France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise
A simple but pleasant Bourgogne, this had a very attractive nose of ripe stone fruit and floral perfume laced with bits of spice and mineral. The palate was a bit simpler than the nose suggested, but no less pleasant, with that same nice dry minerality underpinning ripe but well-balanced notes of stone fruit and melon, with a little blush of herb and spice at the very end. Lovely length here. There was just a tiny blush of alcohol at the very edges of the palate, which I found a bit distracting; otherwise, this was very enjoyable indeed.
Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Mornington Peninsula
My experience seems to contrast with some of the recent notes on this wine. I thought this was absolutely lovely, and drinking perfectly on point. It had a lovely, lovely nose, with red cherries and sweet berries, rose petals, and then damp earth and mushrooms, with little sprigs of eucalyptus and bramble, chased with a blush of spice. A really beautiful bouquet. The palate was drinking wonderfully too, mid-weighted, but with a lovely transparent purity ringing through juicy flavours of dark cherries and red berries, earth and spice, some floral perfume, and then just those tiny shades of menthol and eucalyptus just peeking around the edges to remind you of where this came from. There was a new world sunniness wed to quite old world balance to this, with an effortless feel that was almost Burgundian in its poise and elegance. Absolutely lovely, and drinking perfectly now.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin
There is some quality here, but it still felt really young, tight, and rather overly extracted. Amazingly, at 13 years of age, this is a village Gevrey that still needs a whole lot of time in the bottle. The nose was quite attractive, with deep dark notes of berries and black cherries, some plums, and then a twang of mineral and wood spice. The palate was very muscular and rather tighter though. There was an extracted extracted feel to it, with a background of woody notes, just starting to fade into the background to reveal clearer, purer tones of dark cherries and ripe berries, these playing against a savoury backdrop of meat and earth, some olive tapenade, and then a little sprinkle of spice at a long, powerful finish. A deep, powerful, masculine expression. Not something you would call elegant, but certainly well-balanced and long-lived. Not a style I favour,e even though there is some quality here. I certainly felt the Mornington Peninsula Pinot from Stonier we had alongside was more elegant and more "Burgundian" in feel. This should be better drinking in say 6-8 years down the road, but I am not sure it will ever take on that type of elegance.
A real surprise - this was very enjoyable indeed. The nose was certainly very attractive, with classic mature Rioja smells of both sweet and sour plums, damp earth and olives, and a little ashy lilt at the sides. Very attractive. The palate carried on seamlessly from the nose flavour-wise, with sour plums and black cherries, more savoury olives, and then some spice and cigarette ash on the back-end. Nothing too complex, and the wine was more middle-weight than a blockbuster, but all this was wrapped up in a lovely juicy mouthful of flavour - all really fresh and balanced and silky, and drinking beautifully now. A real pleasure.
2019 A. et P. de Villaine Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise Les Clous Aimé 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise
A simple but pleasant Bourgogne, this had a very attractive nose of ripe stone fruit and floral perfume laced with bits of spice and mineral. The palate was a bit simpler than the nose suggested, but no less pleasant, with that same nice dry minerality underpinning ripe but well-balanced notes of stone fruit and melon, with a little blush of herb and spice at the very end. Lovely length here. There was just a tiny blush of alcohol at the very edges of the palate, which I found a bit distracting; otherwise, this was very enjoyable indeed.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2013 Stonier Pinot Noir Reserve 93 Points
Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Mornington Peninsula
My experience seems to contrast with some of the recent notes on this wine. I thought this was absolutely lovely, and drinking perfectly on point. It had a lovely, lovely nose, with red cherries and sweet berries, rose petals, and then damp earth and mushrooms, with little sprigs of eucalyptus and bramble, chased with a blush of spice. A really beautiful bouquet. The palate was drinking wonderfully too, mid-weighted, but with a lovely transparent purity ringing through juicy flavours of dark cherries and red berries, earth and spice, some floral perfume, and then just those tiny shades of menthol and eucalyptus just peeking around the edges to remind you of where this came from. There was a new world sunniness wed to quite old world balance to this, with an effortless feel that was almost Burgundian in its poise and elegance. Absolutely lovely, and drinking perfectly now.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2009 Domaine Denis Bachelet Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin
There is some quality here, but it still felt really young, tight, and rather overly extracted. Amazingly, at 13 years of age, this is a village Gevrey that still needs a whole lot of time in the bottle. The nose was quite attractive, with deep dark notes of berries and black cherries, some plums, and then a twang of mineral and wood spice. The palate was very muscular and rather tighter though. There was an extracted extracted feel to it, with a background of woody notes, just starting to fade into the background to reveal clearer, purer tones of dark cherries and ripe berries, these playing against a savoury backdrop of meat and earth, some olive tapenade, and then a little sprinkle of spice at a long, powerful finish. A deep, powerful, masculine expression. Not something you would call elegant, but certainly well-balanced and long-lived. Not a style I favour,e even though there is some quality here. I certainly felt the Mornington Peninsula Pinot from Stonier we had alongside was more elegant and more "Burgundian" in feel. This should be better drinking in say 6-8 years down the road, but I am not sure it will ever take on that type of elegance.
Read 2 Comments / Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2001 Faustino Rioja I Gran Reserva 92 Points
Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
A real surprise - this was very enjoyable indeed. The nose was certainly very attractive, with classic mature Rioja smells of both sweet and sour plums, damp earth and olives, and a little ashy lilt at the sides. Very attractive. The palate carried on seamlessly from the nose flavour-wise, with sour plums and black cherries, more savoury olives, and then some spice and cigarette ash on the back-end. Nothing too complex, and the wine was more middle-weight than a blockbuster, but all this was wrapped up in a lovely juicy mouthful of flavour - all really fresh and balanced and silky, and drinking beautifully now. A real pleasure.
Post a Comment / 4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue