Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Les Quartiers 2005: This wine originates from a limestone terroir. It has a really dark, dense, opaque appearance, although it remains a remarkably youthful and vibrant crimson hue at the rim. The nose has fruit, although in an extreme style, with suggestions of wild, roasted plum and tense blackcurrant, and alongside this there are still residual elements of oak as noted last year, with little smoky, smouldering scents. The palate is full and impressive, and is dominated by a thick seam of fierce tannin which sits behind and then all over the fruit, which remains fresh nevertheless. Correctly ripe, tense, very tight and tannic though, and brimming with potential. Having conducted this brief experiment, I'm now certain I need to leave these bottles well alone; this needs another 5-6 years at the very least. 17.5/20

A series of Amirault's red wines from the 2009 and 2008 vintages, finishing up with the Rosé d'Equinox.

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil La Coudraye 2009: From sandy soils, with fermentation and élevage in 81-hectolitre foudres. Bottled 28th May 2010. Lovely expression on the nose, full of fresh fruit.The palate displays a nicely supple texture at the beginning, before moving on to show some appealing spice and grip. There is supple fruit, but with a fresh structure. This is not a heavyweight by any means, with a good, fresh and crunchy finish, but there are some supple elements to it. It needs only a year or two. 15.5/20

Yannick Amirault St Nicolas de Bourgueil La Mine 2009: A gravel and sand terroir here. For bottling February 2011. An expressive, creamy-fruit nose here, with some attractive floral elements. A supple presence on the palate, but with a bright and crisp structure coming through. A rather bright and crunchy element to the acidity, with an attractive tannic backbone underneath. Rather full and quite a firmer tannic structure here, really biting in at the sides. Clearly a more substantial cuvée than La Coudraye; this needs time, five years at the very least. 15-16/20

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil La Petite Cave 2009: This cuvée was not produced in 2008. Argilo-calcaire soils, the élevage an anticipated 18 months in 400-litre tonneaux. A good depth to the fruit character here, rather dense, darkly-spiced fruit, a touch savoury but still very fresh and lifted despite the suggestion of weight. A good substance, with fresh violets and red fruits moving into darker fruits in the middle, with a supple texture and also a lot of midpalate structure to it. Big, grippy, ripe and bold tannins around the edges, with ripe fruits, damsons, plum skins and notes of spice. In the finish it displays a big wall of tannins; this is obviously a serious, structured and cellar-worthy wine. 17-18/20

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Les Malgagnes 2009: The soils here are argilo-calcaire with a little silex, the fruit harvest by hand. This sees a 12-months élevage in demi-muids. Bottled 22nd December 2010. A little touch of reduction on the nose here, with a slightly rubbery twist to the fruit. There follows a supple style on the palate, which is light and rather fragrant, then there is a wealth of structure coming in from the midpalate onwards. Very grippy and formed elements in the finish, with a little more substance here. Lots of grip. This has big potential but it needs to fill out somewhat. 17.5/20

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Les Quartiers 2008: Argilo-calcaire soils here, a 12-month élevage in 400-litre tonneaux, bottled in July 2010. Rather a more substantial character on the nose here, with a touch more gamey and savoury edge to the fruit. The palate is very elegant, with a supple texture through the midpalate, albeit with a rather leaner substance in this vintage compared to the 2009s just tasted. With no shortage of crunchy grip underneath it, this is an elegant rather than substantial vintage. Again though, it needs time, 3-5 years at least. 16/20

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Le Grand Clos 2008: The soils here are argilo-siliceux, the élevage 18 months in 400-litre tonneaux, before bottling on 30th August 2010. A slightly smoky style of fruit here, more gamey and savoury, with a layer of dark savoury fruit substance beneath. Again a supple character in keeping with this vintage, quite soft-edged and supple, with nicely covered rather crunchy tannins beneath. Quite a thick layer of rather finessed, slightly chewy tannins here. And at the finish, a touch of fruit perfume which is nice. A good style here, but it typifies the vintage. 16.5/20

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Rose d'Equinox 2009: Cabernet Franc 100%, with an 8-12 month élevage. A rather peachy sunset hue, with a peach and satsuma nose. Great style on palate, quite a little fleshy, with a rather attractive minerally-sherbetty trace underneath it all. A sappy and rather crunchy fruit finish, this is certainly an elegant style. An interesting wine, nicely structured. 15.5/20

A series of Amirault's red wines from the 2009, 2008 and 2007 vintages, finishing up with the Rosé d'Equinox.

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil La Coudraye 2009: From sandy soils, with fermentation and élevage in 81-hectolitre foudres. A vibrant but deeply coloured red wine with a smoky, minerally, complex character on the nose. Wow - the palate is lovely, beautifully textured, with a rich structure. This is very impressive considering that it comes from an alluvial terroir. 15.5-16.5/20

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Les Malgagnes 2009: The soils here are argilo-calcaire with a little silex, the fruit harvest by hand. This sees a 12-months élevage in demi-muids. Malolactic not quite finished here. All the same, this has a great colour and the aromas are already rich and detailed. The palate is finely textured, the acidity rather firm reflected the malic component, the fruit rich and complex. A well structured wine with great potential. This should be beautiful to drink given time. 17-18/20

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil La Coudraye 2008: From sandy soils, with fermentation and élevage in 81-hectolitre foudres. Bottled 21st October 2009 after about one year in oak. A pure and elegant style on the nose, with a very direct and firm composition on the palate. Textured and yet elegant, with a backbone of creamy and ripe tannins draped with the freshness of Cabernet Franc fruit. Polish and balance are the words of the day here. 16.5/20

Yannick Amirault St Nicolas de Bourgueil La Mine 2008: This sees an élevage in wood, two-thirds in foudre, one-third in demi-muids. Bottled 5th December 2009. This wine has a dark and glossy hue, the nose stylish, intense, tight and withdrawn but still displaying a minerally vein. Very bright and elegant in terms of structure, richly appointed but also somewhat nervous and direct. A juxtaposition of creamy texture and fine structure. It shows good substance right through to the finish and overall is really quite impressive. 16.5/20

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Les Malgagnes 2008: An old-vines cuvée, with over a year in demi-muids, before bottling 14th January 2010. A intense layer of fruit on the nose here, dark and concentrated in character, with bags of depth. Finely textured, a brilliant substance, very linear with lively creamed fruit. A pretty substance to it, rich and ripe tannins beneath though, polished and pure, and with a flourish of savoury structure on the finish. It has length too. This is really good wine. 17.5/20

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Les Quartiers 2007: Back to argilo-calcaire soils here, a wine that has seen out 12 months in 400-litre tonneaux, before bottling in January 2009. This wine is obviously more evolved than the preceding wines; we have now moved on to the 2007 vintage of course. A touch gamey on the nose, lean substance on the palate, a balanced but rather cool style. Polished stone, pretty fruit, quite tannic. It has less flesh than riper vintages but it still has an attractive style. 15.5/20

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Le Grand Clos 2007: The soils here are argilo-siliceux, the élevage 12 months in 400-litre tonneaux, before bottling in April 2009. The wine shows a pretty style on the nose in keeping with the soils, although I certainly find it attractive. Elegant, moving into early maturity, nicely balanced and harmonious. Certainly less rich than the other wines from the 2008 and 2009 vintages, but a very good effort in a difficult vintage here. 16/20

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil La Petite Cave 2007: The soils are here argilo-calcaire, the vines old, at least 50 years, situated right next to the cellars. The élevage is 12 months in 400-litre tonneaux, before bottling in June 2009. There is a little more density of fruit on the nose here, ripe and dark and even with a hint of fat. The palate has a flashy texture, a touch of smoke, and a fine structure. A very accessible wine although it does round up in a rather grippy finish. Great texture, obviously a favourable terroir, and overall a really good effort for the vintage. 16.5/20

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Rosé d'Equinox 2008: This wine is vinified dry and then spends 10 months en barrique. A gentle pink hue, attractive and creamy wine, with delicate fruit. Peach and nectarine character tinged with raspberry. Quite flashy, fresh, with vibrant acidity and a great texture. Really rather appealing. 16/20