Very pale in colour. Almonds, biscuits, bread on the nose. The same on the palate with a fair bit of tropical elements. Yeasty and rich on the palate, this definitely shows more than a bit of leesy influence. The only thing that detracts a bit from this is a slightly bitter finish. Still, this is a fantastically concentrated and dense champagne with tons of complexity.
Disgorged November 9, 2012. Quite a bit of funk on this guy. Ripe stone fruit and strawberries on the nose and palate. The oak clearly shows, but it's very well-integrated with the intense acidity and minerality. This definitely has a good oxidative character, but this maintains its freshness immensely well. The acidity has a real teeth-stripping quality about it.
Waxy and fruity on the nose. The palate has extraordinary depth, with lots of spice and tropical fruit, with none of the sweetness. A barely perceptible touch of oak on the palate as well, bolstered by high (by white Rhone standards) acidity. Love the concentration and complexity on this. One of the best white Rhones I've ever had -- and by a long shot too.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Very, very pale colour. A moderate whiff of sulphur on the nose. Slightly floral with some slight brown spice notes as well. Despite the acidity, this is quite round. Clearly a bit of sweetness and some ripe white fruits on the palate. Shows a slight bit of oak as well which I imagine ought to integrate with a bit of time. I do like the balance between ripeness, minerality, and acidity here.
Disgorged December 4, 2008. Dark colour -- almost the same as the rose. A heavily stylized wine, you really have to be into the style to enjoy this one. So much mushroom and earth on the nose, it's practically an old Burgundian funk. Power beyond power on the palate. This has insane density -- stone fruit and chalk shows very prominently. Another enamel-stripping wine; I'm going to have to visit the dentist after this.
Bottle 01934. Lovely florals on the nose. Red fruited and aromatic on both the nose and palate. Perhaps a bit austere but that can't be too surprising given the vintage. Coarser tannins and very high acidity, but I think given air this will ease up quite a bit.
Interesting nose with lots of ripe fruit and spice. Definitely this is one of those riper chardonnays. Thankfully there isn't oak though, and this makes it a lot more enjoyable. There's a potent popcorn note on the palate that reminds me a lot of Coche, but this is definitely a lot sweeter than the chardonnays I'm accustomed to. An eye-opening California chardonnay.
Copper colour. Immensely rich nose with some spice and floral notes. Only a slight hint of yeast. Super intense and quite a bit of floral aromas on the nose as well. It's surprisingly fresh how this is showing. Tons of lively acidity and the bubbles have a real good bite. Showing a slight bit of citrus peel, red berries, and stone fruit. Very long finish.
Yeah, there's definitely a good whiff of American oak on the nose from that greenish dill note. But really, how can you not expect that? The palate has fantastic ripe plum notes, coupled with a fair bit of funky earth and leather. This is austere and fruity at the same time. Black magic, I say. Especially at the prices that these wines command, it's quite embarrassing how I don't have any of these in my cellar...
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Very nice colour. Bright cherry and plums on the nose. Quite a fair bit of ripe fruit on the palate as well. Earthy and dense, this has been fully resolved at this point with the tannins still present but giving a lovely velvety texture. Drink now.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
Tons of oak and sulphur on the nose. Whoa. Super pale colour, but very ripe and rich palate, showing some good tropical fruits and fat on the palate. There's a bit of a waxy texture here as well, but this is surprisingly not over the top for a 2009.
A bit cloudy. Quite a bit of meat on the nose, with some light floral notes as well. Initially, there was a lot of weird funk on the nose, but this definitely cleared up to show those florals. The palate has a similar quality about it, showing a fully resolved character. I get the feeling this could have done a lot better with more air, but hey, who am I to turn down old Produttori?
Almost colourless. There's a forward white fruit note on the nose, but this doesn't seem to have the same citrus qualities I associate with Raveneau. The palate does have a lovely salinity, with clarity and precision, but this shows a quiet calm contemplative quality rather than any mineral or acid explosion. But hell, there's no debate that this is a great bottle of Chablis.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
A bit of a four-square well-made 2008 red wine. It hits all the checkboxes -- bright red fruits, a fair bit of acidity, and obviously unresolved tannins. This shows some oak on the palate as well. I've no complaints about the quality of the wine, but it doesn't speak to me at all.
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Recioto della Valpolicella
From half-bottle. This isn't red wine, this is black wine. Inky and dark. The nose shows some sweet florals, ripe plums, and definitely some raisins (hm, big surprise). Perhaps a bit of a herbal amaro note as well? The palate is very dense and it's the tannins that bring balance to the wine -- it's a cerebral exercise to find the balance that the tannins add to this. A fantastic bottle of sweet wine.
From half-bottle. The colour of motor oil. Rich, dense, and very powerful. Lots of baked and dried stone fruits on the palate, with a fair bit of acidity to give this super dense and powerful wine a good bit of lift. I really love the concentration and depth here, and I'm sure this has everything it takes to age another 50 years.
Light golden colour. Lots of green herbs and tart pineapple on the nose. It hits all the points for an aged Kabinett, but it definitely doesn't live up to the label. There are clearly no issues with this bottle, but based on the producer, you'd expect so much more. Great acidity and a bit of roundness thanks to the sugar, but this is almost too dry for my palate. No doubt well made, but this doesn't hit the highs I'd expect a top Kabinett to.
Oh god, this is what nebbiolo should be. Phenomenally beautiful nose with dense floral aromas and a bit of earthiness as well. This is showing exceptionally well on the palate with a lot of florals still. The tannins are still coarse so I've no doubt this will be able to age for the long haul, but based on the sheer cerebral enjoyability of the wine today, I'm very, very bullish.
Wow, the straight up Meursault drinks at this level?! Classic Coche popcorn nose and palate with incredible acidity. No fruit at all. This wine evokes huge wet boulders. If I can level some criticism at this wine, it's that it feels more diffuse than a single-vineyard Coche might. But this lowly village wine easily blows other more "esteemed" chardonnays out of the water.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Well, this has the textbook Leroy nose. Earthy and powerful, but at the same time, there's plenty of bright red fruit playing some counterpoint to it. If anything, the oak does show a bit prominently on the palate, but that seems to be a function of the lighter vintage. There's a sweet bright red cherry note on the palate, with some heavier tannins that seem slightly out of place. Still, it's hard not to like this wine.
Inky black (but this was the dregs). There was a lot of oak on the nose, but to be honest, the oak didn't show that prominently on the palate and there's some nice acidity as well. It's obviously a bigger, more bombastic style than the Northern Rhones that I prefer, but in all fairness, this ain't bad at all.
A very nice note of almonds on the nose. The palate is quite sweet with some interesting candied fruit character. Bracing acids, with some chalkiness that settles on your teeth. There's just a slight hint of sweetness as well on the palate thanks to some riper fruits. This seems to straddle the line between the oxidative and fresher styles... if anything, I wish this would make up its mind.
Quite a bit of leesiness (that's totally not a word) on the nose, as well as some tarter green apple aromas. Definitely captures your attention right away. The palate doesn't show as round as I'd expect based on all the lees that I got. Instead, you get some almond notes, as well as a slight bit of bitterness on the back end.
1998 Dom Pérignon Champagne P2 93 Points
France, Champagne
Very pale in colour. Almonds, biscuits, bread on the nose. The same on the palate with a fair bit of tropical elements. Yeasty and rich on the palate, this definitely shows more than a bit of leesy influence. The only thing that detracts a bit from this is a slightly bitter finish. Still, this is a fantastically concentrated and dense champagne with tons of complexity.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Jacques Selosse Champagne Brut Rosé 95 Points
France, Champagne
Disgorged November 9, 2012. Quite a bit of funk on this guy. Ripe stone fruit and strawberries on the nose and palate. The oak clearly shows, but it's very well-integrated with the intense acidity and minerality. This definitely has a good oxidative character, but this maintains its freshness immensely well. The acidity has a real teeth-stripping quality about it.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
1990 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc 93 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Waxy and fruity on the nose. The palate has extraordinary depth, with lots of spice and tropical fruit, with none of the sweetness. A barely perceptible touch of oak on the palate as well, bolstered by high (by white Rhone standards) acidity. Love the concentration and complexity on this. One of the best white Rhones I've ever had -- and by a long shot too.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2012 Bouchard Père et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet Domaine 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Very, very pale colour. A moderate whiff of sulphur on the nose. Slightly floral with some slight brown spice notes as well. Despite the acidity, this is quite round. Clearly a bit of sweetness and some ripe white fruits on the palate. Shows a slight bit of oak as well which I imagine ought to integrate with a bit of time. I do like the balance between ripeness, minerality, and acidity here.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Jacques Selosse Substance 98 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Disgorged December 4, 2008. Dark colour -- almost the same as the rose. A heavily stylized wine, you really have to be into the style to enjoy this one. So much mushroom and earth on the nose, it's practically an old Burgundian funk. Power beyond power on the palate. This has insane density -- stone fruit and chalk shows very prominently. Another enamel-stripping wine; I'm going to have to visit the dentist after this.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
1995 La Pousse d'Or Volnay 1er Cru Clos des 60 Ouvrées 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Bottle 01934. Lovely florals on the nose. Red fruited and aromatic on both the nose and palate. Perhaps a bit austere but that can't be too surprising given the vintage. Coarser tannins and very high acidity, but I think given air this will ease up quite a bit.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1995 Kalin Cellars Chardonnay Cuvée LV 90 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County
Interesting nose with lots of ripe fruit and spice. Definitely this is one of those riper chardonnays. Thankfully there isn't oak though, and this makes it a lot more enjoyable. There's a potent popcorn note on the palate that reminds me a lot of Coche, but this is definitely a lot sweeter than the chardonnays I'm accustomed to. An eye-opening California chardonnay.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
1988 Dom Pérignon Champagne Rosé P3 95 Points
France, Champagne
Copper colour. Immensely rich nose with some spice and floral notes. Only a slight hint of yeast. Super intense and quite a bit of floral aromas on the nose as well. It's surprisingly fresh how this is showing. Tons of lively acidity and the bubbles have a real good bite. Showing a slight bit of citrus peel, red berries, and stone fruit. Very long finish.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1994 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 93 Points
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Yeah, there's definitely a good whiff of American oak on the nose from that greenish dill note. But really, how can you not expect that? The palate has fantastic ripe plum notes, coupled with a fair bit of funky earth and leather. This is austere and fruity at the same time. Black magic, I say. Especially at the prices that these wines command, it's quite embarrassing how I don't have any of these in my cellar...
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2002 Domaine des Perdrix Echezeaux Flawed
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru
Just a bit too much animale and funk for me. Sappy and rich but I just couldn't do this one.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1993 Louis Jadot Corton-Pougets Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Very nice colour. Bright cherry and plums on the nose. Quite a fair bit of ripe fruit on the palate as well. Earthy and dense, this has been fully resolved at this point with the tannins still present but giving a lovely velvety texture. Drink now.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2009 Henri Boillot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Embrazées 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
Tons of oak and sulphur on the nose. Whoa. Super pale colour, but very ripe and rich palate, showing some good tropical fruits and fat on the palate. There's a bit of a waxy texture here as well, but this is surprisingly not over the top for a 2009.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1978 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
A bit cloudy. Quite a bit of meat on the nose, with some light floral notes as well. Initially, there was a lot of weird funk on the nose, but this definitely cleared up to show those florals. The palate has a similar quality about it, showing a fully resolved character. I get the feeling this could have done a lot better with more air, but hey, who am I to turn down old Produttori?
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2011 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Valmur 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
Almost colourless. There's a forward white fruit note on the nose, but this doesn't seem to have the same citrus qualities I associate with Raveneau. The palate does have a lovely salinity, with clarity and precision, but this shows a quiet calm contemplative quality rather than any mineral or acid explosion. But hell, there's no debate that this is a great bottle of Chablis.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2008 Domaine Francois Lamarche Clos Vougeot 85 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
A bit of a four-square well-made 2008 red wine. It hits all the checkboxes -- bright red fruits, a fair bit of acidity, and obviously unresolved tannins. This shows some oak on the palate as well. I've no complaints about the quality of the wine, but it doesn't speak to me at all.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1997 Romano Dal Forno Recioto della Valpolicella 95 Points
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Recioto della Valpolicella
From half-bottle. This isn't red wine, this is black wine. Inky and dark. The nose shows some sweet florals, ripe plums, and definitely some raisins (hm, big surprise). Perhaps a bit of a herbal amaro note as well? The palate is very dense and it's the tannins that bring balance to the wine -- it's a cerebral exercise to find the balance that the tannins add to this. A fantastic bottle of sweet wine.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1995 Romano Dal Forno Nettare 95 Points
Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT
From half-bottle. The colour of motor oil. Rich, dense, and very powerful. Lots of baked and dried stone fruits on the palate, with a fair bit of acidity to give this super dense and powerful wine a good bit of lift. I really love the concentration and depth here, and I'm sure this has everything it takes to age another 50 years.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1985 Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett 88 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Light golden colour. Lots of green herbs and tart pineapple on the nose. It hits all the points for an aged Kabinett, but it definitely doesn't live up to the label. There are clearly no issues with this bottle, but based on the producer, you'd expect so much more. Great acidity and a bit of roundness thanks to the sugar, but this is almost too dry for my palate. No doubt well made, but this doesn't hit the highs I'd expect a top Kabinett to.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2004 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Rabajà 95 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Oh god, this is what nebbiolo should be. Phenomenally beautiful nose with dense floral aromas and a bit of earthiness as well. This is showing exceptionally well on the palate with a lot of florals still. The tannins are still coarse so I've no doubt this will be able to age for the long haul, but based on the sheer cerebral enjoyability of the wine today, I'm very, very bullish.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2004 Coche-Dury Meursault 95 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
Wow, the straight up Meursault drinks at this level?! Classic Coche popcorn nose and palate with incredible acidity. No fruit at all. This wine evokes huge wet boulders. If I can level some criticism at this wine, it's that it feels more diffuse than a single-vineyard Coche might. But this lowly village wine easily blows other more "esteemed" chardonnays out of the water.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2007 Domaine Leroy Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Well, this has the textbook Leroy nose. Earthy and powerful, but at the same time, there's plenty of bright red fruit playing some counterpoint to it. If anything, the oak does show a bit prominently on the palate, but that seems to be a function of the lighter vintage. There's a sweet bright red cherry note on the palate, with some heavier tannins that seem slightly out of place. Still, it's hard not to like this wine.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1991 M. Chapoutier Côte-Rôtie La Mordorée 90 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Inky black (but this was the dregs). There was a lot of oak on the nose, but to be honest, the oak didn't show that prominently on the palate and there's some nice acidity as well. It's obviously a bigger, more bombastic style than the Northern Rhones that I prefer, but in all fairness, this ain't bad at all.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2006 Henriet-Bazin Champagne Premier Cru Cuvée Marie-Amélie Blanc de Blancs Brut 90 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
A very nice note of almonds on the nose. The palate is quite sweet with some interesting candied fruit character. Bracing acids, with some chalkiness that settles on your teeth. There's just a slight hint of sweetness as well on the palate thanks to some riper fruits. This seems to straddle the line between the oxidative and fresher styles... if anything, I wish this would make up its mind.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2006 Guiborat Fils Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 88 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Quite a bit of leesiness (that's totally not a word) on the nose, as well as some tarter green apple aromas. Definitely captures your attention right away. The palate doesn't show as round as I'd expect based on all the lees that I got. Instead, you get some almond notes, as well as a slight bit of bitterness on the back end.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue