8/3/2006 - DChan wrote:

Very pale yellow color. Wonderful classic Chablis with lots of flinty, chalky, minerally green apple fruit and notes of crushed seashells. There is wonderful ripeness here but one is not drawn to the ripeness per se as the electric acidic spine keeps all in good, tingling balance. Five hours after being Audouzled this wine really sings, showing immense power and depth - like a Bâtard of Chablis - but good finesse and elegance as well. I really like this vintage in Chablis ..... another success for Fèvre and one to put away in the cellar after trying once.

8/5/2006 - DChan wrote:

This is certainly very ripe, but it manages to retain harmony and balance and, unusually for a 2003, does not suggest New World to me. There is more raspberry and coffee and leather than usual, but the Lambrays minerality is there, and the richer, more exotic aromas are well integrated as is the hint of wood toast. A bit "hot" for my taste, but this is a 2003 that tastes Burgundian to me, if stretching the parameters slightly. I liked it enough that I might even consider buying a few more.

7/7/2006 - DChan wrote:

Another fine 2004 from Ramonet with a taut mineral streak and nice minty peach flavors. In intensity and expressiveness this is a slight notch below the Morgeot and Boudriotte that we tasted at the domaine, but terrific nonetheless.

4/9/2006 - DChan wrote:

A very enjoyable, mellow white Burg that is fully mature, in fact past its ultimate peak but not in obvious decline either. This remains amazingly light and vibrant in color; restrained notes of hazelnut on the nose with remarkably crisp and tangy citrus flavors in the mouth, with good minerality and length. Gentle and coaxing rather than compelling or powerful; delightful juice.

2/10/2006 - DChan wrote:

Very different flavors altogether here, with much more citrus (lemon in particular) and pear, but as it sits in the glass some complex notes of vanilla and toasted nuts begin to appear. It does lack the minerality and intensity that the preceding wines possess and that one ideally expects of Perrières. Whereas the '01 Matrot Puligny "Combettes" is a total disappointment, this is very very good and outstanding value for the money (I paid under $40), and only falls short of the magnificent level of Matrot's 2002's.

2/10/2006 - DChan wrote:

This is truly magnificent - here the intensity is magnified, with rich and opulent flavors of buttered popcorn and liquefied rock. The pungent minerality is immediately apparent on the nose and the length is breathtaking. Despite the greater size and intensity, this is impeccably balanced - even restrained - and even more beautiful for this sense of subtlety and restraint. Great.

2/10/2006 - DChan wrote:

As is the case with so many other appellations in Mme. Leroy's portfolio, it never ceases to amaze me what she does with villages wines. This is incredibly fine and has the classiness of a top premier cru wine as it is subtle, understated, and gentle but very detailed and persistent. Lots of buttered toast, vanilla, and white flowers here, all fused with a sense of minerality. This falls short only in size and power, as it satisifies in every other way.

3/28/2006 - DChan wrote:

The mushroom medley in particular was a match made in heaven for the Chevillon, which is clearly in its window of maturity, albeit the early side of that window. Everything about this wine is redolent of forest floor, underbrush, and black soil and marries superbly with those mushrooms, as Burgundy always does. The color is still impressively deep, but on the palate the toughness of the Nuits briar patch has melted away, leaving a suave wine painted partially in primary flavors and partially in secondary ones. This one is clearly from a ripe year, but it is nowhere as muddled as many 1990's; what it may lack in ultimate focus and clarity is more than compensated for by the sheer stylishness of this juice. Lovely, typical Les Cailles from Chevillon; drink from now until 2015 at least.

2/5/2006 - DChan wrote:

This is one of those rare 2000's that is shut down rather than expressive today - one gets only a fraction of the expected Vosne spice, silky black fruit, and truffle as the wine is surprisingly muscular and tightly coiled right now. This too does not impress with density (the mid-palate seems especially light) and will likely not be able to keep company with the magnificent '99, '01, and '02 RSVs from the Domaine, but even in this semi-closed state, the wine simply screams breed and class through the long and sappy finish. Even though the Dujac was singing and this was awkward and closed in on itself, the pedigree and quality of materials here are just on another plane. So not an RSV for all time or even for the long haul, but it is a beautiful middleweight for medium-term aging.

1/31/2006 - DChan wrote:

I had temporarily turned my back on Boillot because of the very oaky (if rich and hedonistic) village Meursault, but this is absolutely first-rate Meursault offering the full range of Meursault flavors including butterscotch, popcorn, hazelnut, grapefruit, pineapple, and minerals. Just stunning balance and length make this an easy recommendation.

1/29/2006 - DChan wrote:

Stunning Chambolle that is just on the front edge of its maturity window. This is sweet and sappy with plenty of sous bois nuance but lots of primary fruit remaining as well. Drink now-2015 as there is plenty of lively fruit still, but there is no harm in tackling it now.

1/28/2006 - DChan wrote:

Now - unlike the Combottes - this is the type of 2003 I've been actively avoiding - the roasted, overripe Burgundy that has so much creamy cherry fruit that it might as well be Santa Barbara pinot noir. Objectively speaking, this is terrific wine .... but I hated it. Thank goodness there were five other people here to help me finish the bottle.

1/27/2006 - DChan wrote:

A beautiful '01 white that impresses more with refinement and balance than with power or length. I found this less stunning than the '99 (which is of grand cru caliber in every way), but this is special in its own quiet, haunting way. The balance of the mineral, spice, and tropical fruit elements is nearly perfect and I would recommend this if you enjoy understated white Burgundy.

1/25/2006 - DChan wrote:

Terrific juice that wins you with elegance, balance, and refinement rather than power or density. It is remarkable how open this wine remains, with its notes of chocolate, black fruits, and the briar patch. Great stuff.

1/23/2006 - DChan wrote:

What a lovely surprise - a 2003 with cool pristine fruit and pinpoint balance as well as the expected ripeness and forwardness. This does not present itself in as many silky layers as usual, but the thickness of baby fat (a touch more Cali pinot than usual) surely has something to do with that. Remarkably fine and elegant, and the old vine sap still shines.

1/19/2006 - DChan wrote:

My disappointment with the Pucelles prompted me to open this as well, but this one flat out sucks. This is tart and lemony, with a distinct note of unripe green acidity. Avoid this.

1/19/2006 - DChan wrote:

This was strangely disappointing after the Clos de la Garenne ... it did offer some butterscotch and minerality, but it lacked the intensity one expects from a top premier cru, even allowing for the intrinsically restrained nature of Pucelles. A bad bottle? I initially suspected a touch of cork taint, but I didn't notice TCA as the evening progressed. Disappointing.

1/17/2006 - DChan wrote:

I've been excited to see this vineyard in the Pernot lineup after frequently enjoying the Jadot rendition. This is lovely, with rich notes of buttered popcorn, but remaining in the fine, elegant Pernot style rather than more dense and chewy à la Jadot. Definitely a winner.

1/17/2006 - DChan wrote:

A gorgeous nose of baked bread and nutmeg, but a surprisingly shallow and unsatisfying palate without the depth and length I expect from a vintage Krug. However, the last glass was the best, so I will bury my remaining bottles for several years and hope for the best.

1/8/2006 - DChan wrote:

A slightly overripe Burg for my taste, but it is undeniably fleshy and succulent with a wild gamey streak and a satisfying mouth-coating quality. A good Burgundy to pull out for friends who enjoy wine but are not wine geeks.

1/8/2006 - DChan wrote:

A flat-out terrific Savennières that really shows how great this vintage was in the Loire Valley. The wine is just complete with its distinctive Chenin flavors coupled with a more pungent minerality than usual. Great.

12/8/2005 - DChan wrote:

Classic Truchot with its relatively small-scaled but oh so charming and seductive style. The flavors are strikingly Morey with plenty of mushroom, earth, and black fruit; but the ethereal succession of layers in the mouth remove any hint of rusticity. Yummy.

12/27/2005 - DChan wrote:

This combines the best qualities of both the preceding wines - there is plenty of ripe grapefruit that can be enjoyed now, but the underlying structure and material are absolutely awesome in their power and precision. Patience should be amply rewarded here, but it is thoroughly enjoyable today.

12/6/2005 - DChan wrote:

This is endowed with greater ultimate potential, but the Genevrières is much more accessible at this point in time. This is less floral and lacy but much more tightly wound with an intense minerality (as befits the name) and impressive length. Should be prodigious with time, but lay off it for now.

12/4/2005 - DChan wrote:

Terrific white Burgundy with an open, winning personality. There is a noticeable pungent minerality, but the charm and elegance are more striking than the (rather impressive) power and length. I believe this will age well, but it is very seductive today.

1/15/2006 - DChan wrote:

This is terrific juice with a long life ahead of it. Gripping red fruit here with lively acidity and fantastic verve; it is nowhere near as smokily seductive as the Echézeaux at this point in time, but it is also substantially more powerful and long. Despite the power, the overall impression is not one of brawny muscularity but of harmony and balance. Really impressive and very pretty with its notes of cinnamon and cocoa; and this has a great deal of room for improvement.

12/14/2005 - DChan wrote:

This too was oxidized, though in a past its peak / funny vintage / probable storage issues sort of way. This is a gentle, subtle wine in very, very late maturity showing all secondary nuance with almost no primary fruit remaining. It was rather delicious (in a faded sort of way) for about 45 minutes before sliding off the face of the earth. Not a good night for white Burgundy, then.

12/14/2005 - DChan wrote:

Wow, this smelled amazingly rich and powerful as I decanted it before going to the restaurant - loads of smoky butterscotch and tropical fruits. But when I checked on it 15 minutes later, it was clearly another victim of premature oxidation. This bottle was not completely shot, but it would have been soon. The wine inside was fighting to stay alive, and indeed I still have 2/3 of the bottle to try again tonight; but until then, I have to conclude that this is another black eye for white Burgundy.

11/29/2005 - DChan wrote:

This is truly lovely stuff - beautifully silky, layered juice with oodles of old vine sap and loads of subtle, gentle nuance and character. I can see why these wines don't get the big scores - this does lack a bit of density and concentration. Even though I always prefer elegance over power (when I can't have both), I think that ideally this could use a hair more punch, and probably a bit more length as well. But this is a wine to put the charm back into Charmes - the polar opposite of Roty - and a wine with the kind of heart and soul that is difficult to find in an era that prioritizes technical perfection. It is not a style for everyone - but I love it.

12/1/2005 - DChan wrote:

I'll confess that I've been telling people I won't buy 2003 whites despite not having tasted them myself. So I thought I'd gamble on one of my favorite whites year in and year out - and one that usually matures on the early side for a grand cru. Well, guess what: I won't be buying any 2003 whites. Initially the wine was completely hopeless - not quite as flabby as I imagined in this hot vintage, but still lacking in definition and, just as importantly, missing the mineral streak so vital to this wine. After about four hours in the decanter, this finally began to show its breed and class, and a hint of minerality. As it turns out, this is rather pretty juice; but without the usual structure and definition, it is ultimately not fully satsifying. And it's not going to get any better, as it lacks density as well and is not built to age. So in case you missed it: avoid the 2003 whites.

11/28/2005 - DChan wrote:

The Maison Leroy whites that I've tried over the years have been a mixed bag, but my first taste of Lalou's d'Auvenay whites was dynamite. It's simply hard to believe that this is a village wine, and from the humble appellation of Auxey-Duresses at that, rather than a top-flight premier cru from Meursault. In additon to the opulent citrus fruit, there is really impressive density and length, plus a complex, pungent minerality.

12/3/2005 - DChan wrote:

Totally oxidized.

11/26/2005 - DChan wrote:

Gorgeous and classic Nuits with its flavors of forest, mushroom, and pine needles. There is still some primary black cherry fruit, but it is interlaced with the wonderfully complex forest flavors I mentioned already as well as hints of orange peel and black tea. This has great grip, and I would recommend drinking now as it is à point now, and with substantial tannin remaining the fruit will not outlive the tannin.

11/24/2005 - DChan wrote:

I bought some of this after tasting it at a friend's house back in August. I am even more impressed tasting this a second time, as there is even greater focus than I first realized. Lots of briny seashell on the nose, as well as the classic flinty and green apple flavors. There is a delicious balance between ripeness of fruit, tingling acidity, and precise minerality here. FWIW, this was as fresh on the third day as it was on the first.

11/22/2005 - DChan wrote:

This is spectacular juice; refined and very long, with very high-toned citrus and tropical fruits cascading over the palate. This is very classy and harmonious.

8/9/2005 - DChan wrote:

Now this is the real thing - stony, ice-cold (character, not the serving temperature) Chablis with a tingling acid spine. Great aromas of green apple and chalk too. This had me salivating for a platter of oysters.

11/10/2005 - DChan wrote:

This wine never fails to wow me - this bottle was the third I've had this year and it was as stunning as the first two. No oxidation here, just a glorious white Burg at the front end of its maturity window. It is probably capable of a little further improvement, but it really sings already, with a pungent, earthy minerality on the nose and a rich yet elegant style encompassing both buttered tropical fruits and white flowers. Refined and long rather than powerful, but plenty of flavor authority as I mentioned already.

11/12/2005 - DChan wrote:

My first Pinot "Gouges," this was an interesting bottle of wine. I found it distinctive and good, though not necessarily memorable. There is good minerality and a nice velvety texture, but not a lot of depth or complexity. The most interesting aspect of drinking this is that, once the wine opens up, it is clearly white Burgundy, though equally clearly not Chardonnay. I just find it remarkable that a wine can speak of its place of origin so clearly even when an unfamiliar grape is involved.

11/13/2005 - DChan wrote:

I was eager to open this after the recent discussion about whether this wine is as old as the label claims, etc. Well, this sure tasted like an old Burgundy to me ... there is plenty of freshness and vitality, to be sure, but to me this wine has fully entered the secondary/tertiary stage where the primary fruit is a distant memory. Lots of sous bois, mushroom, and green river rock here with incredibly sweet notes of red berries on the nose. The whole package is subtle, earthy, and complex as an old Burg should be. A very fine and enjoyable drink.

11/14/2005 - DChan wrote:

A clear step up from the Charmes in class and refinement, this Clos St. Denis is incredibly seductive with even greater spice and perfume on the nose and an extra silky sweetness on the palate. The length and precision of the finish are marvellous, and very telling next to that of the Charmes. Just unbelievably sexy stuff with its silky black fruit and hint of truffles.

10/22/2005 - DChan wrote:

Whereas a lot of 2002 Meursault Perrières are rich and opulent straight out of the gate, this is a sleek racehorse of a wine, almost a Corton-Charlemagne amongst examples of Perrières. The richness is clearly lying in wait, but it is currently tied up in a taut wine that possesses an almost painful stoniness and minerality. This will be prodigious, I think, but the Puligny Combettes makes better current drinking with its more obvious ripe tropical fruits. Nevertheless, an oustanding Perrières, and a well-priced one at that.

10/26/2005 - DChan wrote:

This bottle must have had great provenance, because this was an amazingly youthful showing for a 20 year-old premier cru - much more fresh and vibrant than a bottle of the '95 I had earlier this year. In any case, this is very tasty juice with hints of tart black fruits, leather, licorice, pine needles, and earth. It is subtle and harmonious rather than powerful, but remains extremely vital thanks to tangy acids and beautiful balance. If as well stored as this bottle, this could hold many more years easily, although it has probably reached its apogee and will not improve any further.

10/23/2005 - DChan wrote:

Off bottle. Still very nice but without the complexity and balance of the previous bottle.

9/21/2005 - DChan wrote:

This is an even better bottle of wine than I expected. It is still young in that has loads of primary fruit and primary flavors remaining - mouthwatering red and black fruits including sour cherries and Satsuma plums. However, there are noticeable secondary nuances, especially notes of sous bois, that make this even more enticing. Very nice length and beautiful harmony too. I would guess that this will need a few more years to hit full stride, but this is so delicious now I'd be surprised if my remaining bottles will survive the next month.

9/16/2005 - DChan wrote:

Drinking Fourrier after the Dujac version shows just how strong is the Dujac winemaking signature. Then again, Fourrier is about as pure as it gets. In any case, I ended up tasting two versions of this wine as in this sweltering weather the wine kept getting too warm and I had to repeatedly chill it back down. The colder version was all purity and precision with pristine red fruit, while the warmer version offered more chocolate and smoke. It was delicious either way. This is yet another 2000 that is showing beautifully these days, but although this is forward and enjoyable I think it has enough stuffing to reward a couple more years of patience. (In fact, there was a hint of reduction when I opened the bottle, and it took a couple hours in the decanter to really show well.) It is not a Wow! wine like the Dujac version, but its purity is enormously admirable.

9/14/2005 - DChan wrote:

This is very fine - earthy and almost barnyardish yet elegant with a nicely layered texture and excellent length. There is the green streak that I so often find in St. Julien, but in this case it adds a nice complexity (without seeming vegetal or herbaceous), leading to a refreshingly minty, pine-needle finish. This is quite mature and seems to be more or less at its peak, though of course better stored bottles might seem younger. I would say drink now or over the next 10 years.

9/13/2005 - DChan wrote:

There comes a time when you've stared at the bottle in your cellar long enough and just have to open it. With a fellow Burg lover coming to my apartment for dinner tonight, I couldn't wait any longer. So since I couldn't heed Kevin Harvey's advice to wait another three years, I took his alternative advice to decant a couple hours ahead of time.

This was gorgeous wine - not as pure and unmanipulated as the d'Angerville Volnay I posted on yesterday - but the Dujac house style showed well here. The spiciness from the stems was readily apparent - as was the 100% new oak influence (well integrated at this age though), but the most compelling aspects of the wine were the concentration and the obvious old vine intensity. Really deep red and black fruits tinged with green river rock and forest floor. My bottle may have been on a slightly faster evolutionary track than Kevin's, but I would say that this is very close to its peak if not there already. Dynamite.

9/12/2005 - DChan wrote:

I've often been tempted to open one of my 2002 d'Angerville Volnays but have refrained knowing that the Clos des Ducs is probably extremely backward and that the Taillepieds will also benefit from patience. So when I saw this bottle in a local store today, I promptly picked it up as I imagined it would give me a good taste of d'Angerville in this vintage without sacrificing one of my better bottles.

It was a good choice - this is a deliciously pure wine that is open and enjoyable now yet has enough stuffing to improve for several years. The soaringly pure red fruit on the nose is a dead ringer for Chambolle, but the specific type of minerality is definitely Volnay and not Chambolle. There is a tantalizing note of smoky complexity on the back end too. Excellent.

9/6/2005 - DChan wrote:

Boy is this drinking like a dream right now. The rich expansive nose contains loads of spices (especially cinnamon and nutmeg) in addition to the slightly oxidized nutty, yeasty aromas of aged champagne. Creamy, full, and long in the mouth, this is awesome stuff. I've always enjoyed this vintage while waiting for the mammoth '88 to come around.

9/3/2005 - DChan wrote:

This was another aged beauty, perhaps not one of the great vintages of La Tâche, but a beauty nonetheless. This was a subtle and elegant wine that whispered rather than roared, opening up slowly and quietly to reveal a haunting mélange of truffles, black tea, soy sauce, burnt brown sugar, and earth tones. Not a showstopper, but it couldn't have been more harmonious or classy. I could get used to drinking this kind of stuff.