Very Chablisienne. This nosed of chalk and smoky mineral, saline seashell and peachy white fruit. Just a waft of lanolin pulled me back to the Loire. The palate was very youthful. It was certainly not primary, with mellow white fruited flavours nestling in a slightly creamy fleshiness on the attack. But this was still really fresh and lively, lined as it was with bright, clean acidity and a lovely mineral and spice streak. A nice wine, not super complex at its age, but with plenty of character. Good now.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny
The intervening years have not been kind to this wine. This bottle may be bit overdeveloped and rather advanced, but on present evidence, the blushing beauty that I remembered shortly after release has started shutting down and going a little mean. On the nose, the flowers have receded, leaving drifts of dark cherries and bramble, a light brush of earth and a minerally streak. The palate seemed a bit lean and mean too. There was a nice intensity of flavour in its dark cherries and berry flavours that was very Roumier, but there was a lack of flesh, with the bony tannins and the mineral and acid spine of the wine rather sticking out rather clearly, especially past the midpalate and into the spicy, rather drying finish. Less Chambolle than NSG or Vosne to the taste actually. Very structured, yet I am not sure that there is enough fruit for this to go the long term. Hmm.
Very decent. This had a nice, mature nose of truffle and earth, a little spice and bramble and wafts of dark cherry and something vaguely floral. Smelt almost like a Volnay rather than a Pommard. On the palate though, it was clear that the wine was made I sterner stuff. The terroir and the vintage both rather came through on the palate, with a subtly muscular structure of straight tannins and decent acidity giving a ramrod spine to otherwise developed flavours of dark cherries and berries seasoned with bits if bramble and spice. The more fragrant, almost flowery notes at the edges of the bouquet then peeked out again as the finish trailed away. This lacks the depth of a great Grand Cru and it was perhaps a little rustic, but this was a nice enough wine drinking at about peak.
Very pleasant - this is drinking well now. The nose wafted out of the glass with rich notes of fragrant herb and wood spice sprinkled over a core of dark berry aromas. There was still some oak in there somewhere, but otherwise it was a rather pleasant bouquet. On the palate, rich, ripe flavours of blackberries, cassis and plums were still laced with firmish, slightly powdery tannins and decent acidity. On the finish, notes of bramble and spice emerged from amidst the dark fruit. A very bold wine. Not exactly primary, but still youthful and not exactly complex yet. However, there was a nice balance in the midst of the power and weight of the wine that bodes well for its long term future. One to try again in 4-5 years.
1989 Olga Raffault Chinon Le Champ-Chenin 90 Points
France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon
Very Chablisienne. This nosed of chalk and smoky mineral, saline seashell and peachy white fruit. Just a waft of lanolin pulled me back to the Loire. The palate was very youthful. It was certainly not primary, with mellow white fruited flavours nestling in a slightly creamy fleshiness on the attack. But this was still really fresh and lively, lined as it was with bright, clean acidity and a lovely mineral and spice streak. A nice wine, not super complex at its age, but with plenty of character. Good now.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2006 Domaine G. Roumier / Christophe Roumier Chambolle-Musigny 89 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny
The intervening years have not been kind to this wine. This bottle may be bit overdeveloped and rather advanced, but on present evidence, the blushing beauty that I remembered shortly after release has started shutting down and going a little mean. On the nose, the flowers have receded, leaving drifts of dark cherries and bramble, a light brush of earth and a minerally streak. The palate seemed a bit lean and mean too. There was a nice intensity of flavour in its dark cherries and berry flavours that was very Roumier, but there was a lack of flesh, with the bony tannins and the mineral and acid spine of the wine rather sticking out rather clearly, especially past the midpalate and into the spicy, rather drying finish. Less Chambolle than NSG or Vosne to the taste actually. Very structured, yet I am not sure that there is enough fruit for this to go the long term. Hmm.
Read 1 Comment / Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
1995 Domaine Machard de Gramont Pommard 1er Cru Clos Blanc 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru
Very decent. This had a nice, mature nose of truffle and earth, a little spice and bramble and wafts of dark cherry and something vaguely floral. Smelt almost like a Volnay rather than a Pommard. On the palate though, it was clear that the wine was made I sterner stuff. The terroir and the vintage both rather came through on the palate, with a subtly muscular structure of straight tannins and decent acidity giving a ramrod spine to otherwise developed flavours of dark cherries and berries seasoned with bits if bramble and spice. The more fragrant, almost flowery notes at the edges of the bouquet then peeked out again as the finish trailed away. This lacks the depth of a great Grand Cru and it was perhaps a little rustic, but this was a nice enough wine drinking at about peak.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1998 Gran Clos Priorat Gran Clos 90 Points
Spain, Catalunya, Priorat
Very pleasant - this is drinking well now. The nose wafted out of the glass with rich notes of fragrant herb and wood spice sprinkled over a core of dark berry aromas. There was still some oak in there somewhere, but otherwise it was a rather pleasant bouquet. On the palate, rich, ripe flavours of blackberries, cassis and plums were still laced with firmish, slightly powdery tannins and decent acidity. On the finish, notes of bramble and spice emerged from amidst the dark fruit. A very bold wine. Not exactly primary, but still youthful and not exactly complex yet. However, there was a nice balance in the midst of the power and weight of the wine that bodes well for its long term future. One to try again in 4-5 years.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue