Petits Monts diagonal

Excellent Petits Monts ’diagonal’ by a local merchant with lots of wines that I’ve been meaning to check in on or check out. Glad to say it was a superb showing for almost of all the wines on the night. Also cemented Berthaut-Gerbet as one of my favourite Burgundy producers, having only tried mostly her Fixins and Gevreys before.

On hindsight, clearly showed to be the coolest vintage and the one that should be drunk up the soonest. The Noellat was seductive at first and many people loved it, but the Berthaut-Gerbet improved in the glass to become the eventual pick. Personally I liked the Berthaut-Gerbet more both on the first pour and after aeration, just because it was a better made wine - the Noellat seemed to have slightly excessive VA and didn’t have much structure.

• 2013 Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Petits Monts 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  On first pour this was tightly coiled and rather unyielding in terms of structure. Became more elegant and saline with air, and had a beautiful perfumed red-fruited nose. The showing of two halves juxtaposed the winemaking styles of the father and daughter nicely. Marginally ahead of the 2014 as my second favourite BG on the night.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2013 Georges Noellat Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Petits Monts 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  Very seductive nose with more than noticeable amounts of VA, high-toned dark red cherry fruit. Had an obvious spice note on both nose and palate, very sweet but not candied fruit. I like wines with lift normally but this was a little over the top for me. Also felt that this wine was not meant for much further ageing.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

The three wines were quintessentially Vosne but showing the wide spectrum of producer styles. The others thought Sirugue was the median of the trio but I felt that it was actually the most modern with plush oak. For me, the BG was somewhere in the middle, with the Mongeard-Mugneret most traditional in a sense that it felt like it was made in the 90s and early 2000s that favoured more extraction. My favourite was again the Berthaut-Gerbet but others liked the Mongeard-Mugneret.

• 2014 Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Petits Monts 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  Spicy, dark-fruited nose. Showed quite a bit of brooding structure but had the signature crunchy red fruit at the same time. Needs more cellaring, so this lost out to the 2013 as my second favourite on the night, even though it has more potential to improve in a few years.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2014 Mongeard-Mugneret Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Petits Monts 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  Typical Vosne spice and some incense on the nose, but on the palate it was way too dark and tannic for my liking. Power without any delicacy, a real Jeremy Clarkson sort of wine.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2014 Domaine Robert Sirugue Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Petits Monts 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  Quite polished and modern with the most obtrusive oak use out of all the wines tonight, had an obvious vanilla marker. Palate was more enjoyable, quite refined tannins and understated dark red fruit.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Good call to switch the order and serve the 2017s before the 2015s. My favourite flight on the night - provided so much pleasure, but still with plenty left in the tank. B-G won again, unsurprisingly.

• 2017 Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Petits Monts 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  My favourite wine of the tasting overall. We were discussing the post-modern style during dinner that the previous note was alluding to - this wine perfectly encapsulated it if it means less intervention in terms of winemaking. Silky tannins that made it approachable even at a young age, but will undoubtedly still continue to improve in a few years. Restrained but crunchy red fruit with great purity and balance. Only quibble was that a cola note emerged with air.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2017 Nathalie Vigot Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Petits Monts 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  Hint of unintegrated oak on the nose. On the palate this was rather light and one-dimensional, felt a little underpowered. Still quite appealing and enjoyable mind, showed the giving nature of the vintage.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Others loved the 2015s but I am not sure if this vintage is my favourite style of Burgundy, either today or in the future. In any case, both wines were very dark-fruited and unyielding today. Preferred the Vigot ahead of the Berhaut-Gerbet for this flight.

• 2015 Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Petits Monts 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  Warm, almost blue fruit that reminded me of some 2018s from the same producer that I felt have yet to come into balance. Needs time.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2015 Nathalie Vigot Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Petits Monts 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  Warm dark red fruit, quite a lot of heft and structure. More attractive and ready than the Berthaut-Gerbet alongside, giving quite a lot of pleasure for a 2015 (relatively).

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue