Small glass, brief note. A big and dense version of this NV Champagne, coming across as also slightly breadier vs other recent releases.

First time tasting this wine. A real success. Lots of apple with some toasted almond and an elegant saline minerality. Seemed very Burgundian. Very energetic, very long.

Small glass, brief note. Very powerful and dense. Bready and yeasty character is very pronounced, alongside the mouth puckering Extra Brut dryness. Not my preferred style, but very good in its style. Don't know disgorgement.

Small glass, brief note. Very rich and tasty, with a slightly sherried character that was both positive and negative. I wouldn't cellar this much longer. Fun and certainly enjoyable.

From magnum. Stunning aromas, so rich and vibrant bringing together floral, spice and ripe orchard fruit. Similar flavors, perhaps slightly less exciting, but still so tasty. Kept getting better with air, but never quite lived up to the amazing "96 point" nose.

Served alongside the 2002. Rich throughout with very good concentration. Both power and structure come through clearly at the same time.

Served alongside the 2004. Lots of chiseled minerality and structure. Lean, complex and long. Very good now, even if not quite what I expected from 2002.

From magnum. Very ripe, very rich but with the precision of a powerful, mineral-driven wine. Very long finish. Very good now, with upside. Better than the Batard-Montrachet tonight.

From magnum. Richer and more powerful than the Blanchot Dessus, but less energy and textural excitement. Very good weight and density. Good+ length. Best to enjoy in the near- or medium-term.

Floral with lemon peel and lots of ripe stone fruit. Massive concentration, but still very backward. 91 points based on its pleasure today, but clearly 93-94 point potential.

Small glass, brief note. Way too young. But glorious. Simply glorious.

Small glass, brief note. Something seemed amiss here, but too small a taste to say what.

Small glass, brief note. Charming red cherry and berry aromas and flavors. Not a powerhouse version of Bonnes Mares, certainly very textural enticing. Very good now, with lots of upside.

Small glass, brief note. Lots more structure vs fruit. Not a personal favorite tonight.

Small glass, brief note. Very rich and ripe for now, but that's 2009. New oak is still a bit pronounced. There is a lot of good material here, but I found it tough to assess its future potential. 90 points for now, probably with upside.

Small glass, brief note. Black and red cherry. Very good weight. Great balance and length. The rare 2005 at this level that is drinking beautifully right now.

Small glass, brief note. Served alongside the 2006. This comes across as so ripe right now that it is difficult to fully enjoy, even if its richness, density and length can easily be appreciated. Very good potential, but this needs lots of time in the cellar, 2024-.

Small glass, brief note. Served alongside the 2009. Ripe black cherry with espresso and vanilla. Very rich start, quickly transitions to well balanced middle-to-finish. Getting close to its peak drinking window.

Small glass, brief note. Very spice driven and incredibly ripe and rich. Wonderful to enjoy, just not quite showing the complexity I recall from when last tasted a few years back. Perhaps this needs more attention than this dinner format allows to fully appreciate the wine.

Small glass, brief note. Red fruit with good spice. Good concentration. slightly dirty, but that is Rene Engel. Intriguing and very complex at the same time.

I tried to be optimistic, but the slight stewiness and/or heat damage never really went away. Purchased at Christie's in 2010, stored perfectly since.

Earthy red fruit, good spice, starting to get tired.

Much fresher, brighter than 2000 Echezeaux, lots of spicecake and an array of red cherry and berry flavors and aromas. Very elegant start-to-finish. Best I can ever remember for this wine.

Small glass, brief note. Roasted meat and lingering black fruit with eve more earth, leather and horse notes. Good, but clearly on the back nine.

Small glass, brief note. Very rich and ripe, while still firm and well structured. Very long, very powerful. Should hold well, but I understand this is another Niellon with lots of bottle variation.

Late night, small glass, brief note. A rare treat indeed. Superb density and length, still reasonably fresh and showing Vosne style. 95 points?

Late night, small glass, brief note. Rich and intense stone fruit and tropical fruit with good botrytis-driven complexity. Good+ structure. Moderated sweetness. Very tasty.

My bottle was stolen from a wine dinner at Fiola Mare in Washington, DC

My bottle was stolen from a wine dinner at Fiola Mare in Washington, DC

Rich and powerful. Lots of orchard fruit with some berry hints. More Pinot coming through vs when tasted a year ago. Very dense, nicely balanced.

Late night glass, brief note. Very rich and powerful in the fashion of the vintage with plenty of lush black fruit and roasted meat. Great fruit purity seems to make this nicely elegant. Very good now, but this can easily evolve in interesting ways over the next decade.