1/24/2023 - Brady D wrote:

Big and ripe for an hautes cotes du nuits, but with enough acidity to balance it out. Very good, if not what I really look for in burg.

1/24/2023 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Late note. This was my wine of the year for 2022.

Color was clearer than expected but definitely some rust at edges. Explosive aromas of dark red fruit and mushrooms and more. The palate tastes matched the nose. Medium body. Long finish. Everything you could want a mature burg to be. A haunting beauty.

1/21/2023 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Nice balanced claret, no hurry

1/15/2023 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Opened a few hours before eating with leg of lamb.

This is a delicious old-school CA cab. Understated if your idea of Cabernet is viscous fruit. Medium bodied, complex, with cassis, mint, and green Cabernet notes, with a touch of oak and graphite. Medium finish.

This is a food wine, in the most positive way. I can’t think of a better match with the lamb. It complimented the food rather than dominating it, or being overwhelmed.

This wine has the structure to last a decade or three. Excellent! A

12/23/2022 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Surprise - Opened a 2007 Clos des Papes over the winter holidays. It was very good, and didn’t resemble the ooze monster it seemed a decade ago. Still a pretty big wine, but it had more going on, developing more normal CdP tertiary elements. In no way overwhelmed by alcohol. This might be great in another decade.

I canceled my TWA subscription after drinking 2007 CdP young and deciding Parker had lost it.

4/2/2022 - Brady D Likes this wine:

First bottle I’ve had that has been ready. Drinking beautifully. An excellent claret. Miles to go.

2/13/2022 - Brady D wrote:

We loved this wine when we first tasted it with Henri over ten tears ago, and left his domaine with the back of our car weighed down with six cases of wine. We opened one tonight because we recently learned Henri passed in December.

Decanted an hour prior to drinking. Consumed over three hours.

Light ruby with a bit of rust at the meniscus. The nose is now quite tertiary, savory/meaty rather than floral or forest floor. Plenty of dark red fruit too. It’s more complicated and impressive than I’m conveying.

It’s even better tasted, proper grand cru. Dark, mostly red fruit immediately, complimented with black tea, and some more meatiness. Good acidity, especially for an '09. More body than their village wines, but far from heavy. Still lots of fine tannins, this wine is just entering its prime drinking window, and I’d bet on a decade or two more. Fantastic. We love the village wines, but this is definitely a couple steps above.

Rest In Peace, Henri.

12/19/2021 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Decanted off of its sediment. Proper aged burg color, but with a clear edge.

Nose was good from the get go, with dark red fruit, but more dominated by a woodsy tertiary note, and a bit of mustiness, which blew off. It continued to improve through the night.

The palate, on the other hand, started off tight, with a dominant cough syrup flavor. That too subsided, and though the wine maintains a Nuits-iron core, it has an elegance that says Vosne.

This was outstanding, and the reason we age burgs. I opened my last bottle six or eight years ago. That was quite hard-edged. This was much better, resolved, and really drinking well. It was quite reasonably priced back in the day. Wish I had more than one bottle remaining. Great today, but I don’t think there’s any hurry to drink up.

As with most great bottles, the last sip was the best.

12/12/2021 - Brady D wrote:

Bought from Domaine. Popped and poured.

Dark ruby colored, with a bit of rust. The edge is still water-colored, so quite youthful.

This bottle started young and tight, good but not revealing. So we put it aside and came back a couple of hours later.

Nose is great, dark cherry but more forest floor, with a dose of licorice, and a slight smoky character. Seriously tertiary, to the point that some might miss the fruit.

On the palate, it shows more of that cherry fruit, but good complexity. But here the acidity makes its presence known, though less shrill than earlier bottles. Still, I think I might have guessed the vintage blind. Similar to 2008, but more advanced.

I've often joked that Barthod is never ready, though truly the 93’s are. Combine her style with the famously shrill 96 character, and I wasn’t super-optimistic, despite its 25 year age. But I’d say this wine is ready to drink now, though true to its origins. I suspect the acidity won’t fade, but the fruit might.

This was really enjoyable, but more for the interesting experience than hedonistic joy. Far better than a science experiment, but maybe not a top burgundy experience.

12/4/2021 - Brady D wrote:

Stored at 55F since release. Double decanted an hour before drinking.

Still very youthful and primary, little tertiary development. Good fruit density. Modern but pleasant. Push well stored bottles to the back and try again in a few years.

11/27/2021 - Brady D wrote:

Just terrific. This bottle has a slight peppery note that I didn’t pick up in the last bottle.

My memory during en premieur tastings was that all the Jouan 2013’s had a sewagey character and I was worried about them. I just the samples were flawed, but the wines are terrific. This Clos Sorbe exceeded expectations. A

10/9/2021 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Still youthful looking, rich ruby with a little bricking.

Dusty cherry nose screams Willamette Valley. Palate is dark red cherry slightly dominated by a pronounced sweetness. I liked the wine but would prefer more acidity and less sweetness. Perhaps time will grant that, but I normally think of time reducing tannins, and this wine was not tannic. Still an enjoyable, mature pinot. B.

9/3/2021 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Outstanding bottle. Unlike the youthful '99 Ovello a few weeks ago, this one looks it’s age. Very light red with significant bricking. First smell was concerning, I thought it was a bit oxidized. But after sitting for a few minutes it really opened up. Tons of different earthy / fungus notes around a licorice and tar core. Not much overt fruit left, but enough to keep the wine fresh and delicious, rather than just interesting. I enjoyed this bottle as much as any of the highly reputed traditional makers. I’m not always convinced by PdB, but this puts me back in the believer camp. A+

2/14/2021 - Brady D wrote:

Opened for Valentines. Decanted and tasted over two nights.

All the elements were there, but the wine never came together, just a stern pleasureless bottle, with food and on its own.

Maybe it was a leaf day, or something. Nothing drank particularly well that night.

11/7/2020 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Decanted an hour before drinking.

Beautiful light ruby. Delicate red-fruited nose, with just a bit of stem-based floral notes. This wine is far more Corton-y than the 2010 or 2008. Those two are elegant and magical. This is still very good, just a bit tannic and tough. Still very much Maison Romane, so far from big, just needing a bit of resolution. I expect five to ten years will bring it around.

7/25/2020 - Brady D wrote:

Bought recently from a prominent CA shop.
Tasted upon opening, then decanted.

This bottle was awkward and angular for the first four hours. Very un-Jouan-like on the fruit. It came around and was pleasant but didn’t hold a candle to other Jouan CSD's I purchased upon release and stored myself. (Every vintage since 2008). I suspect the problem was either shipping or storage, because I’ve enjoyed Jouan going back to 2002. I’ll wait another year before trying the second bottle.

8/30/2020 - Brady D wrote:

Found in the cellar. Gifted to me on release. Decanted off minimal sediment. Shockingly this wine is still alive. Smells and tastes of older low-level Bordeaux.

A bit musty, some mint, forest floor, classic old Cabernet nose.
Tannins fully resolved, light-mid body, lots of mushrooms and forest floor. Actually shockingly long finish. More interesting than baby, monster cabs, but I’m sure 99% of folks would prefer younger wine.

I don’t particularly like it, but I’m glad I didn’t just dump it.

5/25/2020 - Brady D wrote:

Consumed over two nights.

Dark ruby, nearly opaque in the center.

Not the most giving nose, but somewhat blue fruited. A little volatile, maybe?

Medium plus bodied, nice blue fruit and noticeable oak. Tannic and dry. Still shut down. Very 2005.

Like so many 2005's, I’d say wait another five to ten years. Fingers crossed.

5/25/2020 - Brady D Likes this wine:

As Morey-ish as any Morey that ever Morey’d.

Decanted an hour before serving.

Color is medium light ruby, no browning.

Nose is a mix of light red fruits and ripe cherries with just the beginning of tertiary notes. So seductive.

Medium body. Completely enthralling taste that matches the nose, with a little more intensity than expected. I feel I can taste the warm rocks on clay reflecting their heat to the grapes. Not as reserved or lacy as a prototypical Chambolle, not as dark and firm as an average Gevrey, it is pure, unadulterated Morey goodness.

This wine is completely unpolished, in the standard unassuming Jouan style. It doesn’t try too hard, and is all the better for it.

My last few 2013’s had been mediocre, so I was delighted to find a great example. I think the vintage is not aging as fast as 2011, but it isn’t one that one should worry about opening young. Judging by this bottle, we’ll start digging in. One of my favorite bottles of the year. A

4/19/2020 - Brady D wrote:

Pretty pink, no cloudiness, protype rose.

Initial mousy nose blew off quickly. Let red fruit, pretty simple.

Slight frizzante lasted the hour we had the bottle. No perceptible residual sugar, nice acidity. Light body. Medium length red berry.

An acceptable rose, miles from white zin. Not exciting, but fine. My wife liked it better.

4/17/2020 - Brady D Likes this wine:

The most limpid of roses. Almost white in color, made from Moschofilero, an unusual pink-skinned grape from Arcadia in Southern Greece.

Easy floral nose. Quite inviting.

Medium body, pretty intense light red fruit. Good acidity, almost surprising.

An easy to drink and enjoy rose, perfect as the weather warms. The label says, “The variety is thousands of years old but the bottle should last you only minutes.” We strived to keep it an hour but it wasn’t easy.

4/1/2020 - Brady D wrote:

Decanted over an hour. Consumed with beef short rib.

Still youthful looking, dark red, near opaque, just a tinge of rusting at the edge.

Nose is BIG and oily, as my wife describes this sort of wine. I think her “oily” is a combination of new oak and very extracted fruit. My initial reaction is SQN Grenache. Also lots of anise, which increases with time. Finally, there’s a vegetal / herbal note too.

Full bodied, but not too heavy. I think there’s plenty of fruit left, by wife thought not. We settled on dark fruit. ;) Noticeable heat on the finish.

This is an aged ooze-monster. If you liked 98 Barossa Shiraz, or love SQN, you’ll like this fine. I did. If you want elegance or subtlety in your wine, you might pass, as my wife did.

3/1/2020 - Brady D wrote:

From my cellar. Popped, decanted, and poured.

Medium red nose with lots of bricking. Shockingly old appearance, really.

Quite developed nose, quiet red fruit, more cherry than cranberry. with noticeable sous bois.

Palate is very developed, matching the nose. Low acidity for Fourrier. It was really quite nice, but I was more focused it’s premature aging.

I’ll open another bottle soon to see if this was a one-off.

3/1/2020 - Brady D wrote:

Thanks Angelo for opening this. Popped and poured, then consumed over a couple of hours. Dark red in the glass. Definitely a fine Pinot nose, on the dark side, but really not giving much. Palate was even tighter. Acid seemed average, and I didn’t get a handle on the tannins. No tertiary notes, and honestly not much fruit either. I have faith that this wine is shut down hard, and not just mediocre. Some 2010’s are singing right now, perhaps this one needs time for its grandeur to unfurl.

Firmly in its window of disappointment. Try again in 5 or 10 years.

3/9/2020 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Drank alongside a 1999 Drouhin Clos des Mouches from Burgundy. Decanted two hours ahead. Served double blind (not blind to me).

Medium red color, lots of bricking. The nose was mature cherry oriented, with tea notes, good, if not particularly complex. Fully mature on the palate, what I think of as a classic Oregon profile, black cherry, rather than berry, and again that mature tea note. Elegant. I suspect the wine has tasted like this for years, and will last for years. This was good, though I preferred its Burg cousin for its freshness and its future.

Drink, but no hurry. I don’t see it improving. (B+)

3/9/2020 - Brady D wrote:

Drank alongside a 1999 Domaine Drouhin Cuvée Laurene from Oregon. Decanted two hours ahead. Served double blind (not blind to me).

Classic burg color, midpoint in the red-blue spectrum. Noticeable rusting shows it’s age. Nose is full of life, a melange of berry and cherry flavors, just starting to develop tertiary notes. Rich, but acidic on the palate, matching the nose. Still quite youthful. This was great, and I preferred it to the good Oregon partner. The secondary markets agree with me.

Drink if you want the fruit emphasized, hold if you want to see what those tertiary notes become. (A)

3/9/2020 - Brady D Does not like this wine:

I’ve enjoyed most 2011 Maison Ilan wines, for their joy and sheer drinkability. Sadly this wine didn’t meet expectations.

Attractive light red, promising much. The nose was somewhat dark cherryish. It was red fruited on the palate, but somewhat heavy and cherry. No light red fruits and acid. There were no green meanies, but no complexity or life either. Tried over two nights without improvement. Pity.

3/7/2020 - Brady D wrote:

We loved the bottle last week so decided to have another. Completely different wine. Darker fruit, cabbage, nail polish remover, so let’s call that VA. Plus maybe a bit corked. Sigh.

2/27/2020 - Brady D Likes this wine:

I opened a few of these 9-10 years ago, and found them a bit course and out of balance. I mentally raised a fist at Frank Murray, whose note encouraged me to buy a case. Times have changed.

Decanted and started to drink after an hour.

Beautiful delicate light ruby, almost rose, ultra transparent.

Early on the nose was reticent, but after a few hours was a bit more giving on the red fruit side of spectrum, with hints of more, including green notes. The nose was the least of this wine, but since the end was best, I suspect, we just drank it too fast.

The mouthfeel was terrific. No density at all, just a lithe caress. So elegant and light. And the flavor was gorgeous light red fruit, just developing tertiary notes. If the nose develops like this, OMG, what a wine.

Thanks FMIII.

2/1/2020 - Brady D wrote:

I didn’t love the 2013 Jouan samples tasted en primeur, finding a bit of an off note I characterized as sewage.

This wine was correct and showed the usual Jouan dark red fruit with earthy elements, but the poop is pronounced. This used to be really common in Burgundy, but improved climate and sorting tables have mitigated rot and moderated this attribute. So think of this as an old-school burg, and you’ll like this wine fine. (B)

2/1/2020 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Gave a hearty Fourrier shake to remove the CO2.

Very light red and transparent. Tart red berry nose, very Fourrier. Palate was also very Fourrier, acidic red, very inviting, demanding another sip.

In horizontal tastings, one sees a strong house style in Fourrier. I can tell the differences between most of his bottlings, but can rarely call them blind. Well okay, the CSJ and Griottes stand out a little, especially in more difficult years. This Bourgogne from Fixin fits right in. It might be the bottom of the hierarchy, but is raised just like all the other wines. (A-)

2/8/2020 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Decanted off sediment an hour before serving.

Rich ruby, but still transparent. Nose of red fruit, more cherry than tart berries, with the usual Jouan savory note. Medium bodied, a little bigger than the villages, and long. Still pretty primary, but delicious.

Honestly the sediment remains were just as delicious a few hours later. Jouan nailed all their 2008's, this one included. No excessive acidity problems at all. Drink or hold, it surely isn’t going downhill anytime soon. (A)

2/5/2020 - Brady D wrote:

Pop and pour. A very clean, red-fruited nose with pronounced stems. On the palate, very light and linear. If blind I’d guess a good Bourgogne or village from the flatter area of Chambolle. No way I’d guess 2012, much too light for that. Really no hint of Morey, maybe more years of aging or hours in a decanter would have helped. Proper but soulless burgundy.

12/16/2019 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Second bottle this year. Unbelievably crystalline beauty. Light red. Delicate red berry nose, with slight floral elements, gorgeous. Both light and concentrated on the palate. This wine is already spectacular and promises to get better. This is like no other Corton I’ve ever had, which raises tons of questions about terroir. I drank Roumier, Rousseau, Mugnier, and Dujac this year, but this bottle was my favorite red burg by far. Sadly, only ten left. A+

9/7/2019 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Still a baby, it was a good claret, but still quite primary. If you like 'em young this wine is very drinkable now, not too tannic. I’ll wait five years before trying the next, and hope for some development.

10/10/2019 - Brady D wrote:

Open, but still a bit reserved. Crystalline beauty. Light red flavors. Good potential. Wait a few more years.

7/4/2019 - Brady D Likes this wine:

This is a top-notch trousseau, not a top-Cali Trousseau, a top version from anywhere. I’ve had some decent American gamays, but never one that could replace top Beaujolais. For me this natural, haunting Trosseau is as good as they come, even from the Jura, which is exactly how I felt when I had the 2012.

2/14/2019 - Brady D Likes this wine:

This was a fascinating Pinot, totally unique in my experience.

Dark ruby, but still transparent.

Nose full of mixed wild berries, just picked off the bush with a bit of hard to describe funk.

Mouthfeel has a bit of glycerin, but no heaviness. Flavor is a fascinating combination of mixed fruit and funk. It has a little bit of northern Rhône white pepper, but also toast (not oak) and mushroom. Really unusual. Finish was long.

These funky characteristics mean I wouldn’t have guessed it was Pinot served blind. Sometimes I object to that, but not in this case. It's lack of typicity makes this wine interesting and special, as opposed to Frankenstein Pinots that may as well be Zin.

More, please!

11/18/2018 - Brady D wrote:

Monolithic. Modern. A bit boring now, but at least it smells / takes like Bordeaux. Wait ten years with fingers crossed.

3/29/2016 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Purchased from domain. Popped and poured 30 minutes later. Consumed with venison. Still clear at the edge, very slight rusting, but still youthful looking. Outstanding nose of warm dark red fruit and forest floor. Palate that matches or exceeds nose. There are still tannins and acidity, and fruit, but none dominate. All is in harmony with the teritiary aged burg forest floor. Elegant, contemplative, delicious. Outstanding wine, a solid A.

9/30/2014 - Brady D wrote:

Decanted to throw the CO2. Beautiful ruby, maybe a little darker than other young Fourriers I've had. Big fruity nose, mingling with noticeable earthy reduction. After twenty minutes it settled and showed somewhat ripe mixed fruit, but plenty bright and fresh. The palate had verve and was mostly primary but showed great promise. I feel that I could sense the potential, waiting to develop. This was as fresh and wondrous as any other natural wine I've enjoyed.

I love Fourrier wines at all ages. I recently enjoyed a 1993 CSJ, but can't hang onto the village wines and drink them whenever temptation strikes if they are within reach. But I've kept my hands off the young 1er's until now. In all honesty, this wine was the best young version I've had, but recent GC VV's give 90% of the pleasure at 25% of the price. Despite the positive experience, I'm burying the remaining bottles. Why did I kill this one? It was my last drink before Sober October, and that seemed a good enough excuse to me. A

8/4/2014 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Dark red, little bricking. A modern syrah nose, plenty of dark fruit, relatively clean, not very much bacon. Very concentrated, very youthful, somewhat oaky. This wine was ripe, and good, if somewhat obvious. Paled next to the 1978 La Chapelle it was served with. Which is unfair. I like it, but not worth the current cost. I'll go with A- and not buy any more.

5/12/2014 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Served blind. Mixed berry nose, just developing tertiary notes. I have never had a Roumier Bonnes Mares before, and the mouthfeel was just remarkable. Super-fine tannins. Very silky, but no lack of body. Super silk. Past Roumiers (village through Ruchottes) all had more sap than this bottle, so I was surprised by the maker, as I thought that was his signature. This is still youthful and has many years to go. But it sure was great today. Grade: A+

5/5/2014 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Double decanted 1.5 hours before serving. Gorgeous light ruby color. Mixed fruit nose, slightly red-biased, with an enticing perfume. Silky fine-tannins, moderate acidity. Taste matches nose. Amazing purity of fruit. Minimal oak influence. Despite being 100% whole cluster, it doesn't smell or taste stemmy at all. Just beautifully perfumed. Very light on its feet. This is why I buy and love natural wine. Another bottle I shared last year was knocked by cognescenti for not being true to its Corton terroir, as it was much too light. Bah. I agree it is not like any other Corton I've had (Actually Maison en Belle Lies made a 2012 that reminded me of this), but it is hard to imagine a more pure wine, and surely that purity must reflect terroir, right? Fantastic. Grade: A

4/9/2014 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Pop and Pour. This wine is just singing right now.
Dark red, but not opaque. Excellent mixed-fruit nose, minimal heat there. Darker fruit on the palate. Silky tannins, nice acidity. Much less punch than many Zins, including most Carlisles. Borderline claret-style zin. Moderate finish. Delicious. A.

12/16/2012 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Allowed to breath for two hours.

Moderate bricking. Good cherry and leather nose, into its tertiary phase, but retaining fruit. The palate was more fruit driven, but had a savoury element, was medium body, well balanced, and had a moderate finish. A good Brunello. B+

12/16/2012 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Double decanted two hours before serving.

Very dark purple. An exuberant nose of dark fruit with a bit of spice. Luscious fruit and briar on the palate, very fresh due to acidity. Medium-full body, perfect balance. Definitely more open than previous bottles. Long finish. Great zinfandel from any perspective.

My third bottle, and easily the best. Very much on the upslope. Give this baby time or air. A

12/9/2012 - Brady D Likes this wine:

Pop and pour. Beautiful appearance, crystalline light ruby. Red fruited with floral notes. Light-medium bodied. Good acidity, very pure, reasonably long.

Killer Bourgogne. Drinks as if Fourrier was making a village-level Volnay. Giving me faith in 2009. Bought two more cases.

12/9/2012 - Brady D wrote:

Popped and poured which was a mistake.

Light-red, delicate nose. Light bodied, a little thin, but pure. I suspect it's shut down, but maybe air would've helped. B-

11/21/2012 - Brady D Likes this wine:

A recent family tradition (starting with Ode to E) is to go to Passionfish on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving to try the just released extended age SQN Syrah. Decanted for one hour. This wine was very reminiscent of Ode to E. Very dark purple. Dark fruit and anise on the nose, eventually revealing toast and savoury elements. Very viscous. The first taste was amazing, somehow being balanced despite its high alcohol. Tightly coiled dark fruit. Highly tannic, but in a non-puckering way. A touch of heat on the finish, but not offensive. Those who score will place this in the upper 90's, without a doubt. Terrific wine.

We tend to drink burgs now, so this style isn't in our wheelhouse, but we love it anyway.