This offered beautiful aromas of lemon zest and candied yuzu backed by a soft vanilla note, while the palate, at first, was rather imprecise and muddled, with a dip in the mid-palate. As it breathed, however, it straightened out and filled out, offering mouth-coating and just delicious notes of lightly baked brioche and similar aspects as the nose with a solid core of minerals. Everything was carried on an impeccably precise and elegant frame, that ended with a long, long mouth-puckering finish. Absolutely fantastic.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
First impressions always count, right? So I thought I'd like this more than I did when all I could smell was weed, even if it was coarse weed. And pretty much everyone agreed, this smelled like pot that still had seeds in it (or so they tell me that's what it smells like...). In any case, the palate was disjointed and the fruit drying out to the point of near non-existence, with a super sharp angular attack at the back that scratched its way down my throat. Others liked it more than me (either due to masochism or intellectual curiosity, though probably the former), so I quickly moved on to the next white.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Very pretty on the nose, with slightly sweet woody notes dancing among the stone and soft lemon and peach fruit notes. The palate was fat but not too much, as one would expect from Perrieres, though the ending was slightly more watery than I'd expect, and the finish rather mid-length. The minerality I hope to find in Perrieres was a tad subdued by the oak treatment, so to me this is a delicious bottle that needs more time to come together. Then again, I wouldn't stop you from pouring me some if you wanted to.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru
Lucky me, I'm extremely sensitive to TCA and Greenie Meanies, and boy did I get the GMs in this wine. At first sniff, there were rather expressive red fruits intertwined with green peppers, but as it breathed the GMs came to the fore, masking any fruit for me. A few sips was all I could handle before going on the next wine. YMMV if you're not as sensitive to me, but what can I say, I'm a sensitive guy.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
While this was rather soft and inviting, it hid a core of precise and very masculine fruit (especially compared to the 1998 Clos St Denis) that was intoxicating if slightly blurry (does that make sense?). Still, it was a real pleasure to drink, with mouthcoating fruit and a long, somewhat haunting finish. Another youngster, but still worth drinking if you have more to hold on to.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Outstanding, as usual, very similar notes as last time. At first pop, GORGEOUS aromas of sous-bois, earth and moss hiding a cherry tree that was trying to break out and breathe. I let it stand open for about 3.5 hours before finally pouring this, and wow was it beautiful. Very few secondary aromas, but lots of crisp and precise light red fruits that now seemed to come to the fore, offering peeks of what I had smelled at first, and ending with a long, slightly haunting finish. This is obviously too young, but it's drinking so beautifully that it was hard to put down.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Right off the bat, I was impressed with this wine, but then again I've learned to really expect something special from Jadot. A nose of deep dark cherry and earth led to similar aspects on the palate, with the vintage's precision carrying everything through in a rather big if elegant manner. The finish was lovely, flowery and quite long.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
When I poured this, I immediately got the wet dog/cardboard notes of cork. However, the fruit was still vibrant and fighting for its life under a blanket of the stuff on the palate, so I hoped and prayed that it would win. Alas, it was not to be. Sigh...
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru
Wow what a beauty! This was soft and inviting, surprisingly, though maybe this was a year when the inclusion of stems helped smooth out the rougher edges. Absolutely delicious, ripe, with a sweet, rich cherry note that was backed by sous-bois and cinnamon accents. The mouthfeel was almost decadent, and the finish went on and on. WOTN for me, and I'm pretty sure everyone else. Stunning.
1996 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut
France, Champagne
This offered beautiful aromas of lemon zest and candied yuzu backed by a soft vanilla note, while the palate, at first, was rather imprecise and muddled, with a dip in the mid-palate. As it breathed, however, it straightened out and filled out, offering mouth-coating and just delicious notes of lightly baked brioche and similar aspects as the nose with a solid core of minerals. Everything was carried on an impeccably precise and elegant frame, that ended with a long, long mouth-puckering finish. Absolutely fantastic.
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1978 Antonin Guyon Corton-Charlemagne
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
First impressions always count, right? So I thought I'd like this more than I did when all I could smell was weed, even if it was coarse weed. And pretty much everyone agreed, this smelled like pot that still had seeds in it (or so they tell me that's what it smells like...). In any case, the palate was disjointed and the fruit drying out to the point of near non-existence, with a super sharp angular attack at the back that scratched its way down my throat. Others liked it more than me (either due to masochism or intellectual curiosity, though probably the former), so I quickly moved on to the next white.
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2002 Joseph Drouhin Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Very pretty on the nose, with slightly sweet woody notes dancing among the stone and soft lemon and peach fruit notes. The palate was fat but not too much, as one would expect from Perrieres, though the ending was slightly more watery than I'd expect, and the finish rather mid-length. The minerality I hope to find in Perrieres was a tad subdued by the oak treatment, so to me this is a delicious bottle that needs more time to come together. Then again, I wouldn't stop you from pouring me some if you wanted to.
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2004 Mongeard-Mugneret Richebourg
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru
Lucky me, I'm extremely sensitive to TCA and Greenie Meanies, and boy did I get the GMs in this wine. At first sniff, there were rather expressive red fruits intertwined with green peppers, but as it breathed the GMs came to the fore, masking any fruit for me. A few sips was all I could handle before going on the next wine. YMMV if you're not as sensitive to me, but what can I say, I'm a sensitive guy.
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2000 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
While this was rather soft and inviting, it hid a core of precise and very masculine fruit (especially compared to the 1998 Clos St Denis) that was intoxicating if slightly blurry (does that make sense?). Still, it was a real pleasure to drink, with mouthcoating fruit and a long, somewhat haunting finish. Another youngster, but still worth drinking if you have more to hold on to.
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2001 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Clos de la Roche
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Outstanding, as usual, very similar notes as last time. At first pop, GORGEOUS aromas of sous-bois, earth and moss hiding a cherry tree that was trying to break out and breathe. I let it stand open for about 3.5 hours before finally pouring this, and wow was it beautiful. Very few secondary aromas, but lots of crisp and precise light red fruits that now seemed to come to the fore, offering peeks of what I had smelled at first, and ending with a long, slightly haunting finish. This is obviously too young, but it's drinking so beautifully that it was hard to put down.
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2001 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Domaine Louis Jadot
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Right off the bat, I was impressed with this wine, but then again I've learned to really expect something special from Jadot. A nose of deep dark cherry and earth led to similar aspects on the palate, with the vintage's precision carrying everything through in a rather big if elegant manner. The finish was lovely, flowery and quite long.
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1988 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Clos de la Roche Flawed
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
When I poured this, I immediately got the wet dog/cardboard notes of cork. However, the fruit was still vibrant and fighting for its life under a blanket of the stuff on the palate, so I hoped and prayed that it would win. Alas, it was not to be. Sigh...
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1998 Domaine Dujac Clos Saint-Denis
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru
Wow what a beauty! This was soft and inviting, surprisingly, though maybe this was a year when the inclusion of stems helped smooth out the rougher edges. Absolutely delicious, ripe, with a sweet, rich cherry note that was backed by sous-bois and cinnamon accents. The mouthfeel was almost decadent, and the finish went on and on. WOTN for me, and I'm pretty sure everyone else. Stunning.
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