Château de Villars Fontaine
le Haut du Village Pinot Noir
Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France
Quite deep , ruby core , with wide garnet ruby rim . Quite impressively youthful. On the nose this shows a bit more age , touch of tomato skin and then touches of undergrowth, earthy , slightly medicinal notes . Seems older than the colour would indicate . Not very Pinot , pretty austere and stern. On the palate this is quite tight , very rustic . Pretty fresh acidity and rustic bitty , dry tannin. A bit more fruit on the palate , and it seems younger on the palate than the nose . Quite chalky , with some fresh red fruit , but really not enough to fill out the wine . Ok length , slightly bitter finish . Very little enjoyment factor here, very severe , astringent and unbalanced in my opinion . A wine that in my opinion isn’t old , but will never come round . Unfriendly and hard work , especially for a Sunday. Rather like an unwelcome relative .
Quite deep , ruby core , with wide garnet ruby rim . Quite impressively youthful. On the nose this shows a bit more age , touch of tomato skin and then touches of undergrowth, earthy , slightly medicinal notes . Seems older than the colour would indicate . Not very Pinot , pretty austere and stern. On the palate this is quite tight , very rustic . Pretty fresh acidity and rustic bitty , dry tannin. A bit more fruit on the palate , and it seems younger on the palate than the nose . Quite chalky , with some fresh red fruit , but really not enough to fill out the wine . Ok length , slightly bitter finish . Very little enjoyment factor here, very severe , astringent and unbalanced in my opinion . A wine that in my opinion isn’t old , but will never come round . Unfriendly and hard work , especially for a Sunday. Rather like an unwelcome relative .
Oct 26th, 2025Quite light garnet core with a wide watery garnet rim . Quite reserved and closed at first , with light red currant , herbal wild strawberry , ripe red cherry and earthy , dry spices . On the palate this has quite a rustic , tannic profile for a simples Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits , with quite fresh acidity but has enough cool strawberry , raspberry , red currant and earthy sous bois to fill out on the palate . Balanced alcohol and reasonable length , with a hint of bitterness . Pretty old school and rustic in style but certainly individual and has personality. In this vintage at least there is just enough mid palate to deal with the extended aging in oak . This does need a little time to open up and requires food and arguably needs a little more time , though I do worry that with more time in bottle it will loose the little fruit that it still has . So drink now and over the next 5 years or so . Overall probably the best red I have had from Chateau de Villars Fontaine .
Quite light garnet core with a wide watery garnet rim . Quite reserved and closed at first , with light red currant , herbal wild strawberry , ripe red cherry and earthy , dry spices . On the palate this has quite a rustic , tannic profile for a simples Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits , with quite fresh acidity but has enough cool strawberry , raspberry , red currant and earthy sous bois to fill out on the palate . Balanced alcohol and reasonable length , with a hint of bitterness . Pretty old school and rustic in style but certainly individual and has personality. In this vintage at least there is just enough mid palate to deal with the extended aging in oak . This does need a little time to open up and requires food and arguably needs a little more time , though I do worry that with more time in bottle it will loose the little fruit that it still has . So drink now and over the next 5 years or so . Overall probably the best red I have had from Chateau de Villars Fontaine .
Jun 15th, 2025Beautiful Pinot noir- 2009 vintage
Beautiful Pinot noir- 2009 vintage
Mar 23rd, 2018The 2001 vintage needs a bit of time to open up.
The 2001 vintage needs a bit of time to open up.
Oct 2nd, 2016Could still sit for years, not quite what I was hoping at this point.
Could still sit for years, not quite what I was hoping at this point.
Jun 19th, 2016Leather, pipe tobacco, and raspberry. Dry fruit, nice structure. Killer w a steak.
Leather, pipe tobacco, and raspberry. Dry fruit, nice structure. Killer w a steak.
Jun 7th, 2016
Easily drinkable red (rare for me). No bite or strong tannins, just delightful
Easily drinkable red (rare for me). No bite or strong tannins, just delightful
Nov 30th, 2015
