3/6/2010 - Wil Likes this wine:

Wow! What a stunning showing of this wine last night. Consumed out of a 3L bottle, the wine hit its stride right out of the bottle. Despite our fears that it might be closed, the opposite was true. The wine has an earthy elegance that made many of us think of Morey St. Denis rather than the Cote de Beaune. Beautifully well rounded, voluptuous, open and paired perfectly with Chef Brendan Sodikoff's gastropub cuisine in Chicago. Consumed with friends Kelly Walker, Erwan Faiveley and Bernard Hervet and friends. Before we knew it, the 3L bottle was empty!

2/19/2010 - Wil wrote:

A lovely wine with much finesse and understated elegance. No jagged edges, the wine is fully mature with a silky softness on the palate and a somewhat restrained nose. On the nose, there is black truffle and earth with a "come to me" quietness. On the palate, the wine is reasonably complex with notes of black truffle, red and black fruits, and a very merlot smoothness. Nice finish. In all, quite a lovely wine before the current, more modern style change.

2/15/2010 - Wil wrote:

Bought at auction and was DOA...cork was very brittle, and despite a hint of greatness on the nose, the wine was almost vinegar. Obviously poor storage. Down the drain for this one.

2/14/2010 - Wil wrote:

A lovely rich, classically styled Bordeaux, with a touch of richness beyond the "normal" Bordeaux. On the nose, the wine is restrained, with a hint of tobacco and earth. On the palate, the richness fills the mouth, with cigar box, tobacco, and flint. The wine is well rounded and fully mature. It has years left, but waiting will not bring additional complexity, in my opinion. The finish is nice and lasts and lasts. A bit two (rather than three) dimensional; still, quite a lovely wine and thoroughly enjoyable with a lovely porterhouse steak for two.

1/9/2010 - Wil wrote:

A bit light in colour with a captivating nose. .Beautiful nose of beef blood and tertiary flavours. The wine is fully mature but certainly not over the hill. On the palate, beef blood, black truffle, and a hint of spice. A great northern Rhone from half bottle.

12/12/2009 - Wil wrote:

What a beautiful expression of Bordeaux! The wine is fully mature but showing no signs of decline; indeed, it has fully hit its stride. There is a richness to the wine; inviting classic Bordeaux aromas on the nose that just say "come to me." On the palate the wine was layered with excellent complexity. Got this from auction and it was a lovely bottle and great expression of Bordeaux. If you have one, now's the time to have one. And it did go beautifully with that bone in ribeye, too.

12/4/2009 - Wil wrote:

Had this bottle tonight at the George V in Paris. The sommerlier thought the Meo-Camuzet 2002 Brulees might be showing better, but we had our hearts set on the Crox Parantoux---to compare with the Rouget and formerly, the Jayer, versions.

I see what people mean by Meo's use of oak, etc....the wine was dark---almost Cabernet like in colour. But the nose was great, and the palate was great. It was a bit dense and chewy--which I understand would be off-putting for some, but on the palate the wine was rich, complex, layered and best of all, wonderful! Marie Ahm, my GJE colleague, had a smile across her face as she tried this. Yes, give me Rouget's Parantoux (at least since his uncle passed away) any day, but this was still pretty good. Excellent wine to follow the Coche Dury at our post-dinner wine extravaganza.

12/4/2009 - Wil wrote:

What an amazing wine! For a village level mersault, this wine has lots to offer. Much acidity (a bit too much for me), but minerals, liquid stones, and crushed rocks. The wine is complex and layered. We found it hard to believe it was simply a village wine and not a 1er cru. The sommerlier at Goerges V recommended it highly, and we were glad he did!

11/18/2009 - Wil wrote:

Tasted at sea on the Silver Wind off the coast of Egypt. This was at a Burgundian influenced dinner of Poulet de Bresse. The wine was fully open and bursting with pleasure and complexity. Captivating nose of dark cherries; on the palate lots of Griotte cherries and cinnamon intermixed. The wine is multilayered and evolves as the evening progresses. An absolutely delightful wine.

11/6/2009 - Wil wrote:

What a lovely wine! The wine was inviting with lots of finesse and very light on its feet. Lots of secondary nuances with tobacco, forest floor, and a hint of cigar box. Excellent with a steak dinner tonight. A steal at auction given the complexity and finesse in the wine. After 90 minutes the wine began to fade, but for the first hour and a half, the wine was absolutely singing.

7/13/2009 - Wil wrote:

We boarded the Silversea’s Silver Whisper in Athens, to travel through the Black Sea to ports in the Ukraine and Turkey, ending in Istanbul. After settling in, we sat at one of the ship’s bars talking to the staff, and I looked over the wine list. I was quite surprised—many terrific wines were listed at very attractive prices—often times, well below retail. “Did you see, we cut many of the wine prices in half?” asked the maitre d’?

And there it was. Though not a glory-type vintage, the 1998 Chateau Ausone was listed at a price well below retail, and at a price not to be found on land. Having visited Chateau Ausone a few months ago, and tasted with Francois Mauss, Kelly Walker and Alain Vaultier, it seemed just the right wine to order. At dinner the first night, as the gleaming and seemingly moving lights of Athens shown out the window, we ordered the wine. It was decanted and served in Riedel Vinum Bordeaux glasses (one of the Riedel family was on the last cruise and had given presentations on the importance of stems in wine tasting).

Regarding the ’98 Ausone, the nose was absolutely captivating. Over the first hour, the wine changed dramatically. At first, the wine was a bit warm (it was about 32C in Athens) and there was some alcohol on the nose. “Let me take it down to about 14 degrees (centigrade)” offered the sommelier, and then the wine really began to shine. The alcohol on the nose was no longer present. Black fruits and cedar were there, and the wine began to show its layers of complexity. An hour or so into our evening, the nose remained captivating even as the wine seemed to close a bit. There became lots of plum on the nose, and the palate showed cedar, fruits and much complexity. The only drawback of the wine was some drying tannins on the finish. Still, the fireworks on the nose was terrific. As the wine continued to open in the glass, more cigar box and my notes say “very full on the nose” and the black fruits continued develop. Finally, some cherries and brambles mixed with the black and red fruits. The wine is now fully open, about 2 hours after opening. 94-96 points.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

Very good complexity. Well rounded, impressive finish. A touch of oak and vanilla but the finish is very impressive. Tasted blind.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

Minimally expressive on the nose. More straightforward than many of its peers at this tasting, fine finish. Tasted blind.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

Heavy use of vanilla and oak are prominent on the nose. The wine is a touch light on the attack. Minimal finish. Not as complex as some. Tasted blind

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

Lovely nose of vanilla and some spice. A masculine wine that is full and rich and vibrant. Bright on the finish; a wine that totally coats the mouth. Good complexity. Tasted blind.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

Very nice on the attack, well structured, full, rich and complex. A bit tannic; lovely finish. Tasted blind.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

This wine is approachable and a bit of a lighter style than its peers. Still, it is full, rich with a lovely finish that lasts and lasts.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

Supple, rich, bold, full, and a bit tannic on the finish. A well balanced wine with a very nice finish. Tasted blind.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

Slightly acidic and out of balance. On the palate, some roasted meats with a good finish. Tasted blind.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

Some vanilla on the nose, slightly out of balance, with a roasted meat quality and a good finish. A bit tannic on the finish. Fine wine. Tasted blind.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

Some vanilla, bright flavours but more light and delicate than the prior flight of blind wines. Very impressive finish. Light on its feet compared to Bibendum-style wines of the first flight. Tasted blind.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

Bright fruits on the nose; dark fruits and meat on the palate. Well rounded, well structured with a fine finish. Tasted blind.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

Rich, masculine, powerful and a bit tannic. Roasted meats and a very strong finish. Minimal tannins but well structured. Tasted blind.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

Lovely nose with flavours of roasted meats on the palate. Well rounded and masculine. Strong finish.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

Very expressive nose. Rich and textured with much depth. Smoke and cherries on the palate. Good finish; well rounded wine. Tasted blind.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

A bit of cedar, more feminine, not as complex as some of the other wines in the group. Rather basic finish. More of a basic wine than some of the others in the group. Tasted blind.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

Very expressive nose. Quite masculine and powerful. Impressive finish. Some smoke on the nose. On the second taste, supple, rich, well rounded, explosive finish. Tasted blind.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

A bit more restrained on the attack. Dark fruits, slightly tannic. Good structure; vibrant, bold, masculine. Tasted blind.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

Nice, clean notes on the nose. Strong, roasted and meaty flavours; roasted red and black fruits. Good finish. A very high quality wine. Tasted blind.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

A touch of vanilla and spice on the nose. A lighter style than its peers. On the palate, meaty and muscular; earthy, structured, slightly tannic on the finish.

7/5/2009 - Wil wrote:

A bit lighter but lush, round, inviting, good finish. Impressive finish. Some roasted meats on the palate

6/18/2009 - Wil wrote:

I don't give out 100 points easily, but everyone agreed this was a perfect bottle. I bought it at a wine restaurant in Switzerland, where the bottle had been stored in a cold cellar since release. The wine was fresh, with that classic cigar box nose and a complex palate that showed tobacco, spice, and some macerated fruits. The finish was spectacular. We kept going back to this wine over and over. In the company of a 1948 Haut Brion (not a great year) and a 1949 Volnay, this was the WOTN. My friend Dirk summed it up nicely: If it were the three of us, we'd want a magnum to share as an aperitif. Then we'd want a magnum with dinner. Then we'd want a magnum of this for dessert, and we'd still probably want some more.

6/16/2009 - Wil wrote:

An appealing wine for what it is. Tasted in France, the wine hit the spot as I settled in from a lengthy trip from the USA. Served in a decanter, the wine had pleasing notes of vanilla and oak, but not off-puttingly. I did not find the wine overly manipulated nor lacking in any terroir. It is somewhat in the international style, but again, not so much that I was turned off by it. In fact, I enjoyed this wine. For a wine that retails for around $25.00, its a good value for the price. The 86 score should not be taken to mean I didn't like it. It's a solid "B" which I think it what it aims to be.

6/12/2009 - Wil wrote:

What a wine! Don't tell me this is from California; this has its roots in Burgundy. The nose is restrained with a "come to me" stance rather than in your face as many New World pinots. Definitely produced in the Old World style, the palate is feminine with notes of cinnamon, cherries, earth, and a touch of black fruits. A wine that is spherical and beyond most California pinots I have tasted. Kevin, you've taken this one to a new level.

6/6/2009 - Wil wrote:

Bought this from the domaine in Burgundy. The nose is quite expressive--lots of cherries and strawberries. On the palate, it is full and rich and reminds me of a California pinot rather than a classic Burgundy. Also just a bit too much oak showing; in short, a bit too much of everything--if I didn't know better I would swear this was New World pinot. Lots of blueberries, chocolate, raspberries and strawberries. Certainly enjoyable but not as a classic Burgundy. Will be interesting to see how this wine evolves over the years.

8/10/2007 - Wil wrote:

This wine was showing beautifully today; fully singing. I had this at a lunch at Eleven Madison Park, with the Chef Humm's tasting menu. It paired beautifully with his beef sourced from Four Story Hill Farm. The wine was the essence and definition of Gevrey....earth and a hint of spice....on the nose, a very "clean" but earthiness. On the palate, earth and graphite with a hint of cherries. The layers and depth of the wine surprised us all. "This is a great wine" Chef Humm said several times, and we were all agreed immediately. It was a rainy and cool day in NYC....cool and damp on the outside, with rain coming down outside the window, and the beautiful rare beef in front of us, with the earth and spice of this definition of Gevrey in the glass was heaven on earth. "This is a beautiful pairing" we all said. Clean flavours, transparent terrior, and pure pleasure made the wine and food today.

8/4/2007 - Wil wrote:

What a lovely wine! This was a gift to me....I opened it tonight and had it with a grilled porterhouse dry aged steak. Lovely! Not giving a lot on the nose, as others have mentioned, but on the palate...explosive fruit that is balanced and very old world like. Deep maroon colour, after 2 hours in the glass, minimal notes on the nose of cedar and cigar box; on the palate with just a hint of alchohol signalling New World, lots of plums, cassis, and cigar....still relatively primary but lush! What a lovely wine. I so enjoyed it I ordered almost a case more at under $60/bottle! Great QPR for what it is....a Bordeaux-like wine that tonight is singing.

7/1/2007 - Wil wrote:

Tasted blind. Somewhat thin and simple; drying tannins on the finish. Average.

7/1/2007 - Wil wrote:

Tasted blind. Very dark colour; somewhat thin and tart. OK finish.

7/1/2007 - Wil wrote:

Tasted blind. A wine of bright fruit without great complexity. This wine provides much pleasure but without intellectual challenges.

7/1/2007 - Wil wrote:

Tasted blind. Slightly candied on the nose, a wine of some complexity with an impressive finish. The finish is more impressive than the midpalate.

7/1/2007 - Wil wrote:

Tasted blind. A bit thin and slightly hallow on the midpalate--not offering much complexity today.

7/1/2007 - Wil wrote:

Lush and pleasing, bright and clean fruit flavour; some finesse and a very good finish. Bon vin.

7/1/2007 - Wil wrote:

Thin and shrill, acidic and tart. Not pleasing yet not 'incorrect.' Strange showing today.

7/1/2007 - Wil wrote:

Dark purple colour; nice nose. On the palate, a wine of some strength and complexity. Good finish.

7/1/2007 - Wil wrote:

Macerated fruits--plums and raspberries; very pleasing but not overly complex. Minimal finish.

7/1/2007 - Wil wrote:

A bit thin and harsh; tannic finish. No real complexity.

7/1/2007 - Wil wrote:

Very nice on the attack, well balanced, lush fruit, minimal finish. Bon vin.

7/1/2007 - Wil wrote:

Not offering much on the nose, on the palate rather plain and straightforward; ok finish. Average wine.

7/1/2007 - Wil wrote:

Bright, pleasing aromas on the nose; on the palate many flavours cascade with lots of red and black fruits; excellent finish. Grand vin.