Opened and poured. Yellow. Fragrant orchard fruit and oak. Medium to full bodied. Impressively leesy, great depth of apple and pear, good acidity, very oaky finish. Long and layered. A white Burgundy Grand Cru wannabe, but the wood treatment really diminishes the pleasure for me.
Double decanted 4 hours prior to serving. Ruby without fading. Light menthol notes plus ripe fruit and olive. Lush feel, medium+ weight. Blackberry, ground coffee, fine acidity, ripe, harmonious tannins, very good length. Excellent now, expect even better in another 10 years.
Opened and poured. Garnet center with fading. Incredibly perfumed with a clutch of green herbal scents, including mint and fennel. Elegant medium weight, very supple mouth feel. Rising red fruit, excellent acidity, and some soil with low residual tannins. Wild, expressive mature French Syrah.
Double decanted 2 hours prior to serving. Light ruby with lighter rim. Fabulous aromas of brambly herb, pepper, fruit, and a late dash of citrus. Silky, integrated, elegant feel. Succulent, crisp black and blue fruit, perfectly weighted acidity, gentle remaining tannins. A model of subtlety and balance. I thought it was at peak 10 or 12 years ago, but it just keeps going and going and has not lost a step. One of my favorite Chaves.
Double decanted 2 hours prior to serving. Light ruby-a full shade lighter than the 1998. More aggressive green fennel aromas. Leaner, more angular feel with fading black fruit, briariness, prominent acidity, and drying minerality and tannins. I had a much more attractive, generous bottle of this last year. Nowhere near as pleasurable as the 1998.
Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vin Santo di Montepulciano
Half bottle. Amber. Nuts, figs, and ripe apricot on the nose. Thick, unctuous, very sweet, concentrated, and rich with good balancing acidity but some heat as well.
2021 Kongsgaard Chardonnay The Judge
USA, California, Napa Valley
Opened and poured. Yellow. Fragrant orchard fruit and oak. Medium to full bodied. Impressively leesy, great depth of apple and pear, good acidity, very oaky finish. Long and layered. A white Burgundy Grand Cru wannabe, but the wood treatment really diminishes the pleasure for me.
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2009 Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie La Landonne
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Double decanted 4 hours prior to serving. Ruby without fading. Light menthol notes plus ripe fruit and olive. Lush feel, medium+ weight. Blackberry, ground coffee, fine acidity, ripe, harmonious tannins, very good length. Excellent now, expect even better in another 10 years.
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1987 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Opened and poured. Garnet center with fading. Incredibly perfumed with a clutch of green herbal scents, including mint and fennel. Elegant medium weight, very supple mouth feel. Rising red fruit, excellent acidity, and some soil with low residual tannins. Wild, expressive mature French Syrah.
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1998 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Double decanted 2 hours prior to serving. Light ruby with lighter rim. Fabulous aromas of brambly herb, pepper, fruit, and a late dash of citrus. Silky, integrated, elegant feel. Succulent, crisp black and blue fruit, perfectly weighted acidity, gentle remaining tannins. A model of subtlety and balance. I thought it was at peak 10 or 12 years ago, but it just keeps going and going and has not lost a step. One of my favorite Chaves.
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1995 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Double decanted 2 hours prior to serving. Light ruby-a full shade lighter than the 1998. More aggressive green fennel aromas. Leaner, more angular feel with fading black fruit, briariness, prominent acidity, and drying minerality and tannins. I had a much more attractive, generous bottle of this last year. Nowhere near as pleasurable as the 1998.
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1997 Avignonesi Vin Santo di Montepulciano
Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vin Santo di Montepulciano
Half bottle. Amber. Nuts, figs, and ripe apricot on the nose. Thick, unctuous, very sweet, concentrated, and rich with good balancing acidity but some heat as well.
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