AK's birthday
Tasted Friday, December 5, 2025 by melvinyeowq with 67 views
Introduction
Another year of AK's birthday where he generously opened all the wines. The DRC was the standout but enjoyed the Mugnier, Arnoux, Dujac and Girardin immensely too. All the wines showed remarkably youthfully with delicate floral notes.
1999 Henri Giraud Champagne Grand Cru Fût De Chêne Brut Vintage Aÿ 92 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Rich and rounded honey notes that showed a clear house style. Oak use gave some oxidative notes, quite a generic style of its era with brioche and sweet notes.
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2021 Domaine Bachelet-Monnot Puligny-Montrachet 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet
Quite linear but didn't get the reductive and austere notes that I associate with the producer. Citrus fruit-dominant with some straw notes; good ripeness for the vintage and excellent weight for a village.
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2001 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Fuées 95 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
Guessed the villages the wrong way round, thought this was a Vosne because of the superb perfume and aromatic spice. A little light on the palate at first but put on weight with air, a wonderful example of how seductive Mugnier can be. An archetypal floral Burgundy.
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2001 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots 95 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Guessed the villages the wrong way round, thought this was a masculine Chambolle in the Roumier vein. Iron fist in a velvet glove, superb depth and concentration. Another example of how old Arnoux just need age to strut their stuff.
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2001 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Clos Saint-Denis 94 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru
Wow this was stunning, I thought that this was the Dujac because it was the better wine at first. Spicy, seductive with a supple and round texture that made it a very gulpable wine. Clearly a GC and I agreed with a seasoned taster that said that GCs have a minerality to them (but I guessed GC because of the weight). Didn't disgrace itself alongside some heavyweights.
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2001 Domaine Dujac Clos Saint-Denis 95 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru
A little more brooding at first beside the exuberant Girardin alongside, but this displayed a wonderful precision and clarity of fruit that was just a little too reserved at first. But with time the concentration and power began to show and it pulled ahead of the Girardin in terms of depth. Loved the delicate nature of the wine which differentiates this from the CDLR. Old Dujacs are always a treat.
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2001 Domaine Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Very cloudy with a certain wildness and acidity that made me think Engel, but I confidently said that this pair was village-level so go figure..
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2001 Domaine du Clos de Tart Clos de Tart 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de Tart Grand Cru
Unlike the last bottle a couple of weeks ago this was quite unintegrated with protruding oak and slight over-ripeness that was more in line with my previous experiences with Clos de Tart, but did improve with air. Interestingly a friend whose palate I respect said she preferred this over the previous bottle that we had.
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2001 Domaine Follin-Arbelet Romanée St. Vivant 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru
Unlike the outstanding '02 last year this didn't quite show as well (but it wasn't paired with a DRC last year!). Perfumed aromatics with a firm structure that made me think this pair was a Richebourg with this being a H-N. Focus was on power rather than elegance here, but still a very enjoyable wine with a long way to go.
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2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant 96 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru
Absolutely outstanding and the unanimous WOTN. When I smelled this I immediately said this was good shit, wonderful aromatics of stemmy five spice and a lift that was unrivalled by the other (excellent) wines on show today. Gorgeous layers of ethereal dark cherry fruit that unfurled beautifully in layers over the palate. An incredibly vivid wine and one of the contenders for WOTY.
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