Bottle # 1592. Not much else in terms of info. White peach, strawberry, ginger, watermelon and a spice finish, what evolved to an asian 5-spice when it had a good amount of air....retasting from last night's leftover, a real good pour was saved! Same kind of salmon/pinkish hue. This is a meal of a wine today. There is a big amount of texture that this shows, a kind of juicy and plump palate coater of a wine. Very similar fruit signatures to yesterday, too. I also sense some wood embedded into the core of the wine, with some of the 5 spice but not to the degree of yesterday. If I was to sum this up, I'd say to think of this as a juicy wine that can give you a big hug, wearing a light jacket of citrus, yet not carrying with it the structure that will carry it forward, i.e. a more pleasure driven, short-term kind of Rose. I appreciate Ramon sharing this with the group, as I had yet to try the wine previously--thank you buddy.
Disgorged December 2020, so about 7 and half years on the lees. Been a while since I have tasted this, and last night I got several small pours over the course of the evening so I really got to pin down some perceptions over time. Initially this was all about apple, with a very distinct signature from it, with much less of the usual citrus from this plot. It had a pretty decent spine too. With air, some of the tangerine finally comes through, along with what called a 'milky' note on the aroma, or akin to something lactic. With more air, savory apple, lime skin, slate and plenty of structure. All in, this is indeed differentiated from Coeur de Cuvee, and I realize that the Pinot Noir is absent in the BdB build here, and it does show different....finishing up the final pour from last night's remnants just a quiet setting, no food and perfect serving temp. This cuvee, as contrasted to the other wines made from this plot (CdC and GCdO, and yes, there is a little Pinot Noir in those), I just sense in this BdB much more intensity and less generosity than those two bottlings. It would be instructive to put the 2012 versions of those alongside this one, and we may do just that next year, but for now, giving this 2012 BdB another look, I do like it and it rings a lot like some of sexy stuff that comes out of Larmandier-Bernier, very similar the their Levant VV bottling. To do their version of the 2012 alongside this one might be an even better comparison.
September 2022 disgorgement, so this sees a lot of time on its side, just over 12 years I would guess. Leesy nose initially, with lots of apple presence, a mix of red and green, plus a brushing of caramel and some raspberry. With air, this seemed to tighten and gain complexity, adding a rocky/zesty aspect to the finish. With more air, a bit of oxidation emerges along with a real enhancing of the raspberry, which takes on a crushed fruit note. I really enjoyed this, and appreciate Astrid selecting it for the group.
Not much info on the bottle label. I do know this is without dose, and perhaps without sulfur but I can't be sure. 80/20 Chard, Pinot Noir from plots around Trepail. Pear, lemongrass, green apple with a fresh, long finish. There is a concentration, density here that I really dig. With more air, this becomes juicier in texture, with a creamy-like apple, pineapple, guava and the same lemongrass note. This is terrific, and while expensive, it does for me measure up in terms of the quality.
This was served blind, from 375. I appreciate Ramon bringing this and sharing it with the table. I don't typically care for dessert wines given the texture and sweet impression, but I have kinda warmed up lately to ratafia so maybe I will get there in time for the rest of the category. I will say that this 2015 is pretty delicious. It doesn't translate as heavy to me, which is part of my favorable connection to it. Nutty, honeycomb, apricot, pineapple, mango, hard lime candy. Really a delicious wine, am glad I got to try it.
First go with the 2014. In candor, I was underwhelmed by the wine last night, although I have another couple ounces to retry later today but will log the note now for what I found last night. The wine seemed a bit jagged to me, and that may have been the term that Rob used for it as we tasted it together. Lots of lime that seemed rough around the edges. Golden apple and wet stone, and with air, what Astrid called 'lemon curd'. We'll see how this fares on retaste tonight, as I have it sealed up until then but the experience last night was underwhelming......so giving this a sincere retaste a day later from the remnants of last night, and with a good stem, quiet setting and ideal serving temp. There is a good amount of lime driven stuffing here, to go with some golden apple that is framed by a honeyed edge. It's zesty, similar to last night in that the edges still seem a bit rough to me. For context, I do drink mostly EB and BN styles, so my palate is conditioned and yet I do try and work with an open mind, yet I just think the dosage and fruit are not working together yet as there is some lime soda quality to the wine, i.e., it seems on the sweet side. I'm not trying to be the town dissenter, or call the baby ugly but trying to call it as I see it.
A recent experience with the Vilmart Ratafia was joyful. I enjoyed that bottle over the course of a few weeks, drinking a little at a time, and bringing it to a few dinners to show people. It seemed to be received well, and I really dug the wine and plan to buy more. On the other hand, and as much as I like Cedric's champagnes and buy it regularly, I thought this ratafia was a little too sweet and agree with Astrid's comment (she brought the bottle) that the acidity was lacking. Light ruby color, and it had what I called a tutti frutti note, what the table called 'Fruit Loops', which is dead on for a descriptor. It even gave me a note of cough syrup, and not to convey boozy, but it has that sweetness with some of that texture. I just didn't care for this.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Opened yesterday, drank alongside the 2018 Lamy-Caillat Les Caillerets. Both have been open the same time, using same stem and cool temp. While the Lamy-Caillat is more driven right now by some of its new wood, I don't get that here in the Roulot. This is spicier, the acidity higher, the wine more linear than that wine. And notably, this wine has a distinct perfume to the aromatic, a really beautiful bouquet, almost like a white rose petal if that reference can hold up to scrutiny. Finishes spicy, what I would call electric, as it really dances with something that is minty and gingery. Elegant and classy which is how I see the Lamy-Caillat, whereas this Roulot is more intense. Really fascinating comparison. Do you want elegance and flash or spicy and vivid? Both very good.
After 10 years decided to open my final bottle of this, to see if it remained true to my memory and blessed by the vintage as something less powerful. I paired this with the chocolate cake my wife made, but the 2015 d'Yquem that was served with it was more in the spotlight which is understandable! So, there is quite a bit left to retaste today, and as one fragile soul who drinks mostly Champagne these days, I won't be even close to finishing the bottle (but I assume it may endure just fine under cork for a week so there is hope). Dark and moderately inky, although not as opaque as the 2005 that we had a month or so ago. The glass is sitting off to my right as I type and I can smell it from arm's length away. Yeah, some heat here but less so than other years that are bookended to 2011 (bottle label lists this as 15.0%). Touch of prune and graham cracker. While there is some texture here, and in bigger years the texture is very evident, it is less so here and in contrast more rustic. Dark berry, iron, dark chocolate and tarry which are all consistent with the SR PS profile, yet there is that rusticity that hangs around the edges, giving it a red fruit kind of crunchiness. Still a reasonably big wine, but the acidity is just more pronounced in a year like 2011, which I appreciate and revere. Given the profile I do think the wine can age for some time further but there is a nice intersection now, as the vectors of fruit and acid cross, and I'd say now is a good time to drink this vintage.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
Opened yesterday, and of note, tasting alongside the 2018 Roulot Cd Boucheres. Both have had the same aeration, retasting in the same setting at a cool temp. Some new wood is present, both in the aroma (and palate). It's a decent seasoning but not overwhelming. Aroma of white flower along with some light reduction. On the palate, some toast, lemon oil, pear and green apple, with a cleansing of mineral into the finish. There is a lot of raw material here, yet the wine remains middle-weighted and even has a show of elegance. I suspect this is young, and that it will settle in time but drinking this kind of wine reminds me of stuff that I would call 'classy', that makes me think appreciate how good Chardonnay can be.
2018 Jérôme Prévost La Closerie Fac-Simile
France, Champagne
Bottle # 1592. Not much else in terms of info. White peach, strawberry, ginger, watermelon and a spice finish, what evolved to an asian 5-spice when it had a good amount of air....retasting from last night's leftover, a real good pour was saved! Same kind of salmon/pinkish hue. This is a meal of a wine today. There is a big amount of texture that this shows, a kind of juicy and plump palate coater of a wine. Very similar fruit signatures to yesterday, too. I also sense some wood embedded into the core of the wine, with some of the 5 spice but not to the degree of yesterday. If I was to sum this up, I'd say to think of this as a juicy wine that can give you a big hug, wearing a light jacket of citrus, yet not carrying with it the structure that will carry it forward, i.e. a more pleasure driven, short-term kind of Rose. I appreciate Ramon sharing this with the group, as I had yet to try the wine previously--thank you buddy.
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2012 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Les Blanches Voies
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Disgorged December 2020, so about 7 and half years on the lees. Been a while since I have tasted this, and last night I got several small pours over the course of the evening so I really got to pin down some perceptions over time. Initially this was all about apple, with a very distinct signature from it, with much less of the usual citrus from this plot. It had a pretty decent spine too. With air, some of the tangerine finally comes through, along with what called a 'milky' note on the aroma, or akin to something lactic. With more air, savory apple, lime skin, slate and plenty of structure. All in, this is indeed differentiated from Coeur de Cuvee, and I realize that the Pinot Noir is absent in the BdB build here, and it does show different....finishing up the final pour from last night's remnants just a quiet setting, no food and perfect serving temp. This cuvee, as contrasted to the other wines made from this plot (CdC and GCdO, and yes, there is a little Pinot Noir in those), I just sense in this BdB much more intensity and less generosity than those two bottlings. It would be instructive to put the 2012 versions of those alongside this one, and we may do just that next year, but for now, giving this 2012 BdB another look, I do like it and it rings a lot like some of sexy stuff that comes out of Larmandier-Bernier, very similar the their Levant VV bottling. To do their version of the 2012 alongside this one might be an even better comparison.
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2009 Jean Vesselle Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Le petit Clos
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
September 2022 disgorgement, so this sees a lot of time on its side, just over 12 years I would guess. Leesy nose initially, with lots of apple presence, a mix of red and green, plus a brushing of caramel and some raspberry. With air, this seemed to tighten and gain complexity, adding a rocky/zesty aspect to the finish. With more air, a bit of oxidation emerges along with a real enhancing of the raspberry, which takes on a crushed fruit note. I really enjoyed this, and appreciate Astrid selecting it for the group.
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2017 David Leclapart Champagne Premier Cru Cuvée L'Aphrodisiaque
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Not much info on the bottle label. I do know this is without dose, and perhaps without sulfur but I can't be sure. 80/20 Chard, Pinot Noir from plots around Trepail. Pear, lemongrass, green apple with a fresh, long finish. There is a concentration, density here that I really dig. With more air, this becomes juicier in texture, with a creamy-like apple, pineapple, guava and the same lemongrass note. This is terrific, and while expensive, it does for me measure up in terms of the quality.
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2015 Château d'Yquem
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
This was served blind, from 375. I appreciate Ramon bringing this and sharing it with the table. I don't typically care for dessert wines given the texture and sweet impression, but I have kinda warmed up lately to ratafia so maybe I will get there in time for the rest of the category. I will say that this 2015 is pretty delicious. It doesn't translate as heavy to me, which is part of my favorable connection to it. Nutty, honeycomb, apricot, pineapple, mango, hard lime candy. Really a delicious wine, am glad I got to try it.
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2014 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut
France, Champagne
First go with the 2014. In candor, I was underwhelmed by the wine last night, although I have another couple ounces to retry later today but will log the note now for what I found last night. The wine seemed a bit jagged to me, and that may have been the term that Rob used for it as we tasted it together. Lots of lime that seemed rough around the edges. Golden apple and wet stone, and with air, what Astrid called 'lemon curd'. We'll see how this fares on retaste tonight, as I have it sealed up until then but the experience last night was underwhelming......so giving this a sincere retaste a day later from the remnants of last night, and with a good stem, quiet setting and ideal serving temp. There is a good amount of lime driven stuffing here, to go with some golden apple that is framed by a honeyed edge. It's zesty, similar to last night in that the edges still seem a bit rough to me. For context, I do drink mostly EB and BN styles, so my palate is conditioned and yet I do try and work with an open mind, yet I just think the dosage and fruit are not working together yet as there is some lime soda quality to the wine, i.e., it seems on the sweet side. I'm not trying to be the town dissenter, or call the baby ugly but trying to call it as I see it.
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2019 Famille Moussé Ratafia La Vie en Meunier
France, Champagne, Ratafia de Champagne
A recent experience with the Vilmart Ratafia was joyful. I enjoyed that bottle over the course of a few weeks, drinking a little at a time, and bringing it to a few dinners to show people. It seemed to be received well, and I really dug the wine and plan to buy more. On the other hand, and as much as I like Cedric's champagnes and buy it regularly, I thought this ratafia was a little too sweet and agree with Astrid's comment (she brought the bottle) that the acidity was lacking. Light ruby color, and it had what I called a tutti frutti note, what the table called 'Fruit Loops', which is dead on for a descriptor. It even gave me a note of cough syrup, and not to convey boozy, but it has that sweetness with some of that texture. I just didn't care for this.
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2018 Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Clos des Bouchères
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Opened yesterday, drank alongside the 2018 Lamy-Caillat Les Caillerets. Both have been open the same time, using same stem and cool temp. While the Lamy-Caillat is more driven right now by some of its new wood, I don't get that here in the Roulot. This is spicier, the acidity higher, the wine more linear than that wine. And notably, this wine has a distinct perfume to the aromatic, a really beautiful bouquet, almost like a white rose petal if that reference can hold up to scrutiny. Finishes spicy, what I would call electric, as it really dances with something that is minty and gingery. Elegant and classy which is how I see the Lamy-Caillat, whereas this Roulot is more intense. Really fascinating comparison. Do you want elegance and flash or spicy and vivid? Both very good.
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2011 Switchback Ridge Petite Sirah Peterson Family Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley
After 10 years decided to open my final bottle of this, to see if it remained true to my memory and blessed by the vintage as something less powerful. I paired this with the chocolate cake my wife made, but the 2015 d'Yquem that was served with it was more in the spotlight which is understandable! So, there is quite a bit left to retaste today, and as one fragile soul who drinks mostly Champagne these days, I won't be even close to finishing the bottle (but I assume it may endure just fine under cork for a week so there is hope). Dark and moderately inky, although not as opaque as the 2005 that we had a month or so ago. The glass is sitting off to my right as I type and I can smell it from arm's length away. Yeah, some heat here but less so than other years that are bookended to 2011 (bottle label lists this as 15.0%). Touch of prune and graham cracker. While there is some texture here, and in bigger years the texture is very evident, it is less so here and in contrast more rustic. Dark berry, iron, dark chocolate and tarry which are all consistent with the SR PS profile, yet there is that rusticity that hangs around the edges, giving it a red fruit kind of crunchiness. Still a reasonably big wine, but the acidity is just more pronounced in a year like 2011, which I appreciate and revere. Given the profile I do think the wine can age for some time further but there is a nice intersection now, as the vectors of fruit and acid cross, and I'd say now is a good time to drink this vintage.
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2018 Lamy-Caillat Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
Opened yesterday, and of note, tasting alongside the 2018 Roulot Cd Boucheres. Both have had the same aeration, retasting in the same setting at a cool temp. Some new wood is present, both in the aroma (and palate). It's a decent seasoning but not overwhelming. Aroma of white flower along with some light reduction. On the palate, some toast, lemon oil, pear and green apple, with a cleansing of mineral into the finish. There is a lot of raw material here, yet the wine remains middle-weighted and even has a show of elegance. I suspect this is young, and that it will settle in time but drinking this kind of wine reminds me of stuff that I would call 'classy', that makes me think appreciate how good Chardonnay can be.
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