billn
another old jack…
Last time out this wasn’t so bad. This time, if anything, it’s even nicer, losing any overt oxidative notes! There was a satisfying release of air around the cork as I began to slide it out – positive pressure behind the cork – impressive for one so young(!) In the glass, at first, there was the smell of coffee and chocolate to offset the usual funk of a newly opened old-timer, slowly it became more about leather and soil. Super-silky, linear and mineral with a very sneaky length indeed – yum! It was at least an hour before I, once more, had the glycerol impression from the lst bottle… Rebuy – No Chance!
1969 pierre bourée nuts st.georges
I looked very carefully, and I could see not obvious use of modern stamping to print the vintage on the rubble that some might call a cork – from that I assume that this is no fake. 1969 Pierre Bourée, Nuits St.Georges Medium colour. To start with there is no aroma at all, very slowly there is hint of beef broth and a more impressive and sweeter acid cherry. Very silky. You have the taste impression that somewhere there there lies a hint of oxidation but it’s buried under a sweet red note and never becomes more than a suggestion. Pretty with a fine, if understated acidity. Very stable in the glass, and with a lovely core of fruit. My run of excellent 69s continues… [....]
counterfeit cellars… part 2
Indeed, forget part 2, we may have to think about the movie and the book. Some of the latest updates are here, but overall, WB Forum has always been the beating heart for following this story.
good design…
I don’t often show you the invites that come in the (e)mail, but just occasionally I think some are so well designed that they deserve a wider audience:
more notes
Some might call it laziness – I can cope with that! But I’ve finally started to catch up on a backlog of notes dating as far back as December 2010, in-fact, I’d added nothing at all to my NoteFinder page in 2011! Anyway in the last 2 weeks I’ve added about 700 notes, many from the 08/09 vintages, but as usual only those wines that were ether bottled, or already assembled in tank for bottling – no barrel samples. I’ve still about another 2-300 to go, then I might start typing the Spring BR…
counterfeit cellars…
Some might say that this is a little late coming, but for everyone with an interest in real wine – however you want to define that word – this surely has to be a positive development. [Archive]
chézeaux 2000 gevrey lavaux st.jacques
2000 des Chézeaux, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Lavaux St.Jacques Medium colour. The nose is a symphony; there’s still a pure red fruit note towards the top of the range, but there’s a musky undergrowth that cushions it, lovely depth too – you could just sit and sniff this – which is just fine! Actually the palate’s not that bad either, but the nose gives you the impression that there should be more. It’s still pretty good with a (more) linear (than you expect) but still slightly cushioned impression, decent acidity and still just a hint of astringency on the back of your tongue. The fruit has a little sweetness to it, but not in the rather warm, typical 2000 vernacular. Understated, slighly mineral flavours linger in the [....]
“Got your MBA and still know nothing about wine?”
The rise and rise of ‘Fine Wine’ in Hong Kong… [Archived]
arlaud 1999 chambolle-musigny
A good contact tells me that this was only the second vintage for Cyprien Arlaud – well he didn’t do badly then did he(?) 1999 Arlaud, Chambolle-Musigny Rather deeply coloured, and it still looks quite young. The nose is deep and a little meaty, yet is classically (some might say clichéd) Chambolle-Musigny with its very pretty floral top notes – the bass notes are perhaps meatier than your average Chambolle but that’s probably the slow march to maturity. Round, clearly with plenty of extract and a lovely diminuendo into the mouth-watering finish. The tannins give a little astringency if you keep the wine in your mouth, but if you ‘just drink’, the word that comes into my mind is ‘luxurious’. Young but very drinkable. I [....]
niellon 2008 chassagne 1er clos de la maltroie
2008 Michel Niellon, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos de la Maltroie Medium golden. Plenty of sweet toasted bread, brioche indeed – (very) nice as it is, it does rather smother any obvious Chassagne-ness. There is a decent whack of concentration though the personality is reasonably direct rather than round. Just about perfect acidity accentuates a little agrumes fruit and a finishing sweet note from the barrel that reminds you of the brioche nose, plus a little toffee. Initially, despite how delicious it is, I find the oak influence is obscuring the place; given about 1 hour your mouth starts to water with plenty of mineral flavour that actually does hint to Chassagne. Despite the caveats, simply delicious. Rebuy – Yes
sylvain pataille 2008 bourgogne le chapitre
The last Bourgogne for a few days, and very tasty it was too! 2008 Sylvain Pataille, Bourgogne Le Chapitre Medium-plus colour. The nose initially reminds me of the 2009 with a hint of cola, but this is relatively transient as a beautifully smooth and dark fruit comes to the fore. Quite round in the mouth but it’s understatedly concentrated whilst displaying an equally understated acidity. Long and mineral this is a wine that does everything without fuss but with great aplomb. Cut from the same cloth as the 2009, and certainly another wine to wait for… Rebuy – Yes
ramonet 2009 bourgogne pinot noir – plus drc 09
Okay; this is the last of my 09 Bourgogne Rouge excursion – for a while anyway. Time to revisit a favourite and put it into context with the other 09s recently ‘downed’. 2009 Ramonet, Bourgogne Pinot Noir ‘Nomacorked’. This has a fresh but forward nose of dark red fruit with a mint-leaf impression too – quite like the Potel but with more depth and balance. The flavour is also quite forward and friendly, the acidity giving the impression of sweet and sour in combination with the fruit. In the mouth the impression is of roundness, and I have to say it’s rather delicious too. Far from the concentration of the Camille-Giroud or the Pataille, but more effortlessly drinkable today. Rebuy – Yes So; drink the [....]
