Ian Fitzsimmons
Ian Fitzsimmons
2006 Jean et Gilles LaFouge Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru La Chapelle
7/28/2012
Developing attractively. The drying 2006 tannins need about 30 minutes' decant to get out of the middle of the road, and then you get a very charming, rather intense mouthful of bright tart cherry, medium-light bodied, with fresh, cleansing acidity. This wine has always had terrific aromatics, and its nose-full of cherry, leather, and salty sea breeze is now complemented by a mouthful of flavor. Charming, pure, elegant: a poster child of what good CdB has to offer. Still young.
2006 Domaine Pavelot (Jean-Marc et Hugues) Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Vergelesses
6/23/2012
Drinking nicely, Pinot flavors, slightly luscious texture, everything a bit buffered and distant-seeming because of youth, I think. Much development still ahead, I surmise.
2007 Domaine Pavelot (Jean-Marc et Hugues) Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Vergelesses 6/25/2012
Notably leaner than the 2006 bottle opened a few nights earlier, with less soft textural caress and juiciness, but slightly grainier tannins. Fiery Pernand gout de terroir present and accounted for. Pleasant enough, but if it's got stuff to show, it needs more time in order to show it.
2006 Jadot Vosne Romanee
6/12/2012
Approachable, though a bit rustic the first day, decent pinot fruit struggling to climb past ample tannins. The second day, the fruit moves upstage and sings prettily, rather pure with decent haft and a touch of velvet. Good villages at about $22. Drink or hold.
2006 Domaine Chandon de Briailles Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Fourneaux
6/1/2012
Initially dominated by the very hard, slightly sandy tannins I'm coming to associate with this vintage in the Cote de Beaune, but with a fair dose of bright red fruit floating atop it. After overnight in a recorked bottle, these two parts blend nicely, giving a delightful SlB of medium-light body and dark fruit flavors with keen acidity. The core of hard tannins persists, but it's mixed well enough with the tasty fruit liquid that it plays a supporting role. Hold. Decent value at about $23.
2006 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Vaucrains
1/15/2012
Very accessible for such a young 1er from the NSG major league. Ample and high-toned fruit, well-proportioned acids, not too bright. Pleasantly rubby tannings. On the heavy side of medium weight, mildly rich-textured and very good. A shadow, I presume, of things to come.
2006 Simon Bize Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Vergelesses
1/11/2012
Opened and tasted only a few minutes after pouring. This wine initially has a kind of hard, charmless quality that I'm finding a lot in 2006 Cote de Beaune reds, with modest aromatics, so it is initially off-putting. With time and attention, bits of personality show up: rather sparkling acids, modest but high-toned fruit aromas, classy cut and grip. So hoping for good things, though landing near the strawberry-bright acid end of the Burgundy spectrum, rather than the cherry-complex fruit end. Second night, shows slightly softer, with more appealing fruit and texture. Hold.
2006 Dominique Laurent Corton Vieilles Vignes
12/17/2011
I had to try one of these, though they are very young. Moderately rich with decent sap and savor, red fruit - more cherry than strawberry - solid structure and tannins. Nothing to complain about, with every prospect of a very good wine in eight or ten years. Everything seems in place here; purchased for $25.
7/28/2012
Developing attractively. The drying 2006 tannins need about 30 minutes' decant to get out of the middle of the road, and then you get a very charming, rather intense mouthful of bright tart cherry, medium-light bodied, with fresh, cleansing acidity. This wine has always had terrific aromatics, and its nose-full of cherry, leather, and salty sea breeze is now complemented by a mouthful of flavor. Charming, pure, elegant: a poster child of what good CdB has to offer. Still young.
2006 Domaine Pavelot (Jean-Marc et Hugues) Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Vergelesses
6/23/2012
Drinking nicely, Pinot flavors, slightly luscious texture, everything a bit buffered and distant-seeming because of youth, I think. Much development still ahead, I surmise.
2007 Domaine Pavelot (Jean-Marc et Hugues) Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Vergelesses 6/25/2012
Notably leaner than the 2006 bottle opened a few nights earlier, with less soft textural caress and juiciness, but slightly grainier tannins. Fiery Pernand gout de terroir present and accounted for. Pleasant enough, but if it's got stuff to show, it needs more time in order to show it.
2006 Jadot Vosne Romanee
6/12/2012
Approachable, though a bit rustic the first day, decent pinot fruit struggling to climb past ample tannins. The second day, the fruit moves upstage and sings prettily, rather pure with decent haft and a touch of velvet. Good villages at about $22. Drink or hold.
2006 Domaine Chandon de Briailles Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Fourneaux
6/1/2012
Initially dominated by the very hard, slightly sandy tannins I'm coming to associate with this vintage in the Cote de Beaune, but with a fair dose of bright red fruit floating atop it. After overnight in a recorked bottle, these two parts blend nicely, giving a delightful SlB of medium-light body and dark fruit flavors with keen acidity. The core of hard tannins persists, but it's mixed well enough with the tasty fruit liquid that it plays a supporting role. Hold. Decent value at about $23.
2006 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Vaucrains
1/15/2012
Very accessible for such a young 1er from the NSG major league. Ample and high-toned fruit, well-proportioned acids, not too bright. Pleasantly rubby tannings. On the heavy side of medium weight, mildly rich-textured and very good. A shadow, I presume, of things to come.
2006 Simon Bize Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Vergelesses
1/11/2012
Opened and tasted only a few minutes after pouring. This wine initially has a kind of hard, charmless quality that I'm finding a lot in 2006 Cote de Beaune reds, with modest aromatics, so it is initially off-putting. With time and attention, bits of personality show up: rather sparkling acids, modest but high-toned fruit aromas, classy cut and grip. So hoping for good things, though landing near the strawberry-bright acid end of the Burgundy spectrum, rather than the cherry-complex fruit end. Second night, shows slightly softer, with more appealing fruit and texture. Hold.
2006 Dominique Laurent Corton Vieilles Vignes
12/17/2011
I had to try one of these, though they are very young. Moderately rich with decent sap and savor, red fruit - more cherry than strawberry - solid structure and tannins. Nothing to complain about, with every prospect of a very good wine in eight or ten years. Everything seems in place here; purchased for $25.