By billn on September 25, 2011
This is a wine that I (unfortunately) often forget about; but every time I return I am reminded that I should have bought more. 2008 Tollot-Beaut, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Les Lavières After the Bachelet, here is also some oak, but rather than a smothering sweetness, it’s delivered with a spicy element that is more than amply buffered by a growing, crooning floral aromatic – perfect violets. The last drops in the glass offer a beautiful ‘come-hither’ red fruit. In the mouth there is sweetness, but the acidity urges you into the mid-palate where you have the impression that the wines bursts further into life. Long with a mineral end-note. I might buy a magnum or two for rainy day – if I’m not too late! Rebuy [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Yes (2011) |
By billn on September 24, 2011
This domaine gets a lot of good press, though from what I’ve seen it’s for their whites – let’s see what a red looks like… 2008 Jean-Claude Bachelet, St.Aubin 1er Derrière la Tour The nose starts with quite a lot of sweet toasty oak, eventually there’s a higher toned sweetness that’s not particularly oak-based. Given time (totally blind) I could be convinced by the aromas that this a white wine, with a Meursault-style gingerbread note in evidence. In the mouth the first impression is of a rather thin wine but there is quite some intensity welling up. Good acidity with a faintly sweet medium finish. In the end this is a very tasty drop, but also a highly stylised drop of wine that talks of [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - No (2011) |
By billn on September 20, 2011
I suppose anniversaries often require a little over-consumption, that being the case we started with Pol Roger’s ’96 Rosé; not exactly pink at this age, but also not with the line of oxidation that our last bottle showed – this was my last one, but a good one. Next, call it an amuse bouche, was a half-bottle of Ghislaine’s 2008 villages before the main course, her Charmes. 2008 Ghislaine Barthod, Chambolle-Musigny Good colour. The nose starts in a good way and just keeps getting better; adding dimensions of violet flowers and eventually a raspberry and recurrent impression. Energy and acidity in fine balance with a melange of red fruits. Good in the finish too – this is very lovely right now. Rebuy – Yes 2008 [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Yes (2011) |
By billn on September 17, 2011
I can safely say, this is my first en Reugne – actually I think it’s my first Pierre Boisson too! I like the label, but the capsule is thin, cheap plastic – real cork lies below but only with a serial number on it – nothing to identify the domaine or the cru. Auxey always has to reach a price-point I suppose… 2008 Pierre Boisson, Auxey-Duresses 1er En Reugne Pale yellow. The nose is high-toned, faintly floral and has a nice energy about it – perhaps a little sherbet but not too much so. In the mouth, acid and intensity are my first thoughts – but it’s a rather invigorating acidity – plenty of energy and fun here. Kept cool, this absolutely the perfect aperitif [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Yes (2011) |
By billn on September 14, 2011
2008 L&A Lignier, Fixin Champs Vosgers (blanc) Medium yellow. The nose is faintly sweet with an undertow of flowers and maybe a hint of sulfur. In the mouth this has a lovely bubbling acidity – I remember the 08 being borderline tart – bright and pretty but with a nice sweetness and extra width of flavour in the mid-palate. Lingering on a mouth-watering note. Many Fixins seem to me rather too savoury in their youth and whilst interesting, I wouldn’t be filling my cellar with them. This one avoids that ‘trap’ and begs a top-up to the glass. Yum. Rebuy – Yes
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Yes (2011) |
By billn on September 12, 2011
After the Pousse d’Or failure – I’m glad I persevered with this vintage… 1995 Dujac, Morey St.Denis Medium rusty-red. The nose is a blend of stemmy perfume – and at this age it really is perfume – and a higher-toned fresh plum fruit that flirts with a floral dimension; it’s quite lovely and keeps drawing me back for another sniff as the fruit changes to cherry and even recurrant with time. In the mouth it doesn’t quite have that melt-in-the-mouth texture that you get with a perfectly matured wine, but there’s freshness and a structure that remains bright, indeed almost stern. The acidity is just about perfect, being the baseline for a beautifully understated but fine finish. Such a shame that I have only three [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Yes (2011) |
By billn on September 11, 2011
I was looking forward to this – though after much rummaging in the cellar I was surprised it was 1995 – I had in mind it was a ’93. Whatever, I knew it was the last one. Hmm, the cork was a bit pooey – but more rubber than ‘cork’ – I left it in the fridge a while, after-all it was 30°C outside. On my return the colour is good – not a hint of browning – but clearly there’s TCA on the nose, less so on the palate which has some sweetness and no overt tannin. I drank the whole glass, but didn’t take a second.
Posted in Degustation |
By billn on September 9, 2011
2009 David Clark, Bourgogne Au Pelson Does my nose deceive me? This smells of stems – not entirely smoky, more the slightly herbaceous version – it’s better if you keep it below 18°C. Very good freshness, intensity and length too but the flavour although there is some sweetness also has a borderline ripeness about it. The finish is very good. Although I don’t find stems ‘criminal’, this wine is far from it’s drinking peak today – based on my experience of other stemmy cuvées (I’m assuming that there really are stems within) this will have a great perfume, but only from 2014… Rebuy – Maybe Note: I checked David’s website, and this wine was actually 100% whole cluster. Just give it time… And bringing you [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Maybe (2011) |
By billn on September 8, 2011
2008 JC Boisset, Côte de Nuits Villages Le Creux de Sobron The name is clearly a mouthful – fortunately the wine is very good mouthful. Ripe but fresh fruit on the nose – quite forward. In the mouth this has plenty of energy and fine acidity which could turn a little mouth puckering in a couple of years, but today it is just joyous. There is a little mid-palate muscle and good intensity too. A line of mouth-watering flavour lingers in the finish. Yum – and an absolute bargain… Rebuy – Yes And for those with an interest in books, I just pre-ordered this one – can’t wait.
Posted in Books, Maps & Magazines, Degustation, Rebuy - Yes (2011) |
By billn on September 6, 2011
Andrew Jefford has a far better turn of phrase than pissing in the wind methinks… Not exactly Pommard, but it was the closest thing to hand: 2005 Joseph Voillot, Volnay 1er Brouillards Medium colour. A kind of candied sweetness mixes with red fruit and eventually a beguilling floral aroma – lovely. This wine has thinned-out, plenty of acidity but intensity too and an impression of extract. Still very drinkable but not the gorgeously cushioned drinkability of its first few months in bottle. This remains a great Brouillards. Rebuy – Yes
Posted in Degustation, Other Sites, Rebuy - Yes (2011) |
By billn on September 1, 2011
2008 Paul Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos St.Jean (rouge) Medium-plus colour. The nose is deep with a subtle oak toast and dark berries overlaid with some violet notes. Lovely acidity and with it super mid-palate intensity. The flavours are dark and quite long-lasting with a little bitter-chocolate. Very understated tannin – overall this is a very good wine with decent value, selling at only 2/3rds the price of the white version. Rebuy – Yes
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Yes (2011) |
By billn on August 29, 2011
This wine had the gpood fortune of following the Potel 09 Chardonnay – it was always going to taste nice by comparison… 2009 Olivier Père et Fils, Santenay Les Coteaux Sous La Roche (blanc) Medium-pale. The nose is quite buscuity/toasty bread with an underlying sweetness. In the mouth there’s lovely acidity and sweetness though to start it seems there’s a bit of a hole in the middle – give it a few minutes and the intensity increases and it comes into a good place. Everybody wanted a top-up from this one! Rebuy – Yes
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Yes (2011) |
