7963 9060)
Celine & Vincent Dureuil-Janthial, Champs Cloux, Rully 1er Cru 2009
A leaner, more backward wine, very distinctive and characterful, mineral notes, and a big, powerful finish. Drink 2012-9. (17 points)
£132/case (in bond)
OW Loeb & Co, London SE1 (020 7234 0385)
Domaine Vincent Dureuil-Janthial, Rully Maizieres Rouge 2009
Juicy, berried, cherry fruit, very appetising, fresh, ripe and aromatic. Lovely elegant, pure burgundy. Drink 2011-8. (16.5 points)
£125/case (in bond)
OW Loeb & Co, London SE1 (020 7234 0385)
Domaine A et P de Villaine, Les Montots, Mercurey 2009
A red with fine, detailed fruit, nice balance, tight with a big finish, powerful and expansive. Drink 2011-8. (16.5 points)
£180/case (in bond)
Corney & Barrow, London (0207 265 2430)
Domaine Laurent Mouton, Clos Jus, Givry 1er Cru 2009
Juicy and ripe, with even a slight touch of alcohol showing on the finish; plummy fruit and very enjoyable, with good texture. Drink 2011-8. (16 points)
£130/case (in bond)
Genesis Wines, London SW1 (020 7963 9060)
Domaine Vincent Dureuil-Janthial, Rully Rouge 2009
Sleek, almost honeyed fruit, fresh and herbal. Lovely moreish, characterful, vibrant wine, with a big, savoury finish. Drink 2012-9. (16.5 points)
£145/case (in bond)
OW Loeb & Co, London SE1 (020 7234 0385)
Domaine Jean-Pierre Charton, Clos du Roi, Mercurey 1er Cru 2009
(GOOD VALUE CHOICE) Lovely bright fruit with some spice and grip; a thoroughly enjoyable, spicy, brisk wine. Drink 2011-7. (16.5 points)
£150/case (in bond)
Goedhuis, London SW8 (020 7793 7900)
Domaine Faiveley, Champs Fulliots, Monthelie 1er Cru 2009
Distinctly coconut nose: Bernard Hervet of Faiveley points out that it may seem oaky now but it has yet to finish its élevage. It’s a substantial wine with rich, ripe tannins; supple, with a sturdy backbone. Drink 2013-20. (15.5 points)
£165.50/case (in bond)
Haynes, Hanson & Clark, Gloucestershire (01451 870808) or London (020 7259 0102)
Domaine Stephane Aladame, Decouverte, Montagny 1er 2009
(GOOD VALUE CHOICE) Good acidity, a bracing finish to a crisp, stony, ripe, sleek wine; very appealing, very clean and direct, pure. Drink 2011-8. (17 points)
£105/case (in bond)
OW Loeb & Co, London SE1 (020 7234 0385)
Written by Margaret Rand
