Disgorged March, 2013. Deep yellow, still quite lively. Full, rich, dry, and creamy with an early hint of caramel but not overtly oxidative. Really excellent.
Yellow, moderate mousse. Big, dry, deep, and yeasty. Complex combination of grilled nuts and orchard fruit. Great acidity and length. It is at a lovely inflection point between youth and maturity where it has attractive features of both. Outstanding.
Full yellow. Unfortunately, this was opened just prior to serving, and it took a bit of time to sort itself out. Something musty on the nose gave way to more typical brothy seaweed notes and a bit of citrus. Older Dauvissat often smells funky right out of the bottle. Bigger, riper, and richer than the 2007 Preuses we recently drank, but still the essence of Chablis in its complex vegetal and stone driven core. I'm still not certain that this bottle was pristine, and while I enjoyed it, the linearity and drive of the 2007 was more to my liking.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Opened and poured. Still even medium ruby. Rapidly soaring nose of clove, perfumed fruit, and a small amount of herb. Medium weight with glorious glycerine, sappy feel. The wood that I noted in 2012 has been beautifully integrated. Seamless, discretely ripe fruit with round supporting tannins. Super persistence and finish. This is a superlative Premier Cru with the stuffing to last another decade, over which it should become less dense and even more ethereal. Its quality was evident insofar as it acquitted itself beautifully next to a Rousseau Chambertin although it could not match the refinement of that wine.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru
Double decanted a few hours earlier. Medium red without bricking. Oh my, what a slaying nose! Floral notes, earth, and red berry fruit. Medium body, much more airy than an Arnoux Suchots next to it yet still retaining lovely feel and coverage. I have had this once before, and tonight's bottle was purer, without any taint of brettanomyces. The inner mouth perfume just got better and better. God, this wine was so pretty, just the epitome of Gevrey Grand Cru elegance without any dilution. An amazing bottle from a less than amazing vintage, fully expressed at 21 years of age.
NV Ulysse Collin Champagne Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Les Pierrières
France, Champagne
Disgorged March, 2013. Deep yellow, still quite lively. Full, rich, dry, and creamy with an early hint of caramel but not overtly oxidative. Really excellent.
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2002 Gosset Champagne Célebris
France, Champagne
Yellow, moderate mousse. Big, dry, deep, and yeasty. Complex combination of grilled nuts and orchard fruit. Great acidity and length. It is at a lovely inflection point between youth and maturity where it has attractive features of both. Outstanding.
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2005 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
Full yellow. Unfortunately, this was opened just prior to serving, and it took a bit of time to sort itself out. Something musty on the nose gave way to more typical brothy seaweed notes and a bit of citrus. Older Dauvissat often smells funky right out of the bottle. Bigger, riper, and richer than the 2007 Preuses we recently drank, but still the essence of Chablis in its complex vegetal and stone driven core. I'm still not certain that this bottle was pristine, and while I enjoyed it, the linearity and drive of the 2007 was more to my liking.
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1999 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Opened and poured. Still even medium ruby. Rapidly soaring nose of clove, perfumed fruit, and a small amount of herb. Medium weight with glorious glycerine, sappy feel. The wood that I noted in 2012 has been beautifully integrated. Seamless, discretely ripe fruit with round supporting tannins. Super persistence and finish. This is a superlative Premier Cru with the stuffing to last another decade, over which it should become less dense and even more ethereal. Its quality was evident insofar as it acquitted itself beautifully next to a Rousseau Chambertin although it could not match the refinement of that wine.
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2000 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru
Double decanted a few hours earlier. Medium red without bricking. Oh my, what a slaying nose! Floral notes, earth, and red berry fruit. Medium body, much more airy than an Arnoux Suchots next to it yet still retaining lovely feel and coverage. I have had this once before, and tonight's bottle was purer, without any taint of brettanomyces. The inner mouth perfume just got better and better. God, this wine was so pretty, just the epitome of Gevrey Grand Cru elegance without any dilution. An amazing bottle from a less than amazing vintage, fully expressed at 21 years of age.
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