1/21/2015 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Decanted 90 mins and served at Pied a Terre, London. Level into neck and perfect cork. Colour was still bright, solid brick red, right out to the rim. Looked 15 years old not 30. Nose was an explosion of smoke, earth, fruit and tobacco leaf. Entrancing and inviting and a good lead into the palate.

To taste this was vibrant, bursting with crunchy frut and complex. Long, long finish and an intensity and balance you only get with great bottles. Great balance of acidity and elegance. What struck me was how youthful this wine was, it was almost too young to drink although the tannins have integrated and receded, I think a well stored bottle like this is just warming up.

It has another 20 years in the cellar and it will only get better. For once, a wine that fully justifies its hype but with hindsight I'd have opened it in it's 50th birthday. Great wine, but on the way up. Decant for as long as you can wait.

12/14/2014 - JamesTye wrote:

Lean and stern. Drink up.

12/2/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 1500ml and served at the Ledbury in London. Bottle in excellent condition with level still IN. Opened for 1 hour then poured with no decant. Deep brick red with little sign of age. Nose was a lovely, intense Pauillac with an immediate hit of cassis, then cedar and leather. A very classy and inviting nose. The palate was lovely and fresh still, with supreme elegance and balance. Lots of black fruit, some earth and game. Good, persistent finish with beautifully integrated tannins. Nice evolution in the glass.

This is in a great place right now and a far more fruit-driven than the previous magnum of the same wine I had last year. Has the hallmak first-growth elegance and balance, wrapped up in a very drinkable package. Proof that 1985 vintage is still capable of serving up something special at 28 years of age.

11/12/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Bottle and cork in pristine condition. Decanted and served immediately. Colour a youthul brick red, clear edges and nice gloss. The nose was slightly stewed, some leather, plum and red fruits. On the palate this unfolded well over the evening. Red fruits, coffee, with some drying tannins and a touch of bitterness. Plenty of acidity and a decent length finish.
An unusual left-bank character to a right-bank wine. The lush plum is there on the nose but the wine has a harshness on the palate that takes away the best of the fruit. This is still well-made wine though and drinking well. Very youthful for its age and drinking proof that the '96 vintage was still quite successful on the right bank, even if the fruit and balance doesn't match that of its left bank neighbours. Thanks to @MattHale for bringing it to dinner.

11/12/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Level was IN, cork was perfect, only soaked 1mm. Decanted and served an hour later at Pied a Terre in London. Colour was a deep, port-like colour. Youthful but not glossy, almost a little cloudy but no brown edges. The nose was a big hit of black fruits, followed by some leather, cigar box and liquorice. The palate was immediately involvling. Lots of tempting ripe fruits, plenty of of acidity, a touch of cedar. Extremely well balanced with completely integrated tannins and a long finish.
This was a real surpise from LB. I am a fan of '88 vintage on the left bank but this really was a very good example. This is a wine that sung in the glass and didn't exhibit a single hard edge. The rich fruit and tannin were in perfect harmony too. Maybe a lucky bottle (this was a better outing than the last bottle I had in 2012) but this was Lynch Bages on top form. Well worth the wait and one to absolutely enjoy now.

11/5/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Cork perfect, fill still IN. Not decanted and served after 60mins open at Pied a Terre in London. Colour is glossy and opaque, although a fine brick red at the edges. Looks young for a 23 year old wine. The nose has notes of black fruits with a good helping of liquorice, some cedar, spice and a little cheesecloth. On the palate there is a rush of black fruit supported by some cedar and a tingling spiciness/dryness. Everything is balanced and elegant and the tannins are fully integrated. Decent length finish.

The wine has benefitted from a little more cellar time than my last two tastings, and there is still plenty to enjoy about this wine. Not powerful or complex enought to be truly great but a good example of the 1990 left bank vintage and very enjoyable now. IMO be careful about decanting or aerating this wine too vigourously as there is a danger that the remaining fruit will quickly become elusive with air.

11/5/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. HF, cork perfect and opened 2 hours before drinking. Served at Pied a Terre in London. Colour is an attractive whisky gold, perhaps a little dark considering the age. Whole case was the same colour and has been well-stored so not bottle variation. Nose was not typical Climens, more apricot, some marzipan, a little peach and a touch of spice/saffron. The palate had a good helping of apricot fruit and was balanced by some taught acidity. Refreshing and lively to drink, with a medium length finish.
By no means a bad bottle of Barsac but lacking some of the luscious complexity and toffee/creme brulee palate that the very best Climens has. I think this is drinking well now too and I can't see much more development taking place in the bottle. The acidity will keep the wine going for a long time to come but I don't think there are many, more flavours that will be revealed with aging.

9/28/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Opened and served an hour later. Colour is an inky, dark ruby red right out to the edge. Viscous and even-looking. On the nose there is a swirling mass of black fruit and liquorice, underpinned by some intense vanilla notes. The palate is a blockbuster. Expect a mouthful of jammy black fruits, spice, some plum, liquorice combined with very modest tannins. Despite being a hefty 15%, this wine isn't hot but it is rather bracing to drink and the finish is good with the flavours rolling round the mouth.

A very well made and stylistically impressive wine. It's full and rounded but a little uncompromsiing with its flavours. Food matching will be important to help soften the wine. I also expect that this will grow in complexity over the next few years but there is limited tannin so don't expect it to last indefinitely or even improve much beyond its 10th birthday.

Thanks to @Raul Saurez for bringing this to dinner.

9/25/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Opened and served straight away. Colour was light, red brick, slighly brown edge. The wine immediately impressed with an intriguing nose of cherry, mushroom and truffle and was instantly recognisable as a traditional style Barolo. The palate was initially closed and quite tannic. As it opened up in the glass, the palate started to reflect the nose with the same cherry, forest floor and truffle scents. A big wine with a decent length finish and well integrated but imposing tannins.

This is an immediately impressive Barolo but, confusingly, the last glass was the most disappointing. The wine completely shut down after a couple of hours - both the nose and the palate - and became drying and lifeless. This might have been the food pairing but it troubles me about where this wine might end up in the cellar. There is a chance that this will be slightly empty shell in 10 years time (I've had this experience with Conterno wines in the past) but it is undoubtedly well-made, delicious and a good showcase for the variety at 7 years of age.

9/14/2013 - JamesTye Does not like this wine:

From 750ml. Colour is lightish gold. Nose is dominated by bitter orange, marmalade, marzipan and white flowers. The palate is out of balance. More bitter orange, some tropical fruit, honey and a burnt orange finish. Oddly balanced acidity and an overall bitterness. Medium finish.
This is a disappointing outing for Coutet. Sure, the vintage was not a great one for the Sauternais but this is worse than I'd expect. I quite liked the 1991 (an even worse vintage) from this chateaux as it had plenty of pretty fruit but this was bitter, too orange and completely out of balance. I don't think it's going to do anything impressive in the cellar either. It will probably make a decent match for an acidic fruit dessert, but with anything delicate or on its own, this is not especially enjoyable.

8/30/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Level was HF, perfect condition. 2 hour decant, served at Pied a Terre in London. Colour was dense, dark red, amazingly young looking at 23 years old and still had a purple hue. Nose was awash with flavours. Immediate hit of liquorice, toffee, cherry, lots of plum, some chocolate. On the palate this is still great wine. The expected berries and plum, spice, then unusual caramel and even some nuttiness. The tannins are still quite noticeable here, even after a long decant. A long and complex finish too.

I am lucky enough to own a case of this wine, and it's youthful state always surprises me when I drink it. There is a complex Port like quality to the wine which is intriguing yet it is surprisingly well balanced. It is also muscly and tannic though, so needs a long decant. I'm not entirely sure where this wine is going in the cellar though. There is complexity but it's a bit of wall of flavor drinking this wine and the finish is a fraction short of greatness. One thing is for sure, it's going nowhere fast and my very first note on this was premature. This wine has 15-20+ in the cellar so there is no hurry to find out!

8/25/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Top bottle condition for age and level high fill. Decanted and served an hour later. Colour was an an antique, brick red, dark if slightly dull in the decanter. Nose was weakish. Some sour cherry, cedar, leather, cassis. The palate was better. Liquorice, herbs, leather, some cassis. More secondary flavours rather than fruit. Elegant, good acidity and with a long finish, slight tannic bite on the mid-palate.

This is a wine that shows it's class, despite a difficult vintage in Bordeaux. Well-made, silky and with everything in balance this was a charming Margaux but not one of the greats. Slightly dilute but in a good place now. No reason to hold but any decline will be quite slow: I think you have 5 years to drink this if it's a good condition bottle like this one.

8/24/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Tasted twice, second 24 hours after opening. Colour is a beautiful golden/orange colour. Bright, viscous, glowing. Nose is pure caramel, bitter orange, botrytis, pineapple, some banana and other tropical fruits. On the palate the wine was liquid creme brulee, loaded with toffee and cooked peach. Warm and enveloping with a long. long finish. The flavour was like some incredible dessert, that just peeled away layer after layer of complexity in the mouth.

The wine is blessed with an excellent acidity and balance. On the first taste on opening this was quite noticeable but 24 hours later this hand blended seamlessly into the background, hinting at what will happen to this wine in the cellar.

This is a stunning mature Climens, in the top three I have ever had (alongside the 1988 & 1947). It leans towards the caramel rather than fresh/tropical fruit style (the 1988) *but* it has the acidity to develop further in the bottle. I can only imagine this is what the '47 tasted like at 23 years old, but given another 10,20 or even 30 years in the cellar this will become truly humbling wine, and probably worth 99+ points.

8/23/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Level IN. Decanted and served over 2.5 hours. Colour was brick red, some brown staining, slightly earthy but clear. the nose is very pure Pessac: red fruits, smoke, tobacco, cedar. Lingering and ever so slightly sour. On the palate the wine was initially quite aggressive, especially in the mid-palate. With air time the wine demonstrated the savoury complexity for which its famous. There is iron, lots of it, tobacco leaf, cedar, earthy flavours and sour cherry. Still a good amount of tannin present, which cuts the finish a little short.

I do not have a huge amount of experience of La Mission Haut-Brion but I am lucky enough to have tried a good amount of Haut-Brion. There are unmistakeable similarities and this was a very good bottle of red Bordeaux indeed. It needs air, at least an hour or two of it to really show at it's best. Once there this is savoury, complex and mouth-filling wine that can be enjoyed now but I am sure has at least 10 years left in it. There are still plenty of tannins and acidity to keep this wine alive. Maybe worth a point or two more if the tannins integrate further and the complexity grows.

Thanks to @Ctye for sharing it

8/15/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Level was HF. Decanted and served 1.5hours later at Pied a Terre, London. Colour was a glossy, dense purple/red. Nose was closed - some leather, spices and aromatics. Palate was a wall of flavour and still too much tannin. There was plenty of black fruit but the elegance and class this wine can show, was somehwat overshadowed by its youthful state.

This was the first of a case but still a little young for my tastes. There is plenty more to come from this wine but at the moment it is tightly wound, a little dense and clumsy. This could be a *very* good Tignanello in time. If you must drink now I'd recommened a 5+ hour decant and maybe you will taste more complexity and aromatics on the palate than I did. I'm going to leave this wine 3 years and then revisit.

7/23/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Fill 0.5in below cork. Opened 45 mins prior to serving, no decant needed. Served at the St Geran in Mauritius.
Colour was dark brick, muddy red, slightly clear edges. Not glossy, but evenly coloured. Typical Pessac. On the nose the initial impression was lots of cherry, sour cherry and tobacco. As it opened up in the glass the wine found its feet and there was more tobacco leaf, cedar, earth, red fruit and a whiff of tar. The palate was again very Pessac. Lots of leather, tobacco leaf, some game, red fruit, cherry and dried herbs. This bottle had beautiful balacing acidity, completely integrated tannins and a long, long finish. The flavours swirled around for a long time in the mouth. Impressive and entrancing.

This is a lovely Haut-Brion. This is no blockbuster Pauillac-style red but instead you have excellent, aged, savoury, Claret encapsulated in a single bottle. All the hard edges of the 1988 vintage have been replaced by an exceptionally balanced and rounded wine. This was my best bottle of the case so far and is drinking very well. As this bottle had travelled I didn't decant, and it was great to let the flavours unfurl in the glass. And the wine does need air to show at its best. A very memorable bottle.

7/19/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Level HF. Served at the St Geran in Mauritius. No decant required. Colour was dark red, faint brown at edge, bright. Nose was dominated by cassis, with some secondary Bordeaux notes including cedar, animal notes, raspberry. A whiff of iodine was an unusual addition.
The palate is very fruit driven, again mostly cassis but there is some red fruit, and aged bordeaux sandalwood and leather. There is good of acidity to keep the wine fresh and the tannins are powdery and finely integrated now. The wine is balanced but not exceptionally so and the finish is a good length.

This is a lovely Leoville-Barton, and a good example of the sumptuous 1990 vintage. There is plenty of structure and power, wrapped up in black fruit and some of that hallmark St Julien freshness. This is perfectly ready now and drinking well. I predict this wine will comfortably live for another 10-15 years for sure, but the fruit will recede and would not show this wine at its best in my opinion. This is very different from the more classic 1988 Barton, which is still gently improving. For this reason, enjoy the 1990 now.

7/18/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Level IN. Served at the St Geran in Mauritius. No decant and tasted over 2 hours. Colour was an attractive brick red, dark core, leather edge. Absolutely classic aromatic Cheval nose, lots of chocolate, cedar, truffle, spicy compote, some toffee. Very exotic, impactful and enticing.
The palate seemed a little plain after the hugely impressive nose, but very good. An extremely elegant wine with fruit mixed with sandalwood, black fruits, leather and good balancing acidity. Medium to long finish but beautifully poised and rounded.

Although 1997 is often pegged as an early developer this bottle begs to differ. I have drunk this wine 5 or 6 times over the last 10 years and this was its best showing yet. The nose continues to be stunning and aromatic but the wine is just so elegant now. The palate is rounded and there is still plenty of fruit and a chewy finish. The lifegiving tannin is there, but now firmly in the background.
As I reach the last part of my case it seems that this Cheval has hit its stride. It also seems Broadbent was right (again) that this a far better 1997 than others managed. It just took 15+ years to come around.

7/17/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Level IN. Served at the St Geran in Mauritius. Colour was deep red, dense core, young looking, glossy, clear edges. Nose was heavy on blackcurrant, some liquorice, shot through with sour cherry, a hint of smoke and iodine. Attractive and grabs your attention immediately.
The palate is composed of dense fruits, including blackcurrant, pencil lead, more liquorice, a strand of vanilla. Good length finish, not as endless as the greatest Latour but impressive nonetheless. A little heat in the midpalate but not so it spoils the wine.

This wine is a good showing for the vintage in my opinion. Despite the late rains, there is no greeness and the wine is balanced and packed with crunchy black fruits. Shows Latour class and far better than other first growths from this tricky vintage. Surely a contended for the wine of the vintage, showing well now but at least 10 years left in the cellar.

7/15/2013 - JamesTye wrote:

From 750ml. Served at the St Geran in Mauritius. Ruby red colour, slightly cloudy but no sediment. Nose not especially open, some red fruits, leather, Italian red "perfume", confected and some animal notes. Palate was not especially polished, but tannin fully integrated. Lots of earth, provencal herbs, leather, brambly, not a huge amount of fruit and a little hot on the finish at 13.5%.

A very well made and typical Hernitage but not really scaling the heights that La Chapelle can. Certainly not what you would expect from the year, although there is nothing technically wrong with it. I'm not sure where this will go in the cellar, but I suspect that the fruit will recede further and the secondary notes will take over.

7/14/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Level IN. Served at the St Geran in Mairitius. Decanted and served after 30mins. Colour bright, brick red core, no brown but clearing at edges. Nose is pure Pauillac, lots of blackcurrant, leather, cedar, some red fruit. Palate very well balanced, black fruit, lead pencil, leather and some cedar notes. Good balancing acidity and well integrated tannin. Medium length finish.

This is classic Claret, in good condition with good, life preserving acidity and tannin. A good blend of crunchy black fruit and aged Bordeaux mature notes. This is a lovely example of the 1996 vintage and although not massively complex, shows why Clerc-Milon remains a wine for Bordeaux lovers who want quality and terroir at a sensible price. Will age further but this is at its best now.

7/4/2013 - JamesTye wrote:

From 375ml. Opened and poured. Colour cherry red, touch of leathery brown at edges. Clear and bright. Unusual bitter fruit and leather nose. Some gaminess and rotten fruit. Palate is better. Red fruit, plenty of tannin still, some leather, decent length finish. A touch stalky,
Not a pretty Volnay, but structured and decently made. Potel's wines are usually better but this Burgundy leans more towards Chambertin than Volnay in its nose and palate. Slighty disjointed in its make up. Not sure the fruit will do anything but disappear further into the background. Drink now.

6/28/2013 - JamesTye wrote:

From 750ml. Pale green-gold colour. Nose of apple, citrus, lime. A little reserved. Much better on the palate. Bursting with apple, white fruits, some mineral but wrapped up in an almost searing acidity. A long finish, a little unbalanced with only a hint of sweet fruit.

A well-made but tart wine. The single vineyard Spatleses from Donnhoff’s are far more complex in this tricky 2010 vintage, but obviously cost more. In my mind they are worth the extra investment, as this wine provides simple drinking pleasure, but little more.

6/26/2013 - JamesTye wrote:

From 750ml. Served at Annisa in New York. Colour was an enticing, bright gold. The nose is dominated by bitter orange, lots of botrytis, some floral and toffee notes. Not an enveloping nose that the very best Sauternes can offer up. On the palate, the wine has plenty of that burnt orange, caramel, some bitter complexity and a medium length finish. Never cloying but not especially sweet or refreshing either. Plenty of acidity but not enough fruit or sweetness to fully balance it.

This is my last bottle of a 12x 750ml case. There has been substantial bottle variation despite it being well stored and overall I can't help feeling this is a disappointing 88 Sauternes, given the reputation of the Chateau and the vintage. Often a little bitter and mean, it never drinks badly but never wows either. The acidity, a characteristic of the vintage, is there to keep this wine alive for years to come but I don't think this will be a late bloomer.

6/26/2013 - JamesTye wrote:

From 750ml. Decanted and served an hour later at Annisa in New York. Served at cellar temperature. Beautiful golden honey colour in decanter, not especially bright. The nose is a panoply of spice, honey, pear and minerals. On the palate the wine was a little shy for a white Hermitage. Lots of honey swilling around, nuttiness, complex spice and a dash of white pepper. The wine continued to develop over the evening but never really hit great heights. Good balancing acidity. Matched the rich, nutty chicken main well.

I would expect more power and complexity from a white Hermitage, and although this wine was balanced, fresh and honeyed it lacked in spice, complexity and finish. A competent but relatively unexciting wine from Sorrel. No hurry to drink up here, and the complexity might evolve further with a year or two of bottle age.

6/26/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Served at Annisa in New York. Colour was light yellow, no sign of aging or browness. Nose was a little shy, some minerals, lemon, stony fruits. Palate was far better. An intriguing mix of minerality, chalkiness, candied fruits, zest and a very long and well balanced finish. As the wine warmed up the sweetness became more prominent but it was never overdone. Mouth filling, creamy and rich. Delicious.

A very well made and intriguing wine. Hugel has pulled off the neat trick of matching minerality with a lush, creamy sweetness, the characteristic of the vintage. Drinking very well now but will continue to improve for some years yet. Voted the WOTN by the table against a Sorrel Hermitage Blanc and an 88 Suduiraut.

6/16/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Level BN and cork was in excellent condition. Decanted and served immediately. Colour light red to brown, and slightly cloudy/muddy after the decant. On the nose red fruits, earth, leather, game some funk. Well rounded palate, a fraction of fruit remaining but plenty of complex dried blood and earthy St Estephe flavours. Lots of drying tannins but not heavy handed or excessive.
A very well put together St Estephe from a variable vintage. Not every 89 has aged as well but the tannins have kept this wine in excellent condition. Drink now as this won't improve.

6/15/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Served at the Orrery in London. Opened and served 30 mins later. Colour is burnt gold, perhaps a little darker than I would expect of Yquem at the tender age of 17. Incredibly bright and vibrant in the glass. On the nose plenty of caramel,strong botrytis, burnt orange and a whiff of nuttiness. Complex and unmistakably Yquem. The palate is wonderfully composed, lots of toffee, pineapple, caramel but with good balancing acidity. A long finish of course, but without the never-ending presence of a great vintage.
This is lovely Yquem and a real pleasure to drink now. It's more about the caramel and toffee now rather than tropical fruits. It will be interesting to see where this heads in future but it's evolved some way since my last bottle. Probably a little underrated and well-priced (even now) for Yquem, given the quality. This reminds me of a weaker version of the 67 but I suspect it won't stay the distance quite as well.

6/15/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 1500ml. Served at the Orrery in London. Fill was BN but cork was crumbly but came out fine. Decanted and served an hour later. Colour was brick red, no brown even at the edges. Complex aged Bordeaux nose, lots of leather, earth, cheesecloth and a touch of smoke. On the palate the wine continues the same themes: more leather, cigar box, red fruits, dried blood - classic St Julien. Not a hard edge in sight and the tannin was present but perfectly integrated.
This LLC was showing its full potential at 30 years old. Not a powerful wine, but complex, elegant and fully evolved from a largely forgotten vintage. The freshness has long gone but this wine is all about the secondary and tertiary flavours now. I don't see this wine improving further now but it is by no means over the hill. Sadly my last of a case.

6/15/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Served at the Orrery in London. Decanted and served immediately. Colour was golden yellow, shot through with a youthful green tinge. Bright and clear. Nose was initially a little muted, some lemon, minerals a whiff of butter. The true brilliance of this wine was revealed on tasting. An initial seam of rich minerality was just the start of this wine on the palate. Layer after layer of lemon, lime, a roaring midpalate and a wonderful, long and buttery finish. Incerdibly vibrant and complex with a vein of balanced acidity. Developed even further flavours as it warmed and opened up.
This was some of the best White Burgundy I have had in a long while and is everything I love about the 2005 vintage. Rich but with balancing minerality and acidity this is drinking wonderfully now but I can only think it will develop further in the next couple of years. There was not even a hint of premox. Nicolas Potel has created a fabulous wine from this sliver of little-kmown terroir. Great value too. My WOTN against both Yquem and Leoville Lascases - pretty formidable competition.

6/7/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml, fill VTS. Served at The Square restaurant in London. Decanted and served 90mins later. Colour was rich, dark red. No hint of brown and even the edges showed only faint traces of brown. This looked like 25 year old wine not a 45 year old wine. On the nose there was quite a heavy amount of funk and forest floor, perhaps too much. The Sommelier was worried the wine was on the edge but over the next 2 hours the nose cleared. Nose also had plenty of leather, game, dried blood and a bit of oyster shell sulphur. On the palate this wine was far better. Lots of the same leather and earthiness, but the midpalate still had some dusty fruit and the finish was very long. Amazingly this wine is still quite tannic, but they are now beautifully integrated so the whole wine is balanced and elegant.
I've been lucky enough to have 4 or 5 '66 Latours over the last 15 years and this was certainly a bottle on the way down. Some have been 99/100 pointers but this sadly was not. The fruit is pretty faded now and this bottle certainly has lots of funk and maybe a touch too much of the secondary notes now. The tannins will keep this wine alive for years to come but there seems little reason to do this.
There are 629 bottles on Cellartracker at present and I now just have one left in the case. Dare I say it...but time to drink up?

6/7/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml, fill BN. Served at The Square in London. Decanted and tasted twice, once with Foie Gras and then with Dessert. Colour was whisky brown, golden and bright in the decanter. The nose was laden with nuts, caramel and an unusual dollop of banana. To drink this wine was sublime. Despite the age and obvious richness of the wine, the lively acidity kept the palate in perfect balance. Wonderful flavours of caramel, burnt sugar, lots of toasted nut, some faint tropical fruits, that banana again. The finish was long, very long and the wine just kept revealing layer after layer of flavour as it sat in the mouth. A very elegant wine too thanks to the acidity.
This is aged d'Yquem at the very top of its game. The balance is unusually good for a wine that's nearly 50. The richness and tropical fruits reminded me of the '89 Yquem and the balancing acidity of the '88. I don't think this bottle would improve much over time, but I guess this wine is practically indestructible if properly stored. A real treat to drink and thanks to @Ctye for bringing it along.

5/31/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml, served at Locanda Locatelli in London. Decanted an hour before serving. Colour was pure, lighter than you would guess, slightly transparent at edges. A surprising start. Nose just explodes with fruit, leather, earth, a touch of tar. A very enveloping bouquet. On the palate this is no blockbuster, instead it is incredibly elegant. The fruit is perfectly balanced with great acidity, a very complete mid palate and a long, long finish. The wine unwinds in your mouth with signature Brunello fruit, earth, tar, leather but it is incredibly balanced and rounded. Not a rough edge in sight. Like any good wine, you are left wanting more and the last glass is the best.

The Sugarille confirms to me that 2004 was a great year for Brunellos. Maybe not a Blitzkrieg year like 2006, but wonderfully elegant and complex. This is in a so wonderful place now but I would imagine the secondary flavours will develop for many years to come.

5/29/2013 - JamesTye wrote:

From 750ml. Decanted and served. Tasted again 24 hours later. Colour is deep, red, some bricking on edges. Nose is intriguing, lots of cherry, some musty notes, liquorice, dried herbs. Unmistakeably Cabernet Sauvignon. On the palate the wine doesn't quite deliver. Lots of red fruit, some aromatics, herbs and dried blood notes. A touch confusing. Drying tannins too, even 24 hours later they still dominate the mid palate. The finish is long but dominated by acidity and those drying tannins.

Fascinating wine. An odd mix of Bordeaux style and aromatic southern French red wine making. Undoubtedly well made and complex, it falls a little short of great Bordeaux as the elements don't quite knit together seamlessly. I don't know this wine well so have no idea whether this is the vintage or the style, but 2005 was generally strong thoroughout France.
This wine will undoubtedly gain complexity over time and has the tannin to last 15-20 years. Whether there is enough fruit to make that wait worthwhile is another matter.

5/28/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Decanted and served after 15minute warmup. Colour is gold, slight green, but bright, pure and oily. In the decanter, it leans more towards a darker gold. Nose is slightly muted, some mineral notes, restrained peach and fruits. The palate is where this wine comes alive. An immediate hit of fruit and mineral is rounded off by some decent acidity in the mid-palate and then a long,long finish. The finish is that elusive mix of minerality,acidity and butteriness that only the best white burgundies can deliver. You are left always wanting more.

The 2005 white vintage does divide burgundy lovers, but from a producer as good as Sauzet, you have to be a fan. This is in a fabulous place right now but I can't help feel there is more to come, especially on the nose. The acidity will keep this wine very much alive and the complexity will develop further; and the 2005 vintage will keep on delivering those rich, fat notes that swamp clumsier Chardonnays, but in this wine, round out the palate beautifully. Drink now with pleasure or hold for up to five years.

5/17/2013 - JamesTye Likes this wine:

From 750ml. Consistent with previous note.
Seems to be typical of the 1989 vintage but benefits from the clay soils around Cantenac. More earthy than a usual Margaux.

5/14/2013 - JamesTye wrote:

From 375ml. Opened and poured, no decant. Colour is vibrant, deep, but with an unmistakeable purple colour of young Bordeaux. Lots of glycerine, transparent edges. Lovely fresh nose of cherries, cassis and a touch of liquorice. Not complex but inviting. On the palate this is still a little tightly wound but it is packed with fruit, lots of blackcurrant, some cedar, and a stern helping of tannin. Silky, decent length finish. Every mouthful leaves you wanting more. It was hard to keep any to see how it developed in the glass.
The first of a case of halves and my first 2009 from a major chateaux since the en primeur tastings. I was intrigued to see how these wines were developing in bottle and a half of a second wine seemed like a good place to start. I am not disappointed at all; these are enticing, complex, voluptuous and very drinkable right now. Sure the tannins will soften in time and the complexity will increase, but damn these are good now. I'm so used to drinking mature claret that I forget how much pleasure it gives when young and vibrant like this....maybe the French are onto something!
In a good place right now but will get better with 3+ years in bottle (another few points I guess), as long as it doesn't shut down. 2009 really is a great vintage on this showing.

5/13/2013 - JamesTye wrote:

From 750ml, decanted and served. Consistent with my previous notes, although colour a fraction more red brick than a year ago. Nose still relatively oaky and the palate has some bitterness and stalkiness as noted before. Matched lamb shanks stew very well as the fat in the meat balanced the hard edges in the glass. Still drinking fine but not improving.

5/8/2013 - JamesTye wrote:

From 750ml. Decanted and served immediately. Colour was a lovely, glossy, bright deep red. Bricking at the edges. Nose was a restrained Cabernet, some vanilla, black fruits a little spice but not a huge amount going on. Palate was far better. Very rounded with some woody, dry Bordeaux style notes, some vanilla, decent mid palate and a short/medium finish.
Surprisingly refined and complete wine, showing very well at 11 years old. Became more earthy with air but was a good, savoury Cabernet Sauvignon, just lacking in a little complexity and perfume to be great. Very good SA wine.

4/28/2013 - JamesTye wrote:

From 750ml. Opened and served immediately. Colour pale yellow, touch of green and gold. Very bright. Nose was mineral, lemon notes. Palate was highly mineral, lots of chalk but some fruit and very little sweetness. As the wine opened up, more of the classic riesling notes came through. Very long, silky, mineral finish.
This is very well-made and precise wine. It's big on minerals, perhaps a little light on stone fruits and richness. A good wine to try on those who favour white Burgundy over Rieslings. A good match to food too. Ready to drink now but I reckon this will hold for a year or two yet.

2/14/2013 - JamesTye wrote:

From 750ml. Decented and served over 2 hours. Cork and bottle in good condition. Colour deep garnet, no bricking on the rim. Looks young. Immediate impact on the nose; leather, earth, liquorice. Smells exotic, perfurmed and obviously Italian. On the palate there is plenty of structure and robust tannis still present. Over time the cherry fruit subsided leaving just a long finish and tannins. Slightly bitter/stalky finish is the only problem. The disappearing fruit hints that the wine is ready for drinking now and will not improve much.

A real surprise wine. Although a famous producer you would expect little from this wine but it exudes class and is complex and very long. The more '99s I have the more successful I realise the vintage was throughout Italy, with plenty of structure and complexity. Impressive.

9/11/2012 - JamesTye wrote:

Consistent with previous notes. Perhaps a little less brown at the edges. The nose had more pronounced blackcurrant and this followed through on the palate. A touch more richness too. Still fresh for a wine of this age.

8/17/2012 - JamesTye wrote:

From 750ml. Drank at Pied A Terre restaurant in London. Level well into neck, cork three quarters soaked. Decanted and served 90 mins later.
Colour was garnet red all the way to the edge. No brown evident at all, remarkable at 30 years of age, and hinted at a good bottle. And it was. Nose was classic aged Bordeaux but very elegantly packaged. Smoke, leather, cassis but no funk or farmyard evident. Palate was equally impressive. Again, lots of smoke and cassis but with some tertiary coffee notes too. Very fresh still and the tannins were completely integrated with not a single harsh edge. It was all exceptionally well integrated and with a good, but not magical, finish.
The bottle proves the quality of the 82 vintage and the value that Lynch-Bages used to provide. This was top-notch Claret well stored and perfectly aged and a delight to drink. It didn't match the power or length of a first growth from the same vintage but it did have some Lafite elegance and complexity. A very good bottle indeed.
No reason to hold any longer as this is drinking at its very peak

8/5/2012 - JamesTye wrote:

From 750ml. Decanted and served immediately. Cork soaked three quarters but in good condition. Brick red to garnet, browning at edge. Nose gamey, leather, earth, cherry. Palate more rounded and luscious than last outing, cherry, lots of earth, truffle game and St Julien freshness. Good wine from a very solid vintage. Still fresh and holding its fruit. Pretty consistent with previous notes.

8/3/2012 - JamesTye wrote:

Consistent with previous note.

6/17/2012 - JamesTye wrote:

From 750ml, no decant, served cellar cool. Colour was bright, vivid purple. Nose was classic cherry and bubblegum Beaujolais. On the palate plenty of lively acidity, almost effervescent but good fruits and flavour. Not quite the structure you would expect from a Julienas which makes this wine perfect drinking now.
Bright, exciting, immensely drinkable and well-made wine from the very good 2009 vintage. A notch up from good cru Beaujolais Villages but no more than that.

6/1/2012 - JamesTye wrote:

From 750ml. Decanted and served over 2 hours. Brown edges and browning core. Not quite tawny enough for aged Barolo. Nose was heavily earthy, but too much manure and stink initially. Over time this blew away to reveal more mushroom and truffle notes. Never smelt fresh though. Clearly identifiable as aged Barolo but not fresh enough for my liking. The palate is far better. Not much fruit remains but there is plenty of structure with an earthy mid-palate and a long, tannic finish. More truffle and mushroom flavours, with some blackcurrant and lots of leather. Slightly bitter finish.

Almost every 1997 from Italy disappoints me. It was a lauded vintage but the fruit has just not survived the structure on drinking. This should be a cracking Barolo but it is a little lifeless and bitter. Won't improve so drink up.

5/25/2012 - JamesTye wrote:

From 750ml. Notes very consistent with last bottle. Condition also very good. Perhaps a touch more dried blood on the nose and more herbs and smoke on the palate. The second bottle reinforces my opinion that this wine shows best after at least 3 hours in the decanter. Great wine and very long and complex.

5/19/2012 - JamesTye wrote:

From 375ml. Popped and poured at Pied a Terre in London. A great favourite of Matthieu the Sommelier there and I can understand why. Colour was golden and bright. The nose exploded with the expected toffee and pineapple notes but they was a distinct amount of orange too. On the palate this came through even more strongly. What marked this wine out as special was the balance of luscious, rich Barsac fruit and zippy, orange acidity. It was never cloying in the glass because of this. A wonderful Climens that is drinking perfectly from half at the moment. The acidity will keep this wine perfectly alive for at least another decade if you want to find out how this wine will continue to develop

The more '88 Sauternes I drink, the better I feel this vintage is. They are almost universally characterised (oddly, Coutet disappoints in ths year) by rich fruit and wonderful, orangey, balancing acidity. The stunning 1990 Climens is more voluptuous but I prefer this wine on balance. I look forward to pitching the 88 and 90 d'Yquem against each other at a future date!

5/18/2012 - JamesTye wrote:

From 750ml. Condition was good, with a firm cork on opening. Fill high. Decanted and served an hour after opening at Pied a Terre restaurant in London. Colour was dark red with lovely, deep core but not overly bright. Nose was classic cedar, earthiness, strong tobacco leaf. Intensely Pessac and aromatic. Palate was beautifully integrated and ripe with tons more tobacco leaf notes, mushroom, earthiness and cherry. The tannins were incredibly well integrated and the finsh was very, very long. As the wine opened up in the decanter it became more intense and impressive. The secondary notes all continued to develop over the next 2 hours, without upsetting the freshness and balance. Always the sign of a great wine. By comparison, the '89 Ducru we were drinking alongside it began to oxidise and fall apart.

This is a lovely Haut-Brion and a great '88. It was still very much intact, lively and savoury at 24 years of age and has plenty of life left in it. This will keep going for at least 10 more years and may well integrate and improve further. A great wine from an underrated vintage. Really very good, classic, refreshing Claret.