Clos Vougeot Dinner

A blitzkrieg of wines. I clearly prefer these with more age so they add better pitch to the nose.

• 1988 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut Vintage 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  Inviting nose of yeast, breadshop, buttered toast and caramel apples. Expands with some more air. Not a lot of bubbling, but i am drinking it out of a BDX stem. Holds very nicely with definite depth and polish. Lacks a bit of verve and acidity to push it into another realm. Very nice experience.

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• 1997 Pascal Doquet Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil-sur-Oger 88 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Hard to really pinpoint where this wine was. Opens quite explosively with mouthsearing acidity but it quickly finds itself a bit more tame. Driven by bright fruit notes of cranberry, rasberry and hints of pear, slate stone and floral compote. It almost felt like it abruptly quieted down though after about 20 minutes in glass. I would hope with more time, some of the excessive acidity would round into form, but it doesn't seem to be balanced quite enough to go the distance. Could have simply been an awkward spot.

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• NV Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Cuvée de Réserve 90 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Classic PPNV. Lots of granny smith apples, chock full of minerality, still drinking young (unknown disgorgement). With time it should develop some nice brioche and yeasty elements. For now, it sings in its infancy.

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• 1993 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Spätlese 93 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  I've always loved young Donnhoff for its exotic verve and its boisterous approach to explosive fruit, but wondered how aged Donnhoff would fair once that childish nonsense was grown out of? Well this bottle didn't disapoint. Lovely, pure pitch to the nose with classic ntoes of guayava and lime with hints of limestone counterbalanced with a lovely creamy feel. Now the guayava isn't like an 07 which tastes like it was picked off of a tree in Nicaragua. Rather, it is rounded, supple and clean. The pitch has develoepd a wonderful tenor and it finishes with hints of that aged petrol and a warming dollop of sweetness.

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• 2001 Weingut Münzberg Weissburgunder Spätlese trocken 91 Points

  Germany, Pfalz

  Young and raw at first. Opened up some (given the limited time on the flights) to shed off some of its astringent minerality and reveal nice supple peach and lime. Needs some time.

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• 2001 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile

  France, Alsace

  Young young too young. Was almost hard to enjoy. Massive structure, heavy slate stone, petrol, edgy and angular. Didn't mellow much. Bury for at least 5 years.

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• 2003 Domaine Weinbach Riesling Cuvée Théo 85 Points

  France, Alsace

  Fell flat and hollow; endemic to many 03 whites in Europe. What exoticism and panache it may have had in youth has hollowed away. It lacked structure and felt disjointed.

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• 1978 Faiveley Clos Vougeot Flawed

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  The anticipation to enjoy this wine was quickly squashed when hints of musty cardboard and wet fruit emerged from the glass. There was an underbelly of a beautiful wine but almost all felt it was cork tainted. I wished there was more time to set it aside and guage if it was some old funk that may blow off, alas one of the pitfalls of mega dinners!

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• 1996 Domaine René Engel Clos Vougeot Flawed

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  A touch more obvious than the Faiveley; the fruit was damaged and marred by the cork taint. Not a good streak to begin with the reds!

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• 1996 Domaine Jean Grivot Clos Vougeot 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  My WOTN. This wine had the most classic and regal pitch to the nsoe. Mature and deep, classic pinot driven notes of black cherry and lavender. Not overtly complex, but quite a beauty nonetheless.

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• 1988 Gros Frère et Sœur Clos Vougeot Musigni 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  Another winner in my book. Beautiful plum and cherry notes. Very refined but still had life. I wish there was a bit more polish. I clearly prefer my Burgs a touch aged.

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• 1999 Gérard Raphet Clos Vougeot Cuvée Unique 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  Wow, a different take/approach to Burgundy. A hedonist's expression. Much more rounded with overt oak treatment offering intense mocha notes and milk chocolate. At first it opened hot and a bit pruney; perhaps over extracted? With time, it settled and married the elements - somewhat unconventionally - well.

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• 2001 Joseph Drouhin Clos Vougeot 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  Still quite primary but entering a zone of approachability. Notes of raspberry, pepper some rhubarb elements. Has a slight candied element to it. Finishes well.

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• 2002 Chauvenet-Chopin Clos Vougeot 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  A bit less refined than the Drouhin or Jadot; it tastes like its been tinkered with a slightly heavier hand. More roundness but not as much punch nor delicacy.

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• 2001 Louis Jadot Clos Vougeot 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  Brighter than the Drouhin, with punchier notes of rasberry. Has nice acidity but needs more sleep.

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• 2002 Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Clos Vougeot 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  Spice driven with nice notes of red cherry and raspberry. This was one of my favorites of the young flights.

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• 2004 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Clos Vougeot 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  Beautiful wine but painfully young. Decanted for the course of the dinner, it still was so primal, driven by its bright cherry compote and rhubarb notes. Zippy with such pretty floral lift of cake spice and punch, it needs to sit for a few years and add weight, depth and pitch. It has positive evolution written all over it.

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• 1988 Château d'Arche Sauternes 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Supple, restrained and lithe on its feet. Nice aromas of peach and juniper. By far more delicate between the two Sauternes (far less overbearing),l one wishes for perhaps a bit more concentration and depth but it acts as a better pairing for lighter style dishes.

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• 1990 Château de Fargues 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Deep caramel notes with confectionary sugar and acacia honey, married with blood orange rind and apricots above all else. Baby Yquem? Well it lacks the duality of delicacy and permanence that it's older brother has. It has serious depth and richness to its mouth but it feels a bit clumsy at times. Perhaps I'm splitting hairs.

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