Lot 2018. Disgorged January 2021, 2 g/L dosage. (I believe this was the extra brut, but my notes aren't clear on this point.) Surprisingly ripe and full on the palate, especially for the low dosage. Not too yeasty, and showing a generous amount of fruit. Quite nice.
Served double blind. Very clean but clearly of a more old school sensibility with a slight bit of bricking relative to most other wines today. Lighter in style with a distinct, woodsy (not oak) and earthy note on the palate. The fruit is crystalline and quite nice.
Served double blind. A very nice nose with a modest perfumed note, but also plenty of ripe fruit. The acidic structure made me guess 2019. The fruit is a black and red mix. Overall missing a sense of place for me, but an excellent bottle of pinot noir nonetheless. Clearly a more modern disposition than the Chevillon or Lafarge.
Served double blind. Aromatically intense and dark-fruited on the nose and palate (I actually thought this was a 2018). Lots of fruit with a touch of gloss and plenty of spicy notes. Given the fullness of the wine, I thought this might have been a Côte de Beaune instead. A touch of oak as well.
Oddly a bit of a coffee tone on the nose here. The oak seems to figure prominently and there isn't as much fruit as I would have liked to see for a wine this young. Angular tannins on the finish. Admittedly somewhat disappointing; I was expecting more from Bouchard.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges
Served double blind. Red-fruited in disposition but very clear bricking versus many of the other wines. That and the acidity made this an easy 2017 guess. Light on the fruit overall, this is more earth and acidity focussed. Of a more rustic, backwards style, this seems to be of a style from many years ago.
Served double blind. Clearly some sort of post-modernist thing going on here. Drinks like a Passetoutgrains but without the weight of the good versions. The palate is of a very light style, with pleasant crunchy red fruit and lots of acidity, but no real sense of place. Scarcely any tannins. I like the aromatics, especially with more air -- plenty of perfumed fruit here. Drinkable now, and probably not to hold for any significant time period at all.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Nuits Villages
Served double blind. A huge sulphurous, farty note on the nose. The palate is ripe without being overbearing, and shows more acidity than the 2018 version. Red fruit and a slight bit of smokiness but the offensively sulphurous nose has me thinking something isn't quite right here.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Nuits Villages
Served double blind. Juicy, sweet, and very large-scaled, this is definitely Côte de Nuits, and the weightiness has me thinking this is Gevrey. Clearly a 2018 from the ripeness of the fruit, but the rest of the wine does not feel overweight or clumsy in any way. A modest amount of oak frames this wine.
Served double blind. The good kind of reduction on the nose here. This is ripe and broad and seems to be more of a St. Aubin-like character than any of the bigger villages in the Côte de Beaune. The fruity sweetness augments the generous acidity. Not as laser-focussed as Lamy, but more lean and racy than PYCM. Very convincing stuff and one of the best AC Bourgognes I've had.
NV J-M Seleque Champagne Solessence Extra Brut 90 Points
France, Champagne
Lot 2018. Disgorged January 2021, 2 g/L dosage. (I believe this was the extra brut, but my notes aren't clear on this point.) Surprisingly ripe and full on the palate, especially for the low dosage. Not too yeasty, and showing a generous amount of fruit. Quite nice.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2018 Dujac Fils et Père Chambolle-Musigny Flawed
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny
Corked.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2017 Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay Vendanges Sélectionnées 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay
Served double blind. Very clean but clearly of a more old school sensibility with a slight bit of bricking relative to most other wines today. Lighter in style with a distinct, woodsy (not oak) and earthy note on the palate. The fruit is crystalline and quite nice.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2019 Domaine Jean-Marc / Thomas Bouley Volnay 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay
Served double blind. A very nice nose with a modest perfumed note, but also plenty of ripe fruit. The acidic structure made me guess 2019. The fruit is a black and red mix. Overall missing a sense of place for me, but an excellent bottle of pinot noir nonetheless. Clearly a more modern disposition than the Chevillon or Lafarge.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2017 Domaine Y. Clerget Volnay 1er Cru Carelle Sous la Chapelle 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Served double blind. Aromatically intense and dark-fruited on the nose and palate (I actually thought this was a 2018). Lots of fruit with a touch of gloss and plenty of spicy notes. Given the fullness of the wine, I thought this might have been a Côte de Beaune instead. A touch of oak as well.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2019 Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune 1er Cru Clos de la Mousse 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru
Oddly a bit of a coffee tone on the nose here. The oak seems to figure prominently and there isn't as much fruit as I would have liked to see for a wine this young. Angular tannins on the finish. Admittedly somewhat disappointing; I was expecting more from Bouchard.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2017 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges Vieilles Vignes 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges
Served double blind. Red-fruited in disposition but very clear bricking versus many of the other wines. That and the acidity made this an easy 2017 guess. Light on the fruit overall, this is more earth and acidity focussed. Of a more rustic, backwards style, this seems to be of a style from many years ago.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2018 Charles Lachaux Pommard Cuvée Auprès du Clos 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard
Served double blind. Clearly some sort of post-modernist thing going on here. Drinks like a Passetoutgrains but without the weight of the good versions. The palate is of a very light style, with pleasant crunchy red fruit and lots of acidity, but no real sense of place. Scarcely any tannins. I like the aromatics, especially with more air -- plenty of perfumed fruit here. Drinkable now, and probably not to hold for any significant time period at all.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2017 Sylvie Esmonin (Michel et Fille) Côte de Nuits Villages
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Nuits Villages
Served double blind. A huge sulphurous, farty note on the nose. The palate is ripe without being overbearing, and shows more acidity than the 2018 version. Red fruit and a slight bit of smokiness but the offensively sulphurous nose has me thinking something isn't quite right here.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2018 Sylvie Esmonin (Michel et Fille) Côte de Nuits Villages 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Nuits Villages
Served double blind. Juicy, sweet, and very large-scaled, this is definitely Côte de Nuits, and the weightiness has me thinking this is Gevrey. Clearly a 2018 from the ripeness of the fruit, but the rest of the wine does not feel overweight or clumsy in any way. A modest amount of oak frames this wine.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2019 Dureuil-Janthial Bourgogne Blanc 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc
Served double blind. The good kind of reduction on the nose here. This is ripe and broad and seems to be more of a St. Aubin-like character than any of the bigger villages in the Côte de Beaune. The fruity sweetness augments the generous acidity. Not as laser-focussed as Lamy, but more lean and racy than PYCM. Very convincing stuff and one of the best AC Bourgognes I've had.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue