5/11/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Joy's 44th (Our house): Opened with red velvet cake. Almost too sweet, like an overripe peach, but the sheer juiciness of the fruit brings the palate around again towards wanting another sip. I ended up drinking most of this bottle myself... oops.

5/11/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Joy's 44th (Our house): A LOT of black cherry here! An interesting wine, with the structure of Pinot Noir but its own charismatic fruit profile. Everyone enjoyed this. Wouldn't see it improving with time in the cellar, but who cares in this instance.

5/11/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Joy's 44th (Our house): Magnum. Actually not as exciting as a 750ml a few months ago, although hard to tell how much due to format and how much setting (that was a more contemplative dinner with nerdier company). Still, the wine remains approachable yet with excellent acidity and structure, saline and with attractive pastille-like fruit.

5/11/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Joy's 44th (Our house): Magnum. A bit young and (purple) fruit-forward for my preference, but had lovely purity and structure. Extremely food-friendly and likely to be very tempting indeed with another 2-3 years on it.

5/11/2024 - NickA wrote:

Joy's 44th (Our house): Double magnum. Corked, dammit! But only enough that we could still tell the wine itself was fresh, complex and fun :-(

5/11/2024 - NickA wrote:

Joy's 44th (Our house): Magnum. No score as I didn't drink this myself, but again went down a treat with our discerning (of course) guests. Holding up well, it seems.

5/11/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Joy's 44th (Our house): Magnum. This was tasty, gluggable stuff, and a lot of fun, like a tangerine-inflected version of Fruli beer (not so far-fetched, as this was 10% ABV). Playful and probably with some complexity if I'd had the time to search for it, but also a great sunny afternoon-friendly party wine.

5/11/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Joy's 44th (Our house): Two mags drunk with consistent results. A very undemanding MOR style but appetising and done well, with sufficient finesse to justify the Champagne label if not much bite or complexity.

5/11/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Joy's 44th (Our house): Practically a dry wine. Tight at first, and rather searing with acidity, although after the bottle was open for 2-3 hours (and had been shaken vigorously) things started to show themselves: light petrol on the nose, and slate. And more slate. Faintly saline on the palate, grippy and grapefruity, with a steely but sadly short and slightly bitter finish. The rest of the bottle (on day 2) was still austere, but its steeliness was better appreciated as a digestif, rather than with the first night's red-braised pork belly.

5/10/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

A super bottle on a sunny Friday evening, for Joy's birthday. Lots of bread dough on the nose, and some zesty flashes here and there. More exciting when drunk: it's a delicious wine and beautifully evolved, like wallowing in a giant vanilla cloud. Some elderflower and blood orange, too, and then an extremely long, politely insistent finish. Quintessential fine BdB.

5/8/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

"Rousseau is for drinking" (La Trompette): Based on my scores, this keeps getting better and better! Deep and creamy yet also seamless and elegant, with enough vanilla biscuit and toffee apple to make a delicious dessert wine, and a sense of easy poise that made it simply great to drink as well. Well-evolved in a soft, honeyed register, and without the aggressive marmalade or cloying spice often found on Sauternes of this age; if I were to be picky, I might observe that it was almost *too* well-balanced!

5/8/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

"Rousseau is for drinking" (La Trompette): Absolutely seemed corked at first, so musty was the nose, but patience was rewarded when that cleaned up to reveal - well, a fully mature, delicate, faded Pinot Noir. Notes of church pew and 'old wine' fruit; it tasted good and was nice to drink, but I couldn't quite get past the initial odour.

5/8/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

"Rousseau is for drinking" (La Trompette): Browner in colour, and seemed to have a touch of coffee on the nose too. Well-evolved, transparent and attractive, with a pleasing grip too, but increasingly overshadowed by the stellar 1996, which held up in the glass whilst the 1995 thinned a little and started to fall off. Score 92 for the end of the glass, maybe 93 for the beginning.

5/8/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

"Rousseau is for drinking" (La Trompette): This smelled so good from the off, with a ravishing, well-integrated savoury nose. Crisp acidity and deep, almost beetrooty fruit dominated the midpalate, which also had a gamey side and finished long but slightly thin, with bitter orange. Refreshing and charismatic - in a great place, and my #3 (but the group's WOTL).

5/8/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

"Rousseau is for drinking" (La Trompette): One of the most obviously shut-down wines I've tried for the first 30 minutes or so, like watching a beautiful landscape through frosted glass; the nose in particular was clearly sound, but gave barely anything away. Happily it did loosen up, with icing sugar on the increasingly pretty, fruity nose and surprising elegance and crisp acidity on the palate. Overall, this felt much more grown-up than the first four reds, and the only one a way off peak. Score 93 for the final sips and sniffs.

5/8/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

"Rousseau is for drinking" (La Trompette): Today's other Charmes was also really popular around the table. So much earthier and more evolved, as though it came from a very different era, although it did become increasingly suave and crowd-pleasing in the glass. A lovely green streak in a Loire Cab Franc register made it a delight with the food. Again, I think we caught this at a brilliant point in its evolution, and I'd drink any others within five years. So good! My #2 today, and the group's joint #2 too.

5/8/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

"Rousseau is for drinking" (La Trompette): Immediately apparent that this had that bit more heft and stature than the two 1ers, although the shared vintage and producer signature was even more strikingly obvious. Wafts of airy red fruit on the nose, which became more complex in the glass and revealed layers of icing sugar, panacotta, strawberry coulis and rose - one of the best bouquets I've smelled in a while. Very clean on the palate, silky smooth and already approachable, but definite power and persistence too; you could absolutely keep this wine for years, but I find it hard to imagine it giving more pleasure if you did. My favourite wine today, and the group's joint #2.

5/8/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

"Rousseau is for drinking" (La Trompette): My wine. Much earthier than the LSJ for the first 10-15 minutes, as well as tighter and less powerful. It was fairly oaky on the nose at that stage, too. The wine then really revved up, the nose revealing beautiful bright fruit and some flowers and at the same time the slightly tough, bitter edge to the palate melted away to reveal a much sexier wine, with gorgeous red fruit and lovely acidity. My #4 of the lunch.

5/8/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

"Rousseau is for drinking" (La Trompette): Immediately charming, which is meant in the best of respects rather than as faint praise, and was characteristic of the whole flight - and (less overtly) the entire lunch. Beautifully aromatic with soft strawberry, then fuller on the palate (although still light on its feet), with a bitter edge and a long, slightly savoury blueberry-toned finish. So pleasant - a really encouraging start. Ended up being my #5 red today.

5/8/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

"Rousseau is for drinking" (La Trompette): Although I wasn't thoroughly ravished, and don't normally love this house, I was definitely a fan of this wine. Some gentle lime and buttered toast on the nose, which broadened out to become incresingly mealy. Nicely evolved on the palate - more than I had expected, in fact - with a touch of vanilla, some salted caramel, and a soft fizzy finish reminiscent of lemonade. This mature, elegant wine was delightful start to the lunch.

5/8/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Yum - real grip and bite. Very fresh, without becoming overly citric: just great balance, with cream, golden apple, quinine and toast all evident in harmony and then a crisp, gingery, bubbly finish. It's a delicious and exciting Champagne.

5/6/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

This is a really nice wine, and was drinking well. There's a bit of trademark 2018 breadth, but no flab. Lemon zest, crushed rock and a hint of vanilla, rounded through the mid palate, then crisp and delicious on the finish. Went well with asparagus risotto.

5/4/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Tasty, but really too early to be hugely interesting to my palate. At the more Pinotesque end of the Thymiopoulos reds I've tried, with oodles of soft red fruit and nary a rasp of tannins. That said, I do think this will go for a few years, as it's not without structure - and it's nice to drink already.

5/4/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Magnum. Showed very nicely - much more balance than when tried two years ago. Silky tannins, tart red fruit and some smooth, rich leather. Very moreish and drinkable, especially at a sensible 13% ABV.

5/4/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

This happily lived up to its promise from EP, and was drinking well already. Nice mixture of darkish fruit, earth and barnyard, with just enough acidity to make it refreshing but not challenging. Everyone enjoyed this. Wasn't drunk with food, which was fine, but it might have even better with the right dish.

5/4/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Two mags drunk with consistent results: softly effervescent, rounded and drinkable without being too sweet, a feeling of understated class. Felt slightly more mealy and mature than a mag at Christmas had done, but there's ages to go on this showing.

4/29/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Bubbles at Dinings (Dinings SW3): Showed very nicely; I liked it quite a bit more than a bottle 18 months ago - which is encouraging. Rich red and orange fruit on the nose (inevitably), a touch floral, and a hint of fried bread betraying the start of maturity. Elegant and well-integrated on the palate, and some refreshing blood orange. Didn't quite work with our Yuzu cheesecake, but I didn't mind.

4/29/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Bubbles at Dinings (Dinings SW3): Very full-bodied, as expected, though not over the top or without elegance. Interesting nose: slightly smoky, sweetly floral and an undertone of sticky toffee pudding. Saline and actually fairly straightforward on the palate, albeit somewhat 'turned up to 11'. I thought this was distinctive, and tasty, but it wasn't as obviously 'umami' as something like Bereche Reflet, Prevost Beguines or Giraud PR18-90.

4/29/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Bubbles at Dinings (Dinings SW3): Quite a big Champagne - this has noticeably developed since I first tried it in 2021. Classical and straightforward flavour profile, with a little smoke, though seemed a touch sweet after the icy rapier of the Vilmart. That said, this was a really tasty wine.

4/29/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Bubbles at Dinings (Dinings SW3): Bottle # 1,076! Cor, really exciting, and extremely sophisticated, it being immediately apparent that this was a refined, sleek and energetic wine. Despite the piercing, sherberty core, the wine managed also to be airy and ethereal, and with time in the glass also showed notes of praline, biscuit and Yuzu. Just delightful - like drinking from a mountain spring, or as though Falkenstein made Champagne.

4/29/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Bubbles at Dinings (Dinings SW3): Such a contrast to the preceding wine - my scribbled notes start with simply "COCONUT!", and as well as the abiding influence of oak (there was also a more tasteful sandalwood aroma) the wine really showed its relative maturity. The wine was actually relatively neat and tidy on the palate, with decent elergy, some tangy lime and a sweet lactic finish. This divided the table, but I enjoyed it quite a bit, especially once the initially stinky oak had settled down (~10 minutes in).

4/29/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Bubbles at Dinings (Dinings SW3): 2019 base. Started out with bright lemon and lime on the nose, in rather classic 'young BdB' fashion, but with air things got more interesting, with caramel and incense notes showing themselves. Tight, bitter and mineral on the palate, with a lean mouthwatering finish, but the fruit profile was richer than the nose's - or indeed most BdBs' - perhaps reflecting the fact this wine is from Aÿ rather than more classic Chardonnay terrain. A nice start.

4/26/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Wow - what an improvement since I last tried this in 2019, when it was mostly about the acidity... it is quite lovely now. So silky, and with wonderful pillowy strawberry fruit as well as elegant wafts of rose. Bottle emptied very quickly.

4/26/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

90% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Blanc - and the latter really made its presence felt. Not especially taut or authoritative. Plenty of fruit, but it had a slightly confected, cidery quality. I've had some great Franciacorta but this wasn't one of them.

4/28/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

This doesn't seem to have budged since I last tried it in 2022, but that's not such a bad thing as it was and remains delightful. Good weight of yellow fruit, mostly citric but with an exotic frisson, and a firm but approachable spine of minerality. There's undertones of both oak and reduction, but these play a supporting role to the fruit. Elegant mouthfeel, too. The wine just lacks a little personality to merit a higher score, though.

4/27/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Pretty much as expected - silky enough, with undertones of oak, and a stealthily firm tannic structure. A decent charge of intense dark berry fruit, a hint of flowers, and some espresso and anise on the punchy palate.

3/20/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Presented blind in a label-less Riesling bottle. Obviously not Riesling, though. Then someone promptly called it as Musar :-)

Deep orange. Subtle but funky nose. Again subtle, even a bit weak, on the palate - served too cold? A touch of rose petal, very slightly sweet, and creamier with air. I definitely liked this, but not as much as the Tondos.

3/20/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Nice to have an excuse to open this. Very classical: some reduction, a good weight of bright citrusy fruit, and a creamy finish. Well-integrated, mellow and moreish, and popular around the table.

3/20/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Well-resolved. Some smoke on the nose, and a touch of cream. Tart limey fruit on the palate, with a sassafrass note that I've detected in other PYCMs before (and don't particularly care for). Overall, in a nice place, but let down by a weak finish.

3/20/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Deeper yellow than the Mumm. Lots of toast and biscuit, and even hints of toffee - Maillard FTW! Some tangy lime to be found on the palate, too, meaning the wine stayed vital and energetic despite its maturity. Really lovely.

3/20/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Mid straw. Lemon sherbert on the nose, and some lovely biscuit that became increasingly less subtle with time in the glass. Fairly (but not too) sweet on the palate, with good length and a nice chew to the finish. Fully mature, and a good start.

4/10/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Wines with Thai (Matoom): Honeycomb and bitter marmalade on the nose, then when drunk notes of oatmeal and burned orange, and finishing piquant and spicy. A surprising level of bite given its age! I really liked this, but wasn't to everyone's taste.

4/10/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Wines with Thai (Matoom): Rather lean, but undoubtedly tasty. Tangy and not especially exotic, making it drinkable in a way one doesn't necessarily expect of Gewurz. Classy wine, popular with everyone around the table.

4/10/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Wines with Thai (Matoom): Rather sweet, and has varietal typicity, with its exotic fruit and note of honey linctus. Everything kept sufficiently in check to make it a good table wine, too, although (as with a number of the other wines tonight) I found the acidity a little brisk.

4/10/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Wines with Thai (Matoom): A bracing contrast to the Donnhoff, but intrinsically in balance. Some thyme as well as exotic tropical fruit (hello, 2018), presented in a svelte, tasteful package.

4/10/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Wines with Thai (Matoom): Much better showing than when I last opened a bottle in spring 2023. Soft and weightless, soulful, with smooth buttery citrus and honey, then tarte tatin on the rounded finish. Almost too sweet and flabby, but actually just delightful.

4/10/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Wines with Thai (Matoom): These Aussie Rieslings aren't quite my style, but can't deny this is a good wine, and lovely with the food. Lime and kerosene on the nose, and more cordial-esque lime on the lipsmacking palate. Really refreshing, with a slight mealy edge that presumably reflects the fact this is now five years old.

4/10/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Wines with Thai (Matoom): Again, rather dry! A hint of Turkish Delight on the nose, which became more prominent with air. Citrus fruit dominated the palate, and it became broader and yellower with time, with some saline and savoury aspects and good length. The finish was just too tart, even sharp, for me though: this needs time to show its best.

4/10/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Wines with Thai (Matoom): Pale and steely with a slight floral perfume. Bone dry on the palate, with tart lime and some more exotic fruit; the incisive acidity dominates at this stage, and it wasn't especially lovable.

3/22/2024 - NickA Likes this wine:

Good Barolo and Barbaresco (67 Pall Mall): I love 2005 Sauternes! So good, with its sweet saffron, ripe pineapple and mint notes, excellent balance and enticing vivacity.