Bright nose with lemons, sage, lime and a lot of baking spices. With some air, I think this really blossomed. The palate seemed to ripen with time and good lord was this nice. I dare you to drink this and not concede that it's a perfecty ccomposed chardonnay. Beautiful stufff.
One of the first glasses of the night, this was all class. Not sure it really surprised us that Lopez was serving elegant wines at this age, but it's always fun to get into the 1973s again. Thought that the palate was nicely composed with many layers of subtley oxidized cranberry and cherry. Brilliant stuff.
This was great. Dusty red cherries and a steely minerality were hallmarks of this wine, and it kept maturing and evolving with time. After about 45 minutes this rivaled the best Nebbiolo's I ever tried - rustic edge of red fruits, tar, and earth. Just brilliant stuff.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru
The aromas were simply perfection...baking spices, brown sugar, crystalline red fruits, damp earth, and dried rose petals. Most of us at the table were entranced by the nose, and thankfully, the palate was great too. Spices, red fruits, and vivid earth composed the palate. Just brilliant, brilliant stuff. A wine that people lust after.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru
A sleeping giant. This, to me, started off somewhat quiet. Its dark fruits and spices really began to build after it had been opened an hour. It morphed from a 6 to a 8 (or higher)...just dark and aromatic notes of earth made this a super attractive bottle of wine. Definitely took a back seat to the 1988 Leroy Boudots that was opened alongside it...but this is crazy good pinot.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
This was shy at first. Compared to the older pinots we had this surely was the most forward. No one was surprised by this, but I think the wine's progression was quite a treat. Dark, dark, dark...that never changed, but it did (at least for me) gain a bit of elegance and balance with air time. Great stuff that will benefit with another 10-15 years. Young but great.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Thanks to Fred for opening up this wine. Incredible nose of flint, lemon, and smoke. Certainly a modern palate, but after a taste I realize how structured, elegant, and serious this wine was. Chevy is always elegant, profound, and serious...but this was a +1 in every category. A brilliant Chardonnay. One of the best I've had in a long time.
1996 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 95 Points
France, Champagne
Bright nose with lemons, sage, lime and a lot of baking spices. With some air, I think this really blossomed. The palate seemed to ripen with time and good lord was this nice. I dare you to drink this and not concede that it's a perfecty ccomposed chardonnay. Beautiful stufff.
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1973 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Bosconia 94 Points
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
One of the first glasses of the night, this was all class. Not sure it really surprised us that Lopez was serving elegant wines at this age, but it's always fun to get into the 1973s again. Thought that the palate was nicely composed with many layers of subtley oxidized cranberry and cherry. Brilliant stuff.
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1990 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Villero di Castiglione Falletto 96 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
This was great. Dusty red cherries and a steely minerality were hallmarks of this wine, and it kept maturing and evolving with time. After about 45 minutes this rivaled the best Nebbiolo's I ever tried - rustic edge of red fruits, tar, and earth. Just brilliant stuff.
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1988 Domaine Leroy Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots 98 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru
The aromas were simply perfection...baking spices, brown sugar, crystalline red fruits, damp earth, and dried rose petals. Most of us at the table were entranced by the nose, and thankfully, the palate was great too. Spices, red fruits, and vivid earth composed the palate. Just brilliant, brilliant stuff. A wine that people lust after.
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1988 Christophe Roumier Ruchottes-Chambertin 95 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru
A sleeping giant. This, to me, started off somewhat quiet. Its dark fruits and spices really began to build after it had been opened an hour. It morphed from a 6 to a 8 (or higher)...just dark and aromatic notes of earth made this a super attractive bottle of wine. Definitely took a back seat to the 1988 Leroy Boudots that was opened alongside it...but this is crazy good pinot.
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2001 Bernard Dugat-Py Charmes-Chambertin 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
This was shy at first. Compared to the older pinots we had this surely was the most forward. No one was surprised by this, but I think the wine's progression was quite a treat. Dark, dark, dark...that never changed, but it did (at least for me) gain a bit of elegance and balance with air time. Great stuff that will benefit with another 10-15 years. Young but great.
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2004 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chevalier-Montrachet 97 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Thanks to Fred for opening up this wine. Incredible nose of flint, lemon, and smoke. Certainly a modern palate, but after a taste I realize how structured, elegant, and serious this wine was. Chevy is always elegant, profound, and serious...but this was a +1 in every category. A brilliant Chardonnay. One of the best I've had in a long time.
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