France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
A very easy-going young red Burgundy. Very pretty, I found this bottle a little bit more integrated than the last time I had it. Fresh, with deliciously juicy red fruit. This was missing a bit of Vosne spice this time. Fortunately, I've still got quite a few more, but I really ought to stop killing these so young.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru
The product of the vintage, and it shows. To be sure, it is definitely a bit more open than some other 1996s I've had, but there's still a really mean vein of acidity that courses through this wine. The fruit here is nice though, with a touch of crunchy red berries. It seems like there's still more to resolve, but who knows if we're ever going to get there?
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
From double-magnum. This was very plush and rich, and a very, very silky texture, that was buffed by the sort of palate density you find in wines made from old vines. A nice combination of red and black fruit here. Another Châteauneuf that's as clean as a whistle -- there's no animale here, and scarcely any dirtiness either. Absolutely lovely stuff.
From magnum. I'm not sure if there was something off with this bottle or not, but it was certainly quite weird. It seemed to be tainted a bit with brett, and the palate came off a bit stewy. A lot of the classic elements of Bordeaux didn't seem to be here either.
From magnum. Infected with the nasty 2011 green taint. A bit medicinal on the palate, although the sad thing is there's actually a bit of nice red fruit here. I do understand why some people are enamoured of the 2011s as a charming vintage, but I think you need to be a bit less sensitive to that weird green chemical taint.
Laughably bad wine, of the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 kind. If I put a sticker that says "pinot noir" on a can of Cherry Coke, that doesn't turn the Cherry Coke to pinot noir. Though it might turn it into Aubert.
This wine suffers from that weird syndrome of having really, really ripe fruit, and unpleasant green elements at the same time. And when you throw a ton of expensive oak on top of it, you're going to have a bad time.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
From magnum. I'm not sure if this really was a representative bottle, especially after tasting so much Beaucastel this weekend. There's a lot of red fruit here, and the funk and brett are almost non-existent, but there's a really unpleasant stewiness to this wine.
From magnum, and still as good as I remember it being. Super clean and crisp, with some lovely yellow fruit flavours. Great freshness, with a lovely touch of ripe apples on the finish. Pretty large scaled, this is bound together with a firm spine of acid.
This is a very pale rose; I was somewhat surprised by the colour. There's a fair bit of yeastiness here and this is a very, very broad-shouldered champagne. Despite the colour, there are very clear red-fruit tones to this wine, with some crisp red berries. Delicious.
I was slightly worried that this would come out too big and ripe given the hot vintage, but am very pleased to report that this wine is not overdone at all. In fact, there's a coolness to its smoked meat and spice character, which is helped by a touch of olive as well. As classic as it gets for Northern Rhone, and incredibly delicious as well. This is a bit darker and more brooding in complexion than the other Jamets I've had.
A great showing of Mouton here today. The nose was simply lovely, showing lots of graphite and plum. Delicious black fruit with just the right amount of sweetness to balance this wine out. The palate is very full, with great density, and transitions from attack to finish in one seamless package. The secondary characteristics are out in full force on the palate, with some more of that graphite quality, as well as a bit of leather. The tannins are already quite silky too.
While there was a slight bit of reduction on the nose, you could tell right from the get-go that this was a very opulent and potent chardonnay. There's a lot of ripe stone fruit in this wine, and it comes off a little bit soft because of it. Mind you, this still has a backbone, but it's certainly on the fleshier side of things. A good chardonnay, if not my preferred style.
From magnum. Bright red fruit and a touch medicinal at this point in time. Certainly, it's quite early to be popping 2008 magnums, but it was open, so I tasted it. There's definitely some good material here, and it's on the very light and airy side of things. Crisp minerality here, and there's a nice bit of florals to lighten the wine. Tannins are obviously a bit abrasive right now, but I suppose they ought to soften up with time. Whether this will end up as good as Il Maestro's works remains to be seen.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
From magnum. What's there to say, Roulot is fantastic. This is brilliant chardonnay; Meursault as it's meant to be. Very strongly reductive at first, but this does seem to blow off with some air. Lots of white fruit, and a very strong vein of white-hot acidity. This is simply electric, with laser-focussed precision. Not too much fruit here, but what is here is a touch of green apple. There's also some serious minerality on this wine, giving it a real fresh crispness.
2013 Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
A very easy-going young red Burgundy. Very pretty, I found this bottle a little bit more integrated than the last time I had it. Fresh, with deliciously juicy red fruit. This was missing a bit of Vosne spice this time. Fortunately, I've still got quite a few more, but I really ought to stop killing these so young.
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1966 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Piper Brut Extra Flawed
France, Champagne
From magnum. No bubbles left. A touch of life from some fresh acids and a load of chalkiness, but this is nut and mushroom city. Requiescat in pace.
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1996 Louis Jadot Mazis-Chambertin 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru
The product of the vintage, and it shows. To be sure, it is definitely a bit more open than some other 1996s I've had, but there's still a really mean vein of acidity that courses through this wine. The fruit here is nice though, with a touch of crunchy red berries. It seems like there's still more to resolve, but who knows if we're ever going to get there?
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1995 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin 93 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
From double-magnum. This was very plush and rich, and a very, very silky texture, that was buffed by the sort of palate density you find in wines made from old vines. A nice combination of red and black fruit here. Another Châteauneuf that's as clean as a whistle -- there's no animale here, and scarcely any dirtiness either. Absolutely lovely stuff.
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1996 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou Flawed
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
From magnum. I'm not sure if there was something off with this bottle or not, but it was certainly quite weird. It seemed to be tainted a bit with brett, and the palate came off a bit stewy. A lot of the classic elements of Bordeaux didn't seem to be here either.
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2011 Hubert Lignier Pommard Les Chanlins 80 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard
From magnum. Infected with the nasty 2011 green taint. A bit medicinal on the palate, although the sad thing is there's actually a bit of nice red fruit here. I do understand why some people are enamoured of the 2011s as a charming vintage, but I think you need to be a bit less sensitive to that weird green chemical taint.
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2010 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard 60 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Laughably bad wine, of the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 kind. If I put a sticker that says "pinot noir" on a can of Cherry Coke, that doesn't turn the Cherry Coke to pinot noir. Though it might turn it into Aubert.
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2011 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard 70 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena
This wine suffers from that weird syndrome of having really, really ripe fruit, and unpleasant green elements at the same time. And when you throw a ton of expensive oak on top of it, you're going to have a bad time.
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1999 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Flawed
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
From magnum. I'm not sure if this really was a representative bottle, especially after tasting so much Beaucastel this weekend. There's a lot of red fruit here, and the funk and brett are almost non-existent, but there's a really unpleasant stewiness to this wine.
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2002 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 93 Points
France, Champagne
From magnum, and still as good as I remember it being. Super clean and crisp, with some lovely yellow fruit flavours. Great freshness, with a lovely touch of ripe apples on the finish. Pretty large scaled, this is bound together with a firm spine of acid.
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2006 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon 90 Points
France, Champagne
This is a very pale rose; I was somewhat surprised by the colour. There's a fair bit of yeastiness here and this is a very, very broad-shouldered champagne. Despite the colour, there are very clear red-fruit tones to this wine, with some crisp red berries. Delicious.
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2009 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie 93 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
I was slightly worried that this would come out too big and ripe given the hot vintage, but am very pleased to report that this wine is not overdone at all. In fact, there's a coolness to its smoked meat and spice character, which is helped by a touch of olive as well. As classic as it gets for Northern Rhone, and incredibly delicious as well. This is a bit darker and more brooding in complexion than the other Jamets I've had.
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1998 Château Mouton Rothschild 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
A great showing of Mouton here today. The nose was simply lovely, showing lots of graphite and plum. Delicious black fruit with just the right amount of sweetness to balance this wine out. The palate is very full, with great density, and transitions from attack to finish in one seamless package. The secondary characteristics are out in full force on the palate, with some more of that graphite quality, as well as a bit of leather. The tannins are already quite silky too.
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2002 Joseph Drouhin Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Blanc 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru
While there was a slight bit of reduction on the nose, you could tell right from the get-go that this was a very opulent and potent chardonnay. There's a lot of ripe stone fruit in this wine, and it comes off a little bit soft because of it. Mind you, this still has a backbone, but it's certainly on the fleshier side of things. A good chardonnay, if not my preferred style.
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2008 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto 90 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
From magnum. Bright red fruit and a touch medicinal at this point in time. Certainly, it's quite early to be popping 2008 magnums, but it was open, so I tasted it. There's definitely some good material here, and it's on the very light and airy side of things. Crisp minerality here, and there's a nice bit of florals to lighten the wine. Tannins are obviously a bit abrasive right now, but I suppose they ought to soften up with time. Whether this will end up as good as Il Maestro's works remains to be seen.
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2013 Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Clos des Bouchères 95 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
From magnum. What's there to say, Roulot is fantastic. This is brilliant chardonnay; Meursault as it's meant to be. Very strongly reductive at first, but this does seem to blow off with some air. Lots of white fruit, and a very strong vein of white-hot acidity. This is simply electric, with laser-focussed precision. Not too much fruit here, but what is here is a touch of green apple. There's also some serious minerality on this wine, giving it a real fresh crispness.
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