March 7, 2024 - Rhône or Nôwhere 2.0 (Malcolm, NE): The 1994 was initially a bit shy on the nose but after many hours in the decanter, it showed such amazing character. In fact, it shared some characteristics with a lightly peated single malt scotch, with light smoke, marmalade, honey, golden raspberry and wet stone. More of its character was unlocked with food. In this case, monkfish, sweet potato, leek, and winter truffle. Drink now through 2034+. Merci Matt!
February 24, 2024 - Lovely. Last bottle. Quite complex--savory, almost a saline quality. To my taste, this is at peak, wouldn't wait longer.
April 3, 2023 - M3. Drank at Cimarron. Elevation may have held back some notes, but structure and body was all there.
April 9, 2021 - Tonight was a rare night of many firsts- this perhaps the greatest of all.
fine light gold color, textured nose with walnuts and game- substantial in scale but somewhat subdued, and then on the palate a fantastic immediate impact of smoky citrus fruit, white flower notes, racy broad fruit across the middle with lime and earth undertones on the long sleek finish, in the details a wine of excesses- but with a firm long acid spine perfectly balancing the powerful ripe fruit, a wine with which I have very little experience- and none with so much age- but I do hope that will change in time, quite a beauty with so many rich niches to explore- but with all of its elements coming together flawlessly to render a study in opulent sophistication.
****+, ready to go but time in hand.
July 8, 2020 - I have to admit I have no idea where this bottle has come from.
As I'm a member of TWS in the UK I assume it's from a mixed case bought years ago and I've simply missed drinking this.
I've never had a white wine that wasn't a sticky this old before.
The fill was full - so I've stored it well.
The cork came out with no sign of deterioration.
And as soon as the bottle was opened I knew everything was OK!
Beautiful colour - lemony-gold
Creamy honey & lanolin on the nose, with a hint of spice.
Rich, viscous, luscious palate finishing on a nutty note. Just enough acidity not to be cloying.
I'm not getting any fruit on the nose but a touch of lemon (preserved rather than fresh) on the palate.
Will see how it develops over the evening.
After an hour some candied/ dried tropical fruit on the nose.
March 1, 2020 - a bit tight out of the bottle but with some air it really opens up with rich stone fruit body and creamy texture. The acidity in the wine is just enough to keep it from getting unbalanced and over the top. A very well put together wine from northern rhone. The wine is at a great place now but definitely benefits from at least an hour of air.
November 17, 2019 - A Whole Lotta Chave Hermitage (Single Blind) (Chez Kailin): 94/98/00/01/15 Flight. Reasonably fresh for a mature white Rhone. Layered aromatics of white fruit, mushroom and florals. Palate is waxy but not too heavy. Again reasonably fresh for this genre. My #2, Group #1.
January 22, 2019 - Took out to dinner. PnP. Cork was in good shape and fill was excellent. Medium to light yellow. Intriguing nose of spice and lanolin. Medium weight on the palate - good fruit still present and so sense of drying out. Quite remarkable at age 25.
April 10, 2018 - Funnily enough I get dried apricot here. Again some caramel notes. It's not as heavy as I expect for a Northern Rhone white but there's still body and structure. Good wine.
May 7, 2017 - Very wonderfull indeed, minerals galore, deep and light at the sa,me time, honey is here along with candid fruit and citrus. Thanks for the taste. #La Buca#DM Afterparty