1/20/2024 - ptmotr wrote:

First of three from my cellar. and very disappointing. Pale brown-orange, with a strong burnt match odor on the nose. The fruit was completely gone, all that remained were extremely faint but tantalizing hints of the the usual Barolo notes of rose and cherry. No tannins to speak of but a flat, oxidized tar/leather taste that overpowered almost everything else and rendered it borderline undrinkable. It's possible this was a flawed bottle but it seemed more like a premox type of problem. I'll try another in the next while and report but if you have some you may want to open one - this might be going downhill fast.

11/11/2023 - ptmotr Likes this wine:

Having bought a case of this wine on release and consumed six bottles up to about five years ago, I had pretty much given up on it. The first few bottles were mediocre at best and by about 2018 it had become, as JHSP put it, tight and sour. I thought his 88 rating at the time was generous. My remaining bottles sat ignored and unloved in the back of the cellar until yesterday. I pulled a bottle and coravined a little, without much optimism. To my surprise it was exactly what a ripe Charmes should be and was very much enjoyed by my guests and I. Derek Darth Taster's review was spot on and accurately described this wine's current characteristics - a very nice metamorphosis. I would say this has at least two or three more years in it for those who have a cool cellar and enjoy mature white Burgundy.

11/5/2023 - ptmotr Likes this wine:

This wine was served as a vin mystere at a Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin dinner. The wine showed pale ruby with a slight brown rim, but seemed younger than its years both to the eye and on the nose. Only one guest thought it was younger than 2000 though most correctly identified it as Cote de Beaune and several identified it as a Volnay. It presented a delightful bouquet of red fruits with a pleasant undertone of earth and leather which was replicated on the palate. A delightful wine and one to sip and savour. This probably has a few years left if it has been carefully cellared to this point but seems unlikely to improve much from here.

11/5/2023 - ptmotr wrote:

Served to accompany a first course of lobster bisque. Pale straw in colour and very subdued and mild flavours. The wine showed minimal Chablis stoniness, acid and salinity. A pleasant tipple by itself but rather disappointing and at least at this point in its development doesn't have the stuffing to be served with flavoursome food.

7/23/2023 - ptmotr Likes this wine:

We drank this slightly chilled on a warm evening with a grilled miso salmon. It was delicious and a fine match for the al fresco meal. I think Swade's tasting note is absolutely on point. This is drinking beautifully now with everything in harmony. I find it a little hard to judge this wine's longevity from this point - I have three more bottles and my inclination is to drink them over the next year or so as I think the fruit will likely start to fade a bit after that and reduce the freshness which is a big part of its current charm.

1/1/2023 - ptmotr wrote:

Very disappointing. Clean cork and good colour but so heavily brett-ified as to be undrinkable. I enjoyed the comment below about a certain sub-genre of German cinema, but this was much less sophisticated than that - pure unadulterated horse-barn on both the nose and palate. While brett happens, from the other comments this maker seems to have more than its share of issues. Not a wine I'll seek out again.

4/17/2022 - ptmotr Likes this wine:

Opened this magnum with SA friends who had brought it as a hostess gift 19 years ago. I agree heartily with Wrighty's comments though I've put it a couple of points lower at 94 as for me it's not quite as complex as a top flight Bordeaux of similar age would be. It was delightful however, showing its age with a little browning on the edge and a faint but not unpleasant hint of "portiness" but it was very smooth and extremely well integrated. The slightly muted dark fruit, some leather, and solid but not drying tannins went wonderfully with crusted rack of lamb. What a treat. My guess is that this wine is probably fairly stable for the moment, particularly in larger format bottles, but I wouldn't wait too long too enjoy it as it's really in a wonderful spot now and I don't see it improving with more time.

2/11/2022 - ptmotr Likes this wine:

This wine was extremely fresh and lively showing almost no signs of age. Lovely Burgundian nose, bright cherry colour and lots of fresh cherry on the palate, tannins completely integrated. Not complex enough to reach 90 but really well made and holding up very well for an 11 year old village wine. Certainly good for a few more years if well cellared but drinking beautifully now and probably at or near its peak if you like fruit and freshness.

9/11/2021 - ptmotr Does not like this wine:

First of six. This wine is currently not showing well and seems to be aging prematurely. There is browning on the rim and a "porty" oxidized odour on the nose, reflected in the palate. Tried over two days and this was consistent. The wine is acidic though not tannic, but the acid largely obscures the fruit. This may be in a numb phase but at this point it seems quite off balance to me. Ponsot uses synthetic Ardeaseal closures on this wine so I think the chance that this is a flawed bottle is minimal. Will revisit in six months or so but not very optimistic at this point. Perhaps waited too long to open.

9/11/2021 - ptmotr Likes this wine:

I've opened three bottles of this over the past week, two for an open house for some oenophile friends and one for a family get together. It was a popular choice both times, pairing well with a variety of foods but also being very pleasant on its own. Bottles were decanted for about half an hour before serving to allow some slightly drying tannins which were initially present to subside. The cherry, strawberry and spice flavours I enjoy in Barolos which are in their prime were present and delightful. This is not an extremely complex wine but is nonethless sophisticated and has all of the characteristics you want in a well made mid-range Barolo - and at a very modest price. This wine seems fresh despite its age and should continue to drink well for five years or more.

1/1/2021 - ptmotr Likes this wine:

Still fresh, has lots of years left. Delightful with duck magret on New Year's eve.

9/11/2019 - ptmotr wrote:

Had two bottles over the course of a week, one via Coravin over a few days, the other with family over dinner. Both drank spectacularly well. Not quite the depth or complexity of the very best Burgundy, but deep and rich with a tiny hint of sweetness on the tongue. Agree with both KVM's notes on flavour, and LWI's comment that tasted blind this is more Vosne than Volnay.

Ready to drink now with fruit showing beautifully, but with lots of time left as there's no browning or oxidation on the palate.

2/28/2019 - ptmotr wrote:

This is drinking beautifully right now. No sign of oxidation, very rich and well balanced. Unfortunately, my last one....

9/15/2018 - ptmotr wrote:

A whiff of mildew on the cork but the wine was, if not perfect, acceptable. Probably not in perfect condition so no rating, but clear ruby, no browning, and fine with veal saltimbocca and spaghetti carbonara.

9/15/2018 - ptmotr wrote:

Sadly, badly corked.

9/15/2018 - ptmotr Likes this wine:

This was surprisingly youthful, no browning on the rim, clear medium ruby and almost not sediment. The fruit was initially subdued but came forward with a touch of sweetness after about half an hour in the glass. Acidity not high, but still a bit of drying tannin. Very pleasant with veal saltimbocca and spaghetti carbonara. No rush to drink this, though probably not going to change a lot over the next few years.

7/16/2018 - ptmotr Likes this wine:

This wine is drinking beautifully right now, minimal browning, really no oxidization, just a gorgeous, smooth, powerful and fully ripe Brunello. I opened a bottle of the '98 a year ago and it was okay but frail, went flat within half an hour. We drank this '99 over about an hour and a half and it didn't change much either way, but was excellent throughout. A great pairing with leg of lamb.

3/1/2018 - ptmotr wrote:

This was very pleasant and a solid example of what a Grand Cru St. Emilion should be. Lots of dark fruit, as noted by others, and great balance. Almost no sign of aging - slightly muted fruit but otherwise fresh, no browning and minimal leather on the palate. One surprise was a large amount of sediment, which started to appear in the fourth glass even though the wine had been sitting upright for about two weeks. Coffee filter time. I think the CT consensus of 91.5 points on this wine is about right - it's a fine but not truly exceptional Bordeaux. I'd estimate that this has at least another five good years if properly cellared, and probably longer.

11/12/2017 - ptmotr Likes this wine:

An absolute delight. Still a deep purple with no browning, it exhibited the characteristic Command nose and flavour - for me lots of dark fruit, mocha, and a little wood - which is somehow more intense, powerful and balanced than those of its closest Shiraz competitors. Served over a dinner of beef tenderloin in a peppercorn crust with a 2005 Penfolds St. Henri and a 2009 Mollydooker Carnival of Love. The Penfolds was pleasant but outshone by the power of the Command. The Mollydooker, as usual, played better by itself than with food. It was rich, jammy and enjoyable and was served as a closer for the main course.

11/11/2017 - ptmotr wrote:

This wine was well past its "best before" date. Quite brown in the glass, it had a port-like nose and an oxidized, rusty flavour. The cork was fine and there were no signs of leakage. Very disappointing as it was just purchased a year ago from a good local wine shop and had been properly cellared since purchase. Either it was poorly stored before I purchased it or it's not very suitable for aging.

8/31/2017 - ptmotr wrote:

Opened this after reading the Cellartracker reviews. It had a pleasant light ruby colour, and a somewhat subdued but typical Burgundian nose, however on the palate I found this stern to the point of sourness and not particularly enjoyable when opened, even with some aeration and time. The phrases "tart acidity" and "metallic minerality" from another review seem apt, but for me not in a good way. It was quite a disappointment, both because the '09 Bouchard Volnay Clos de Chenes is currently drinking beautifully, wide open and fully resolved with lots of fruit, and because I've got ten more bottles of the Lafarge. It improved a bit after being open for a day but still had an underlying sourness which I didn't enjoy. I don't think what I'm tasting is tannin - it seems more like a bitterness from stems or underripe grapes, or some combination. This was my second bottle in a couple of weeks and results were consistent. I'm going to leave this alone for a year or so and see if things improve with the next bottle, but I'm not too optimistic.

1/15/2017 - ptmotr wrote:

Had with the 2009 Schiavenza Serralunga d'Alba - both very pleasant but the Cerreta was firmer and had more body. Very accessible even without a long decant Tannins settling nicely and this wine is starting to drink well. Will continue to benefit from further aging but already into its drinking window IMHO. Delicious with lamb racks.

12/18/2016 - ptmotr wrote:

My last bottle of this, and very different from (and much better than) the bottle referred to in my July/16 note. Not sure if that is the result of bottle variation, an issue with the cork, or the handling or storage of the previous bottle, though both were bought at the same time and directly from the distributor. In any event, this was still a bright ruby color without noticeable browning, showed no hints of oxidation and had a fresh and vigorous flavor. My comments would be similar to markcic's recent review. This was very smooth with rich flavours of dark fruits and cherry - a very nice mature brunello. Based on this last bottle I'd say this wine is in a very good place now, but could easily last a few more years.

9/15/2016 - ptmotr wrote:

This wine is certainly too young to enjoy by itself at this point and may be in an awkward phase. Very drying tannins from the bottle which subsided after an hour or so, with strong flavours of young, unresolved green fruit. Retained a high acidity which made it unpleasant by itself though it went fairly well with a spiced meat pie. Little change the following day. Definitely a food wine at this stage of its development but better just to leave it alone for a while. Needs at least a few years rest during which the acid and the fruit will, with luck, mellow.

7/7/2016 - ptmotr wrote:

First bottle of a case - seems to be a bit numb at the moment, lacking the bite I associate with a 1re Cru Chablis. Not sure if this is just a phase but the wine was completely overpowered by the somewhat spicy shrimp tacos we paired it with, and was almost tasteless. Unfortunately did not experience the acidity described by rexmerlot. No rating at this point as it's young and still developing, hopefully will gain character with time.

7/7/2016 - ptmotr wrote:

This wine is, I think, reaching the end of its drinking window. It had a slightly oxidized nose and flavor on opening which subsided after about twenty minutes, and it resolved itself into a smooth but subdued and simplified version of what it was perhaps two or three years ago. Muted flavors of dark fruit and the expected slight tinge of leather dominate. Not unpleasant but also not as lively or interesting as it once was. Drink up.

5/6/2016 - ptmotr Likes this wine:

This was one of those bottles that you know nothing about, don't know how it got into your cellar, and forget you have, and then come upon thinking it's probably over the hill. This was a very pleasant surprise. While definitely mature and showing a fair amount of bricking, it opened quickly to classic, if slightly muted CDP flavours with an overlay of the leather and dark fruit shown by longer-cellared wines. There was no sign of the oxidized, porty flavours of a wine on the decline. I wouldn't count on this lasting a lot longer but it certainly has another year or two in it.

3/9/2016 - ptmotr wrote:

Light ruby, still youthful, no bricking, and integrating very well. Tannins still strongly present but not drying, and they recede with half and hour or so of air. Nose of cherries and roses, flavours of cherries and plums plus the solid backbone of tannins. Not highly acidic. A little stern for drinking alone, but very good with food. Everything you'd want in a Barolo. I'd say this could safely go another five years and may improve a bit, but is very good now.

11/15/2015 - ptmotr Likes this wine:

This was surprisingly numb on opening both from a taste and nose perspective, but with aeration through a vinturi and about half an hour in the glass it began to show satisfying depth and characteristic Margaux nose and well integrated flavours. Clear ruby in colour with no evidence of bricking, the tannins were subdued and as others noted the brighter fruit and floral notes had also subsided a little from what I recall of earlier bottles. A very pleasant wine but I slightly regret not opening this bottle, which was my last, a year or so ago, though it is interesting to see the evolution of the wine. If I had more I wouldn't wait long to drink it.

9/14/2015 - ptmotr Likes this wine:

As in my previous note, I tasted citrus but now backed by a more rounded profile of tropical fruit white peach, kept from being too soft by a pleasant minerality. Acidity present but not obtrusive, and overall the mix is very nicely integrated. Drinking well now, no sign of premox.

4/16/2015 - ptmotr Likes this wine:

Opened with a test dinner for a wine event. Decanted for perhaps half an hour, consumed over an hour or two. Fantastic, deep rich flavours with the intensity of a La Tache or a Richebourg. Agree with previous reviews about spiciness, but it was deep ruby, very clear with minimal sediment. Oak present but not at all overpowering. Surprisingly approachable now but has structure and depth to last for years. Was an excellent pairing for a lamb loin in tarragon ragout.
This was my first Echezeaux so I can't compare the Le Moine to other makers or comment on the vintage versus other years. This is a new favourite for me.

4/4/2015 - ptmotr Likes this wine:

Deep red in colour, cherry and leather flavours combined with refined tannins. A newer-style Barolo, very accessible but well structured and exactly what, IMHO, the best of the newer style is capable of. Paired very well with roast lamb. No signs of decline, probably good for half a dozen years or more yet. Very enjoyable now, however.

2/8/2015 - ptmotr wrote:

Rich, round and delicious. Lemon/apple on nose and palate. I agree with those who feel this will age well. Lovely now, but I think it has the structure and acidity to last. One of my favourite white burgundies.

12/16/2014 - ptmotr wrote:

Haven't touched any of this for a couple of years. Not complex but still fresh with well integrated tannins and classic burgundy nose. Cherry red with, suprisingly for an '02, no browning on the rim. Flavour profile was "foursquare" as Corton should be, went very well with beef stew. Not quite up to top rank Grand Cru standards for depth or power so can't give it a rating in the 90s, but very good and aging beautifully. Seems like it could last a while longer though unlikely to improve from here, probably time to drink up in the next year or so.

10/14/2014 - ptmotr wrote:

Came across this in the back of my cellar, probably a gift and not a wine I'd tried before. It's holding up well, dark ruby with no browning on the rim. Expected it to be a PnP but was actually a bit closed and needed a little aeration, after which smoothed out nicely. Muted nose of cherry with a hint of rubber, tasted better than it smelled. Not a complex wine but nicely integrated. Good acid, some fruit, tannins mostly gone. It's probably at or slightly past its peak now, drink up.

5/11/2014 - ptmotr wrote:

This was delight from the moment I finished wrestling with a crumbling cork. Very clear medium rose colour, no bricking, with an immediate, characteristic burgundy nose. Aerated the first couple of glasses and let them sit for about fifteen minutes. Medium body (more heft than most village Gevrys), nice concentration, notes of cherry and blackberry, great flavour. Just enough tannins and acid to stand up to a mushroom stuffed chicken breast, not enough to be drying or tight. It was so good that there was no chance of notes on how it might taste on day two. In a great place right now. Seems nearly perfectly aged and integrated, hard to imagine it improving much with longer cellaring. Flooding required moving this and other wine to a site with warmer than ideal conditions for a few months last year, so it may have matured a little faster than bottles maintained at proper cellar temp.

4/21/2014 - ptmotr wrote:

Lovely mellow, smooth, well integrated cab. Still dark, no bricking at the edges yet. Not overly complex, but lovely flavours of dark fruit and earth. At this point with the manurity of the tannins and low acid wouldn't stand up to strong flavours like spicy barbecue, but was perfect with an aged cheese.

4/15/2014 - ptmotr wrote:

Pale ruby, pleasant but not intense fruity nose. Light red fruit flavours, with no trace of tannin or acid, almost rosé in character. Would be very pleasant drunk slightly chilled on a warm afternoon but lacks the structure to be paired with most food. I'd say drink up over the summer - this is agreeable enough now as an aperitif but very unlikely to improve with aging.

2/15/2014 - ptmotr wrote:

This is drinking beautifully right now. Bought in 06/'10 and wasn't sure what to expect from cellaring it as it seemed to lack a strong backbone of tannins and acid, but it has gained balance and richness. Much better than three years ago and pleasant on its own, but held up very well to pasta and meatballs in a tomato sauce.

2/14/2014 - ptmotr wrote:

Decanted for about an hour and then consumed over about an hour and a half. Evolved over that time but pleasant at all stages, including right out of the bottle. Drinking well now but no rush - lots of life left. Very typical Paulliac, subdued fruit, well integrated, good length. Great match for a rib eye roast.

3/1/2013 - ptmotr Likes this wine:

A medium ruby colour, nice pinot nose. This ten year old wine is surprisingly fresh and had, for me, no signs of being past its peak (though my cellar is fairly cold for much of the year, which may be a factor). Not a typical pinot flavour profile - bright flavours of sweet black cherry/raspberry are overlaid with the baking spice noted by others and, for me, a hint of vanilla. Probably better on its own than with food. Very nice.

2/28/2013 - ptmotr wrote:

This wine is still a clear ruby red, with a modest nose of herbs and a hint of classic burgundy. Not sure where this one is going. At the moment it is fairly pleasant, with notes of cherry and a bit of an herbal flavour reflecting the nose, but the tannins are still evident and the overall impression is slightly astringent. The wine is somewhat one dimensional at this point. It's hard to know if more time will improve this, but certainly holding off another year won't hurt it - it's not fading at all.

1/12/2013 - ptmotr wrote:

Decanted and consumed over about four hours. Dark red with no browning showing, quite a lot of sediment in the bottle. Was very numb on opening. The bottle was a bit colder than it should have been which no doubt made that worse at the outset. There were definitely cocoa/dark chocolate notes along with dark fruits on opening but not much else either on the palate or the nose for a couple of hours. After about three hours the floral and cassis flavours and nose began to appear and by four hours those flavours had intensified and a classic bordeaux character asserted itself. The nose had also opened up with a complex mix of aromas -cocoa and leather but also some intriguing but hard to classify fruit - perhaps blackberry/raspberry/black cherry. Very interesting wine. Tannins are still strongly present and the wine was very drying on the palate, a bit more so as time passed. I think this is going to be extremely good but I probably won't crack another one for at least three or four years while the tannins settle. Not going to give a score at this point because it's hard to know where this will go, but if the tannins mellow out and the other flavours persist this could be mid 90s.

6/15/2012 - ptmotr wrote:

Bought at the La Morra Cantina Communale on the recommendation of staff. Still very fresh and showing a light ruby colour, this is a more feminine style of Barolo, showing mainly red fruits with a slight sweetness offset by a bright acidity. Tannins not obvious but otherwise few signs of the age of this wine. It's a bit difficult to describe it has a slight tartness/acidity that makes up for the expected Barolo overtones of earth, leather and tobacco. Not a hugely complex wine, but one which exhibits a lively and very pleasant flavour and would be a good match for slightly spicier foods or younger local cheeses. Very nice.

6/15/2012 - ptmotr wrote:

Tasted as part of a generous five vintage vertical (for 35 euros!) at the superb Palas Cerequio, a new nine suite inn/cantina owned by Michele Chiarlo and located down a narrow dirt road inside the Cerequio vineyard below La Morra. Tasted against the '07 '05, '03, and '97. Compared to the robust '05 and '07, this wine was all sophistication and smoothness. Well integrated tannins, lots of dark fruit and rich leather and tobacco. Drinking younger than the '97 and showing only a slightly orange tinge, I think it still has life left in it, but wouldn't wait much longer. A great match for some of the more subtle local cheeses.

6/15/2012 - ptmotr wrote:

Tasted as part of a generous five vintage vertical (for 35 euros!) at the superb Palas Cerequio, a new nine suite inn/cantina owned by Michele Chiarlo and located down a narrow dirt road inside the Cerequio vineyard below La Morra. Tasted against the '07, '03, '97 and '93. Although this softened over the course of the evening, it began fairly closed and tannic. Still a deep garnet, it drank very young. After some air and time it showed the classic red fruit/earth/tobacco one expects, but the tannins are still fairly grippy. I'd give this one another couple of years, at which time it should be spectacular, and well able to hold its own against any of the regional meats and pastas. Ranked second behind the '07 in our tasting.

6/10/2012 - ptmotr wrote:

Tasted as part of a generous five vintage vertical (for $35 euros!) at the superb Palas Cerequio, a new nine suite inn/cantina owned by Michele Chiarlo and located down a narrow dirt road inside the Cerequio vineyard below La Morra. Tasted against the '05, '03, '97 and '93. This wine was deep garnet, very fresh and fruit forward, but elegant and not marred despite its youth by the tight, harsh tannins often found in younger Barolos. Accessible now, this is a hybrid of the new and old styles (shortish maceration - 20 days - but no use of barriques) yet has the structure to age gracefully. At this stage the flavours are mainly red fruits/cherries with undertones of tobacco and earth. Our favourite of the years tested, in terms of current quality and long term prospects.

3/10/2012 - ptmotr wrote:

Enjoyed this with homemade osso bucco. Fabulous. Still ruby coloured, no brown rim. Decanted for an hour or so. Modest but typical Brunello nose. Yummy but not quite typical Brunello flavours. On the lighter side but balanced and extremely smooth, well integrated tannins with dark fruits and an intriguing hint of cocoa in the background. I think this is ready to drink. I'll drink most of my remaining bottles over the next year and may keep one or two to see what further aging will do, but it's hard to imagine it getting better.

3/10/2012 - ptmotr wrote:

Decanted and drank over about three hours. Still deep red, no orange rim yet. More sediment than expected made the last couple of glasses murky, so handle and pour carefully. Tannins not very evident even in first glass, and pretty much disappeared after an hour or two, as noted by others. The result, however, was a little bland - smooth, but not a lot of character or depth. The last glass or two developed a bit of a funky edge which wasn't very pleasant.

Drank with appetizers of cheese and slightly spicy Italian sausage, which were obviously not a perfect pairing for this wine. They may have overpowered the more subtle bordeaux flavours, but still this was a bit disappointing.

7/26/2011 - ptmotr wrote:

Bright cherry colour, modest nose, but delightful flavours of cherry, raspberry and a hint of darker fruit. Light, but well structured and thoroughly enjoyable. Popped and poured, drank over about two hours. First glass was very nice - smoothed a little over that time but not a lot of change. Drinking well now, not sure if it will improve much with further aging - very well integrated, to my palate, at this point.