Community Tasting Note

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Saturday, 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.

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