Served double blind, from a bottle opened 6-7 hours earlier. Seemed Chardonnay on nose, but not Burgundy and palate agreed. Great spiced and complex aromas with baked apple, slightly less robust on palate but equally nuance. Both a surprise and treat!
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Served double blind, apparently from a perfect cellar. Obviously Burgundy. Fully mature orchard fruit that kept evolving and unfolding over a couple of hours with impressive richness. My initial thought was 30-40 to Puligny 1er from a good Vintage that wasn’t ultra ripe (1982?), but definitely complex. Over time, we found ripe apple, caramel apple, toffee and many other enticing elements here. What a great bottle.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Served double blind to the tasting group, and frankly I was little perplexed here. 2008 character came through with its balance of ripe and tart, but more red than black fruit came through with elegant and softer styling that I’d never expect from Gevrey 1er Cru. Very refined, even while slightly more oak still showing. Good weight, good+ length.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Served double blind, again clearly red Burgundy. Elegant earth, black and red cherry with tobacco and cooked mushroom. I thought it 1er Cru from Gevrey, from a ripe vintage in the 1970s. Good enough weight, really superb charm and nuance.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
Bottle had been opened 6-7 hours earlier and I’m told wasn’t enjoyable then. Medium bodied red and black cherry aromas with bitter hints, then seemingly stripped of fruit on palate.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Served double blind. Complex array of black fruit aromas with slightly more earth. Good to start, black truffle with the food brought out so much more here. Ok a bit volatile and a little flaccid. I thought the last wine was Gevrey (it was Corton), so I doubled down thinking this was again Gevrey, this time thinking 1979 or 1980. Oops.
Served double blind. First time tasting this wine. Clearly Bordeaux varietals, but I struggled thinking it Bordeaux given an intrinsic sweetness alongside all the richness, stuffing and density. Once told it is Bordeaux, I knew it had to be 2016...it is just that great already. And right bank given it’s Merlot-driven sexy curves. Not a wine that lets you appreciate and contemplate its full potential and complexity, but darn yummy now. And clearly a great wine for 2030-2060 or so.
From 375 ml bottle. Floral and perfumed start with mango purée and peach compote and a hint of marzipan. Influenced just enough by botrytis to add a layer of complexity. Moderate sweetness for Auslese. Good now, with upside.
1976 Mayacamas Vineyards Chardonnay 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder
Served double blind, from a bottle opened 6-7 hours earlier. Seemed Chardonnay on nose, but not Burgundy and palate agreed. Great spiced and complex aromas with baked apple, slightly less robust on palate but equally nuance. Both a surprise and treat!
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1973 Rapet Père et Fils Corton-Charlemagne 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Served double blind, apparently from a perfect cellar. Obviously Burgundy. Fully mature orchard fruit that kept evolving and unfolding over a couple of hours with impressive richness. My initial thought was 30-40 to Puligny 1er from a good Vintage that wasn’t ultra ripe (1982?), but definitely complex. Over time, we found ripe apple, caramel apple, toffee and many other enticing elements here. What a great bottle.
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2008 Domaine Perrot-Minot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Vieilles Vignes 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Served double blind to the tasting group, and frankly I was little perplexed here. 2008 character came through with its balance of ripe and tart, but more red than black fruit came through with elegant and softer styling that I’d never expect from Gevrey 1er Cru. Very refined, even while slightly more oak still showing. Good weight, good+ length.
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1997 Louis Jadot Clos Vougeot Flawed
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
At first I thought very musty, but I couldn’t drink it pretty, and alas, it was corked.
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1978 Bonneau du Martray Corton 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Served double blind, again clearly red Burgundy. Elegant earth, black and red cherry with tobacco and cooked mushroom. I thought it 1er Cru from Gevrey, from a ripe vintage in the 1970s. Good enough weight, really superb charm and nuance.
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2010 Domaine Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Boudriotte Rouge Flawed
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
Bottle had been opened 6-7 hours earlier and I’m told wasn’t enjoyable then. Medium bodied red and black cherry aromas with bitter hints, then seemingly stripped of fruit on palate.
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1952 Armand Roux Bonnes Mares 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Served double blind. Complex array of black fruit aromas with slightly more earth. Good to start, black truffle with the food brought out so much more here. Ok a bit volatile and a little flaccid. I thought the last wine was Gevrey (it was Corton), so I doubled down thinking this was again Gevrey, this time thinking 1979 or 1980. Oops.
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2016 Château La Conseillante 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Served double blind. First time tasting this wine. Clearly Bordeaux varietals, but I struggled thinking it Bordeaux given an intrinsic sweetness alongside all the richness, stuffing and density. Once told it is Bordeaux, I knew it had to be 2016...it is just that great already. And right bank given it’s Merlot-driven sexy curves. Not a wine that lets you appreciate and contemplate its full potential and complexity, but darn yummy now. And clearly a great wine for 2030-2060 or so.
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2003 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Auslese Nr. 38 91 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
From 375 ml bottle. Floral and perfumed start with mango purée and peach compote and a hint of marzipan. Influenced just enough by botrytis to add a layer of complexity. Moderate sweetness for Auslese. Good now, with upside.
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