Not nearly as interesting vs the last time tasted last year. An odd bottle, this showed the bitterness of Extra Brut with less of the richness I recall from before, but also with an odd sweetness I couldn't quite decipher.
Magnum, Candied red cherry on nose and palate with subtle spice. Good enough weight, certainly better length. So much richness here, just showing so much baby fat that needs to soften and burn off. Good now, but i'd consider it 88-89 points, but so much potential 2025-, 90+ points.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru
This will be a great wine, just not quite there right now. Rich and powerful red and black cherry with floral and spice notes in the near background. Engaging to start, but clearly firm, backward and tannic on the long finish. Nothing fun here right now, but great potential (93+ points) 2025 forward, or perhaps even from 2030.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Magnum. Complex red cherry and berry aromas with floral charm. Seems fleshy to start but yet so balanced and elegant. Very good length, good+ weight. Entering its peak drinking window.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
Magnum. A huge step up over the 2011 tasted the next day, but similar in many ways, most notably my doubt this will age gracefully. Simply fantastic aromas with so much spice and ripe, rich cross-section of red and black cherry. Similar flavors are so charming with some meaty notes, but soft for the vintage, which is why I doubt its cellarworthiness. But so enjoyable now.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
Magnum. I think this was just LMLB's 2nd vintage with this terroir, which makes this wine particularly impressive in this challenging 2013 vintage. Black cherry and berry throughout with espresso and dark chocolate with a richness uncommon in the vintage, yet also a long, bright finish and at least showing 1er Cru density.
Such an intriguing wine that simultaneously seems like both a young, bright wine and mature, graceful wine. Fresh and dried black and red cherry with leather, earth, milk chocolate and good richness, but with a bright finish that is very minerally and nearly tart. Upside from here, with 94-95+ point potential.
Red cherry with subtle spice and good floral background elements. Similar to another bottle of the same wine from a couple of days earlier, but much less depth or complexity.
Magnum. Opened three hours before serving. Complex black berry aromas and flavors with dark chocolate, roasted meat, plum liqueur and sweet spice. Similar flavors with more black plum. very good concentration but still a little backward despite no awkward tannins. 91+ points for me tonight, but there is still upside and I think still 93+ point potential.
Wow, what a treat before cigars. So much black berries everywhere with some plum, anise and roasted meat notes, well supported by background floral notes. Dense and very concentrated with equally impressive length. Still a bit firm and compact in the middle, there is clearly upside from here for this great wine. My favorite of the evening.
2004 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 92 Points
France, Champagne
Ripe apple and lemon with so much bright, precise energy from start-to-finish with very good length. In its peak drinking window now.
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2004 Gosset Champagne Célebris
France, Champagne
Not nearly as interesting vs the last time tasted last year. An odd bottle, this showed the bitterness of Extra Brut with less of the richness I recall from before, but also with an odd sweetness I couldn't quite decipher.
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2009 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières Flawed
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Magnum. Slightly corked.
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1995 Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux
France, Bordeaux
Sensational aromatic start with floral, lemon and grapefruit. Good richness on palate, even if less nuance, complexity or even perceived density.
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2015 Domaine Fourrier Vougeot 1er Cru Les Petits Vougeots Vieille Vigne 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vougeot 1er Cru
Magnum, Candied red cherry on nose and palate with subtle spice. Good enough weight, certainly better length. So much richness here, just showing so much baby fat that needs to soften and burn off. Good now, but i'd consider it 88-89 points, but so much potential 2025-, 90+ points.
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2005 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru
This will be a great wine, just not quite there right now. Rich and powerful red and black cherry with floral and spice notes in the near background. Engaging to start, but clearly firm, backward and tannic on the long finish. Nothing fun here right now, but great potential (93+ points) 2025 forward, or perhaps even from 2030.
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2007 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes Mares 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Magnum. Complex red cherry and berry aromas with floral charm. Seems fleshy to start but yet so balanced and elegant. Very good length, good+ weight. Entering its peak drinking window.
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2015 Domaine Prieuré Roch Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
Magnum. A huge step up over the 2011 tasted the next day, but similar in many ways, most notably my doubt this will age gracefully. Simply fantastic aromas with so much spice and ripe, rich cross-section of red and black cherry. Similar flavors are so charming with some meaty notes, but soft for the vintage, which is why I doubt its cellarworthiness. But so enjoyable now.
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2013 Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos des Grandes Vignes 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
Magnum. I think this was just LMLB's 2nd vintage with this terroir, which makes this wine particularly impressive in this challenging 2013 vintage. Black cherry and berry throughout with espresso and dark chocolate with a richness uncommon in the vintage, yet also a long, bright finish and at least showing 1er Cru density.
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1986 Château Gruaud Larose 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Mature black cherry, cigarbox and cassis with good richness. Everything fully resolved and balanced.
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NV Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único Reserva Especial 1994, 1995, 2000 (2014 Release) 94 Points
Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
Such an intriguing wine that simultaneously seems like both a young, bright wine and mature, graceful wine. Fresh and dried black and red cherry with leather, earth, milk chocolate and good richness, but with a bright finish that is very minerally and nearly tart. Upside from here, with 94-95+ point potential.
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1998 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sorì San Lorenzo 91 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
Red cherry with subtle spice and good floral background elements. Similar to another bottle of the same wine from a couple of days earlier, but much less depth or complexity.
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2004 Gros Frère et Sœur Richebourg 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru
Mature red fruit, clearly still holding its own, but an unmistakable 2004 bitter note on finish. Otherwise, very good balance and good weight.
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1997 Roberto Voerzio Barbera d'Alba Riserva Vigneto Pozzo dell'Annunziata
Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba
Magnum. Opened three hours before serving. Complex black berry aromas and flavors with dark chocolate, roasted meat, plum liqueur and sweet spice. Similar flavors with more black plum. very good concentration but still a little backward despite no awkward tannins. 91+ points for me tonight, but there is still upside and I think still 93+ point potential.
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2001 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sorì San Lorenzo 95 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
Wow, what a treat before cigars. So much black berries everywhere with some plum, anise and roasted meat notes, well supported by background floral notes. Dense and very concentrated with equally impressive length. Still a bit firm and compact in the middle, there is clearly upside from here for this great wine. My favorite of the evening.
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