Burgundy 2007 – our tasting notes

The Decanter tasting team (Christelle Guibert and Mark O'Halleron) recommend top wines from the Burgundy 2007 tastings. Back to the 2007 Burgundy page

NB – Prices In Bond and for 12 bottles. Ratings out of 5 stars.

Whites:

Domaine Patrick Javillier, Cuvée Oligocène, Bourgogne Blanc (4 stars)

Full of vibrant fruit with some creamy oak characters. This wine has a beautiful natural acidity with a creamy texture, round and well balanced with excellent fruit intensity on the finish. Next 3 years.

£138; Corney &amp Barrow

Héritiers du Comte Lafon, Mâcon-Milly-Lamartine, Clos du Four (4 stars)

This Macon has an impressive minerality with a fresh zestiness. The palate is rich with some fruit concentration and creamy characters; good purity on the finish. This is a great value wine to enjoy within the next year or so.

£144; Berry Bros. & Rudd

Olivier Merlin, Les Cras, Mâcon-La Roche Vineuse (4 stars)

This wine has a wonderful purity of fruit with minerality. Beautiful natural acidity with an elegant structure, a very refine wine to enjoy in a year or so.

£162; Berry Bros. & Rudd

Bret Brothers, Domaine de la Soufrandière, Les Quarts, Pouilly-Vinzelles (4 stars)

Probably from one of the dynamic négociant, this cuvée is made using its own grapes. Lovely purity on the nose with aromas of crisp apple and white peach. Balanced plate with good weight and a persistent finish. Enjoy within the next 2 years.

£198; Berry Bros. & Rudd

Domaine Hubert Lamy, St-Aubin 1^er Cru, Les Frionnes (4 stars)

From an appellation that is a constant source of strong wines at extremely accessible prices, this 1^er Cru has a smoky, flinty aspect to the nose. That minerality is replicated in a cool and clean manner on the palate, which also displays firmly edged, clean fruit.

£210; Lay & Wheeler

Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard, Chassagne-Montrachet (4 stars)

Pure citrus cordial aromas giving plenty of zing. This is quite a nervy Chassagne although shows lovely depth and breadth underneath, and a long, crisp finish.

£237; Lay & Wheeler

Maison Albert Bichot, Clos des Mouches, Beaune 1^er Cru (4 stars)

From the famous Clos des Mouches vineyard, this 1er Cru exhibits ripe fruit aromas with creaminess. The palate is well-balanced with attractive weight and richness on the mid-palate. Drink now

Price to follow

Domaine Henri Darnat, Puligny Montrachet (4 stars)

The wine displays some fresh green apple and citrus aromas with some minerality. The palate is rich with good structure and the oak is well-integrated. Elegant finish. (2010 – 2012)

£235; Corney &amp Barrow

Château de Puligny-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet (4 stars)

Made by Etienne de Montille, the wine displays beautiful minerality with crisp apple. Very elegant intensity on the palate with weight and natural acidity, purity of fruit on the finish. A fine example of Puligny. From 2010

£324; Berry Bros. & Rudd

Domaine Matrot, Meursault (4 stars)

Lots of minerality on the nose with notes of apple and grapefruit. The palate is complex with some rich nutty characters, good weight with layers; very harmonious wine which needs time to develop (from 2010 – 2012)

£255; Corney &amp Barrow

Jean-Yves Devevey, les Vireuils, Meursault (4 stars)

This wine combines elegance with some minerality. Fleshy palate with layers of fruit supported by the oak characters, harmonious but will soften up with time. From 2010

£210; Berry Bros. & Rudd

Domaine Louis Carillon, Puligny Montrachet (4 stars)

A producer that comfortably resides among the top echelon of Burgundy producers, this Puligny from Carillon is a delicate, feminine wine. Still tightly would at the moment, it is nevertheless an extremely perfumed, seductive wine and will no doubt become more charming with a bit of age.

£240; Lay & Wheeler

Domaine Darviot-Perrin, Meursault, Les Tessons (4 stars)

Still showing plenty of youthful vigour and guts, there’s an underlying creaminess to the nicely defined citrus and apple fruit. Well balanced, this sits very nicely on the palate.

£297-350; Armit, Lay & Wheeler

Mischief & Mayhem, Puligny Montrachet (4 stars)

This is a polished, very nicely done Puligny. It shows off finely edged, brisk minerality, ably supported by a good level of succulent, attractive fruit.

£155 (6 bottles); Armit

Domaine de Montille, Beaune 1^er Cru Les Aigrots (4 stars)

Very classy, sleek and alluring, with, again, seriously defined minerality and quite lovely purity of fruit. Clean as a whistle.

£327; Lay & Wheeler

Domaine Fontaine Gagnard, Chassagne Montrachet, 1^er Cru Caillerets (4 stars)

Firmly mineral with similarly noticeable nutty/almond overtones and an almost savoury streak. This is tightly packaged with a solid mouthfeel and crystal clear purity.

£360; Armit

Nicolas Potel, Meursault 1er Cru Genevrières (4 stars)

The nose is a fine dovetailing of early morning smoke and generous fruit that holds slight tropical nuances. The palate displays grace, delicacy and is linear, mineral and yet soft – an iron fist in a velvet glove. Pretty lovely.

£400; Armit

Domaine Laurent Gognard, Montagny 1^er Cru, Bassets (3 stars)

Montagny reaffirms its good value credentials with this bright, lemony and mineral wine that shows plenty of definition and raciness. This is pure and generously flavoured.

£144; Lay & Wheeler

Domaine Simon Bize, Savigny Les Beaune Blanc (3 stars)

Crisp, citrus with some whiffs of underlying nuttiness. Exceptionally brisk and forceful, there are many who will love its raciness and happily dive in today, however some purists may want to hold back for a year or two.

£200; Armit

Etienne Sauzet, Puligny Montrachet (3 stars)

Bottled just before Christmas, the grapes for this were sourced from several different plots around Puligny Montrachet, in mind of producing a wine that gives a good expression of the village. It is a graceful, restrained offering, showing very nicely with its accessible but defined fruit.

£297; Lay & Wheeler

Reds

Domaine Robert Arnoux, Nuits-St-Georges, 1^er Cru Clos des Corvées Pagets (4 stars)

Full and fleshy, silkily textured and flowing with succulent, open, youthful fruit. Seductive and clearly showing very well right now, but also boasts the structure to suggest it will come through the inevitable dumb period that awaits.

£258 (6 bottles); Lay & Wheeler

Domaine Comte Armand, Pommard 1^er Cru, Clos des Epéneaux (4 stars)

Red fruit jus and lovely sprinklings of sweet spice combine to very good effect here. It’s young and taut, of course, but shows plenty of character and potential within its solid walls.

£267 (6 bottles); Lay & Wheeler

Domaine Alain Michelot, Nuits-St-Georges, 1^er Cru Chaignots (4 stars)

Another highly approachable Nuits-St-Georges with soft and relatively lush fruit on show, and a velvety, broad texture. However, like the Arnoux, this clearly isn’t simply an overt, hollow showpiece, but something certainly far more substantial.

£324; Lay & Wheeler

Domaine des Croix, Beaune (4 stars)

This is a blend of 3 different vineyards in Beaune; the wine displays elegant red fruit with notes of raspberry. Fine structure on the palate with a natural acidity and good purity of fruit. A good value wine to enjoy in the next 3 years.

£150; Berry Bros. & Rudd

Domaine David Clark, Côte de Nuits Villages (4 stars)

The wine displays vibrant red fruit with. The palate, pure and intense, offers some wild berry fruit and a fine balance, a very harmonious wine. From 2010

£150; Berry Bros. & Rudd

Patrice Rion, Chambolle Musigny 1^er Cru les Cras (4 stars)

This 1er cru combines lively red fruit with some spiciness. Elegant structure with some fresh berry characters and attractive weight on the finish. From 2010

£282; Berry Bros. & Rudd

Domaine du Comte Armand, Volnay (4 stars)

Beautiful purity of fruit with aromas of cherry and strawberry. Elegant complexity with fine tannin structure, a wine with a lot of charm; from 2010

£198; Berry Bros. & Rudd

Domaine Marquis d’Angerville, Volnay 1^er Cru Frémiets (4 stars)

Beautiful perfume on the nose with aromas of strawberry and summer pudding. The structure is very elegant but with firm tannins, very pure summer fruit characters with a fine minerality. From 2012

£350; Corney &amp Barrow

Benjamin Leroux, Gevrey Chambertin (4 stars)

While still running the Domaine du Comte Arnaud, the talented Benjamin Leroux has just set up his negociant business and this is his 1st vintage. Attractive perfume on the nose with notes of wild berry and raspberry. Ripe and expressive on the palate with a crisp acidity and soft tannins. From 2010

£240: Berry Bros. & Rudd

Domaine Rossignol Trapet, Gevrey Chambertin 1^er Cru Petite Chapelle (4 stars)

Lovely combination of red fruit and spice with minerality. Elegant red fruit characters on the palate with ripe tannin and toasted oak. Needs time to develop (from 2011)

£340; Corney &amp Barrow

Maison Nicolas Potel, Gevrey Chambertin 1^er Cru Cazetiers (4 stars)

Nicolas Potel is one of the leading négociant in Burgundy; this 1er Cru exhibits pure strawberry fruits. Natural acidity on the palate with a purity of red fruit with fine tannins and complexity. From 2012

£360; Berry Bros. & Rudd

Domaine de l’Arlot, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1^er Cru les Petits Plets (4 stars)

Some spicy aromas on the nose with hint of earthiness. Firm palate with a natural acidity supported by a purity of fruit and well-integrated oak on the finish. From 2010

£255; Corney &amp Barrow

Thibault Liger-Belair, Vosne-Romanée, Aux Réas (4 stars)

Lovely combination of wild berry and spice. The palate has a fine structure with well-integrated tannins; vibrant bright red fruits dominate the palate. From 2012

£348; Berry Bros. & Rudd

Domaine Jean Grivot, Vosne-Romanée (4 stars)

Elegant perfume on the nose with fresh berry and strawberry notes. Elegant acidity with a fine tannic structure, some complex red fruit characters on the finish.

£270; Berry Bros. & Rudd

Nicolas Potel, Chambolle Musigny, 1^er Cru Greunchers (3 stars)

Another red that is enjoying its youth to the full and is therefore rather showy. There’s an inviting texture to it, though, and a nice bit of grip, finished off by a poised, savoury, and very clean finish

£365; Armit

Domaine Taupenot Merme, Morey Saint Denis (3 stars)

Constructed with delightfully pure, Pinot fruit, this will quite possibly never provide you with one of your seminal moments in wine, but has in its armoury attractive, soft fruit and a few years yet in front of it.

£265; Armit

Domaine Robert Arnoux, Chambolle Musigny (3 stars)

Vibrant and vital wine with a nose of cherry cake and lightly spiced brambly fruit. This is a slick effort with a fluid palate of pure and pretty fruit, plus further nuances that mirror the nose.

370; Armit

Domaine Darviot-Perrin, Volnay 1^er Cru, Les Santenots (3 stars)

Evocative of freshly turned earth and clay, this is blessed with highly perfumed, pure fruit and sits very nicely in the mouth, with pleasing evolution on the palate despite its adolescence.

£240; Lay & Wheeler

Domaine Jean-Marc et Hughes Pavelot, Savigny-lès-Beaune, 1^er Cru La Dominode (3 stars)

Juicy and concentrated cherry-led nose with darker, soily trimmings. This wine is light, certainly feminine in nature, and holds more concentrated, attractive fruit on the palate

£126 (6 bottles); Lay & Wheeler

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