This pours medium straw in the glass with moderate to light effervescence. The nose is not hugely expressive or complex, but pleasing and straightforward showing binned apple, pear, chalk, white flowers, and peach. The palate is bright and lemony with very low perceived dosage while the acid remained focused. Finish is moderate in length showing meyer lemon and pleasing chalky mineral notes. All in all a nice showing, but lacking the extra interest I might expect given the reputation and price point here.
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours medium straw in the glass with flecks of green. The nose is fairly inexpressive showing chalk, honey, white flowers and green apple. The palate is laser sharp with green apple on entry turning to a chalky green apple skin texture. Acid is ripping, at least medium plus, almost high. The finish shows shows a touch of chalk and is a tad clipped. This really wasn't giving much on this night. A very clean and linear expression but in my view somewhat lacking in character. I briefly wondered if this could be a Samur Blanc fro ma producer like Guiberteau, but ultimately landed on village level Chablis, proving to be correct.
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours medium straw in the glass with some flecks of gold. The nose is of eggy custard, cheese rind, ripe pear, white cherry, and candied pineapple. The palate is relatively round and rich with medium acid. The finish turns a little chalky revealing this wines origins but also replaying the eggy custard. Overall this felt a bit more like a white from the Cote d'Or than Chablis, but the faint chalky character of the finish led me to believe it was a more rich leaning Chablis. The combination of producer, vintage, and vineyard gives this and inherent richness. An enjoyable experience, but far from the pinnacle of Grand Cru Chablis.
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours light straw in glass with faint flecks of green. The nose is expressive showing of pink grapefruit, grassy herbs, smoky flint, a touch of oyster shell, and chalky dry dusty earth. The palate enters on grapefruit rounded out by some ripe pear, turning to medium acid. The finish lingers nicely with a lovely candied ginger note. All in all I found this quite compelling. The overt greenness was quite reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc, in particular a high quality Sancerre from Chavignol. Ultimately the texture took me to Chablis. A lovely little wine and a sharp value from the perennial favourite Chablisiene.
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours light gold in the glass. The nose is aromatic and complex showing significant secondary character of sheeps wool, petrol, green herbs, white pepper, red apple, and orange oil. The palate shows tangerine with bright medium plus focused acid without any RS and a long finish showing lovely tangerine notes. Placing this wine was a challenge, understandably with its very unusual blend. While a lovely and compelling profile it felt a little lacking in minerality.
This pours light garnet in the glass. Medium bricking. The color is quite impressive for the age. The nose is just lovely showing roobis tea, black tea, red cherry, woodsmoke, decaying rose petal, mushroom, and mustard seed. The palate is light and ethereal entering on extremely impressive bright red fruit with some light iron notes. The finish, while not super long is pitch perfect with lovely red fruit and roobis tea round things out. This wine is simply in incredible condition and features immaculate balance. The fill was very high and the color, fantastic. Not blind to me but other tasters felt this was a 1978 or 1985, one even impressively guessing a Volany 1er, while others considered Beaune or Corton. I can't imagine a better showing for this wine.
This pours dark garnet in the glass. The nose is massively expressive and complex showing tobacco leaf, massive crushed gravel, charcoal, charred green bell pepper, blackberries, plant stem, cigar smoke, pencil shavings, and dried black currants. The palate enters on black currant and pencil lead with tannin that is is medium minus and acid is medium. The finish reveals the lean origins of the vintage turning a tad green and metallic which is what holds this back most. Just a lovely wine that recalls a Loire Cab Franc profile on the nose. Not for everyone but I found this quite enjoyable, particularly on the nose.
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
This pours medium garnet in the glass with an orange rim. The nose is expressive showing light rubbery reduction, rose petal, tar, dried orange peel, dark cherry, and black licorice. The palate is quite clamped and firmly tannic. Acid is medium plus as is the tannin. The finish closes on tar and licorice with some bitterness while the structure clips the length a little here. All in all this felt quite unevolved and really only just showing a little of whats to come here. No fear of any premature aging, this could really use another ten years in my view.
This pours medium to light ruby in the glass with moderate bricking at the rim. Lighter color than expected. The nose is of pickle brine, crushed rocks, tar, dried blueberry, dried black currant, smoked meat, a touch of rubber, and some liquid smoke. The palate is light and elegant on entry leaning toward red fruit. Tannin is medium minus, and acid is medium. The finish is quite clipped here with some rubbery and bitter notes. Quite a lovely nose that transcends the score I've listed here, but its the palate that holds this back. Impressive to see this overall drinking quite well and in such good condition.
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
This pours light ruby in the glass with ever so faint orange at the rim. The nose absolutely blasts rose petals, accented with touches of gravel, raspberry, cherry, toasted coriander seed, and a touch of VA. Very airy, elegant, floral, and appealing. The texture is well managed with the youthful brunello structure not too overpowering here. The wine enters on bright red fruit with medium plus tannin and medium plus acid. The finish has some bitterness but is balanced nicely against the red fruit and floral elements on which the finish lingers nicely. My first experience with this producer and it left a wonderfully positive impression.
This pours light garnet in the glass. The nose is absolutely bananas exploding in a blaze of sea spray, nori, dill pickle brine, sweat, saline, toasted and crushed cumin and coriander seed, white and black pepper, pickled ginger, dried cherry, and dried blueberry. The palate is silky with a bright red fruited entry with medium minus tannin and medium plus acid. The finish closes harmoniously on smoky blueberry notes. Absolutely astounding and a great value at $1250 CAD. This is significantly better than my last showing of the 1989 Chave and in my view only just a hair behind the 1991 and 1990. Incredible wine.
NV Champagne Suenen Champagne Grand Cru Oiry Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 92 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
This pours medium straw in the glass with moderate to light effervescence. The nose is not hugely expressive or complex, but pleasing and straightforward showing binned apple, pear, chalk, white flowers, and peach. The palate is bright and lemony with very low perceived dosage while the acid remained focused. Finish is moderate in length showing meyer lemon and pleasing chalky mineral notes. All in all a nice showing, but lacking the extra interest I might expect given the reputation and price point here.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2021 Laurent Tribut Chablis 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours medium straw in the glass with flecks of green. The nose is fairly inexpressive showing chalk, honey, white flowers and green apple. The palate is laser sharp with green apple on entry turning to a chalky green apple skin texture. Acid is ripping, at least medium plus, almost high. The finish shows shows a touch of chalk and is a tad clipped. This really wasn't giving much on this night. A very clean and linear expression but in my view somewhat lacking in character. I briefly wondered if this could be a Samur Blanc fro ma producer like Guiberteau, but ultimately landed on village level Chablis, proving to be correct.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2018 Domaine Louis Moreau Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours medium straw in the glass with some flecks of gold. The nose is of eggy custard, cheese rind, ripe pear, white cherry, and candied pineapple. The palate is relatively round and rich with medium acid. The finish turns a little chalky revealing this wines origins but also replaying the eggy custard. Overall this felt a bit more like a white from the Cote d'Or than Chablis, but the faint chalky character of the finish led me to believe it was a more rich leaning Chablis. The combination of producer, vintage, and vineyard gives this and inherent richness. An enjoyable experience, but far from the pinnacle of Grand Cru Chablis.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2021 La Chablisienne Chablis 1er Cru Grande Cuvée 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours light straw in glass with faint flecks of green. The nose is expressive showing of pink grapefruit, grassy herbs, smoky flint, a touch of oyster shell, and chalky dry dusty earth. The palate enters on grapefruit rounded out by some ripe pear, turning to medium acid. The finish lingers nicely with a lovely candied ginger note. All in all I found this quite compelling. The overt greenness was quite reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc, in particular a high quality Sancerre from Chavignol. Ultimately the texture took me to Chablis. A lovely little wine and a sharp value from the perennial favourite Chablisiene.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2021 David & Nadia Aristargos 91 Points
South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours light gold in the glass. The nose is aromatic and complex showing significant secondary character of sheeps wool, petrol, green herbs, white pepper, red apple, and orange oil. The palate shows tangerine with bright medium plus focused acid without any RS and a long finish showing lovely tangerine notes. Placing this wine was a challenge, understandably with its very unusual blend. While a lovely and compelling profile it felt a little lacking in minerality.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1979 Domaine du Chateau de Meursault Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes Flawed
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Corked.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1979 Joseph Drouhin Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes 94 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
This pours light garnet in the glass. Medium bricking. The color is quite impressive for the age. The nose is just lovely showing roobis tea, black tea, red cherry, woodsmoke, decaying rose petal, mushroom, and mustard seed. The palate is light and ethereal entering on extremely impressive bright red fruit with some light iron notes. The finish, while not super long is pitch perfect with lovely red fruit and roobis tea round things out. This wine is simply in incredible condition and features immaculate balance. The fill was very high and the color, fantastic. Not blind to me but other tasters felt this was a 1978 or 1985, one even impressively guessing a Volany 1er, while others considered Beaune or Corton. I can't imagine a better showing for this wine.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1979 Domaine de Chevalier 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
This pours dark garnet in the glass. The nose is massively expressive and complex showing tobacco leaf, massive crushed gravel, charcoal, charred green bell pepper, blackberries, plant stem, cigar smoke, pencil shavings, and dried black currants. The palate enters on black currant and pencil lead with tannin that is is medium minus and acid is medium. The finish reveals the lean origins of the vintage turning a tad green and metallic which is what holds this back most. Just a lovely wine that recalls a Loire Cab Franc profile on the nose. Not for everyone but I found this quite enjoyable, particularly on the nose.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2010 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso 92 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
This pours medium garnet in the glass with an orange rim. The nose is expressive showing light rubbery reduction, rose petal, tar, dried orange peel, dark cherry, and black licorice. The palate is quite clamped and firmly tannic. Acid is medium plus as is the tannin. The finish closes on tar and licorice with some bitterness while the structure clips the length a little here. All in all this felt quite unevolved and really only just showing a little of whats to come here. No fear of any premature aging, this could really use another ten years in my view.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
1986 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 91 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage
This pours medium to light ruby in the glass with moderate bricking at the rim. Lighter color than expected. The nose is of pickle brine, crushed rocks, tar, dried blueberry, dried black currant, smoked meat, a touch of rubber, and some liquid smoke. The palate is light and elegant on entry leaning toward red fruit. Tannin is medium minus, and acid is medium. The finish is quite clipped here with some rubbery and bitter notes. Quite a lovely nose that transcends the score I've listed here, but its the palate that holds this back. Impressive to see this overall drinking quite well and in such good condition.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Azienda Agricola San Giuseppe Brunello di Montalcino Stella di Campalto VCLC 95 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
This pours light ruby in the glass with ever so faint orange at the rim. The nose absolutely blasts rose petals, accented with touches of gravel, raspberry, cherry, toasted coriander seed, and a touch of VA. Very airy, elegant, floral, and appealing. The texture is well managed with the youthful brunello structure not too overpowering here. The wine enters on bright red fruit with medium plus tannin and medium plus acid. The finish has some bitterness but is balanced nicely against the red fruit and floral elements on which the finish lingers nicely. My first experience with this producer and it left a wonderfully positive impression.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
1989 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 98 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
This pours light garnet in the glass. The nose is absolutely bananas exploding in a blaze of sea spray, nori, dill pickle brine, sweat, saline, toasted and crushed cumin and coriander seed, white and black pepper, pickled ginger, dried cherry, and dried blueberry. The palate is silky with a bright red fruited entry with medium minus tannin and medium plus acid. The finish closes harmoniously on smoky blueberry notes. Absolutely astounding and a great value at $1250 CAD. This is significantly better than my last showing of the 1989 Chave and in my view only just a hair behind the 1991 and 1990. Incredible wine.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue