Would have liked to write a line or two about the consistency of Krug, as cliche as it is to do so here, but I can't quite on this pour. Somewhat youthful in aroma, with a higher proportion of apple notes and a lower proportion of the secondary characteristics. Not showing the best today; lacking a bit of the concentrated power, with a little bit more alcohol on the finish than I expected. Strangely enough, a little bit of rust on the finish as well.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
Light golden colour. Nose of ripe yellow fruits with a smidgen of green. On the palate, this is incredibly focused and linear, but very delicate as well. Lively and fresh, and classic Puligny. Very reserved use of oak, and a lovely medium-length finish.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Only slight signs of bricking. Rustic and earthy nose, with some notes of stems, and some cough syrup and cherry notes as well. On the palate, this seems to have already started fading, with a lot of stewed red fruits and rust. Medium length finish, but marred by all the iron and rust.
Dark colour. Slightly herbaceous and a very concentrated nose. Slightly medicinal nose, with black cherry aromas. On the palate, this is classic Pauillac, with the graphite and dark red fruit. Some stemmy notes as well. Somewhat softened tannins, but this has miles to go still. Slightly medicinal finish, but pretty damn good Pauillac.
From magnum. Pale amber in colour. Notes of apricots on the very reticent nose. Stunningly beautiful on the palate; fresh and sophisticated on the palate, with tons of fresh peach and apricot flavours, balanced by lots of acidity. In fact, everything is in perfect balance here, and while it doesn't have a bring-you-to-your-knees painful-to-drink intensity, it's more than made up for in sheer elegance and beauty. Simply incredible.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
From a magnum. Very animalistic nose with some jammy fruit and a big whiff of alcohol; it would be understandable to mistake this for a vintage port from the alcoholic and jammy notes. Just immensely alcoholic and jammy again on the palate, and while there are some barnyard notes that are quite interesting, this is simply just way too big, fruity, and alcoholic for me. Some cocoa notes, but there are some unpleasant chemical flavours on the palate as well. Tastes like a 14-14.5%. Not to my liking; this is simply a wine that I can't understand, and would derive no pleasure in drinking.
Dark and inky. Stemmy and somewhat barnyardy on the nose, with some notes of wet sawdust. Chewy, sour, leathery, it's almost like I'm eating a saddle. Lots of young and unresolved dusty tannins, this is currently nigh undrinkable, but there's lots of promise when it comes around in... two decades. Some notes of graphite and cassis, but they're just overwhelmed by something akin to the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Simply a beast of a wine, and we're going to have to wait a long time for it to domesticate.
NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée 90 Points
France, Champagne
Would have liked to write a line or two about the consistency of Krug, as cliche as it is to do so here, but I can't quite on this pour. Somewhat youthful in aroma, with a higher proportion of apple notes and a lower proportion of the secondary characteristics. Not showing the best today; lacking a bit of the concentrated power, with a little bit more alcohol on the finish than I expected. Strangely enough, a little bit of rust on the finish as well.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2006 Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Perrières 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
Light golden colour. Nose of ripe yellow fruits with a smidgen of green. On the palate, this is incredibly focused and linear, but very delicate as well. Lively and fresh, and classic Puligny. Very reserved use of oak, and a lovely medium-length finish.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1995 Domaine Robert Groffier Chambertin-Clos de Bèze 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Only slight signs of bricking. Rustic and earthy nose, with some notes of stems, and some cough syrup and cherry notes as well. On the palate, this seems to have already started fading, with a lot of stewed red fruits and rust. Medium length finish, but marred by all the iron and rust.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1995 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Dark colour. Slightly herbaceous and a very concentrated nose. Slightly medicinal nose, with black cherry aromas. On the palate, this is classic Pauillac, with the graphite and dark red fruit. Some stemmy notes as well. Somewhat softened tannins, but this has miles to go still. Slightly medicinal finish, but pretty damn good Pauillac.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1990 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Rosé 98 Points
France, Champagne
From magnum. Pale amber in colour. Notes of apricots on the very reticent nose. Stunningly beautiful on the palate; fresh and sophisticated on the palate, with tons of fresh peach and apricot flavours, balanced by lots of acidity. In fact, everything is in perfect balance here, and while it doesn't have a bring-you-to-your-knees painful-to-drink intensity, it's more than made up for in sheer elegance and beauty. Simply incredible.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1998 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape 80 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
From a magnum. Very animalistic nose with some jammy fruit and a big whiff of alcohol; it would be understandable to mistake this for a vintage port from the alcoholic and jammy notes. Just immensely alcoholic and jammy again on the palate, and while there are some barnyard notes that are quite interesting, this is simply just way too big, fruity, and alcoholic for me. Some cocoa notes, but there are some unpleasant chemical flavours on the palate as well. Tastes like a 14-14.5%. Not to my liking; this is simply a wine that I can't understand, and would derive no pleasure in drinking.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2000 Château Gruaud Larose 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Dark and inky. Stemmy and somewhat barnyardy on the nose, with some notes of wet sawdust. Chewy, sour, leathery, it's almost like I'm eating a saddle. Lots of young and unresolved dusty tannins, this is currently nigh undrinkable, but there's lots of promise when it comes around in... two decades. Some notes of graphite and cassis, but they're just overwhelmed by something akin to the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Simply a beast of a wine, and we're going to have to wait a long time for it to domesticate.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue