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Birthday party |  (80 page views) | | | - N.V. Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Cuvée de Réserve - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
From jeroboam. Disgorged 2013. The very stubby custom cork was likely responsible for the lack of fizz, but the density and concentration on this was outstanding. Really drank like a white Burgundy. Intense, minerally, and full on the palate. This wine should only be consumed in formats larger than fifths. (90 pts.)
- N.V. Bollinger Champagne Special Cuvée Brut - France, Champagne
From magnum. No frills, solid Champagne. A bit rounded and a hair sweeter than is really in vogue these days but it ticks the boxes. Creamy texture, with balanced and not overt acidity. (90 pts.)
- 2016 Eric Texier Côte-Rôtie Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Excellent syrah. Certainly more red-fruited, more crystalline, and acid-driven than most these days; that's probably a bit of a house style thing and a testament to how 2017-2020 have been pretty big vintages. Meaty and a slight bit feral, but elegant, clean, and crisp. Lighter styled, but drinking very nicely. (90 pts.)
- 2011 Château de la Bonneliere Touraine Ante Phylloxera Clos de Maulevrier - France, Loire Valley, Touraine
Been a long while since I opened one of these; it's pretty much how I remember it -- dark and intense cabernet franc, with far more weight than typical for a Loire red. Almost a bit of spice here as well. This has the depth and weight of a proper Bordeaux, but I'd prefer to see even more age on this before revisiting. (90 pts.)
- 2002 Château Rauzan-Ségla - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Corked. (FLAWED)
- 1995 Château Le Gay Pomerol - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
From magnum. A bit burly and more rustic than I would have liked from a Pomerol. Black fruit, plenty of tannins, and a bit leathery. (88 pts.)
- 2013 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Clos des Carmes Brézé - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur
From magnum. High acid, but lacking complexity and definition on the palate. Must admit I am not a big fan of this style of chenin (Huet is the way chenin should be made) and I'd much rather drink chardonnay if it's made like this. (88 pts.)
- 2011 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Chevalier-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
For the appellation, definitely kinda mid. Doesn't have the weight nor complexity that Chevalier ought to have. The midpalate hollows out a little bit. Tastes like decent chardonnay, but at the price you're paying and for where this comes from, it should be more. (88 pts.)
- 2014 Francois Carillon Chassagne-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet
Oxidized. (FLAWED)
- 2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne
Pretty good bottle of this today -- it's a bit fresher and brighter than I remember it, and there's plenty of distinct chardonnay qualities here. Past bottles could get a bit mushroomy. (93 pts.)
- 2014 Hubert Lamy Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Murgers des Dents de Chien Blanc - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru
From magnum. I remember the days when you could just buy as much of the Lamy 1ers as you wanted for under $100 (and sometimes even under $50). This was brilliant. No overt reduction, fresh fruit, clean chardonnay minerality. Just where you would expect this to be from such a great vintage. Delicious stuff. (93 pts.)
- 2010 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Lots and lots of American oak, of course. Lots of fruit and plenty of leathery notes as well. Not particularly funky or barnyardy, but a clean, intense expression of Rioja here. Great stuff, and almost certainly more accessible than the 890 (which I have yet to try). (93 pts.)
- 2022 Pierre-Olivier Garcia Nuits St. Georges Petite Charmotte - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges
The new hotness, I'm told. Surprisingly light palate, this is crispy and light, but the flavour also is a bit too wispy for my liking. Definitely interesting to try, as the fruit has a very intense purity, but the flavour is too fleeting. (88 pts.)
- 2021 Weingut Hermann Ludes Thörnicher Ritsch Riesling Kabinett "Monster" feinherb - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
#04-22, 8% abv. Smells like farts (is this what passes as cool these days in the Mosel -- same deal with Kilburg). Reductive and unpleasantly sulphured. On the palate, much better, with lean and crisp minerality and generous acids. But man, it's hard to get past this nose. (85 pts.)
- 2008 Domaine Bertheau (Pierre et François) Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
From magnum. Not a big fan of this -- it seems to have dried out quite a bit and there's just a husk and lots of acid left. Gone is the pretty red fruit I would have expected from this producer and vintage; my pessimism on the 2008 vintage may well be coming to fruition here. (85 pts.)
- 1989 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières-Coulée de Serrant
I mean, it's not fucked up, so it's got that going for it. But it's still Coulée de Serrant -- a fat, oily wine that doesn't carry acidity at all, though the botrytis and almost sweetness helps there. Still it's pretty obvious that I am not the target market for this wine. (88 pts.)
- 2003 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
From magnum. Not typically a fan of Pégau, but this is first, not dirty and bretty, and second, not overripe the way you would expect in 2003. It's definitely sweet and big, but there's no burned fruit here. Impressive for what it is, though it's definitely not my style of wine. (88 pts.)
- 2005 Dujac Fils et Père Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Aux Thorey - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
From magnum. At first this seemed just kind of stern and unyielding the way 2005s have been, but a few hours later, the TCA started to become obvious on the nose. In an unusual turn of events, others called cork taint on this far earlier than I did. (FLAWED)
- 1995 Von Schubert Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett trocken - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
From magnum. Not so expressive on the fruit front, but plenty of delicious petrol and mineral notes on this wine. Just a hint of sweetness, but I think this would have been even better if there was more and it was a full-fledged Kabinett instead. Minerally, light, and clean. (90 pts.)
- 2022 Jester King Feral Dampf - USA, Texas
Wow. Incredible stuff. Tastes pretty much like a fresh bottle of Cantillon gueuze. So clean and elegant, with just the right amount of acidity and funk. Will probably have to make my way to Local Option now...
- 2004 Domaine Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Smells like poo, also some 2004 greenness too. Muddy and really not good. Never understood Ponsot. Ostensibly it should be good, but you can't argue with the results? (70 pts.)
- 1984 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley
Not as good as the other 1984s we had earlier in the week. This was a little volatile and thinning out on the palate. I could have guessed merlot instead of cabernet franc here. (88 pts.)
- 1984 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley
More cabernet-like than the Beringer alongside, but not as compelling as the 1984s from earlier this week either. A bit muddy and lacking in precision, this maybe saw a bit of heat damage in the past? (88 pts.)
- 1984 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Gravelly Meadow - USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
My favourite of the three 1984 cabernets tonight; it's still a bit volatile on the nose but the palate makes up for it. It's cleaner and shows more of a pure black fruit profile, as well as plenty of leathery tannins. (90 pts.)
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