France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Initially very tight aromatically. Opened up to reveal intense stone, mineral and citrus/lemon curd flavors. Zesty, racy, and deliciously layered on the palate. Showing a lot of toasty new oak. Long finish. This is obviously still an infant, and I wouldn't be surprised if it closed down over the next year or two. For now, it is drinking really well.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru
Medium maroon color. Gorgeous nose of violets and high-toned red fruit. The palate shows red cherries, minerals, tea, cola, and a hint of black truffle. There are some earth/forest floor secondary flavors here, but overall the flavor profile is driven by fresh red fruit and minerals. Medium weight; lacy and elegant mouthfeel. Tasted a little more mature than a 1995, but still fresh and alive.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Much darker and more powerful than the 1995 Arnoux RSV, tasted side-by-side. Nose of violets. Dark, borderline jammy blackberry fruit, meat, blood, and earth. Some mushroom/forest floor notes on the midpalate. Spicy, with strong tannins on the finish. Very true to its terroir. Delicious but could use more time.
Light maroon color. Slight VA on the initial nose. Plummy red fruit, mushrooms, and leather. Soft, supple, and smooth, with tannins that tasted pretty well resolved. Similar profile to the bottle I opened in April. I had a blockbuster bottle of this about three years ago, albeit from a different purchase lot. My instincts are that the 82 Ducru is ever so slightly past its peak, unless it's a big bottle or from an unusually cold cellar.
Darker and more powerful than the 82 Ducru, tasted alongside. Black cherries, coffee, pencil lead, blackberry fruit, and truffles. Mid-weight, with a long finish. Delicious.
This was Brad's bottle that (I believe) was purchased ex-Chateau. Wow, I have never understood why people are so enamored with Lynch-Bages (the bottles I've tasted have tended to be green/herbaceous), but this bottle may have changed my mind. Classic Pauillac flavor profile: cedar, lead pencil, dark fruit, coffee. Nicely ripe, concentrated fruit; beautifully seamless and integrated; supple, ultra-fine tannins on the finish. Very true to its terroir. Outstanding.
This was Dave's backup bottle, and my chance to revisit one of the best Mondavi Reserves made in the 1990s (I bought several bottles of this years ago and drank them all in their youth). Enticing, complex, Bordeaux-like nose of sappy fruit, cedar, and lead pencil. No way would I guess this was a CaliCab in a blind tasting! The palate is more restrained, showing medium-weight, nicely concentrated ripe cassis fruit. Smooth, meaty, and delicious.
2005 Henri Boillot Corton-Charlemagne 94 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Initially very tight aromatically. Opened up to reveal intense stone, mineral and citrus/lemon curd flavors. Zesty, racy, and deliciously layered on the palate. Showing a lot of toasty new oak. Long finish. This is obviously still an infant, and I wouldn't be surprised if it closed down over the next year or two. For now, it is drinking really well.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1995 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Romanée St. Vivant 95 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru
Medium maroon color. Gorgeous nose of violets and high-toned red fruit. The palate shows red cherries, minerals, tea, cola, and a hint of black truffle. There are some earth/forest floor secondary flavors here, but overall the flavor profile is driven by fresh red fruit and minerals. Medium weight; lacy and elegant mouthfeel. Tasted a little more mature than a 1995, but still fresh and alive.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1995 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Domaine Louis Jadot 94 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Much darker and more powerful than the 1995 Arnoux RSV, tasted side-by-side. Nose of violets. Dark, borderline jammy blackberry fruit, meat, blood, and earth. Some mushroom/forest floor notes on the midpalate. Spicy, with strong tannins on the finish. Very true to its terroir. Delicious but could use more time.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1982 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Light maroon color. Slight VA on the initial nose. Plummy red fruit, mushrooms, and leather. Soft, supple, and smooth, with tannins that tasted pretty well resolved. Similar profile to the bottle I opened in April. I had a blockbuster bottle of this about three years ago, albeit from a different purchase lot. My instincts are that the 82 Ducru is ever so slightly past its peak, unless it's a big bottle or from an unusually cold cellar.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1985 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Darker and more powerful than the 82 Ducru, tasted alongside. Black cherries, coffee, pencil lead, blackberry fruit, and truffles. Mid-weight, with a long finish. Delicious.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1985 Château Lynch-Bages 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
This was Brad's bottle that (I believe) was purchased ex-Chateau. Wow, I have never understood why people are so enamored with Lynch-Bages (the bottles I've tasted have tended to be green/herbaceous), but this bottle may have changed my mind. Classic Pauillac flavor profile: cedar, lead pencil, dark fruit, coffee. Nicely ripe, concentrated fruit; beautifully seamless and integrated; supple, ultra-fine tannins on the finish. Very true to its terroir. Outstanding.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1994 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
This was Dave's backup bottle, and my chance to revisit one of the best Mondavi Reserves made in the 1990s (I bought several bottles of this years ago and drank them all in their youth). Enticing, complex, Bordeaux-like nose of sappy fruit, cedar, and lead pencil. No way would I guess this was a CaliCab in a blind tasting! The palate is more restrained, showing medium-weight, nicely concentrated ripe cassis fruit. Smooth, meaty, and delicious.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2002 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Pommard 1er Cru Les Grands Épenots Vieilles Vignes 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru
Dark and tannic. Smoky, very ripe black fruit. Powerful and structured. Showing a lot of new oak at this stage. Promising.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue