October 1, 2020 - The second wine this week that I grossly underestimated in its youth.
Translucent ruby in color. Earth, dark pinot fruit, some meat and ferrous notes, loam, and moss on the nose. It's midweighted and subtly structured yet graceful on the palate. It's sappy yet precise with terrific focus. Much more than I expected from this wine. There's more undergrowth, ferrous and meatiness that adds to the fresh and pure red and dark pinot fruits. Quite long on the back end. While I am sure this has plenty left in the tank, but I feel that on this day I drank this wine at its absolute apogee. I can't think of a reason to choose to wait to drink it. This was so much better than I had hoped for. A terrific showing for a vineyard in the Chevillon lineup that I tend to neglect or or outright ignore. This was a joy to drink and such a pleasant surprise. Almost implausibly terrific.
A terrific pairing with Xian Bing meat pies and bao.
June 1, 2016 - Chevillon Roncières vertical at The Bristol (Chicago, IL): Double decanted an hour before dinner. This is perhaps showing even more stemmy and austere than the 1996. Certainly, air allowed this to blossom more, but it never really left that ornery phase. There were some really nice red fruits on the palate, but this was mostly a very dense wine that was hard to read. That said, all the right elements were still there: fruit, acid, earth, tannins. It just needs to all loosen up a bit.
March 27, 2016 - Excellent bottle, with very typically NSG iron and earth notes in the aromas, and black fruits. The palate is medium bodied with an energetic snap to it, and some ever so slightly grainy tannins to frame the whole thing. Chevillon is such consistently good producer, and this bottle showed it.
June 10, 2014 - La Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin (Vancouver) (Zest): Aromatic nose showing nice development. Quite resolved on the palate with pinot fruit flavours and solid acidity and length. Drinking well now but no rush. Excellent.
January 18, 2013 - Medium/deep garnet core, medium pale garnet rim. Nose is aromatic, developed and complex - autumnal with some bruised red and plum fruit, liquorice, leaves, soil. On the palate this is medium/full bodied, sweet yet slightly decaying fruit, again autumnal with soil, undergrowth and liquorice, some black cherry and plum fruit, soft and glossy, with lovely tangy acidity carrying a good length, slightly herbal finish, with a touch of grip at the tail end. lovely and drinking very well indeed, but should hold for a few more years yet.
January 15, 2013 - Burgundy Geek Night (Mark's House - Portland, OR): Really rustic and dark. Had a great perfume of earth, red fruits, truffle, and beef - not Northern Rhone beef, but more savory and earthy. Loved the palate - intense presence with pomegranate, mineral, and earthy forest tones. Great stuff.
May 4, 2011 - Rustic and singed dirt NSG style. Darker loamy notes with black cherries, forest floor, and earthy- savory notes. There is some bitterness and green herbal tones that if they soften or round out a touch will be very additive, but at this point are a little pungent. A little angular with chewy tannins, and while it lacks a midpalate presence it is very enjoyable. I don't know if they do whole cluster, but it seems like it. Kind of Dujac chewy tannins. Loads of structure. This is quite enjoyable and probably on the front end of peak. 89+ pts
July 14, 2009 - Medium ruby/garnet core, medium pale garnet rim. Slightly closed at first, opening up to show lovely pure red cherry fruit, hints of soil and spice (including ginger). Medium/full bodied on the palate, spicy bright red cherry fruit on initial attack and mid-palate, good depth here and very fine tannins. Fresh acidity carries a good length finish with soil and ginger notes. Really very good indeed, drinking well now but also with the structure and depth to develop well.
June 5, 2009 - With aeration, there's some red fruit on the nose, but predominantly it's giving off earthy, mushroomy notes. On the palate, it's got some quite forward red fruit and lots of acidity. Really very deep flavours.
August 9, 2008 - From memory. Very earthy and dark fruited nose. Has the typical '01 Chevillon poise on the palate, but there's still ample tannin to resolve. Best left for a few more years to integrate. Very nice though.