Dinner at Tonny

With the wine group and kids

• 2015 Villa Sandi Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze Vigna La Rivetta 89 Points

  Italy, Veneto, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze

  Pleasant enough. The nose was a rather neutral drift of white fruit flecked by a little mineral and a certain Prosecco gassiness. The palate was simple but pleasant, with a soft mousse and fine acidity wrapped around a white fruit and lemon zest core. Nothing really complex or engaging, but this was bright and tasty, with a nice softness lent to it with a bit of bottle age.

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• 2008 Domaine Amiot Guy et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  Some quality, but this was in a rather awkward stage. It was really oaky on the nose - with lots of vanilla and browned butter notes swirling alongside rather ripe yellow fruit and melon notes. The oak abated a bit with time, and it got quite attractivebut there was always a clear influence on the palate. Unfortunately, the palate always felt a bit too oaked, with a vanilla and butter overtone to its otherwise ripe and oily yellow fruited flavours. It felt a bit flabby at first, before the shape and acidity of the 2008 vintage emerged nicely on the backpalate. There is quality here, but it needs time to shed the baby fat and new oak influence. Next bottle probably in 4-5 years.

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• 1996 Penfolds Chardonnay Yattarna 90 Points

  Australia, South Australia

  This has slowly faded over time, losing shape and structure. Still fairly enjoyable today, but it was definitely better a few years back. The nose was clearly new world, but really attractive aromas of nectarines, musk melons and other ripe yellow fruit. Really sweet, sunny aromas, with an edge of honey and dried flowers at the edges. Nice. The palate had a round fleshiness to it, with ripe stone fruit laced with a bit of blood orange acidity, and then a long spicy finish. Enjoyable, but lacking a bit of shape and precision.

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• 2015 Penfolds Chardonnay Max's 91 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills

  Pretty decent. This had a rather reductive nose coming out of a screw-capped bottle. Some air revealed subtle notes of ripe white fruit, but this always felt a bit muted. The palate had a nice shape to it though, with good acidity and a nice sense of cut to simple but yummy white fruited flavours cut with a bit of citrus. A well-made new-world Chardonnay.

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• 2017 Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Puligny-Montrachet Noyers Brets 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet

  I liked this. Young, but already impressive and enjoyable. The nose was classic Puligny, with drifts of white fruit, white flowers, a touch of cream, and just a little hint of earthy mineral. The palate had a really nice shape to it, with pure, snappy flavours of green pears and apples laced with a lovely spine of fresh acidity and fine minerality. The finish had a nice elegant length to it too, with pinpricks of spice along with the a kiss of wet stone. Depth was clearly village, rather than having any pretensions to greater terroir, but there was just such a wonderful purity and definition to this wine - it should age elegantly at least over the medium term.

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• NV Ekuò Muríaldo World charity Project 73 Points

  Italy

  A very unusual Chardonnay. The nose was very neutral. A bit of white fruit, a bit of citrus, that’s just it. Inoffensive rather than nice. The palate was rather less pleasant though. A bit astringent, citrus acidity, barely enough flavours. Blah.

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• 2009 Domaine Denis Bachelet Côte de Nuits Villages 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Nuits Villages

  Sweet and simple, but also really vibrant and attacrtive - I enjoyed this. The nose wafted out of the glass with attractive aromas of black cherries and plums seasoned with bits of brambly herb and spice. The palate had a touch of green to it, something vaguely vegetal, but there was enough sweet berry fruit to make sure that it kept in the background, along with a little bit of cola and spice. Bright mouthwatering acidity and slightly chewy tannins completely the package. Simple, but very juicy and drinkable. This was an enjoyable one.

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• 2009 Domaine Tortochot Mazis-Chambertin 90 Points

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

  Not a bad wine, but a touch lacking for a Grand Cru. The nose was a touch bretty I thought, with a hint of bandaid and earthy funk. Thankfully, this blew off slightly to show more classically Mazis notes of dark cherries, earth and spice, along with something rather sauvage and meaty. The palate felt really quite rustic, with powdery, woody tannins and soft acidity lapping up against a core of black cherries, dark berries and wood spice. Pleasant enough, but this felt a bit overaged in its softness and mature flavours, with some of fruit having a browning edge to them. It lacked some of the depth one would expect from a good Mazis as well. Overall, not a bad drink, but this was not a great Grand Cru by any stretch of the imagination.

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• 2014 Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Combe aux Moines 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  Consistent notes with a bottle a month back. Perhaps even tighter given the lack of decanting. This is one that needs many years in the bottle yet.

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