Vintage School 2.8 - Making White Wine - Fermentation

Fermentation & Punchdown Wine Spectator Video

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Chateau Lascombes 1981

Château Lascombes
Château Lascombes, a 2emé Cru Classé property is one of the largest estates in the Médoc and probably the most
fragmented, with around 40 or so different parcels of vines spread throughout the Margaux appellation. It was
owned between 1951 and 1971 by Alexis Lichine and was owned by Bass until the 2001. Bass Charrington sold
Chateau Lascombes to the American company Colony Capital in 2001.
Colony Capital have invested heavily in the property and in particular have installed a state-of-the-art, stainless
steel cuvier. The blend at Lascombes is made up of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot,
and the wine is aged in oak barriques (60% new) for 18 months. Lascombes produces elegant, well-balanced
clarets, rich in succulent creamy blackcurrant fruits, which gain further complexity and depth with ageing.

Tastingnotes Jeroboam 1981.

The cork was in a good condition. I open up the 5 liter Bottle 30 min. beforehand, but this size need in the minimung 4 to 5 hours.
In the beginning the Lascombes shows a spicy and masculin. Not very straight forward. Very fine and aromatic. Red fruit and morelles and a earthy nose as well.
The power and meaty notes were tasted after 2 hours and the wines shows their classy condition.

Vintage Notes 2000
Rumours had been emanating from Bordeaux since the first Merlot grape was plucked from the vine back in mid
September. Whispers from some quarters, great proclamations from others, all unanimous that 2000 was going to
be something quite special.The weather leading up to the harvest had been perfect and from mid-July to
mid-September there was virtually no rain at all. The fine weather continued through to the end of the Cabernet
Sauvignon harvest in mid-October with only one day of rain to refresh the vines and momentarily worry the
vignerons.
Across the board the wines boast ripe succulent fruit and fine, firm, tannins, with many displaying the structure,
depth and length that mark out truly great claret. The wonderful late summer weather seems to have truly, great
claret. The wonderful late summer weather seems to have given the Médoc the edge, producing marginally more
complex wines. Nevertheleless the best of St. Emilion and Pomerol have provided some of the very finest wines of
the whole vintage.

1995 Burgundy, The Cote d´Or -Ten years on- with Tasting notes

1995 BURGUNDY

The Côte D'Or - Ten Years On

Rating For The Vintage: Red: 17.0 White: 18.5

Size Of The Crop

(Hectolitres, excluding generic wine)

	Red	White
Grands Crus	11864	3264
Village & Premiers Crus	166201	45917
Total	178065	49181

This represents a major fall - some 10 percent, but more marked in village and premier cru than grand cru - on the previous three vintages. The figures are comparable with 1991.

Weather Conditions

There was no real winter in 1994/95. The early months of the vegetative cycle were dry and mild, indeed fine in March and April. This produced a good sortie of buds in both the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

The bad weather arrived in the middle of May. It snowed, the snow remaining on the upper slopes, on May 13th. Two days later there was frost on the flatter land below. The weather remained cool and unsettled right through until June 21st or so - indeed throughout my visit to sample the 1994 whites in cask I was wearing a jacket or pullover, rather than the normal short-sleeved shirt.

The result, naturally, was a long and drawn out flowering with the inevitable losses due to both coulure and millerandage. The harvest in parts of Chassagne, Chambolle, Gevrey and Marsannay was reduced even further by hail. There were also sporadic outbursts of mildew all the way up and down the Côte. Again Gevrey-Chambertin was particularly badly affected.

The bad flowering affected the red wine crop more than the white. It produced an uneven fruit-setting leading to irregular maturity.

After June 21st the summer arrived, and it became then, paradoxically, too dry and hot: to the extent of placing a stress on the vine and blocking the progress towards maturity.

The fine weather continued until September. The two weeks after September 4th were unsettled, the latter half of this fortnight distinctly rainy, but after the 18th the weather cleared. Bouchard Père & Fils began to collect their Pinots on September 21st, their Chardonnays on the 23rd. Drouhin followed two days later. Most of the Côte de Beaune was picked in dry but cool weather during the following week. By the 30th the harvest was well under way in the Côte de Nuits, and it was at this time that weather broke again. There was a thunderstorm which quickly "turned" the fruit. It became essential to perform a triage to eliminate the rotten grapes, both in the vineyard, and then later in the winery. Some decided to wait, hoping for a return to finer weather and a gain in sugar content - this did eventually come, but a little too late. Most however, managed to escape, at the cost, at the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, of having to reject 30 percent of their crop in their last picked vineyards, Échezeaux and Grands-Échezeaux.

The Wines Then

It was clear from the outset that 1995 was a fine year for white wines. There was no rot, no sur-maturité, and among the top growers at least, good but not excessive alcohol levels. Some wines appeared a bit linear at the outset, but with the malos taking their time to complete, could enrich themselves slowly on their lees throughout the summer.

These were some of the growers' comments I noted at the time: "Racier than 1992 but with the same fat and substance," said Bernard Moreau, who makes Chassagnes. "Better balanced than 1989," said his neighbour Michel Colin, "like 1990 but with more up-front fruit." According to Jean-François Coche the vintage was certainly better than 1992 and 1990. He preferred 1989 to 1990, and was not sure whether to place the 1995s at this level. The latest vintages would keep well, he thought, just like the 1985s. Dominique Lafon also preferred 1995 to 1992.

Perhaps the best summary can be left to Noël Ramonet: In 1996 he said: "Where 1995 really scores over 1992 is the elegance and structure of the fruit. The wines are not as ripe but they have better acidity and potential to age well. They have the power and intensity of the 1989s, but the grip of the 1990s."

The red wines were also slow to show their paces. Malos took their time, the wines were not only concentrated but somewhat tannic and closed in, especially in the first couple of years after bottling. In cask they were ripe, plump and succulent, with good grip and plenty of vigour. In bottle they quickly went into their shells.

Nineteen eighty-five with better backbone and acidity; a cross between 1978 and 1985; or 1985 and 1988: this was how 1995 was described at the beginning. There did not appear to be the depth and class of the 1993 vintage, nor, clearly, the opulence and the rich, exotic character exhibited by the 1990s. But there was no lack of enjoyment on offer from, I estimated, 2003 onwards. Nineteen ninety-five was also consistent, both geographically and hierarchically.

The Wines Now

White Wines

Ten years on it is clearly apparent that 1995 is a great year for white Burgundy: certainly the best since 1985, possibly superior to the best of the last decade. For the first time for many years, my ten-year-on tasting offered hardly a single wine that showed any undue age. Many will last well into the next decade. The wines have depth, grip, concentration and class. Above all they have vigour. Sadly, few white Burgundies are today made which are still fresh and complex in their second decade. Nineteen ninety-five is an exception.

Red Wines

With a vintage which was short in supply, and tannic and firm in its youth, one might have expected that many if not most of the premiers and grands crus of the Côte de Nuits would still, after a decade, be closed-in, hard and unforthcoming. This is not exactly so. Yes, the Côte de Beaunes are easier to drink and appreciate than the Côte de Nuits. But it is not that the Côte de Nuits are too tannic. Many are more approachable at this stage than the 1993s were when they were 10 years old. It is more that, despite softening - and they have softened considerably in the last three years - they are still a bit raw and anonymous. Many top 1995s are, if not quite in their prime, already glorious, promising great bottles from 2010 onwards. With others, I am not too sure. The individuality, the flair, seems not to be there. All told, I remain a supporter of the admittedly more austere 1993s. This is my taste.

Where Are The Best Wines?

Nineteen ninety-five is not a vintage where one can glibly assert that Puligny is better than Meursault, that the Côte de Nuits is superior to the Côte de Beaune or that, for instance, there are proportionately greater wines in Vosne than Gevrey. As with a comparison with 1996 (see below) it is a question of grower versus grower, climat versus climat. One cannot generalise. There are lovely wines from all over the Côte d'Or. The only meaningful statement to be made is that 1995 is a better - indeed great - year for whites; less so - but still very good indeed - for reds.

1995 Versus 1996 Red Burgundy

At the outset, like most of the outsiders and most of the growers, I was a supporter of 1996 over 1995. There was an aromatic complexity in the 1996s which I preferred, despite the high acidities (or indeed because of them) to the firmer, more four-square 1995s. In recent years I have made many vertical tastings. I have separately or together sampled dozens of 1995s and 1996s. I have arrived at my hosts in Burgundy with the same wine in the two vintages, served them blind and invited comments. Very often wine A was preferred and it was determined it was the 1996. Not so. It was certainly the better, but it was the 1995.

Without wishing to pre-empt the 1996 comprehensive tasting which will take place in Burgundy in 2006, I fear that more up the hierarchy than we expected five or eight years ago, the acidity (combined with the less concentrated crop) is beginning to over-dominate some of the wines. Not, I trust, at grand cru level, but rather more so at premier cru than I and others anticipated earlier in the 1996s life. We shall see. For the meanwhile I have updated my attitude to the 1995s. I hope not to have to make a contrary move when I see the 1996s in a year's time.

The Tasting

The following 1995s were sampled in Bouilland, Burgundy, thanks to the hospitality of Becky Wasserman and Russell Hone, in June 2005. My thanks to them, as always.

White Wines

Nuits-Saint-Georges, Clos de l'Arlot, 1995 Now-2010+ 15.0

Domaine De L'Arlot

Quite fat and quite oaky on the nose. Rich and meaty on the palate. Firm. Still youthful. Aromatic. Vigorous. Good.

Saint-Aubin, En Remilly, 1995 Now-2010 15.0

Domaine Hubert Lamy

Magnum. Quite a broad, ample nose. Fullish for a Saint-Aubin. Ripe and peachy. Good grip. Still holding up well. Long. Good.

Pernand-Vergelesses, , 1995 Drink Soon 14.0

Domaine Jacques Germain

Fresh nose. Good fruit. Medium body. Highish acidity. Slightly austere but clean and not too oaky. Holding up well. Quite good. Drink soon.

Pernand-Vergelesses, Ile De Vergelesses, 1995 Now-2010 15.5

Domaine Chandon De Briailles

The first bottle was corked. Another bottle was fresh, medium-bodied and with a stylish nose. Brisk and appley. Good finish. Individual and attractive. Holding up well. Good plus.

Savigny-Lès-Beaune, Les Vergelesses, 1995 Now-2009 14.5

Domaine Lucien Jacob

Slightly anonymous on the nose. Better on the palate. Medium body. Fresh, clean, crab-apple touches. Holding up well. Quite good plus.

Beaune, Sur Les Grèves, 1995 Now-2010+ 15.5

Domaine Jacques Germain

Quite oaky. Fullish, broad-flavoured and slightly spicy. Medium-full body. Good depth and interest. Good plus.

Meursault, 1995 Now-2010+ 15.5

Maison Morey-Blanc

Magnum. Juicy, succulent nose. Fullish body. Good depth. Just very gently oaky. Balanced. Long and classy. Good plus.

Meursault, Les Casses-Têtes, 1995 Drink Soon 14.0

Domaine Patrick Javillier

Ripe, ample but a little faded. Medium body. Stylish and balanced and enjoyable nonetheless. Quite good.

Meursault, Désirée, 1995 Past Its Best 11.0

Domaine Des Comtes Lafon

Slightly faded. Slightly tarty. Ample but a little attenuated. This is now a bit old, and was never that special.

Meursault, Tessons, Clos De Mon Plaisir, 1995 Drink Soon 13.5

Domaine Guy Roulot

Magnum. Quite a full, firm nose with a little built-in sulphur. A little rigid on the palate. I expected a bit more fruit and vigour here. Only fair.

Meursault, Blagny, 1995 Now-2010 16.0

Domaine Joseph Matrot

Good grip. Attractive peachy fruit. Medium-full body. Balanced, rich and long. This is very good.

Meursault, Poruzots, 1995 Now-2012+ 16.5

Domaine François Jobard

Fullish, rich, fat, meaty and spicy. Vigorous. Lots of depth. This is very good plus and still has a long way to go.

Meursault, Genevrières, 1995 Now-2010 15.0

Domaine François Mikulski

Magnum. Quite a deep colour. Fat, buttery nose with a touch of barley sugar. Quite developed. Medium to medium-full body. Yet ripe and still fresh. Good.

Meursault, Genevrières, 1995 Now-2012+ 17.0

Domaine Des Comtes Lafon

Rich, full, fat, oaky nose. Vigorous. Full bodied. Ripe and profound. Lovely long complex finish. Lots of life ahead of it. This is very good indeed.

Meursault, Genevrières, 1995 Now-2010+ 16.0

Domaine François Jobard

Full, firm, rich and still youthful. Just a little heavy. This doesn't sing as much as their Poruzots today.

Meursault, Perrières, 1995 Now-2012+ 18.0

Domaine Guy Roulot

Magnum. Very lovely nose. Rich, minerally, ripe and peachy. Classic and à point. This is very lovely. Very fresh and vigorous. Very complex. Very elegant. Fine plus.

Chassagne-Montrachet, Les Caillerets, 1995 Now-2010+ 17.5

Domaine Jean-Noël Gagnard

Magnum. Pure, clean, rich, full and peachy on the nose. Full body on the palate. Very good grip. Lovely fruit. Long and vigorous. This is fine but it lacks a little extra sparkle for great.

Chassagne-Montrachet, Clos De La Maltroye, 1995 Now-2010 15.5

Domaine Jean-Noël Gagnard

Fresh. Medium-full body. Clean. Decent grip. Lacks a little bit of personality after his Caillerets. But good plus.

Puligny-Montrachet, 1995 Now-2010 15.5

Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot

Magnum. Ripe, plump, succulent, vigorous nose. Lots of depth and style for a village wine. Neat and peachy on the palate. Medium to medium-full body. Long. Good plus.

Puligny-Montrachet, Champ Gain, 1995 Drink Soon 15.0

Domaine Des Comtes Lafon

Plump, ripe, gentle nose. On the palate medium body. Has lost a little of its fruit. But good grip. Good.

Puligny-Montrachet, La Garenne, 1995 Now-2012 16.0

Maison Louis Jadot

Ripe, fullish and firm. Very good acidity. Very vigorous. Lots of depth and complexity for a Garenne. Very good.

Puligny-Montrachet, Les Referts, 1995 Now-2010+ 16.5

Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot

Rather better than his Truffière. Fullish body. Rich and vigorous. Classy, long and complex. Very good plus.

Puligny-Montrachet, La Truffière, 1995 Now-2010 15.0

Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot

Some botrytis here on the nose. A touch sweeter on the palate than the rest of the series. Medium to medium-full body. Decent grip. But it lacks a little vigour. Good.

Corton-Charlemagne, 1995 Now-2015 18.5

Domaine Bonneau Du Martray

Firm, vigorous, closed-in nose. Full body. Very distinguished fruit here. Very harmonious. Only just ready. Very composed. Very subtle. Very long. This is very fine.

Corton-Charlemagne, 1995 Now-2012 16.5

Domaine Duchet

Ample, plump nose. Quite developed. Ripe and balanced. Holding up well. This has good depth and class. Very good plus.

Bâtard-Montrachet, 1995 Now-2015 18.5

Domaine Jean-Noël Gagnard

Magnum. Rich, full and profound on the nose. Lots of depth and quality on the palate. Still very vigorous. Lovely classy fruit. Very long and complex.

Montrachet, Marquis De Laguiche, 1995 Now-2015+ 20.0

Maison Joseph Drouhin

Very lovely nose. Pure and composed and very profound. Excellent fruit. Harmonious and very classy. This is understated but very, very long and complex. Marvellous.

Red Wines

Givry, Clos Salomon, 1995 Now-2010 14.0

Domaine Du Clos Salomon

Magnum. Medium colour. Ripe, succulent nose. Soft and fruity. Good freshness and depth. Medium body. Fresh on the palate. Charming too. But could have had a bit more concentration and volume. Quite good.

Monthélie, 1995 Now-2010 13.5

Domaine Paul Garaudet

Good colour. Ripe, rich and sturdy. Slightly artisanal. Medium-full body. Slightly four-square. Lacks distinction.

Monthélie, 1995 Now-2010 14.0

Domaine Pierre Morey

Magnum. Medium colour. Fragrant, Volnay-ish nose. Classy. Medium body. Could have been a bit more succulent on the palate.

Savigny-Lès-Beaune, Aux Fourneaux, 1995 Now-2012 15.0

Domaine Chandon De Briailles

Medium to medium-full colour. Attractive fruit on the nose. Medium to medium-full body. Ripe and balanced. Decent depth and vigour. Positive finish. Good class. Good.

Savigny-Lès-Beaune, Aux Guettes, 1995 Now-2010 14.0

Domaine Simon Bize & Fils

Magnum. Medium colour. Fully developed. Slightly lean and slightly stemmy at first. Round and succulent on the follow-through. Medium body. Quite good.

Savigny-Lès-Beaune, Les Peuillets, 1995 Now-2010 14.0

Domaine Lucien Jacob

Medium to medium-full colour. Slightly rustic on the nose. Medium to medium-full body. A bit farmyardy. Slightly astringent on the palate. Medium body. Decent fruit. Quite good.

Savigny-Lès-Beaune, La Dominode, 1995 Now-2015 16.0

Domaine Bruno Clair

Medium-full colour. Rich, full, meaty nose. Liquorice and blackcurrant. Plenty of depth. Fullish body. Still very vigorous. Round and opulent. Very good grip. Long and very satisfactory. Very good.

Savigny-Lès-Beaune, La Dominode, 1995 Now-2015 16.5

Domaine Jean-Marc Pavelot

Medium-full colour. Ripe, rich, ample, succulent nose. Medium-full body. Very attractive, classy fruit. Round, complex, velvety and very stylish. Lovely long finish. Very good plus.

Savigny-Lès-Beaune, La Bataillière Aux Vergelesses, 1995 Now-2012 17.0

Domaine Albert Morot

Medium-full colour. Quite a rich, full, meaty nose. Slightly oaky. Medium to medium-full body. Slightly rigid. Good fruit underneath. And good grip. But a little dominated by the oak.

Meursault, Les Caillerets, 1995 Now-2012 15.5

Domaine François Mikulski

Magnum. Medium to medium-full colour. Slight touch of the stems on the nose. Yet ripe and succulent on the palate. Medium to medium-full body. Good acidity. Attractive. Good plus.

Beaune, Les Toussaints, 1995 Now-2010 14.5

Domaine Albert Morot

Medium-full colour. Quite high volatile acidity on the nose. Ripe and quite rich but rather over-oaked on the palate. A pity. A nice wine underneath here: balanced and fresh.

Beaune, Le Clos Des Mouches, 1995 Now-2012 15.5

Maison Joseph Drouhin

Medium-full colour. Round, rich, succulent, even quite concentrated, on the nose. Medium-full body. Fresh and balanced. Good depth. Not the class but good plus. Plenty of vigour.

Beaune, Les Grèves, 1995 Now-2010 14.5

Domaine Michel Lafarge

Good colour. Full, rich, meaty nose. Slightly four-square as usual. On the palate medium-full body. A little rigid and astringent at the end. Could have done with a bit more zip. Quite good plus at best.

Beaune, Les Cras, 1995 Now-2015+ 17.5

Domaine Jacques Germain

Magnum. Good colour. Lovely fragrant nose. Lots of class. A beautifully made, profound wine with lots of energy and depth. Lovely long finish. Very complex. Fine.

Beaune, Les Teurons, 1995 Now-2012 15.0

Domaine Duchet

Good colour. Slightly four-square on the nose. Better on the palate. Medium-full body. Ripe and fresh. Decent style. Positive finish. Good.

Beaune, Les Teurons, 1995 Now-2015 16.5

Domaine Jacques Germain

Good colour. Lovely nose. More minerally, less fragrant than their Beaune Cras. Medium-full body. Ripe, complex and classy. More earthy but very good plus. Long, positive finish.

Volnay, Cailleret, 1995 Now-2010 13.5

Maison Champy

Magnum. Medium-full colour. This is pedestrian. A bit over-oaked and over-sulphured. A dull wine to begin with. Medium to medium-full body. Decent acidity. Quite nice fruit. But rather astringent.

Volnay, Clos Des Angles, 1995 Now-2015 16.5

Domaine Rossignol-Jeanniard

Magnum. Medium-full colour. Fragrant nose. Quite developed. Medium to medium-full body. Stylish. Very Volnay. Good fresh acidity. Ripe, succulent fruit. Long. A point. Very good plus.

Volnay, Clos Des Chênes, 1995 2008-2020 18.0

Domaine Michel Lafarge

Medium-full colour. Lots of depth on the nose. Rich, full, youthful and profound. Fullish body. Rich. Some tannin. Still needs time. This is special.

Volnay, Santenots, 1995 Now-2010 15.0

Domaine Pierre Matrot

Medium to medium-full colour. Soft nose. Fully developed. Round and with good, but not great, style. Medium-full body. Slight touch of astringency. Lacks a bit of velvet and smoothness. Quite fresh on the finish though. But good at best.

Volnay, Santenots, 1995 Now-2010 15.5

Domaine François Mikulski

Magnum. Medium to medium-full colour. Fully developed. A touch of the stems on the nose but ripe and spicy and with plenty of interest. Medium-full body. Fresh but a little earthy. Fully developed on the palate. Good plus.

Volnay, Santenots Du Milieu, 1995 2008-2020 18.0

Domaine Des Comtes Lafon

Magnum. Fullish colour. Firm and backward, rich and concentrated on both nose and palate. Good austerity and depth. Long. Full body. Still needs time. Lovely finish.

Pommard, Les Chaponnières, 1995 Now-2015 15.5

Domaine Billard-Gonnet

Magnum. Medium-full colour. Fresh nose. Good classy, fruity nose. Medium-full body. Fragrant. Lacks a little fat on the palate and therefore a little succulence. Better with food. Positive finish.

Pommard, Clos des Epeneaux, 1995 Now-2012 14.0

Domaine Du Comte Armand

Magnum. Medium-full colour. Slightly reduced on the nose. This is a rather more pedestrian wine than is usually produced at this domaine. It lacks zip and high tones. Fullish body. Dull and disappointing.

Pommard, Rugiens, 1995 Now-2020 17.5

Domaine Billard-Gonnet

Magnum. Good colour. Full, rich, backward nose. This is succulent and meaty and rather better than his Chaponnières. Indeed complex and profound and long and only just ready. Fine.

Corton, Clos Des Cortons Faiveley, 1995 2008-2025 17.0

Maison Joseph Faiveley

Full colour. Rich, backward colour. Full, meaty, oaky, rich on the palate. Still a way to go. Doesn't shout out great quality though. Merely very good indeed.

Corton, Les Maréchaudes, 1995 Now-2015 17.0

Domaine Chandon De Briailles

Medium-full colour. Some of the stems on the nose. Ripe and even sweet underneath. Good energy. Medium to medium-full body. Balanced and stylish. Very good ripe fruit. Long. Very good indeed.

Corton, Les Pougets, 1995 Now-2025 18.5

Maison Louis Jadot

Fullish colour. Very fine quality here on the nose. Medium-full body. Gently oaky. Very rich and ripe. Excellent grip. Classy and profound and very, very long. Very fine. Just about ready.

Marsannay, Les Longeroies, 1995 2007-2017 14.5

Domaine Bruno Clair

Good fresh colour. Quite a firm nose. Fullish for a Marsannay. Good grip. Good depth. Still needs to soften. Good fruit. Very good for what it is, but at present a little rigid.

Fixin, Clos Marion, 1995 Now-2015 14.0

Domaine Fougeray De Beauclair

Well matured colour. Slightly artisanal nose. Ripe and succulent. Medium to medium-full bodied. Good grip and vigour. Not too unstylish. Positive finish. Quite good. Just about ready.

Nuits-Saint-Georges, Aux Boudots, 1995 Now-2018 16.5

Domaine Jean-Jacques Confuron

Good colour. Stylish, succulent nose. Ample and well-perfumed. Medium-full body. Good structure and balance. Plenty of depth. Long and stylish. Very good plus. Just about ready.

Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Chaignots, 1995 Now-2018 17.0

Domaine Robert Chevillon

Medium to medium-full colour. Fragrant nose. Supple for a Nuits-Saint-Georges - and a Chaignots. Stylish. Medium to medium-full body. Ripe and elegant. Very good complex follow-through. Lovely fruit. Fully ready. Very good indeed.

Nuits-Saint-Georges, Aux Champs Perdrix, 1995 Now-2012 15.5

Domaine Alain Michelot

Good colour. Fresh, quite well matured nose. A touch artisanal. Cleaner as it evolved. Medium body. Lacks a little depth and personality. But balanced and fresh. Good fruit. But a slight absence of richness and complexity. Good plus. Fully ready.

Nuits-Saint-Georges, Clos des Forêts Saint-Georges, 1995 Now-2015 15.5

Domaine De L'Arlot

Medium colour. Spicy, slightly stemmy nose. A little sweeter than most. Ripe, fragrant, balanced and stylish. Medium to medium-full body. Positive finish. Fully ready. Good plus.

Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Boudots, 1995 Now-2020 17.0

Domaine Gérard Mugneret

Medium-full colour. Ripe, fresh, fragrant, balanced nose. Very good fruit here. Medium-full body. A lovely succulent, complex, well-balanced wine.

Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Cailles, 1995 Now-2020 17.5

Maison Camille Giroud

Medium to medium-full colour. Fully ready. Rich, mature, concentrated fruit on the nose. Lots of class. Lots of depth. Old viney. Medium-full body. Ripe, ample and profound. Excellent grip. A point. Very long. Fine.

Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Chaboeufs, 1995 2007-2020 17.0

Domaine Jean-Jacques Confuron

Good colour. Vigorous, fresh nose. Ripe and profound. Still a little unresolved tannin. Medium-full body. Ripe, rich and concentrated. Good depth. Still needs a year or so. Good grip. Long and stylish. Better than the Boudots this year. Very good indeed.

Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Porrets Saint-Georges, 1995 Now-2016 16.0

Domaine Alain Michelot

Medium to medium-full colour. Fresh but not very concentrated nose. Stylish and fragrant though. Medium-full body. A little unresolved tannin. Fresh on the palate. It lacks a little richness but positive at the end. Just about ready. Very good.

Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Porrets Saint-Georges, 1995 2008-2025 17.5

Maison Joseph Faiveley

Full colour. Still youthful. Slightly rigid on the nose. Quite oaky. Fullish body. Good grip. Some tannin. Balanced and classy. Plenty of rich fruit. Fine but needs time.

Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Saint-Georges, 1995 2010-2025+ 17.5

Domaine Henri Gouges

Medium-full colour. Now mature. Full, firm, minerally and profound on the nose. High class fruit. Lots of depth. Full, backward and tannic. Fine. But a long way from maturity.

Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Vaucrains, 1995 2007-2019 17.0

Domaine Robert Chevillon

Good colour. Rich, opulent, concentrated and succulent on the nose. Accessible for a Vaucrains. Yet it still needs a year or two. Medium-full body. Ripe, fresh and stylish. Very good indeed. But it doesn't have the depth or richness for fine.

Vosne-Romanée, Aux Malconsorts, 1995 2007-2027 18.5

Domaine Sylvain Cathiard

Magnum. Medium-full colour. Fully mature. Very lovely fragrant nose. Very elegant and beautifully balanced. Medium-full body. Still a little raw. Excellent fruit. Complex and classy. Very lovely character. Long and very fine.

Vosne-Romanée, Les Brûlées, 1995 Now-2020 17.5

Domaine Gérard Mugneret

Medium-full colour. Fully mature. Rich nose. Quite fat, meaty and slightly spicy in the best sense. Nicely ripe and succulent. Medium-full body. Just about ready. Long, fine and complex.

Chambolle-Musigny, 1995 Now-2020 16.5

Domaine Georges Roumier

Magnum. Good colour. Ripe and abundant on the nose. Medium-full body. Still youthful. Lovely fruit for a village wine. Very good grip. Good energy. Clean, vigorous and very long on the palate. Very good plus.

Chambolle-Musigny, Les Charmes, 1995 Now-2020+ 17.5

Domaine Ghislaine Barthod

Good colour. Very lovely, succulently fruity nose. Lots of loveky ripe fruit here. Medium-full body. Ripe and ample. Plumper and very pure and well balanced. Lovely. Just about ready.

Chambolle-Musigny, Premier Cru, 1995 Now-2015 15.0

Domaine Jean-Jacques Confuron

Medium-full colour. Just about mature. Fragrant nose. Not too oaky. Medium to medium-full body. Slightly rigid on the palate. This lacks suppleness and fragrance. A bit inflexible. Merely good.

Chambolle-Musigny, Aux Beaux Bruns, 1995 2008-2024 17.0

Domaine Denis Mortet

Magnum. Huge colour. Rather over-extracted on the nose. Slightly reduced too. Better on the palate. Rich and full, ripe and succulent and with very good grip. Slightly overdone but nevertheless very good indeed. Will still improve.

Chambolle-Musigny, Les Amoureuses, 1995 Now-2012 14.0

Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier

Medium to medium-full colour. Fully ready. Ripe nose. But slightly diffuse. Medium body. Lacks concentration, grip and depth. Disappointing.

Morey-Saint-Denis, En La Rue De Vergy, 1995 Now-2015 15.0

Domaine Lignier-Michelot

Medium to medium-full colour. Fully mature. Ripe, fragrant, succulent nose. Good depth and style. Medium to medium-full body. Fresh, elegant, if not that complex, but very good for a village wine. Fully ready.

Morey-Saint-Denis, Aux Charmes, 1995 Now-2020 16.5

Domaine Lignier-Michelot

Medium to medium-full colour. Fully mature. Richer and riper and with more depth than the En La Rue De Vergy. Medium-full body. A little raw still. Balanced and fragrant. Lovely finish. Very good plus.

Gevrey-Chambertin, Vieilles Vignes, 1995 Now-2015 16.0

Domaine Denis Bachelet

Medium-full colour. Ripe, fragrant and very classy on the nose. Lovely fruit here. Medium to medium-full body. Good acidity. Not the greatest fat, depth or strength. But what there is is complex and harmonious. Very good.

Gevrey-Chambertin, Vieilles Vignes, 1995 2008-2020 17.0

Domaine Alain Burguet

Magnum. Fullish colour. A full, quite concentrated, slightly beefy wine. Medium-full body. Still some tannin. Plenty of depth and class. Very good grip. Needs time. Very good indeed.

Gevrey-Chambertin, Lavaux-Saint-Jacques, 1995 Now-2012 14.0

Domaine Denis Mortet

Magnum. Fullish colour. A big, sturdy, oaky wine, but slightly overblown at the same time. Medium to medium-full body. Ripe but rather astringent on the palate. Unexciting.

Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Cazetiers, 1995 Now-2015 17.0

Domaine Bruno Clair

Fullish colour. Classy, fragrant nose. Ripe, nicely austere and very well balanced. Medium-full body. Lacks a little energy but fragrant and poised and quietly successful. Longer and more complex on the follow-through. Very good indeed. Fully ready.

Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Cazetiers, 1995 2008-2020 17.5

Domaine Sérafin Père & Fils

Good colour. Ripe, full, balanced and fragrant on the nose. Oaky but not excessively so. Fullish body. Rich. Still some unresolved tannin. But good grip and plenty of vigour. Fine.

Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Champeaux, 1995 Now-2010 13.5

Domaine Alain Burguet

Medium-full, mature colour. Slightly overblown on the nose. Slightly weedy on the palate. Young vines at the time. His Vieilles Vignes is immeasurably better.

Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Champeaux, 1995 2008-2020 16.0

Domaine Denis Mortet

Full colour. Big beefy nose. Rich but oaky and solid. Full bodied and tannic but concentrated and balanced. Rather over-macerated but the wine underneath is very good. I prefer this to the Lavaux, surprisingly.

Gevrey-Chambertin, Clos Saint-Jacques, 1995 2007-2030 19.0

Maison Louis Jadot

Medium-full colour. Very, very lovely nose. Composed, elegant, fragrant and very long and complex. Not tough at all. Great class. Fullish body. Very, very long. Very ample and vigorous. Will still get better. Very lovely.

Clos De Vougeot, 1995 Now-2015 16.5

Domaine Jean-Jacques Confuron

Medium to medium-full colour. Fully mature. Ripe, rich, vigorous and fragrant on the nose. Medium-full body. Balanced and full of fruit if no great depth or energy at the end. Fully ready. Very good plus.

Clos De Vougeot, 1995 2007-2024 17.5

Domaine Georges Mugneret

Medium-full colour. Full, rich and concentrated on the nose. Fullish body. Good grip. The tannins just about resolved. Fine fruit. Plenty of vigour and depth. Lovely pure Pinot. Fine. Give it a year or two.

Clos De Vougeot, "Musigni", 1995 Now-2010 13.0

Domaine Gros Frère & Soeur

Magnum. Medium-full colour. Slightly attenuated and overblown on the nose. Medium to medium-full body. Rather thin and weedy on the palate. Nothing special.

Échezeaux, 1995 Now-2020 17.5

Domaine De La Romanée-Conti

Medium-full colour. Lovely fragrant nose. Ripe and balanced. Generous and charming. Medium-full body. Lovely fruit. Long, succulent and very seductive. Fine. Fully ready.

Romanée-Saint-Vivant, 1995 2008-2030 18.5

Domaine Jean-Jacques Confuron

Good colour. Fin, full, rich, concentrated, complex nose. Lots of depth and lots of class. Full body. Vigorous. Very well balanced. Very pure. Still needs two to three years. Very fine.

Romanée-Saint-Vivant, 1995 2007-2020 18.0

Domaine Robert Arnoux

Good colour. Sturdier nose than J.J. Confuron's Romanée-Saint-Vivant. More tannin. Rich and concentrated and vigorous nevertheless. On the palate fine but not as fine as Jean-Jacques Confuron's. Very good grip. Rich and full bodied. Still youthful. Lovely fruit.

Richebourg, 1995 2008-2030 19.5

Domaine Jean Grivot

Magnum. Good colour. Very fine, concentrated, rich nose. Lovely fruit here. A great deal of depth. This is full bodied, tannic, splendidly balanced, very vigorous and quite excellent. Splendid drive and energy. Very, very fine fruit. Very, very long.

Bonnes Mares, 1995 Now-2020 17.5

Domaine Fougeray De Beauclair

Medium-full colour. Fully mature. Rich, ripe and slightly artisanal on the nose. Ample. Medium-full body. Fully ready. Fresh. Classier on the palate than on the nose. Long. Fine positive finish.

Bonnes Mares, 1995 2008-2030 18.5

Domaine Comte Georges De Vogüé

Medium-full colour. Very lovely fragrant fruit on the nose. More Musigny than Bonnes Mares. Fuller and more masculine on the palate. Still youthful. Still some residual tannin. Very good grip. Splendidly concentrated fruit. Very lovely and very vigorous. Lots of life and and depth here. Will still improve.

Bonnes Mares, 1995 2009-2030 18.5

Domaine Georges Roumier

Magnum. Medium-full colour. Splendidly rich, fresh, slightly minerally, masculine nose. A proper Bonnes Mares. Full body. Still some tannin. Nicely austere. Splendidly pure, concentrated fruit. Very good grip. Very lovely finish. Very fine. Still needs three or four years.

Musigny, Vieilles Vignes, 1995 2009-2030 19.0

Domaine Comte Georges De Vogüé

Fine colour. Still immature. Still a bit closed-in on the nose but potentially very fine. Ripe, ripe and concentrated. Very lovely fruit. A great deal of class. Fullish body. Still firm. But very good vigour and lots of personality and class. Still very closed-in. Very fine indeed.

Clos Des Lambrays, 1995 Now-2020 17.5

Domaine Des Lambrays

Medium to medium-full colour. Fully mature. Fragrant nose. A touch of the stems. A fresh, medium-full bodied, stylish wine. Good dimension. Long and complex at the end. Fully ready. Fine.

Clos De La Roche, 1995 Now-2020 18.0

Domaine Dujac

Medium-full colour. Fully ready. Classy, rich, fresh nose. Lots of lovely fruit here. Medium to medium-full body. The fruit is very ripe and very well balanced. Complex and long. Lovely finish. Fine plus.

Clos De La Roche, 1995 2008-2025 18.5

Maison Camille Giroud

Medium-full colour. Full, firm, rich, succulent and old viney on the nose. Rich, full bodied and chocolaty on the palate. Some tannin to resolve. Very good grip. Old viney. Very lovely long, classy finish. Very fine. Still needs two to three years.

Clos De La Roche, 1995 2007-2025 17.5

Domaine Hubert Lignier

Fullish colour. Rich, fat, concentrated, old viney. Not too oaky. Medium-full body. Cool and ripe and harmonious. Not quite the drive and concentration it could have had. But fine nevertheless. Very classy. Still a little raw.

Charmes-Chambertin, 1995 2007-2025 18.0

Domaine Denis Bachelet

Fullish colour. Still youthful. Splendidly fragrant, poised nose. Very, very lovely fruit, as always. Fullish, pure, very classy and very harmonious. Still a little raw. Perhaps not a really great result this year but certainly fine plus.

Charmes-Chambertin, 1995 2008-2020 18.5

Domaine Dugat-Py

Full colour. Rich, full, ripe and concentrated. Oaky but not excessively so. There is enough wine here to balance it. Fullish body. Very fine ripe, cool, succulent fruit. Long, energetic and balanced. Very fine.

Charmes-Chambertin, 1995 Now-2020+ 18.0

Domaine Dujac

Medium-full colour. Fully mature. Fragrant, stemmy nose. Ripe, balanced and stylish. Medium-full body. Fully ready. Fresh, energetic and stylish. Long and complex. This is as good as the Clos de la Roche. Lovely long finish.

Chapelle-Chambertin, 1995 Now-2025 18.5

Domaine Jean & Jean-Louis Trapet

Good fresh, vigorous colour. Ripe, slight ginger-bread spicy, rich nose. Good class and balance. Fresh and elegant. On the palate very good vigour and concentration. Ripe, clean fruit. Very good balance. Long and lovely. This is very fine. Just about ready.

Chambertin, 1995 2008-2030 20.0

Domaine Armand Rousseau

Magnum. Medium-full, mature colour. Very lovely subtle nose. Very concentrated and very lovely. As so often, a great wine. Rather more closed than the Clos de Bèze. Still a bit of unresolved tannin. Marvellous fruit. Splendid balance. The complete example. Still needs time. Very lovely long finish.

Chambertin, 1995 2007-2030 19.5

Domaine Jean & Jean-Louis Trapet

Magnum. Full, immature colour. Rich, concentrated, classy and succulent on the nose. No hard unresolved tannins. Full body on the palate. Very good grip. Lots of depth and concentration. Above all lots of class. This is very fine indeed. Will still improve.

Chambertin, Clos de Bèze, 1995 Now-2030 19.5

Domaine Armand Rousseau

Fullish colour. Ample, rich, ripe, concentrated, succulent nose. Full bodied, profound and very lovely. Splendid depth and energy. Marvellous class and balance. Really splendid. Very, very long and lovely. Just about ready.