Eu Ming's Birthday

Wines, friends, decent food, and karaoke

• 2000 De Sousa et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée des Caudalies Millésimé 92 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Quite lovely. Disgorged was back in 3/2006, so this had quite a bit lof age on it. The nose was a complex panoply of aromas - yeast, mineral, ripe apples, with just an edge of white meaty oxidation at the side. This led into a full palate, where strong red apple flavours were spiked with bits of warm spice and mineral. A full, satisfying mouthful, still with a lemony acid freshness and a creamy mousse. Pretty good, and nicely aged at this point of its evolution.

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• 2012 Domaine Ponsot Corton-Charlemagne 93 Points

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

  A blend with some 40% or so Aligote in it, this was an oddity that is very much in Laurent Ponsot's alley. Really nice though - it was a real surprise. The nose had a lovely chalky, minerally tone that could only come from Burgundy, with subtle draws of lemon and white fruit with just an edge of riper stone fruit at the fringes. Very alluring. It was lovely on the palate too. Effortlessly elegant, it curled around the mouth with creamy white fruited flavours laced with fresh lemony acidity that lent it a lovely cut and definition, all this leading into a long, chalky, minerally finish. Superbly balanced and poised - this was very impressive. It is drinking early though, and I am not sure whether it will be one for the ages.

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• 2005 Henri Boillot Corton-Charlemagne 92 Points

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

  Poorest showing out of 3 bottles I had so far. It was still pretty good, but just felt a touch heavy and old school next to a lovely bottle of 2013 Ponsot Corton-Charlemagne that was served alongside. The nose was certainly more mature, with hints of honey amidst ripe yellow fruited notes, and then a nice line of chalky minerality that mirrored the Ponsot's. The palate was clearly marked by the hot vintage though. It had certainly had the poise and balance one would expect of a Henri Boillot, but suffered against the effortless cut and definition of the Ponsot, coming across both richer and less precise, maybe even a bit clumsier, with big flavours of yellow fruit and ripe lemons leading into full finish replete with more ripe yellow fruits. Thankfully, this was underlined with a nice minerality which I really liked. For a 2005, there had a good amount of fresh acidity, which I think bodes well for the future, so all in all a pretty good wine, but unfortunately put into the shadows by the Ponsot when both where served blind together.

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• 1997 Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Ursules Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru

  Not bad at all for 1997 1er Cru at 20 years of age. The nose was lovely, with a perfumed burst of flowers, strawberries and earth, and then a tail of spice trailing behind. Super beguiling stuff. The palate was a step or two behind unfortunately, but still very attractive. Soft and elegant, with lovely smooth flavours of darker cherries and spice, this just lacked a touch of depth and persistence towards a thinner, spice-inflected finish. It was really fresh and enjoyable though, with a lovely perfume to it. Nice, but time to drink up.

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• 1976 Antonin Rodet Grands-Echezeaux 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru

  Lovely - a nicely matured Grand Cru. The nose was a really attractive melange of sweet cherries and strawberries infused with fragrant whiffs of earth and spice. Really nice. It was soft and melting on the palate, with barely a hint of the hard, hot tannins one would expect of the vintage, showing a nicely integrated bit of fresh acidity and juicy flavours of red cherries, earth and a gentle spiciness. A bit drying on the finish, with the fruit trailing away into sour plum notes and wordier tannins, but overall really nice.

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• 2008 Domaine Newman Bonnes Mares 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru

  Decent, but a clear step behind a few of others Grand Crus on show. The nose had a pleasant, if a bit oaky bouquet of red cherries, strawberries, earth, spice and an edge of vanilla. Nice. The palate was significantly weaker than the nose promised though. Quite noticeably oaked, with more vanilla flavours, and simple notes of red cherries and strawberries laced with fresh acidity and fine tannins, leading to a mineral and spice finish that just felt a bit skinny and astringent at the edges. Drinkable and far from unenjoyable, but not a great Grand Cru.

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• 1990 Marc Rougeot-Dupin Clos Vougeot 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  Wow. I love it when a gem from an unknown maker comes up turmps. I really, really enjoyed this. It had a lovely nose that could only come from a matured Burgundy, with lovely wreathes of flowers, crushed berries, and violet florals. The palate was really strong too - plump and delicious, with delicious notes of plums and dark berries, earth and spice, and then some freshly stalk floral notes leading into a nicely full finish. At a perfect place now - yummy, silky, balanced, completely resolved. Just lovely old school Burg drinking at its absolute peak.

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• 2000 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Echezeaux 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru

  I really liked this. It had such a lovely nose of mushroom earth and fragrant wood spices floating around a sweet core of lifted red berry aromas. The palate was classic 2000, with silky, barely-there tannins and fine acidity framing pure, just ever so slightly chewy notes of red cherries and berries, all this speared with lovely Vosne spices. Really elegant, really pure, this was absolutely lovely. Maybe just lacking a touch of the conviction and depth that one would expect in a stronger vintage, but this was so charming and beautifully put together. It is in its drinking window, but I think it will continue to improve over the next few years. Super stuff.

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• 1999 J. Confuron-Cotetidot Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  A powerful, compelling expression of both its vintage and terroir - I liked this. The nose showed plenty of classic Vosne notes of spice and menthol, black cherries and plums, with just a hint of ripeness to it. After that, the palate was almost surprisingly clean and well-defined, with fine-boned tannins and good balancing acidity framing powerful flavours dark cherries and plum, these lined with a deep mineral spine. It was still a bit tight and stubborn, with that powerful reserve that so many 1999s still show, closing out with a full, but just a bit drying finish. Very good, and really food friendly, but this clearly has its best years ahead of it yet. Try again in 2-3 years. 92-93

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• 1986 Maison Albert Bichot Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Malconsorts Domaine du Clos Frantin 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  Full of mature charm, this was not the strongest Burgundy on the night, but still gave a whole lot of pleasure. The nose was quietly attractive, with most of cherries and flowers, along with tertiary accents of mushrooms and earth. I liked the palate here. Cool, high-toned; a touch on the skinnier side maybe, but so very elegant, with silken tannins and fresh acidity dancing alongside really clean, pure notes of cherries seasoned with just the tiniest hint of Vosne spice. The finish was surprising long, with mineral and earth resolving into a floral tail that lingered away beautifully. Very enjoyable stuff, drinking nicely now.

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• 1990 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  It was nice to end a dinner full of Burgs with a Bordeaux, and this was a very enjoyable one. The nose was classic Pauillac, Lalande I guessed, with lovely drifts of cedar wood, pencil lead and just that slightest hint of leafy tobacco floating about gentle cassis notes. Charming. The palate was absolutely on point. Soft, melting, with the plushest of tannins wrapped like a silken robe around a sweet, supple core of sweet cassis and blueberries, all gently seasoned with little notes of cedar, spice and just that tiny lily of tobacco. Not profound in the way the 1982 and 1996 are - this did not have the sheer depth and power of the greater vintages - but it was so very charmingly enjoyable, and drinking beautifully now.

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