Consistently among my favourite négociants in Burgundy, Drouhin makes very good wines at every level. This is delicate pink in colour. On the nose and palate, it’s remarkably elegant for a 2009, with no sign of high alcohol. Refined and aromatic with rose petal and tomato leaf scents, leading on to fresh, cherry and wild stawberry fruit. Appealingly understated. 

A new name to me, but one to remember, for this is a stylish wine. Youthful and light, albeit in a modern, fruity style, with sweet oak backed up by scented pomegranate and raspberry fruit and subtly interwoven oak. Fresh and lively on the palate with very good length and appealing sweetness. 

A Nuits St Georges-based producer whose wines are improving with every vintage, Thibault Liger-Belair makes wines that age well, but have plenty of fruit in their youth. This is a little alcoholic on the palate (hard to avoid in 2009), but has attractive cherrystone and raspberry fruit, subtle oak and enough frehsness and minerality to develop in bottle. 

Mid ruby/garnet. There’s some slightly off-putting reduction on the nose here, that’s emphasised by the smoky oak. The wine finishes with high acidity and not enough friut. In short, it’s out of kilter. Or was when I tasted it. 

A pale, almost translucent Pinot. Scented, leafy and complex with gentle understatement and a touch of smoky oak. The palate is very sweet, but the oak is a little intrusive here. A shae because the fruit is of high quality and the acidity gives the wine a refreshing lift. Maybe the oak will integrate with time. 

Pale ruby red, slightly coudy. Elegant, perfumed, nuanced Clos de Vougeot with light red fruits and subtle oak on the nose. The palate has a little more oomph, but it’s still made in a gentle, quite forward style. Raspberry and redcurrant with some grip, a touch of leafiness and a long, harmonious finish. Likely to be reasonably priced, too. 

Mid garnet with a pinkish rim. Ginger spice and some reduction on the nose: smoky, well balanced and structured. The wine is both jammy and a teeny bit reduced on the palate, but it’s sustained by fresh acidity and medium weight tannins. It should age, but the alcohol may start to dominate in bottle. 

Youthful, mid garnet. The nose is a little closed and showing some meaty, reductive notes that hang around in the glass. A hint ot redcurrant, sweet oak and also some evidence of over-ripeness, with a figgy, currant-like note. A good wine, but the tannins are a little dry. Not a Pinot to cellar for a long time. 

Slightly cloudy mid-garnet hued. Leafy, truffley, red fruits nose. The wine is oaky and dense on the palate with fresh acidity. It’s pretty closed at the moment, but this is serious stuff: concentrated, smoky and naunced. Give it at least five years. 

The De Montille family (remember them from Mondovino?) are more commonly associated with the Côte de Beaune, but that is beginning to change thanks to some recent acquisitions in the Côte de Nuits. This is very pale in colour, showing marked whole bunch character on the nose and palate. And what a wine it is: a Grand Cru that lives up to its name: balanced, sweet, nuanced and very long with refined tannins and complexity to age. 

Mid ruby/garnet. Smoky, oak-dominated nose that is still  closed at present. There’s a hint of volatility here, but it adds a lift to the sweet, concentrated fruit. The wine is a little over-ripe and jammy, but it has hidden depths. 

Light, mid garnet. Slightly cloudy. Smoky oak is prominent on both the nose and palate, but there’s a lot matter and texture to soak it up. Red fruits, savoury tannins, fresh acidity and good ageing potential. But less new oak would have been welcome.