Hautes-Côtes-de-Beaune 2005, Rollin Pere & Fils

Rollin Pere et Fils are a good quality producer located in Pernand-Vergelesses. This Hautes Cotes de Beaune blanc offers everything one could hope for from these hill-top vineyards... a reflective, brilliant, light yellow. Initially closed. Faint whiffs of yellow stone fruits like apricot and green gauge. Then almond oil. More forthcoming second nose of orange blossom with background bees wax and vanilla. On the palate an almond flavour, slightly bitter giant satsuma pip oil and a lick of fruit tree sap. Thick and dry finish on the back palate. Weight makes up for lack of elegance. A flanker of a wine. Forthright, tasty and perfectly made. Much expanded from the tasting at the domaine -- under time pressure -- in September.

Needless to say fantastic value for euros and would be very hard to get right in a blind-tasting. Here's a clip from the 2007 selection tasting for the Cambridge blind-tasting team.