Showing just a little hint of age, but to be clear not in a bad way. The fruit is starting to show moderate notes of browning, but again, that's more expected than anything for a 2002 at this age. A bit of a mature mushroomy, older chardonnay note, but still plenty crisp and enjoyable.

A good, not great edition of this. Comes across a little taut and lean still, with the acidity taking too much of a front seat. Quite mineral as well; I just wish there was something that could help round out all the sharp edges. Time, maybe.

Quite oily and thick, with the ripe vintage giving this some proper heft. Almost a bit sweet from the sheer amount of fruit here; surprisingly drinkable for the amount of stuffing this has right now -- and honestly, it's almost a question of why bother waiting?

Didn't understand this wine at all. Felt underripe, lean, and taut. Just an exhibition of underripe acidity, without any weight on the palate. Lacks body, and is a bit of an exercise in self-flagellation. Kind of exemplifies the difficulties I have with modern Champagne.

I love how incredibly chewy this is from all that minerality here. It's definitely sweet, thanks to the vintage, but that mineral chew gives this the weight and counterbalance for all that sweetness. The acidity is dialled down, but this never feels out of balance ever.

Mature Dom. Sweet, with an incredibly distinct note of caramel on the nose here. There's a lushness and breadth here that you don't get in grower Champagnes, and I am really here for it. For my palate, a bottle right at peak. Hard to expect much more from this.

Absolutely stunning syrah that got better with more air. This is a profoundly meaty, backwards, and rustic version of Hermitage, with blood, iron, and smoke dominating the nose. With air, more of the delicate brine and olive notes develop. The way syrah should be made. The other non-Chave chronic underperformers on the hill (ahem Jaboulet) should take a lesson.

Love this wine -- it's one of the few Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines in my mind that are worth the time of day. The thing that gets me here is the texture. It's like Allemand in how silky and satiny it is. And yet somehow this manages to be barnyard forward and funky at the same time, despite all of that.

Wow. For a poor Bordeaux vintage, this is really next-level stuff. Unmistakable Pauillac pencil shaving notes on the nose. The palate is a bit soft, and doesn't have the weight and gravitas of a top-vintage Latour, but there's no mistaking the quality behind the winemaking here. I love the delicacy and red-fruited acidity here.

Very peachy -- but in the canned peaches kind of way. Quite sweet, and definitely in the 5th percentile if we're talking about riesling acidity levels. The sweetness feels more like a GKA than Spätlese. Perhaps a bit too in-your-face right now, but enjoyable enough. If this is indeed the second coming of 1959, we'll have to wait 44 years to find out.

From magnum. I love the way 2009 Champagne shows -- and this magnum was no exception. Riper and broad on the palate, but shying away from any sweetness. Lots of chardonnay crispness with a lovely minerality in a relatively rounded vintage. Excellent.