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koch to sue christie’s
Hmm, Winespectator news is ahead of Decanter for a change(?) So, just a rich man who likes lawyers? or a real chance of changing a few attitudes? I’ll let you make your own mind-up on that! Note I suppose ‘Bordeauxs‘ must be the Anglo-Saxon version…
d’angerville 2001 volnay 1er clos des ducs
There was hail in Volnay in 2001 – some producers declassified their best wines – I don’t remember how badly d’Angerville’s Clos des Ducs was affected, if at all, but this is not up to their usual overachieving standard – I respectfully suggest that it was also a candidate for a different label… 2001 d’Angerville, Volnay 1er Clos des Ducs A good medium, medium-plus colour. It’s an ever-changing nose, though not particularly in a good way: it starts a little diffuse and harsh, then there is a period of absolute red-fruited Volnay beauty followed again by diffuse and slightly green notes. You go through this cycle each time you top up your glass! In the mouth the fruit has a very nice perfume, reasonable density [....]
2000 méo-camuzet clos st.philibert + remoissenet 92 chassagne 1er morgeot
Well shiver me timbers – first a HCdN that was actually a far nicer drink than the 01 Jadot Criots of last week – ouch! Then a ’92 Chassagne that was even better! 2000 Méo-Camuzet, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits Clos St.Philibert Medium straw/gold. The nose is warm and faintly savoury with perhaps a little honey too. Vibrant, ripe, quite enough acidity to balance the ‘fat’. This wine is now ‘just right’. Neither super complex, nor super intense, but very tasty all the same. Rebuy – Yes 1992 Remoissenet, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Morgeot From a jeroboam with dinner! Golden but not oxidised – savoury, biscuity. Much more mineral and muscular than I expected – no ‘ample’ 1992 here – complex, balanced and very satisfying. I ‘needed’ [....]
offer of the day – Bouchard Père et Fils 2008…
DOMAINE BOUCHARD PERE & FILS 2008 VINS BLANCS MEURSAULT Genevrières 75cl 56.00 (69.00 in 2007) Swiss Francs MEURSAULT Les Perrières 75cl 59.00 (75.00) CORTON CHARLEMAGNE 75cl 104.00 (119.00) CHEVALIER-MONTRACHET 75cl 178.00 (229.00) CHEVALIER-MONTRACHET La Cabotte 75cl 309.00 (399.50) MONTRACHET 75cl 355.00 (429.00) VINS ROUGES VOLNAY Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot 75cl 49.80 BEAUNE Grèves Vigne Enfant Jésus 75cl 75.00 NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES Les Cailles 75cl 63.00 LE CORTON 75cl 69.00 CLOS DE VOUGEOT 75cl 109.00 (139.00) ECHEZEAUX 75cl 109.00 (129.00) CHAMBERTIN 75cl 154.00 (189.50) CHAMBERTIN Clos de Bèze 75cl 149.00 (169.00) BONNES-MARES 75cl 178.00 (228.00) Some reasonable price movement here versus their 2007 offer – I’m sure I bought the Volnay and Meursault Perrières at those same prices in the 2002 vintage! Whilst I still find the ‘baby [....]
a dinner in the château!
Thursday night and it’s dinner in the Château du Clos de Vougeot, but before dinner, 40 grand crus to taste from the 2008 and 2002 vintage. It’s the second time I’ve been invited – I know, I’m a very lucky boy. Perhaps I’m also a bit more humble than one heavily accented voice I heard complaining in English about this that and just about everything – that will have been the person here on somebody else’s dollar no doubt – there are too many of those people in the world I’m afraid! Back to the ‘Château’; It’s hard not to marvel at the magnificence of both the place and it’s setting, even when the security asks ‘do you have one of these’, I say ‘I [....]
two blind dinner wines…
1994 Chandon de Briailles, Corton (Blanc) Rather deeply coloured, but a sniff shows that there is no overt oxidation. The nose has impact and power and reminds me very much of (a previously drunk) 83 Giroud Corton-Charlemagne, there is power and impact and some melting cream and lanolin in the background – I leave my guessing there! On the palate there is considerable power and quite some ripeness though it’s well-enough balanced (I think the 83 was much more mineral – but hey, it might turn out to be from Australia!). Very good complexity as it moves into the finish. Whilst not begging me to take a second (third!) pour – there are others to taste – this is rather good. Rebuy – Maybe 1998 [....]
stunning burgundy desktops…
As of today am travelling in Burgundy for a few days – clearly that will be tough! But I thought I should leave you with this link; I’ve been enjoying the pics on my desktop (you need screen capture software) for weeks now – it’s almost a pleasure to switch on my work desktop. Not all of them have a ‘watermark’ – not yet anyway http://www.panogeo.fr/ – enjoy….
offer of the day – Domaine Bonneau du Martray 2008…
CORTON CHARLEMAGNE Grand Cru 2008 75cl 109.50 Swiss Francs (119.00) CORTON CHARLEMAGNE Grand Cru 2008 150cl 224.00 (243.00) The 2007 price is in brackets and from this source was the same as 2006. Particularly in this vintage I have to say that this price flirts with ‘value’ – unfortunately there’s still no reason to presume that it will live longer than 5 years in your cellar. Question: What’s worse than a bottle of p.oxed wine in your cellar? Answer: A magnum…
guy castagnier 1996 bonnes-mares
About 10 years ago I filled my boots with 1996 GCs from this domaine – all of which cost me a little over 60 Swiss francs per bottle – in those days that was about £23, at today’s exchange rate it would be £39 – anyway, occasionally one comes out for a test… 1996 Guy Castagnier, Bonnes-Mares Medium, medium-plus ruby-red colour. The nose is quite mineral, edged with macerating dark fruits and the faintest hint of brett – at this level it’s quite nice. There is still a velvet texture to the (now) medium tannins, and despite its age there is still more than enough fruit extract to balance the acid-led mid-palate flavour fireworks. It’s an impressive burst of power that leads you, mouth watering, [....]
2005 françoise et denis clair st.aubin 1er dents de chien
I usually found this wine to be a little ‘soft-focus’ versus (for instance) the Gambal version, but it was aways keenly priced. Recent bottlings have taken a significant upward route for pricing. The wine will have to have improved to warrant the extra outlay, but here at least, the 2005 is a greatly valued effort. 2005 Françoise et Denis Clair, St.Aubin 1er Murgers des Dents de Chien The aromas start in a surprisingly floral/perfumed vein, slowly becoming more sedate with a faintly ripe yellow fruit and there are still hints of the almonds of it’s youth. Dense and ripe flavours that finish with a little agrumes. There’s plenty of fat and just enough acidity to balance. Certainly a very rich performance but very drinkable after [....]
de poxing the cellar…
After the oxidised Roulot bourgogne yet another (fotunately my last) p.oxed Bouchard Père 2002 Meursault Perrières yesterday. I though the case was already finished until I found this singleton, I must have been saving it for a happy day in the future…. The replacement was a Françoise et Denis Clair St.Aubin 1er Dents du Chien – a decent bottle (note to follow) – and also a decent bottle of Castagnier 1996 Bonnes-Mares. Finally some success!
1997 armand rousseau clos de la roche
One of my favourite 97s is Rousseau’s Clos des Ruchottes grand cru, a wine that could come from any good vintage and showing none of the potential pifalls of this one. How good is the Clos de la Roche? 1997 Armand Rousseau, Clos de la Roche Medium, medium-plus colour. From top to bottom this nose is impresses with quality dark red fruit, there is the faintest edge of something a bit looser – caramel and redcurrant – but overall this is super. In the mouth there is a silky density that drives rather too fast into the finish. Swirl it around over your tongue for longer and then the intensity builds, but with it comes some slightly bitter tannin. The finish holds much longer now [....]
