I would like to take this opportunity, at the start of a new year, to express my thanks for all those who have been so supportive last year (and every year for along time). At the start of 2009 I was screamingly insane, not thinking I deserved wine and generally minutes away from committing suicide. Things were amazingly difficult in January and February, I was so unhappy and needed two trips to the loony bin. However, thanks to psychotherapy, medication and, most of all, the help from those who care about me, things have become more under control. 2009 was the year my health problems turned around, 2010 is a new year for feeling better again and I hope when my friends see me in future it’ll be happier and easier for them too. Thanks, boys and girls!

I’ve caught a stomach bug and eating and drinking have been making me explosively ill. I sniffed and had small tastes (which I spat), but I was generally feeling too ropey to make comprehensive assessments of each wine. However, I offer some thoughts.

Lafon’s Meursault seemed up for drinking. Not that oaky at all with great harmony. There was one hell of a lot to love in this wine. Peter ‘The Kid’ who claims not to like Lafon’s wines just lapped it up.

The Echezeaux started a bit closed and not very giving. The palate also seemed a bit tough. However, we decanted it and left it for a while. It blossomed into a refined, elegant, sculpted model of beauty with real Grand Cru presence. The fruit was ultra sophisticated and mega lovely. Rest in peace, Philip Engel, you’ve provided so much pleasure.

The Burguet Gevrey Mes Favourites was an intense experience, but the balance was just fine. I got this to see what my mother thought of 2003 red Burgundy and she was impressed. I was impressed, for a village wine this was really quite complex with one hell of a long finish. Not the most extreme example of 2003 wine, but with plenty of personality to keep you intereted.

Finally there was The Kid’s bottle of Beaucastel 1998. It had a wonderfully soft, scented nose of grilled meat, plummy fruit and some peppery spice. Really earthy. Hilariously complex, but no shit at all. This is one of the cleanest Beaucastel nose’s I’ve experienced. I think all that Bret in Beaucastel makes for a lot of bottle variation. I’ve had massively shitty bottles of this. The palate was also scented and soft, with a refined tannic structure and plenty of fruit. Again, I’ve had Beaucastel 1998 recently and it has been a lot more closed and tough than this bottle. This was a totally fantastic bottle of wine: beautiful and charming, interesting and thought-provoking.

And I couldn’t bloody drink any of it. Pissflaps.