This very last bottle in the line up was flawed. Very much oxidized, so difficult to distinguish the character of Criots.
Well, premature oxidation is a huge problem of White Burgundy for the past two decades. Lots of lessons learned from that and chances are we will be able to enjoy premox free bottles of modern vintages in all their beauty along there long maturation journey towards full completeness
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3rd & last wine of our 1st-flight. This was where it got a bit more interesting (first two were like "warm-ups"). On the nose, lots of white-flowers, peaches, cream... almost Riesling-like. Palate-wise, tropical fruits (lots of) - peaches, melons, pineapples, all presented in a most elegant manner with a lot of clarity/minerality. Very good, and by far the best wine of the 1st-flight.
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Brought to my wine group xmas dinner. Split of opinion among the group. Divided between 3 views-oxidized, on its way out or very good. Dark yellow in color promting concern of oxidation. Minerality on the nose. I fell in the middle category and thought the palate decent with steel, minerals, butter and lemon. A decent wine, but not of grand cru quality.
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White fruits and flowers, honey, limestone and barley nose. Lemongrass, grapefruit, asparagus, pears, dried lychee, young apricots, cream with cinnamon and guava notes on the finish. All rounded wine with a phletora of fruits and flavours, coupled with vibrant acidity. Best white burg I've had to date.
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Charity Event for Lee Ah Mooi Old Aged Home (My Little Spanish Place): Mindbogglingly good. This was even better now than the last, quite superb bottle I had a couple of years back. Another to add to the list of truly great Criots-Bâtards that have stumped me in recent years. A list, I must add, that is threatening to grow longer than the equivalent for its big brothers, Chevalier and Le Montrachet, across the road. The nose on this wine just promised so much. Beautitul Grand Cru stuff, it had a lashing of butter and cream aromas, some egg-white, lovely lilting aromas of white peach and melon, and then a lovely minerally undertow with layers of chalk, all in a wonderful integrated whole. Expressive yet never showy, this was a nose that just screamed class. Amazingly, the palate not only delivered on the early promise, but even bettered it. Beautifully complex, this unfolded in layers of pear, apple, musky peach and melon - a lovely depth of fruit. Rich, deep, big, yet it was so perfectly balanced that you barely felt the weight at all. So elegant in fact that what caught in my mind was how the wine never seemed less than wonderfully focused and beautifully poised. Yet at the same time, it was certainly powerful, intense almost, as it weaved through palate and into a beautiful, creamy finish laced with with a gentle minerality. Beautiful length here. Anything less would have been a letdown after that nose and the wonderful attack and midpalate. This was a complete wine no doubt, and absolutely oozing with class. At a beautiful place now, although it should last for a long, long time yet. It would be a real treat to try this in 5 years' time to see how it develops. In the midst of a pretty stellar line-up, this was by far the brightest star.
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The last of my bottles and, once again, POXed. Nose actually seemed okay initially, but the palate was oxidized and bitter, then the nose fell apart. The first two bottles, in 2006 and 2008, were brilliant, and seemed to beg for more aging. Then, these last four have all been shot. What a waste. Purchased in burgundy on release, shipped in reefers, and properly cellared thereafter.
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While not totally shot right out of the bottle (as with the previous two bottles), this was still POXed. Managed to choke down a glass before it fell off the cliff -- but not a particularly enjoyable glass.
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Second POXed bottle of this wine in three days -- I'm pretty much done with grand cru white burgundy. I'll continue to buy some premier cru and villages wines for early drinking, but spending money on grand cru white burgundy is pure folly (with the possible exception of SOME select producers). I'm wary of the last two bottles -- might as well pop 'em.
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"Simple" Friday Dinner (Imperial Treasure, Great World City): A first rate white Burg. This could not be anything except a Grand Cru from the Monty family. Golden yellow in colour, absolutely typical nose of mushrooms in cream, hints of chalk, earth, lots of figs and aged white fruit and, with time and air, just layers and layers of honey, nectar and sprinkles of almond nuttiness. Not the most lacy or fine of palates, but the wine had astounding depth and breadth, with a rich, creamy, almost viscous weight just gliding slowly through the mouth. Still young, still primary, but even now there is an inexorable rush of mouth coating flavours - ripe lemons, rich white and yellow fruit, mushroom - all perfectly balanced though, with lovely integrated acidity holding up the wine, but never quite making itself obvious. Powerful finish rounded it off, with long, clingy notes of spice and mineral. Absolutely outstanding. Drinking very well now, but this would really benefit from a good 6-7 years in the cellar. A great effort from Fontaine-Gagnard, in what really must be seen as their niche vineyard.
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Having so many permatured 02 white recently, I was unsure about this white. But this one prove exceptional, beautiful light color with such intense white fruits and hint of oak on the nose. The palate got a nice acid balance with the citrus fruits, lemon, apricots, yummy. Finish is good too. Finally a grand cru white, worthy of aging?
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Intense, mouthwatering citrus nose, this has a lot of oak, and a lots of ripe fruit, so rich it's almost sweet, but there's acid and structure to make it exciting, very exciting
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While I would like to have waited to try the next bottle of this wine, my fear of POX convinced me to try one now. No worries! Another poster said the cork appeared to be peroxide bleached -- certainly doesn't appear so to me. Anyway, my second bottle of this, the first tried in March of 2006. The next one won't be opened for several more years. Nose suggests honeysuckle and guava, then morphs to orchard fruit (peaches). In sharp contrast to the relatively rich and luxurious nose, the palate is loaded with green apples with nice minerality, and is wound very tightly; firm acidity. Needs at least another couple years. First-rate wine, showing nicely but just waiting to blossom.
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Just keeps getting better. This was drunk next to a, very nice but not in the same league, Oregon Chardonnay. The differences were astounding. So much balance of fruit and acidity, explosions of fruit in the mouth and white flowers and honeysuckle on the nose. Stunning.
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No notes taken. Estella and I had Dan and Mary over for dinner. We opened this wine, they opened a 2002 Blain-Gagnard Batard. Both lovely wines, the Fontaine showing more power. Quite large scaled, yet with terrific precision. Really started coming on about the time I finished my last sip. Big, powerful nose, which developed to white flowers. Loads of minerals on the palate, with a long finish.
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2/14/2022 - Hubble Shire Farm Likes this wine: 96 Points
Ambrosia!
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9/2/2021 - Jmwestiv Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful example of what advanced white can be - beautiful honey color and aroma, took 15 minutes to blow off the funk. Lovely.
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11/26/2017 - StasMedvedev.lv wrote: flawed
This very last bottle in the line up was flawed. Very much oxidized, so difficult to distinguish the character of Criots.
Well, premature oxidation is a huge problem of White Burgundy for the past two decades. Lots of lessons learned from that and chances are we will be able to enjoy premox free bottles of modern vintages in all their beauty along there long maturation journey towards full completeness
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5/2/2015 - etyc Likes this wine:
3rd & last wine of our 1st-flight. This was where it got a bit more interesting (first two were like "warm-ups"). On the nose, lots of white-flowers, peaches, cream... almost Riesling-like. Palate-wise, tropical fruits (lots of) - peaches, melons, pineapples, all presented in a most elegant manner with a lot of clarity/minerality. Very good, and by far the best wine of the 1st-flight.
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12/6/2012 - cos82 wrote: 87 Points
Brought to my wine group xmas dinner. Split of opinion among the group. Divided between 3 views-oxidized, on its way out or very good. Dark yellow in color promting concern of oxidation. Minerality on the nose. I fell in the middle category and thought the palate decent with steel, minerals, butter and lemon. A decent wine, but not of grand cru quality.
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11/25/2011 - Lord of the Bottles wrote: 93 Points
At Roberson's Christmas Wine Tasting (11/24/11). Excellent: oak, butter, honey, mineral with a very long finish.
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10/30/2011 - Mingmong wrote: 97 Points
White fruits and flowers, honey, limestone and barley nose. Lemongrass, grapefruit, asparagus, pears, dried lychee, young apricots, cream with cinnamon and guava notes on the finish. All rounded wine with a phletora of fruits and flavours, coupled with vibrant acidity. Best white burg I've had to date.
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10/30/2011 - Paul S wrote: 96 Points
Charity Event for Lee Ah Mooi Old Aged Home (My Little Spanish Place): Mindbogglingly good. This was even better now than the last, quite superb bottle I had a couple of years back. Another to add to the list of truly great Criots-Bâtards that have stumped me in recent years. A list, I must add, that is threatening to grow longer than the equivalent for its big brothers, Chevalier and Le Montrachet, across the road. The nose on this wine just promised so much. Beautitul Grand Cru stuff, it had a lashing of butter and cream aromas, some egg-white, lovely lilting aromas of white peach and melon, and then a lovely minerally undertow with layers of chalk, all in a wonderful integrated whole. Expressive yet never showy, this was a nose that just screamed class. Amazingly, the palate not only delivered on the early promise, but even bettered it. Beautifully complex, this unfolded in layers of pear, apple, musky peach and melon - a lovely depth of fruit. Rich, deep, big, yet it was so perfectly balanced that you barely felt the weight at all. So elegant in fact that what caught in my mind was how the wine never seemed less than wonderfully focused and beautifully poised. Yet at the same time, it was certainly powerful, intense almost, as it weaved through palate and into a beautiful, creamy finish laced with with a gentle minerality. Beautiful length here. Anything less would have been a letdown after that nose and the wonderful attack and midpalate. This was a complete wine no doubt, and absolutely oozing with class. At a beautiful place now, although it should last for a long, long time yet. It would be a real treat to try this in 5 years' time to see how it develops. In the midst of a pretty stellar line-up, this was by far the brightest star.
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10/30/2011 - Alex H wrote: 92 Points
Excellent wine. Everything is there. Rich buttery fattiness , rich minerality., classy yellow fruits, backbone of white stonefruits. Superbly poised and balance. Raving good!!!
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5/25/2010 - xwine wrote: flawed
The last of my bottles and, once again, POXed. Nose actually seemed okay initially, but the palate was oxidized and bitter, then the nose fell apart. The first two bottles, in 2006 and 2008, were brilliant, and seemed to beg for more aging. Then, these last four have all been shot. What a waste. Purchased in burgundy on release, shipped in reefers, and properly cellared thereafter.
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5/22/2010 - xwine wrote: flawed
While not totally shot right out of the bottle (as with the previous two bottles), this was still POXed. Managed to choke down a glass before it fell off the cliff -- but not a particularly enjoyable glass.
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5/4/2010 - xwine wrote: flawed
Second POXed bottle of this wine in three days -- I'm pretty much done with grand cru white burgundy. I'll continue to buy some premier cru and villages wines for early drinking, but spending money on grand cru white burgundy is pure folly (with the possible exception of SOME select producers). I'm wary of the last two bottles -- might as well pop 'em.
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5/2/2010 - xwine wrote: flawed
POXed!! *%#*&$@*?@$%
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3/24/2010 - drwine2001 wrote:
Chevillon Nuits Vaucrains Vertical, 1985-1998 (RN 74, San Francisco): Light golden. Honey, cream, and bright citrus. Full, oaky, rich with average acidity. Not particularly mineral but alive and delicious.
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11/13/2009 - Paul S wrote: 95 Points
"Simple" Friday Dinner (Imperial Treasure, Great World City): A first rate white Burg. This could not be anything except a Grand Cru from the Monty family. Golden yellow in colour, absolutely typical nose of mushrooms in cream, hints of chalk, earth, lots of figs and aged white fruit and, with time and air, just layers and layers of honey, nectar and sprinkles of almond nuttiness. Not the most lacy or fine of palates, but the wine had astounding depth and breadth, with a rich, creamy, almost viscous weight just gliding slowly through the mouth. Still young, still primary, but even now there is an inexorable rush of mouth coating flavours - ripe lemons, rich white and yellow fruit, mushroom - all perfectly balanced though, with lovely integrated acidity holding up the wine, but never quite making itself obvious. Powerful finish rounded it off, with long, clingy notes of spice and mineral. Absolutely outstanding. Drinking very well now, but this would really benefit from a good 6-7 years in the cellar. A great effort from Fontaine-Gagnard, in what really must be seen as their niche vineyard.
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10/26/2009 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 95 Points
Christie's Private Pre-Sale Tasting and Dinner (Amsterdam): Rich, Turkish delight almost, clearly a Grand Cru, beautifully toasted oak, nice and buttery, wonderful acifity, magnificent.
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7/8/2009 - yeoman wrote:
Having so many permatured 02 white recently, I was unsure about this white. But this one prove exceptional, beautiful light color with such intense white fruits and hint of oak on the nose. The palate got a nice acid balance with the citrus fruits, lemon, apricots, yummy. Finish is good too. Finally a grand cru white, worthy of aging?
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6/6/2009 - Rupert wrote: 94 Points
Intense, mouthwatering citrus nose, this has a lot of oak, and a lots of ripe fruit, so rich it's almost sweet, but there's acid and structure to make it exciting, very exciting
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9/6/2008 - xwine wrote:
While I would like to have waited to try the next bottle of this wine, my fear of POX convinced me to try one now. No worries! Another poster said the cork appeared to be peroxide bleached -- certainly doesn't appear so to me. Anyway, my second bottle of this, the first tried in March of 2006. The next one won't be opened for several more years. Nose suggests honeysuckle and guava, then morphs to orchard fruit (peaches). In sharp contrast to the relatively rich and luxurious nose, the palate is loaded with green apples with nice minerality, and is wound very tightly; firm acidity. Needs at least another couple years. First-rate wine, showing nicely but just waiting to blossom.
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2/4/2007 - G SQUARED wrote: 94 Points
Just keeps getting better. This was drunk next to a, very nice but not in the same league, Oregon Chardonnay. The differences were astounding. So much balance of fruit and acidity, explosions of fruit in the mouth and white flowers and honeysuckle on the nose. Stunning.
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7/22/2006 - 128 wrote:
Supper at home with the wife after returning from a week in Bordeaux.
Green apples, pear & nuts. Great balance and good length. The wife commented that it was the best wine of the week after the Le Pins.......... OUCH!
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3/4/2006 - xwine wrote:
No notes taken. Estella and I had Dan and Mary over for dinner. We opened this wine, they opened a 2002 Blain-Gagnard Batard. Both lovely wines, the Fontaine showing more power. Quite large scaled, yet with terrific precision. Really started coming on about the time I finished my last sip. Big, powerful nose, which developed to white flowers. Loads of minerals on the palate, with a long finish.
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1/12/2006 - G SQUARED wrote: 93 Points
What a nice surprise! Lovely nose of green apples and pears. Great minerality and lingering finish. I REALLY liked this......A LOT!
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7/15/2005 - 128 wrote:
Dinner after a hot and exhausting afternoon shopping in Hamleys. Giving a soon-to-be 7 yr. old the run of Hamleys is not smart!
The cork appeared to have been peroxide bleached.
Initial nose of green apples giving way to nuts. Good acids for the longer term and good length. Quite nice.
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6/11/2005 - Rupert wrote: 91 Points
Ripe and powerful, oak integrated and dominated by the ripe fruit, tangy, long. Approachable and impressive now.
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