Felton Road Calvert Pinot Noir
As often happens with Calvert, the nose when young is slightly muted and more direct than exotic; pure and fine aromas, not bold and lush. The palate follows on accordingly, with clarity of fruit, roses and florals. Focussed, concentrated yet pure in the mid-palate, with its hallmark mineral texture, its firm but ultimately juicy on the finish. The vines are growing up and were seeing the puppy-fat turn to muscle.
Domaine Michele & Patrice Rion Clos des Argillieres, 1er Cru
DOMAINE MICHELE & PATRICE RION Clos des Argillieres, 1er Cru , Nuits-St-Georges
Benjamin Leroux
Domaine de la Pousse d'Or 1er Cru Les Groseilles
Domaine Jean-Marc et Thomas Bouley Volnay Vieilles Vignes
Thomas Bouley is very much the insiders secret, more famous with his fellow vignerons than with collectors chasing the next 'superstar' seen on social media. That Thomas resists putting his name on the front label of his wines (preferring to keep his father's) is typical of his humble and low key approach. Based in Volnay may also add to his relative anonymity, however we suspect this is changing rapidly as word gets out of just how spectacular his wines are, and of the continual improvement seen since he began working with his father in the early 2000's. Meticulous attention to detail in both the vineyard and winery are notable here, and key to why Thomas is so highly regarded by his peers. Yields are moderate, and in the cellar whole cluster ferments are used more with his clay rich sites (Pommard Fremiers, Volnay Clos des Chenes), while those with thin white soils (Pommard Rugiens-Hauts, Volnay Caillerets) are largely destemmed. New oak use is minimal, and each wine spend two winters on fine lees before bottling.
Levantine Hill Colleen's Paddock Pinot Noir
2014 is the inaugural release of Colleens Paddock Pinot Noir. It features a restrained, brooding and beguiling nose with hints of cranberry, sour cherry, wild raspberry, earth, stalks and charry oak. The aristocratic palate weaves an uncommon melange of toffee fruits, herbal flavours and savoury elements through fine, integrated tannins and delivers an elegant, luscious, velvety mouth feel. It combines lightness with richness and density with great length and persistence of flavour.
Domaine Jerome Galeyrand, Billard
Domaine Jerome Galeyrand, La Justice
Bouchard Pere & Fils Fremiets 1er Cru Clos de la Rougeotte
Prophets Rock Cuvee Aux Antipodes Pinot Noir
Cuveé Aux Antipodes is the meeting of two winemakers from the two hemispheres. The old world represented by François Millet of Chambolle-Musigny, Burgundy, where he has made wine since 1986. The new world, by the site - the Prophet's Rock Home Vineyard in Central Otago, and its winemaker Paul Pujol.