French Wine at Lunch, and with the World Cup final

A largely very classical lineup, including for me a first look at how some reds from 2005 are doing, along with a magical Yquem at the end. The Rayas-Chambolle-Yquem string of wines were some of the best I've ever drunk.

• 2010 Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut Couarres Chateau

  France, Champagne

  There's a richness here, and a very vinious note without tipping over into over-ripeness. Very enjoyable.

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• NV Jérôme Prévost Champagne La Closerie Extra Brut Les Beguines

  France, Champagne

  Exceptionally clean, precise, champagne, with a real rocky, mineral core. Almost like drinking fizzy 1er Cru chablis, even though there's no chardonnay here. More cerebral than the Chartogne-Talliet alongside but I found this a bit more interesting.

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• 2005 Domaine François Cotat Sancerre Les Monts Damnés Flawed

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

  Corked

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• 1999 Domaine Chandon de Briailles Corton-Charlemagne

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

  Concentrated, powerful, wine slightly showing its age: not oxidized but getting a little fat and the acidity sticking out a tiny bit too. A proper wine still, but time to drink up.

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• 1998 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Réserve

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  I just adore this - incredibly complex, rich textured (lots of glycerol here I think), with a strong herbal/medicinal aspect as well as the fruit: mint in particular. Seems to be holding up perfectly to me, although is clearly a mature wine.

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• 2005 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Feusselottes

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

  Absolutely stunning - the first serious 05 burgundy I've opened. Intense yet delicate raspberry fruit on the nose, just a little gamey funk beginning to show up, impeccable balance and still some tannin. A young wine for sure but not at all closed. Very very special wine and exemplifying everything I love in Burgundy.

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• 2005 Château Pontet-Canet

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Quite an engaging, approachable, nose, with ripe, moderately dark fruits. Still evidently very young in the mouth, but not as unapproachable as I was expecting, and impeccably balanced. Young claret isn't really my thing but this was more than an academic exercise to drink now (unlike the Pichon-Baron alongside).

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• 2005 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  A very promising, classic nose, dark and graphite-y but quite expressive. On the palate, really just a lot a lot of tannin - insanely young and wound up tight still. A 25-year wine at least, I think.

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• 1962 Château d'Yquem

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Gosh. This bottle had not apparently been through many moves and all sorts of storage (one owner for at least 40 years), but was really going very strong indeed. So concentrated that the empty glass still had that amazing honeyed smell. Some caramelization, lots of bitter orange/marmalade, incredible balance between the acidity and sugar. Again, the kind of great wine that is a bit paradoxical - how can it be all those things at once?

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