Popped and poured, followed approximately one hour. Deep golden colour in the glass, with pin prick bubbles that dissipated within the first few minutes. The nose on this was extremely peculiar, showing notes of bruised apple, canned pineapple, and a touch of spice. On the palate, rather lean, showing medium plus acidity. Finish is moderate, and accentuated with notes of bruised apple, dried pineapple, spice and mineral. Not sure if flawed, or just terrible. The table opted not to drink this. A stark contrast to the 94 point potato chips served alongside it.
Popped and poured from magnum, followed approximately 2 hours. Light straw gold in the colour, showing a fine, persistent bead. On the nose, lemon zest, mineral, a touch of garbage, bread dough, baking spice and with time, reveals some light caramel and hazelnut aromas. On the palate, showing a lovely richness and class, with a moderate length finish, accentuated with tastes of lemon/lime, mineral, spice and yeast. A very nice wine, but ultimately, opened a touch too soon from this format. Still some upside here.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
Popped and poured, followed approximately one hour. Golden in colour, looking relatively advanced for its age. Once it warms a touch in the glass, the nose is really quite boisterous, revealing notes of lemon zest, peach, green apple, mineral, sea water, florals, lemon grass, baking spice, menthol and a touch of hazelnut. On the palate, lovely texture and viscosity, medium plus acidity, and a long, slightly bitter finish characterized by tastes of lemon zest, salt water, mineral, spice, fresh herbs and green apple skin. While quite young, this drinks wonderfully now, and the new wood is very well integrated.
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Poured a small pour to low shoulder, slow oxygenation for 3 hours, followed 6 hours in the glass thereafter. Garnet in the glass, with a mild brick. Beyond the first pour to test the wine, the nose was rather reticent, but with some some coaxing, offered up scents of black cherry, leather, spice, cedar, iron, dried herbs, earth, tea leaves, tar, brown sugar, florals and a touch of balsamic glaze. On the palate, still showing immense structure, with medium plus acidity and a relative wall of tannin. The finish is moderate, clipped slightly by the tannin, with lingering tastes of sour cherry, earth, iron, herbs and black tea. As this sat in the glass, air did it no favours. By the time I consumed the remainder, it was turning a touch raisined and more dominant tea notes were coming to the forefront. Overall, quite a perplexing wine. While excellent, it fell short of expectations and showed very young. If this were not an ex-chateau bottle, I would have been questioning its authenticity. Still seems to be holding something back, so if I had one, I would give it at another 5-8 years in the cellar and hope for the best.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin
Popped and poured, fully saturated cork. Ruby red in the glass with a moderate brick. On the nose, dried red cherries, baking spice, undergrowth, earth, soy, grass clippings, fish sauce, decaying leaves and a touch of anise. Intriguing nose, that leans almost entirely tertiary, but still appealing. On the palate, this falters a bit, medium plus acid that seems to be taking over, with tastes of dried red fruit, earth, soy and tea leaves. Finish is a touch clipped, leaving it rather short. More of a pleasure to smell than to actually consume. Drink 10 years ago.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Popped and poured, followed approximately an hour. Dark translucent ruby in the glass. Right out of the gate, this was really expressive with notes of cranberry, cherry, pomegranate, grapefruit peel, baking spice, incense, pickled ginger, and obvious stem inclusion. On the palate, moderate tannin, medium acidity, showing respectable concentration for this vintage. Notes of red/black fruit, mineral, citrus peel, spice, earth and smoke frame the moderate length, drying finish. Surprisingly enjoyable today, but some room for improvement in the cellar as this rounds out.
1990 Champagne Fleury Champagne Cepages Blancs Extra Brut 85 Points
France, Champagne
Popped and poured, followed approximately one hour. Deep golden colour in the glass, with pin prick bubbles that dissipated within the first few minutes. The nose on this was extremely peculiar, showing notes of bruised apple, canned pineapple, and a touch of spice. On the palate, rather lean, showing medium plus acidity. Finish is moderate, and accentuated with notes of bruised apple, dried pineapple, spice and mineral. Not sure if flawed, or just terrible. The table opted not to drink this. A stark contrast to the 94 point potato chips served alongside it.
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1990 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut La Grande Dame 92 Points
France, Champagne
Popped and poured from magnum, followed approximately 2 hours. Light straw gold in the colour, showing a fine, persistent bead. On the nose, lemon zest, mineral, a touch of garbage, bread dough, baking spice and with time, reveals some light caramel and hazelnut aromas. On the palate, showing a lovely richness and class, with a moderate length finish, accentuated with tastes of lemon/lime, mineral, spice and yeast. A very nice wine, but ultimately, opened a touch too soon from this format. Still some upside here.
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2007 Domaine Jacques Prieur Montrachet 95 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
Popped and poured, followed approximately one hour. Golden in colour, looking relatively advanced for its age. Once it warms a touch in the glass, the nose is really quite boisterous, revealing notes of lemon zest, peach, green apple, mineral, sea water, florals, lemon grass, baking spice, menthol and a touch of hazelnut. On the palate, lovely texture and viscosity, medium plus acidity, and a long, slightly bitter finish characterized by tastes of lemon zest, salt water, mineral, spice, fresh herbs and green apple skin. While quite young, this drinks wonderfully now, and the new wood is very well integrated.
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1975 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 94 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Poured a small pour to low shoulder, slow oxygenation for 3 hours, followed 6 hours in the glass thereafter. Garnet in the glass, with a mild brick. Beyond the first pour to test the wine, the nose was rather reticent, but with some some coaxing, offered up scents of black cherry, leather, spice, cedar, iron, dried herbs, earth, tea leaves, tar, brown sugar, florals and a touch of balsamic glaze. On the palate, still showing immense structure, with medium plus acidity and a relative wall of tannin. The finish is moderate, clipped slightly by the tannin, with lingering tastes of sour cherry, earth, iron, herbs and black tea. As this sat in the glass, air did it no favours. By the time I consumed the remainder, it was turning a touch raisined and more dominant tea notes were coming to the forefront. Overall, quite a perplexing wine. While excellent, it fell short of expectations and showed very young. If this were not an ex-chateau bottle, I would have been questioning its authenticity. Still seems to be holding something back, so if I had one, I would give it at another 5-8 years in the cellar and hope for the best.
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1978 Maison Albert Bichot Gevrey-Chambertin Domaine du Clos Frantin 87 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin
Popped and poured, fully saturated cork. Ruby red in the glass with a moderate brick. On the nose, dried red cherries, baking spice, undergrowth, earth, soy, grass clippings, fish sauce, decaying leaves and a touch of anise. Intriguing nose, that leans almost entirely tertiary, but still appealing. On the palate, this falters a bit, medium plus acid that seems to be taking over, with tastes of dried red fruit, earth, soy and tea leaves. Finish is a touch clipped, leaving it rather short. More of a pleasure to smell than to actually consume. Drink 10 years ago.
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2007 Domaine Dujac Charmes-Chambertin 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Popped and poured, followed approximately an hour. Dark translucent ruby in the glass. Right out of the gate, this was really expressive with notes of cranberry, cherry, pomegranate, grapefruit peel, baking spice, incense, pickled ginger, and obvious stem inclusion. On the palate, moderate tannin, medium acidity, showing respectable concentration for this vintage. Notes of red/black fruit, mineral, citrus peel, spice, earth and smoke frame the moderate length, drying finish. Surprisingly enjoyable today, but some room for improvement in the cellar as this rounds out.
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