Chambolle-Musigny 1996 – Hubert Lignier – Alc.13%. After a recently opened hyper-acidic (VA?) Morey St.Denis 96 from Laurent, I opened this with some trepidation which was happily misplaced. Indeed it was all I ask for from a villages Burgundy. The nose was gently fragrant with slightly sour cherry and mineral notes. The palate was medium/light in body, linear and elegantly shaped with a gentle crescendo and structural support towards the quite long finish and the fruit was mingled with minerals and still fresh with lively mouth-watering acidity; 16/20++.
Côtes du Rhône Villages Rasteau 2008 – Domaine de Beaurenard – Alc.14% (€11,50). I think that 2008 is underrated in Southern Rhône. Carefully selected cuvées show attractively fresh aromatics, more savoury fruit and greater digestibility and elegance than in warmer years. This one was no exception with pure aromatics, medium body, lively acidity and red fruit with hints of ivy and without the traces of jamminess and candy, which were present in the rich 07; 15.5/20++ QPR.
Rioja Señorío de P. Peciña Reserva 1999 – Bodegas Hermanos Peciña – Alc. 13.5% - (€14) showed quite pale colour and a well developed and fresh bouquet of cherry laced with vanilla touches. The palate had medium body, gentle richness and polished mouth-feel with still fresh fruit, smooth acidity and a linear shape with a gently increasing crescendo towards the firm finish followed by a fading fragrance. Oak (none new here, I believe) was beautifully managed, its use being suggested rather than tasted except for that whiff of vanilla. I was slightly less seduced than by a bottle a year ago because I perceived less velvet in the mouth-feel, less length and more tannic structure than remembered and noted then (bottle variation, pairing difference, palate inconsistency??); fine though - 16.5/20 QPR.