Similar notes as last time, disgorged 09/2010. Just a really fantastic bottle of bubbly for the price.

Slightly corky on the nose, but the palate was pretty much DOA. Later, the TCA spread to the wine. Bummer.

Beautiful color, still crisp in fact, which was surprising. Lovely aromas of sous-bois, some hints of red fruit, earth, leather, soy and minerals. Light on the palate, with an almost ethereal essence that floated away slowly once it passed your lips, though the finish was a tad shorter than I'd hoped for (not clipped, however). It certainly carried itself with that Vosne elegance, with just a hint of spice. Very pretty, but ready to drink now, I wouldn't hold them any longer. If you don't believe me, send them my way and I'll drink them now and prove you wrong.

Oooh, brooding and masculine came to mind when we poured this. Deep and dark earthy black and red fruits were almost overshadowed by the sous-bois, leather and minerality but held their own. The palate was surprisingly heavy, but not in a bad way, and somewhat silky. We all joked that perhaps some Algerian Syrah had made its way into this, as it was quite meaty for a Pinot, even one from Bonnes Mares, which tend to be bigger creatures. Still, it was a pleasure to drink, matching up nicely with the roast chicken, and ending in a mid-length finish.

Tight tight tight tight, this was definitely a Faiveley from a tough year. All night it refused to come out, though every now and then a hint of red fruit would come peeking out from its shy shell.

This was very pretty to behold as the wine filled the glass, a lovely yellow-gold color. Somewhat tight at first, with air it began to really open up, with aromas of honeycomb, lanolin, wax, quince, pineapple, lemon and peaches. The notes were very fresh and vibrant for a wine of this age, and there was no sign of oxydation. The mouthfeel was slightly waxy, and offered up similar elements in a beautifully layered presentation. The sweetness was evident on the attack, but slowly faded away, almost curtsying aside to let the fruit flavors shine, and the acidity at the back swept in and slowly cleansed your palate. Not too heavy nor too light, this was what I would call a very balanced wine. Everything was in its place, nothing cried out for attention, like an orchestra where all the instruments are working together to form a wonderful crescendo.