Very pleasant indeed. This had a nice nose of apple and white fruit, a bit yeast and some minerality. The palate was really nicely balanced, with citrus acidity and a creamy mousse framing juicy notes of sweet lemons and apples, maybe a bit of berry flesh, leading into a slightly more minerally finish. Very generous for an extra brut actually, with plenty of fruit and a gentle nuttiness running through the seams of the wine. Very good QPR for vintage champagne, not the most complex, but elegant and very yummy. A great pairing for sushi too.
I was not a fan of this one. It was objectively a decently good Champagne, but I thought it did not quite live up to its price or reputation. This felt just a tad in-your-face for my liking. The nose was very nice I must say, with notes of oats and vanilla cream, brioche, some ripe yellow fruit, and roasted nuts around the side. A very rich bouquet. The palate was very expressive too, with upfront notes of ripe yellow fruit and sweet lemon acidity leading into a moreish midpalat that showed just a little hint of a savoury, oxidative character. There was a fairly vigorous mousse and a decent amount of acidity otherwise. The finish was a little dryer after that ripe attack, but here the Champagne felt a tad unrefined as it petered out with a burst of alcohol warmth, then a distinct digestive biscuit note, all traced with just a little hint of spice and mineral. A big, burly Belle Epoque - fairly enjoyable, but not brilliant.
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune
Rouget HCDB 2019. A rather green Chardonnay - almost Pouilly Fume-like in its green grassiness, gooseberries and green apples on the nose. I would have sworn this was a Sauvignon Blanc on that nose alone. The palate just about pulled this back to Chardonnay territory, with a creamier texture than the nose would suggest, but still with those higher-toned notes of green apples and lemons, trailing away into a grassy finish cut through by a touch of earthy minerality. Pleasant enough, with a decent amount of depth and length, but this was a simple quaffer rather than anything serious.
This continues to improve with time - it was certainly the best of the last few bottles, and showed very decently on the night. The nose was quite classic Chablis, with notes of lime and lemons laced with a nice stony minerality. With time, some white flowers came out as well. The palate lacked some depth and authority for a Grand Cru, but I really like the thrust and feel of it, with mouthwatering acidity and a nice mineral spine laced through bright notes of lemons and green apples. Lovely cut and definition here, which made it a good pairing for Japanese seafood. Decent finish too, closing the wine out with a nice trail of savoury mineral and little hints of spice. Nothing earthshaking, but this was very pleasant indeed.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
An unusual bottle. Very pleasant though. This wafted out of the glass with a real burst of cassis along with notes of fresh-cut roses and damp earth, maybe with a twist of green bramble herb at the sides. Such was the blackcurranty depth in the nose that this immediately brought to mind Ribena and Creme de Cassis. Very pleasant though. The palate was made of slightly sterner stuff than the nose, with a chew of tannins and bright acid framing a fresh mouthful of juicy cassis and sour cherries, these pulling into a long finish that filled the back-palate with a flowery linger of violets and roses, then earth and spice. There was a lovely clarity and briskness to this. Nice, but it definitely did not taste like a 50-year old wine.
2010 Philipponnat Champagne Grand Blanc 92 Points
France, Champagne
Very pleasant indeed. This had a nice nose of apple and white fruit, a bit yeast and some minerality. The palate was really nicely balanced, with citrus acidity and a creamy mousse framing juicy notes of sweet lemons and apples, maybe a bit of berry flesh, leading into a slightly more minerally finish. Very generous for an extra brut actually, with plenty of fruit and a gentle nuttiness running through the seams of the wine. Very good QPR for vintage champagne, not the most complex, but elegant and very yummy. A great pairing for sushi too.
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2006 Perrier-Jouët Champagne Belle Epoque 91 Points
France, Champagne
I was not a fan of this one. It was objectively a decently good Champagne, but I thought it did not quite live up to its price or reputation. This felt just a tad in-your-face for my liking. The nose was very nice I must say, with notes of oats and vanilla cream, brioche, some ripe yellow fruit, and roasted nuts around the side. A very rich bouquet. The palate was very expressive too, with upfront notes of ripe yellow fruit and sweet lemon acidity leading into a moreish midpalat that showed just a little hint of a savoury, oxidative character. There was a fairly vigorous mousse and a decent amount of acidity otherwise. The finish was a little dryer after that ripe attack, but here the Champagne felt a tad unrefined as it petered out with a burst of alcohol warmth, then a distinct digestive biscuit note, all traced with just a little hint of spice and mineral. A big, burly Belle Epoque - fairly enjoyable, but not brilliant.
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2019 Emmanuel Rouget Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Blanc 89 Points
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune
Rouget HCDB 2019. A rather green Chardonnay - almost Pouilly Fume-like in its green grassiness, gooseberries and green apples on the nose. I would have sworn this was a Sauvignon Blanc on that nose alone. The palate just about pulled this back to Chardonnay territory, with a creamier texture than the nose would suggest, but still with those higher-toned notes of green apples and lemons, trailing away into a grassy finish cut through by a touch of earthy minerality. Pleasant enough, with a decent amount of depth and length, but this was a simple quaffer rather than anything serious.
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2017 Domaine Servin Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
This continues to improve with time - it was certainly the best of the last few bottles, and showed very decently on the night. The nose was quite classic Chablis, with notes of lime and lemons laced with a nice stony minerality. With time, some white flowers came out as well. The palate lacked some depth and authority for a Grand Cru, but I really like the thrust and feel of it, with mouthwatering acidity and a nice mineral spine laced through bright notes of lemons and green apples. Lovely cut and definition here, which made it a good pairing for Japanese seafood. Decent finish too, closing the wine out with a nice trail of savoury mineral and little hints of spice. Nothing earthshaking, but this was very pleasant indeed.
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1972 Xavier Vignon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Xavier 1972 92 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
An unusual bottle. Very pleasant though. This wafted out of the glass with a real burst of cassis along with notes of fresh-cut roses and damp earth, maybe with a twist of green bramble herb at the sides. Such was the blackcurranty depth in the nose that this immediately brought to mind Ribena and Creme de Cassis. Very pleasant though. The palate was made of slightly sterner stuff than the nose, with a chew of tannins and bright acid framing a fresh mouthful of juicy cassis and sour cherries, these pulling into a long finish that filled the back-palate with a flowery linger of violets and roses, then earth and spice. There was a lovely clarity and briskness to this. Nice, but it definitely did not taste like a 50-year old wine.
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