By billn on February 5, 2009
These vines typically cause all sorts of hard work when it comes to the annual harvest triage, but clearly the work and ‘dropped’ fruit are worth the effort. 2006 Camille Giroud, Volnay 1er Taillepieds Medium, medium-plus color. Initially a tight nose; floral high-tones and a darker oak base but for quite some time there is little more – patience raises a faint caramel impression as the barrel notes subside. In the mouth this is a little plump and furry from the ripe tannins and slides into a very long finish but one that’s currently dominated by oak. The concentration seems ample from the tight red fruit and though the acidity seems very understated you don’t really miss it until, perhaps, the finish. As it slowly [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Maybe (2009), Rebuy - Yes (2009) |
By billn on February 2, 2009
My cold seems to have abated and I only have to put up with a stupid cough. Unfortunately though, it meant I had to cancel 2 days of visits in the Côtes last week – still I shall be there this Friday as consolation… I have a few of these still in the cellar, so concerns about the stability (or not) of white burgundy pushed me into taking a peek. It seems that I shouldn’t worry… 2001 Alex Gambal St.Aubin 1er, Les Murgers des Dents de Chien The colour raises suspicious eyebrows – medium golden – but despite slightly heavy fruit aromas at first, the nose is rather clean and there’s not a trace of oxidation. A little swirling reveals rather young, mainly pineapple, fruit [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Yes (2009) |
By billn on January 28, 2009
My last bottle for a few days I suppose – I also just cancelled some lovely visits in the Côtes for the next two days – why? The blocked nose and the coughing; not what many vignerons want in their cellar and it’s clearly not a great introduction on your first visit! This bottle tasted lovely on day one, on day 2 I’d already lost most of my taste…2006 Domaine du Pavillon, Volnay 1er Santenots Hmmm – interesting wine. On the first sniff there was a hint of unwelcome aldehyde, on the second it was already transformed to flower petals. Slowly the aromas took on density if not so much depth. The flavour reminded me very-much of recently drunk Santenots – but on checking I [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Yes (2009) |
By billn on January 21, 2009
When typing up the notes from some domaine visits I made at the end of last year, I spied a couple of notes that slipped through the cracks of my (apparently not watertight) system. This was a ‘by chance’ tasting when I popped into Camille Giroud to say ‘hello’, only to find a group of winemakers and US ‘movers and shakers’ reaching the end of a spirited tour through the barrels. At first I declined a glass, but my resolve soon crumbled… 2004 Camille Giroud, Chambertin Deep, initially dominated by oaky notes though they quickly fade leaving a very tight aromatic profile – needs time in the glass. In the mouth it is dense, silky and with plenty of well covered structure. Sneakily long with [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - No Chance!, Rebuy - Yes (2009) |
By billn on January 19, 2009
2006 Long-Depaquit, Chablis Moutonne More of a tasting recollection as I’ve slept since drinking it! Medium-pale gold. The nose is classic seashore with a hint of savoury that could be an accent from a little barrel ferment. In the mouth there’s none of that blousy thing going on that some 2006′s show: it’s linear, mineral and rather savoury and also a beautiful wine with or without food – it was followed by a Girardin 2003 Corton-Charlemagne that was clearly more gregarious; richer and showing an extra dimesion in the mid-plate (good wine) yet was less successful during dinner – perhaps and hint more of acidity could have helped the Corton. I can currently buy the Moutonne at 60% the cost of the Fevre Le Clos, [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Maybe (2009), Rebuy - Yes (2009) |
By billn on January 16, 2009
2005 Thomas-Moillard, Pommard-Épenots Medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose retains a consistently understated mix of the mineral, plus dark, deep red fruit. In the mouth it’s a powerful blend of intense fruit that peaks in the mid-palate, decaying with a creamy edge, and showing just enough tannin to poke it’s faint astringency through the blanket of fruit extract – slightly exacerbated by hint of carbon dioxide. The finish is very understated, but lingering and entirely made up of non-barrel elements – you can’t say that for many. Not the ultimate in smooth sophistication that many 2005′s can display, but at a good price, this would be an easy rebuy recommendation. Built with the long-term in mind, but today (at least) relatively approachable. Rebuy – Yes
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Yes (2009) |
By billn on January 15, 2009
2006 Alex Gambal, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Amoureuses Started high-toned and diffuse – ouch, what’s happened here? – but 10 minutes in and the glass brings an ever-widening and ever-deepening palate of notes; deep, full, lightly sugar-coated cherries, swirling releases higher tones too – that’s more like it! In the mouth the first sip is also a little disconcerting, but following the path set by the nose, it fills out very nicely indeed – a broad range of flavours that amply fill the mouth. The fruit has none of the slightly distracting savoury element found in the Chambolle Charmes, but seems just a hint less ripe (no issue, just an observation), like-wise the tannin is finer, but clings a little harder to your gums as you [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Yes (2009) |
By billn on January 14, 2009
What with the previously opened St.Aubin and a waiting Amoureuses, it’s looking like ‘gambal corner’ here, but I really do want the opportunity to compare the chambolles. The 2005 Chambolle Charmes was a stunner, so how does this compare(?) 2006 Alex Gambal, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Charmes Medium, medium-plus cherry-red. A dense core of darkish cherry fruit is wrapped with some higher floral notes and a faint savoury note. In the mouth it’s concentrated, in fact it’s bursting with flavour, and though it’s quite fruit-driven, like the nose there’s also a savoury flavour here. The acidity is good, coupled to faintly grained tannin. The flavour in the finish seems a little dilute – it must be that late-appearing acidity making my mouth water – but there’s [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Yes (2009) |
By billn on January 11, 2009
The 2005 was just so good that I ‘needed’ to buy some 2006 – even without tasting! Actually the 2006 was the last vintage that Giroud had grapes from these 80 year-old vines – such a shame. This is much easier drinking than the 2005 – right from opening – as it seems to contain much less dissolved carbon dioxide. Anyway these are my first Giroud bottles with the new ‘livery’ – a cleaner and more contemporary design though not quite ‘there’ perhaps. 2006 Camille Giroud Gevrey-Chambertin En Champ Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose is a sweet concoction of very well dovetailed dark oak notes and equally dark cherry fruit. In the mouth you start softly, plenty of sweetness, though the fruit doesn’t seem too [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Yes (2009) |
By billn on January 7, 2009
I’ve always had a ‘special’ love for Clos St.Denis, and a bottle such as this does nothing to assuage my predilection! It’s still surprisingly ‘wide open’ and ‘giving’, it’s really a beauty. 2005 Bertagna, Clos St.Denis Medium-plus cherry-red colour. Whilst not the deepest, the nose offers many layers of fruit; red, bluer and blacker and then with a swirl you release violets – it’s a real beauty – give it time and it does deepen, showing a musky edge to the fruit and a faint caramel note. In the mouth it’s not over-ripe, and the first attack comes from the acidity, dragging with it a lovely intensity that peaks on the mid-palate before slowly decaying in a very long finish. The tannin is all-but hidden [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Yes (2009) |
By billn on January 1, 2009
Thanks for your messages, both here and in my mailbox. Here’s to 2009, let it be less ‘hard’ than many people are suggesting! A nice bottle to start the year: provided you live in ‘Euro-land’ (i.e. not buying with pounds or dollars) this is a real bargain at only a little over €30… 2005 Pierre Bourée, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Les Cazetiers A little more than medium colour. The nose is awash with iron-infused soil, milder stem smoke and minerals – it’s very, very nice. Medium bodied, with very good fruit that almost completely obscures the tannins. Depth and interest here despite it showing far from all it has. Good length. 2005 is clearly the perfect to vintage to buy from a producer with such a traditional [....]
Posted in Degustation, Rebuy - Yes (2009) |
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