Burgundy 2016 – Ca–Ci

Cask sample. Mid to deep crimson. Fresh, fragrant dark-red fruit. Raspberry freshness. Good balance here: there’s plenty of fruit but it’s not overly sweet, and the tannins are dry and fine. Savoury, dark-fruited finish but juicy too. (JH)

Cask sample. Deepish crimson. A little sweeter smelling than the Raviolles, with a touch of vanilla oak. This is gentle and rounded on the palate and still has fruit depth and a long fresh finish. Very good harmony and persistence and although the tannins are smooth, it will benefit from bottle age. (JH)

Cask sample. Mid crimson. More lifted and with a tarter red-fruit character than on the Vosne Les Ormes. Tangy little red berries on the nose then a real thwack of oak on the palate making it a bit tough on the finish, the acid seems to harden the tannins. Not sure I would want to pay this price even if it is the going rate, though I am sure time will soften the wine if not the price. (JH)

Fined 10 days ago.
Tank sample. Clean and only slightly lean on the nose. Pretty tart on the palate. Crisp and enlivening. Clean and a little grainy on the end. Brisk. (JR)

Tank sample. Very crisp nose without much generosity of fruit. A bit hard on the end. (JR)

Third vintage. 30% is declassified fruit from young vines in Puligny.
Tank sample. Rather more bottom and breadth than the regular Bourgogne Chardonnay. Should open out into a good-value bottle. (JR)

Tank sample. Crisp, well-defined fruit on the palate and quite sturdy and grainy. Forward. Very citrus and bright fruited with the lightest of bitter notes on the end. (JR)

Tank sample. Much deeper and more intense than the Vieux Clos. A real line and tension here. Rather hidden and restrained but convincing. Good balance between fruit and acidity. Lots to chew on. Long. (JR)

Tank sample. Cruchy, nutty fruit with immediate appeal on the nose. Hint of putty on the palate and real juicy lime flavours. Very open and charming. (JR)

Third vintage. Just behind the domaine. Deep soils.
Tank sample. Very distinctive. Solid and deep flavoured though not that much finesse. Lots to chew on. Early developing. Broad. Because it’s so different they seek freshness specifically in this wine. (JR)

0.5 ha next to Coche. Hard to work soil – almost like concrete. Mainly 50-year-old vines.
Tank sample. Intense and vibrant nose. Stones and pretty ripe fruit combined. Very solid effort but one that could be broached fairly early. Long. (JR)

Tank sample. Very evolved nose – strange acetone effect – and then a lack of focus on the palate. Unusual. (JR)

Tank sample. Lots of restrained chalkiness on the nose. Refinement. Real raciness. Polished texture and pronounced definition. Neat. (JR)

Bought recently. Red soils that are pretty powerful with big stones. 25% slope.
Tank sample. Strongly floral nose. Bright and easy. Crunchy texture. Not the most intense but quite showy. Some sweetness here. Lots of drama and pizazz. (JR)

Tank sample. Pale straw. Light as air, lots of chewy texture and raciness. Bone dry and rather noble. Minerals and citrus. Dense. (JR)

25% new oak, which leaves a little spicy note, thanks to the cooper Raymond, according to winemaker Thomas Pascal.
Tank sample. Rather creamy and a little lower in acidity than Les Combettes. Lightly floral and then dry and not quite integrated. Just a bit slack for a premier cru at this juncture though it may all come together. (JR)

Matured in 15% new oak.
Tank sample. Quite earthy nose. Very chiselled fruit and good grip. More old-fashioned than brother François’ style. But lots to chew on! Quite serious. Expected to close up after bottling end March. (JR)

20% new oak. Only 40% of usual quantity. Just two barrels.
Tank sample. Lift and very slight smokiness on the nose. Fairly assertive on the palate with notable framework and need to wait for a while. Solid effort. Grapefruit quality. Seems to be gaining in finesse at this domaine. (JR)

Tank sample. Quite creamy on the nose. Fine lemon raciness. Lightly smoky . Pretty chewy and solid. Wait! Very slightly rustic. Chewy finish. (JR)

Tank sample. Rather charming ‘golden’ nose with the merest hint of struck match and very straightforward and classic on the palate. But presumably it will tighten up because there is lots of matter here. Quite long and vibrato on the end. Impressively persistent. (JR)

Tank sample. Yellowy straw. Some dried grasses on the nose, which seems rather less intense than Les Perrières but Jacques Carillon is in the habit of serving Les Referts after Les Perrières because it is ‘more mineral’. Lots of juice and appeal on the palate. Very straight and chewy and fine. More rigorous than Les Perrières. (JR)

One (two-year-old) rather than the usual two casks.
Tank sample. Needs a bit of encouragement out of the glass. Real weight here. Almost painful definition but it should make an excellent wine eventually. Long and intense. Not rich but weighty. Good balance even if not that dramatic. (JR)