95

2009 Paul Misset, Clos de Vougeot, Burgundy

( £72, 13.5%, Yapp Brothers )

The bottle is ludicrously heavy, but the wine inside is very good indeed. Mid garnet/red in colour, complex, perfumed nose of red fruits, some Asian spices and a beautifully balanced, elegant palate with the stuffing to age. The wine is everything that the ponderous bottle isn’t. Impressive stuff from a lesser known name. 

BuyDrinking window: 2014-22Similar Wines: £50-£100, 91-95, France, Red, Pinot Noir
92

2009 Louis Latour, Clos de Vougeot, Burgundy

( ££££, 13.5%, Fine + Rare )

Another winery that is in the running for my heavy bottle Burgundy award. Mid garnet/red in colour. The palate shows sweet oak, reasonable concentration, some raspeberry coulis notes and good acidity, with appealing balance. It’s more of a village level wine than a Grand Cru, but it’s still a decent Pinot. 

BuyDrinking window: 2013-20Similar Wines: Under £5, 91-95, France, Red, Pinot Noir
89

2009 François Lamarche, Clos de Vougeot, Burgundy

( ££££, 13.5%, Fine + Rare )

Better known for its holdings in Vosne-Romanée, this domaine produces densely powerful wines with a lot of oak. That’s the case here too: big, dense, low yield-derived Pinot with the barrel staves a little too dominant on the palate and a dry, almost Italianate finish. Not my style of Pinot. 

BuyDrinking window: 2013-20Similar Wines: Under £5, 86-90, France, Red, Pinot Noir
96

2009 Méo-Camuzet, Clos de Vougeot, Burgundy

( ££££, 13.5%, Fine + Rare )

An impressive wine from one of the star names in Vosne, very much on the up at the moment. Mid garnet with some purple notes. Big, rich, bold and oaky, but backed up witt lots of dense fruit, ostensibly from low-yielding vines. Spice, plum and balckberry on the palate, some stems and a long, silky, harmonious finish. Lovely wine. 

BuyDrinking window: 2015-25Similar Wines: Under £5, 96-100, France, Red, Pinot Noir
99

2009 Laurent Roumier, Clos de Vougeot, Burgundy

( ££££, 13.5%, Fine + Rare )

Pale garnet/red. Aromatic, leafy, wild strawberry nose, with just a hint of oak. Fine and nuanced. Lovely, sweet, textured fruit, with acidity underpinning the flavours. The oak and extraction are perfectly judged here. The wine is very long: Pinot wizardry showing real mastery of the vintage and the cru

BuyDrinking window: 2015-25Similar Wines: Under £5, 96-100, France, Red, Pinot Noir