Clean, bracing, starts off with an almost bitter paracetamol finish at the back of the palate. Pulls itself together and weirdly over the course of the next couple of hours got more length. My handwritten notes say "A bit thrilling, actually"
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
Pale colour. On the nose - starts off burnt rubber. Like faulty horrid burnt rubber. The kind that doesn't blow off. Of course it blows off. There is a kind of ripe-fruited Chassagne richness here, but the finish is the thing. It goes on and has lovely structure.
This goes in with a strong attack - really grabs the attention, but then continues the conversation a little awkwardly. I thought I liked both the whites similarly, but a look at the glasses shows that the revealed preference is very much for the PYCM.
Served from magnum. My wine. I had originally bought this from G so seemed fitting to share. Started off perhaps a little short, with a not-unpleasing coke-float hint to the back of it. Got better with the food, I went back to this a few times over the course of the meal. My handwritten notes say "not Fourrier, but not not either" - I think the point I was trying to make was, a certain focus and clarity, although slightly less focus, and slightly less clear, than my perception of Fourrier wines.
On the attack - lively intense fruit, not uncomplex but not requring a great deal of concentration either. Interestingly, this actually got worse with the food, with the initial energy and intensity starting to feel like, as fellow diners pointed out, excessive extraction.
Time to pay respect to my elders. Lovely nose, pencil lead, hint of campfire. On the palate - still some fruit, and lots of tertiary characteristics, forest floor, mushroom. So toothsome and savoury, one could imagine drinking a bottle of this over lunch and still being ready to face the afternoon's chores.
Does Montrose ever become ready? Well actually...this one was probably ready some time ago. Just over the hill or some air ingress over time? Who knows, but away it goes. To be replaced by its backup...
The thing about Montrose is it is never ready to drink. Erm no. And I should say - I was in a bit of a minority opinion at the table here, but this was gorgeous, a bit emotional actually, in a way that I rarely find Bordeaux to be. Tightly coiled for sure but there's a kind of olivy intensity and just joyous character to it. Possibly the emotion of the occasion, or the exquisite food, but my gosh. Thank you to my fellow diner for bringing this superb backup.
Very generously shared from double magnum. By this stage I was well served so hard to provide detailed feedback - some discussion over whether this was wine of the lunch, for me the 05 Montrose took that spot but I could see the point. This is fully balanced now, tannins are politely holding everything in place, there's good fruit and acidity and it just keeps going.
2010 Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Les Chemins d'Avize
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Lovely full mouth feel, but in no way weighty. A certain kind of quartz edge to it - perhaps I'm thinking minerality. Good stuff.
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2011 Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Vieille Vigne du Levant Extra Brut
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Clean, bracing, starts off with an almost bitter paracetamol finish at the back of the palate. Pulls itself together and weirdly over the course of the next couple of hours got more length. My handwritten notes say "A bit thrilling, actually"
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