December 11, 2022 - This bottle was not obviously off but having had this wine twice before it was clear to me that this wasn’t a „clean“ bottle sadly. Got better with air but the VA spoiled the nose which is great for perfect bottles.
September 27, 2022 - Sweet sour, mellow, soaring, umami, caramel - talk about kaleidoscopic, this is it. Had a Tache 16 next to it that while great was like a Rayas. Parked the Tache and opened an 11 Romanee. Much better pair and while the 11 doesn’t have the stuffing of greatness it has the Pinot finesse that is special and it doesn’t fall off but it’s a step back of course. 06 Romanee for me is a total fox right now. Oh la la - went with the ceps like a match in heaven !!! Bottle 2525/3632
July 23, 2022 - Bottle 2523/3632 clocking in at 13.6pct alc. Served blind to me after a Reignots 12 (I did know it was another CLB but nothing more). Having written my note on the 12 while savouring it when I put my nose in this blind I almost immediately had to eat my hat in that I thought wow this must be Romanee and it was so much more rich in umami than the Reignots I had just coined as being more than a mini Romanee. So lesson learned Romanee is Romanee and it’s the King. Ultra rich in umami immediately, salty, savoury, sweet and sour, so complex with a touch of antiseptic notes. With hours in it gets some sweet vanilla toast quality. Big energetic sap on the palate. Truth be told you almost can’t escape just finding perfection on this nose and refuse to drink, it belies drinking in fact from the nose, just keep swirling, sniffing. It’s definitely a considerable step up yet from the best bottle of Reignots 12 I ever had comparing side by side. It’s a complete wine, kaleidoscopic, intellectual, the stuff of dreams. But it’s also a very demanding wine for all its complexity. Frankly I had very mixed experience with CLB 06 (Reignots and Cras both appeared slightly oxidised) but this bottle was outstanding. Same league and actually quite comparable to the great 08. Merci Gäel for your incredible generosity. I was about to give this 99+ but what’s the point, today this bottle was utterly complete, maybe so complete I couldn’t even comprehend it all, so it deserves a perfect score. While I think most CLB wines are a lesson in winemaking in the best sense of the word La Romanee itself remains a lesson in terroir as it seems too strong to be glossed up or tamed into a house style. Special bottle and a toast goes out to the late Claude Matignoles.
November 6, 2021 - What an extraordinary treat to have this wine alongside the 2006 Mugnier Musigny over the course of a long and delicious dinner with friends. When this wine was first poured the nose was more dark-fruited than the Mugnier. But also more polished. Early impressions were that the Mugnier seemed a more masculine wine, while this L-B straddled the line showing some masculine elements but also some feminine charm and polish. While this wine has plenty of structure, it seemed more approachable than the Mugnier (though the Mugnier did show as overly structured at times). Lovely integration on this. High quality oak is present but not heavy-handed at all. Leaning a little darker fruited on the palate when contrasted with the Mugnier. Rich wine! Later pours came out of the bottle with what seemed to be a bit of reduction on the nose, but a good swirl and a bit of time in the glass caused that to blow off. A fantastic and top quality Grand Cru that has many years of pleasure left to give (and should improve for at least 10 more years), but was quite enjoyable on this night in a more youthful way at age 15.
September 28, 2021 - Best experience with this wine in quite some time. Forward and energetic. Great bottle.
January 14, 2021 - Silky and layered. Hints of green underneath. Great bottle. 95+
June 12, 2019 - Five winos excellent adventure , mostly in Burgundy; 6/7/2019-6/15/2019 (Beaune, France): The last bottle from two years ago was off…. Not this time! Absolutely gorgeous nose displaying pure black fruit, blackberry, black cherry, lactic, black truffle, rose, Vosne spice and limestone. Perfectly harmonious and balanced palate, very finely layered pure black fruit, sensual and fluid, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a seamless long black fruit driven finish. I am not a big fan of the 06 vintage but this is drinking incredibly well.
February 1, 2019 - Moderate weight, somewhat muddled palate. Clearly needs more time, will get better, but unclear how far it will evolve. 93+
June 6, 2018 - Massive wine. Incredibly tannic still after 12 years. When will this ever come around? Very long but a worrying dryness that is detectable within the ripe, glossy and heathy fruit. It even comes across as a touch of stem and not completely phenolically ripe. Epic wine making but perhaps a tricky vintage that is currently a bit closed down? Needs another 10+ years. I think these wines are not going to be pleasurable for 20-25 years...
June 5, 2018 - Liked this better when I tasted at Domaine last summer. Baking spice, cinnamon and unusual stewed fruit aromatics. Creamy palate also off.