7th of 12, opened an hour then decanted 30 minutes, perfect level, cork pulled through and crumbled to dust though clean, improving trajectory noted in December, even a hint of elegance and silk in this former thug and showing characteristics more of Taillepieds and less of more muscular Santenots, in danger of an upgrade, balance for 12+ years. At least F (17.5).
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6th of 12, opened an hour then splash decanted, dry cork which broke, perfect level, as October bottles and rather lovely, just getting into stride with upside, 10+ years. F (17.5).
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4th and 5th of 12, decanted 20 minutes, perfect corks and levels, showing slightly rounder, layered and with greater mid palate punch than earlier bottles, also sweeter and with more to it than Pavelot Dominode 02 on same night, upside, 15+ years. F (17.5).
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3rd of 12, decanted 45 minutes, perfect cork and level, maybe showing more nuanced fruit than first 2 bottles, attractive, upside, 10+ years. F (17.5).
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1st of 12, pnp, perfect cork and level - transparent ruby, not as dark as expected, hint of brown on rim; red fruit, mineral, earth, reasonably complex, fresh for RM; medium, ok length and persistence and more concentrated than expected from appearance, nice sweetish core, slightly simple as yet but attractive, approaching maturity but with upside, 10+ years. Just about F (17.5) if this develops as expected and a relief as I've found RM's 99s a bit heavy handed and over extracted, though it came recommended by the late Hilary Gibbs who usually got things right! (More layered and expressive on 2nd night.)
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Upon opening quite reductive on the nose and palate. Needed 24 hours to shed that a bit and reveal what‘s underneath. While the structure is very fine and soft with good tension, its quite unspectacular. Not much complexity or precision and even after 24h still too reductive.
TN: Medium+ expressive nose, reduction, darker red fruit and some darker fruit. Same on the palate along with a touch of herbs and earthy aromas but without the necessary precision, complexity to be really interesting. Still a a bit too reductive after 24h. Soft structure, fine tannins, good freshness with a touch of creaminess. All in all balanced but
Decanting: Decanted and followed for 3 hours on day one. Back in the bottle and fridge and again followed for several hours 24 hours later.
Glass: Conterno Sensory
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CNY Dinner 2013 - Welcoming the Year of the Snake (William & Gina's): A very decent wine, but not great for a Taillepieds from such a strong vintage. The nose was extremely funky on first pour, with tons of earth and leather and spice, backed up by a slightly bloody twang of metallic mineral. Only with quite a bit of time did some black cherry aromas and a whiff of violets emerge from the funk. Thankfully, the palate was a lot more fruity and floral than the nose suggested, with a nice attack of black cherries and blueberries with a hint of violets at the edges. Very fresh and clear, quite pretty in fact, at least until one hits the midpalate, where firmish tannins and more funky earth and woody, peppery spice notes drifted out. The finish was decent, if not exactly long, with a drift of flowers bringing up the rear. All in all, decent, if not exactly delicious. It seems to be drinking okay now, but like quite a few 2002s, I do think it needs some time yet. One to try again in 2-3 years' time.
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Drank at Sketch. (flying under the radar with a small production; not really in Burgundy as just down the road)). Smells like bloody mary with good dose of tabasco and no, what is it, vodka :-). Heavy tanins, almost like a Bordeaux, for a Burgundy. Wonderful, full Pinot Noir flavor. Fairly long on the palate. A bit tangy at the end. Nose is now more subdued, while taste is more smooth + silky.
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Volnay Elegance (The Universal @ Duxton): My goodness, this really "stinks". Manure,horse, leathery and barnyardish. This even had some chianti like cat's pee and shirazy black pepper. It reminds me more of a bordeaux than a burg but I do love the aromas. This is one weird experience. But on the palate though, this is very much back to burgundy with ripe sappy cherries, cherry skins and quite sharp acidity. Pretty tannic, this is the oddest one out of the whole bunch. However, nose for nose and flavour for flavour , this is quite an interesting wine but it does drop points on terroir reflection.
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This was consumed over a lovely dinner at Buko Nero. It took quite a bit of time in the decanter to come around, but was absolutely lovely when it did - so much so that I almost feel that the first glass was rather wasted. Nice, complex nose kept developing - fine, gravelly mineral, chalk, earth and a little touch of sous-bois at first, like walking through the woods on a dry day. Floating above all that were fresh cut flowers and sweet cherries. All very pretty and high-toned, yet with a touch of body to it. Similarly high-toned on the palate, with really bright acid, sappy cherries, more of that stony mineral and a nicely resolved finish that was persistent and clinging with lots of perfumy notes. After time, mushroom and orange peel notes started appearing at different ends of the spectrum - so very Volnay! There was some strength and bite though, with some super-fine tannins giving a sense of backbone and lots of focus along with a little nippiness. That, together with just a little swirl of heat, the super-bright acid and typical 2002 minerally bittersweetness stuck out a little like awkward knees and elbows at first. Altogether almost a little biting. After time though, all the elements really came together, rounded out and integrated, with the bite becoming a wave of freshness and structure upon which the fruit and flowers rode. I was excited by this wine - it had such a great sense of transparency in its clarity of flavours and tranmission of terroir. Yummy.
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3/26/2024 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
7th of 12, opened an hour then decanted 30 minutes, perfect level, cork pulled through and crumbled to dust though clean, improving trajectory noted in December, even a hint of elegance and silk in this former thug and showing characteristics more of Taillepieds and less of more muscular Santenots, in danger of an upgrade, balance for 12+ years. At least F (17.5).
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12/20/2023 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
6th of 12, opened an hour then splash decanted, dry cork which broke, perfect level, as October bottles and rather lovely, just getting into stride with upside, 10+ years. F (17.5).
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10/5/2023 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
4th and 5th of 12, decanted 20 minutes, perfect corks and levels, showing slightly rounder, layered and with greater mid palate punch than earlier bottles, also sweeter and with more to it than Pavelot Dominode 02 on same night, upside, 15+ years. F (17.5).
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8/16/2023 - liber Likes this wine: 91 Points
3rd of 12, decanted 45 minutes, perfect cork and level, maybe showing more nuanced fruit than first 2 bottles, attractive, upside, 10+ years. F (17.5).
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8/14/2023 - liber Likes this wine: 91 Points
2nd of 12, decanted 30 minutes, perfect cork and level, as bottle noted in detail in July, upside, 10+ years. F (17.5).
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7/27/2023 - liber Likes this wine: 91 Points
1st of 12, pnp, perfect cork and level - transparent ruby, not as dark as expected, hint of brown on rim; red fruit, mineral, earth, reasonably complex, fresh for RM; medium, ok length and persistence and more concentrated than expected from appearance, nice sweetish core, slightly simple as yet but attractive, approaching maturity but with upside, 10+ years. Just about F (17.5) if this develops as expected and a relief as I've found RM's 99s a bit heavy handed and over extracted, though it came recommended by the late Hilary Gibbs who usually got things right! (More layered and expressive on 2nd night.)
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3/30/2021 - Cailles wrote: 87 Points
Upon opening quite reductive on the nose and palate. Needed 24 hours to shed that a bit and reveal what‘s underneath. While the structure is very fine and soft with good tension, its quite unspectacular. Not much complexity or precision and even after 24h still too reductive.
TN: Medium+ expressive nose, reduction, darker red fruit and some darker fruit. Same on the palate along with a touch of herbs and earthy aromas but without the necessary precision, complexity to be really interesting. Still a a bit too reductive after 24h. Soft structure, fine tannins, good freshness with a touch of creaminess. All in all balanced but
Decanting: Decanted and followed for 3 hours on day one. Back in the bottle and fridge and again followed for several hours 24 hours later.
Glass: Conterno Sensory
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2/15/2013 - Alex H wrote: 86 Points
More pommard than volnay I thought with funk and barnyard leather. Palate was smoothly floral fruity though with gentle structure and tannins.
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2/12/2013 - Paul S wrote: 89 Points
CNY Dinner 2013 - Welcoming the Year of the Snake (William & Gina's): A very decent wine, but not great for a Taillepieds from such a strong vintage. The nose was extremely funky on first pour, with tons of earth and leather and spice, backed up by a slightly bloody twang of metallic mineral. Only with quite a bit of time did some black cherry aromas and a whiff of violets emerge from the funk. Thankfully, the palate was a lot more fruity and floral than the nose suggested, with a nice attack of black cherries and blueberries with a hint of violets at the edges. Very fresh and clear, quite pretty in fact, at least until one hits the midpalate, where firmish tannins and more funky earth and woody, peppery spice notes drifted out. The finish was decent, if not exactly long, with a drift of flowers bringing up the rear. All in all, decent, if not exactly delicious. It seems to be drinking okay now, but like quite a few 2002s, I do think it needs some time yet. One to try again in 2-3 years' time.
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4/14/2011 - BuzzzzOff Likes this wine:
Drank at Sketch. (flying under the radar with a small production; not really in Burgundy as just down the road)). Smells like bloody mary with good dose of tabasco and no, what is it, vodka :-). Heavy tanins, almost like a Bordeaux, for a Burgundy. Wonderful, full Pinot Noir flavor. Fairly long on the palate. A bit tangy at the end. Nose is now more subdued, while taste is more smooth + silky.
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5/8/2009 - Alex H wrote: 85 Points
Volnay Elegance (The Universal @ Duxton): My goodness, this really "stinks". Manure,horse, leathery and barnyardish. This even had some chianti like cat's pee and shirazy black pepper. It reminds me more of a bordeaux than a burg but I do love the aromas. This is one weird experience. But on the palate though, this is very much back to burgundy with ripe sappy cherries, cherry skins and quite sharp acidity. Pretty tannic, this is the oddest one out of the whole bunch. However, nose for nose and flavour for flavour , this is quite an interesting wine but it does drop points on terroir reflection.
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11/26/2008 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
This was consumed over a lovely dinner at Buko Nero. It took quite a bit of time in the decanter to come around, but was absolutely lovely when it did - so much so that I almost feel that the first glass was rather wasted. Nice, complex nose kept developing - fine, gravelly mineral, chalk, earth and a little touch of sous-bois at first, like walking through the woods on a dry day. Floating above all that were fresh cut flowers and sweet cherries. All very pretty and high-toned, yet with a touch of body to it. Similarly high-toned on the palate, with really bright acid, sappy cherries, more of that stony mineral and a nicely resolved finish that was persistent and clinging with lots of perfumy notes. After time, mushroom and orange peel notes started appearing at different ends of the spectrum - so very Volnay! There was some strength and bite though, with some super-fine tannins giving a sense of backbone and lots of focus along with a little nippiness. That, together with just a little swirl of heat, the super-bright acid and typical 2002 minerally bittersweetness stuck out a little like awkward knees and elbows at first. Altogether almost a little biting. After time though, all the elements really came together, rounded out and integrated, with the bite becoming a wave of freshness and structure upon which the fruit and flowers rode. I was excited by this wine - it had such a great sense of transparency in its clarity of flavours and tranmission of terroir. Yummy.
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