From Magnum. Starting to show some maturing notes, but still very lively with notes of both fresh and baked red and apple and a touch of pear too. Some lemon peel as well. Great acidity throughout with good richness on the palate.
From magnum. Bright, juicy lemon and lime with oyster shell and crushed rock too. Laser-like focus with a very fine mousse. Incredibly long and energetic finish. My personal favorite of the 3 vintages tonight (all from magnum).
From Magnum. Fattest of the three vintages tonight, but no means not a great bottle of Champagne. Toasty baked apple and lemon. Rich and ripe fruit on the palate, but with good acidity to keep things in balance.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Library release from the Domaine and shipped in roughly a month ago. Fantastic freshness while showing some maturing notes. Apple, with notes of lemon peel, lemon custard, and a slight touch of ginger. Wonderful richness on the palate with a medium plus finish.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru
Opened and decanted about 90 minutes before serving. After the stellar performance of the 01 Amoureuses last weekend, I decided it was time to check back in on this one. Sappy dark red/ black raspberry on the nose and palate with deep, intense floral (violets). Densely packed fruit and floral on the palate with only faint hints of spice coming through. A long powerful finish. Clearly lots in reserve with a long life ahead. If served blind, I would have guessed from a much younger and riper vintage.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Popped, poured and drank over a couple hours. A great bottle of this. Amazing, seductive aromatics right from the start. Deep red cherry up front and finished off more black cherry, with some darker Asian spice notes, bit of leather and some game too. Lots of power and good mineral structure remaining. Long, powerful finish.
From half bottle with a fill just below base neck. Nose had an odd note, but it seemed to be just a touched reduced. Palate on the other hand had a weird medicinal note and finished harsh and acidic. Went back a couple hours later and only become worse. Too bad.
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
Opened roughly 3 hours before serving and not decanted. Very dark color and no real signs of fading. Powerful aromatics right from the start. Ripe red and black cherry with some blackberry as well. Dark chocolate, black truffle, leather and smoke too. Same fruit came through on the palate. Very dense and well textured. Almost port-like in some ways, but without the heat. Really fun to try.
From half bottle. First time I can remember having this vintage. Unmistakingly Yquem aromatics. A nice mix of yellow peach and apricot with some honeysuckle and a bit of grilled pineapple. Very ice balance of ripe fruit and acidity. Moderate intensity and finish.
1996 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs
France, Champagne
From Magnum. Starting to show some maturing notes, but still very lively with notes of both fresh and baked red and apple and a touch of pear too. Some lemon peel as well. Great acidity throughout with good richness on the palate.
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2002 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs
France, Champagne
From magnum. Bright, juicy lemon and lime with oyster shell and crushed rock too. Laser-like focus with a very fine mousse. Incredibly long and energetic finish. My personal favorite of the 3 vintages tonight (all from magnum).
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2004 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs
France, Champagne
From Magnum. Fattest of the three vintages tonight, but no means not a great bottle of Champagne. Toasty baked apple and lemon. Rich and ripe fruit on the palate, but with good acidity to keep things in balance.
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2004 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Library release from the Domaine and shipped in roughly a month ago. Fantastic freshness while showing some maturing notes. Apple, with notes of lemon peel, lemon custard, and a slight touch of ginger. Wonderful richness on the palate with a medium plus finish.
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2001 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Musigny
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru
Opened and decanted about 90 minutes before serving. After the stellar performance of the 01 Amoureuses last weekend, I decided it was time to check back in on this one. Sappy dark red/ black raspberry on the nose and palate with deep, intense floral (violets). Densely packed fruit and floral on the palate with only faint hints of spice coming through. A long powerful finish. Clearly lots in reserve with a long life ahead. If served blind, I would have guessed from a much younger and riper vintage.
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1998 Domaine G. Roumier / Christophe Roumier Bonnes Mares
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Popped, poured and drank over a couple hours. A great bottle of this. Amazing, seductive aromatics right from the start. Deep red cherry up front and finished off more black cherry, with some darker Asian spice notes, bit of leather and some game too. Lots of power and good mineral structure remaining. Long, powerful finish.
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1990 Château Haut-Brion Flawed
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
From half bottle with a fill just below base neck. Nose had an odd note, but it seemed to be just a touched reduced. Palate on the other hand had a weird medicinal note and finished harsh and acidic. Went back a couple hours later and only become worse. Too bad.
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1990 Château Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse)
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
Opened roughly 3 hours before serving and not decanted. Very dark color and no real signs of fading. Powerful aromatics right from the start. Ripe red and black cherry with some blackberry as well. Dark chocolate, black truffle, leather and smoke too. Same fruit came through on the palate. Very dense and well textured. Almost port-like in some ways, but without the heat. Really fun to try.
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1998 Château d'Yquem
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
From half bottle. First time I can remember having this vintage. Unmistakingly Yquem aromatics. A nice mix of yellow peach and apricot with some honeysuckle and a bit of grilled pineapple. Very ice balance of ripe fruit and acidity. Moderate intensity and finish.
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