Bottle 1 - Sea spray, orange, spice, quince and pear - very punchy aromatics. Bright on the palate, with very fine acidity, great clean and pure profile with just the right amount of fruit weight. Super showing.
Bottle 2 - Orange, sea spray, floral and spice, with maybe an extra mineral note here, though maybe it is down to the bottle being a touch colder. Same precise acidity with great fruit richness, very long and delicious. Maybe a tiny bit richer than bottle #1 and better for it.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Honey and pear, peaches - quite ripe nose. The palate is round as well, with the edges absorbed by fruit. Medium length. Little excitement here and the ripeness comes through just a bit too much.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Honey, toast, pear, smoky bacon and apples. Great texture, this feels really well composed and balanced on the palate. Excellent length. In a good spot but non-oxed bottles will certainly go longer.
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières-Coulée de Serrant
Apricot, lemon, musky spice, orange and aniseed. Good acidity with the fruit showing good restraint. Very good length and interest, with a lot of texture here. Seems to be getting close to its peak.
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon Saint-Lambert
Honey, orange, mandarin, caramel and pineapple. Showing less development than a bottle a few months ago, this is nicely sweet and well balanced with some acidity left to prop it up. Drink now.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Some meaty notes, violet, cherry, roses and earth - classic and appealing nose. Delicate on the palate, lovely light red fruit that has plenty of savoury notes sitting alongside. Lovely drinking now, I don't think it'll fall over but it's in a good spot as is.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Cherry, licorice, plum and redcurrant. Good structure, doesn't have the layers of flavour that the Meo Camuzet had but I think this has more upside and that this has plenty more to give with time.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Strawberry, herb, black cherry, slate and blackberry - a bit of everything here. Acid brings the fruit up a notch, driving the wine with excellent focus. Fresh and long, this is excellent now and has more time to lift a notch further.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Dampened down aromatics - with some time in the glass it shows a bit more but I'm thinking this may not have been representative as the palate doesn't really have anything to give either.
Pear, blueberry, redcurrant and ash. Quite well structured on the palate, with the tannins holding on firmly - more fruit than the Ducs but that hard structure works well with it. Good length.
Violets and earth, meaty and tomato leaf character. Tannins are quite forward still, with the fruit not showing off as much as the Taillepieds, but this seems to have a bit more depth and potential to improve over the next 10-15 years.
Leather, bacon, black licorice, mint and plenty of herbs in the background. Palate is savoury through the mid palate with the fruit showing medium intensity. Lacks a little spark and that magic that you might otherwise expect from La Mouline.
Cherry, licorice, smoke and cedar with blackcurrants. Really good brightness on the palate with good fruit coming through. Holding up really well, this has great length and balance.
Iron, earth, cedar, blackberry and floral notes. Really fine tannins, so much class here on the palate, with layers of savoury and smoky flavour. Fantastic structure and a super mix of power and precision. Awesome.
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Ash, smoke, tobacco and redcurrant. More fruit than the 1997 but the structure holds it in place well. A little savoury kick to go with the sweetness and acidity. Approaching its peak but still has time to go.
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Attractive nose of violets, blackcurrant, chocolate and raspberry with some light earth. Palate has excellent depth and fruit power, aligned with fine tannins. Excellent length. I thought a bottle 12 years ago would look better in 6-8, but it turned out 12 did good things for it as well.
Licorice, herb, plenty of oak to go with the ripe fruits - maybe a little bit too much oak still here. The palate has the same sweet fruit style, with the oak pushing to the fore as well. Very primary still and a bit hard to love right now.
Vanilla oak, blackcurrant and coconut. The palate is tight and primary but it wants for a bit of depth and complexity. Has barely budged an inch in the last 10 years.
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon Chaume
Apricot, quince, honeycomb and mandarin. Orange flavoured palate, punchy sweetness and good length. Maybe a touch less sweetness would help it find even better balance, but it was still delicious.
Lemon peel, apricot, mandarin and graphite. Intense flavour on the palate, with the acidity there but swarmed by the pure intensity of the fruit. Rich and layered, a fun experience!
Caramel, ginger, oxidative wooden notes and cinnamon. Sweet and sour elements balance well on the palate. More depth would be good but it's a good drink, giving up some complexity and interest.
2002 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 96 Points
France, Champagne
Bottle 1 - Sea spray, orange, spice, quince and pear - very punchy aromatics. Bright on the palate, with very fine acidity, great clean and pure profile with just the right amount of fruit weight. Super showing.
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2002 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 96 Points
France, Champagne
Bottle 2 - Orange, sea spray, floral and spice, with maybe an extra mineral note here, though maybe it is down to the bottle being a touch colder. Same precise acidity with great fruit richness, very long and delicious. Maybe a tiny bit richer than bottle #1 and better for it.
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2006 Domaine Leflaive Meursault 1er Cru Sous le Dos d'Âne 87 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Honey and pear, peaches - quite ripe nose. The palate is round as well, with the edges absorbed by fruit. Medium length. Little excitement here and the ripeness comes through just a bit too much.
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2000 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Honey, toast, pear, smoky bacon and apples. Great texture, this feels really well composed and balanced on the palate. Excellent length. In a good spot but non-oxed bottles will certainly go longer.
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2005 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Flawed
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Premoxed.
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2003 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant 92 Points
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières-Coulée de Serrant
Apricot, lemon, musky spice, orange and aniseed. Good acidity with the fruit showing good restraint. Very good length and interest, with a lot of texture here. Seems to be getting close to its peak.
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1997 Domaine Jo Pithon Coteaux du Layon Saint-Lambert 90 Points
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon Saint-Lambert
Honey, orange, mandarin, caramel and pineapple. Showing less development than a bottle a few months ago, this is nicely sweet and well balanced with some acidity left to prop it up. Drink now.
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2000 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Clos Vougeot 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Some meaty notes, violet, cherry, roses and earth - classic and appealing nose. Delicate on the palate, lovely light red fruit that has plenty of savoury notes sitting alongside. Lovely drinking now, I don't think it'll fall over but it's in a good spot as is.
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2002 Domaine Jean Grivot Clos Vougeot 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Cherry, licorice, plum and redcurrant. Good structure, doesn't have the layers of flavour that the Meo Camuzet had but I think this has more upside and that this has plenty more to give with time.
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1999 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Vieille Vigne 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Strawberry, herb, black cherry, slate and blackberry - a bit of everything here. Acid brings the fruit up a notch, driving the wine with excellent focus. Fresh and long, this is excellent now and has more time to lift a notch further.
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2000 Frederic Esmonin Ruchottes-Chambertin Flawed
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Dampened down aromatics - with some time in the glass it shows a bit more but I'm thinking this may not have been representative as the palate doesn't really have anything to give either.
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2000 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Pear, blueberry, redcurrant and ash. Quite well structured on the palate, with the tannins holding on firmly - more fruit than the Ducs but that hard structure works well with it. Good length.
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2000 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Violets and earth, meaty and tomato leaf character. Tannins are quite forward still, with the fruit not showing off as much as the Taillepieds, but this seems to have a bit more depth and potential to improve over the next 10-15 years.
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1991 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline 90 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Leather, bacon, black licorice, mint and plenty of herbs in the background. Palate is savoury through the mid palate with the fruit showing medium intensity. Lacks a little spark and that magic that you might otherwise expect from La Mouline.
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1989 Château Cantemerle 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Cherry, licorice, smoke and cedar with blackcurrants. Really good brightness on the palate with good fruit coming through. Holding up really well, this has great length and balance.
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1998 Château Latour Grand Vin 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Iron, earth, cedar, blackberry and floral notes. Really fine tannins, so much class here on the palate, with layers of savoury and smoky flavour. Fantastic structure and a super mix of power and precision. Awesome.
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1996 Cullen Wines Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot (Diana Madeline) 91 Points
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Ash, smoke, tobacco and redcurrant. More fruit than the 1997 but the structure holds it in place well. A little savoury kick to go with the sweetness and acidity. Approaching its peak but still has time to go.
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1997 Cullen Wines Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot (Diana Madeline) 86 Points
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Toast and char, capsicum and coconut. The palate is one dimensional and lacks a little power. Drinkable but not showing much of interest.
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1998 Cullen Wines Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot (Diana Madeline) Flawed
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Corked.
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1999 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon 92 Points
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Attractive nose of violets, blackcurrant, chocolate and raspberry with some light earth. Palate has excellent depth and fruit power, aligned with fine tannins. Excellent length. I thought a bottle 12 years ago would look better in 6-8, but it turned out 12 did good things for it as well.
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1993 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707 88 Points
Australia, South Australia
Licorice, herb, plenty of oak to go with the ripe fruits - maybe a little bit too much oak still here. The palate has the same sweet fruit style, with the oak pushing to the fore as well. Very primary still and a bit hard to love right now.
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1994 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707 87 Points
Australia, South Australia
Vanilla oak, blackcurrant and coconut. The palate is tight and primary but it wants for a bit of depth and complexity. Has barely budged an inch in the last 10 years.
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2003 Château Pierre-Bise Coteaux du Layon Chaume 91 Points
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon Chaume
Apricot, quince, honeycomb and mandarin. Orange flavoured palate, punchy sweetness and good length. Maybe a touch less sweetness would help it find even better balance, but it was still delicious.
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2007 Weingut Knebel Winninger Uhlen Riesling Beerenauslese 91 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Lemon peel, apricot, mandarin and graphite. Intense flavour on the palate, with the acidity there but swarmed by the pure intensity of the fruit. Rich and layered, a fun experience!
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2007 Domaine de la Tournelle Arbois Vin de Paille 88 Points
France, Jura, Arbois
Caramel, ginger, oxidative wooden notes and cinnamon. Sweet and sour elements balance well on the palate. More depth would be good but it's a good drink, giving up some complexity and interest.
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