Effortlessly elegant and probably at optimum time in its drinking window. The rounder and richer style with 4.5g/L dosage and 85% Pinot make this bang on now . Round, harmonious , lively still but not sharp and this is just on point. Very solid 95-96 March 2022 Disgorgement.
Decanted for 35-40 minutes and this beautiful magnum ( only gets bottled in Magnums) delivered effortlessly. The oak is. Ow fully assimilated and the slight modernity of the style pikisgws the wine but takes away nothing. Earthy now , silky, still very much alive and bright, good fruit, cherry and a kiss of a tarry edge. This is now at peak for us and will continue here for another decade easy. Magical 96
Beautiful magnum had both with and without decanting. Definitely decanting is needed and better a couple of hours. The nose sings and ever so beautiful, rich fruit, last kisses of an oaky dynamic, good earthy and herby touches too. The palate is a bit tight still and we wonder if this is the price the wine is paying for a very ripe and extracted elevage as this is from the high Parker era. Still very solid 93-94 and we would age it more, especially for magnums.
From magnum opened and left to rat for a good hour. A wine we have had twice ( Papies 94) in the last 2 years from bottle and magnum and albeit young with that elegant richness that Montebello has and still with a bit of oaky puppy fat to assimilate but frankly every bit as elegant and beautiful. 94 again
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru
From magnum , opened and served. Quite a dark fruited expression of Pinot but very Burgundian nonetheless, touch richer than expected but guess this is the 2010 vintage coming out. Interesting cause along with the richness at time ms we felt an austerity too similar to a Pauillac. Solid wine still at the start of its life and with a decade of top life at a minimum.
Not a vintage we know nor expect that a sommelier will advise but apparently ( and correctly) this was made with the grand vin’s grape at most as a lot were declassified given the vintage. Even more interestingly we had this framed vs the excellent 1996 Cos D’Estournel ( Papies 96) and it shown and frankly the line between the two was very finite. Earthy , leather, tobacco and all the classic notes lovers of well aged and classic claret like us hunt for and really this is a top end wine and this is to be drunk now. Superb. 96
This is now in state of magic. Much like about a month and a couple of years ago ( Papies 95-96) this is just another level of beauty for people ( like us) who love well aged classic claret. We have been following the wine for a good 15 years now and the sharp tannin of youth has now given way to a ballerina of a wine that also is proficient is MMA. Magical wine and an easy 96
Two very consistent half bottles. 5 years since we had this ( Papies 96) and once again we feel this is the arbitrage on the Yquem curve as it trades at good value and end of the day vintages come and go Yquem is Yquem. And this is no exception and what a lovely one. Pointless to rant just enjoy! 96 easy
2013 Philipponnat Champagne Extra Brut Clos des Goisses 95 Points
France, Champagne
Effortlessly elegant and probably at optimum time in its drinking window. The rounder and richer style with 4.5g/L dosage and 85% Pinot make this bang on now . Round, harmonious , lively still but not sharp and this is just on point. Very solid 95-96
March 2022 Disgorgement.
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2006 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Sarmassa 96 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Decanted for 35-40 minutes and this beautiful magnum ( only gets bottled in Magnums) delivered effortlessly. The oak is. Ow fully assimilated and the slight modernity of the style pikisgws the wine but takes away nothing. Earthy now , silky, still very much alive and bright, good fruit, cherry and a kiss of a tarry edge. This is now at peak for us and will continue here for another decade easy. Magical 96
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2002 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 94 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Beautiful magnum had both with and without decanting. Definitely decanting is needed and better a couple of hours.
The nose sings and ever so beautiful, rich fruit, last kisses of an oaky dynamic, good earthy and herby touches too. The palate is a bit tight still and we wonder if this is the price the wine is paying for a very ripe and extracted elevage as this is from the high Parker era. Still very solid 93-94 and we would age it more, especially for magnums.
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2014 Ridge Monte Bello 94 Points
USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
From magnum opened and left to rat for a good hour.
A wine we have had twice ( Papies 94) in the last 2 years from bottle and magnum and albeit young with that elegant richness that Montebello has and still with a bit of oaky puppy fat to assimilate but frankly every bit as elegant and beautiful. 94 again
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2010 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Maréchale 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru
From magnum , opened and served.
Quite a dark fruited expression of Pinot but very Burgundian nonetheless, touch richer than expected but guess this is the 2010 vintage coming out. Interesting cause along with the richness at time ms we felt an austerity too similar to a Pauillac. Solid wine still at the start of its life and with a decade of top life at a minimum.
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1991 Château Latour Les Forts de Latour 96 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Not a vintage we know nor expect that a sommelier will advise but apparently ( and correctly) this was made with the grand vin’s grape at most as a lot were declassified given the vintage. Even more interestingly we had this framed vs the excellent 1996 Cos D’Estournel ( Papies 96) and it shown and frankly the line between the two was very finite.
Earthy , leather, tobacco and all the classic notes lovers of well aged and classic claret like us hunt for and really this is a top end wine and this is to be drunk now. Superb. 96
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1996 Château Cos d'Estournel 96 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe
This is now in state of magic. Much like about a month and a couple of years ago ( Papies 95-96) this is just another level of beauty for people ( like us) who love well aged classic claret. We have been following the wine for a good 15 years now and the sharp tannin of youth has now given way to a ballerina of a wine that also is proficient is MMA. Magical wine and an easy 96
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1996 Château d'Yquem 96 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Two very consistent half bottles.
5 years since we had this ( Papies 96) and once again we feel this is the arbitrage on the Yquem curve as it trades at good value and end of the day vintages come and go Yquem is Yquem. And this is no exception and what a lovely one. Pointless to rant just enjoy! 96 easy
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