April 13, 2024 - EYE^ Perfect clarity to look at. This is one increment lighter in color than a Chablis 2018 Bel Air et Clardy immediately preceding it.
NOSE^ The smell is a suggestively savage instrument. I gather a brew of almonds and roots, roiled with mint and twine. Cinnamon/chili; mussels; steaming southern biscuits; gravel.
MOUTH^ The first liquid drink is confrontational. Properly vitigenic and searing acidity triggers a saline response. Muscular white fruit of pristine clarity reverberates fossil bone structure. The event aims deliberately toward a finish of bitterly appetizing vegetal scar—iodine, marble grit, mentholated lemon smash. It's big, yet grippy and austere in texture.
TIME^ Development: clarity and sweetness gather as the bottle yields. The bouquet digs its heels in, to offer blanched resins, birch bark, greengage, and Champagne.
STANCE (Cressbeckler style)^ I opened this bottle, vintage 2018, in 2024, well before it obtained its most accomplished expression. The wildness it exemplified four years ago is *almost* modulated enough now to appeal to an unmotivated, broad-minded, and discriminating observer. Naive bliss, stomping baby goat energy: 92-100. Appointed manners and precision: 90. Weighted avg. 91.
March 31, 2024 - Even worse than the last bottle. 1 left. This wine really stinks.
February 5, 2024 - A little bit natty on the nose on open - give it time to blow off if that is not your thing.
After a good amount of air, this wine really pops. Fresh acidity with a core of orchard fruit, spice and herbs. A thick, creamy texture leads into a long finish.
November 27, 2023 - Overripe and flabby. Distinct apple note. Not my things. Anybody want to buy the other 2 mags I have?
July 18, 2022 - Not a good vintage of this wine. Too ripe.
April 13, 2022 - Bright light gold, lemony nose, lively and a tad short on mid palate.
March 6, 2022 - Saline notes, citrus, herbs, and just a hint of more tropical fruit (coconut?) on the nose. Lovely acidity with more citrus/lemon notes and minerals on the palate. Good finish. Feels lean and fresh and quite delicious!
August 28, 2021 - I find that this wine has some odd flavors and I just not enjoying it.
July 12, 2021 - On opening this had a very strong apple component as well as some oxidative notes. In fact, if blind, I might have guessed something from the Jura. With air it did shape up a good bit with the acidity/minerality becoming more pronounced. Somewhat of a unique wine - I look forward to trying some of the Chablis bottlings.
May 31, 2021 - Strong green apples in front palate changing to ripe yellow apples and then finishing with strong clean acidity. Very mouth watering. If you like green apple wine you’ll love this but I’ll take a pass.