Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
Holiday Champagne Dinner
Chez Kailin - Northbrook IL
Tasted December 27, 2015 by Burgundy Al with 659 views
Flight 1 - Champagne (14 notes)
White - Sparkling
2006 Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Speciale Blanc de Blancs Les Chetillons
94 points
Lots of apple and pear with some lemon notes. Very good power, length and freshness. Better than I recall vs when last tasted last year. Probably will be even better in another year or two.
2 people found this helpful
Comment
White - Sparkling
1985 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon
95 points
3rd or 4th time I have tried this in the past 3 or 4 years, and this was by far the best bottle. Fresh and powerful orchard fruit with toasted brioche hints. Rich, powerful, long.
White - Sparkling
1985 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Oenothèque
1999 disgorgement. Not nearly as fresh or enjoyable as the "regular" 1985 Cuvée Dom Pérignon just tasted. Much more mature and lots more toasty, leesy notes throughout.
White - Sparkling
2004 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année
89 points
Lots of toast and bread with apple and pear. Moderate weight. Less interesting now than I recall from before.
White - Sparkling
1998 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut
92 points
Slightly floral with lots of lemon, lemon zest and ripe apple. Nicely balanced now, but with good energy for further cellaring.
White - Sparkling
2000 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut
93 points
Bright and buoyant with plenty of apple, lemon custard and baked apple,. Rich and dense, but also comes across as tighter than the 1998 just tasted.
White - Sparkling
2004 Dom Pérignon Champagne
92 points
Very consistent with previous bottles. Apple and lemon start-to-finish, still slightly reserved but very tasty. Moderate weight.
White - Sparkling
2005 Launois Pere et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Special Club Blanc de Blancs
86 points
From magnum. Forward, pleasant, but slightly simple.
White - Sparkling
1989 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut
93 points
Ripe apple, some baked apple. Very good weight and concentration, but with moderate acidity and a finish that is getting slightly tired. Not quite as vibrant as when tasted from magnum a few years back.
White - Sparkling
1996 Dom Pérignon Champagne Oenothèque
95 points
Best I can ever recall for this wine. Lots of ripe apple, lots of lemon and lemon zest, all with nice floral notes. Excellent balance and length.
2 people found this helpful
Comment
White - Sparkling
1999 Vranken Champagne Diamant Bleu Blanc de Blancs Brut
87 points
Apple and slightly nutty. Rounded textures. Slightly tired.
White - Sparkling
1999 Vranken Champagne Diamant Blanc
89 points
Apple and lemon on nose and palate. Good overall, but not as vibrant as I recall from a few years back.
White - Sparkling
2004 Camille Savès Champagne Grand Cru Brut Millésimé
90 points
Lots of red berry on nose and palate with subtle floral notes. Good concentration and richness. Very Pinot Noir intensive.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Flight 2 - Other Wine (6 notes)
White - Sweet/Dessert
1971 Weingut G.F. Von Nell Trier Thiergarten unterm Kreuz Riesling Auslese Eiswein
Tired and well past its peak.
Red
1999 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny
89 points
Red cherry and berry flavors and aromas with very good balance and elegance. Moderate weight. Very good for now, and this should drink well for another decade.
Red
2006 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Combe des Fous
Extremely ripe, jammy and concentrated, to a degree I can appreciate even if I don't really enjoy.
Red
1990 Château Haut-Brion
92 points
Great aromatic start with dark cherry, liqueur, espresso and dark chocolate, with hints of earth. Slightly less exciting flavors, slightly more evolved, with a good minerally texture.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2005 Sine Qua Non Chardonnay Mr. K The Noble Man
Very nice flavors but just very one dimensional and simple, not showing the complexity I appreciate from botrytised wine.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
White - Sweet/Dessert
1980 Château Climens
90 points
Moderate sweetness with enjoyable stone fruit flavors. Good balance, moderate depth, very enjoyable.