Pommard "Les Cras" 2001, Moissenet-Bonnard

This Pommard-based domaine seems to do well but the wines are very hard to find in London and probably elsewhere outside France. The wines are keenly priced and M. Bonnard has a cracking sense of humour. Whilst tasting in his cellar a couple of years ago his Alsatian puppy trotted in and after running around for a while dropped a log on the gravel floor. M. Bonnard said: "J'espere que la merde sent mieux que le vin!". Deep Burgundy humour.

Medium foxy red. Open immediately, licorice, black currant. Ripe, ryebread, toast-and-jam. Brings a smile because its so Burgundy. Mineral overtones. Medium to high acidity. Cherry fruit with a chalky texture as you'd expect from a lieu-dit called "les cras". Much more zippy on the palate than the ripe black fruit nose intimates. Bouquet after 20 minutes ends on clear mint notes. This wine is unfiltered and the last glass had the sediment to prove it. Good compromise between classic sturdy Pommard and more forward fruit style.