Disgorged March 12, 2013. This didn't budge in the four hours it had been open. By far the most intense and concentrated of the champagnes we had today. Not blowsy, loud, or over-the-top at all, and not showing any overt signs of overripeness owing the the vintage. This didn't have the same deep minerality that the 2002 I had a while back did, but it was eminently clear the two were kith and kin. While this may not have been as exuberantly fresh, this still had an extremely intense vein of chalk running through it. Champagne really doesn't get better than Selosse.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
I thought from the colour that I ought to be worried. A heavily sulphured nose, with some waxy and fat yellow fruit in the background. Without a doubt, this is super ripe. The palate does seem a bit advanced with a somewhat bulbous amount of ripe fruit -- or is that just the overrated 2002 vintage showing its character? The oak treatment shows here, though thankfully there's not much toast. Still, there's a fair bit of acid, and the gangly bits about this wine may simply be due to my popping and pouring it. We'll see where this goes with some air.
Well, that's how I like 'em. Lots of the typical Krug richness, but this one is very well counterbalanced by a more prominent grapefruit note. A moderate amount of acidity on this one, with a good amount of chalky texture as well. Great stuff.
#25-09, 12.5% abv. I'll never understand these wines and why the grapes used to make this can't end up in a bottle of Spaetlese instead. Fortunately, this bottle of GG doesn't seem to be one of screechy acidity and structure without anything else, and from which you can only drink half a glass, but to be honest, this wine just doesn't have much interesting to say. GGs are a sad thing; grapes twisted into something they oughtn't be. /soapbox
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
En magnum (said ironically, of course). This was showing as a well-aged Burgundy should from the get-go, with very fruity character, a smattering of brown spice on the nose, all counterbalanced by a strong whiff of that Burgundian funk. Mushrooms, earth, mulch, it was kind of filthy, but in a good way. The finish still showed some red fruit, and any oak that may have been in this wine when young, has happily integrated away. Silky and giving, there might be upside to further aging, but this is pretty damn good right now.
USA, California, Sonoma County, Fort Ross - Seaview
Served blind. Nailed it as recent-release California syrah (though I was playing the player more than a little bit). This had lots of ripe black and blue fruit, which I felt was the giveaway, but there was more than ample acidity as well. It will certainly be interesting to see how this wine develops with more age on it.
Served blind. Called it as a 1995 red Burgundy, based on the earthiness, though the lower acidity and less imposing structure made me uncomfortable with the call. There's a slight bit of meat on this as well (and in hindsight, makes the Burgundy call even worse). But in that context, it was clear that this was something from a middle-tiered vintage in the 90s based on the state of the fruit.
Served blind. Pegged it as new world pinot noir, but there was some extra floral character to this that made me unhappy with my guess. So yeah, this is quite fruit forward, but quite elegant, with a very aromatic nose. The tannins are still a bit coarse and chewy, but I imagine that that'll go away with time. Are there any of these with bottle age around? That'd be an interesting thing to try.
#01-14, 12.5% abv. This is a fun wine. Bright red fruits, a slight bit of residual sugar, a touch of effervescence, and just an all-round easy-going character. Goes down dangerously easily.
Wow, this was surprisingly light in colour. The nose was pure and crystalline, showing predominantly floral notes, but also some very pretty red fruit as well. The palate was also very light, with the tannins already easing off (perhaps this has developed very quickly?). Still this is an amazingly pretty wine that is ready to be enjoyed now.
Huh. Maybe 20 years too young? This has a certain cool-climate thing about it. Lots of green herbaceousness on the nose, to the point that it's almost overpowering. But the palate is dark, dense, and very powerful. It feels very coiled up, and even with extended air, this did not give very much. Fits the mold of the stereotype that the Dunn wines are never ready. But give me a ribeye with this, and I'd be very hard-pressed to say no.
This was much lighter in colour and character than I remembered from the last times I had this wine. Perhaps it was because this bottle was the most recent disgorgement? Still, there's a profound biscuit quality to this wine, and this shows its oxidative qualities (much more clearly than the 2000 Krug we drank alongside). Lovely acidity and intensity. This has got to be one of my favourite "geek" champagnes.
This doesn't do it for me. It's too meaty without enough of the requisite olive characters. Too wild and gamey for me, alas. Still, there's some lovely black fruit character and spice on the palate. Good concentration, but you do have to get past the very animale nose.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru
Austere and stern in the way that 2008 can be, but this had a certain fleshiness to it that was different. I've mentioned previously how some 2008s have made me worry about the fruit dissipating before the structure resolved itself; this bottle gives me no such worry. This is on the plusher, bigger side of things, but it's still restrained and I imagine will be very good with time. There's a tad of oak that needs to integrate, but it's not ostentatious at all.
#10-03, 8% abv. Beautiful (if a bit advanced) golden colour. A light whiff of sulphur that still needs some time to blow away. This has an amazing density of pineapple on the nose, as well as some other tropical elements. Although the stoniness of Domprobst isn't that prominent here, this still has a fair bit of cut, though it's more acid- than mineral-driven. The more 2002s I've drank, the more I think it's a real sleeper of a vintage.
Immensely complex. Even uncorking the bottle fills the room with its powerful aromatics of vanilla, orange peel, caramel, and Christmas spice. The palate is silk. So unbelievably smooth and decadent, which glides effortlessly from attack to finish. Rich and opulent. A very dangerous beverage indeed.
2003 Jacques Selosse Millésimé 95 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Disgorged March 12, 2013. This didn't budge in the four hours it had been open. By far the most intense and concentrated of the champagnes we had today. Not blowsy, loud, or over-the-top at all, and not showing any overt signs of overripeness owing the the vintage. This didn't have the same deep minerality that the 2002 I had a while back did, but it was eminently clear the two were kith and kin. While this may not have been as exuberantly fresh, this still had an extremely intense vein of chalk running through it. Champagne really doesn't get better than Selosse.
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NV Bérêche et Fils Champagne Brut Réserve 90 Points
France, Champagne
Lively, zippy, and totally fresh. Mild notes of fresh apples with lively acidity but quite rich at the same time.
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2002 Henri Boillot Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
I thought from the colour that I ought to be worried. A heavily sulphured nose, with some waxy and fat yellow fruit in the background. Without a doubt, this is super ripe. The palate does seem a bit advanced with a somewhat bulbous amount of ripe fruit -- or is that just the overrated 2002 vintage showing its character? The oak treatment shows here, though thankfully there's not much toast. Still, there's a fair bit of acid, and the gangly bits about this wine may simply be due to my popping and pouring it. We'll see where this goes with some air.
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2000 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 93 Points
France, Champagne
Well, that's how I like 'em. Lots of the typical Krug richness, but this one is very well counterbalanced by a more prominent grapefruit note. A moderate amount of acidity on this one, with a good amount of chalky texture as well. Great stuff.
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2008 Dönnhoff Hermannshöhle Riesling Großes Gewächs 88 Points
Germany, Nahe
#25-09, 12.5% abv. I'll never understand these wines and why the grapes used to make this can't end up in a bottle of Spaetlese instead. Fortunately, this bottle of GG doesn't seem to be one of screechy acidity and structure without anything else, and from which you can only drink half a glass, but to be honest, this wine just doesn't have much interesting to say. GGs are a sad thing; grapes twisted into something they oughtn't be. /soapbox
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1989 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Clos Vougeot 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
En magnum (said ironically, of course). This was showing as a well-aged Burgundy should from the get-go, with very fruity character, a smattering of brown spice on the nose, all counterbalanced by a strong whiff of that Burgundian funk. Mushrooms, earth, mulch, it was kind of filthy, but in a good way. The finish still showed some red fruit, and any oak that may have been in this wine when young, has happily integrated away. Silky and giving, there might be upside to further aging, but this is pretty damn good right now.
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2013 Enfield Wine Co. Syrah Coryelle Fields 90 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Fort Ross - Seaview
Served blind. Nailed it as recent-release California syrah (though I was playing the player more than a little bit). This had lots of ripe black and blue fruit, which I felt was the giveaway, but there was more than ample acidity as well. It will certainly be interesting to see how this wine develops with more age on it.
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1995 Château de Beaucastel Côtes du Rhône Coudoulet de Beaucastel 88 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône
Served blind. Called it as a 1995 red Burgundy, based on the earthiness, though the lower acidity and less imposing structure made me uncomfortable with the call. There's a slight bit of meat on this as well (and in hindsight, makes the Burgundy call even worse). But in that context, it was clear that this was something from a middle-tiered vintage in the 90s based on the state of the fruit.
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2013 Domaine Chandon Pinot Meunier 88 Points
USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
Served blind. Pegged it as new world pinot noir, but there was some extra floral character to this that made me unhappy with my guess. So yeah, this is quite fruit forward, but quite elegant, with a very aromatic nose. The tannins are still a bit coarse and chewy, but I imagine that that'll go away with time. Are there any of these with bottle age around? That'd be an interesting thing to try.
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2013 Meyer-Näkel Rosé Spätburgunder Ahr Rose 93 Points
Germany, Ahr
#01-14, 12.5% abv. This is a fun wine. Bright red fruits, a slight bit of residual sugar, a touch of effervescence, and just an all-round easy-going character. Goes down dangerously easily.
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2001 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Wow, this was surprisingly light in colour. The nose was pure and crystalline, showing predominantly floral notes, but also some very pretty red fruit as well. The palate was also very light, with the tannins already easing off (perhaps this has developed very quickly?). Still this is an amazingly pretty wine that is ready to be enjoyed now.
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1985 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain
Huh. Maybe 20 years too young? This has a certain cool-climate thing about it. Lots of green herbaceousness on the nose, to the point that it's almost overpowering. But the palate is dark, dense, and very powerful. It feels very coiled up, and even with extended air, this did not give very much. Fits the mold of the stereotype that the Dunn wines are never ready. But give me a ribeye with this, and I'd be very hard-pressed to say no.
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NV André Clouet Champagne Un jour de 1911... 93 Points
France, Champagne
This was much lighter in colour and character than I remembered from the last times I had this wine. Perhaps it was because this bottle was the most recent disgorgement? Still, there's a profound biscuit quality to this wine, and this shows its oxidative qualities (much more clearly than the 2000 Krug we drank alongside). Lovely acidity and intensity. This has got to be one of my favourite "geek" champagnes.
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2006 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie Les Journaries / Maestria 88 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
This doesn't do it for me. It's too meaty without enough of the requisite olive characters. Too wild and gamey for me, alas. Still, there's some lovely black fruit character and spice on the palate. Good concentration, but you do have to get past the very animale nose.
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2008 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Latricières-Chambertin 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru
Austere and stern in the way that 2008 can be, but this had a certain fleshiness to it that was different. I've mentioned previously how some 2008s have made me worry about the fruit dissipating before the structure resolved itself; this bottle gives me no such worry. This is on the plusher, bigger side of things, but it's still restrained and I imagine will be very good with time. There's a tad of oak that needs to integrate, but it's not ostentatious at all.
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2002 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese #10 95 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
#10-03, 8% abv. Beautiful (if a bit advanced) golden colour. A light whiff of sulphur that still needs some time to blow away. This has an amazing density of pineapple on the nose, as well as some other tropical elements. Although the stoniness of Domprobst isn't that prominent here, this still has a fair bit of cut, though it's more acid- than mineral-driven. The more 2002s I've drank, the more I think it's a real sleeper of a vintage.
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NV Rémy Martin Grande Champagne Cognac Louis XIII
France, Cognac, Grande Champagne Cognac
Immensely complex. Even uncorking the bottle fills the room with its powerful aromatics of vanilla, orange peel, caramel, and Christmas spice. The palate is silk. So unbelievably smooth and decadent, which glides effortlessly from attack to finish. Rich and opulent. A very dangerous beverage indeed.
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