Glorious Waterside Inn

Proper Old School 3* but also stays relevant and contemporary. Top.

• 2011 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  Vintage in vintage out this wine delivered and was a great choice for aperitif to kick off our lunch at The Waterside Inn.
  Young and very energetic still, bright, elegant as always and so polished across. Soft toast, rich but not heavy wine, soft nutty and full of depth of flavour. Proper 93-94

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• 2015 Lucien Le Moine Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Embrazées 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  This is just on the money now and has shed its puppy fat and the signature smoky oak of LLM , has good evolution of the fruit but it is still very much alive and still vibrant.
  Has a savoury side to it, nice volition on the fruit but in no was past its prime, light oaky dynamic for sure exists but add a nice dynamic to the fruit and just makes the wine come together. This is now drinking at optimum for our style and easily have another decade to go. 93-94

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• 1985 Château Beychevelle 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Ex Château release but original cork and just in neck level.
  This is a wine that just speaks to us and from the first smell this put a gigantic grin on our faces and to our friends too. St Julien qt its best, properly aged, earthy’ leather, cedar, pepper and soft spice. Ever so elegant , beautiful and with so much more to give. 1985 was and is a spectacular vintage and St Juliens excel. We will add this to the list with Talbot & Gruaud Larosse 1985 that we so much love. 96 for this beauty.

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• 2006 Château L'Evangile 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Great wine and one to hunt down. Testament to this is that it followed in the wake of the magical 1985 Beychevelle ( Papies 96) and sang too. Decanted and served and it was singing from start and impressively how ready it is now.
  Rad fruits, soft dark edge , just turning secondary, just so good at this stage as the fruit has a good weight and life and drives the wine forward. Granted this has a lot of life ahead but it’s just exceptional now showing a younger face but ever so welcoming. 95-96 and a wine to look for.

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• 2011 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Decanted and served. We rarely cross paths with La Las this young, we cherish and save them for older age but every now and then we get these joyful events when we try them youngish. This is now at the start of its drinking window but ever so welcoming and beautiful. Still very much fruit driven but starting to show secondary side and evolution, not heat that full on smoky well evolved La La but still ever so savoury, dark fruited and beautiful wine. Impressively balanced and elegant as expected from the pedigree and terroir. Exceptional albeit at the start of its journey. 94 for now but more to come.

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• 1986 Domaine de Trévallon 93 Points

  France, Provence, Les Baux-de-Provence

  Decanted and served. Just really for the sediment as the wine is touch fragile and we would not suggest a long decant. Fragile but also singing from the word go. Frankly have w head this blind we would have said 1980s Bordeaux maybe a Pauillac on account of a soft austerity of fruit. So well evolved, tertiary, earthy, leather and tobacco, cedar and spice. All hallmarks of Bordeaux really . A magical wine and such a joy to cross paths with it. 93

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• 2006 Château Rieussec 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  A great way to finish a beautiful lunch at The Waterside Inn, Bray and added that little richness and a bit of a sucrerie .
  Bright still albeit now moving into its secondary phase, entering the evolution of fruit. Soft apricot, light marmalade feel, still vibrant, lovely texture and richness but also with bright acidity. We are not sure where and how this evolves but for sure is delicious now and will continue to evolve. 92

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• 1976 Laberdolive Bas Armagnac Domaine de Jaurrey

  France, Southwest France, Gascony, Bas Armagnac

  By the glass at The Waterside Inn, Bray to finish a beautiful lunch.
  Side by side with the 1923 and frankly the differences were subtle and just ever so delicate. Spice, sweet citrus, smoky edge and a touch of an oaky dynamic too. Exceptional stuff.

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• 1923 Laberdolive Bas Armagnac Domaine de Jaurrey

  France, Southwest France, Gascony, Bas Armagnac

  By the glass at The Waterside Inn, Bray to finish a beautiful lunch.
  Side by side with the 1976 and frankly the differences were subtle and just ever so delicate. The 1923 was punchier in a way, more pronounced alcohol to blend with the spice & sweet citrus. Less of a smoky edge but much like the 1976 this was stuff of exception.

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