I always think of Paul Bara as very Pinot Noir-centric, but I found this wine to show both Chardonnay and Pinot features, with both apple and berry character, all in a bright and tight package. Good weight, good length.

Way, way, way past its peak.

A really great Village wine. Plenty of ripe apple with some stone fruit and sweet spice notes throughout. Clearly lush and rich, nicely layered, with wonderful brightness for its age.

Popped-and-poured. Dark color and slightly musty start, but this freshened up brightly within 15-20 minutes and stayed enticing for the rest of the evening. Fresh and dried ripe apricot with candied ginger. Good weight and length, this kept changing and unfolding in interesting ways, even if not quite as great as the very best bottles from the same case opened over the past few years.

Bottle had been opened the night before. Fleshy and rich with good density, this is slightly sweet while nicely balanced, but slightly lacking the brightness I expect from the very good 2017 1er Crus at this level. If served blind, I would have thought 2018 instead of 2017.

Opened 20 minutes before serving. A real success for the vintage, both in terms of the pleasure provided as well as its expression of Vosne terroir. Lots of mature red cherry with a bunch of earth. Nose was more earthy, nearly dirty, but palate quite clean and enjoyable. If served blind, I'd have certainly though this from Vosne, but probably 1er Cru, from a better vintage (1991?). Much less interesting when re-tasted at the end of the evening.

In mid-aged CSJ flight. Classically Gevrey with so much black fruit and meat, this was very lush for the vintage (I might have thought 2002 if served blind) with very good density and balance. Very harmonious and balanced all evening.

Wonderful aromatic start of ripe black plum and cherry, perhaps a bit of new oak coming through. Less precise on palate, less robust, more earthy. I haven't opened a bottle in almost a decade, and this wasn't quite as enjoyable tonight vs back in 2012.

Lots here, all classically meaty and Gevrey. Powerful black fruit with earth hints and still firm. Not quite harmonious to start, more balance emerged with more time in glass. From the same case as a sensational bottle opened a few months ago, but not quite as great.

Opened a couple of hours before serving. Again lots here with impressive concentration. This was too firm and structured when initially poured, but then even more backward 20-30 minutes later. Where/ when will this emerge from its current state?

Ripe and mature black fruit aromas and flavors with both sweet and savory spice notes. Enticing nose, good palate, very engaging overall.