Lot May 2013, disgorged May 2018. Very bright and crisp champagne, classic blanc de blancs style with some clean citrus and a bit of apples. Fairly broad, especially given the relatively leaner style of the house, and I think the ripe 2012 vintage really helps with that. True to its name as well, there's a nice mineral finish. I don't think this will dry out with time; I'd love to see this with a bit more age.
The few times I've tasted a Liger-Belair wine, I've found them slightly stylized, with this really bright red fruit and intense spice. Like Dujac, there's something uniquely spicy about the wines, though the spice is different. There's an intoxicating nose, with tart red fruits -- cherries and raspberries -- and that aforementioned spice. The palate is refined, silky, and light, but this is quite concentrated. Very fine-grained tannins, this isn't shut down at all right now.
I think others today liked this more than I did. I've never enjoyed the 1996 vintage too much, as I think there's a hard acid edge to them on the palate, and this wine shows it too. The nose was initially quite mute, but it did develop with more air, showing some red fruit, earthiness, and a hint of spice. The palate unfortunately isn't as integrated here though -- there are many of the elements I love here, but the acidity of the vintage pokes out a bit, giving this a slightly prickly texture.
This bottle is pretty in line with the last time I tasted this wine. If anything, this is a little fleshier and broader than I remember, and there's a sense of maturity here. That green tinge that I remember on the last bottle is here as well, and it may well be that the green meanies are not starting to pop up in the white wines.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
This needs some air to pick up, but it certainly does. This is a nice, hefty white Burgundy, with plenty of stuffing, and while it doesn't seem to have the minerality I'd expect from Puligny, there's still lots of to like here. It's a heavier, richly-textured wine, with a slight oiliness, perhaps from the vintage. A touch of lemon cream on the finish but overall good acidic cut on the finish.
2012 Agrapart Champagne Grand Cru Minéral Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 90 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Lot May 2013, disgorged May 2018. Very bright and crisp champagne, classic blanc de blancs style with some clean citrus and a bit of apples. Fairly broad, especially given the relatively leaner style of the house, and I think the ripe 2012 vintage really helps with that. True to its name as well, there's a nice mineral finish. I don't think this will dry out with time; I'd love to see this with a bit more age.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2014 Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée La Colombiere 95 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée
The few times I've tasted a Liger-Belair wine, I've found them slightly stylized, with this really bright red fruit and intense spice. Like Dujac, there's something uniquely spicy about the wines, though the spice is different. There's an intoxicating nose, with tart red fruits -- cherries and raspberries -- and that aforementioned spice. The palate is refined, silky, and light, but this is quite concentrated. Very fine-grained tannins, this isn't shut down at all right now.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1996 Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Château des Ducs 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
I think others today liked this more than I did. I've never enjoyed the 1996 vintage too much, as I think there's a hard acid edge to them on the palate, and this wine shows it too. The nose was initially quite mute, but it did develop with more air, showing some red fruit, earthiness, and a hint of spice. The palate unfortunately isn't as integrated here though -- there are many of the elements I love here, but the acidity of the vintage pokes out a bit, giving this a slightly prickly texture.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2004 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
This bottle is pretty in line with the last time I tasted this wine. If anything, this is a little fleshier and broader than I remember, and there's a sense of maturity here. That green tinge that I remember on the last bottle is here as well, and it may well be that the green meanies are not starting to pop up in the white wines.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2008 Benoit Ente Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champs-Gain 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
This needs some air to pick up, but it certainly does. This is a nice, hefty white Burgundy, with plenty of stuffing, and while it doesn't seem to have the minerality I'd expect from Puligny, there's still lots of to like here. It's a heavier, richly-textured wine, with a slight oiliness, perhaps from the vintage. A touch of lemon cream on the finish but overall good acidic cut on the finish.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue