3/29/2024 - The Vines That Bind wrote:

[Magnum] Notes from memory last month, rich and dense, weighty and powerful but not overblown and not unduly advanced or oxidized. A perfect BYO magnum for an enormous seafood feast at a casual oyster house on the Sunshine Coast. 92 - 93.

3/8/2024 - The Vines That Bind wrote:

Determined to be 156ème based around 2000 harvest, no Krug ID, no code on the label, but found a code engraved on the bottom of the glass. Makes sense as this was both fresh and bright with plenty of acidity but had developed weight, richer golden fruit flavours, and some of that stylistic Krug sherry character. Excellent wine, excellent condition, in a great place for drinking now but good bottles clearly have runway ahead.

1/14/2021 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine:

Absolutely perfect color. Ruby red with little to no bricking. Spices and minerals. Good clean fruit. Very good all around just maybe a tad thin vs the best bottles.

10/12/2022 - The Vines That Bind wrote:

Affected.

10/7/2021 - bill00 wrote:

Far short of a bottle from a couple of months ago. While this is by no means premoxed it lacked energy and clearly not what this wine is fully capable of.

11/23/2021 - The Vines That Bind wrote:

Notes from memory but another perfect example. Youthful, lush, bright, clean, spicy. Detailed and nuanced but endowed and powerful. Perfumed. Elegant and delicate at the edges notwithstanding the intense red and black cherry fruit. A spectacular wine, but couldn't concentrate on notes...

11/3/2021 - The Vines That Bind wrote:

Corked.

11/6/2021 - sdr Likes this wine:

This was by far the most challenging wine of the night for me at the birthday party. When first opened it showed as mean and muddy, diametrically opposite from the way it was in the first 20 years of life. The color was sound, the acidity just right. Very slowly it awoke such that at the two hour mark (in the glass) there was an impressive concentration of dried raspberry wrapped in a thin cocoon of charcoal. Later still, a burst of spearmint blew out from the glass, which lasted maybe 20 minutes before the wine contracted back to its moody phase. You must concentrate on this wine since it doesn’t really try to make you love it; you have to do all the work. Good for a relationship but probably not for a golden anniversary marriage.

5/6/2015 - William Kelley wrote:

The 1996 Engel wines all have noticeable volatile acidity, and the domaine seems to have had an especially bad batch of corks in this vintage, so caveat emptor, but the wine opens up in the glass to reveal a nice nose of plums, spice, blood orange and leather, without every quite losing the rusty pipe bloodiness it showed on opening. On the palate the wine has considerable authority and volume, with nice bright acids, but it's ultimately disjointed. I found it really hard to get a read on this wine, and despite the vintage's good reputation I would go for almost any other if given the choice.

11/1/2021 - The Vines That Bind wrote:

[Magnum] Ultimately I believe this was corked, although at the beginning it had a beautiful nose of pure red fruit and detailed spice. I’ve never had a bottle start so promising and then shut down completely. The sort of cork that doesn’t obviously smell like cellar floor or cardboard or anything, but rather the variety where the palate is just muted / stunted. My 'best' contribution to the dinner tonight so extraordinarily disappointing...

10/27/2021 - Burgnick Likes this wine:

Wild red fruit, earth, dried flowers and cured meat on the nose and palate. Palate is so classic burgundy with generous sweetness. Clearly Grand Cru weight and quality. A very good old Lignier but clearly shy compared to a more sexy and alluring 91 Ponsot CDLR.

6/5/2021 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine:

Just classic Coche. Booming nose of spices, yellow flowers, lemons, lees, matchstick and minerals. On the palate its a bowl of diamonds - so razor sharp and precise. Chiseled. Tons of energy and verve. The 11s are stunning right now but this is still a baby and should age for a long time.

6/5/2021 - bill00 wrote:

Rich, creamy lemon custard. Delicious as always.

11/7/2020 - dcwino wrote:

Saturday lunch gathering (Bethesda, Maryland): Medium expressive nose dominated by iron, also sweet red fruit, strawberry jam, a hint of cherry, cedar, leather, cinnamon and iron mineral. Fully integrated palate, finely layered slightly coiled red fruit, silky and polished, bright acidity and iron mineral, still showing significant tannins, and a medium to long slightly dry sweet red fruit driven finish with iron at the end. This was decanted ahead. This may be a blasphemy for some but I prefer only a splash decanting for the 89 Giacosa wines. As Eric Guido observed, the 89 Giacosa SSR losses fruit with air. I prefer to enjoy fruit than mineral so it is a matter of personal preference. Everyone prefers the 89 Monprivato.

2/5/2021 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine:

Oldest CB I've had...brilliant golden metallic, green tinge color...engaging nose which instantly reminded me of DomP...yellow apple, smoky lees, chalky limestone, dried honey, caramel apples, griddled pancakes. Not an explosion upon popping the cork...mellow and graceful bubbles, yet the old dude can still light up the dance floor with a vibrant and refreshing tingle...lemon sours, green apple skin tartness with plenty of verve. Wonderful richness of orchard fruits...aged nuances of truffle butter, white honey...saline with chalky minerals...smoky match strike lees ala a fine Meursault...pretty florals of white flowers and apricot blossoms. Such class and brightness...in a perfect place right now...and an absolute PLEASURE to drink!

7/1/2018 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine:

Drink in a full vertical of d'Ambonnay. This had a nice creamy texture. Was softer than the others. Light yet plenty of power. A more feminine example of d'Ambonnay with a little less power and more finesse. Lemon, citrus, toffee, orchard fruit and freshness. Great energy and tension. Lovely wine.

3/10/2021 - The Vines That Bind wrote:

[Blind] Massive purple perfume. Dense black currant and that sort of old maid's perfume that hangs about Harrod's in the summer months. Some black pepper and new leathers. Heavy wood and monstrously large and youthful. Unapproachable at this age to my preferences. I have some '11s I'll leave alone for at least another decade. Lots of potential for sure, just a little too much to handle right now.

1/14/2021 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine:

Damn this was good. Candied red fruits. Plenty of spices. Great depth to this wine. So ready to drink right now. Everything is in perfect balance. Mesmerizing complexity. Its so great when Engel bottles are on and this was fully on.

12/26/2020 - The Vines That Bind wrote:

Two and a half years since my last encounter and this consistently shows to be the legend it is reputed to be. First glass after an hour decant and the nose is wafting with primary black and red fruit laden with highly expressive detail including subtle smoke, tobacco, red cedar, cigar box spice, and some graphite / lead. Definitely has a good bit of earth / forest floor influence but overall this is clean and fresh. A dark intense core suggets decades of longevity ahead but showing off sweet red fruit high notes too. Nose is just beautiful with big projection and the palate follows up with powerful red and black fruit and mostly completely resolved tannin, just a bit of grip hanging on in a good way, mostly texturally soft. Almost Burgundian in its effortlessly light handed delivery of powerful fruit. Only growing bigger with more air. Black cherry, chocolate covered cherries. Mouth coating and expansive with 60-second-plus staying power and lingering finish. Classic, refined. An image of beauty and a towering masterpiece.

12/10/2020 - The Vines That Bind wrote:

[Magnum] Youthful, opulent, high toned, high alcohol. Four hour decent and actually moderately approachable thereafter. Absolutely not my thing but not awful.

10/23/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote:

My Birthday Weekend; 10/23/2020-10/25/2020 (Chicagoland IL): Popped-and-poured. Floral start with broad array of apple aromas, followed by similar flavors with very good depth, dancing textures and enough ripeness. Wine opened and expanded with more time in glass, really showing intense Grand Cru density after open 30-45 minutes. Best when finished at the 3-hour mark. I haven’t had this since visiting Niellon in 2013, shortly before this wine was released. It was the last wine I tasted that week in Burgundy; it was memorable then, and lived up to those memories tonight.

10/28/2018 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine:

This was stellar. Perfect color. A very clean and precise nose. Red fruit, blue and black fruit. Sauvage. Graphite and pencil lead. On the palate this was classic BDX. I really enjoyed this bottle and felt it was at peak but not near decline.

5/12/2020 - dcwino wrote:

First Zoom tasting - Burgundy (Mi Casa): Wine 1
A bit coiled nose displaying ripe concentrated red fruit, a slight hint of lavender, dark spices, tree bark and earth. Very good concentration, packed ripe red fruit, chewy and masculine, medium acidity, earthy mineral and a medium to long concentrated red fruit driven finish. No Vosne spice and not terribly complex, perhaps Corton or Clos de la Roche from a mediocre producer. The concentration and ripeness is from a ripe vintage. Pretty pedestrian wine, perhaps an ok buy at $50 but no way to justify the current auction price. Avoid!

9/6/2020 - soyhead wrote:

pop&pour on a sweltering day at the Roederer estate in northern California. nose remind of vanilla
mouth - piercing acidity and excellent minerality, vanilla and pears. of course we are drinking this way too young. time after time, however, i fail to see the mystique of this cuvee.

2/7/2019 - BenBlu Likes this wine:

Decanted for one hour, maybe served a bit too cold. This to me was a slight disappointment due to the pedigree of the producer and the vintage, and it being a Grand Cru. If served blind I would not have had this down necessarily for 1er Cru, leave alone Grand Cru. The wine had an interesting nose which still showed primarily primary berry with a bit of meatiness. On the palate the entry is promising but then it lacks the follow trough and just finishes a bit short and at this moment in time I am lacking the fantasy to see it reach true heights even with more bottle age. It should certainly be left alone for another 5 years to see what can happen but I am not super bullish here. By comparison the 09 Grivot Beaumonts is clearly better (of which I had 6 bottles over the last half year) - it simply has a better nose, more energy and minerality. Also Hudelot Noellat's CdV 09 is head and shoulders above this one in my view. I would attribute this to the fact that Grivot's plot is in the less desirable lower part of this variable and large Grand Cru.

3/11/2019 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine:

Brought to Paulee and for many this was the WOTN. Perfectly aged and well balanced wine at this stage. Bright red fruit, clean and crisp palate with great spices and texture. Very Jayer like in its high toned red fruits. Awesome bottle.

6/17/2016 - burgcamel wrote:

Drank this along side the 1991 La Tache. For me, the La Tache was the winner but both were exceptional bottles. I felt the Cros Prarantoux was fully mature and the La Tache was just entering it's drinking window. The Parantoux was earthier and had a little less spice.

2/23/2019 - The Vines That Bind wrote:

Nice nose that is stemmy and floral, more spice than earthy rusticity. Medium red cherry. Youthful and has oak polish that is fairly integrated. Palate is fine, a little angular but still a nice drink. Had alongside the ‘09 Latricieres-Chambertin which was more or less indistinguishable. Nose 91, palate 90.

3/31/2019 - Kemo Sabe wrote:

Second time trying Chave Blanc recently. I’m just not seeing it with these bottles. Felt this was astringent, tart, harsh and nearly bitter. Some nice waxy notes but just lacking depth and complexity. 15% alcohol is fully present. Felt the same about the last bottle as well. Maybe just not my thing.

12/13/2018 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine:

Classic Coche nose of yellow flowers, leesy notes, some nuttiness. On the palate this was Coche precision with strong flavors of lemon, nuts, minerals, tangy acidity, great balance and harmony to this wine. Overall probably too young to be drinking. Felt a few more years would do this well. Very good now. Will be great.

6/8/2018 - The Vines That Bind wrote:

World's Greatest, Hong Kong - Night II (Garden Suite, Peninsula Hotel): The nose is darker than that on the ‘90 and isn’t as fresh up front with a little more earth influence. A little swirling yields the same cool blue fruit. This palate is sweet red fruit at maturity. Higher acid. Absolutely delicious. A little dirtier but still so aromatically complex.

2/8/2018 - burgcamel wrote:

NR - My first bottle turned out to be a counterfeit. It tasted ripe so I knew something was off. In checking the cork it was a 2003. Looks like they just replaced the 2003 year label with a 2005 label. Unfortunately, the next bottle was legit but corked! That's a lot of money down the drain! To add insult to injury I found 2 more fakes in the cellar.

5/16/2017 - The Vines That Bind wrote:

Mouton Rothschild Vertical Dinner (Vaucluse): Austere nose, bulletproof tannic palate. Tight cranberry and lead pencil in the core. Concentrated and meaty. Consistently prefer the 1996 over this as there always seems to be dryness to the fruit here and lacking the classic forest floor terroir kiss.

11/14/2015 - The Vines That Bind wrote:

Somewhat subdued nose of tertiary stony wet soil, drying cranberries, and medicinal notes of echinacea and menthol. Palate is drying out quite a bit with stewed red berries. Tertiary notes of ceramic, rust, and iron intermittent. Tannins are friendly but the mouthfeel overall is a little tough and astringent. Tired and tight relative to the '70 & '75 enjoyed in the flight.