Disgorged 20 December 2016. Tangerine, earth, cherry, toast and musk with sea spray as well. Palate has savoury elements with the sweet orange fruit in the background. Lovely acid punch. Good texture and character here.
RV16. Pinot Blanc 50%, Petit Meslier 43%, Arbane 7%. 2 g/l dosage. Floral, pepper, lemon and toast. Medium depth and length, it certainly shows off substantial acid kick but I do like the taut styling.
Orange, oyster shells, ginger and lemon on the nose. In a nice spot on the palate, well balanced with fine control and fruit power that sits in the background. Long and lovely.
Smoky, white florals, lime, and vanilla on the nose. Lovely textured, super energy here - excellent presence and length. Really impressive at this level.
Blind. Mandarin, lemon rind and sesame. Superb power on the palate, amplified fruit flavours and a strong acid line through the middle. Very good length and it maintains control even with the density of flavour.
Smoke, woody, mint, chocolate, cherry and some honeyed caramel. Palate shows a similar flavour profile, there is good texture and balance with an element of mineral freshness lifting the wine up. Drink now for sure, but this bottle seemed in great condition.
Intense nose of lemon, pear, peach and toast. Palate is wound up but there is clear quality here, pure fruit, plenty of depth and density but still great mineral control and drive. Superb wine even at this youthful stage.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Blind. Stems, furry, licorique, ash and spice. Striking acid on the palate, playing well against fleshy fruit and that ashy, stemmy character as well. In a pretty good spot at the moment, interesting but also fresh.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru
Redcurrant, orange, fennel, liquorice and five spice - this needed quite a lot of air to open up. Very tight on the palate, really wound up. Still shows class, with great balance and interest from the spice overlaid across a red fruit profile. Obviously needs more time.
Tobacco, black cherry, blackcurrant and toast. Super tight palate, firm tannin structure - with strong food it works now, but more time is essential to see the best of this. Much tighter than the 2009 next to it, this is pretty much all potential for now and should hit a higher point than the 2009 in time.
Blueberry, liquorice, red cherry and spice. Polished palate with glossy fruit and a clean fruit profile. It does of course have more time to go before peaking, but it is okay to drink now as well.
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Chocolate, coffee bean, vanilla and ash on the nose. Fully resolved on the palate, there is some fruit freshness and it actually seemed to come alive a bit more with time in the glass. Really lovely mature Bordeaux.
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Blind. Deep heat, menthol, ash and earthy aromas. Cleans up with air and has plenty of savoury interest along with still showing sweet fruit on the palate despite the obvious age. Medium length. This was very nice, probably a touch ahead of a '45 Four Crown Claret late last year.
Blue cheese, nuts, woolen notes and creme caramel. Palate has mild sweetness remaining, with really nice length and some spark remaining. Really nice, but not a smash hit tonight.
Mango, peach, pear, lime and lemon along with roses and turkish delight. Palate is totally delicious full and long with bright fruit and powerful sweetness that still feels well balanced. Awesome wine.
Lemon, orange, pear, and apricots on the nose. Sweet and unctuous on the palate, this shows off its obvious youth, with power and great length, but fairly superficial depth at this point. I'm sure this will rise up with time.
NV Guillaume Selosse Champagne Cramant Extra Brut Lieu-dit Au dessus du Gros Mont 93 Points
France, Champagne
Disgorged 20 December 2016. Tangerine, earth, cherry, toast and musk with sea spray as well. Palate has savoury elements with the sweet orange fruit in the background. Lovely acid punch. Good texture and character here.
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NV Étienne Calsac Champagne Les Revenants 90 Points
France, Champagne
RV16. Pinot Blanc 50%, Petit Meslier 43%, Arbane 7%. 2 g/l dosage. Floral, pepper, lemon and toast. Medium depth and length, it certainly shows off substantial acid kick but I do like the taut styling.
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2012 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
Orange, oyster shells, ginger and lemon on the nose. In a nice spot on the palate, well balanced with fine control and fruit power that sits in the background. Long and lovely.
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2011 Domaine Roulot Meursault 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
Smoky, white florals, lime, and vanilla on the nose. Lovely textured, super energy here - excellent presence and length. Really impressive at this level.
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2016 Coche-Dury Meursault 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
Blind. Mandarin, lemon rind and sesame. Superb power on the palate, amplified fruit flavours and a strong acid line through the middle. Very good length and it maintains control even with the density of flavour.
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1981 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc 92 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Smoke, woody, mint, chocolate, cherry and some honeyed caramel. Palate shows a similar flavour profile, there is good texture and balance with an element of mineral freshness lifting the wine up. Drink now for sure, but this bottle seemed in great condition.
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2014 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc Le Méal 94 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Intense nose of lemon, pear, peach and toast. Palate is wound up but there is clear quality here, pure fruit, plenty of depth and density but still great mineral control and drive. Superb wine even at this youthful stage.
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2008 Domaine Prieuré Roch Chambertin-Clos de Bèze 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Blind. Stems, furry, licorique, ash and spice. Striking acid on the palate, playing well against fleshy fruit and that ashy, stemmy character as well. In a pretty good spot at the moment, interesting but also fresh.
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2014 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru
Redcurrant, orange, fennel, liquorice and five spice - this needed quite a lot of air to open up. Very tight on the palate, really wound up. Still shows class, with great balance and interest from the spice overlaid across a red fruit profile. Obviously needs more time.
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2004 Roberto Voerzio Barolo La Serra 92 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Tobacco, black cherry, blackcurrant and toast. Super tight palate, firm tannin structure - with strong food it works now, but more time is essential to see the best of this. Much tighter than the 2009 next to it, this is pretty much all potential for now and should hit a higher point than the 2009 in time.
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2009 Roberto Voerzio Barolo La Serra 91 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Blueberry, liquorice, red cherry and spice. Polished palate with glossy fruit and a clean fruit profile. It does of course have more time to go before peaking, but it is okay to drink now as well.
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1961 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Chocolate, coffee bean, vanilla and ash on the nose. Fully resolved on the palate, there is some fruit freshness and it actually seemed to come alive a bit more with time in the glass. Really lovely mature Bordeaux.
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1959 Château Canon Flawed
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Corked.
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1948 Yalumba Four Crown Burgundy 91 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Blind. Deep heat, menthol, ash and earthy aromas. Cleans up with air and has plenty of savoury interest along with still showing sweet fruit on the palate despite the obvious age. Medium length. This was very nice, probably a touch ahead of a '45 Four Crown Claret late last year.
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1947 Château Climens 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac
Blue cheese, nuts, woolen notes and creme caramel. Palate has mild sweetness remaining, with really nice length and some spark remaining. Really nice, but not a smash hit tonight.
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2011 Albert Boxler Gewurztraminer Sélection de Grains Nobles 93 Points
France, Alsace
Mango, peach, pear, lime and lemon along with roses and turkish delight. Palate is totally delicious full and long with bright fruit and powerful sweetness that still feels well balanced. Awesome wine.
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2009 Château d'Yquem 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Lemon, orange, pear, and apricots on the nose. Sweet and unctuous on the palate, this shows off its obvious youth, with power and great length, but fairly superficial depth at this point. I'm sure this will rise up with time.
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