06 domaine du pavillon volnay santenots

By billn on January 28, 2009 #degustation

Albert Bichot's Domaine du Pavillon Volnay 1er SantenotsAlbert Bichot Profile
Albert Bichot's Domaine du Pavillon Volnay 1er Santenots
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 Santenotstry to find this wine...
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 was surprised to see that my last two were both from 2005, not 2006. There is width, a smattering of faintly astringent tannin and then a lovely extra dimension of creamy red fruit in the mid-palate. Just ripe enough and nicely plump yet almost good enough acidity. This is a very lovely glass and though perhaps missing a comparative hint of intensity, can stand next a decent bottle from 2005. Based on the price I paid, and by recent standards this is a super value bottle.
Rebuy – Yes

still one piece…

By billn on January 26, 2009 #travel#travel pics

Back from a ski-race weekend, and no bones broken – it wasn’t for the want of trying though! – however, spandex induced, higher-speed than anticipated, schuss errors are just part of a weekend’s fun! I would have easily achieved my target if I hadn’t had to go back 20 metres up the hill for an errant ski then trudge up the hill I should have aced – still there’s always next year…

The picture below is of some silly boys dressed in 1920’s gear who made the 9.6km downhill course (curtailed due to avalanche concerns higher up the hill) with the old wooden skis and bindings – they probably still beat me. The green man is after the day before’s ‘training’ in the mist and rain (yuk!).

Fortunately I appear to have miss-placed the pics of me in lycra…..

tasmanian champers and hunter valley white bordeaux

By billn on January 22, 2009 #other sites#the market

It’s a purely Australian view, but this article did more than enough to make me smile:

When I asked him why he’d changed the name of his Richmond Grove blend of chardonnay and semillon from Richmond Grove Pinot Riesling to Richmond Grove Semillon Chardonnay, he clarified the issue thus: “Pinot riesling doesn’t mean very much at all. Chardonnay’s not pinot chardonnay and I don’t think riesling in the context of pinot riesling means very much. I mean riesling is semillon and pinot is chardonnay, and we have more semillon in the wine than chardonnay, so it should be semillon chardonnay.”

notefinder updated…

By billn on January 22, 2009 #site updates

notefinder
Just to let you know that I’ve updated the NoteFinder database, so there’s nearly another 200 notes in there. There are now well over 300 notes each on 2005 and 2006 wines in bottle. Hope it’s useful!

I’ll be away the next couple of days, so no updates and probably not many bottles either – I shall be trying to be ‘sportif’!

2 from giroud

By billn on January 21, 2009 #degustation

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, Chambertintry to find this wine...
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 an edge of barrel flavour. A wine that begs a few years in bottle, but seems to have good potential. The funny thing is that the majority of Giroud 04’s that I’ve tasted don’t have much 04 taint – the ladybirds were there, I photo’d them, maybe it’s not them – but who’s complaining this wine’s lovely.
Rebuy – Yes
1976 Camille Giroud, Clos St.Denistry to find this wine...
The nose starts like many old Girouds with that Italian ‘botti’ aroma, however, not much swirling is required to consign that to history as a frankly beautiful floral aroma fills the glass – spectacular. The taste is quite okay but cannot come close to the beauty of the nose; fat, mouth-filling, still some fine-grained tannin. No fireworks here – merely fine.
Rebuy – No Chance!

resveratol again

By billn on January 20, 2009 #a bit of science#other sites

Chemistry & Industry, 22 December 2008It seems mandatory that the word resveratol must be accompanied by hype and pseudo science in any article – particularly when seen in any of the ‘wine press’. From Chemistry and Industry Magazine is yet another optimistic vignette, but at least there is some ‘real’ science content:

“Resveratol in wine has been hailed as the elixir of youth and cure for many ailments. It occurs in the seeds and skins of grapes and has reputed anti-tumor, antioxidant and antimicrobial action. It has even allowed for a longer life.
Resveratol prolongs the lifespan of flies, mice and yeast, similar to the effects of a starvation diet, and is believed to work by promoting sirtuin, a protein that helps to repair chromosomes. This wonder polyphenol is more prominent in red wines and especially Pinot Noir.
Many effects were reported from lab studies where the chemical was applied in unnaturally high doses, and you would have to consume buckets of red Burgundy to get the same dose. But not to worry, since Sirtis, a company founded by Harvard University scientist David Sinclair, has begun testing mimics of resveratol. One of these mimics is called SRT1720 and was reported last month to protect mice on fatty diets from getting obese and to enhance their endurance on treadmills. It was lauded as the cure for ‚couch potatoes’. But such mimics are potentially suitable as drugs since they activate sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) at lower doses than resveratol.
SRT1720 tricks the body into thinking food is scarce and has to burn fat to survive. Sirtris believes resveratol mimics could potentially treat diseases such as diabetes, inflammation, cancer and heart disease. According to ceo Christoph Wesphal: ‚The body of clinical data supporting the role of SIRT1 activation as a viable mechanism for treating a broad range of diseases of metabolism and aging is growing’. The company has obviously attracted the right attention; Sirtris was acquired by GlaxoSmithKline during the summer.
Blueberries and pomegranates are good natural sources of resveratol, and it is sold in supplements derived from Japanese knotweed, though some doubt whether this source contains much active ingredient. But functional foods and drinks are another possibility. A Texan university plans to genetically modify yeast to produce the wonder compound so that beer drinkers can similarly imbibe this tonic in their favourite tipple”.

06 chablis moutonne long-depaquit + girardin 03 charlemagne

By billn on January 19, 2009 #degustation

Chablis Grand Cru Moutonne, Long-Depaquit
Chablis Grand Cru Moutonne, Long-Depaquit
2006 Long-Depaquit, Chablis Moutonnetry to find this wine...
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, and about the price of a good maker’s village Puligny – a very nice and good value bottle.
Rebuy – Yes
So, for the record:
2003 Vincent Girardin, Corton-Charlemagnetry to find this wine...
Deeper yellow. The nose is dense and more obviously displays ripe fruit. In the mouth it’s well textured, even slightly oily, and suddenly widens to great effect in the mid-palate. A perfect wine for sipping alone – it just needs a little extra acidity to lift it to the next level – but finishes well.
Rebuy – Maybe

a weekend on the piste

By billn on January 18, 2009 #travel

klosters madrisa end of the run

Just back from Klosters, trying to remember how to ski – better late than never I suppose as I’m ‘racing’ next weekend – in the Inferno Rennen in Mürren. Nobody mention lycra suits….

thomas-moillard 2005 pommard 1er épenots

By billn on January 16, 2009 #degustation

Thomas-Moillard Pommard-Épenots
Thomas-Moillard Pommard-Épenots
2005 Thomas-Moillard, Pommard-Épenotstry to find this wine...
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

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