A very bright nose of fresh herbs and red berries. Lush and bright with driving, juicy acidity. Should drink well but also age nicely for 5-10 years. 89-90
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru
More intense and complete version of the village Auxrey. Full nose of spicy, musky red berry fruit. Really full and polished on the palate. Rich and fresh at once. So good now but better with 10+ years. 90-92
80 year old vines. 4 barrels. Spice-filled red and black cherry aromatics. Palate has great concentration of rich fruit with spice and florals. Juicy and long. 92+
Tasting of all four blocks independently and then as one assemblage.
Block 1 (Young vines): Nose has red berries for days with a light herbal component. Palate is lighter and super juicy with modest structure. Easy drinking.
Block 2 (Bottom slope / 55-60 year old vines): More depth in the aromas with herbs, spice and new leather. Palate is expansive with a step up in concentration.
Block 3 (Top slope / 75-80 year old vines): Wow, big nose with much depth and layering -- musk and spice. Even more volume and concentration. More black than red cherry.
Block 4 (Bottom slope / 85-90 year old vines): Nose is more brooding. Wow, massive concentration. Generous fruit and big structure, so its all in harmony.
Assemblage: The nose works so well with great harmony of red and black cherry with a fruit sweetness that is made interesting with florals, spice and musk. Great interplay of fruit and structure. Love the depth and complexity. Terrific. 94-95+
From a bottle open for ~48 hours. Impressively intense and layered aromatics with spice, florals and musk interspersed with red berries. The palate is more lean relative to the 2018 barrel samples (as you'd expect) but still fresh and approachable. 90-92
Brooding and compact aromas with just a hint of spice and musk. The palate is once again leaner here in 2017 vs. the 2018 barrel samples. Structured and tight leaving for a more subdued impression. Will need 10+ years to flesh out.
Mature aromatics with layering of mush and earth. The palate has nice richness of fruit and still fresh acidity though the flavors show evolution of 20+ years.
2018 Comte Armand Auxey-Duresses Rouge
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Auxey-Duresses
A very bright nose of fresh herbs and red berries. Lush and bright with driving, juicy acidity. Should drink well but also age nicely for 5-10 years. 89-90
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2018 Comte Armand Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru Rouge
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru
More intense and complete version of the village Auxrey. Full nose of spicy, musky red berry fruit. Really full and polished on the palate. Rich and fresh at once. So good now but better with 10+ years. 90-92
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2018 Comte Armand Volnay 1er Cru Les Fremiets
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
80 year old vines. 4 barrels. Spice-filled red and black cherry aromatics. Palate has great concentration of rich fruit with spice and florals. Juicy and long. 92+
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2018 Comte Armand Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru
Tasting of all four blocks independently and then as one assemblage.
Block 1 (Young vines): Nose has red berries for days with a light herbal component. Palate is lighter and super juicy with modest structure. Easy drinking.
Block 2 (Bottom slope / 55-60 year old vines): More depth in the aromas with herbs, spice and new leather. Palate is expansive with a step up in concentration.
Block 3 (Top slope / 75-80 year old vines): Wow, big nose with much depth and layering -- musk and spice. Even more volume and concentration. More black than red cherry.
Block 4 (Bottom slope / 85-90 year old vines): Nose is more brooding. Wow, massive concentration. Generous fruit and big structure, so its all in harmony.
Assemblage: The nose works so well with great harmony of red and black cherry with a fruit sweetness that is made interesting with florals, spice and musk. Great interplay of fruit and structure. Love the depth and complexity. Terrific. 94-95+
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2017 Comte Armand Volnay 1er Cru Les Fremiets
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
From a bottle open for ~48 hours. Impressively intense and layered aromatics with spice, florals and musk interspersed with red berries. The palate is more lean relative to the 2018 barrel samples (as you'd expect) but still fresh and approachable. 90-92
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2017 Comte Armand Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru
Brooding and compact aromas with just a hint of spice and musk. The palate is once again leaner here in 2017 vs. the 2018 barrel samples. Structured and tight leaving for a more subdued impression. Will need 10+ years to flesh out.
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1998 Comte Armand Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru
Mature aromatics with layering of mush and earth. The palate has nice richness of fruit and still fresh acidity though the flavors show evolution of 20+ years.
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2017 Comte Armand Bourgogne-Aligoté
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté
Nose full of melons. Palate is transparent with melon and citrus zest. Charming and easy drinking.
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