A few wines on the patio

Four of us got together to drink a few bottles of wine. This was a friends' gathering more so than a wine event. The temperature dropped and I brought down the fire pit which I cooked steaks at 2 in the morning.

The 06 CDC Rose was delicious as usual. The 03 Bollinger was clearly expressing the vintage.

• 2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Rosé Brut 96 Points

  France, Champagne

  Youthful expressive nose displaying bright sour red fruit, sour cherry, strawberry, cherry pie, a hint of mint, smoke, sweet spices and limestone. Excellent concentration, nicely layered concentrated bright red fruit, rich and opulent, generous medium fine mousse, bright acidity and mineral, and a long succulent red fruit driven finish. I have opened a number of bottles from my cellar and the last two or three bottles were entering the next stage. This bottle seems significantly more youthful.

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• 2003 Bollinger Champagne 2003 by Bollinger 90 Points

  France, Champagne

  Medium expressive nose displaying very ripe concentrated yellow fruit, apple pie, lemon curd, light caramel, burnt butter and honey. Excellent concentration, slightly coiled ripe yellow fruit, generous medium fine mousse, medium acidity and mineral, and a medium to long very ripe sweet yellow fruit driven finish with honey at the end. Impressive concentration but lack finesse and complexity.

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The 16 Lafon was no surprise but the 89 was.

• 2016 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  Expressive nose displaying opulent yellow fruit, peach, lemon curd, toast/oak, a hint of flint and limestone. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of ripe yellow fruit, significant dry extract, dense and rich but also nice balance, good acidity, medium mineral, and a medium to long concentrated yellow fruit driven finish. Youthful and not terribly complex but really delicious.

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• 1989 Domaine Henri Clerc & Fils Chevalier-Montrachet 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru

  Purchased in France three years ago, don’t know what to expect. Showing promising light color. Perfectly mature nose displaying subtle mature yellow fruit, slightly unripe white peach, granny smith, charred lemon, burnt sugar, strong oyster shell, a hint of mint, smoke, sesame/toast, rainwater and limestone. Fully integrated palate, finely layered subtle white and yellow fruit, excellent harmony and balance, bright acidity, medium mineral, and a seamless long subtle white fruit driven finish with mint and smoke at the end. This is a beautiful perfect mature white Burgundy. Perhaps slightly lacking something compare to the Leflaive’s version but hard to complain.

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The 13 Cras was so darn delicious..

• 2013 Domaine G. Roumier / Christophe Roumier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

  Absolutely gorgeous nose displaying opulent black fruit, blackberry, black cherry, caramel, a hint of cedar/oak, very spicy and earth. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of ripe black fruit, rich and opulent yet silky, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long sweet black fruit driven finish. Drinking beautifully, really yummy/delicious.

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• 1998 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Expressive youthful nose displaying perfectly ripe black fruit, blackberry liqueur, charred rare steak, a hint of tobacco and tapenade, white pepper, sweet spices, cedar and earth. Beautifully integrated youthful palate, nicely layered black fruit, rich, round and polished, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, nicely integrated tannins and a long sweet black fruit driven finish. This is drinking beautifully in a youthful way but can improve further for another decades.

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This was memorable.

• 1896 Bourne Turner & Co Porto Vintage 98 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  Clear deep golden color. Incredibly complex nose displaying generous dry yellow fruit, dry fig, dry peach, toasted almond, crackerjack, sous bois, grilled cep, light caramel and earth. Perfectly integrated palate, still showing generous dry yellow fruit, exceptional balance and harmony, warm and rich yet also very polished and precise, medium acidity and mineral, fully resolved tannins and the never-ending finish. Truly a memorable bottle.

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A great time was had by all!