3/30/2024 - Butty wrote:

Still dark in the glass with only little hints of maturity.
Beautiful aromas of dark fruits, meat, fur, game, smoke, caramel and violets - classic syrah.
On the palate great balance and acidity. The tannins are fully resolved - the wine is elegant, almost burgundian in profile.
Ogier is a knock out producer great QVP - very nice - I think this is now at its peak.

11/12/2023 - Butty wrote:

Pale gold in the glass.
A rich nose of raisins, fruit peel and honey combined with lighter notes of lemon and mint- quite complex.
A very rich. oily mouthfeel but also fresh with a hint of spice. Dried fruits and honey dominate the palate. First it feels rich and sweet , next it feels dry and minerally. Very interesting. Obviously deeper and richer than the more mineral driven 2014.

11/12/2023 - Butty wrote:

Pale gold in the glass.
Initially a little restrained on the nose but hinting of a deeper complexity - then white flowers, honey, stones, aniseed, lime and minerals.
Great acidity on the palate with a beautiful mouthfeel and tension. The wine has a great structure, a few tannins and is also rich, oily and very long on the aftertaste. Very complex.

11/12/2023 - Butty wrote:

Pale gold in the glass
Nose evolves over the first few minutes - very perfumed with a little residual sugar (honey) but also minerals, mango, lemon oil and little petrol
Very structured on the palate, medium weight mouthfeel - a little spicy and cream but very persistent finish.
Feels like this will come together with a bit more bottle age.

11/12/2023 - Butty wrote:

Looks perfect in the glass light golden colour - very bright
Classic Riesling nose - white flowers, citrus, white pepper and petrol notes.
Lovely mouthfeel, precise fruits still with a bit of grip, still a few tannins present but well integrated. Vey refreshing
Great wine and a good QVP.

6/9/2023 - Butty wrote:

Deep gold in the glass.
On the nose rich yellow stone fruits, quite tropical and rich. Hints of cream, vanilla, wood and matchsticks
On the palate, quite thick and a rich mouthfeel, oak but balanced with a nice mineral, lemony fresh streak. A big wine.
Very nice - drink now.
This wine has developed well.

6/2/2023 - Butty wrote:

Still very primary and park purple in the glass.

A beautiful, delicate nose with ripe red fruits, violets, roses, menthol and undergrowth.

Light to medium bodied, fresh with great acidity and a little tannic grip still pretty restrained but a nice drink now.

I think this has a little upside but I would drink in the next 3 to 5 years.

Well made wine

6/2/2023 - Butty wrote:

Pale to mid straw in the glass.

Flint, mineral v fresh nose with lemon, herbs and white fruits - all pretty restrained. A little alcohol heat.

Rich on the palate creamy, with obvious influence of oak and initially some metallic notes which drop with air.

Overall a good glass of wine - but feels mature and in danger of becoming too rich - keep well chilled.

6/1/2023 - Butty wrote:

Very pale yellow in the glass.

A nose of peach, pear, melon and gooseberry with notes of lemon and grass. All very delicately put together but with a real intensity. This is a serious wine.

A good mouthfeel and weight - feels very fresh, creamy and rich but still very tight and mineral with high acidity and good persistence on the palate. This is already drinking well but has a few years ahead where I expect the acidity to drop a little and the wine to become more nuanced.

Great wine with upside.

Very good

10/1/2022 - Butty wrote:

Mid gold in the glass.

Lemons, peaches, mangoes, vanilla on the nose.

On the palate rich fruit balanced by minerals and citrus - quire exotic, a little alcohol but nice weight. Not sure that this will improve but a good glass of wine.

5/26/2022 - Butty wrote:

Similar to previous note but much more mellow and slightly pinker in the glass - it has matured quite rapidly- now in its prime. drinking very well.

Perfumed, elegant with a lovely bitter sweet lemon bouquet, with a bit of background complexity and sherry/apple vinegar notes.

A medium mouth weight and gentle bubble adds to the overall effect.

Given how rapidly this has progressed I would drink now - v nice - glad to have a couple more bottles

3/24/2022 - Butty wrote:

Mid gold in the glass

Apricots, lemons, vanilla, gunpowder on the nose.

On the palate nice mouth weight, fresh, good acidity, savoury.

Very interesting wine!!

Drink or hold

3/4/2022 - Butty wrote:

Served straight from the cellar
Bright orange/pink in the glass.
Interesting nose of raisins, spices, cream, oak, red fruits, lemon, sweets, with some fresh saline notes and minerality.
Nice balance on a palate, much lighter than the nose would suggest, nice persistence of fruit. lacks a bit of mouth weight
Somehow does quite come together yet - maybe needs more time? - interesting wine.

3/4/2022 - Butty wrote:

I didn't know how to serve this wine - so pnp straight from the cellar- seemed to work!

Looks bright in the glass a mid strawberry colour slightly fading to the rim.
A really interesting bouquet - quite a lot of creamy oak, with spikes of minerality and sweet strawberry fruits, with blueberries and with a hint of sherry character in the background.

A complex palate with a great mouth-feel and weight - at the same time it has a freshness and great acidity - very unusual - the fruit is rhubarb like with hints of sweet and sour.

The wine changes in the glass and developed more red wine characteristics and a long persistent fruit core with a little grip suggesting structure.
What a fascinating drink - no hurry to drink but a great drink right now!

12/28/2021 - Butty wrote:

This wine continues to drink very well completely mature - perhaps less "sexy" wine (yes it was) than it was a few years ago - but more mature and nuanced. Silky smooth and a pleasure to drink. I can't understand the comments about over-oaked or out of balance - perhaps a different batch?

A real pleasure to drink but no hurry

12/28/2021 - Butty wrote:

Mid-gold in the glass with a hint of pink - great colour. Very fine bead.

A complex nose of peach, baked apple, lemon/lime sour, biscuits/bread, smoke, white pepper and minerals.

A lovely mouth feel, nice tension, nervy, ultra dry, and a gentle spike - quite vinous and an oblivious pinot feel - very nice.

11/7/2021 - Butty wrote:

Day 2 - second half of the bottle - looking great in the glass - mature - looks ready to go!

Nose - wow what a nose - violets, wild strawberries, bacon fat, garrigue, menthol and game - very Cote Rotie - wrapped with a creamy, richness - this is decadent wine

Amazing mouth weight - feels very well balanced and fresh - red fruits and under-growth - complex. The texture is velvety and the wine has great acidity.

It still has still plenty of structure - suggesting (maybe) a little upside.

It reminds me of the Chevillon Les Cailles Nuits St Georges - it has that decadence and gamey richness - Burgundy to Northern Rhone - not that far.

Day 2 is drinking better than day 1.

Very good - recommend - just starting to drink!

11/6/2021 - Butty wrote:

Medium gold in the glass. Very fine bead. Bright in the glass.

On the nose - lemons, apples nuts, minerals, cream, caramel and yeast. Feels harmonious and together.

On the palate rich, sweet and sour notes, apples, lemons, limes and breads all wrapped in a nice mousse. Good mouthfeel - still has plenty of structure suggesting it will go on developing in the bottle

11/6/2021 - Butty wrote:

Very nice

Straw coloured and a tight nose of minerals, citrus, sweet notes, apples, breads and yeast - quite vinous very promising.

On the palate - a nice mousse and manages to be both intense and light as a feather. Rich, elegant and moreish, The wine still lot lots of structure suggesting in still has many years ahead.

This is vey good - and may get better - a good Q/P ratio- will probably buy more. Recommend.

11/5/2021 - Butty wrote:

30 min decant

Ambering in the glass - still fresh but starting to show a bit of age - looks like a good glass of wine - bright and ready to go!

On the nose - blackcurrant and sweet black fruits, caramel, violets, game, damsons, menthol notes, a bit of wood (that can be too dominant at times).

On the palate - really nice acidity, feels fresh, elegant with a little bit of age, gamey notes, elegant - almost Burgundian - followed by a nice with a good core core of black fruit and spice.

Happy to drink this and to have more - no hurry - has the austerity and structure of 2009 v the forward nature of 2010 - maybe some upside yet!

11/5/2021 - Butty wrote:

PnP - still deep coloured in the glass, a purple hue of youth alongside secondary ambering and first signs of age. Looks good!

Classic Cote Rotie nose - pepper, meats, violets, hints of mint, wood, vanilla and cream, black fruits - very perfumed and elegant

On the palate - medium weight, good texture and mouthfeel, still a few dusty tannins and a sense of structure, (but I think this will resolve), a core of black fruits, game and earth - almost Burgundian but with a real Syrah quality.

This is what Cote Rotie is about for me - very typical of Ogier - elegance, power, authenticity - great quality to price ratio - very good!

Getting better in the glass - suggest a decant - probably even better in two years!

7/3/2021 - Butty wrote:

Very pale gold in the glass.

A great nose of minerals, saline, peaches, white fruits, lemon and cream. Feels nicely integrated Very nice. This is well made wine.

Still tight on the palate - I think this needs a couple of years but a real sense of structure. Nice mouth weight which will gain weight with age.

Very good 92 with upside - I think this will put on weight potential (94+).

7/3/2021 - Butty wrote:

Mid gold and very bright.

Very interesting wine - took a while for the nose to sort itself out, but after 30 mins. A bit of sherry on the nose, saline and minerals and rich tropical fruits and a hint of cream . Quite complex and unusual.

On the palace painfully dry, but with good structure - but great mouth weight, quite nutty and rich - this wine needs time. Quite persistent .

This is very good wine - will be great in a couple of years. Needs food.

7/3/2021 - Butty wrote:

Pale gold in the glass. Great sherried nose, with saline notes, oak,and white fruits.

Great mouth weight, dry and rich. Quite persistent.

A great aperitif

Very interesting and great value for money.

5/30/2021 - Butty wrote:

very bright, white gold in the glass

Perfumed nose of orange and lemons, peaches and cream.

Very nice mouth-weight, fresh and rich - persistent fruit and nutty flavours.

Very nice and quaffable - interesting.

5/29/2021 - Butty wrote:

V V pale in the glass.

Fragrant nose of lemons, green herbs and grasses.Maybe a bit of petrol and gunpowder - somewhere between sauvignon blanc and riesling - vey fresh and appealing.

Nice mouth weight fresh lemons and orange peel a bit of body, depth and creaminess a medium to long finish - overall v good.\\

Interesting drink!

5/22/2021 - Butty wrote:

Mid gold in the glass with a slight haze,

A maybe nose of apples, mango, pineapple, a hint of lime - almost reminiscent of Lilt.

Full bodied on the palate with a rich and creamy texture and balancing acidity. Quite big, thick and long. Dies a little in the glass - needs to be refreshed!!

Very interesting wine.

5/22/2021 - Butty wrote:

Light gold in colour and very bright in the glass.

Initially sulphur, sweat and a bit if shit of the nose - not pleasant - but this soon blows off, revealing an interesting nose of lemons, minerals, white flowers and tropical fruits and an intriguing sweetness - very nice. But it needs plenty of air!!

On the plate a nice mouth weight and texture, juicy and fresh - a bit of orange peel but still with a few tannins and a bit if structure. Still quite tight and suggesting this could improve.

Very interesting - value for money?

5/3/2021 - Butty wrote:

Decanted 2 hours ahead of serving - showing a bit of age and ambling to the rim.

On the nose very aromatic - red fruits, spices, oak - all very integrated and harmonious.

Very persistent palate, great mouth weight and texture. Very plush, creamy and smooth. Quite a savoury wine. Very balanced with a great acidity.

Great wine and ready to go.

5/1/2021 - Butty wrote:

White gold in the glass - v lively with a fine bead.

On the nose chalk, lemon, minerals, vanilla, bread, yeast, cream- very blanc de blancs - very promising and complete

On the palate fresh, lively mousse, nice mouth weight and nervy tension. Still quite primary, with high acids and tannins. Still quite tightly bound but you can sense the structure.

Overall very good - I think with more upside - keep for 2 years.

93 now - can get to 95

4/30/2021 - Butty wrote:

White gold. Not very vigorous and a very fine bead. A bit subdued.

On the nose very fresh, lemons, lime, iron, rocks and minerals, back notes of bread and cream quite complex. Overall feels quite sweet and complete

On the palate - great mousse, very fresh, chalk and minerals. A nice sweetness on the end of the palate. Still quite tight but drinking well - a bit of tannin on the aftertaste.

I think this has some way to go yet - interesting to see how this evolves.

Lacks the structure of a great vintage Champagne but a very good drink. I think slightly overrated by the critics (97) but very pleasurable.

4/30/2021 - Butty wrote:

Mid-gold in the glass - very fine bead. Looks great.

On the nose very fresh and vinous - complex aromas of apple, lemon sherbet, lime, red fruits, yeast, iron, savoury notes, farm-yard, butter and a creamy richness. Sweet and sour at the same time.

On the palate big, structured, almost tannic, beautiful mouth-weight, lovely mousse, spike and tension, very long and persistent.

This is very serious Champagne - it is an intellectual drink - gives you lots to think about - excellent!

Seemed to improve a little in the glass. I would recommend opening a hour before drinking!

4/3/2021 - Butty wrote:

White gold in the glass. Plenty of bubbles. Quite vigorous - medium bead.

On the nose lemon sherbet, baked apples, a little sherry vinegar, hazel-nuts, jasmine and white flowers.

Nice mouth-wieght, some bubble spike, yeasts and red fruits. Still firm tannins on the finish needs a bit more time.

Give it a couple of years.

3/28/2021 - Butty wrote:

Still dark in the glass ruby/purple - swirls in the glass - looks great

A complex savoury nose - pepper, spices, black fruits, leather, meats, animal and oak.

On the palate feels very fresh and juicy with a lovely mouth-weight. Some tannins still present but long, silky with sweet fruits.

Very nice.

3/13/2021 - Butty wrote:

Pale gold in the glass with a fine bead.

A great nose of candied lemons, baked apple, minerals, sea breeze, savoury notes - very nice - not unlike the 2002 Pol Roger BdB which we had earlier (good company). A bit of iron and lead.

Nice tension on the palate and good texture and weight.- a little soreness of the palate. This one fells quite tight suggesting this has a few years to go.

Very good.

3/13/2021 - Butty wrote:

Mid gold in the glass. Very lively fine bead.

Lemon, minerals, vanilla, sea breeze and savoury biscuit on the nose all very nicely integrated - quite complex. Very textured with tension and nerve.

A lovely mousse with good mouth weight and a pleasant spike. Very persistent So much better than the regular cuvee and the Whinny (which has fallen apart in my view).

Drinking beautifully - fully mature not going to get better - drink now!

3/6/2021 - Butty wrote:

Very pale gold in the glass - very bright and lots of fine bubbles. Quite vigorous.

Quite a restrained nose - still all quite tight - lemons, minerals a little oak and a little sea breeze. All very fresh - still quite young.

A lovely mouth weight and fine mousse. very persistent a great combination of sweet and savoury notes.

This is really good - very nice Champagne - will keep for a long while yet just entering its drinking window

3/5/2021 - Butty wrote:

Beautiful Champagne - I love Vilmart - ages so well.

Pale gold in the glass and a very fine bead - very fresh and vibrant looking.

On the nose lemon, apples, honey, cider, bread a bit of oxidisation (not in a bad way) - very rich but still wonderfully fresh

Very nice mouth weight, soft with a little spike of bubbles. Long and very persistent.

Fully mature from magnum - very good - but time to drink up now no upside.

2/20/2021 - Butty wrote:

Decanted for one hour - clearly benefited from a bit of air and really open up in the glass.

Showing quite a bit of age in the glass. Ambering at the rim but still dark at the core. Looks fully mature but still bright in the glass.

On the nose classic Syrah - violets, dark fruits, provincial herbs, pepper, animal fats and some menthol notes. Complex - very nice. Reminds me of an elegant Cornas - quite Verset like.

On the palate delicate fruits fully mature, silk like texture, nice mouth-weight, quite persistent fruit and length.

Overall - very pleasant - a taste of a very old style of Rhone wine.

No benefit in holding anymore drink

2/5/2021 - Butty wrote:

Nice and bright in the glass. Showing a bit if age - ruby red and fading at the rim.

Complex nose of red fruits - raspberries, cherry and even a strawberry hint. Sone underlying notes of oak, herbs and spices. Also some animal and gamey notes. The alcohol whilst initially resent soon blows off. Overall v pleasant.

Slightly thinner than expected on the palate, but nice freshness and acidity.

Finishes a little short with a little bit of bitterness on the aftertaste. I think this is past its best but will drink like this for a few years.

1/15/2021 - Butty wrote:

Mid gold and bright in the glass.

Rich Chardonnay nose, minerals matched with honey and toffee notes, vanilla and oak. A pleasantnose that will resolve a little more with time.

Nice palate weight and rounded, buttery notes and a slightly tart and sour apple finish with good persistence.

Not a stunner but equally not at all bad.

1/15/2021 - Butty wrote:

Very pale white gold in the glass.

On the nose pink grapefruit and gooseberries which bring freshness matched with rich tropical fruits (even banana) with hints of grass, mineral and gunpowder,.

Quite light on the palate but with some structure - dies a bit at the end. The nose promised more. I think this needs food to make

12/31/2020 - Butty wrote:

Drank alongside the 2002 - very similar in colour - mid gold and bright in the glass with fine bubbles.

Very mineral driven nose with citrus and orange notes with some background complexity- ozone, nuttiness and bready notes

Beautiful mousse , tension and mouth weight - very persistent finish - lovely wine.

Ready to go

12/28/2020 - Butty wrote:

Fairly nondescript in the glass.

Nose of baked apples, lemon sherbet, herbs and grasses. A bit foursquare but pleasant enough.

On the palate quite lightweight, feels quite sweet - not unpleasant but only OK - wedding champagne!

12/24/2020 - Butty wrote:

Very bright in the glass and a lot of fizz - looks full of energy!

A really fresh, lifting nose. Really mineral with lemons and some richer fruits - baked apples and pears - behind. The 50/50 blend really presents on the nose.

On the palate - rich and long. A good structure - still feels wound tight and there is a bit of tannin - I think this could do with some time.

Nice wine but young - should be great with a few years in the bottle

12/24/2020 - Butty wrote:

Pale gold in the glass. Very fine bubbles

Great nose - v complex - tropical fruits (mango, pineapple) and citrus and bready notes

Very round and full on the palate. Very balanced, nice tension and weight.

Really good - nice Champagne - recommend

12/22/2020 - Butty wrote:

Pale gold in the glass with a.fine bead.

On the nose lemon and citrus notes, baked apples, bread and yeast.

On the palate nice weight and tension. Still quite tight, but very fresh, zesty and refreshing and a hint of sour apple. a little nutty on the finish with sweet marzipan notes.

Very drinkable - will probably round out further

12/4/2020 - Butty wrote:

Pale gold and bright in the glass.

Nose of pears, baked apples, vanilla custard, even creme brûlée, brioche and citrus notes

Good full and rich palate, nice weight and length.

Not complexi but very pleasant

12/1/2020 - Butty wrote:

Pale gold in the glass, bright with fine bead.

On the nose - initially slightly muted nose, but soon opens up. Green apple and pear, citrus notes, flint and mineral, earth, fresh hay, vanilla and almond. Quite complex

On the palate a lovely spiky mousse, nice weight, full and rounded palate, a hint or sourness (not unpleasant) and a nice core of fruit, chalk and minerals - very much a blanc de blanc - still wound up tight.

No hurry to drink this one but v pleasant now - a pleasure.

11/27/2020 - Butty wrote:

Palest gold in the glass - very bright and lively - lot of fine bubbles.

On the nose baked apples, lemon zest, spices, metals, butter, ozone, bread and yeast - very complex and complete.

On the palate, ultra dry, full mousse and still very fresh. No real sign of age but very rich and full. nice weight and length.

Very nice and plenty of time to drink this - very enjoyable!