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Tasting Notes for john_s

(391 notes on 293 wines)

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Red
3/28/2024 - john_s Likes this wine:
90 points
Probably near peak. Beautiful balance, a bit of grippy powdery tannin, excellent mouthfilling acid, Lovely sweet complex flavour. My only bottle, unfortunately.
Red
Very young. Nice vintage, significant oak. Needs +5 years.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
Tannins now resolved. Rather meaty, savory style, mouthfeel good but more at the back than the front. Good integration, subtle impression. Would have been good with roasted meat. A word that comes to mind is overcast. A couple more years for the remaining bottle no problem.
Red
Complex flavours, dusky, solid, some tannin, a bit firm. Overall mouthfeel is nicely balanced with dry tannin aftertaste. Enjoyable, flavours a bit on the brown side. Although there's noticeable tannin, I would hazard a guess that more age isn't going to make much improvement. One more in the cellar, to be opened in a year or two.
White
Colour suggests sufficient acid. Nice enough but a bit round. Warm vintage.
White
Lovely. Super in every respect. A few years won't hurt.
Red
A quick taste in Vintage Cellars today, on the way to buy my wife some gin. I liked this enough to buy a couple. Lovely dry savoury, mature but not past its peak. Really enjoyable.
White
Well, that was a pleasant surprise. Bright yellow and unmistakably aged, super weight and balance. Really excellent. I hope I can find another.
Red
Delightful nose. Very pleasing mouthfeel, still a little tannin which does not detract. Very good, I like this a lot.
White
2018 Domaine Thomas Morey Bâtard-Montrachet Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru Chardonnay (view label images)
Very fine and elegant particularly for such a vintage. A tricky options wine: nobody chose Batard and nobody chose 2018. I think it would be more complex with a few more years. It may be that by picking early in a warm year avoids the problems of overripe and low acid, but maybe lacks some character. I expected a bit more richness. I do like the maker's approach and I buy a range every year.
Red - Fortified
1/19/2024 - john_s Likes this wine:
93 points
I see that I started a note 2 years ago and didn't finish it. So this time the cork was again crappy, loose and I nearly pushed it into the bottle. It was just the sharp fine screw of the Durand that enabled me to hook it, and it came out leaving only a couple of bits behind. However the excellent capsule did what the cork would probably have failed to do. Level was excellent, and wine decanted cleanly. Mature colour, and nose quite lovely, and lively, reminiscent of Burgundy in a way. Mouthfeel very good, slightly uneven if one wanted to be critical, but alcohol and acid balance just right, mercifully. I doubt that after a dozen Burgundys my friends will be critical. I rarely give marks, but this would have to be a 93+.

Owned since release, stored quite well and hardly moved. A compensation for getting old. I have bought 21st century VPs but I'm not going to last long enough to taste them at this optimum stage.

edit, next day: not quite as good as before. A bit of firmness in the mid palate, a bit uneven in a way. Aftertaste a bit dry. I'll leave the mark at 93 though.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
Nearing ready, lovely nose, but some hardness aftertaste. Enjoyable but it might be one of those wines that "needs to be served with food."

(not to be confused with the Corton-Marechaudes GC)
Red
Colour suggests near mature. Significant acid (vintage) combined successfully integrated with richness of Corton. Quite delicious.
White
Lovely, full mouth feel, everything in place. Better next day. Probably at peak now.
Red
Expansive mouthfeel, significant oak. Super wine but Far Too Young. Will be much better in 10 years.
Red
still dark and showing little age. Somewhat closed now. Needs some years.
edit: looking at it in the cold light of the morning, the colour is showing some age, and it's more supple in the mouth. Still needs age.
Red
Still youthful colour. Quite lovely, good depth, beautiful balance of still prominent tannin and everything else. Try in a year or two.
With the escalating prices of notable Burgundys, thank heaven for makers like Jean-Pierre!
Red
Good colour, not showing much age. On first taste, I thought it could do with another few years. As it opened up, it was delicious, with all components well integrated. No hurry with a few other bottles.
edit: next day even better, quite lovely, quite intense, integrated and balanced!
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
Quite deep in colour. On first tasting, the acid hit me. After an hour or two it wasn't so prominent. (Did the wine change, or did I?) There is solid flavour and texture and still unresolved tannin. A hint of charcuterie. I'm guessing that a year or two will improve it.
addition: I tend to consider that young reds with noticeable tannin need some age, but now I think they might be best showing their brilliant youth. This is a classy Bourgogne from a very good maker.
Red
Still delightful, and will remain so for quite some time. Perfect balance. Lovely flavour, a bit of grip and body, super integrated acid.
Red
I bought this while traveling where burgundy and even slightly mature wines are generally unavailable. Recommended by someone notable. Sweet nose, totally too young, to my taste. Will get better. Were it under cork I'd say three years, but under screw cap I have no idea. No mark, due to my ignorance of such wines.
edit: after half empty bottle in fridge for a few days, somewhat better. Still unevolved nose, but a bit of air has broadened the flavour a bit. Nice mouthfeel now. I still think a few years are in order,
1 person found this helpful Comment
White
In excellent condition. Generous flavour, great mouthfeel, excellent lingering aftertaste, acid/alcohol balance just right. Maybe at peak or close to it?
White
from memory: Colour healthy, nose attractive. Mouthfeel a trifle blunt. Enjoyable but not quite as pleasing as other vintages of this. Drink up.
Red
Good initial impact, rather tannic afterwards. Good wine, really does need time. Good flavour. Maybe Cailles is more tannic than other NSG vineyards?
Red
Surprisingly deep colour of immature hue. Clean very attractive nose. Mouthfeel still immature, rather firm, although tannins are not at all bitter. Rather good and will definitely improve, though possibly not fast. If I were giving a numerical mark I wouldn't be quite as high as the 93s that a few people have awarded.
Red
9/5/2023 - john_s Likes this wine:
91 points
Not ready to my taste. Beautiful flavour and mouthfeel. Give it +3years at least. 91+

edit October 2023: I should have read my own notes before pulling another cork. I'm getting a bit forgetfull. Anyway, it was lovely and still unready, but a bit left in a decanter overnight was excellent, my measurement for future cellaring success. Still 91+ , will be more later.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
This is lovely. To my taste, just another year or two before it's just right. Very superior for its appellation. Fills the mouth, just a tiny bit grippy at the moment.
Red - Fortified
8/17/2023 - john_s Likes this wine:
94 points
Cork slightly receding but most came out in one piece with the Durand. Fine and in excellent condition. Alcohol not sticking out but there was a tiny trace of hardness in the back palate that most didn't notice. Very good. Seemed rather young for its age. Maybe underground cellar too good.
Red
I like the note by Nostrabacchus below. Excellent mouthfilling. Tannin still a bit strong. Lovely drink, will get better.
Red
Not quite ready to my taste. Acid from its vintage clearly present. Better next day.
White
Soft cork. Colour quite yellow, but an acidic sort of yellow that suggested good acid. Nose perfectly clean, a bit restrained at first, and it took a while to open up. A touch reticent in the mouth, attractive viscosity and texture. Impressive for its age but I found it a tiny bit unsatisfying. Others present were more enthusiastic about it. This wine of course predates the spate of premox, thankfully. Overall I was pleased with it, especially as I had forgotten that it had been in the cellar all these years.
Red
Significant solids. Decanted. Smelled a bit rubbery at first, cleaned up fairly soon. This was stored well until 2 years ago, when it went through twosummers in a warm place, so maybe that affected it. Well balanced and enjoyable, seemed a bit more rustic than last time. Will try another well stored soon.
Red
2008 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier Canberra District Shiraz Blend, Syrah (view label images)
Barely ready to my taste. The combination of screw cap and excellent cellaring conditions make for a very long time for maturation. Côte Rôtie under cork takes long enough, but for someone of my age this wine is problematic. What I should have done 12 or so years ago was store it in a kitchen cupboard.
Apart from that, it's a lovely wine.
2 people found this helpful Comment
Red - Fortified
8/2/2023 - john_s Likes this wine:
94 points
Fine and clean. Decanted perfectly clean as deposit clung to the bottle. Super balance. I had 12 of these and we drank most of them as easy drinking VP of a light vintage. Big Mistake. This last bottle pristine ultra clean ultra balanced and seemed a bit on the young side. Super wine, needs time.
2 people found this helpful Comment
White
2015 Jean-Pierre Maldant Corton-Charlemagne Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Chardonnay (view label images)
Attractive colour, showing some acidic tint to the pale yellow. Quite rich, showing the ripe vintage, good balance. Diam 10 closure. I think I will drink them over a couple of years, not longer.
Red
This is quite delightful. Ready and will be good for quite a few years. Very integrated.
edit: 250mL left over in a small bottle two days later showed very well.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
Still looks rather undeveloped, fairly dense for a Bourgogne. Quite decent body but I found the acid streak running through it too dominating. Not the first 2014 like that.
Red
Colour medium dense, not showing a lot of age. Very attractive nose, quite interesting. Mouthfeel significantly and unusually acidic. The acid is well integrated if that make sense, and the rest of the wine is good. I'm wondering if it just needs another few years to settle down, maybe quite a few.
Red
Not quite ready. Great impact and balance, quite delicious at first, but the tannin caught up with me after a little while. I found that it was not so good with food as the tannin was so prominent, but I did enjoy it on its own. I guess that quite a few years might be needed, Just as well the corks are excellent.
White
5/15/2023 - john_s wrote:
flawed
Level was good, colour looked ok through the green glass, and the cork came out in one piece. However the wine was ruined by cork taint. I've had good luck with Moulin Touchais and Ch de Gauliers Bonnezeaux 1947, but my luck ran out with this one.
Red
A bit lean on first opening, but becoming more attractive with a bit of air and warming. Colour indicates well matured. Enjoyable, but showing some deficiency of the vintage (and the fact that I kept it a bit too long maybe).
Will add a bit more later if warranted.
Red
5/5/2023 - john_s Likes this wine:
91 points
Heaps of flavour, structure a bit absent. Much better the next day, and was at a lower temperature. I'm keeping the remaining two because as the fruit gradually diminishes it might be a better match for the light structure.
1 person found this helpful Comment
White
Age has thickened up the flavour a bit. Still brilliantly clear, clean enticing nose, quite rich in mouth, acid balance just right. Showing a bit of its ripe vintage, probably at peak.

edit after an hour: getting better, flavour more defined, lovely.
Red
Good cork, Some very fine deposit which could be stired up easily. Lovely floral nose. Shows solid vintage, generous flavour, excellent balance, still a tiny bit grippy to my taste. Extremely enjoyable. Two more bottles, +a few years.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2011 Château Sigalas Rabaud Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend (view label images)
Lovely flavour. Lacking a bit of acid drive but enjoyable nevertheless. Developed in the glass, ethereal and complex. I love thes wines, maybe the greatest expression of the apparently simple grape.
Red
4/5/2023 - john_s Likes this wine:
90 points
Colour fairly undeveloped, excellent cork. Some solids, needs decanting. Sweet oak on nose, attractive. Palate still firm, this wine is in for the long haul. A previous post seems anomalous (pale etc)
This wine was well received by a discerning group.
Red
Colour indicates some maturity, but still quite firm to my taste, an acidic backbone. One bottle left, will keep, but not sure if it will get better.
Red
3/22/2023 - john_s Likes this wine:
93 points
Excellent cork. Decanted due to age and reputation as tannic, but I was surprised that the solids were minimal so it decanted cleanly. Quite dark, narrow meniscus. Lively nose and flavour. Solid and although somewhat tannic, it was well integrated in its ripe vintage style. Plenty of fruit, so might age well, but I have a feeling that it migjt be near its peak, though a few years will make no difference. Very enjoyable amongst several 2005s, but really not my idea of Burgundy.
Red
Similar to my last bottle. 16% alcohol according to the back label, but the wine carries it remarkably well. There's none of the "kirsch" flavour that I dislike. Still quite young colour. I have a few more, but will drink them within a few years in case the alcohol outlasts everything else. Still some (good) tannin, not too much.
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