Lots of Krug's classic bready and toasty character with lots of acidity and slightly more muted fruit than I would prefer. Good, but not as powerful or concentrated as the best Krug can be.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Rich and very ripe stone fruit throughout with some brown sugar and roasted walnut. Very good concentration, at an age appropriate level of advancement for 15 yo Grand Cru. While other good bottles have always been ripe, this came across as slightly more candied.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Unmistakably 2009 with lots of opulent ripe fruit, mostly yellow apple and pear, but some peach hints as well. Sweet spice, floral hints, good structural elements bring good balance from middle to end. Good now.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
This is a wine I've always liked before, and others liked this more than I did today. Good orchard fruit, but an oddly bitter finish I couldn't particularly enjoy.
I am rarely a big Selosse fan but this was very enjoyable. Lots of apple and pear with some berry, anise, and floral hints. Slightly sweet but not quite demi-sec to me. Fun.
Not a wine you'd expect to see at 15+ yo, but not only was this wonderful, fresh and vibrant, but it getting better with more time in glass. Rich and extravagant fruit aromas with lots of floral elements and a slightly surprising Riesling-like petrol note. Slightly more restrained flavors, but same ripe fruit that still showed good balance with great density for Villages Auxey.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Lots of ripe, stone stone fruit with some tropical hints and plenty of spice, still showing a bit of new oak character. Very modern, fun style. Best now.
Don't recall ever having this wine before, but it was both fun and interesting. An intriguing start of shortbread and apple with a nice hint of fizz. Bright with lots of energy that combines well with the wine's innate richness to give it an elegant character. Thanks Jen and Phil.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Opened this today because of our oxidized bottle of Boillot 2005 Montrachet from the other night. From 375 ml bottle. Very ripe apple with lemon and lime peel aromas complemented with savory spice. Slightly less intense flavors, but still great fruit that is well bolstered by minerality and acidity.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru
Very old aromas and flavors with all tertiary character, but still very firm structural elements. If this bottle is representative, this wine will never integrate at an interesting place. Impossible for me to tell if this wine is past its peak or this was an off bottle. Based on prior experience with Roty and the 1988 vintage, I am slightly more likely to think it somehow a flawed bottle.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
2nd poor bottle of Roty today, this one most likely an off bottle due to heat damage and/or poor storage. showed something that reminded me of decay. Just nothing interesting. I don't think I've had this wine in 5+ years but remember it as a powerhouse.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Served double blind. I correctly thought this as from Burgundy and Cote de Nuits, but its maturity, structural elements and concentration made me think it something like a 1998 1er Cru from Chambolle or Morey. Leaner style but with some charm and good balance, no 2004 bitter elements, but slightly short/drying finish. i haven't had this wine since shortly after release (probably around 2008) and it was certainly much better now vs what I recall from before.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru
Open several hours before serving, but not decanted. Mature dark berry aromas and flavors with subtle Asian five spice, floral hints, forest floor and sauteed mushroom. Very good depth and layers of flavors. Still has upside from here. Bottle in perfect condition.
A very rare cuvee that I have only had once (10 years ago). Powerful gamy aromas with savory spice, leather and lots of ripe black berries, but the structure to balance. This has that old school, almost rustic charm in the best possible sense.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
From magnum. Good aromatic start with perfumed, spice-driven character combined with mature black fruit. Palate a little less exciting, elegant but lighter styled with more advanced fruit than I'd hope from Rayas at this maturity. Moderate length.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Not given much air before serving, this came across with lots of black and red fruit but even more pronounced acidity and tannins. Overall still a bit rugged, this wine still needs plenty more time and I don't think it will ever live up to incredibly high standards of Vogue's 1993 Musigny or Amoureuses.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges
Started slightly funky, slightly reduced, so we decided to decant. Much better after 20 minutes, showing fresh black fruit slight very primary with the awkward youthful exuberance of a 24 year old. Oddly this ended with a slightly murky finish that made this come across as an imperfect bottle. Not quite as enjoyable as another bottle of this wine (probably from the same source) tasted earlier this year.
Served way, way , way too young, this has lots of great red cherry everywhere but firm and rough so not really at a good spot today. But clearly with the concentration and substance to drink well at some distant point in the future.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Every bottle from this case (purchased in 2012) has been wonderful at this advanced age. Lots of caramelized stone fruit with some fig, toasted hazelnut and butterscotch. Stayed wonderful throughout the evening. I liked this more than others tonight.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Open and decanted ~ 45 minutes before serving. Lots of power and ripe black and red berry aromas and flavors. Perhaps not showing much unique Vosne spice. Very good concentration and balance, but I wouldn't have thought Vosne or Dujac if served blind, but this is from grapes where I believe Dujac took over late in the growing season. A good early drinking 2005 1er but should easily drink well for 20 years.
1995 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 90 Points
France, Champagne
Lots of Krug's classic bready and toasty character with lots of acidity and slightly more muted fruit than I would prefer. Good, but not as powerful or concentrated as the best Krug can be.
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1999 Louis Jadot Chevalier-Montrachet Les Demoiselles Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Rich and very ripe stone fruit throughout with some brown sugar and roasted walnut. Very good concentration, at an age appropriate level of advancement for 15 yo Grand Cru. While other good bottles have always been ripe, this came across as slightly more candied.
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2009 Domaine François Mikulski Meursault 1er Cru Charmes 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Unmistakably 2009 with lots of opulent ripe fruit, mostly yellow apple and pear, but some peach hints as well. Sweet spice, floral hints, good structural elements bring good balance from middle to end. Good now.
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2001 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Bâtard-Montrachet
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
This is a wine I've always liked before, and others liked this more than I did today. Good orchard fruit, but an oddly bitter finish I couldn't particularly enjoy.
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NV Jacques Selosse Champagne Exquise Sec 91 Points
France, Champagne
I am rarely a big Selosse fan but this was very enjoyable. Lots of apple and pear with some berry, anise, and floral hints. Slightly sweet but not quite demi-sec to me. Fun.
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2001 Bouchard Père et Fils Corton-Charlemagne Domaine
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Not prematurely oxidized, just very flat and uninteresting.
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1998 Domaine d'Auvenay (Lalou Bize-Leroy) Auxey-Duresses Les Clous Blanc 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Auxey-Duresses
Not a wine you'd expect to see at 15+ yo, but not only was this wonderful, fresh and vibrant, but it getting better with more time in glass. Rich and extravagant fruit aromas with lots of floral elements and a slightly surprising Riesling-like petrol note. Slightly more restrained flavors, but same ripe fruit that still showed good balance with great density for Villages Auxey.
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2002 Henri Boillot Bâtard-Montrachet 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Lots of ripe, stone stone fruit with some tropical hints and plenty of spice, still showing a bit of new oak character. Very modern, fun style. Best now.
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1986 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Flawed
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Bottle was very tired, muddy, stewy.
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1998 Azienda Agricola Valentini Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 91 Points
Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo
Don't recall ever having this wine before, but it was both fun and interesting. An intriguing start of shortbread and apple with a nice hint of fizz. Bright with lots of energy that combines well with the wine's innate richness to give it an elegant character. Thanks Jen and Phil.
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2007 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
Peach, ripe apple, floral hints to start, slightly leaner and vibrant on palate, with apple, lemon and lemon peel. Great length and energy.
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2005 Henri Boillot Corton-Charlemagne 94 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Opened this today because of our oxidized bottle of Boillot 2005 Montrachet from the other night. From 375 ml bottle. Very ripe apple with lemon and lime peel aromas complemented with savory spice. Slightly less intense flavors, but still great fruit that is well bolstered by minerality and acidity.
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1988 Domaine Joseph Roty Griotte-Chambertin
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru
Very old aromas and flavors with all tertiary character, but still very firm structural elements. If this bottle is representative, this wine will never integrate at an interesting place. Impossible for me to tell if this wine is past its peak or this was an off bottle. Based on prior experience with Roty and the 1988 vintage, I am slightly more likely to think it somehow a flawed bottle.
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1990 Domaine Joseph Roty Charmes-Chambertin Très Vieilles Vignes Flawed
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
2nd poor bottle of Roty today, this one most likely an off bottle due to heat damage and/or poor storage. showed something that reminded me of decay. Just nothing interesting. I don't think I've had this wine in 5+ years but remember it as a powerhouse.
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2004 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Goulots Vieille Vigne
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Unmistakably 2004 with too much green and slightly bitter elements. Not a favorite.
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2004 Domaine Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes 89 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Served double blind. I correctly thought this as from Burgundy and Cote de Nuits, but its maturity, structural elements and concentration made me think it something like a 1998 1er Cru from Chambolle or Morey. Leaner style but with some charm and good balance, no 2004 bitter elements, but slightly short/drying finish. i haven't had this wine since shortly after release (probably around 2008) and it was certainly much better now vs what I recall from before.
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2011 Domaine Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc 87 Points
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc
Lemon and lemon peel on nose and palate, slightly lean with very good energy and length for its level. Very refreshing.
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1988 Emmanuel Rouget Echezeaux 95 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru
Open several hours before serving, but not decanted. Mature dark berry aromas and flavors with subtle Asian five spice, floral hints, forest floor and sauteed mushroom. Very good depth and layers of flavors. Still has upside from here. Bottle in perfect condition.
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1997 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie Les Sommets d'Harys 94 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
A very rare cuvee that I have only had once (10 years ago). Powerful gamy aromas with savory spice, leather and lots of ripe black berries, but the structure to balance. This has that old school, almost rustic charm in the best possible sense.
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1994 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve 90 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
From magnum. Good aromatic start with perfumed, spice-driven character combined with mature black fruit. Palate a little less exciting, elegant but lighter styled with more advanced fruit than I'd hope from Rayas at this maturity. Moderate length.
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1993 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes Mares 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Not given much air before serving, this came across with lots of black and red fruit but even more pronounced acidity and tannins. Overall still a bit rugged, this wine still needs plenty more time and I don't think it will ever live up to incredibly high standards of Vogue's 1993 Musigny or Amoureuses.
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1990 Domaine Leroy Nuits St. Georges Aux Lavières 89 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges
Started slightly funky, slightly reduced, so we decided to decant. Much better after 20 minutes, showing fresh black fruit slight very primary with the awkward youthful exuberance of a 24 year old. Oddly this ended with a slightly murky finish that made this come across as an imperfect bottle. Not quite as enjoyable as another bottle of this wine (probably from the same source) tasted earlier this year.
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2001 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Served way, way , way too young, this has lots of great red cherry everywhere but firm and rough so not really at a good spot today. But clearly with the concentration and substance to drink well at some distant point in the future.
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