Background to, and Conclusions from, the 2005 red burgundy Library Tasting:
In August 2026 I offered a Library Tasting review of the 2005 red burgundies to pinotphiles in the Wellington district. The range of wines offered in the 12 examples ranged from Village wines through Premiers Crus, to four Grands Crus. The latter were distinguished by showing three different growers' versions of the famed Grand Cru Clos de la Roche, in Morey-Saint-Denis. It is likely such a comparison at the Grand Cru level, and in such a well-regarded year, has not been offered in a semi-public tasting in New Zealand for some years. Grand Cru red burgundy is now scarce at retail in New Zealand. And there was one well-regarded 2005 New Zealand pinot noir … as always … to check where we stood 20 years ago.
Upon advertising availability on the Regional Wines & Spirits website, this tasting found favour with both Wellington’s committed pinot noir wine community, and with the keenest Martinborough pinot noir winemakers, plus the proprietor of a well-regarded Marlborough smaller winery, and a winemaker also practising in Otago. These knowledgeable people added greatly to the tenor of the discussion in this tasting, and made the evening memorable. With the wines now having a considerable value on the very active New Zealand secondary (wine-auction) market, the fee for the tasting had to be set at $290, yet it sold out within 2 hours.
I have offered two previous reviews of the 2005 red burgundies, though at not quite such a noteworthy wine-level as this one. The first was for Otago winemakers, at Cromwell, in 2015; the second for Marlborough and Nelson winemakers, at the Nelson & Marlborough Institute of Technology, Blenheim, in 2016. Both are written up on this website, with Introductions to the vintage in Burgundy. In both those tastings, the wines seemed youthful, good fruit but the structure tending tanniny, not yet revealing much of themselves. The question in 2026, at the 21-year-point was, would these wines have started to unfold, and reveal more of their bouquet, and the tender / supple and fragrant side of red burgundy.
And following this 2026 tasting, our conclusions (from again a very small sample) build on Robinson, 2015: that the 2005 burgundies are now either ready in the Cote de Beaune, or maybe some of the smaller even declining, whereas in the Cote de Nuits carefully-selected Village wines are now opening up tantalisingly, revealing delightful qualities of aroma and taste. The classed growths likewise are now a good deal more forthcoming, and either nearly ready, or a good deal closer to full development (depending on the rank of the vineyard). The tannins are softening, the fruit is more apparent, and some wines are clearly fragrant, but rarely floral. And the best wines in the Cote de Nuits may still have 20 years ahead of them. The continued appeal of the 2005 vintage in Burgundy seems assured.
We did wonder however how many wines in this clearly very ripe year would ever display the alluring floral complexity and charm that characterised an earlier generation of fine burgundies. This very real issue of a warmer Burgundy making more popular (ie fruity) but arguably less complex wines clearly offers exciting possibilities … including outside Burgundy. Might other countries with a greater geographic range of sites to explore rediscover the earlier delights of a subtler and slightly less ripe style of pinot noir ? In New Zealand, local districts such as the now marginally cold Waitaki Valley, which includes calcareous soil parent materials, might be an example ? Or the limestone-influenced soils in or near the Awatere Valley, Marlborough.
In the tasting notes section following the introductory matter, the wines are listed in rank order. Some of the factors considered in ranking the wines are given there. A summary of those views is given in the caption to the illustration below showing the top six wines. While for true wine enthusiasts there is always a measure of sadness in the top wine being so clearly also the most expensive, on this occasion there was simply no doubt about the varietal quality, and wine subtlety and finesse, of the Rousseau, as top wine.
The top six wines of the tasting. From left to right, all three versions of the feature wine in this review, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, achieved the top six, but the Potel bottling only just … scoring the same 18 rating as Bachelet’s Village Gevrey-Chambertin – always an out-performer. The Potel just had a little more vinosity, at its stage of full development, whereas the Bachelet has years to go. Next came the surprise ranking of the tasting, the sheer quality and typicité shown by the New Zealand Nelson wine, 2005 Neudorf Pinot Noir Moutere Hills Home Vineyard. Not quite the harmony today of the Potel, but much greater potential, 18+. Then the relatively rare Hubert Lignier bottling of Clos de la Roche, a bolder wine and the closest in style to the Neudorf, but riper, 18.5. Then another surprise among the high-achievers, the pale but silky, subtle and nearly-floral Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin, also ‘merely’ a Village wine, 18.5. My second-favourite wine was a lovely bottle of Domaine de Montille Corton Clos du Roi Grand Cru. This was so understated that no tasters rated it their first or second wine, but it was clearly floral, truly burgundian, and the palate weight / dry extract was of a calibre to remind of great burgundies from earlier years, 18.5+. It would be magical with a subtler meat meal. And then on the right, with a certain air of inevitability, the Rousseau bottling of Clos de la Roche had an understated impression of pure burgundian complexity and elegance that took it up to top place, though it was neither as floral or as rich as an older taster might wish, 19.
As introduced above, the question arose in subsequent discussion: will we ever see again the more conspicuous florality which characterised the better classed burgundies in earlier great vintages such as 1969 and 1971. The general feeling from the longer and more critically experienced tasters was: global warming has made achieving complex florality much more difficult. There is more emphasis on fruit now. Though we noted that the long lurch to ever-greater ripeness as sought by some American wine-writers has passed its zenith … and growers are striving to return to the enhanced complexity that critically-chosen ripeness and a floral dimension so uniquely gives to great pinot noir. We also noted that by and large, rather too many wine-writers in warmer-climate viticultural countries scarcely think about or describe floral complexity: there are exceptions, but its appreciation is very much the reserve of European wine-writers. In this debate, due to its almost unique climatic advantages, New Zealand needs to be constantly thoughtful of the role a floral dimension can play in great pinot noir expression. And in syrah, and riesling and other varieties. We are too much influenced by Australia, in this issue.
On including a New Zealand wine: A key feature of this 2005 Burgundy tasting is the inclusion of 2005 Neudorf Pinot Noir Home Vineyard, to note and honour the life and now (31 Oct 2025) death of Nelson pioneer winemaker Tim Finn (1946-2025). His Neudorf Vineyard has become famous for its Moutere Chardonnays and Moutere Pinot Noirs, even though the winery is a little under the radar … not seeking the lime-light … in Tim’s understated style.
Some wondered how even a well-regarded New Zealand pinot noir would fare, in a field of serious burgundies, seven of them classed growths, plus some very highly-regarded Village wines. The results were quite simply a revelation.
In attending the tasting, participants knew the 12 wines that would be offered. My approach in presenting the wines totally blind, is immediately after decanting, to assess the settling dregs as glass samples, and then strive to arrange the wines in a format that first sets a good representative wine as #1, as a class ‘sighter’, and then arrange the other 11 in a sequence whereby the wines ‘talk’ with each other in a meaningful way, particularly so that no ‘distinctive’ wine impairs the one following it, and to thus (hopefully) reveal the best facets of each sample. Generally this means that lesser, or bolder, or too distinctive wines, are set in the first 6, then the subtler and / or more complex wines in the second six. Though in sequencing them, it is important to not make identification easy … for example the most expensive wine is not necessarily #12 … the goal is to foster examination and discussion of the achievements of each wine for itself, the actual sample, not the guessed label.
To share tasters' skills to best advantage for other participants, once the blind and invariably very quiet evaluation stage of assessing the wines has tapered off, and chatter starts, there is then a short but detailed questionnaire, asking tasters to focus on an assessment of several features for each wine. For this tasting, the six questions for each wine (and hoping that tasters feel they are among friends, and can ‘safely’ express a view on each wine) were:
Is this wine … (from #1 to #12):
• your top-placed wine; • your second-rated wine; • your least wine; and then:
Might this wine be: • a Grand Cru; • from the Cote de Nuits; • from New Zealand.
The results are marked up on a whiteboard, in a matrix for all to see. The goal here is to illuminate how the wine is seen by tasters, the quality and ranking it is thought to have achieved (as a blind sample), as quickly and anonymously as is practicable. Nobody is put on the spot: tasters have to concentrate a good deal to in fact produce meaningful answers. The approach is designed for people who evaluate each wine carefully, irrespective of (the unknown) price: it does not suit label-tasters. Though it must be said: it is fun for tasters wanting to learn, where you have a favourite wine, and you notice a long-experienced-winemaker, or a well-respected wine-judge, also votes that wine their top.
Tasters have a detailed hand-out, as illustrated by the latter parts of this review, with as much winemaking information and qualified opinion (from respected reviewers) as can reasonably be found about each wine.
I give this background to illuminate the context in which the Neudorf wine was seen, and then how it fared. Most importantly, 11 of the 21 tasters thought it a Grand Cru … and thus a French wine. And with four actual Grands Crus known to be in the tasting, a rarity now in New Zealand, participants knew where to set their sights. Only 6 tasters thought it was from New Zealand. Three tasters rated it their top wine of the evening, and one their second-favourite. Nobody rated it their least wine.
This is a wonderfully exciting result both for Neudorf, but even moreso for New Zealand pinot noir in general. Such a result contributes to the informed perception that New Zealand is arguably making some of the best pinot noirs in the world, outside Burgundy. When New Zealand tip-toed into the world of quality pinot noir in 1983, via Danny Schuster’s ground-breaking 1982 St Helena Pinot Noir (review on this website, scroll up two lines) from Canterbury, which won a Gold Medal in the 1983 National Wine Competition, Oregon laid claim to make the finest pinot noirs in the world outside Burgundy. There are now three contenders for such a title: Oregon, Germany consequent on global warming, and New Zealand. In this cross-country comparative discussion, it is important to note that good New Zealand pinot noirs come from microclimates spanning 4 degrees of latitude – an extraordinary state of affairs. They are no one-microsite wonder. With the continuing search for New Zealand sites with calcareous soil parent materials, this is an exciting and ever-evolving story.
Invitation to the 2005 Burgundy Library Tasting:
In this third Library Tasting revisiting the great 2005 vintage in Burgundy, our goal will be to see if the tannins have softened, and the bouquets and general burgundian charms of the wines have increased. But we will also pay tribute to two recently deceased absolute pioneers of pinot noir in New Zealand: the quiet Tim Finn of Neudorf Vineyard, Moutere Hills, Nelson, noted for both chardonnay and pinot noir, and the colourful Danny Schuster of variously Lincoln College Oenology & Viticulture Group, initially St Helena vineyard in Belfast, and later his own Omihi Hills vineyard in northern Waipara, plus overseas consultancies.
In previous iterations of these 2005 burgundies, I have included New Zealand examples, just to see how we compare (at that stage). To honour Tim, this year the New Zealand wine is his 2005 Pinot Noir Home Vineyard.
For most New Zealanders, even including winemakers, opportunities to taste Grand Cru burgundies are now rare. Few are imported, and even fewer reach retail shelves. This tasting is unmatched in recent-years New Zealand-wide semi-public wine tasting offerings, in providing the chance to compare three different versions of one of the most definitive pinot noir vineyards in all Burgundy, the 16.8 ha Grand Cru Clos de la Roche in Morey-Saint-Denis. Two of our producers are world-famous, Domaine Rousseau and Domaine Hubert Lignier (as may be inferred from the Wine-Searcher current value indications below), and the third Nicolas Potel (ss) is reasonably well-regarded.
As further noted below, a more general issue relevant to informed wine tasting and assessment these days is marking. Points inflation is now endemic in the New World, with both New Zealand and Australian wine-writers now routinely (and tiresomely) scoring local and all-too-often commercial pinot noirs in the middle 90s. Yet upon tasting the wine, all too often the comments suggest the writers have barely if ever tasted Grand Cru burgundy. This tasting will I hope provide a not-easily-matched and valid reference point to tune-up on the qualities of truly fine pinot noir. See Goode 2017, and 2018, for an informed review of this major issue.
The 2005 vintage in burgundy was at the time received with rapturous enthusiasm. Jasper Morris, MW, in the now 'standard text' Inside Burgundy (pp. 623, 624): "For years I used to discuss the potential of a good new red burgundy vintage with Dominique Lafon, and we would say 'yes, that's good, but not as good as 1978'. However there was no such question over 2005 – clearly of greater potential than 1978 or anything else since – or indeed any vintage for many years before. Possibly 1959? The reds will be magnificent over the long term."
Likewise Jancis Robinson, not noted for being easily carried away with the latest fad, reported in 2007: "If there is one dominant characteristic of these wines it is their thrilling combination of ripeness and acidity. ... Fred Mugnier of Domaine J F Mugnier, sees a contradiction in the 2005s because they have both the freshness of a cool vintage and the richness and texture more reminiscent of an overripe vintage. ‘This makes the wines very interesting,’ he assured me, 'because they have great current appeal but also real potential for ageing'."
Evocative stuff. But in an age inclining more to instant gratification ... many have subsequently expressed disquiet at the high tannin levels of these ripe grapes, and found the wines thus far relatively unrewarding. But in general … the top levels of the British wine trade still believe in them.
In my earlier two reviews of the 2005 Burgundies so far, first Otago, then Marlborough and Nelson (with Tim Finn attending the latter), we did feel that maybe the more tender sides of great burgundy ... in particular the floral attributes fine burgundy bouquets can display ... were not thus far too apparent. Whereas the tannin richness and fruit ripeness were. Hence the delay of 10 years in now presenting a third chance to taste these now-rare wines.
In selecting the wines, apart from the benchmarking opportunity noted above, I have sought to show some of the more softly-styled and tending red-fruited Cote de Beaune wines, as well as the ideally more piquant, exciting and hinting-at-darker-fruits wines from the Cote de Nuits. Both groups include a span of classification and price, from Village wines to Grands Crus. No space for a simple Bourgogne !
[ The wines to be offered were then listed, together with Wine-Searcher valuations, noting that there were duplicate bottles for the critical three Clos de la Roche wines, and alternative bottles for the others. This all appears below.]
Information provided at the tasting:
This was in two parts, an Introduction here rearranged and amended, and then a schedule of the 12 wines to be tasted, with considerable detail for each wine. In this report, all that background for the wines is now combined with the tasting review for each wine, presented in rank order below.
Some earlier views on the 2005 vintage in Burgundy:
The view of Jasper Morris, MW, 2010, in the now 'standard text' Inside Burgundy (pp.623, 624) has been recorded above. Earlier in January 2007 he had said to the annual ‘Burgundy Week’ assembly in London: “This is the most uniformly successful vintage I have seen in my career."
Jancis Robinson, MW, various dates: “As in Bordeaux, a quite exceptionally good vintage, although many wines may go through a prolonged stage of chewy adolescence."
Farr Vintners, London, various dates: “One of the great, if perhaps atypical, Burgundy vintages. The wines are dense, powerful and ripe. Village level wines and Premiers Crus are now drinking well, though the top wines can still be stubborn and may warrant further ageing."
Decanter, London, various dates: “Sumptuous and generous styles of wine that will make fantastic drinking in the coming years. Ripe yet still fresh ... A characteristic of this year’s Pinot Noir is the thickness of its skins – a pointer to colour and structure in the wines. Best Appellations: Uniformly good. Rating 5/5."
David Schildknecht @ Wine Advocate, 2007, (précis): “Two thousand five is one of Burgundy’s great red wine vintages ... a vintage of unprecedented quality ... The personality of wines from this luminous, gloriously healthy and ripe vintage is ... decidedly on the dark side of the flavor spectrum. ... Many of the best Pinots of 2005 push the limit of ripeness consistent with freshness, and the limit of sheer density consistent with elegance. Firm, fine tannins are never far from the surface .... These wines will need time in the bottle to show their true colors, and most of them should be expected to shut down for an extended period soon after bottling."
And Allen Meadows, who by now must have tasted more burgundies than any living person (surely ?) likewise said in 2007: “2005 is quite simply the best top to bottom vintage that I have ever seen … “. He went on to say: “The best 2005s from the Cote de Beaune are quite simply sublime burgundies that will be capable of exceptional longevity with 20 years being a given. As in the Cote de Nuits, it seems that each level of the Burgundian hierarchy transcends its usual quality category and ascends to the one directly above, which is to say that regional wines perform like villages wines, villages wines like good if not absolute top 1ers, good 1ers are like solid grands crus and the best examples of Corton grands crus are among the best that I have ever seen."
The Weather: Temperature and Rainfall for the 2005 vintage in Burgundy:
The standing of the 2005 burgundies in 2026:
Since the early comments noted above, as the wines gradually reached the market, quite a few tasters have expressed doubts about the tannin levels in the wines. Would the bouquets and palates expand, and would the tannins soften ?
In 2026, a quick sampling of the Net suggests that the most experienced authors are still positive about most of the 2005s. The nay-sayers are quick to write about wines that have disappointed them … as if every last wine made that year should be revelatory. No matter what the year, there are always winemakers who slip up in that particular vintage.
But overall, there are surprisingly few recent reviews of any number of the 2005 burgundies. In 2025 Jasper Morris undertook a review of 21 of the reds, but the report is behind a pay-wall. Such snippets as reach the Net report that Morris’s early faith in the vintage is justified. He notes that some of the more affordable wines show the dry tanniny side of the vintage, but for wines of reputation, and especially in the Côte de Nuits, there are many “superb wines" … “fully living up to the early hype". And further, “There is still a lot of life left in the best examples.".
Jancis Robinson's website unfortunately does not have an effective search function (for articles), so I cannot find if she has made any recent systematic review of the 2005s. Since burgundy is very much a wine in the style her subtle palate approves of, I have tried to include any of her recent tasting notes in the introductions to our wines in the list below. She did review 64 examples in August 2015, and at that 10-year point, after an introductory comment: “The 2005 red burgundies are rightly revered", she felt many Cote de Beaune wines were then approachable, whereas the Cote de Nuits needed time. She concluded her article with the observation: “All in all, I am just as enthused about 2005 red burgundies as I am about 2005 red bordeaux …".
The Net does include many comments from enthusiast wine-groups such as ‘Wine Berserkers’ on the 2005s, but one does not need to have attended too many meetings of such groups, to know how wildly disparate the views of members are.
All in all, to a quick sampling of the Net, I came to the conclusion that our review will be even more interesting than I anticipated, and even more timely, at the 21-years-on point.
References:
Since preparing the 2015 and 2016 handouts, there is now a good deal more wine-reviewer info accessible on the Net, via the websites of such switched-on firms as K & L wine merchants, based in California, plus the ever-dependable Farr Vintners, London.
Goode, Jamie 2018: Should wine scores be absolute ? www.wineanorak.com/wineblog/uncategorized/should-wine-scores-be-absolute
Goode, Jamie 2017: Score inflation is everywhere and it's killing wine criticism
https://www.wineanorak.com/wineblog/uncategorized/score-inflation-is-everywhere-and-its-killing-wine-criticism
Morris, Jasper 2010: Inside Burgundy: The vineyards, the wine and the people. Berry Bros & Rudd Press, 656 p.
Norman, Remington & Charles Taylor, 2010: The Great Domaines of Burgundy Sterling, 288 p.
Robinson, Jancis, 2015: Keeping cool with 2005 burgundies (free access) https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/keeping-cool-with-2005-burgundies
Schildknecht, David 2007: Burgundy 2005: The Dark Beauties of a Luminous Vintage - Part 1: https://www.robertparker.com/articles/TyhtPgTT3E5ZxTbir, Subscription only.
www.burghound.com = Allen Meadows, Subscription only.
https://insideburgundy.com = Jasper Morris website, some introductory and overview material available, wine reviews Subscription only.
https://wineanorak.com Jamie Goode, PhD (in plant science), UK author of Wine Anorak, a 'global wine journal' on-line. Free access.
www.jancisrobinson.com = Jancis Robinson and associates, some introductory and overview material available, wine reviews Subscription only.
www.robertparker.com = Robert Parker now in name only, for this tasting David Schildknecht, Subscription only.
www.bourgogne-wines.com/press/gallery_files/site/289/1910/37750.pdf = weather
https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-min-max-Temperature,beaune,France = temperature
Acknowledgements:
Scott Gray of Maison-Vauron kindly assisted with access to key information. John Kavanagh, now at Foley Cellars, Martinborough, was the winemaker for the 2005 Neudorf Moutere wine, and added wine-making detail, plus attending the tasting. Kevin Courtney from Riverby Estate, Marlborough, also attended the tasting, and subsequently made further much-appreciated information available. John Shearlock of Regional Wines facilitated the Library Tasting in that firm’s tasting room, and printed and assembled the handout and placemat. And John Comerford kindly made the 2005 Potel Clos de la Roche available, enabling us to have three versions of this highly-ranked vineyard.
THE WINES REVIEWED:
The Wines: There was a duplicate bottle for each of the all-important Clos de la Roche wines, only. Otherwise there were other reserve bottles. The price indications below for the French wines are current values, from Wine-Searcher. The search for background info for the wine-notes started with Morris, 2010 … but it lacks the detail we need. Searching and sifting the publications noted under References followed, plus the Net generally. All wines were bought at initial release, and have been cellared in Wellington since original purchase.
Once the wines were poured, this was the pleasantly fragrant sight that greeted tasters. There is not quite the transparency in a photo, but wine 2, the Bouchard Beaune-Greves (which turned out to be somewhat oxidised) is the palest wine, contrasting with the oaky Bocquenet Nuits-Saint-Georges at place 5 as the darkest wine. The Grivot Vosne-Romanée at position 1, the Potel Volnay Vieilles Vignes at place 3, and the Rousseau Clos de la Roche at place 10, represent the middle range of typical burgundy colours, at the 20-year point in a good vintage. The Corton Clos du Roi at position 6 is of particular interest, being the second-palest wine, yet it was truly fragrant, and likely contains the greatest dry extract in the set. Truly burgundian. And the New World challenger, Neudorf Home Paddock at position 8, the second deepest wine, still shows the youthful vigour that Jancis Robinson commented on in 2008, noting that it was a much more serious pinot noir than most New Zealand examples. The sequence of wines (all 2005s) is, from front left, row 1, position 1 to back right, row 2, position 12, is : 1 = Grivot Vosne-Romanée Les Rouges Premier Cru, 17.5+; 2 = Bouchard Beaune-Greves Premier Cru, 14; 3 = Potel Volnay Vieilles Vignes, 16; 4 = Montille Pommard Les Rugiens Premier Cru, 17.5; 5 = Bocquenet Nuits-Saint-Georges aux Saint-Julien, 17+; 6 = Montille Corton Clos du Roi Grand Cru, 18.5+; 7 = Bachelet Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes, 18; 8 = Neudorf Moutere Home Paddock, 18+; 9 = Potel Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, 18; 10 = Rousseau Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, 19; 11 = Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Vieille Vigne, 18.5, and wine 12 is the Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, 18.5. In aiming for the sequence of wines to best reflect the qualities of each wine, and optimise each, no two people would arrange them the same. The general feeling among tasters was the above sequence worked well.
Scoring: As introduced above, in conducting tastings, I have little patience with the points inflation now so bedevilling wine evaluation in the New World, and so enslaving unthinking wine judges. Wine Shows started with the goal of ‘improving the breed’ … as per their agricultural origins. No longer. In New Zealand and Britain at least they are now dominated by certain much-trumpeted and frankly commercial groupings. The result will be the complete devaluation and discrediting of panel-style wine judging results, irrespective of wine-judges’ sincerity, goals or credentials. The scoring below retains the traditional 18.5 points threshold for gold medal ranking.
The first price shown below for each wine is the current Wine-Searcher value. Where known, an approximate price at release is included in the text. The wines are listed in rank order. This ranking is a personal view, though to a degree guided by the pattern of voting by participants in the tasting.
Morey-Saint-Denis Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $2,291 [ cork, length 50mm, ullage 10mm, cork unusually dense; NZ price at release $NZ221; for Domaine Rousseau, Jasper Morris simply says: “This is one of Burgundy’s greatest domaines …"; to that can be added the thought that though there are c.40 different owners in Clos de la Roche, for the most conscientious it is one of the finest and least-recognised, and hence best-value Grands Crus in all Cote de Nuits; soil parent materials for the vineyard are fractured middle-Jurassic limestones, interbedded with marls. Water-holding capacity is good. Rousseau owns 1.48 ha, c.8.8% of the vineyard, the greater part bought in 1921, the balance in 1975; policy is to keep cropping in the 30–40 hl/ha range; for Clos de la Roche this makes at the most c.500-600 cases per annum; winemaking is said to be little changed over the years, in some years is 100% destemmed, but in 2005 some whole bunches, ratio likely below 15%; total cuvaison time 18 – 19 days in stainless steel, more pumping over than pigeage in 2005, temperatures kept below 34 degrees. The young wine goes to barrel by gravity-feed, with MLF in barrel; in 2005 Clos de la Roche saw no new oak, being primarily raised in 1-year-old barrels, plus some older, to optimise fruit expression. Time in barrel is typically 18 months, rarely up to 22 months; the website unfortunately subordinates information to art, when it comes to detail; Jancis Robinson, 2007: “Extremely rich and seductive on both the eye and nose. Wonderfully satisfying and balanced in terms of perfume already. Great freshness and clarity of fruit. Really quite racy and punchy. So pure! The opposite of galumphing – like a thoroughbred racehorse. Fresh, sappy fruit. Terribly impressive 2025–2032, 18+"; Eric Rousseau talking to Allen Meadows: 2005 “an easy vintage ... It was never very hot ... relatively cool evenings that permitted uniform ripening and good acid retention … The skins were thick and there was an impressively high solid to liquid ratios for most wines."; and Meadows on the wine: “A more elegant and slightly more complex nose of red berry and blue fruit aromas nuanced with an array of subtle hints of game, spice, earth and underbrush leads to rich, intense and even more detailed flavors that culminate in a linear and driving finish that offers impressive punch and energy. Like the Mazis, there is a sleek muscularity here and a real sense of underlying tension on the explosive finish. From 2015+, (91-93)"; Jasper Morris, 2025: “Still a bright youthful crimson ruby colour. The fruit is robust, with some fine-grained tannins, not yet been let out of its straitjacket, but there is plenty to come. The fruit builds steadily on retasting a while later as the structure receded. Drink from 2028-2040, 94"; David Schildknecht in R. Parker, 2007: “Rousseau’s 2005 Clos de la Roche offers a nose of ripe cherries, cedar and brown spices, a rich and expansive palate, and a sweet, pure, juicy finish of cherry, boysenberry, toasty, crusty pastry, hints of caramel, a whiff of wood smoke and a lick of salt. For purity of fruit and intensity allied to formidable extract and superb, lattice-like structure, it’s hard to beat this wine as a candidate for at least a couple of decades in the cellar, one to check up on in eight or ten years, (92-94)"; weight bottle and closure 581 g; www.domaine-rousseau.com ]
A lovely limpid medium ruby, garnet scarcely detectable, a perfect burgundy colour at 20 years age, just below midway in depth. The bouquet on this wine stands out for its understated perfection as red burgundy, classic fragrant red cherry hinting only at black cherry fruit, a little Cote de Nuits zing and uplift, cedary oak of exquisite subtlety. Alcohol seems as stated. Palate shows a little more oak than the bouquet, red cherry and red plum, beautiful acid balance, medium length. Not a big wine, but fragrant, shapely and supremely elegant. At an early peak now, and with 15 years or so to come. Six tasters rated this as their top wine, and eight as their second-favourite. It was recognised as a Grand Cru and Cote de Nuits wine by all those participating in the ranking ... say 16 of the 21 tasters. No-one thought it from New Zealand. Note this wine was in Morris’s 2025 review, as above. GK 08/26
A lovely limpid medium ruby, garnet scarcely detectable, a perfect burgundy colour at 20 years age, just below midway in depth. The bouquet on this wine stands out for its understated perfection as red burgundy, classic fragrant red cherry hinting only at black cherry fruit, a little Cote de Nuits zing and uplift, cedary oak of exquisite subtlety. Alcohol seems as stated. Palate shows a little more oak than the bouquet, red cherry and red plum, beautiful acid balance, medium length. Not a big wine, but fragrant, shapely and supremely elegant. At an early peak now, and with 15 years or so to come. Six tasters rated this as their top wine, and eight as their second-favourite. It was recognised as a Grand Cru and Cote de Nuits wine by all those participating in the ranking ... say 16 of the 21 tasters. No-one thought it from New Zealand. Note this wine was in Morris’s 2025 review, as above. GK 08/26
Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: 13%; $673 [ cork, length 50mm, ullage 11mm; NZ price at release around $NZ175; the Montilles head up their website with the quote: “Where there is wine, there is civilization." The Montilles hold 0.84 ha of Corton Clos du Roi; much of the background given below for their Les Rugiens also applies to this wine, plus: production seems a little greater for a year like 2005 at 2.2 t/ha, and new barrels may be 50%; Clos du Roi is considered the finest of all the Corton Grand Cru vineyards; the Montilles particularly seek: “the silky tannins we love so much …"; Jancis Robinson has only one review, at a very early stage, Aug 2007: “Very, very fruity, almost jammy. Still some gas. Very youthful and slightly lolly (candified) at this stage, 2010 -2020, 17 –"; Allen Meadows (2007): “Here the nose is more deeply pitched with notes of earth, game, smoke and underbrush adding interest to the briar and red berry fruit aromas that lead to serious, brooding and reserved big-bodied flavors that are underpinned by firm but not aggressive tannins and excellent length. There is slightly more depth here than in the Pougets though it’s less fine as well. A stylistic choice. From 2017 +, (91-93)"; no recent reviews from recognised writers, but those from wine groups encouraging; weight bottle and closure 610 g; https://www.demontille.com/fr ]
An even more limpid and lighter ruby than the Rousseau, hints of garnet creeping into the ruby, the second lightest wine. There has never been any correlation between depth of colour, and quality of wine, in red burgundy. The softly fragrant bouquet shows more emphasis on red cherry fruit, with beautiful oak a little more noticeable than the Rousseau. Alcohol seems as stated. The wine really gains points on palate, wonderful richness and texture, fractionally the richest in the tasting. That does not mean it is the biggest wine: the magic of good dry extract values is this saturation of flavour and fruit on the palate, the suggestion of layers of fruit which outweigh the oak. This is a splendid Cotes de Beaune, ranking with the best Cote de Nuits wines in this set. Beautifully mature now, but still with some years in hand. This was the unsung wine of the tasting, nobody ranking it top or second, all but one recognising it as Cotes de Beaune, three wondering if it might be New Zealand. Living next to a much warmer-climate wine country as we do, it is all too easy to forget that most wines that are highly-acclaimed in Europe are about beauty of bouquet and length on palate, not weight and impact. Nowhere does this apply more than in red burgundy. GK 08/26
An even more limpid and lighter ruby than the Rousseau, hints of garnet creeping into the ruby, the second lightest wine. There has never been any correlation between depth of colour, and quality of wine, in red burgundy. The softly fragrant bouquet shows more emphasis on red cherry fruit, with beautiful oak a little more noticeable than the Rousseau. Alcohol seems as stated. The wine really gains points on palate, wonderful richness and texture, fractionally the richest in the tasting. That does not mean it is the biggest wine: the magic of good dry extract values is this saturation of flavour and fruit on the palate, the suggestion of layers of fruit which outweigh the oak. This is a splendid Cotes de Beaune, ranking with the best Cote de Nuits wines in this set. Beautifully mature now, but still with some years in hand. This was the unsung wine of the tasting, nobody ranking it top or second, all but one recognising it as Cotes de Beaune, three wondering if it might be New Zealand. Living next to a much warmer-climate wine country as we do, it is all too easy to forget that most wines that are highly-acclaimed in Europe are about beauty of bouquet and length on palate, not weight and impact. Nowhere does this apply more than in red burgundy. GK 08/26
Gevrey-Chambertin, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $422 [ cork, length 50mm, ullage 9mm, cork unbleached; NZ price at release around $NZ65; name as per label; a winery where all the emphasis is on preparing healthy fruit in the vineyard, yet with minimal or no use of herbicides; in the winery nearly always 100% destemming, but with the goal of maximising whole berries; only fruit from vines more than 30 years old is retained for domaine bottlings, 4 – 5 days cold soak, wild yeast ferments preferred; no pumping-over, only pigeage 2 – 4 times daily, gravity feed to barrel, restrained use of new oak, often no more than 20%, and an emphasis on retaining dissolved CO2 in the wine; up to 12 initial months on fine lees in barrel, 16 – 20 months total in barrel, then bottling without fining or filtration; Jancis Robinson, 2007: “Mild nose, very lively bitter cherry palate. Sings with life and energy. Promises well, 2012-2019, 16.5+"; Allen Meadows, 2007: “I found his ‘05s to be magnificent, combining ripe and dense fruit with the elegance and purity that is the hallmark of this domaine." And for our wine: “very fresh, bright and exuberant nose features briar, red and blue fruit and iron-infused earth aromas that complement to perfection the round, rich and sweet flavors that are unusually well-detailed and finish with punch and power. This too is recommended, from 2012, 88–91"; weight bottle and closure 644 g; no domaine website – see; https://www.pearlofburgundy.com/our-wines/domaine-fourrier ]
Garnet more than ruby, a similar weight and limpidity to the Corton Grand Cru, the third-lightest wine. Bouquet reveals much of the charm tasters seek in fine burgundy, a wonderful softness and implicit florality reminiscent of (for this wine) salmon-pink rose flowers, leading to all red cherry fruit which though light in berry character, smells surprisingly rich. Alcohol seems as stated. Just on bouquet, your hope is this wine will have the texture in mouth to match the other pale but rich wine, the Corton. On tasting, not quite, but the length is still very good. This really is a Grand Cru wine hiding in a Village label … quite remarkable. You can easily imagine a delicate yet sustained wine like this being dismissed in hotter-climate wine countries seeking more heroic wines – but for Wellington pinotphiles it sang: 10 top places, four second-favourites, 17 thought it a Grand Cru, and (surprisingly) 14 identified it as Cote de Nuits. One of the surprises in the tasting. No-one thought it from New Zealand. GK 08/26
Garnet more than ruby, a similar weight and limpidity to the Corton Grand Cru, the third-lightest wine. Bouquet reveals much of the charm tasters seek in fine burgundy, a wonderful softness and implicit florality reminiscent of (for this wine) salmon-pink rose flowers, leading to all red cherry fruit which though light in berry character, smells surprisingly rich. Alcohol seems as stated. Just on bouquet, your hope is this wine will have the texture in mouth to match the other pale but rich wine, the Corton. On tasting, not quite, but the length is still very good. This really is a Grand Cru wine hiding in a Village label … quite remarkable. You can easily imagine a delicate yet sustained wine like this being dismissed in hotter-climate wine countries seeking more heroic wines – but for Wellington pinotphiles it sang: 10 top places, four second-favourites, 17 thought it a Grand Cru, and (surprisingly) 14 identified it as Cote de Nuits. One of the surprises in the tasting. No-one thought it from New Zealand. GK 08/26
Morey-Saint-Denis, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $1,489 [ cork, length 49mm, ullage 9mm; cork unbleached; NZ price at release around $NZ240; lying between Gevrey-Chambertin and Chambolle-Musigny, the 170 ha of Morey-Saint-Denis are perhaps the most overlooked high-quality terroir in Burgundy. And the grand cru Clos de la Roche is one of its very finest sites. Info about this domaine is sketchy at present, due to family tragedy, but I believe this bottle to be the work of Hubert Lignier himself – a winemaker rated highly by Remington Norman; Christopher Cannan, of Europvin: “Hubert Lignier is the reluctant star of Morey-Saint-Denis. He is a quiet, conscientious vigneron who until recently continued to sell half his crop to the negociants, despite the clamour at his door following Robert Parker's description of him as ‘a brilliant winemaker’"; the Wine-Searcher value would appear to confirm these views; the best info on the Net comes from Cannan and the American firm Rosenthal Wine Merchant, the latter simply describing this wine as: “the fabled Clos de la Roche"; average vine age c.40 years; viticulture tending organic; all de-stemmed, 5 days cold-soak followed by longish cuvaisons to 20 days or so, all wild-yeasts, new oak may reach 50% in good years for the grands crus, with 20 – 24 months in barrel, no fining or filtration; Robinson, not tasted; Meadows, 2007: [ Meadows gives the impression this is our wine exactly, but at the time of tasting, it was not bottled ] “As usual this is the best wine in the range with a simply gorgeous range of seductive if serious aromas that include both red and blue pinot fruit, spice notes, game and underbrush hints that continue onto the classy, pure and wonderfully deep and palate-staining flavors oozing with ripe extract that completely buffer the firm but ripe tannins. This is also built to age and should reward amply 12 to 15 years of patience. A stunner of a wine, from 2017, 92-95"; what exactly serious pinotphiles are to make of the following assessment will add interest to our tasting, David Schildknecht in R. Parker, 2007: “Lignier’s 2005 Clos de la Roche – from three diverse parcels – smells of black cherry, blackberry, ginger bread and fruit cake, with its pungency of citrus zest and brown spices following on the palate. For all of its baked and roasted fruit and meat suggestions, and its underlying, oily textural richness, this holds a fine edge of fresh fruit, displaying subtly chewy fruit skin character. The long finish brings stony mineral, resinous herbal, and gamey animal profundities, but delightful primary fresh fruit is never far from the surface in this wine, the latest in an illustrious line and demanding of 12-15 years in the cellar, 94 – 96"; and for a more recent view, Antonio Galloni @ Vinous, 2017: “… just starting to develop the first hints of tertiary nuance. Smoke, leather, game, licorice and dark-fleshed fruits abound. Deep, bold and super-expressive, with elements of gravitas and baritone darkness, the 2005 possesses off the charts richness and intensity. Even so, the brisk, saline notes that are a signature of this site are very much present beneath the fruit. The 2005 is now approaching its first plateau of maturity, which makes it an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next two decades or more, 96"; weight bottle and closure 608 g; www.hubert-lignier.com ]
The wine colour still much more ruby than garnet, the third-deepest wine in the tasting with still quite a dark centre, lovely. This is altogether a bigger bouquet, wonderful black more than red cherry fruit with an exciting Cote de Nuits zing and uplift, hints of dark plums and even blackcurrant / cassis, I reluctantly concede. Cedary oak is well matched to the exciting berryfruit. Alcohol seems a little higher than stated. In mouth there is a big tanniny berry flavour, even a hint of sun shining on blackberries, again not quite typical fine burgundy, a bold wine with nearly the beguiling length of palate and dry extract as the top two. As Harry Waugh used to say, there are still tannins to lose here. I imagine in another 10 years this wine may well rank more highly. It sat next to a very delicate wine, which may have disadvantaged it a little. Rated top wine by one taster, clearly a Grand Cru wine by 14 tasters, and a Cote de Nuits wine by nearly as many. Has many years ahead of it, say 20. In style the closest of the burgundies to the Neudorf wine, but it is conspicuously riper and with gentler acid and tannin. No-one thought it from New Zealand. GK 08/26
The wine colour still much more ruby than garnet, the third-deepest wine in the tasting with still quite a dark centre, lovely. This is altogether a bigger bouquet, wonderful black more than red cherry fruit with an exciting Cote de Nuits zing and uplift, hints of dark plums and even blackcurrant / cassis, I reluctantly concede. Cedary oak is well matched to the exciting berryfruit. Alcohol seems a little higher than stated. In mouth there is a big tanniny berry flavour, even a hint of sun shining on blackberries, again not quite typical fine burgundy, a bold wine with nearly the beguiling length of palate and dry extract as the top two. As Harry Waugh used to say, there are still tannins to lose here. I imagine in another 10 years this wine may well rank more highly. It sat next to a very delicate wine, which may have disadvantaged it a little. Rated top wine by one taster, clearly a Grand Cru wine by 14 tasters, and a Cote de Nuits wine by nearly as many. Has many years ahead of it, say 20. In style the closest of the burgundies to the Neudorf wine, but it is conspicuously riper and with gentler acid and tannin. No-one thought it from New Zealand. GK 08/26
Moutere Hills, Nelson, New Zealand: 14%; $98 [ screwcap; NZ price at release around $NZ60; the wine based on Clone 5 from the steeper upper section of the Home Block, plus 10/5 and other clones up to 25 years old. Clone 5 is UCD5, generally known as one of the Pommard clones, re Jancis below. The season was characterised by poor fruit set and thus a reduced yield of small berries, giving a good juice to skins ratio, and thus good colour and concentration in the finished wine; winemaking was along the lines: harvested at c. 5 t/ha; 100% de-stemmed; 5 days cold soak, wild yeast fermentation, 20 days cuvaison all told; 18 months French oak 16% new; not fined or filtered; Jancis Robinson, 2008: “Again, extraordinarily dark for such a relatively senior wine (in a New Zealand context). The Pommard clone produced this small production wine. Very fine tannins. There is lots there and very fine, fresh fruit. Very serious and dry – completely different animal from the New Zealand norm – much more subtle and complex, 2009-2014, 17.5"; ... it has to be said, that is a remarkable score by Jancis Robinson … check her reviews for the burgundies, to follow; Bob Campbell, probably 2007: “The best example of this classic I have tasted – concentrated, intense, generous with dried fruit, licorice and exotic spice – wins points for drinkability and cellaring potential – 96/100"; Michael Cooper, 2008: “the 2005 is a top vintage, with bold, youthful colour and exceptional concentration. It possesses dense flavours of plums, cherries and spices, still fresh and vibrant, with sweet-fruit delights and notable complexity. A power-packed and extremely classy wine, it should mature gracefully for many years, *****"; weight bottle and closure 708 g; https://neudorf.co.nz ]
Ruby more than garnet, the second deepest wine in the tasting. Quite a big bouquet, a lot of vibrant red and black cherry and berry, alongside the Bachelet the fruit not quite so ripe though in a subtle way, and the oak a little more noticeable and cedary. Great purity. Alcohol close to that stated. Flavour is bold, clear red and black cherry, the total acid a little higher than the better burgundies, with the acid making the oak more noticeable. The whole wine is extremely fresh and vital, as young as any on the table. Dry extract is good but not exemplary, as in the Corton or Rousseau. In this tasting including four Grands Crus wines, the view tasters formed of this wine at the blind stage could not be more exciting. Three tasters rated it the top wine of the evening, and one their second-favourite. More importantly however, 11 tasters thought this a Grand Cru wine … and therefore French. Six astute tasters sussed it was from New Zealand, perhaps working on the clues outlined above. Two thought there is a hint of stalkiness. For this wine to be thought a Grand Cru in a tasting of this calibre is truly exciting for both the New Zealand wine industry, and more particularly for pinot noir growers – to say nothing of the pleasure for the Neudorf winery people. To have the maker of the wine among the tasters only increased the general appreciation of it. And the excitement only increases when the clues to even greater quality can be seen in the glass: a little more fruit ripeness in the vineyard, and thus lower acid, and a little less new oak in the winery. In its way, a revelation. Will cellar another 15 years or so. A pity so many New Zealand wine people drink such wines far too young. Nowadays, only the most everyday New Zealand red does not improve for 10 years. GK 08/26
Ruby more than garnet, the second deepest wine in the tasting. Quite a big bouquet, a lot of vibrant red and black cherry and berry, alongside the Bachelet the fruit not quite so ripe though in a subtle way, and the oak a little more noticeable and cedary. Great purity. Alcohol close to that stated. Flavour is bold, clear red and black cherry, the total acid a little higher than the better burgundies, with the acid making the oak more noticeable. The whole wine is extremely fresh and vital, as young as any on the table. Dry extract is good but not exemplary, as in the Corton or Rousseau. In this tasting including four Grands Crus wines, the view tasters formed of this wine at the blind stage could not be more exciting. Three tasters rated it the top wine of the evening, and one their second-favourite. More importantly however, 11 tasters thought this a Grand Cru wine … and therefore French. Six astute tasters sussed it was from New Zealand, perhaps working on the clues outlined above. Two thought there is a hint of stalkiness. For this wine to be thought a Grand Cru in a tasting of this calibre is truly exciting for both the New Zealand wine industry, and more particularly for pinot noir growers – to say nothing of the pleasure for the Neudorf winery people. To have the maker of the wine among the tasters only increased the general appreciation of it. And the excitement only increases when the clues to even greater quality can be seen in the glass: a little more fruit ripeness in the vineyard, and thus lower acid, and a little less new oak in the winery. In its way, a revelation. Will cellar another 15 years or so. A pity so many New Zealand wine people drink such wines far too young. Nowadays, only the most everyday New Zealand red does not improve for 10 years. GK 08/26
Gevrey-Chambertin, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $385 [ cork, length 49mm, ullage 15mm; NZ price at release $NZ74; W-S valuation in 2016 $NZ143; as can be seen from the jump in valuation from 2016 to 2026, Denis Bachelet's reputation grows in leaps and bounds; the vineyard planted 1920s, '30s, '50s; 100% de-stemming; 5 – 6 days cold soak, wild-yeast fermentations; 15 or so months in 25 – 33% new oak, no fining or filtration; Jasper Morris comments for this wine: “The fruit always dominates the tannins"; Jancis Robinson has no reviews for this wine – odd; Allen Meadows, 2007: “A slightly riper and more complex nose of warm earth, underbrush and spicy violet-laced aromas complement the rich, full and suave flavors that are velvety and mouth coating on the textured and seductive finish … accessible ... but the almost invisible structure lurks beneath the velvet and this will definitely be a solid cellar candidate: 89-91"; and on re-tasting the wine in 2014 Meadows notes the “outstanding concentration" and marks it 90; D Schildknecht @ R. Parker, 2007: “… offers lovely black fruit aromas with hints of anise and mint. A truly palate-staining intensity of vividly-fresh, tart but ripe black cherry and blackberry is underlain by firm, fine tannins (not precluding an emerging silkiness of texture) and augmented by bitter-herbal and stony notes. Although palpably dense and abundantly tannic, this outstanding village wine still comes off as juicy, sleek, invigorating and refined. Put it away for at least 5-7 years, 91-92"; John Gilman, 2006: “a stunning wine this year, with the depth, flavor authority and structure of a top premier cru. The lovely bouquet offers up notes of black cherries, black raspberries, bitter chocolate, meaty tones and a huge base of Gevrey’s black minerality. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and quite powerfully structured, with broad shoulders filled out with brilliantly pure black fruit, and a very long, primary and vibrant finish. The tannins here are very fine, and the impeccable balance of this wine will carry it a very long way, 93"; weight bottle and closure 613 g; no website found, see; https://www.beckywasserman.com/domaines/denis-bachelet ]
A youthful velvety ruby, the freshest colour on the table, a perfect colour for a darker burgundy. Bouquet is velvety too, with hints of the deepest darkest red roses, and all black cherry fruit grading to dark plum, plus suggestions of that magic smell of blackberries in the sun – unusual for pinot noir. Alcohol seems a little above that stated. Palate is plump, no other word for it, black cherry again and lots of it, not the subtlety, complexity and length of the Rousseau, nor the refined oak, but beautiful oak handling and a remarkable introduction to pinot noir from Cote de Nuits. Just a hint fleshy, alongside the Potel Clos de la Roche. This wine simply could not be a Cote de Beaune. Placed alongside the Neudorf, to permit examination of their differing acid balances, ripeness, and oak handling. No top places, but two tasters rated it their second favourite, four thought it Cote de Nuits, and three thought New Zealand. I find Jasper Morris had this wine in his ‘Twenty Years On’ review, last year. He commented: “A glowing glossy red … youthful red fruit. Very firm and tannic on the palate, though still with an intensity of fruit … to 2040, 91." Will cellar for 10 – 15 years plus. GK 08/26
A youthful velvety ruby, the freshest colour on the table, a perfect colour for a darker burgundy. Bouquet is velvety too, with hints of the deepest darkest red roses, and all black cherry fruit grading to dark plum, plus suggestions of that magic smell of blackberries in the sun – unusual for pinot noir. Alcohol seems a little above that stated. Palate is plump, no other word for it, black cherry again and lots of it, not the subtlety, complexity and length of the Rousseau, nor the refined oak, but beautiful oak handling and a remarkable introduction to pinot noir from Cote de Nuits. Just a hint fleshy, alongside the Potel Clos de la Roche. This wine simply could not be a Cote de Beaune. Placed alongside the Neudorf, to permit examination of their differing acid balances, ripeness, and oak handling. No top places, but two tasters rated it their second favourite, four thought it Cote de Nuits, and three thought New Zealand. I find Jasper Morris had this wine in his ‘Twenty Years On’ review, last year. He commented: “A glowing glossy red … youthful red fruit. Very firm and tannic on the palate, though still with an intensity of fruit … to 2040, 91." Will cellar for 10 – 15 years plus. GK 08/26
Morey-Saint-Denis Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $468 [ cork, length 50mm, ullage 13mm; NZ price at release around $NZ260; the label no longer exists, being reincarnated with the Maison Roche de Bellene; however the website for Potel’s successor winery is devoid of information for any wine labelled Clos de la Roche … though in fact they still offer one; IF the latter still makes the label from the same source / in the same way as Potel’s 2005 wine, it is from 45-year old vines cropped at 35 hl/ha, is aged in 50% new oak, and is bottled with no fining or filtering; Jancis Robinson, 2007: “Flattering, sweet nose. Then great juicy fruit on the palate with real energy. Lively and fresh too. A hint of coffee. Quite lean. Pure, very fruity – almost unnervingly so!, to 2025, 17.5"; Allen Meadows, 2007: “A flat out gorgeous nose features violets, red pinot fruit and black berry notes trimmed in a deft touch of wood that gives way to rich, full and sweet flavors that possess unusually good detail, all wrapped in a powerful, deep and exceptionally long finish. This is also impeccably well balanced and should improve for at least a decade, from 2015, (92–94)"; David Schildknecht @ RP, 2007: “Potel’s 2005 Clos de la Roche smells sweetly of cherry liqueur, blond tobacco, honey and iris. If this were a white wine if would be a nobly sweet one. Explosively intense in the mouth, with sappy, sweet cherry, quarry dust, tobacco, pungent flowers, citrus zest, and gradually emerging hints of game, it finishes with almost indelible sweetness and complexity, (95–96)"; Allen Meadows, 2016: “The expressive and highly aromatic nose remains largely if not completely primary as there is some secondary character evident on the floral and sandalwood-inflected red and dark berry scents. There is equally good complexity to the delicious and attractively textured medium weight plus flavors that possess both good power and excellent persistence on the naturally sweet finale. This is evolving very well and while it could easily be enjoyed now I would be inclined to allow it another 4 to 6 years of cellar time where it should then hold for another 20ish years. In a word, excellent, 94". weight bottle and closure 570 g; no website for the original winery. ]
A shining ruby and garnet, in the middle for depth. A bouquet of great purity, a little bit floral in the light red rose spectrum, all red cherry fruit including even a hint of pomegranate, very subtle oak indeed. Alcohol close to that stated. Palate is a little shorter and drier than the bouquet promises, clear red cherry, reasonable length, not quite the excitement or body of the other two examples of Clos de la Roche. But how wonderful to have three together. Acid balance is perfect. Nobody rated the Potel version their top wine, three had it as their second-favourite, two thought it a Grand Cru wine, but only one a Cote de Nuits – interesting. There is just a little more vinosity than the Bachelet, though they are scored the same. It is shorter and drier than the Corton Grand Cru – you can see why it was interpreted as a Cotes de Beaune wine. Fully mature now, not so much one for the longer haul. No-one thought it from New Zealand. GK 08/26
A shining ruby and garnet, in the middle for depth. A bouquet of great purity, a little bit floral in the light red rose spectrum, all red cherry fruit including even a hint of pomegranate, very subtle oak indeed. Alcohol close to that stated. Palate is a little shorter and drier than the bouquet promises, clear red cherry, reasonable length, not quite the excitement or body of the other two examples of Clos de la Roche. But how wonderful to have three together. Acid balance is perfect. Nobody rated the Potel version their top wine, three had it as their second-favourite, two thought it a Grand Cru wine, but only one a Cote de Nuits – interesting. There is just a little more vinosity than the Bachelet, though they are scored the same. It is shorter and drier than the Corton Grand Cru – you can see why it was interpreted as a Cotes de Beaune wine. Fully mature now, not so much one for the longer haul. No-one thought it from New Zealand. GK 08/26
Vosne-Romanée, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $461 [ cork, length 50mm, ullage 17mm; NZ price at release around $NZ230; a vineyard and winery in the process of transition from Étienne Grivot to daughter Mathilde; again great emphasis on maintaining scrupulous vineyard health; fruit is totally destemmed; in general 5 – 7 days cold-soak; cuvaisons may be to three weeks, then to barrel with 30–40% new oak for the premiers crus; the domaine is noted for the quality and transparency of its wines; Jancis Robinson, 2007: “Very exciting life and lift and race. One of Grivot's liveliest '05s! Dry finish but great race and length, 2012–2020, 17.5", and a second sample: Deep crimson. Sweet and rather charming for a Grivot wine! The fruit copes well with those very firm tannins. Still pretty solid, 2015 – 2023, 17"; this wine seems largely unreviewed; weight bottle and closure 578 g; no domaine website – see; https://www.pearlofburgundy.com/our-wines/domaine-jean-grivot ]
Ruby and garnet, bright and attractive, right in the middle for depth of colour. Bouquet is pleasingly complex, a clear red floral component, a lot of red and some darker cherry, subtle oak, and hints of the piquant zing that points to the Cote de Nuits. [ By ‘zing’ here and elsewhere I refer to terpene-like aromatics and bouquet excitement, not VA.] Alcohol seems a little more than stated. In mouth the flavours darken a little to more black cherry, the oak and acid balances are exemplary, all factors pointing to a quality classed growth. It does not have the palate weight of the Bachelet for example, and the acid balance is a little crisper. Because it so typified good burgundy, without being benchmark in any dimension, it seemed the perfect wine to place as number one, to act as the ‘sighter’ wine for the tasting. As such, the first wine rarely gets a fair assessment … and so it proved. This wine received no rankings at all. Nonetheless it is good burgundy, approaching full maturity, and nicely balanced. It will cellar another 5 – 10 years. GK 08/26
Ruby and garnet, bright and attractive, right in the middle for depth of colour. Bouquet is pleasingly complex, a clear red floral component, a lot of red and some darker cherry, subtle oak, and hints of the piquant zing that points to the Cote de Nuits. [ By ‘zing’ here and elsewhere I refer to terpene-like aromatics and bouquet excitement, not VA.] Alcohol seems a little more than stated. In mouth the flavours darken a little to more black cherry, the oak and acid balances are exemplary, all factors pointing to a quality classed growth. It does not have the palate weight of the Bachelet for example, and the acid balance is a little crisper. Because it so typified good burgundy, without being benchmark in any dimension, it seemed the perfect wine to place as number one, to act as the ‘sighter’ wine for the tasting. As such, the first wine rarely gets a fair assessment … and so it proved. This wine received no rankings at all. Nonetheless it is good burgundy, approaching full maturity, and nicely balanced. It will cellar another 5 – 10 years. GK 08/26
Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $470 [ cork, length 50mm, ullage 12mm; NZ price at release around $NZ175; Jasper Morris considers Les Rugiens to be Pommard’s finest vineyard; since 1954 this 1.02 ha domaine has been working towards first organic viticulture, then from 2000, moving towards being biodynamic; in a year like 2005, cropping rate may be as low as 1.8 t/ha; in the winery, there is growing emphasis on whole-bunch fermentations; the emphasis is on “balance and elegance over power and extraction" … but this … “must in no way compromise the aging potential of the wines"; all grapes are hand-picked; the percentage of whole bunches in the fermentation varies with the season, ranging from a third to 66% or more in a year like 2005. Fermentation is in oak vats. In a very ripe year such as 2005, a tendency to only one punch-down (pigeage) per day, not the usual two; new oak use varies round 40 – 45% for Les Rugiens, less in a year like 2005, in 228-litre barrels; Jancis Robinson has not reported on the 2005, but for example rated the also dry year 2003 at 19 “… almost voluptuous … very very fine"; Allen Meadows (2007) reports: “Etienne de Montille describes the 2005 vintage as having given the “best fruit that I have ever seen … The fruit was perfectly balanced with more acidity than ’85 or ’90 and more concentration that either ’90 or ’99 … My father has far greater experience than I do and he told me that in his view 2005 is the best vintage since 1959." Meadows review of the wine: “An exceptionally subtle trace of wood frames elegant, pure, complex, layered and altogether classy deep red berry fruit aromas that reluctantly give up notes of spice and underbrush as well that can also be found on the rich, intense, sleekly muscled and equally pure full-bodied flavors that remain beautifully delineated and focused on the sappy, intense and wonderfully long finish. A refined Rugiens that will age impeccably well on its dense mid-palate and overall balance. In sum, a really lovely effort that has all it needs for the medium to perhaps long haul. From 2013, 92-94"; Stephen Tanzer at International Wine Cellar = Vinous similarly describes this wine as: “aromas of dark raspberry, violet and spices … Wonderfully rich … 91-93"; weight bottle and closure 578 g; https://www.demontille.com/fr ]
Ruby and garnet, in the middle of the field for depth. This wine is further along its development path than most on the table, showing attractively fragrant but not quite floral all red fruits browning a little now, with pleasantly subtle oak. Alcohol seems close to that stated. Palate is straightforward maturing red-cherry Cote de Beaune, not a rich wine but attractively balanced to the soft oak, showing some length. At a peak for drinking now and in the next few years. People liked the approachability of this wine, one top rating, two second-favourite. One thought it a Grand Cru, and five thought it Cote de Nuits, perhaps on the oak aromatics. Three thought it could be New Zealand … again hinting at how far down the track towards Burgundy complexity good New Zealand pinot noir can be. GK 08/26
Ruby and garnet, in the middle of the field for depth. This wine is further along its development path than most on the table, showing attractively fragrant but not quite floral all red fruits browning a little now, with pleasantly subtle oak. Alcohol seems close to that stated. Palate is straightforward maturing red-cherry Cote de Beaune, not a rich wine but attractively balanced to the soft oak, showing some length. At a peak for drinking now and in the next few years. People liked the approachability of this wine, one top rating, two second-favourite. One thought it a Grand Cru, and five thought it Cote de Nuits, perhaps on the oak aromatics. Three thought it could be New Zealand … again hinting at how far down the track towards Burgundy complexity good New Zealand pinot noir can be. GK 08/26
Nuits-Saint-Georges, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $158 [ cork, length 50mm, ullage 14mm; NZ price at release $NZ65; my accessible references give me no information about this producer; AI advises: “Daniel Bocquenet was based in Nuits-Saint-Georges in the Cote de Nuits region of Burgundy, France, where he famously produced fine Pinot Noir wines like Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Saint-Julien and Echezeaux Grand Cru before retiring after the 2015 vintage."; David Schildknecht does tell us he liked new oak, often leaving the better wines in all-new oak for 10 or 11 months, and that his extraction levels in 2005 were “fearless". He also comments that the wines are bottled without filtering, and he sells off any wine he is not pleased with; Jancis Robinson has not reviewed any vintage; thankfully Allen Meadows (2007) can tell us something: “I have said this multiple times … Daniel Bocquenet remains in my view one of the most under rated wine makers in Burgundy … Bocquenet told me that 2005 ‘produced true vins de garde …’"; and don’t miss the ‘05s for excellent burgundy at attractive prices; Meadows, 2007 for our wine: “Deep ruby. Here too there is a subtle trace of wood surrounding the dark berry fruit and earth aromas that continue onto the concentrated, round and delicious flavors that are serious and relatively powerful for a villages level wine. This will require a few years of cellar time to soften the presently firm tannic spine. Again, this offers first rate quality and is recommended, from 2013+, (89-92)"; David Schildknecht, 2007: “Bocquenet’s 2005 Nuits-St.-Georges Aux St.-Julien (from a site just north of the town) smells typically cedary, smoky, woodsy, intensely black-fruited and touched by vanilla and spice from the barrel. A broad-shouldered, rich, sweet, but slightly husky palate impression is unabashedly tannic but well-covered in rich fruit. The finish displays an oily, smoky, pungent cling and ample, satisfying, extroverted sweetness, (89-91)"; weight bottle and closure 563 g; no website ]
Ruby, garnet and velvet, tending deep for burgundy, the deepest wine on the table. And a big bouquet, tending aromatic and New World in style, in the sense that oak is very noticeable, along with big dark berry. Fruit character is more overtly plummy than dark cherry, and the wine is very aromatic on the oak. Alcohol is close to that stated. Flavour is as bold as the bouquet, again New World suggestions, oak flavours more noticeable than the kind of berry. But as the colour suggests, it is a rich wine. Though the colour is tending older, this is likely because of the oak handling, so it seems a wine to put aside for 10 years, in the hope that it loses some tannin via polymerisation. Many in the New World would like this wine, for exactly the reasons stated, but it lacks burgundian subtlety and charm, as yet. Two people rated it their second-favourite wine, one thought it Cote de Nuits, otherwise comment was lacking. Cellar another 10 – 15 years, to soften, and perhaps longer, colour notwithstanding. GK 08/26
Ruby, garnet and velvet, tending deep for burgundy, the deepest wine on the table. And a big bouquet, tending aromatic and New World in style, in the sense that oak is very noticeable, along with big dark berry. Fruit character is more overtly plummy than dark cherry, and the wine is very aromatic on the oak. Alcohol is close to that stated. Flavour is as bold as the bouquet, again New World suggestions, oak flavours more noticeable than the kind of berry. But as the colour suggests, it is a rich wine. Though the colour is tending older, this is likely because of the oak handling, so it seems a wine to put aside for 10 years, in the hope that it loses some tannin via polymerisation. Many in the New World would like this wine, for exactly the reasons stated, but it lacks burgundian subtlety and charm, as yet. Two people rated it their second-favourite wine, one thought it Cote de Nuits, otherwise comment was lacking. Cellar another 10 – 15 years, to soften, and perhaps longer, colour notwithstanding. GK 08/26
Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: 13%; $153 [ cork, length 49mm, ullage 14mm; NZ price at release $NZ59; the label no longer exists, being reincarnated with the Maison Roche de Bellene; the wine is understood to be from vines 40 – 70 years old, blended from maybe a dozen vineyards including some well-rated; otherwise nobody has anything to say about the winemaking, and the website for Potel’s successor winery, Maison Roche de Bellene, is devoid of information … plus our label is no longer offered; Jamie Goode interviewed Potel before this wine was made, and notes that Potel owned no vineyards at the time, and bought from some 40 growers. His inclination was to ‘natural’ wines … but with use of SO2; Goode rated the 2002 of this wine 90; Jancis Robinson has not had the 2005, the two vintages either side being rated 16 – 16.5, with comments suggesting a straightforward wine representative of its label; Allen Meadows, 2007: “(Potel noted that 40% of this blend is from various 1ers). Moderate reduction makes the nose difficult to evaluate but the moderately rustic and full-bodied flavors are frank, rich and direct, underpinned by rugged if not aggressive tannins on the supple but admirably dense finish. This is complex and the material is impressive enough though … this won’t win any prizes for elegance, to 2012 and beyond, 87–90"; David Schildknecht, in R. Parker, 2007: “... representing an inordinately large lot for him, and assembled from seven different parcels, some premier cru – offers aromas and flavors of lightly cooked cherry and blackcurrant tinged with vanilla, licorice and black chocolate. Quite full and imposingly ripe, it just lacks a bit for sap and juiciness, offering a relatively foursquare finish, 88"; weight bottle and closure 590 g; no website ]
Ruby and garnet, bright, just below the middle for depth. We had to have a Volnay in the tasting, though it might seem a bit small and fading in the company, to honour the second New Zealand pinot noir pioneer who has died recently. As noted above, Danny Schuster (1949 – 2026, died 29 July 2026) was New Zealand's first producer of quality pinot noir since Prohibition. (Though the at-best-lovely Mission Estate Reserve Pinot of the '50s and '60s, said by Ian Clark to be based on pinot meuniere, as it was then called, should be remembered. And Babich and Nobilo in Auckland later had forms of pinot noir, possibly the Swiss bachtobel clone.) Danny convened many wine gatherings over the years, and loved talking about burgundies. He would often say, if you want to learn about burgundy, start with Volnay. This comment of his reveals one of the endearing sides of Danny's personality. In his life, there were very few geese, and many swans. And this wine made that point well enough: clean and lightly fragrant / floral all red cherry aromas, browning a little now with age. Alcohol is close to that stated. Palate is a little older, clean but older oak, the fruit shortening now and starting to dry, a little acid peeping through, the oak in balance. On closer examination, just traces of age-related deterioration. This wine should be finished up in the next year or two, while it still has fading fruit. Six rated it their least wine, and two thought it from New Zealand. GK 08/26
Ruby and garnet, bright, just below the middle for depth. We had to have a Volnay in the tasting, though it might seem a bit small and fading in the company, to honour the second New Zealand pinot noir pioneer who has died recently. As noted above, Danny Schuster (1949 – 2026, died 29 July 2026) was New Zealand's first producer of quality pinot noir since Prohibition. (Though the at-best-lovely Mission Estate Reserve Pinot of the '50s and '60s, said by Ian Clark to be based on pinot meuniere, as it was then called, should be remembered. And Babich and Nobilo in Auckland later had forms of pinot noir, possibly the Swiss bachtobel clone.) Danny convened many wine gatherings over the years, and loved talking about burgundies. He would often say, if you want to learn about burgundy, start with Volnay. This comment of his reveals one of the endearing sides of Danny's personality. In his life, there were very few geese, and many swans. And this wine made that point well enough: clean and lightly fragrant / floral all red cherry aromas, browning a little now with age. Alcohol is close to that stated. Palate is a little older, clean but older oak, the fruit shortening now and starting to dry, a little acid peeping through, the oak in balance. On closer examination, just traces of age-related deterioration. This wine should be finished up in the next year or two, while it still has fading fruit. Six rated it their least wine, and two thought it from New Zealand. GK 08/26
Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $309 [ cork, length 50mm; ullage 11mm; NZ price at release around $NZ75; The Bouchard website does not have our exact label any longer, but for Beaune-Greves Premier Cru it notes this vineyard is the most highly-rated in Beaune, and the light limestone-influenced soils produce elegant wines. Bouchard holds 3.16 ha, the vineyard is at 230 to 300m altitude, and faces SE with a slope of 15°; the grapes are hand-picked, the degree of destemming varying with the vintage, cuvaison is 12 - 16 days again varying with the nature of the vintage; the wine spends 16-18 months in oak, 25-30% new; a pleasure to have good info on a winery website; re-tasting the wine in 2015, Jancis Robinson offers one of her delightfully evocative reviews: “Mid ruby. Very pale rim. Edgy damson jam on the nose. A really satisfying mouthful of fruit with, for the first time, just a suggestion of oak. Masses of (slightly illicit) pleasure from this wine with some polished tannins in the background. Something a bit feral about this – quite evolved. Powder-puff sensation. Long. But not the purest, 2012-2022, 17"; Allen Meadows quotes the Bouchard winemaker as saying of the 2005s: "... in the case of 2005 there was excellent phenolic maturity where even the seeds attained a high level of ripeness ... we had the almost unheard of luxury of harvesting whenever we wanted ... Cote de Beaune fruit was essentially 100% destemmed ... Because we had such ripe phenolics, I elected to go with a very long cold soak of 5 to 10 days ... with a total cuvaison of between 21 and 28 days, which is also on the long side … I love the vintage and you can sense this extra dimension and real complexity."; for our wine Meadows comments thus: “A distinctly more elegant and higher-toned nose introduces rich, full, pliant and refined flavors that possess outstanding depth on the ripe, balanced, pure and sublimely harmonious finish. A terrific Beaune and highly recommended to 2013 and beyond, 93"; weight bottle and closure 580 g; https://www.bouchard-pereetfils.com ]
Garnet more than ruby, the oldest wine on the table, the lightest wine though still a good old burgundy colour. Alcohol seems a little higher than that stated. By the time of the presentation, several hours after decanting, and 22 km away, this wine was showing biscuitty characters in faded red fruit, with hints of Bovril oxidation / complexity factors. Still pleasant in its way, but out of condition / tired. The cork appeared to be perfect, the ullage was minimal at 11 mm, so … sadly … this wine is yet another victim of premature oxidation under cork. The palate still has good red cherry physical fruit, but in this bottle browning unduly now, and noticeable body, and the oak handling is good. It was the least wine for 11 tasters. It is still perfectly pleasant in a savoury way … and with suitable food … though it would not please burgundy aficionados. It has had good reviews elsewhere recently, notably from Jasper Morris in his review of some 2005 red burgundies last year, where he described it as: “a high-class bouquet … The fruit builds really beautifully on the palate, filling out the mouth with no rough tannins. Exemplary, to 2035, 95". Makes you sorry to have missed it, with our unlucky bottle. GK 08/26
Garnet more than ruby, the oldest wine on the table, the lightest wine though still a good old burgundy colour. Alcohol seems a little higher than that stated. By the time of the presentation, several hours after decanting, and 22 km away, this wine was showing biscuitty characters in faded red fruit, with hints of Bovril oxidation / complexity factors. Still pleasant in its way, but out of condition / tired. The cork appeared to be perfect, the ullage was minimal at 11 mm, so … sadly … this wine is yet another victim of premature oxidation under cork. The palate still has good red cherry physical fruit, but in this bottle browning unduly now, and noticeable body, and the oak handling is good. It was the least wine for 11 tasters. It is still perfectly pleasant in a savoury way … and with suitable food … though it would not please burgundy aficionados. It has had good reviews elsewhere recently, notably from Jasper Morris in his review of some 2005 red burgundies last year, where he described it as: “a high-class bouquet … The fruit builds really beautifully on the palate, filling out the mouth with no rough tannins. Exemplary, to 2035, 95". Makes you sorry to have missed it, with our unlucky bottle. GK 08/26
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