4/11/2024 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Had this exactly 1 year ago and recall it was a bit tight then. Today it was brilliant. I sometimes find Chassange a bit too big and crunchy for my palate but this had that wonderful "aerodynamic" profile I like. The reduction was there but not ideological. Kind of like Raveneau meets Chassange. Would not have put this as an 2018 either if served blind. Intellectual and drinkable at the same time. Those who prefer overt power may not enjoy this.

I've only had a few bottles from this Domaine so far which were all very enjoyable. Unfortunately, the prices are silly now.

4/7/2024 - cortoncharlie wrote:

I usually find Winston Churchill a bit too big for my taste. For the 1996, however, the style works well with the racy acidity of the vintage.

4/7/2024 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Consistent with my last tasting note. Winner for what it is.

4/7/2024 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Traditional style - not much trendy reduction here. Big with broad shoulders. The fruit is quite dominant now but you can taste the subtle mineral core underneath. I typically prefer more sharpness but that's a style issue. Decent 1er cru level white with upside potential. First time with this wine will try more to get a proper sense.

2/27/2024 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Very ready. So ready it was slightly worrying.

2/17/2024 - cortoncharlie wrote:

I enjoyed this immensely and at a great place now. Lacked a bit of that extra oomph but very well balanced. So far I've had no premox problems with Sauzet's 2004 GCs.

2/17/2024 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Big but not very well defined. Grand cru power and finish. Stylistically not for me. Maybe this bottle was on the way down already so I suggest drinking up.

1/26/2024 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Great Champagne but IMHO still too young!

1/21/2024 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Lovely perfume aromatics and flavor profile. The depth and finish reflect the level/classification. Good intro to the very impressive "new" style of the domain.

1/2/2024 - cortoncharlie wrote:

My first time with this producer. Citrus and pineapple on the nose. Low acidity for Sauv Blanc and came across as a bit New World. Could use a bit more tension in my book.

Overall a bit underwhelming considering it was highly recommended to me. Not sure if this was a representative bottle.

12/31/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

The bottle had low fill and the top of the cork was oxidized. I was prepared for the worst but it proved me wrong. It needed a lot of air to unfurl. It's not the best bottle I've had from this batch but it was still fine.

I've had over a case of this wine over the years and it always delivered. Sadly I am down to my last bottle!

12/25/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Drinking incredibly well I thought. Reflected vintage, terroir, and maker. Good value at under US$100.

12/11/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Debatable if this was premoxed but more advanced than it should be. Not the kind of Chablis I enjoy.

11/26/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Way better than the 2019 Trout Gulch I had the week before. Reductive and lean. No hurry to drink based on this bottle.

11/25/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

I found this a bit flat and unexciting.

11/25/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

I had great bottles of this wine but today it was really flat.

11/16/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

The Trapet wines used to be hard as bricks but they have become easier to drink in recent vintages. Modern Gevrey with good purity and balance. Decent for village level wine but there's a big hole in the middle through the back. Extremely overpriced IMHO.

11/8/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

2nd last bottle from an original case purchased in 2019. This drank so well and punched above its weight for so many years. I can imagine there could be better battles out there but I reckon best to drink up in the next 2 years.

11/7/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Triple decanted. Hardly budged since the last bottle. Quite acidic and austere still. A bit Chablis like. Not particularly enjoyable at this stage and unsure if it will ever have the fruit to balance the acidity. I admire the style this is trying to emulate but I think something's missing in the execution. Probably won't buy this again.

11/5/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Round, generous but with decent balance. Drinking well already. It's not going to blow anyone away but a solid village level.

10/27/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Developing nicely from a year ago and entering early drinking window. We did not decant this but drank it slowly over lunch. Zippy acidity buttressed by sea salt and minerality. I loved the light touch in the wine-making style. Pure and elegant. Lacked the depth of a grand cru but I thought it was a true reflection of the vintage and place. I did not get any of the bruised apple profile I normally associate with natural wine.

10/27/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Clear ruby color. The nose was simply ethereal. Fully resolved and very clean on the palate. I thought this tasted like an old syrah but with a lighter touch. So unbelievably fresh I could have believed if you told me this was 20 years younger.

10/27/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

~2.5 cm from the bottom of the cork. Dark blood red and a bit dirty in appearance. Cherry liquor, herbs, spice, blood, and some barnyard funk. A bit rustic for sure but exactly what an old-school CnP ought to be at this age. Drinking at peak and held over 3 hours.

10/22/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Not pristine but the fill was reasonable (about 3/4 inch from the bottom of the foil). It needed 15 minutes of air to warm up and for the buttery elements to emerge. Held up well over the entire dinner. Not many bubbles left but it hit all the right buttons for a champagne of this age. I haven't had the 61 yet but IMHO this was on par with 64 and probably better than 66 and 69 which I all adore. Of course, condition is everything for these old bottles but DPs rarely disappoint in the 60s. Leaving a few points off as surely a pristine bottle would surpass this one.

10/3/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Early drinking window. IMHO the best HB between 1990 and 2000 and possibly the best 1st growth in 1998.

9/21/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

I am a fan of Guillemot's Savigny but this is my first encounter with the Corton. Beautiful translucent ruby color. Quite ripe and got more "confectionary" with air. Maybe it's the hot vintage but a bit Rhone-like for me. Based on this bottle a cooler vintage may suit the house style better.

9/17/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Not bad. Not good either. Mineral without the tension. Not trying to be too big or woody. A decent effort but a bit hollow and boring overall. 97 points from Wine Advocate is a complete joke. I much prefer a bottle of good Macon at similar price point. Don't think it will improve much with age either.

9/6/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Really drinking very well now. New world fruit with old world soul. Has a bit of everything but I found it less funky than the Kiwis and Oregons and less extracted than most Californians. Lacked a bit of complexity to be great.

9/5/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

From magnum. Orange peel and bubble gum. A decent, fruit-driven wine that lacks tension. Overall a bit simple and boring. Drinking at peak and I doubt it will get better.

8/29/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

First try with this producer. Not the trendy reduced style. Big hole in the middle. There's something on the follow-through but not particularly interesting or enticing. Really quite boring. Not grand cru quality in my book, but maybe a $30 house bourgogne. Is it too young? I don't think so. Very surprised Jasper Morris gave this 95 pts. Not buying again.

8/25/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

First time with this Domaine. Quite balanced - lean but not super reductive. Lovely nose and very drinkable already. Mineral with crunchy white fruit. Struck me as more a 1er Cru than a Grand Cru in terms of power, complexity, and length. I have not tried their 1er cru yet but would love to compare the relative value.

8/18/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Had this with the Freedom Hill 2019. I liked this better, but I finished the bottle the same night and did not have a chance to see how it developed overnight as I did with the Freedom Hill. The reduction was there, but it was not dominating. Juicy new world fruit. Where Freedom Hill seemed disjointed, this one felt like a package. It still lacked the tension to go with the reduction. Underlying material village level at best.

8/18/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Once the reduction was gone (the next day), I found it lacked depth, definition, and tension. A bit flabby, and the wood stuck out.

8/9/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

The nose was good. The palate, on the other hand, was not entirely correct, but not sure if oxed was the right description. It was a pleasant drink but did not deliver the nervy tension like previous bottles. My 5th out of an original six pack and all the previous bottles were simply brilliant. Possibly a storage issue with this bottle. C'est la vie

8/4/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Double decanted and left uncorked to air for about 90-120 mins. This wine needed that air time. Came across as very reductive on the nose, but don't know if this was due to the winemaking or to the natural characteristics of the grape varietal. Reminded me of one of those trendy white burgs (e.g., Dancer). The palate was less Burgundian. Felt big but not necessarily fruit driven.

So far, I've tried 2015, 2016, and now 2018. Looking forward to revisiting these down the road. One of the great remaining values in the white wine world, imho.

8/4/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

This one was a bit too "new world" for me. Massive fruit and bubble gum and a little hot on the finish. For those who like their pinot super fruity, they will like this. In perfect condition and drinking at prime with a few more years to go.

7/11/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

stunning

6/30/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Fresh - no premox. Finesse and tension. A great expression of the style and vintage. However, in terms of weight and power, I thought it felt closer to a villages level wine than a grand cru.

6/18/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Gorgeous nose. More honey than petrol now. Lovely balance and elegance. At peak. Maybe it may not reach the scale and power of a CSH, but it was so charming and drinkable.

5/15/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

It had a bit of that flinty nose which I like. The palate was rather simple, which would be fine as an entry-level wine, but sadly they over-oaked this IMHO.

4/23/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

A friend served me a Cayuse Bionic Frog last year, and I liked it, so I decided to try this cheaper stablemate. Couldn't get over the bittersweet chocolate finish. Flirting between a dry red and a dessert red like a Recioto. I saved half a bottle to air overnight to see if it would improve, but it didn't. My first experience with this label and probably my last.

4/16/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Light touch wine-making. Very elegant. Stems. The New Zealand dirt was still evident but kind of reminded me of a chambolle.

4/15/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Fleshy fruit buttressed by the vintage's acidity. Decent balance. Quite an easy wine to enjoy. Just a little flabby, so I don't think this would make old bones. Had this with a 2013 Jabot Chevalier Demoiselles which was much more chiseled in comparison. Good but not great.

4/15/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Absolutely no premox. On the young side and requires decanting. The acidity of the vintage really cuts through the wine. Not a big wow wine but lovely tension and length. I see upside from here.

Drank with a 2013 Paul Pernot Batard. Both were drinking well but I preferred this.

4/13/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

I had many DP from the 60s, but this was my first DR. Dark golden color, and bubbles dissipated within 15-20 mins. Lifted, buttery nose. There were some caramel and sherry notes, and the group debated whether this was oxed but quickly reached a consensus it was not. Rich and expansive. Consistent with Canan's tasting note from 2014. Lovely showing.

3/27/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

Bit hard and angular. Not much depth or complexity. Changed little with air. I thought overall quite ordinary. I can't see it improving either. One of those sold by the story but let down by the bottle type of wine.

2/5/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

I am a big fan of Marc Colin's Montrachet (when it is not oxed) but this was my first encounter with his St Aubin. Quite big for a St Aubin. Yellow fruit driven. I was not in awe of the oak treatment. If blind I might have even guessed it was from the new world. Overall I thought it came across a bit disjointed. Could be too young and at an awkward stage.

2/3/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

still very tight. saline chablis characteristics. quite long.

1/2/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

X-domain stock. Lovely condition with some grippy tannins and zippy acidity to balance the fruit. Very easy to drink.

1/1/2023 - cortoncharlie wrote:

It found that happy medium between a new world sense of place and restrained winemaking. At a very good place now and unlikely to get any better.