France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Excellent, but way too young. A bit of an oak bomb at first with plenty of vanilla and some toasty popcorn bits filling the nose. With a bit of time though, nice drifts of fleshy white fruit and sweet flowers, butter, spice and mineral started drifting out. With time, honeysuckle and chalk notes started coming out with time too. The palate was rather cloaked with oak as well, rather masking the whole mouthful. However, the quality was certainly there - there was an effortless depth and breadth to its white fruit and gentle honeyed tones, along with a lovely brightness and transparency running through it all. This was weight and power without fat, and a lovely structure of dry extract and minerality leading into a long finish full of graceful strength. Very good, but this was all potential rather than a complete package - it needs a lot of time yet, say 10 years at the very least. 93+
A bit tired, but still very enjoyable. It had a lovely sweet nose, with dried cherries and strawberries littered with a sweet floral backnote and a little lift of spice and capsicum and a kiss of earth at the sides. Pretty. The palate was just a touch on the dried side, with a little layer of powdery tannins underlying slightly cooked notes of raspberries, cherries and plums. Very Merlot for some reason - made me guess Palmer almost immediately. The mid palate and finish was a little soft, losing some structure as it slid away into a little leather and spice finish. This was just barely kept alive by the surprisingly fresh acidity. Overall though, still a charmer.
This was surprising - quite a pleasant wine. It had a lifted nose of peppermint and spice infused into sweet strawberry and plum notes, all patted down with a gentle earthiness. Nice. Pleasant palate too. Just about thinning out, especially after some time in the glass, but it started out with a nice flush of sweet strawberries and raspberries laced with more of that lifted peppermint note. The finish was still held up with a little chew of fine brambly tannins and a short burst of acidity trailing away into a little earthy tail. About time to drink up, but still very pleasant.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru
Very advanced for a 1er Cru of its age, and not in a great way. This smelt really old, like something from the early 1980s, with tons of funky sous bois, boiled herb and bramble notes hovering around sweeter scents of cooked strawberry and mint. The palate was really mellow, with soft acidity and almost non-existent tannins on the attack and midpalate, again making a passable impression of a much older wines. Mature flavours too, with more of those strawberry compote notes infused with boiled herb and a little spiciness. Pleasant enough, but this was never quite compelling. Finish tailed off quite weakly, with a slightly drying, brambly feel. All in all, a decent enough drink, but rather disappointing for a Fourrier.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru
About as old school a red Burg as I had in some time, this was nicely put together and quite pleasant, but still clearly years and years ways from being ready. I like the nose with its bright aromas of red cherries and berries seasoned with drifts of herb and fragrant spice and a lift of sweet rose accents. Pretty. The palate struck quite a different chord though. This was tough and masculine, with grippy acidity and a sinewy structure undergirding clear, clean notes of cherry and red berries ringed with more of those sweet floral tones picked up on the nose. It really leaned up towards the back-palate too, showing some austerity with a good bit of rocky mineral nestling amidst herb and spice aplenty. An old school Aloxe-Corton for sure, tough in spite of its sweet floral notes and admirable clarity. It needs tons of time yet – think 6-8 years at least.
I liked the quality on this, but it was way, way too young. It had a lovely Taylor’s nose with a characteristic twist of wild herbal accents - bramble and dried sage and thyme I thought – all packed together with tones sweet brandied cherries and a little sprinkle of spice. A little waft of alcohol drifting through the bouquet aside, this was really attractive. The palate was wonderfully well-balanced, with lovely bright acidity enlivening sweet flavours of fresh cherries and red berries, all laced with the finest tannins. This may have lacked some of the depth of a 1994 or 1997, but it had lovely proportions and nice focused feel to it. A little lace of Taylor's traditional spice and brambly herb notes then led into a long, lingering finish with just a kiss of bitter chocolate at the end. A very complete wine, this was a nice drink on the day, but it really has the poise and balance to go on for decades yet. Try again in 2025.
2011 Henri Boillot Corton-Charlemagne 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Excellent, but way too young. A bit of an oak bomb at first with plenty of vanilla and some toasty popcorn bits filling the nose. With a bit of time though, nice drifts of fleshy white fruit and sweet flowers, butter, spice and mineral started drifting out. With time, honeysuckle and chalk notes started coming out with time too. The palate was rather cloaked with oak as well, rather masking the whole mouthful. However, the quality was certainly there - there was an effortless depth and breadth to its white fruit and gentle honeyed tones, along with a lovely brightness and transparency running through it all. This was weight and power without fat, and a lovely structure of dry extract and minerality leading into a long finish full of graceful strength. Very good, but this was all potential rather than a complete package - it needs a lot of time yet, say 10 years at the very least. 93+
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1976 Château Palmer 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
A bit tired, but still very enjoyable. It had a lovely sweet nose, with dried cherries and strawberries littered with a sweet floral backnote and a little lift of spice and capsicum and a kiss of earth at the sides. Pretty. The palate was just a touch on the dried side, with a little layer of powdery tannins underlying slightly cooked notes of raspberries, cherries and plums. Very Merlot for some reason - made me guess Palmer almost immediately. The mid palate and finish was a little soft, losing some structure as it slid away into a little leather and spice finish. This was just barely kept alive by the surprisingly fresh acidity. Overall though, still a charmer.
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1976 Château de Valois 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
This was surprising - quite a pleasant wine. It had a lifted nose of peppermint and spice infused into sweet strawberry and plum notes, all patted down with a gentle earthiness. Nice. Pleasant palate too. Just about thinning out, especially after some time in the glass, but it started out with a nice flush of sweet strawberries and raspberries laced with more of that lifted peppermint note. The finish was still held up with a little chew of fine brambly tannins and a short burst of acidity trailing away into a little earthy tail. About time to drink up, but still very pleasant.
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1997 Domaine Fourrier Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Clos Sorbes Vieille Vigne 89 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru
Very advanced for a 1er Cru of its age, and not in a great way. This smelt really old, like something from the early 1980s, with tons of funky sous bois, boiled herb and bramble notes hovering around sweeter scents of cooked strawberry and mint. The palate was really mellow, with soft acidity and almost non-existent tannins on the attack and midpalate, again making a passable impression of a much older wines. Mature flavours too, with more of those strawberry compote notes infused with boiled herb and a little spiciness. Pleasant enough, but this was never quite compelling. Finish tailed off quite weakly, with a slightly drying, brambly feel. All in all, a decent enough drink, but rather disappointing for a Fourrier.
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2002 Domaine Arnoux Pére et Fils Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru Fournières 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru
About as old school a red Burg as I had in some time, this was nicely put together and quite pleasant, but still clearly years and years ways from being ready. I like the nose with its bright aromas of red cherries and berries seasoned with drifts of herb and fragrant spice and a lift of sweet rose accents. Pretty. The palate struck quite a different chord though. This was tough and masculine, with grippy acidity and a sinewy structure undergirding clear, clean notes of cherry and red berries ringed with more of those sweet floral tones picked up on the nose. It really leaned up towards the back-palate too, showing some austerity with a good bit of rocky mineral nestling amidst herb and spice aplenty. An old school Aloxe-Corton for sure, tough in spite of its sweet floral notes and admirable clarity. It needs tons of time yet – think 6-8 years at least.
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1995 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage Quinta de Vargellas 92 Points
Portugal, Douro, Porto
I liked the quality on this, but it was way, way too young. It had a lovely Taylor’s nose with a characteristic twist of wild herbal accents - bramble and dried sage and thyme I thought – all packed together with tones sweet brandied cherries and a little sprinkle of spice. A little waft of alcohol drifting through the bouquet aside, this was really attractive. The palate was wonderfully well-balanced, with lovely bright acidity enlivening sweet flavours of fresh cherries and red berries, all laced with the finest tannins. This may have lacked some of the depth of a 1994 or 1997, but it had lovely proportions and nice focused feel to it. A little lace of Taylor's traditional spice and brambly herb notes then led into a long, lingering finish with just a kiss of bitter chocolate at the end. A very complete wine, this was a nice drink on the day, but it really has the poise and balance to go on for decades yet. Try again in 2025.
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