Lot No. 15/2, disgorged March 2019. No. 468. A fairly opulent and large-scaled champagne with a slight creaminess and a bigger, riper profile than most. A very nice amount of dosage here; this is quite well-balanced overall.
Unspecified disgorgement/base. Not a huge fan of this today; this bottle seemed to have too much dosage, leading to a pronounced sweetness. Large-scaled as is the case with Vilmart, but this was simply too sweet.
Probably suffered a bit coming after the Collin and Vilmart. This was thin and had a (surprising) green streak in it. More of the taut, high-acid persuasion and lacking a bit of body overall.
From magnum; laid in chalk cellars in 2014, disgorged in 2018. This is like the comfort food of big house, entry-level champagne. Fresh and crisp with good fruit flavours. Clean and energetic, this is always a pleasure to drink.
2008 disgorgement. This is exactly what an aged bottle of this should be. It shows its age -- some mushroomy notes on the nose and a palate that is offering up some browning fruits, but there is still pleasant acidity here. Tasty but not profound. I think overall I like this bottling fresher.
Interesting wine that needed some air to stretch out. Initially the nose was a bit dirty and old, showing lots of browned fruit and nuts, even though the palate seemed to indicate a much cleaner, brighter wine. The nose cleaned itself up with air a bit, and this became a lot more convincing after that.
Freshy fresh kind of wine. Somewhat ripe and stone-fruit forward for Chablis, but you know, it kind of works, given the mineral backbone. The acidity seems to be on the low side, in the context of Chablis, but this is still quite easy to drink.
Disgorged December 11, 2019, 0 g/L dosage. This was somewhat rounder than I would have expected for something with no dosage. Mostly a white-fruited profile with a bit of high-tonedness on the nose. Overall still a tad lean on the palate for my tastes.
The nose has a fair bit of reduction, as well as some tart white fruit aromas. The sulphur however seems to be a little stinkier than usual. That follows through on the palate, where the wine itself comes off as slightly dilute. That dilution though is somewhat hidden by the sulphur on the palate. I know many people seem to love these wines; I admit I don't get them.
Impressive stuff; it really is voluptuous. Very nice sweet fruit here. Imagine something along the lines of Vilmart but without the oxidative tones, but still with the same breadth and richness.
From half-bottle. Plenty of botrytis, not pristinely clean though. You get some of the mushroomy funk here on the nose. The palate again shows plenty of botrytis. This has the right sweetness, but lacks energy and acidity to cut through the sugar.
NV Ulysse Collin Champagne Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut (2015) Les Maillons
France, Champagne
Lot No. 15/2, disgorged March 2019. No. 468. A fairly opulent and large-scaled champagne with a slight creaminess and a bigger, riper profile than most. A very nice amount of dosage here; this is quite well-balanced overall.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier Brut
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Unspecified disgorgement/base. Not a huge fan of this today; this bottle seemed to have too much dosage, leading to a pronounced sweetness. Large-scaled as is the case with Vilmart, but this was simply too sweet.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru l'Esprit
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Probably suffered a bit coming after the Collin and Vilmart. This was thin and had a (surprising) green streak in it. More of the taut, high-acid persuasion and lacking a bit of body overall.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Réserve
France, Champagne
From magnum; laid in chalk cellars in 2014, disgorged in 2018. This is like the comfort food of big house, entry-level champagne. Fresh and crisp with good fruit flavours. Clean and energetic, this is always a pleasure to drink.
Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Réserve
France, Champagne
2008 disgorgement. This is exactly what an aged bottle of this should be. It shows its age -- some mushroomy notes on the nose and a palate that is offering up some browning fruits, but there is still pleasant acidity here. Tasty but not profound. I think overall I like this bottling fresher.
Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
1998 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs
France, Champagne
Interesting wine that needed some air to stretch out. Initially the nose was a bit dirty and old, showing lots of browned fruit and nuts, even though the palate seemed to indicate a much cleaner, brighter wine. The nose cleaned itself up with air a bit, and this became a lot more convincing after that.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2017 Domaine Eleni et Edouard Vocoret Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
Freshy fresh kind of wine. Somewhat ripe and stone-fruit forward for Chablis, but you know, it kind of works, given the mineral backbone. The acidity seems to be on the low side, in the context of Chablis, but this is still quite easy to drink.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2012 Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Champagne Premier Cru Extra Brut Oenophile
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Disgorged December 11, 2019, 0 g/L dosage. This was somewhat rounder than I would have expected for something with no dosage. Mostly a white-fruited profile with a bit of high-tonedness on the nose. Overall still a tad lean on the palate for my tastes.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2018 Walter Scott Chardonnay Cuvée Anne
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
The nose has a fair bit of reduction, as well as some tart white fruit aromas. The sulphur however seems to be a little stinkier than usual. That follows through on the palate, where the wine itself comes off as slightly dilute. That dilution though is somewhat hidden by the sulphur on the palate. I know many people seem to love these wines; I admit I don't get them.
Read 1 Comment / Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2012 Geoffroy Champagne Premier Cru Volupté
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Impressive stuff; it really is voluptuous. Very nice sweet fruit here. Imagine something along the lines of Vilmart but without the oxidative tones, but still with the same breadth and richness.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2006 Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch (Müller-Burggraef) Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Beerenauslese
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
From half-bottle. Plenty of botrytis, not pristinely clean though. You get some of the mushroomy funk here on the nose. The palate again shows plenty of botrytis. This has the right sweetness, but lacks energy and acidity to cut through the sugar.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue