Lavandou
Tasted Friday, February 22, 2013 by Keith Levenberg with 552 views
Poured blind. We had a ringer from Rhys in the lineup and I guessed this was it right off the bat, with its bold, grippy fruit and a spine that seemed reminiscent of a whole cluster treatment -- oops. I was absolutely shocked to see this revealed as the Dublere Taillepieds because the 2009 seemed so empty -- this is the total opposite. The aroma was soft and perfumed, but the fruit on the palate is seriously dense. I'd be curious to try this again outside of a tasting context.
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Poured blind. Woodsy scents, not really oak barrels but maybe a little brambly, a little sawdusty. I didn't like that latter aspect, which seemed to surface on the palate too, which was also cool with an almost minty leafiness. This was sparsely concentrated relative to the rest of the flight and maybe even the whole night's lineup. I had included a bargain VDP pinot noir as a ringer and was afraid it might be this wine and that it'd get written off as "well, whaddya expect..." but (fortunately? unfortunately?) it turned out to be one of the 1er crus.
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Poured blind. Not as expressive on the nose as some, but the scents it has seem deep. It starts out showcasing a bit of root beer-like oak, but it's not strongly stamped and seems to absorb and disappear in the glass -- while that's happening the fruit seems to get crunchier in texture with a more floral, rosy perfume. And while it's initially on the pliant side it seems to pick up more solidity over the course of the glass too.
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Poured blind. Pretty. Very pure and vibrant berry fruit that almost seemed reminiscent of Beaujolais, but softer and more sheer. The tannin tightens up on the back end.
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Poured blind. Very primary - pure beries, almost sticky in its grip although without coming across fat. I didn't get any oak, which is a good sign given the new regime here, but I couldn't get a read on anything beyond the fruit, either.
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Poured blind. Slightly more restrained than the wine before it, which turned out to be the Faiveley Cazetiers, but it's still richly fruited with a kind of cigar-box smokiness going on. I have some of these so I'll have to have a bottle by itself to get a better read on it, but it's nice to have another solid Ile producer.
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Poured blind. With the exception of the California ringer, this was by far the ripest wine of the night, and in fact not far off from the Cali. Of course, it was the only grand cru. Still, I couldn't get a read on anything here except the rich, ripe fruit and a touch of cinnamon on the nose.
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Poured blind. Maybe my favorite of the night. I wasn't sure whether this was one of the Rugiens or the Ile des Vergelesses, but the stoniness that seems characteristic of both terroirs was certainly a feature here and made it one of the only wines where I was able to discern a soil signature under the primary veneer.
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2004 Nicolas Maillart Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Les Chaillots Gillis 91 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Really nice blanc de blancs. It's got a very pretty fragrance, with a touch of fresh confiture and sweet breakfast cereal grains. On the palate it starts out soft and silky, but gets more golden and rich in the glass.
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