The 2012 Aloxe-Corton Village has a pleasant bouquet of raspberry preserve and fresh strawberry – dainty and pure. The palate is simple with a sappy opening of black cherry and a touch of fresh prune, while the acidity well-judged though the finish is a little “blocky” at the moment. This will serve as decent early drinking Aloxe-Corton. Patrick Javillier was busy down in his Meursault winery when I called in at the property that was established by Raymond Javillier after the war, when he set about acquiring parcels of vine around the village. Yet the main focus of the business was in purchasing fruit from courtiers. Patrick himself vinified his first wine in 1974 after completing his winemaking diploma at the University of Burgundy and steadily built up a raft of long-term contracts, tending holdings through fermage agreements. Since 2008, his daughter Marion has looked after and vinified the red wines and it was clear that Patrick takes a great deal of pride in them. I have been following Javillier’s wines for a number of years now. Here is a man determined to transcend the limitations of possessing propitious terroirs, but few premier and grand cru vines. How does he overcome them? Well, simply by straightforward winemaking tenets: complete de-stemming for the reds, remaining faithful to his trusty old Vaslin press (which was recuperating in the corner after the vintage), skillful use of new oak and by assiduously blending small parcels whose final wine is often more than a sum of its parts. Patrick told me that he commenced picking on September 12 with potential alcohol levels coming in between 12.0 and 12.9 degrees. These wines often represent outstanding value and we commence with his two generic whites that offer outstanding value year after year. Importer: A Peter Vezan Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 01 33 1 42 55 42 93