By billn on October 16, 2008
For me the ‘average’ face of a mid-range 2003 is shown by the Beaune, and that’s the reason you don’t see many notes for 03′s on this page. The Pommard is altogether better, and comes close to being enjoyable! 2003 Albert Bichot, Beaune 1er Cru Medium red, still some hints of cherry. High tones that are reasonably fresh. The tannin is a little drying and the acid is a little sharp – certainly far from seamless.. Not a great balance here. Rebuy – No 2003 Albert Bichot, Pommard 1er Les Arvelets Medium, medium-plus red – again with just a hint of cherry-red. The nose is deeper with a savoury, meaty aspect. The acidity is just a little prickly, but this fades with time. The tannins [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Maybe (2008), Rebuy - No (2008) |
By billn on October 11, 2008
2006 Lamblin et Fils, Chablis Vieilles Vignes Pale yellow. The nose is bright and forward with plenty of candied fruit; pineapple and grapefruit. Mouth-filling and quite fat, the texture is very silky/oily. Certainly very rich for a villages and a massive bargain at 86 francs for 6 bottles – provided you don’t want for a little more acidity – and I do! I’ll certainly look out for the 2007 though! Rebuy – Maybe
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Maybe (2008) |
By billn on October 7, 2008
Drunk at lunch and dinner last week during the harvest in Beaune: 2006 Catherine et Claude Maréchal, Bourgogne Aligoté Apparently made in a ‘hyperoxigenated’ way. Medium yellow. The first aromas are high-toned over a base of fruit that reminds me of pinot blanc. In the mouth it starts a little spritzy but slowly became softer in the glass. Blind, I didn’t guess aligoté. Reasonably long, relatively light bodied but with good balance. Rebuy – Maybe 2006 Camille Giroud, Corton Chaumes 2 barrels, one new, made with 50% whole clusters from 90 year-old vines – sadly now ripped out and planted with chardonnay which may take the (more commercially attractive) Corton-Charlemagne appellation. Medium, medium-pale colour. The nose starts tight, slowly opening with red and blue-skinned fruit [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Maybe (2008), Rebuy - Yes (2008) |
By billn on October 1, 2008
2001 Sérafin Père et Fils, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Baudes Medium-plus colour – still holding onto that cherry-red hue. The nose is deep with sweet, dark oak and just as dark cherry floating above. In the mouth there’s plenty of oak-derived sweetness, and it’s dark, well toasted oak that mirrors the nose – on the positive side, it’s so well done that I have no expectation that it will become ‘ashy’ with time. The mouth-feel is plush, and the acidity helps push the mid-palate’s burst of interest well into a long finish. Hedonistic, yet despite trying to discount my lack of favour for the style, I still can’t get over the fact that I feel the chambolle-ness has been lost. Expertly made, very tasty and I [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Maybe (2008) |
By billn on September 28, 2008
As a post-script to the last 2 days, I think I do note drinking a glass or two. Here a modest selection drunk over the last two days: 2000 Camille Giroud, St.Aubin 1er Les Charmois Medium golden. High tones over slightly creamy base – quite vibrant if not an integrated whole. Ripe fruit offset by slightly bright acidity. Quite long, and certainly very tasty. Rebuy – Maybe 1987 Camille Giroud, Meursault 1er Les Perrières Medium golden. An understated nose that shows a little creamy wool. The palate is linear – perhaps (old) boney – but very smooth and rushes you into a reasonable – creamy again – finish just a little faster than you might wish for the appellation, but it’s probably the appellation that [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Maybe (2008), Rebuy - No (2008), Rebuy - No Chance!, Vintage 2008 |
By billn on September 22, 2008
Currently the only ‘other’ négoce St.Jacques I can think of outside of Dominique Laurent’s – though I’ve heard of a Patrice Rion(?) – drop me a line if you can think of others… 2004 Pierre Bourée, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Clos St.Jacques A rare négoce bottle of Clos St.Jacques. A deep core of already ruby-red colour – quite deeply coloured for a Bourée. The nose is the usual interesting blend of smoky Bourée stems a faint undertow of cedar, earthy Gevrey notes and another faint undertow of mushroom – the last droops in the glass hold a lovely pure redcurrant note. In the mouth there’s good texture; the plentiful tannins are not so astringent and are very well covered. There’s clearly plenty of concentration here, though the [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Maybe (2008) |
By billn on September 17, 2008
Beaune 1er cru blanc today! 2005 de Montille, Beaune 1er Blanc Les Aigrots Medium-pale yellow. Lot’s of high-toned, sherbet notes over stony fruit and occasional hints of brioche. Good freshness, and not too much of the plump fat you often get in white Beaune. Actually there seems a slight family resemblance to the domaine’s Puligny – though clearly the considerable depth of flavour in the mid-palate lack’s for the Puligny’s fineness. I’d like a little more focus on the nose, but there’s no doubting how tasty it is. Rebuy – Maybe
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Maybe (2008) |
By billn on September 4, 2008
2001 Mugneret-Gibourg, Vosne-Romanée Medium colour. The nose is just a little alcoholic at the top over pretty, spicy red cherry and occasional wafts of coffee. Lovely texture but at this age the ‘puppy-fat’ has faded and the acidity is now more to the fore – the overall effect is now ‘only just ripe’. Cool red, tart cherry-fruit remains at the core and the finish is quite long. Just a little gawky now, but there are a few in the cellar for another day. Rebuy – Maybe
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Maybe (2008) |
By billn on July 25, 2008
Another bottle from the man and his horse. A good wine, but it suffers in comparison to the wines of the last evenings… 2005 Olivier Guyot, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Champeaux Deep colour, some purple at the rim. After the two wines of Marchand-Grillot in the last nights, the nose is a little more diffuse with oak influenced coffee notes over an espresso depth. In the mouth this is intense and shows lovely acid balance and quite some extension into the finish. The flavours reflect the nose in that they are a little diffuse and oak dominated – no oak texture, but plenty of toasty coffee. Today this is more than a nose behind the M-G wines but I suspect will be much more together in a [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Maybe (2008) |
By billn on July 22, 2008
Suffers in comparison to the de Croix Charlemagne, but with the Mischief and Mayhem still in mind… 2005 Jean-Marc Boillot, Puligny-Montrachet Medium yellow. At first the nose shows some high-toast oak, but this slowly mellows to give a slightly diffuse but fresh and high-toned effect. The palate is fresh and balanced, but just a little dilute in the mid-palate. Medium length. Tasty but far from a benchmark. Rebuy – Maybe
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Maybe (2008) |
By billn on July 17, 2008
2005 Doudet-Naudin, Bourgogne Pinot Noir A large heavy bottle with a punt you could lose your fingers in, shame the attention to detail misses the cheapest of cheap plastic capsules. Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose starts with a little oak, but it’s quickly lost, becoming wider with plenty of high tones and a faintly cedar depth – eventually a nice red berry note too. Some fat and reasonable depth – in fact it’s very tasty. On the negative side the acidity is slightly lifted and the flavours are a little muddled together. Not exactly cheap for a bourgogne either at 20 Sfr, but far from a bad value bottle – and as I said it’s quite tasty. Rebuy – Maybe
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Maybe (2008) |
By billn on July 4, 2008
I think that Drouhin-Laroze are the only label you are likely to find for this 1er cru… 2005 Drouhin-Laroze, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Au Closeau Medium-plus cherry-red with plenty of purple at the rim. The nose doesn’t have too much depth, but the width is interesting with fresh, precise red cherry/berry notes and an edge of cream. Leave it a couple of hours and you end up with a more classic and forward earthy note edged with cream. Fresh and perfectly balanced with understated but relatively fine tannin. The tannin comes a little more to the fore with time. Not the concentration of many Gevrey 1ers from the vintage, indeed it just seems a little light until you get some 1er cru dimension in the mid-palate and length. Would [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Maybe (2008) |
