For the rest of these alphabetically grouped tasting articles, and more general articles on Burgundy 2018, see our guide. This photo of Claudine and Jean-Marc Blain of Domaine Blain-Gagnard in Chassagne was taken by Jon Wyand.
Monday, 30 December 2019
The wines are grouped alphabetically by producer (sur)name and within those groups are ordered whites before reds, ascending from generic through village, premiers and grands crus. You can change the order as you prefer using the menu below.
Son of the owners of Blain-Gagnard. Super-ripe lemon and green fruits, almost veering to apricot. Creamy too. Powerful in its ripeness but, to my surprise, not lacking in freshness, though the acid seems quite soft. Persistent too. Dense rather than elegant. (JH)
Monsieur Blain senior explained that his father-in-law left these vines to his grandson – a good way to keep him home in Chassagne when the young are so keen to travel!
Subtle, spicy aroma. Rich, mouth-filling and creamy. Dense rather than fresh – may not appeal to acid lovers but it is balanced in the style of the vintage. Real power here. I am not sure how this will age but there is so much matière that it could do better than I expect. (JH)
A little darker and more spicy on the nose than Blain’s parents’ wine. More savoury, more tannic, and less immediate appeal but will perhaps have a longer life? (JH)
Vines aged 80+ years. Deepish crimson. Rich and ripe on the nose, spicy, oak showing but not overdone. Firm, chewy, compact, deep and long and embryonic. Sturdy rather than elegant, for now at least. (JH)
Bottled in November because the fermentation did not finish until July 2019! Other whites bottled August 2019. The fruit is more tangy here than on the Chassagne, more grapefruit. Oak influence nicely restrained. Really good depth of fruit here so that the oak spice is not dominant. Fresh and spicy on the finish. (JH)
Rich and spicy on the nose. Creamy oak in evidence. On the palate, that same rich creaminess, broad and spicy with just enough freshness. Good fruit depth and a long spicy finish but could do with just a little more zip to be really refreshing. (JH)
Open and spicy on the nose. Ripe citrus and the sweetness of oak. Tighter on the palate than the Boudriotte, better balance and a long spicy finish. (JH)
A little bit smoky/reductive on the nose but it’s subtle. Power and spicy intensity on the palate. Broad and length and again the freshness is as much in the spice as in the acidity. Long, deep, creamy finish. (JH)
60-year-old vines. Mid crimson. Pretty, almost floral and alive with red fruits. Dry and taut on the palate, upright, with quite a grip and chewy finish. Needs time. (JH)
Bottled. Powerfully herbal on the nose. Sweet start and then tense. Maybe just a little too opulent? I think for the money I might choose a J-M Boillot. It’s rich and winning. (JR)
Wow, ‘I remember when this cost just… ’, and when it was a regular on British Airways! Bottled. Actually, this doesn’t seem quite as tense and smouldering as when it was a J-M Boillot wine. But perhaps my memory is playing tricks on me. (JR)
Bottled. Bright, fairly pale crimson. This smells much more appetising than many of the Rossignol wines just tasted. Though it’s certainly less obviously ripe, dramatic and sweet. All in the right place and still a little raw. (JR)
Bottled. In naughty heavy bottles still. Quite rich start and then a good fist of matchstick at first than subsides and produces a wine that no-one could object to (apart from the price) – glam and smoky. (JR)
Bottled. A bit mealy and unfocused initially but with excellent tension, reduction and – possibly – a little dissolved carbon dioxide to give it energy? Few would be disappointed by this, though it’s slightly smoke and mirrors. (JR)
