4/20/2024 - B Khor wrote:

Opened straightaway reminds me of Puligny-Montrachet - big fruits, melon, peach both on nose and palate. Drank side by side to chassagne prem cru - think it was a bit green and not elegant enough. Probably why we pay to drink white burg. Overall a good wine but drinking with a good white burg does not do this wine much favour.

4/15/2024 - Steve Simmons Likes this wine:

Agree with the sweet attack upfront, but then balances out. Good aromatocs and super easy drinker. Would buy again if found on sale. Not sure how to find disgorgement date but I have had them stored for a few years or so. Just ordered some Collection 244s to compare.

3/3/2024 - RED AND BLACK Likes this wine:

Good wine but not aligned to other Napa I had from around same age. This reminds me a lot of a 2004 Amon-Ra aussie shiraz from Glaetzer that I had not long ago, more than anything else from Napa! Which is odd. Did they use similar techniques? Is there some appassimento done like in Amarone? Don't know, did not feel like a Napa Cab - but a good wine anyway!

2/10/2024 - finewinebuff57 wrote:

RED and BLACK's recent note sums this up splendidly. Taittinger's Brut Millesime is underrated and in this vintage is really very good.

12/8/2023 - blarmston wrote:

Not a TN but a question to all of you who know this wine much better than I do.

I'm taking this to a French dinner this evening, and was wondering about decant time?

Some more recent TN's suggest 2 hours, others much longer. There aren't too many recent notes so thats why I'm here.

Any suggestions/thoughts would be appreciated, cheers...

11/11/2023 - RED AND BLACK wrote:

Unlucky with this one, too old to drink unfort. Flat dead wine, abs no acidity or cut, gold colour with sweet taste. Marsala wine almost. From professional storage so I think this wine for this vintage is going to be good for cooking :)

12/2/2023 - weezie Likes this wine:

Very good but this bottle seemed to lack a bit of energy when compared to prior bottles. This was decanted abd I wonder whether it's now at a place where that detracted. Or maybe it was just bottle variation.

11/11/2023 - RED AND BLACK wrote:

Unfort this wine is too old now, Marsala wine almost. Was hoping for it to be still alive, but not the case. And the bottle was in immaculate conditions from professional storage, so very likely this is the end

11/1/2023 - Musigny1955 Likes this wine:

{Bought on release, #9 of 12, minimal ullage of 2-3 mm, tasted in flight with the 1999; tasting also included the 1989}. Great bottle, great aromatics, full, rich, complex, lots of length; for me the next great vintage of Beaucastel after the 1989/90.

Ridiculously underpriced in the secondary market.

9/8/2023 - Alexander Smith Likes this wine:

This is soft, elegant and a refinered Napa Cabernet. Aromas of dark Fred fruit, espresso, baking spices, dusty earth and dark chocolate. The palate is refined and elegant and shows a bouquet of dark red fruit wrapped around soft milky chocolate earthy savoury notes and a velvety, spicy mid palate, there is a little heat on the finish yet this will integrate nicely over the next year or two. Majority of the grapes are from To Kalon, younger vines with 50% new oak and 50% 1 year old Schrader barrels. For $120 cad I suppose this is as good as you will get in terms of QPR from Oakville. Tasted blind I doubt I would have picked Oakville, this felt like it needed a little more structure less Al%, but overall a good Napa Oakville Cabernet. Not sure I would have picked it as No.1 of WS Top 100. Decanted for 1 hour prior, this is drinking well now and I would not recommend to keep this more than 5-10 years.

7/5/2023 - Mark1npt Likes this wine:

First bottle of this from a recent auction lot. Pnp'd for our new friends to a weird, sour/rotting vegetable note coming from the bottle. Not corked. After a few minutes this was replaced by a decidedly stemmy/weedy green sagey nose. Color in the glass was still quite strong, maybe a medium garnet color and zero bricking. The palate was more forgiving than the nose and could be drunk after an hour, but you really didn't want to! This bottle took all of 5-6 hours in the decanter to finally blow off its funkiness and shine on both nose and palate. It was very resolved, balanced and enjoyable at that point. Red fruited, earthy, and aged just right. Bordered on a 92 for me as it drank and felt like a nicely aged Bdx in a way. Definitely an 'old school' type of Rioja. Not sure though where the upper 90's score from WA comes in? Maybe this was an off bottle and my other 2 will perform even better?

2/11/2023 - Xavier Auerbach wrote:

From Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay, 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, base vintage 2017 (50%), vin de réserve 2016 (30%) and 2015 (20%), fermented in barrel with indigenous yeasts, bottled unfiltered, 50 months sur lattes, disgorged September 2022, dosage 2 gr/l. Muscular and concentrated but elegant and tightly wound at the same time, steely acidity and enormous minerally energy, citrus and pear on the nose, with bready notes and a hint of white nuts; excellent length, hint of honey. Very impressive, great tension. At restaurant Parlotte, Amsterdam, NL.

12/4/2022 - RED AND BLACK wrote:

Day2. This is better tonight. There was more balance on palate. Still bordeaux style but not convinced by it. Can we say not too typical of Chile / trying hard to emulate French bordeaux? Maybe but any way a decent wine but not for its price, just go buy better bordeaux directly for less. QPR is bad

7/2/2022 - bacchus wrote:

shared with pat at selkirk manor. celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. paired with florida stone crab. this bottle was purchased in 2013 based upon a favorable review at that time. i have never been able to confirm disgorgement date. was hanging on to this bottle beyond recommended drinking range waiting for a special occasion. the wine proved to be in sound condition. tiny, persistent bubbles. steel like precision. not much yeastiness. nice combination of floral and green apple aromas. generous acid backbone. all in balance. would buy again.

10/15/2022 - Harley1199 wrote:

P'Aquí P'Allá; 10/7/2022-10/17/2022 (Alicante y Madrid - España): By the glass from a single bottle. International style that seeks excellence hiding terroir. Waves of macerated black berries with cherries in liqueur and a slightly menthol note. Delicious combination that unfortunately is not followed in the mouth where we discover a wine with too much extraction, insufficient central acidity to address such a structure, resulting in an imbalance that only time can harmonize. I will not wait and I doubt it will repeat here. Serious doubts about my 03 Sassicaia.

Por copas de una única botella. Estilo internacional que busca la excelencia ocultando el terruño. Oleadas de bayas negras maceradas junto a cerezas en licor con una nota ligeramente mentolada. Deliciosa combinación que por desgracia no es seguida en boca donde descubrimos un vino con demasiada extracción, una insuficiente acidez central para abordar semejante estructura, dando lugar a un desequilibrio que sólo el tiempo puede armonizar. No pienso esperar y dudo que vuelva a repetir aquí. Serías dudas acerca mi 03 Sassicaia.

6/26/2022 - napasoutherner Likes this wine:

Really enjoy this wine and great to know that it’s part of Lafitte family. Dark forest floor, Tobacco and spice. This was just a wonderful wine and a great price point for a French Bordeaux. Medium finish

6/23/2022 - Joe Gabagool wrote:

This went up against a 2017 Levet Chavaroche and the levet blew it out of the water. The barthod was very one deminisonal and boring. Zero complexity and super bright cherry notes. Paid $115 and felt like I got robbed. I've had regional bottlings in the last few months at half the price that smoked this bottle. Oh well.

6/4/2022 - fcxj wrote:

Oxidative style, not my thing.

3/18/2022 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine:

Bollinger's Special Cuvée Brut is comprised predominantly of reserve wines (over 85% Grand and Premier crus) that have been aged in magnum for 5-15 years. The typical blend is 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier. This particular tasting was from a 375 cc bottle with a lot identifier of L2100450. Popped and poured, it is a straw-colored, highly aromatic sparkler with a brisk tiny bead. Delivering a core of lemon and white peach fruit, it adds attractive notes of bread dough, pine nuts, jasmine and toasted almonds. Medium-bodied, vibrantly acidic and dense in the middle, it concludes with a lengthy, energetic finish. This is not your ordinary nonvintage Champagne, as it possesses much more complexity and harmony than most of its peers. Half-bottles from this lot should provide pleasure for another 3-4 years. Drink now-2026.

2/5/2022 - kfran24 wrote:

James Suckling is smoking crack giving this a 98. I had several bottles, it’s average at best. 14 is not the best year in Bordeaux, but 14 Cos d Estournel and Leoville Las cases showed better. I had the 15, it was better. I like the style, the 14 just isn’t a great bottle it’s just okay.

1/30/2022 - vide Likes this wine:

It initially comes across as just a better quality bourgeois growth. But I think it is better than this. The nose is refined and with the soft perfumed fruit that is typical of Margaux. True, it dies somewhat in the glass, surprisingly for a 2010, and I think the tannins need another 4-5 years.

And yet, this is a wine that has a distinctive personality. And it is there from the beginning (even after two hours in the decanter there is no change).

Someone is making this wine with intent.

1/29/2022 - LingonTuvan Likes this wine:

Rather sweet…

8/27/2021 - vide Likes this wine:

This is my second go at this wine (and this by the way is Clavoillons and not Les Folatieres - the former doesn't seem to appear on CT as an option).

When I look at what's left in the bottle, this is probaby the last tasting = good fruit-acid lift on nose (classic Puligny); on the palate, wonderful balance of varieted fruits and that acidity again. 92 points may be a little generous, because there is not a lot going on in terms of complexity. But I suspect I am drinking the wine too early.

But now I have said this: I don't think this wine has the depth to allow ultimately its fruit to overcome that acidity. The Chassagne wines that I have drunk recently, most notably Les Caillerets, seem to have that capacity to merge and with depth.

But what great quality of wine. A new younger generation of European winemakers, producing masterpieces. From the Loire to Tuscany.

No virus will keep us down.

7/25/2021 - vide Likes this wine:

I am drinking at the moment the Alain Chavy 2016 Clavoillons (and I hope I have spelt that correctly). No one else seems to have drunk it on Cellartracker, so here we go. Very lifted nose, rather full (a little too full for a Puligny, but I adjust my palate accordingly, because the quality is there); on the palate, typical Chardonnay flavours of green banana and mango (which sounds banal), but the depth of flavour is wonderful, and everything is so well integrated. Very fine wine.

5/28/2021 - wizlb wrote:

I opened this bottle last night gave it two hours to decant and the wine, just has a funky taste, no tannins, medium body, a very weak bottle of wine.
I am not too sure if there’s an issue with the wine, the cork did break.
I wish there was some kind of explanation!

4/30/2021 - logos Likes this wine:

beautiful dark colour. velvety, caressing, but lively nose of very classy, finely etched, tightly wound black, slightly sauvage, fruits; tannic and undeveloped but promising

3/26/2021 - gouldcampbell77 Likes this wine:

From a 1/2 bottle open one day. Quite dark copper/gold. Smells exactly like Frank Cooper's Oxford Marmalade (Thick Cut). On the palate, more marmalade, orange bitters, quince and barley sugar twists. Sweet and unctuous but finishes clean. Plenty of botrytis and a very long finish. In fact, this wine is all about the finish. A solid 92 but a rebuy? Not sure. Still rather spend the money on a good Tokaji.

3/20/2021 - T.E.D. wrote:

At around $60 a solid Bourgogne with good gevery qualities. Nose shows red and black cherry fruits, with nice ripeness and a seeet touch. Palate is somewhat taught and rustic, showing stone fruit, gravelly notes and touches of iron and rust. Masculine in nature.

2/6/2021 - IamNotDrinkingAny#@!%Merlot wrote:

98 points is a joke. Suckling is the bigger joke.

But I guess the jokes on me since I bought this wine.

Very good? Yes. About 91 points. And maybe $40 if I’m being really honest.

1/30/2021 - tluk Likes this wine:

Nice round and perfect Pauillac, but a bit boring.
.

12/31/2020 - Bluespolo wrote:

Naso dolce burroso ed opulento, torta di mele, piccola pasticceria, agrumi canditi, appena un po’ di tostato. Al palato struttura ampia, dosaggio che si avverte, freschezza e bollicine che sostengono e contengono una morbidezza che altrimenti potrebbe tracimare. Uno champagne godurioso, più di pancia che di testa; una di quelle bottiglie che non faticano per nulla a svuotarsi.
Sboccatura luglio 2013.

12/22/2020 - Collector1855 wrote:

Year end Champagne lunch (Singapore): All wines tasted blind. Lovely nose also here with brioche, white flowers, citrus and yellow fruit. The palate is crisper with less dosage than the Piper/Rare next to it. A good middle ground between racy and hedonistic. Shows its age nicely with tertiary aromas. In a great spot now but can easily last another 10 years.

4/15/2019 - tobyc Likes this wine:

Made from the three main grapes: pinot noir, chardonnay and meunier. NB: Red and Black has noted to me that it is 50/50 PN/CH and I'm inclined to belive him/her as I am not particularily well-informed on the grapes.

Colour: Very transparent and clear. A bit yellowish.

Bouquet: Slightly perfumed, very clean and med intense w. apples, liquorice root, nuts, flowers, hay and green pears.

Palate: Fine bubbles. Dry, med acid, med(+) body. Creamy texture w. mushrooms, apples, liquorice, pears and nuts. Oxidized profile. More bisquit than toast but still noticeable. autolysis. Wonderful finish.

Too young, way too young.

11/14/2020 - Gwjrobertson wrote:

Now fairly mature and fully softened out. Decanted 30 mins before serving; 60 might have been better, but this is now I think too old for the long decant sometimes recommended for Musar. The cork disintegrated with every available corkscrew.

9/1/2020 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine:

Tasted during a horizontal of 6 x 2009s from Roche de Bellene. This was a clear standout with the Bonnes Mares. Very feminine. Quite lean for the year. Strawberries. High acidity. Long finish.

10/12/2020 - gouldcampbell77 wrote:

As I poured the wine into the decanter, I got the first indication that all was not well. The colour is surprisingly advanced with more than a hint of chestnut in amongst the deep reddy purple. On the nose it's also clear that we have a problem. The wine smells very advanced, earthy in a fresh compost sort of way but rotting down nonetheless. There's incredible fruit concentration but it's fruit that's long past its best and the flavours are bloody and mature with a lack of drive and precision. This is how I'd expect a wine that is five years past its best to taste, rather than one that's in the prime of life, which this of course should be.

Contrast this with the Ridge Monte Bello 2006 tasted alongside which is fresh, bright and nowhere near ready. The Monte Bello was also about a third of the price.

This is the second very expensive and disappointing bottle I have bought from Lay & Wheeler recently. To be fair they did replace the first but I'm beginning to wonder if there's a storage issue there.

6/8/2020 - Poll86 wrote:

Possibly an off-bottle. Very reductive and yeasty on the nose. Opened up with aeration to fresh citrus, toast and bright red fruits. Too little acidity but could be the bottle. Not amazing but enjoyable

5/24/2020 - Jammy Wine wrote:

This 2010 De Montille Pommard 1er Cru Les Pezerolles was surprisingly expressive and elegant, not your usual rustic and tannic Pommard. 66% whole cluster fermentation. Dark berry fruits, strawberry, earthy ripe stems and delicate spices. One of the most elegant wine of the Pommard and Volnay themed evening. Premier Cru intensity with good acidity and freshness. Drink now to 2035. (84/100)

8/18/2019 - RED AND BLACK wrote:

This is still in good shape. Gold color. Mushroom and brioche on the nose, good freshness and long elegant finish. A bit sweeter than I expected. Very rich, Bollinger GA style. Simply beautiful and something you would like to drink daily!

8/25/2019 - Kidneykoz54 Does not like this wine:

Not so good