Vallet Freres Gevrey-Chambertin

Translucent, dark pink with a bronze tint - luckily, no oxidisation this time. Fairly restrained aromas and flavours - a whisper of raspberry, and something briary. The most impressive feature is the wonderful texture and SHAPE of this: streamlined, smooth, very long, very elegant. Ah ha...with time the flavours are opening out beautifully...hard to pin down, they're complex and multilayered, but still light - a dancer. Was going to say 90, but have elevated it to 92. Cork, 13%.

Translucent pink as usual but - oh oh - what is that bronze tinge? On the nose, an unpleasant hint of oxidisation, and the palate confirms the problem. You can discern the ghost of the wine that should have been here, but brassy, acidic note are to the fore. I've never had this with a Vallet wine before, so I hope it's just a one-off faulty cork. Down the sink!

Pretty much as before, but not singing quite so clearly when opened, nor 24 hours later.

Lovely cherry-red colour, with a clear rim: wonderful sparkling clarity. On first opening the nose was rather muted, even tired; 24 hours later, though, it had sprung into life: complex mature-Pinot aromas of berries, woodlands, and a touch of liquorice. On the palate (after 24 hours) lovely crisp acidity, very fine, silky tannins. A long, lip-smacking finish. Not a stunning wine, but a very good one - and a classic G-C, as I understand the terroir. 13%, cork.