4/3/2024 - gris wrote:

After a bit of airtime, the wine settled into a beautiful space. It was like biting into a sweet and juicy orange that was simultaneously still green. The tanginess was followed by a touch of sweetness all in a mineral driven mouth. Pleasantly impressed.
Went well with spaghetti alla gricia (double Pecorino treat)!

4/2/2024 - gris wrote:

A fresh, plush wine with classic Cab Franc vegetable patch nose. Silky tannins and good acidity make this a pleasure to drink.

3/11/2024 - gris wrote:

Nose of flowers and orange rind. Touch of apple and sweet lemon on palate. Greater verve with good acidity to balance richness on day two.

2/26/2024 - gris Likes this wine:

It has revived. I know it's a contrary view but this bottle suggests that at least the 2009 Fleurie from Jean-Paul Brun may need time. Even better on day two. The plush fruit is still there but never cloying or overwhelming. Light on its feet despite the ripeness of the vintage.

2/25/2024 - gris Does not like this wine:

Color suggested it was oxidized, but still have verve and held up well the next day. Pass.

1/1/2024 - gris Likes this wine:

Needed more air time; asking to be decanted.

12/23/2023 - gris Likes this wine:

Powerhouse with plenty of fruit and just the right acidity.

12/20/2023 - gris Likes this wine:

Minerals, acidity and tropical fruits meet pear.

11/5/2023 - gris Likes this wine:

Great fruit and lively core of acidity. It keeps getting better. Yellow apple and lemon zest in a great pairing.

11/5/2023 - gris Likes this wine:

Big wine but integrates yellow apple with zesty acids rather successfully.

11/9/2023 - gris wrote:

A lot of air needed to loosen up this very tightly wound wine. Fruit begins to show but will give the next bottle a few hours in a decanter first.

10/14/2023 - gris Likes this wine:

Blood orange, strawberries and cream...but not in a bad way. Good acidity and plenty of freshness. Not showing its age at all.

10/8/2023 - gris Likes this wine:

A bit tight on its first showing as if a Chablis with little fruit. It opened up after air time and was full of white peach and stone fruits on day two albeit with a bit of Chablis like chalk.

8/11/2023 - gris wrote:

Needed air to wake up. Good core of acidity with restrained mineral finish.

7/2/2023 - gris Likes this wine:

Apple and pear notes; better on day two.

6/15/2023 - gris Likes this wine:

Held up much longer than I expected--a positive sign that Simone's reds might have a longer life ahead of them than many assume. This was rich but balanced with good acidity. A real delight.

6/11/2023 - gris Likes this wine:

A bit richer than I expected but balanced with good core of acidity. Going strong after all these years.

6/9/2023 - gris Likes this wine:

Herbs and flowers on the nose with good core of acidity to palate. Excellent for a Bourgogne Blanc.

6/3/2023 - gris wrote:

Coming in at 14% alcohol this is a robust, full bodied Pinot full of cherries, spice and a touch of chocolate.

5/18/2023 - gris Likes this wine:

This is what Burgundy is all about: nice cherry fruit, velvety smooth, good acidity with some tannin to balance. Hard to keep from drinking now.

5/23/2023 - gris Does not like this wine:

The apple notes came through but not much else. Lacked the verve of the previous bottle. Bottle variation.

5/19/2023 - gris Likes this wine:

I thought I might be drinking a GG: this was full of complexity with nice spine of acidity to balance the fruit.

5/13/2023 - gris Likes this wine:

Hard to believe this was disgorged 11/2012. Plenty of acidity and verve left. In fact, that might have been a shortcoming as it lacked the oxidative notes I associate with older Champagne.

4/28/2023 - gris Likes this wine:

Nice acidity but too early to judge. Worth trying with a few more years of bottle age.

4/23/2023 - gris Likes this wine:

Fresh strawberry on the nose then fills in with cola notes. Great fruit and acidity on palate. A great wine for a Bourgogne. Unfortunately I don't have more bottles to find at how well will it age further.

2/10/2023 - gris Likes this wine:

Amazing. This is still youthful. Hasn't even gone to the diesel stage yet after more than 20 years Beautiful vibrant fruit and chocked full of acidity. I'd argue it has a long life ahead.

2/9/2023 - gris Likes this wine:

Past its prime? Not this bottle. Lovely core of fruit with acidity still going strong after more than 23 years. Served blind to Thursday group and typical with older Burgundy, the group was stumped. While Burgundy was mentioned, a plurality supported northern Rhone because of the density and some argued for LdH Tondonia because of the fruit. My only regret is this was my last bottle, but who knew it would hold up so well?

12/31/2022 - gris Likes this wine:

Ripe dark cherries and a touch of bacon fat. Youthful (and abundant) acidity allowed this wine to carry its rich, full-body effortlessly. No hurry to drink.

12/31/2022 - gris Likes this wine:

No signs of fading at age 20. Brioche and toast nose; full-bodied. A great way to start the year.

11/16/2022 - gris Likes this wine:

Still managed to show good acidity.

12/11/2022 - gris Likes this wine:

A bit of oxidation peeking through. This Special Edition is 2006 or 2005 base. Disgorged 2019.

12/7/2022 - gris Likes this wine:

Base is 2006, disgorged in 2019.

12/8/2022 - gris Likes this wine:

No one identified it as Italian, much less Barbaresco but well liked by blind group. Plenty of roses and red cherries, with good acidity and accessible tannins. I thought it was a bit more restrained than the Oddero Gallina from same vintage that I had the night before. Long life ahead for this wine and I look forward to watching it evolve.

12/7/2022 - gris Likes this wine:

No hurry to drink. Evolving beautifully with roses and cherries on the nose. Tannins resolved, good acidity, nice balance. So glad I listened to Isabella and stocked up on these.

6/24/2022 - gris Likes this wine:

Still kicking after 5 decades with great balance. Plenty of acidity provided freshness despite murky color (transport?). Time to drink is now.

6/23/2022 - gris Likes this wine:

Still young but enjoyable at age 18. Plenty of life left but no harm in beginning to drink now. Blind tasted; the group was all over the place: Northern Rhone, Burgundy even Bordeaux.

5/26/2022 - gris Likes this wine:

Honey meets minerality. No hurry to drink these. A powerhouse.

4/17/2022 - gris wrote:

Lots of sweet lemon and honeysuckle. Not sure I'd repeat.

3/24/2022 - gris Likes this wine:

Drank like a Burgundy with an extra dose of Alpine acidity and minerality. In a nice place. Light on its feet and not tired at all. Held up well on day two but was ready to drink after an hour or so decant.

2/5/2022 - gris Likes this wine:

23 years and going strong.

2/1/2022 - gris wrote:

Alpine red fruits; understated; smooth.

1/6/2022 - gris Likes this wine:

White peaches and floral notes on the nose with a touch of almond. Crisp with good acidity helping to balance out buttery texture. Delicious. Not too heavy, not too light. I only wish it wasn't my only bottle. In a great place today.

9/29/2021 - gris wrote:

This keeps getting bigger and better with time. Great fruit and acidity.

7/25/2021 - gris Likes this wine:

Nice with a chill, but a bit horsey on nose. More interesting on day one; softened out a great deal the next day.

7/22/2021 - gris wrote:

Still going strong after 15 years. All the profile of a 20 year old Bordeaux. No greenness or vegetable patch notes that Chinon is often associated with. Needs lots of air time to fill out. Elegant core of acidity with fully resolved tannins. A favorite of the blind tasting group although everyone was in Bordeaux not Loire.

7/16/2021 - gris Likes this wine:

Lacked the bacon fat of last bottle, but was luscious with air time. Clearly needed 1+ hour in decanter to fill out. Good structure.

6/24/2021 - gris Likes this wine:

Rich yellow. No TCA and just the slightest hint of some oxidative notes. This had held up well after all these years. It was hard for the blind tasting group to determine if it was a Semillon-based White Bordeaux or a Rhone wine as few, if any, had much (or any) experience with 30 year old Chablis. Dried pineapple and beeswax with a richness in nose and on the palate. It grew more complex with time.

6/14/2021 - gris Likes this wine:

Floral with strawberries and sweet cherries on the nose. Good levels of acidity and savory notes on the mouth. Great summer wine.

6/4/2021 - gris wrote:

Fuller on day two: plenty of spice and added weight.

1/15/2021 - gris Likes this wine:

Lemon-lime and yeast on the nose and palate. Just a touch of flowers and hard to place herbs on nose as well. Medium-bodied with plenty of acidity. A bit regular for me. I think I've been enjoying the change in pace found in Champagne with a more Pinot Noir and Meunier. Disgorged 06/20. 50% reserve (2015, '13, '11 and '06).