March 11, 2016 - Weighty fruits of ripe peach, apricots and toasted lemons with overnight apples. Quite sappy and frothy.
June 25, 2014 - Dinner with James Mead (New Ubin Seafood): I always enjoy Diebolt-Valois Champagnes, even if they rarely rock my world. This was no exception to the rule. It had a neat little nose of cream and sweet apples and white melons touched with a bit of spice and mineral and a little musky sweetness. There was a lovely balance to the palate. It was full and round, opening with a blush of ripe, fleshy apple notes laced backed up by a good spine of lemony acidity and a nice seam of minerality that kept the wine it focused and balanced. The mousse had mellowed into a soft caress on the backpalate, but there was still a nice, grippy feel to the wine all the way into a long, minerally finish. Pretty good – this seems to be drinking near its peak.
March 21, 2014 - Off-Vintage Wine Dinner (Jade Palace, Forum Galleria, Singapore): Still decently good. Unfortunately though, this bottle was rather less enjoyable than the last one I had just a week or so ago. The nose seemed more developed, with a little oxidative edge running through slightly browning aromas of red apples and pears, along with a touch of toast and cream. Still quite attractive though. The palate seemed to lack some of the definition and precision that I liked on the last bottle, again showing slightly oxidative notes running through rather rich flavours of apples and lemons and some savoury preserved kumquats tailing away in a little kiss of spice. Still quite yummy, especially with a great dish of raw-fish noodles. However, it was significantly weaker than the last bottle, which was just fresher, brighter and all round finer. I hope my other bottle goes back to form.
March 15, 2014 - Impromptu Afternoon at Mood Indigo (Mood Indigo, Jalan Kilang Barat, Singapore): Probably the first 1997 bubbly I have had. This was a very easy-going, undemanding Champagne, but really delicious. It had a pleasant notes of apples and green strawberries and some fresh lemon scents, along with little complex nuances of mineral and yeast, some floral notes notes and a touch of green sage-like herb. Rather pretty. The palate was drinking beautifully. It had lovely, approachable flavours of sweet lemons and green apples and more of those green strawberry inflections picked up on the nose. It was nicely textured, with a creamy mousse, but all this held together by a firm citrussy backbone and fine acidity that gave the wine a good sense of grip. There was a nice minerality on the midpalate as well, just before a pretty finish with soft floral notes and a gentle spice set in. This was really enjoyable. It was very friendly, round and compact - a really nicely put together Blanc de Blancs, especially for something of this price range, and drinking beautifully at the moment too. I have bought myself a couple of bottles and am looking forward to popping them.
February 2, 2014 - The wine looks light gold colored. The legs are fast. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like bready and baker's yeast. It tastes like baker's yeast. The body is medium. The wine has narrow texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity.
November 23, 2012 - Skönt mognande chardonnay. Lite sherry, nötter och den smörigheten jag gillar. Bra syra och mousse med trevlig eftersmak. 1997 verkar vara ett bra år för Chardonnay
January 1, 2012 - This was delicious. A wonderful way to start the festivities to usher in 2012. Universally enjoyed by the group, it's complexity and flavor crushed the basic Nv bottling that followed.
February 6, 2010 - Nice nutty character, some citrus -- almost an orange juice like taste. nuttiness continues into surprisingly long med(+) finish.
February 6, 2010 - A Second Snowed In Saturday (Our House (2033 Brandywine St., Philadelphia)): Pale golden color. Slight oxidation on nose (light Sherry character) and roasted almond or even almond butter. Some light citrus and minerals as well. Palate is well rounded but a bit subtle. Orange zest and grapefruit. Nice creaminess. Good finish with the grapefruit lasting a good long time.
January 19, 2010 - Växer verkligen i glaset. Lite Selosse tendenser, viol i lukten. Kul med bra 97or