Dinner at Table, Donkey and Stick (Chicago, IL): A marked contrast from the 1995 Novembre, this shows much more white fruit and a lighter, more filigreed side of chenin. Bright and zippy with lovely acidity, this is still a refreshing wine at over 25 years. Unmistakably chenin (and perhaps even Pinon) from the wooly quality on the palate.
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A lovely drop of sweet wine. A honeyed pear note, had a firmer acidity and less overt sweetness compared to the Huet from the same vintage that I tried last year. A beautifully poised wine.
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A really beautiful bottle firmly settled into its middle age of richness yet still perfectly balanced and shaped. Opened to pair with seared foie gras and apples and the match was perfect. Among the best wine and food matches of the year. This wine has had quite the incredible life. I drank a ton of it early as it was showing this wild balance between acid and sugar and was bright, crunchy and floral. To have it now as it matures and tilts more towards honeyed notes while still showing some glimpses of its former self is why we cellar these things after all. I think the Pinon wines are vastly underrated.
Wonderful and surprisingly youthful. Starts on the sweeter side on opening, but this dissipates quickly into a nuanced mix of pear, pineapple, lavender, hints of citrus and thyme. Very full body, long finish. Superb now, but can be aged even further.
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One of the better bottles from this batch. There are some burnt sugar notes but otherwise the wine is clean and airy with it's fruit and honey. Not as floral as it was as a young wine but an excellent accompaniment to foie gras terrine.
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En fuego, as Z put it. Just a brilliant bottle showing all the bright fruit and wooliness of Chenin Blanc, a fair deal of botrytis and sweetness, and plenty of acidity to balance the whole package. Pinon nailed it.
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Absolutely en fuego bottle here. Beautiful nose that's open and showing plenty of honey, wax, lanolin, flint, and fresh pear. Lovely sweetness and pure chenin fruit (like freshly sliced white peach) on the palate but finishes beautifully with a long, energizing acidity and mineral sparkle. Top class Vouvray that's delicious now but could go a couple decades longer on its foundation of fruit and acidity.
Dinner With Alain Coudert, Francois Pinon, Marc Ollivier, and the Baudrys (Hundred Acres NYC): This was also from a vintage with little botrytis if memory serves... another wonderful bottle of Pinon Moelleux, perhaps just a step below the captivating 1989. Doesn't seem to be quite as well integrated, with a stronger streak of acidity, but i'm nit picking here... this is still really nice. I really need to find some more of these wines...
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Just a beautiful bottle of wine... Poised and quite simply one of the most incredibly balanced wines I've experienced. Redolent with scents of honey and apricots, but in a refined manner, rather than being overwhelming. Tastes of honey and beeswax, tea leaves, apricot and some quince or lemon... I think it could stand to gain some additional complexity with time still.
Not nearly as perceptibly sweet as I might have expected from a 1er Trie... this was very poised and elegant... probably a product of the wine's balance (unfortunately, I do not know the technical data on residual sugar).
I thought I recall hearing that Pinon's terroir wasn't as privileged as some in Vouvray... I can't imagine that's true after having this wine.
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Absolutely stunning and beautiful wine. After the last bottle was a bit sweet and clumsy, this one was much fresher and starting to stretch out a bit. Floral, mineral and refreshing on a hot night.
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I doubt many own this wine -- but if you ever stumble upon any, it is among the most wonderful and complex Vouvray I've ever had. Perfect balance. Amazing length.
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4/26/2022 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Dinner at Table, Donkey and Stick (Chicago, IL): A marked contrast from the 1995 Novembre, this shows much more white fruit and a lighter, more filigreed side of chenin. Bright and zippy with lovely acidity, this is still a refreshing wine at over 25 years. Unmistakably chenin (and perhaps even Pinon) from the wooly quality on the palate.
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12/18/2021 - melvinyeowq Likes this wine:
A lovely drop of sweet wine. A honeyed pear note, had a firmer acidity and less overt sweetness compared to the Huet from the same vintage that I tried last year. A beautifully poised wine.
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12/11/2020 - vulgar little monkey wrote: 94 Points
A really beautiful bottle firmly settled into its middle age of richness yet still perfectly balanced and shaped. Opened to pair with seared foie gras and apples and the match was perfect. Among the best wine and food matches of the year. This wine has had quite the incredible life. I drank a ton of it early as it was showing this wild balance between acid and sugar and was bright, crunchy and floral. To have it now as it matures and tilts more towards honeyed notes while still showing some glimpses of its former self is why we cellar these things after all. I think the Pinon wines are vastly underrated.
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1/24/2020 - Aris1a Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful and surprisingly youthful. Starts on the sweeter side on opening, but this dissipates quickly into a nuanced mix of pear, pineapple, lavender, hints of citrus and thyme. Very full body, long finish. Superb now, but can be aged even further.
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10/19/2019 - vulgar little monkey wrote: 92 Points
This was one of the bottles where the burnt sugar and a touch more sweetness comes out. Fantastic with cheese.
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12/30/2018 - vulgar little monkey wrote: 93 Points
Really similar to my last bottle, except maybe even fresher and more floral.
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12/4/2018 - cardsandwine Likes this wine:
Stunning bottle of wine. Viscous nose and palate with intoxicating bouquet and beautifully balanced palate.
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10/13/2018 - vulgar little monkey wrote: 93 Points
One of the better bottles from this batch. There are some burnt sugar notes but otherwise the wine is clean and airy with it's fruit and honey. Not as floral as it was as a young wine but an excellent accompaniment to foie gras terrine.
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6/16/2018 - Chomsky wrote:
Totally en fuego, as given below.
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6/15/2018 - salil wrote: 95 Points
En fuego, as Z put it. Just a brilliant bottle showing all the bright fruit and wooliness of Chenin Blanc, a fair deal of botrytis and sweetness, and plenty of acidity to balance the whole package. Pinon nailed it.
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3/15/2018 - Billigan Likes this wine: 95 Points
Absolutely en fuego bottle here. Beautiful nose that's open and showing plenty of honey, wax, lanolin, flint, and fresh pear. Lovely sweetness and pure chenin fruit (like freshly sliced white peach) on the palate but finishes beautifully with a long, energizing acidity and mineral sparkle. Top class Vouvray that's delicious now but could go a couple decades longer on its foundation of fruit and acidity.
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3/19/2012 - Chris Newport wrote:
Dinner With Alain Coudert, Francois Pinon, Marc Ollivier, and the Baudrys (Hundred Acres NYC): This was also from a vintage with little botrytis if memory serves... another wonderful bottle of Pinon Moelleux, perhaps just a step below the captivating 1989. Doesn't seem to be quite as well integrated, with a stronger streak of acidity, but i'm nit picking here... this is still really nice. I really need to find some more of these wines...
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11/1/2008 - Old_Winyards wrote: 95 Points
Just a beautiful bottle of wine... Poised and quite simply one of the most incredibly balanced wines I've experienced. Redolent with scents of honey and apricots, but in a refined manner, rather than being overwhelming. Tastes of honey and beeswax, tea leaves, apricot and some quince or lemon... I think it could stand to gain some additional complexity with time still.
Not nearly as perceptibly sweet as I might have expected from a 1er Trie... this was very poised and elegant... probably a product of the wine's balance (unfortunately, I do not know the technical data on residual sugar).
I thought I recall hearing that Pinon's terroir wasn't as privileged as some in Vouvray... I can't imagine that's true after having this wine.
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8/31/2007 - vulgar little monkey wrote:
Another fantastic bottle of this. One day I'll regret having drunk all these by their 11th birthday.
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8/4/2006 - vulgar little monkey wrote:
Absolutely stunning and beautiful wine. After the last bottle was a bit sweet and clumsy, this one was much fresher and starting to stretch out a bit. Floral, mineral and refreshing on a hot night.
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10/2/2005 - BordeauxNut wrote: 96 Points
I doubt many own this wine -- but if you ever stumble upon any, it is among the most wonderful and complex Vouvray I've ever had. Perfect balance. Amazing length.
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