A small gathering at Bryan's

Four of us got together to drink a few nice wines.

• 2006 Lanson Champagne Clos Lanson 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  Medium expressive nose displaying perfectly ripe white and yellow fruit, granny smith, apple candy, lemon curd, a hint of brioche, light caramel, marzipan, slightly oxidative and limestone. Medium concentration, nicely layered sweet white fruit with a hint of red, very fine medium generous mousse, sweet and rich but also pure and fluid, bright acidity, medium limestone mineral, and a medium to long pure white fruit driven finish with marzipan at the end. This medium complex champagne shows excellent freshness, richness and purity. Drinking nicely.

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The 06 was from my cellar. It was a mature example.

• 2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Rosé Brut 95 Points

  France, Champagne

  Fully mature Burgundian nose displaying sweet red fruit, raspberry, cherry soda, strawberry soda, rose, mint, sous bois, light caramel, mushroom, white chocolate, copper and mineral. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated red fruit, rich, warm and round, medium fine medium generous mousse, medium acidity, medium mineral, and a long mature concentrated red fruit driven finish with copper and rose at the end. This seems significantly more mature than the 07 version which displays fresher fruit. Very Burgundian.

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• 2007 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Rosé Brut 96 Points

  France, Champagne

  Expressive nose displaying pure bright red fruit, raspberry, fresh cherry, rose/perfume, sweet spices, brioche, a hint of smoke, sweet spices and limestone. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of pure bright red fruit, medium fine generous mousse, fresh and vibrant, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long pure red fruit driven finish with rose and brioche at the end. This seems more youthful and sharper than the 06 version. Drinking nicely.

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I thought the 02 was not a representative bottle.

• 2002 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Valmur 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

  Golden color, significantly darker than the 10 Blanchot. Medium expressive nose displaying very ripe sweet yellow fruit, peach, baked apple, caramel, a hint of mint, honey, sweet spices and mineral. Excellent concentration, packed very ripe yellow fruit, dense, rich and deeply toned, medium acidity and mineral, and a medium long very ripe yellow fruit driven finish with caramel and sweet spices at the end. I suspect this may be a bit further advanced than a properly cellared bottle. Very rich and a bit cloying and tired.

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• 2010 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot 97 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

  Pale color especially compare to the 02. Expressive nose displaying pure white and yellow fruit, pear, apple, fresh lemon, mint, honeysuckle, lanoline, saline, perfume, spicy spices and crushed rocks. Excellent concentration, finely layered pure white and yellow fruit, excellent purity, energy and precision, bright acidity and strong mineral, and a long pure white fruit driven finish with spicy spices and mint at the end. This youthful example is drinking incredibly well.

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Both were really ripe.

• 2014 Domaine Lamy-Pillot Montrachet 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

  Expressive nose displaying concentrated ripe yellow fruit, peach, a hint of mango, passionfruit, curry power, sweet spices and mineral. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of oily ripe yellow fruit, rich and dense but also fluid, bright acidity, medium mineral, and a long ripe yellow fruit driven finish with cumin at the end. The dense yet airy palate clearly expresses the pedigree. However, the fruit is very ripe.

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• 2010 Domaine Lamy-Pillot Montrachet 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

  Expressive nose displaying ripe yellow fruit, apple, peach, lemon curd, a hint of mint, honey, beeswax and sweet spices. Not showing much mineral expression. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of sweet ripe yellow fruit, rich and sweet but also fluid and polished, bright acidity, and a long ripe yellow fruit driven finish with mint at the end. Just like the 14 version, this is ripe and sweet. This is a very good wine but perhaps not a great Montrachet.

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• 1982 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano 96 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Fully mature nose displaying sweet pure red fruit, strawberry, cherry, rose, a hint of raisin, tar, sap, porcini, spicy spices and iron. Perfectly integrated palate, nicely layered subtle sweet red fruit, excellent detail, balance and precision, bright acidity, strong iron mineral, and a seamless long subtle sweet red fruit driven finish with iron at the end. This is still drinking beautifully!

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This was really complex

• 1912 D'Oliveiras Madeira Verdelho 97 Points

  Portugal, Madeira

  Opened for over a year. Explosive nose displaying intense black fruit, dried blackberry, dried fig, dried orange peel, roasted almond, honey, dark caramel, brown sugar, balsamico, molasses, tar dark spices, and limestone. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of intense dry black fruit, rich and opulent but also beautifully focused, mouth puckering acidity, strong mineral, and a long concentrated black fruit driven finish with brown sugar at the end. Although the fruit seems intense and sweet, the finish is very dry.

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As usual, a great time was had by all, and the dinner lasted over six hours.