Goedhuis Tasting 2011

This was an extremely well put together by-invitation by the London merchants. I got through some one-third of the wines, but all of them, especially the whites, were impressive.

• 2008 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett 91 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  A bit muted, but far better than the last time I tried it shortly after release. This showed typical WS vanilla scents alongside flowers and white fruit on the nose. The palate was rather tighter than the nose though, showing primary white fruit and more citrussy grapefruit and lemony flavours. Still, this showed lovely balance and poise with the nicely fresh but understated acidity so typical of both the maker and the terroir. Not the most impressive of Kabinett at the moment, especially looking at what some of Prum's neighbours have accomplished in recent years, but this was still a very good wine which should only really hit its stride in a few years' time.

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• 1999 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon 91 Points

  France, Champagne

  Third bottle, and this was more in line with the first (good) rather than the second (great) bottle of Champagne. Popped and poured, it really deserved either more time in the glass or, even better, to age in bottle. I must say it had a really nice nose which is so often the case with DP. Gentle nuts, toast, a mix of green and red apple aromas and a floating rim of green herb and flower scents - very attractive. The palate was still quite tight and a bit simple though. It was very well-proportioned with decent depth, a gently fresh balance and typically fine mousse , which framed white fruited flavours laced with stony mineral. However, it was just a bit tight and one-dimensional, closing out with a tang of lemons zest leaving a slightly bitter touch at the end. Overall, a nice if not quite great package. It needs time though.

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• 2009 Jean-Philippe Fichet Meursault Le Tesson 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  Good stuff. A bit forward, but boy was it ever so drinkable. It had a lovely nose - a classy mixture of creme fraiche, fleshy white fruited scents, some honeysuckle and granitc mineral accents, it was really nice. The palate was lovely too, pure Fichet in two ways - first, it was elegantly poised and focused and ever so balanced especially for a 2009; and second, it certainly punched above its weight, showing almost 1er Cru depth in its white fruit flavours laced with gentle minerality as it oozed its way into a fine lengthy finish, where more gentle creamy notes emerged. I really liked this wine - it is one of those that you could just guzzle glass after glass of.

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• 2009 Michel Colin-Deléger et Fils Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Demoiselles 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru

  A truly excellent 1er Cru. This started out with a beautiful Puligny nose - cream, gentle earthy scents, some melon fruit, lots of nice minerally aromas, a touch of florals. It came across ripe, yet controlled, deep, yet lifted - a very nice bouquet indeed. The palate, I thought, was even better. This was clearly a top 1er Cru if not a Grand Cru in terms of quality. It had plenty of depth and concentration, almost intensity in the way it unfolded across the mouth in an inexorable flow of fleshy white and yellow fruit flecked with chalky hints, yet it was clean, well-proportioned and absolutely focused with a laser-like cut to it. Plenty of depth, yet wonderful whole and harmonious. A wonderfully detailed finish with its mingle of vanillin, flowers and hints of mineral rounded the whole package off beautifully. I loved this - an excellent wine. I am not sure it will be the longest lasting white Burg, but it is drinking so well in its youth that this should not really be a bother.

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• 1989 Château Canon 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Far, far better than the last bottle I had, this was at peak and absolutely singing. It had a wonderful nose of lush earth, tobacco, and sweet spice aromas wafting out of the glass alongside ripe plums and dark cherries. With a bit of air, it showed a touch of roasted capsicum on the side. Absolutely beautiful right-bank stuff. The palate was perhaps not as rich or deep as I would expect for a 1989, but neither did it have the usual edge of hardness that so many vintages of Canon show. This was clearly masculine, with a nice bit of limestoney St Emilion mineral underlining it all, but it was certainly elegant with its velvety tannins, and had a lush roundness to its dark cherry and blackberry fruit flavours. The satisfyingly long finish was kissed with bits of spice and tobacco as it closed the wine off in classy fashion. Excellent.

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• 2004 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Third time round and very similar impressions from the last two bottles. An accomplished wine, as one would expect from a Baron, but certainly not one of the better vintages. The nose was still quite tight but clearly starting to open up just a bit. It showed dark cassis notes, tobacco, earth and spice. It took a bit of swirling and air to coax it out of its shell, but I liked it. The palate was another story though, while well-balanced and classily structured with fine tannins and fresh acidity, it was still a bit lean on the fruit side. It was almost as if the flesh was lacking and the wine showed its ribs of spice, tobacco and, above all, bittersweet mineral sticking out through layers of cassis fruit. This was a well-made wine for sure, nicely poised and very polished all the way into its decent finish, but it needs plenty of time yet - this bottle actually seemed rather leaner than the last one I had some one a half years ago which had a bit more time in the bottle to breathe before tasting. Overall, a good enough Baron, but I do not think it will ever be a great one.

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• 1999 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Costa Russi 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Far too young of course, but I thought this was a first class Nebbiolo with a wonderful future ahead of it. Not everyone agreed though - the tannins were a bit too hard to get through for quite a few. Indeed, I thought it was really young, barely giving much when first poured from a bottle that had been opened an hour ago. However, another half an hour in the glass did it wonders. The nose was subtly impressive now, with little drifts of flowers, tar, mossy, mushroomy earth and dark cherries. Pretty. The palate was very tight though. I loved the juicy acidity and superb elegance to it. It was came across as rather silky, even slinky even though there was quite a serious bed of firm tannins undergirding the wine. In spite of that, the quality was clear to see - the wine bore its fruit ever so lightly, so that even though there was pretty good depth, it came across as lifted and fragrant, almost pure. Past that, some lower bassy notes emerged in earthy, mineral tones spread over the midpalate. This was still far too young, so that it still seemed a bit simple, a bit austere, especially at the finish, but I have no doubt that it will bloom in time. I think this needs a good decade before reaching anywhere near top form.

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