Side by side with the 96 Cristal, and I preferred the Dom. More rich and concentrated with a nice toasty character. Still quite fresh and energetic. A great bottle.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru
This had been open an hour or two by the time I got to it. Very mature with earth-driven red and black cherry. I didn't pick up a ton of spice or layering. Just okay for what it is.
This is an epic bottle of Nebbiolo. So much concentration and layered complexity packaged in an elegant, refined frame. Classic Giacosa. This needs another decade or two.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Alongside the 2011. More opulent and classically Mersault with a richness and density to the fruit. Has good freshness, though I preferred the more elegant 2011.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
In a great spot. The reduction is in check and well integrated with rich fruit. Fresh and zippy despite the density and concentration. Shows youthful with no signs of aging.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Side-by-side with the '90 and this suffered in comparison. I suspect the bottle was not perfect as the aromas were more earth and dirty than I would have expected.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Side by side with the '88. This was head and shoulders the better wine. Crazy nose with rich, mature fruit that is loaded with meat and spice. The palate is terrific concentration. Rich, round fruit is still fresh though very complex. Great refined structure. Will hold for 10+ years easily.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
Single blind and side-by-side with the 2006. Both wines are very similar with nicely ripe, spice-filled red and black cherry. The 2005 was just more dense and concentrated with a firm underlying structure. Can be enjoyed now but will be better in 5+ years.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
Single blind and side-by-side with the 2005. Both wines were very similar though the 2006 had a touch less structure and therefore is a better drink right now. Nice spice-filled black cherry. Very Vosne-like in nature. Excellent now.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
This is fun as can be with meaty black cherry and plenty of noticeable wood. Plump and juicy. Easy to enjoy though it'll need to time to develop and show complexity commensurate with a Grand Cru.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Most weren't as keen on this but I loved the complexity in both the nose and palate. Full of mature fruit and meat, earth and mushroom notes. Still has some freshness and brightness. No reason to hold any longer.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Label bias may tell you this is a second tier CdlR but it is flat-out delicious with grand cru concentration and beaming with potential. Fun and refined now, but will be a very special wine in 2030+
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
A great negoc wine from Dujac. Seems very Vosne like and in the Dujac house style with a medley of stem and Vosne spice. Nice round black cherry that is layered and persistent. Fun now with upside as it gains nuance.
Just a small glass, but it's enough to tell you how amazing (likely perfect) this wine will be in 20+ years. Just so packed with cherry fruit, florals and licorice in an ethereal frame. Tannins are so refined.
Side by side with the 2000. This is an insanely good bottle of wine that hits every note with near perfection. Towering and complicated aromas with each aromatic having full intensity. The palate is youthful but not young as the cedar, tobacco and graphite elements are seamless with the fruit. Long finish. Amazing property in an amazing vintage, and it shows.
Side by side with the 1990, which was near perfect. The 2000 is a sensational wine in its own right but needs another decade for the structure to continue to soften and integrate. All the complexity is there, its just still wound up in a way that the 1990 was not. Good to drink now, but will be so much better.
What a Syrah. This is so rich and concentrated with powerful, intense meat, pepper and olive. Forward fruit. Not a lot of nuance yet but packed with pleasure.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Classic Meo Brulees in every way and so true to the vintage. Ripe, forward and spice-filled in both the aromas and on the palate. No harm to drink this now, but it'll be better in 10+ years.
1996 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut 90 Points
France, Champagne
Side-by-side with the 96 Dom. This was more feminine with good purity of fruit. Still quite fresh and young. I preferred the more burly Dom.
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1996 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon 95 Points
France, Champagne
Side by side with the 96 Cristal, and I preferred the Dom. More rich and concentrated with a nice toasty character. Still quite fresh and energetic. A great bottle.
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2002 Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Oenotheque Blanc de Blancs Les Chetillons 95 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Wow, a very impressive bottle of Champagne. So rich and concentrated with terrific layering and complexity. Persistent. Upside from here.
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2009 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Pignan Reserve
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
I found this super ripe and high toned. Not my cup of tea.
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NV Jacques Selosse V.O. Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Further confirming that I just don't get Selosse. Oxidative and lacking fruit.
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1988 Joseph Drouhin Chambertin
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru
This had been open an hour or two by the time I got to it. Very mature with earth-driven red and black cherry. I didn't pick up a ton of spice or layering. Just okay for what it is.
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1996 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Asili 95 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
This is an epic bottle of Nebbiolo. So much concentration and layered complexity packaged in an elegant, refined frame. Classic Giacosa. This needs another decade or two.
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2009 Pierre Morey Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Alongside the 2011. More opulent and classically Mersault with a richness and density to the fruit. Has good freshness, though I preferred the more elegant 2011.
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2011 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Corton-Charlemagne 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
In a great spot. The reduction is in check and well integrated with rich fruit. Fresh and zippy despite the density and concentration. Shows youthful with no signs of aging.
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1988 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Domaine Louis Jadot 89 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Side-by-side with the '90 and this suffered in comparison. I suspect the bottle was not perfect as the aromas were more earth and dirty than I would have expected.
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1990 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Domaine Louis Jadot 95 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Side by side with the '88. This was head and shoulders the better wine. Crazy nose with rich, mature fruit that is loaded with meat and spice. The palate is terrific concentration. Rich, round fruit is still fresh though very complex. Great refined structure. Will hold for 10+ years easily.
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2005 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Aux Murgers 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
Single blind and side-by-side with the 2006. Both wines are very similar with nicely ripe, spice-filled red and black cherry. The 2005 was just more dense and concentrated with a firm underlying structure. Can be enjoyed now but will be better in 5+ years.
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2006 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Aux Murgers 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
Single blind and side-by-side with the 2005. Both wines were very similar though the 2006 had a touch less structure and therefore is a better drink right now. Nice spice-filled black cherry. Very Vosne-like in nature. Excellent now.
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2009 Gros Frère et Sœur Clos Vougeot Musigni 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
This is fun as can be with meaty black cherry and plenty of noticeable wood. Plump and juicy. Easy to enjoy though it'll need to time to develop and show complexity commensurate with a Grand Cru.
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1985 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Ruchottes-Chambertin 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Most weren't as keen on this but I loved the complexity in both the nose and palate. Full of mature fruit and meat, earth and mushroom notes. Still has some freshness and brightness. No reason to hold any longer.
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2015 Domaine Arlaud Clos de la Roche 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Label bias may tell you this is a second tier CdlR but it is flat-out delicious with grand cru concentration and beaming with potential. Fun and refined now, but will be a very special wine in 2030+
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2010 Dujac Fils et Père Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Damodes 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
A great negoc wine from Dujac. Seems very Vosne like and in the Dujac house style with a medley of stem and Vosne spice. Nice round black cherry that is layered and persistent. Fun now with upside as it gains nuance.
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2008 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino 97 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Just a small glass, but it's enough to tell you how amazing (likely perfect) this wine will be in 20+ years. Just so packed with cherry fruit, florals and licorice in an ethereal frame. Tannins are so refined.
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1990 Château Latour Grand Vin 99 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Side by side with the 2000. This is an insanely good bottle of wine that hits every note with near perfection. Towering and complicated aromas with each aromatic having full intensity. The palate is youthful but not young as the cedar, tobacco and graphite elements are seamless with the fruit. Long finish. Amazing property in an amazing vintage, and it shows.
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2000 Château Latour Grand Vin 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Side by side with the 1990, which was near perfect. The 2000 is a sensational wine in its own right but needs another decade for the structure to continue to soften and integrate. All the complexity is there, its just still wound up in a way that the 1990 was not. Good to drink now, but will be so much better.
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2009 Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard 95 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
What a Syrah. This is so rich and concentrated with powerful, intense meat, pepper and olive. Forward fruit. Not a lot of nuance yet but packed with pleasure.
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2009 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Brûlées 94 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Classic Meo Brulees in every way and so true to the vintage. Ripe, forward and spice-filled in both the aromas and on the palate. No harm to drink this now, but it'll be better in 10+ years.
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1982 Château Cos d'Estournel 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
A Bordeaux at the peak of its game. Should hold but no reason to age further. Full of mature plum fruit with cedar and tobacco. Fresh.
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