one or two holiday bottles…

Update 3.1.2016(1.1.2016)billn

Just a modest selection that’s kept mind and soul together over the last days; but quickly going through (most of) them:

2001 Mugneret-Gibourg, Vosne-Romanée
Really something of a modest disappointment – though consistent with previous bottles; fine bones, sleek, but modest, indeed dilute – not a patch on the flamboyance of its youth – at least at near 15 years old!
2005 Alex Gambal, St.Aubin 1er Murgers du Dents du Chien
Wow – one of the best surprises of Christmas – big, deep, complex, somewhat reductive with a modest struck-match. Just a brilliant, brilliant wine – Bravo!
1998 Pol Roger (Mag)
My last of 6. As good as any – beautiful, sleek, complex, elegant drinking – also the last glass on day 2!
2009 J.Moreau, Chablis Valmur (Mag)
Lovely wine with a certain fat but insinuating sweetness and lovely acidity. An absolute wow with people who just want a nice glass of wine.
2000 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée St.Vivant
My last of three and easily the best. Just wonderful on every level – everyone was complimenting it – so I didn’t tell them what it would cost to buy one today!
2000 Finca Altimera Malbec
Dark, almost black, concentrated – seems like a baby, a very tasty baby. Just a great contrast to the DRC.
2008 Alex Gambal, St.Aubin 1er Murgers du Dents du Chien (Mag)
Lovely with a very faint reduction that starts like toasty oak before vanishing. Nicely layered and with lovely acidity. The second half on day two was even better – just a beautiful wine. Not as good as the 05 this Christmas but damn fine.
2001 Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc
Lovely, lovely wine. Fine, precise, beautiful acidity with a subtly excellent finish. The 2008 Dents du Chien was a little more crowd pleasing, but this was lovely.
2007 Mugneret-Gibourg, Bourgogne
This smelled rather nice and open. In the mouth there was good fruit and just a faint spikiness to the acidity – not the most perfectly balanced wine, but easy to drink.
2010 Jean-Marc Bouley, Volnay
This seemed deep and concentrated, a little impenetrable to start, but give it about 3 hours and there’s complexity and even a little elegance. Very enjoyable now, but only if you carafe!
1998 Bouchard Père, Nuits St.Georges 1er Clos St.Marc
I’d been planning to open this when it was 20, but every time I searched for something in the cellar this seemingly popped up shouting ‘me!’ This day I succumbed. It is indeed still a little young – but grand cru in every dimension – what a brilliant wine – complex, powerful and with great dimension. Red surprise of the Christmas.
2005 Mischief & Mayhem, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Champs Gain
Just a faint whiff of oxidation- but faint enough to add complexity not sadness. Big in the mouth but with a truly super line of minerality in the long finish. Holding on and still a great performance.
2005 Potel-Aviron, Morgon Côte du Py
The 11th of 12 – and all have been frankly super. Dark coloured, complex, not obviously gamay. Just a bottle that was very much enjoyed in the same context as all the other more expensive bottles.
2010 Edmond Monnot, Maranges 1er Clos des Rois
Wide-open, pretty red fruit. A certain complexity and freshness. Engaging, indeed faultless!
2009 David Clark, Bourgogne Au Pelson
Lighter colour than many. Floral and pretty (100% whole cluster). Engaging, complex and lovely drinking already.
2009 Chézeaux/Ponsot, Griotte-Chambertin
Do I not like those ardea closures! Damn near impossible to remove with a waiter’s friend, hard enough with a screw-pull! I almost broke the ‘cork’ it was so hard sealed – others I’ve cracked the glass! Anyway, deep, dark, glossy, ripe. Full in the mouth, full-flavoured too. Very one-dimensional today, though it does come out of its shell a little after a few hours. Hard to tell its from Burgundy before that!
2006 Camille Giroud, Gevrey-Chambertin En Champs
Lighter coloured, less intense but prettier aromas. In the mouth it’s sleeker and less rich, but the mid-palate to finishing flavour is beautifully complex, indeed just beautiful, despite a faint vanilla note. Lovely and much nicer than a freshly opened 09 Griotte!
Billecart-Salmon NV Brut Reserve
Lovely, fresh, almost mandarin notes – easy (and fast!) drinking!
1993 JJ Confuron, Clos de Vougeot
Ouf! What do I have in the glass before me(?)
Medium-plus colour of indeterminate middle-age but no browning.
Deep, herby and spicy aromas, massively scaled, and something of a cool, almost dismissive stance.
Mouth-filling, beautifully textured, indeed a little richness to this texture. Growing intensity and rather massively concentrated.
The flavours are also a little herby but also very complex with quite enough sweetness and seemingly resolved tannin – yet – this wine shouts out that it needs 10 years more in the cellar.
Honestly this is something massive, and I have the impression of much, much oak in its youth, but, I don’t know if I like it or not. It’s far too early to love it. Day 2 this was much more drinkable – I think I caught myself enjoying it 😉 The 1993 Jadot Clos de Vougeot is as good a wine as I’ve had in the whole year (behind an incredible 1971 Chambertin) but this Clos de Vougeot is far too young to make such pronouncements!

Agree? Disagree? Anything you'd like to add?

There is one response to “one or two holiday bottles…”

  1. Sycamore2nd January 2016 at 5:53 amPermalinkReply

    Wow — what a list. Thanks for the notes. Happy New Year, Bill!

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