By billn on December 15, 2009
2006 Gaston et Pierre Ravaut, Ladoix Les Carrières Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose soars with beautiful raspberry and blackberry notes – it’s a peach – or maybe that’s confusing! There is some sweetness of fruit, nice texture and a significant length, but to be honest after a number of successful vintages in my cellar, this one is rather ‘acid rich’ – and that’s before it loses its puppy fat! The tannin has the faintest astringency, but nothing amiss there. I easily managed to find something to enjoy here, but other bottles will be a challenge in middle years… Rebuy – No
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - No (2009) |
By billn on December 9, 2009
1998 Robert Arnoux, Vosne-Romanée The last bottle of this was very good, and only drunk around two years ago, this bottle is not to the same standard. This one has a little volatility – slight cola – and some meaty aromas. The acidity is slightly lifted and there’s still just a hint of astringency showing from the tannins if you look hard enough. Decent length, but not so much love today. It was anyway my last bottle. Rebuy – No
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - No (2009) |
By billn on November 28, 2009
This wine was gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous on release. I would go as far as to say, that until the 2005 vintage it was easily one of the tastiest villages wines I’ve ever had the good fortune to buy. It wasn’t, however, all plain-sailing for my selection of 2001 Fourriers; my first Petits Vougeots was reductive and sullen – not great – though my recent bottle was a more-than pleasant surprise. Three years ago there was a disappointing Gruenchers that was volatile and not so pleasant – an aberration I thought. Earlier this year an American winemaker and burgundy enthusiast started to publish notes suggesting that his 2001 Fourriers were all turning volatile and needed to be drunk-up. I did of-course have the Gruenchers episode, but [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - No (2009) |
By billn on November 4, 2009
A surprisingly drinkable wine, if in a vintage style that doesn’t appeal (to me…) 2003 Marc Colin, St.Aubin 1er en Remilly Medium-plus golden colour. The nose is slightly tropical, and certainly ripe. In the mouth there is a roundness of shape and okay acidity – the mid-palate flavour has a good extra dimension that goes long in the finish. Just missing a little energy, but smuch better than I expected! Rebuy – No
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - No (2009) |
By billn on November 3, 2009
Ignoring for a second 2004, 1995 is the red vintage from recent memory that disappoints me the most – this wine is something of a poster-child for the vintage – it’s just not as good now as it was 5 years ago. The slightly hard personality is becoming more and more reminiscent of the 1994 vintage. Plenty of time left for an improvement I suppose… 1995 Dujac, Morey St.Denis Medium ruby-red colour with a faint browning at the rim. The nose is sweet and rather stemmy, there’s a faint beefy note that has me flirting with the notion of brett, and some mixed herbs. In the mouth the wine starts narrow, slowly opening over tongue. The acidity is a little sharp and metallic in flavour, [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - No (2009) |
By billn on September 27, 2009
Until I opened this bottle the concept of the green meanies (coccinelle, mirepoix, green, can’t smell anything or whatever suits you) was merely anecdotal to me in the context of white burgundy, and that despite such a luminary as Christophe Roumier telling me they were there for all to find. Anyway, until now I never noted it in whites, indeed I loved early-opened whites much more even than I did the reds… 2004 Françoise et Denis Clair, St.Aubin 1er Murgers Dents du Chien Last tasted April 2007 it was quite okay, today there starts a hint of mirepoix but it’s wrapped in a little cream so it’s far from offensive, it’s there in the finish too. Right now it’s been open for 30 minutes and [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - No (2009) |
By billn on August 13, 2009
After the ’98 Fevre, I thought it safe to pull out another – if you have any of these, I suggest you drink them quickly. Perhaps I’ll pull out the last of my ’98s – I have a Jadot Charlemagne somewhere. I hope that this informal trio (Fevre, JM Boillot & Jadot) don’t become the good, the bad and the ugly! 1998 Jean-Marc Boillot, Puligny-Montrachet This has medium colour, but the colour is hovering somewhere between golden and orange. The first aromas are tight, slightly honeyed but as it opens the oxidative character comes to the fore. In the mouth there’s good acidity, sweetness and above-average density – it’s quite silky too. Particularly impressive length with intensity and many dimensions that include creamy, caramelised fruits. [....]
Posted in Degustation, p.ox, Rebuy - No (2009) |
By billn on August 5, 2009
When last in Nuits I mentioned I had this wine the cellar and was informed by the Potel-team that I should probably open it as they had problems with the corks and 50% of the bottles were off. I had but one in the cellar so decided to pop the cork – it looked and smelled fine… 1998 Nicolas Potel, Romanée St.Vivant Double-decanted, poured after an hour. Plenty of lumpy sediment but no fine stuff to cloud things. The nose needs another 30 minutes to open, but it becomes wide and very Vosne; spicy, leafy, somehow ‘warm’ and textured smelling – overall it’s very good though not necessarily better than a (very) good 1er cru. The acidity is slightly forward – though not excessive – [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - No (2009) |
By billn on July 7, 2009
2000 Bouchard Père et Fils, Chablis 1er Montmains Just a little darker than last week’s 02 Perrières, but frankly nothing more than a medium gold – no alarm bells. The nose is deep, a little exotic and not really hinting of oxidation, more about toffee-edged fruit – not exactly Chablis-esque, but way-ahead of the Perrières. In the mouth it’s also better – but not by much, clearly showing a strong oxidative character. Actually quite drinkable – but tastes like a 20+ year-old wine. I’m not sure where the border is with respect to fair/not fair to complain about oxidised 1er cru Chablis – but I know it’s not 7 and a bit years after bottling… Rebuy – No
Posted in Degustation, p.ox, Rebuy - No (2009) |
By billn on July 3, 2009
I’d heard rumours of its demise, but only now have the rooks come home to roost (chez moi). The wine retains an overly optimistic young hue given that both the aromas and flavours are coloured by oxidation – this wine has passed. I will drink my last bottle over the weekend; either to enjoy or to further commiserate.
Posted in Degustation, p.ox, Rebuy - No (2009) |
By billn on June 20, 2009
Did I say normal service would be resumed? Well Friday evening’s bottle didn’t quite go to plan – it was horribly corked… (I hope tomorrow’s Mazis fares better!)
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - No (2009) |
By billn on June 12, 2009
1997 Robert Arnoux, Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Reignots Starts with dark, slightly dirty oak and some forest floor – slowly the forest floor fades to leave the oak and a slight roast coffee ground plus much fainter, greener herbal note – there is a little spiciness, but this is interesting, rather than captivating . Some sweetness though it is ‘balanced’ by acidity that’s a little tart and a lick of slightly astringent tannin. The sweetness is associated with the fruit, mainly red shaded in this vintage and hinting at cream too. There’s enough here to make me interested to try other vintages, but this wine is a poster-child to ‘not quite there 1997′. I gave it a bit more of a chance and left the last [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - No (2009) |
