Dinner at Bar-a-Thym

With Gavin and E, with a couple of glasses poured for us by Quek (the Arlot) and the Argentinian ambassador (the Catena Zapata) - both of whom happened to be in different tables coincidentally!

• 2009 Domaine de L'Arlot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos des Forêts St. Georges 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

  This was drinking really nicely for a young NSG. It had a really nice nose, with bits of toast and spice floating around a core of black cherries and dark berries, and just that touch of earth and truffles, these lined with just the slightest hint of NSG mineral. The palate was surprisingly soft, with just a shadow of fine, firm tannins and a decent amount of acidity for a 2009, these framing a yummy mouthful of black cherries laced with those spice and mineral notes picked up on the nose. Nice finish too, with just a hint of tannins pulling the wine into a nice lingering tail. Good stuff, drinking well now.

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• 2014 Bodega Catena Zapata Chardonnay White Stones Adrianna Vineyard 93 Points

  Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Gualtallary

  Excellent. This was an unexpected treat served by friends at the next table. It had such a lovely, perfumed nose, with wafts of white flowers and vanilla bean, mint and almonds, a few touches of spice, and a lovely core of white stone fruit aromas. The palate was where this really shone though - subtle, balanced, almost Burgundian in shape, with an elegant cut and feel to its stone fruit, green apple and white flower notes, again laced with that unusual note of vanilla, mint and almonds. Very nicely fresh too, with a lovely lift of acidity on the midpalate and into a long, bright finish. Unique, but really delicious. I really enjoyed this.

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• 2014 Clos Salomon Givry 1er Cru La Grande Berge Blanc 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Givry 1er Cru

  Very enjoyable indeed, this was a real testament to the strength of the 2014 vintage for white Burgundy. The nose here was very inviting - with light notes of cream and flowers, white fruited apple flesh, and a little dollop of almond cream. The palate had a slightly more lifted tone to it - fresh and lively, with lemon acidity lending a lovely shape to delicious sweet apples - this was such a nicely shaped wine, full of cut and drive in spite of gentle sweetness. Good finish too, all very open-knit and generous. Yummy. Certainly more open and generous, and better, than the last bottle I had 3.5 years ago.

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• 2011 Simon Bize Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Fournaux 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru

  I learnt my lesson from the last bottle and tossed this into the decanter an hour before service. This time round, it was delicious from the get-go - the bottle finished really quickly, which is always a good sign! It had such a pretty Savigny nose, with flowers and earth, red berries, strawberries, and a nice seasoning of spice. Lovely stuff. Really yummy drinking on the palate too, with gentle tannins of 2011 and a nice bit of fresh acidity lending a very charming feel to flavours of strawberries and cherries tossed up with attractive little bits of spice and earth and mineral, all riding away into a nice finish on a bed of gentle tannins. Lovely, eminently gulpable stuff.

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