Celebrating Dylan's arrival

William and Gina's bundle of joy finally arrived and a few of us popped by to the hospital for a visit. True to form, the daddy had some celebratory bottles of wine opened.

• 2004 Apollonis (Michel Loriot) Champagne Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Les Sources du Flagot 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  I liked this - it had a lot of character on it. The nose was really expressive, with chalky and mushrooms and earthy mineral, alongside white fruit and a little walnut accent. Very interesting. There was lost going on in the mouth as well character. This was certainly quite a powerful wine, with a round, generous attack showing baked apples and ripe white fruit tones, some white button mushrooms in cream, all wreathed in a gently frothy mousse. This then leans out over the midpalate into super-dry, limey acidity and then a lovely, almost stern minerality as the wine wound itself into a long finish shaded with warm spice. Still very young - this will need some time to integrate and come together, but it is a nicely complex Champagne even at this age. Should be even better in 2-3 years.

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• 1976 Domaine Jean Dupont Meursault 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  Rather remarkable for a village wine at this age - this was complex and fun. The nose had fresh, lifted notes of green apples and grassy gooseberries - something rather Sauvignon Blanc-like about the fruit expression - along with a touch of cream and some mineral and spice accents. That fresh, high-toned expression was picked up on the palate, where citrusy flavours of green apples, limes and gooesnerries came together with a nice minerally undertone and some beautifully juicy freshness. It was absolutely alive, perhaps a little on the skinny side, but was still really commendable for village of this age. Nice and complex too, with those minerally notes trailing away into a focused finish with a linger of spice and a nutty twist. Fun.

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• 2011 Christophe Vaudoisey Meursault Les Vireuils 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  35 years separated the two Meursault wines we had, and they could not be more different. While the 1976 was lean and sprightly, this still had all its puppy fat about it. Both were very good examples though. This had a classic Meursault nose, with its creamy, buttery notes and aromas of white fruit and chalky mineral. It was impressive on the palate too. Again, we got more cream and butter, white fruit and some mushrooms, and then a long, fresh finish with nutty notes and a little lick of spice. There was a surprising palate-staining depth to the wine and quite a lot of substance for a village. At the moment though, I thought it was just a touch on the plump, heavy-set side, even in spite of a note of freshness on the backpalate. It is impressive though, and should do even better in a few years as it it sheds it puppy fat.

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• 2002 Camus Pere & Fils Charmes-Chambertin 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru

  Pretty decent. It was a bit lightweight for a Grand Cru, and certainly unusually advanced for a 2002, but this was quite a nice drink nonetheless. The nose had a healthy does of Burgundy funk, with sous bois and mushroom and soft cheese all coming to mind, almost obscuring lighter notes of dark cherry with a twist of cola and a little spice running on behind. The palate was actually very pleasant to drink. It drank more like a decent 1er Cru in its depth and proportions, but there was that nice 2002 structure and balance, with fine tannins and a good freshness to the wine, along with good flavours of dark cherries and berries tossed together with a little earth, spice and herb. There was just that tiniest hit of bittersweet greenness on the finish. Otherwise, this was a pleasantly enjoyable wine that seems to be drinking at or near its peak.

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