4/19/2024 - DonDon wrote:

Surprisingly thin and disappointing. Almost not like a Gevrey at all. For such a good producer this is either just not great or very very shut down right now - even at this (low) price point

4/14/2024 - DonDon Likes this wine:

Delicious. Terrific acid balance to pair with the Meursault richness

4/6/2024 - DonDon wrote:

Excellent. Beautiful bright lemon sherbet notes. Perfect aperitif bubbles

4/2/2024 - DonDon wrote:

I started drinking this is 2012 and my last note in it was 2018 (I bought 30 bottles on release and I’m finally down to my last 6 pack!). Just getting better and better. Gorgeous colour and nose. Dictionary definition Barolo and still drinking quite young - a long decent helps

3/27/2024 - DonDon Likes this wine:

Drunk at an incredible Haut Brion dinner alongside 1966, 1975, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1989 (corked sadly), 1995 and 1996. 82, 85 and 66 were WOTNs. The 2001 was also gorgeous and just starting its drinking window, but will be better with more time. Classic profile of sweet dark fruit, cedar and tabacco. Tannins present but very smooth already. Lovely stuff

3/23/2024 - DonDon Likes this wine:

My last bottle of the 6 pack I bought in release and I’ve so enjoyed these. Punches at the level of most other’s riserva! Just beautiful violets and cherries and a loveky floral nose which fills the glass. Does benefit from a good 2 hours plus decent before we start this and it continues to improve to the end.

3/23/2024 - DonDon wrote:

Terrific. For a village Meursault this was lovely. For me it has the right level of oak to give this structure and backbone - which you want in a Meursault (and chassagne as well) - balanced with good acidity and a classic stone fruit profile.

3/24/2024 - DonDon Likes this wine:

Gorgeous wine. Cassis city! Bright red fruit and hugely aromatic. Tannin well integrated already. At the moment it’s not showing great complexity - but it’s such a joy that it doesn’t matter.

3/10/2024 - DonDon wrote:

I little disappointing right now - I think this just needs more time to open up

2/24/2024 - DonDon wrote:

Delicious. Give it a long decant as it just keeps improving in the glass.

2/12/2024 - DonDon wrote:

Pretty elegant for a Gevrey actually and drinking well now. Best glass was the last so worth a decant I think

2/4/2024 - DonDon wrote:

Still glorious. I left my first note on this in 2017 and said I want to drink one ten years later - well I’ve only one left now so will wait 3 more years! This hasn’t really moved much. It’s still huge and rich and deep black fruit. I tend to drink more burgundy these days so have less of these style wines - but really enjoyed it with garlic lamb chops

1/29/2024 - DonDon wrote:

Stunning. Perfect age for me. Tannin integrated and the wine is just so bright and fresh. Gorgeous fruit and starting to show tertiary notes

1/20/2024 - DonDon Likes this wine:

Delicious. Not reductive in style (a plus in my books). Classic peach and stone fruit profile. Light vanilla but definitely there. Lively and light

1/20/2024 - DonDon wrote:

Superb wine! Fantastic depth and dark fruit. Fine dusty tannin. Layers of flavour. Cocoa and pepper spice. Cassis. Still young so needs a long decant

1/20/2024 - DonDon wrote:

My 6th bottle of the case and I think it was the best. Gorgeous caramelised apricot and pineapple/ tropical fruit. Really bright acidity so this doesn’t taste cloying or honeyed. Fab colour and nose too

1/20/2024 - DonDon wrote:

Pretty wine. Floral. Quite powerful fruit (14% abv). Simple village wine

1/15/2024 - DonDon wrote:

You have to hand it to Peter Michael - they consistently make exceptional wine at a fair price point. I’ve had this for many years and it was spot on. Yes this is Napa (although quite far north) richness but it isn’t a fruit bomb. It’s the balance you admire. Classic dark profile with cedar and clove and light tobacco, but with a freshness that keeps it light on its heels and a wow you want to keep returning to.

1/15/2024 - DonDon wrote:

My last of the 6 and the best. Completely and utterly unctuous and delicious. Just such a brilliant expression of CM for me. Rich and round but with fine acidity. Classic peach and stone fruit with great elegance. It shines class and quality. I now need to buy more

12/27/2023 - DonDon Likes this wine:

Still so stunning. I do love Grahams

12/27/2023 - DonDon wrote:

I'm a little disappointed to be honest. Just doesnt have the elegance and beauty of other left bank producers - lacking in fruit power, a little rustic even. Surprising for a 2010

12/19/2023 - DonDon wrote:

Light and delicious. This is 2015 base, disgorged in 2018 which I’ve aged since release. Highly effervescent. Lovely light golden colour. Quite citrus and green apple but with good texture. Happy I have 11 left!

12/16/2023 - DonDon Likes this wine:

My last bottle and complete stunning. A lot of caramel on the back end but really pure and still fresh - and completely delicious. Similar in style to an Aubert. Loved it

12/14/2023 - DonDon wrote:

Having had the 2010 not that long ago - this just doesn’t compare. Lacking the fresh fruit profile you want to complete the balance of the wine. The mouthfeel does show the quality of the wine. It’s just not especially memorable and for me feels a bit lacking in depth. My first of the 6 pack so maybe my future scores will be higher - but wasn’t loving it tonight

12/12/2023 - DonDon wrote:

In finding this a little disjointed - this has fruit power and oak power but it’s just yet coming together. Sort of not as good a great Cali chards or Burgundy

11/21/2023 - DonDon Likes this wine:

Really enjoying. Is oaked and you do get subtle vanilla, but not creaminess or caramel. Instead this is very fresh and bright. Classic stone fruit of peach and apricot, maybe some citrus too. Comparison with a Premier or Grand Cru Chablis is good

11/18/2023 - DonDon Likes this wine:

Completely delicious. Impeccable balance. Had a fabulous richness to complement its acidity. This really is a most fantastic wine

11/11/2023 - DonDon wrote:

Lovely as the JJs always are, but this one was perhaps a little too light and one dimensional for me to go any higher than 91

11/11/2023 - DonDon wrote:

Completely delicious. I love the creaminess and richness of the wine balanced with the citrus and freshness. So moorish and in its perfect drinking window I think

11/4/2023 - DonDon wrote:

Delicious champagne. Fine balance. Not the most complex wine but consistently lovely and hugely tasty

10/6/2023 - DonDon wrote:

Totally lovely wine. Was delicious

10/2/2023 - DonDon wrote:

Delicious. I seem to consistently enjoy Les Narvaux. Had this at a tasting a year or so ago and picked up a case. Hadn’t bought from this producer before but remember enjoying this and opened my first bottle with liver and onions (one of my favourite pairings with white burgundy - the richness of the liver works well and had with some humus which gave it creaminess). Anyway this has really great bright acidity but still clearly Meursault quality - so you do get some oak richness and classic peach and stone fruit. Think this was good value for around £50 on the table. Looking forward to the rest!

9/8/2023 - DonDon wrote:

Not my preferred style of wine to be honest. Drinking well though at age 15 years

9/2/2023 - DonDon wrote:

Love this producer but hadn’t tried this and bought a case when on sale - so was only £24 each delivered. Even if this was £40 I would say this was great value. This really is bursting with gorgeous dark fruit. Very fresh and bright. Delighted with this buy and the case will go quickly I’m sure!

8/31/2023 - DonDon wrote:

Excellent VFM. Gorgeous expressive nose - very perfume and floral. Palate is silky and velvety. Excellent barolo

8/11/2023 - DonDon wrote:

My lowest ever score for a Paul Lato wine and I’m not blaming him as I consistently don’t like Bien Nacido for Syrah. For me this falls between the stalls. It’s not a fresh fruit driven slightly lush Syrah that you expect in Southern California. And it’s very very far from a northern Rhone style. I found this very interesting as I also had the Cinematique Larner Syrah a few days ago (also left a note) that I gave 94 points and is much more the style I prefer for this type of wine.

8/10/2023 - DonDon wrote:

Short note as had this a couple of weeks ago so catching up. Love Paul Lato and this was excellent. Great balance of fruit and acidity

8/25/2023 - DonDon wrote:

Drunk in San Diego. Lovely wine! Agree with the notes from others. Cola and red fruit profile. Bigger on flavour but this isn’t a Russian river valley sweet fruit Pinot. This is very fresh red fruit (on the darker side of red if that makes sense) with very fine acidity. Not overly complex - this isn’t layers and layers of flavour - it’s just consistency delicious.

8/9/2023 - DonDon wrote:

I consistently love Paul Lato wines but this was the least amazing Pinot I’ve had. Still lovely - but seems to lack the precision of other wines.

8/7/2023 - DonDon wrote:

Not quite as good as some of his other Chardonnay’s I’ve had. Still an excellent wine and 93 is a great score. He does balance the acidity and the size of the wine very well as you do still have plenty of weight and that classic California Chardonnay flavour profile, but it’s carried off in a wonderful fresh style.

8/7/2023 - DonDon wrote:

My first Pisoni and, like his other pinots, this for me is all about the perfect balance of fruit and acidity. His wines are always so bright and fresh and that hits you immediately here. Has a blueberry, almost bubblegum, fruit profile. Bought the mixed case so looking forward to trying other vineyards.

8/7/2023 - DonDon wrote:

I consistently love Paul Lato wines and this was my first of his Syrah. I loved it. It’s the exact style I love in Southern California Syrah. Beautiful inky colour and viscosity, layers upon layers of lush fruit (darker fruit I would say) with the classic bacon fat profile. Tannins completely seemless and it manages not to be a huge hedonistic thing - it feels lighter than its colour and so feels fresh. Very delicious indeed - almost a 95

8/2/2023 - DonDon wrote:

Completely not what I was expecting. I’m experienced with Napa cabs and assumed this would just be too young and too big to really enjoy now - but I have four bottles and actually am lucky enough to be visiting the winery soon, so I thought time to pull a bottle. Paired with lamb chops, roast cauliflower and a tomato salad.

Out of the bottle I decanted this for only about an hour and it was a lovely bright purple colour - so again I thought I know what to expect. But I wasn’t like that at all.

This was incredibly balanced and absolutely beautiful. The nose and palate has superb freshness and bright acidity and - I felt - quite a prominent minty / eucalyptus profile. Given the other Napa wines that have that (heitz martha's vineyard & Harlan!) this is in great company - although I’m not putting this wine on a par with them!

The point is this isn’t a heavy blackberry / vanilla / cedar type wine. The tannin is completely integrated - even for a wine so young.

Very impressive and superb value. I rather loved it.

7/25/2023 - DonDon wrote:

So I have now already had 2 more of these since the last (non-scored) note and I think at the moment this is a 91. It will either be one of the those wines that i deeply regret opening so many of when it wasn't at its prime (most likely option), or its just not what you want when you buy a 1er cru Meursault. Very much leaning to the former as it does has this backbone of depth - what might become darker notes that will help integrate the wine. For now I if you are opening I would suggest a long decant; or just be more patient than I have been.

7/17/2023 - DonDon wrote:

I completely loved this! I’m really enjoying 2017s at this point generally but this really was a Grand Cru experience. Perfectly balanced and white Burgundy showing its pure class. Just a real elegance to it. Classic stone fruit but with weight and a slight creaminess from the oak - but no vanilla or toast or anything. Just everything in harmony and for those who like them young this is absolutely ready to go and drinking perfectly right now. Was my first of the case but I’m pretty sure the other 5 won’t last too long and then I will be on the hunt for more. Worth saying too that I consistently love this producer - more for their reds actually - so super impressed by this too. Fab value!

7/14/2023 - DonDon wrote:

Fantastic! Wonderfully round and balanced. Apricot and stone fruit on the gorgeous nose - highly aromatic. Similar on the palate with bright acidity with real weight.

5/26/2023 - DonDon wrote:

Superb value and after 3 years now in a perfect spot

5/12/2023 - DonDon wrote:

I consistently love this wine each vintage and the 18 is in a great spot right now. Just in perfect balance.

5/3/2023 - DonDon Likes this wine:

Today with was superb. Very northern Rhone and when served blind some guess a Guigal LaLa! Similar profile though - meaty, gamey, dark, fresh. Good juice!

3/21/2023 - DonDon wrote:

I last left a note on this wine in April 2020 - 3 years ago! That was my first of the case and this is my fifth. I’ve no idea how I will open the precious final bottle as this wine is an absolute treasure. Completely what I want from a Chardonnay - richness but in balance with the fruit and the acidity. This has massive length. Definitely not an aperitif wine - this needs a food pairing. I had this with lamb chops with roast cauliflower and a tomato and onion salad and it was prefect. I think this is a great match with grilled meats when you want a lighter pairing than a red wine. Need to buy more of this!