The 2013 Marsannay les Champs Perdrix has a quintessential Marsannay nose with exuberant red berry fruit mixed with blueberry and violets, not dissimilar to say, Sylvain Pataille in style. The palate is laden with plenty of red berry fruit with touches of flint lending fine tension on the finish. This is decent energy and substance here, even if it does miss some breeding.

Also recommended, but no tasting note given. Vincent Geantet bottled his 2007s and 2008s already early in the second November following their harvest, a bit sooner even than in some other recent vintages (and one reason, no doubt, why he reported his 2007s as having been entirely wiped out by the time I got around to visiting him last year). Malos are generally over by early spring in the relatively warm Geantet cellars, and even 2008 was no exception, reports Vincent’s son Fabien. Importer: Kysela Pere et Fils, Winchester, VA; tel. (540) 722-9228

A fine concentration of tart dark cherry and blackberry informs Geantet's 2006 Marsannay Champs Perdrix, which offers a finely-textured palate and Gevrey-like underlying meatiness. It finishes with good grip if not much charm, and should be work re-visiting over at least the coming 2-3 years. After having been pleasantly surprised – even startled – by the quality of Vincent Geantet's 2005 collection, his 2006s demonstrated his talents in a challenging vintage. Geantet waited until the 25th of September to begin picking. He says that at most 10% of fruit needed to be culled from his crop, because proper vine management minimized problems with under-ripeness, botrytis, or taint of hail. Furthermore, his overall yields – unusually for the vintage – were, he reported, normal. As is routine at this address, a nearly uniform 30% level of new barrels was maintained (without its being obviously noticeable); malos were over well before Spring; and bottling took place during the second winter, leaving no indication in the glass that this was premature. Importer: Kysela Pere et Fils, Winchester, VA; tel. (540) 722-9228