2017 Michel Noëllat Vos-Romanée Suchots, 2013 AF Gros Échezeaux, 2014 Clos de Tart, 2014 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Corton, 2010 Coche-Dury Meursault

An all-too-infrequent gathering of the Glen boys at Imperial Treasure Great World, 03 March 2025, that included some who were formerly FICOFI, which seemed an appropriate occasion to pop a D.R.C. from our allocation. Many thanks, everyone, and especially to CJ for hosting.

2009 Champagne Dom Pérignon Rosé, courtesy of CJ. Rose petals and ripe cherries dominate with alluring presence, complementing the crisp incisive intensity that’s almost brutal from its masculine proportions. Not ready.

Champagne La Closerie (Jérôme Prévost) Extra Brut NV, courtesy of LF. Pale. Full-bodied, exuding a clean pointed lift of crisp clear citrus and olives amid medicinal overtones, turning more minerally over time.

2012 Domaine Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet 1er Pucelles. Dull golden. Notes of yellow citrus and dried orange peel dominate, entering its secondary development with some early apricot. Fullish and sleek though only medium-weight. Probably best to drink now before the onset of autumnal characters.

2010 Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault, courtesy of CHS. Light golden. Delicate lift of lime and clear citrus from its focused depth and velvety concentration, still laced with vanillin within its rounded chalkiness. Superbly balanced and understated, wonderfully fresh with subtle verve, teasing the medium palate with an elusive quality before turning a little dryish even as it fleshed out with richer tone and infinite layering. Outstanding. Do note that it was still a domaine wine in those days, whereas its village Meursault nowadays contains a substantial portion of buy-in grapes.

2017 Domaine Michel Noëllat Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Suchots. Opaque plummy core of supple red fruits gently layered with delicate intensity amid soft pliant tannins, wonderfully fresh and delicious, exuding feminine overtones of rose petals with lovely understated tension. Quite the distilled essence of burgundy. This domaine was founded in the nineteenth century by Felix Noëllat, now run by fifth generation family members Alain and Jean-Marc Noëllat, and the sixth generation of Sebastien Noëllat and Sophie Noëllat-Sirugue.

2014 Domaine du Clos de Tart Clos de Tart Grand Cru monopole, courtesy of Vic. Good colour. Red fruits and strawberries dominate, somewhat lean but highly supple, imbued with fine definition within its soft tannins. Very naturally balanced. Highly integral and unassuming.

2019 Charles van Canneyt Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Sanjay. Good colour, boasting deep rosy hues from the abundance of delicate red fruits. Medium-full. Softly contoured with a luxurious velvetiness that evoke seductive alluring tension though any notion of inappropriate exuberance is kept at bay through its restrained verve. Drinks very much like an Alain-Hudelot Noëllat, for Charles van Canneyt used to be the winemaker there.

2013 Domaine Anne-François Gros Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. Deep pinot tint. Good lift of delicious fragrance from the darkish palate of ample fruit lit with bright spots, proffering juicy succulence from structured well-defined tannins, developing an energetic biting intensity that conferred thrilling mouthfeel.

2014 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Corton Grand Cru, courtesy of Vic, Sanjay, MH and yours truly. Good colour, exuding a velvety complex of soft red fruits, strawberries and haw on the nose and cultured palate, dressed in silky smooth tannins that is the epitome of noble elegance and superb refinement. Just entering the cusp of secondary development, yet this is every bit the grand cru that it is, and perhaps more, for such is its degree of restraint and control that its pedigree is never in doubt. This is the finest Corton I have tasted. Ex-domaine direct from FICOFI.