Dinner with David and friends at la Trompette:
1996 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Rosé - France, Champagne (22/06/2017)
Pink/Amber colour. Took a while for nose to open. lovely, rounded, sweet honey and red fruits. Still vibrant mousse. I don’t really “get” pink champagne normally but this was really fabulous.
2007 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Valmur - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru (22/06/2017)
Light yellow colour with hint of gold. Smokey nose. Notes of lemons, cold, rolled steel and oyster shell. Nice, but lacking the oomph of the Clos.
1999 Coche-Dury Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru (22/06/2017)
The last bottle from an original case of 12! Those were the days! Golden colour but still years to go. Classic Coche, matchstick nose. Lovely balance and persistence but ultimately not as exciting as one might expect for such an illustrious wine.
1996 Domaine Leroy Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru (22/06/2017)
Dark, saturated colour. Classic Leroy profile - smooth, polished and luxurious palate. Silky but with plenty of dry tannin still on the finish. Needs another ten years!
2002 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru (22/06/2017)
Obviously young but basically faultless at this stage! Smooth, coiled palate with perfect balance. Super rich black fruit and spices. Will continue to evolve beautifully from here for at least a few decades.
1988 Alain Hudelot-Noellat Richebourg - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru (22/06/2017)
Pale red colour with plenty of bricking at the edges. Fragrant nose with slightly herbal elements. Beautiful, spicy, red fruits on the palate. Very smooth although dried out a bit later on. Still a delicious wine.
1991 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru (22/06/2017)
Still a dark colour in the glass. Gorgeous nose and palate of spicy sour cherries. Smooth palate but still with years to go. Superb.
1991 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (22/06/2017)
The most elegant of the 3 91 La Las. Really lovely and quite beguiling.
1991 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (22/06/2017)
Lightest colour of the 3 91 La Las tonight. Sweet red fruits and caramel. Finish was all about the caramel sweetness.
1991 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (22/06/2017)
Really super. (Note taking was declining by this stage of the evening!)
1986 Meerlust Cabernet Sauvignon - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch (22/06/2017)
A late addition to the party. Impressive showing in this company. Fully mature/resolved and with a lovely core of red fruits.
Lunch with Tim at 67 Pall Mall.
2003 Pazo de Señoráns Albariño Rías Baixas Selección de Añada - Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas (13/07/2017)
Served from a magnum via coravin. Recommended by another member, this was spectacular. Bordering off dry, golden colour, Wonderfully rich nose and palate with fantastic length. Honeyed notes with wild flowers. Really a very special wine.
1947 Château Lafite Rothschild - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (13/07/2017)
Last pour from a coravined magnum at 67 Pall Mall. Faded red colour with hints of brown. Utterly incredible on the palate though. Beautiful, delicate but intense and incredibly persistent red fruits. What a privilege to taste this.
1970 Château Latour Grand Vin - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (13/07/2017)
Last pour from a coravined magnum at 67 Pall Mall. Much darker colour than the 47 lafite. Absolutely classic Latour. Lots of cedar and regal, dark fruits. A point but I suspect it could add some more complexity and charm as the decades pass from here, certainly in magnum format.
Wine shoot out and barbecue at Geoff’s with friends:
1998 Henriot Champagne Cuvée des Enchanteleurs Brut - France, Champagne (15/07/2017)
Nice showing but still quite compact relative to the 95 heidsieck alongside it. I’d give it another 5-10 years to really strut its stuff.
1995 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Blanc des Millénaires - France, Champagne (15/07/2017)
Lovely as ever. Hints of oxidative age and starting to broaden. Such a great value champagne.
1995 Mongeard-Mugneret Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (15/07/2017)
From magnum. First pour was very dark, rich and full of pine sap and tar. Very spicy and vigorous. Quite a classic 95 showing in a very good way. Second pour was much softer and a little dilute.
2005 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru (15/07/2017)
From magnum. Surprisingly soft and attractive at this early stage but equally quite simple and unevolved.
1985 Château Mouton Rothschild - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (15/07/2017)
I was clearly in the minority here as I thought this wine was sufficiently sweaty and cheesy to be faulty but it was voted overall WOTN by the group! Behind the sweat and cheese was a herbal, red fruited wine bit a bit pinched on the finish.
1986 Château Margaux - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (15/07/2017)
Deliciously sweet, dark red, fruits (blackcurrents). Beautifully elegant with intense, sweet fruit. Loved this although second pour was a little less vivacious.
1983 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (15/07/2017)
As usual, a superb showing. Rich, dark fruited palate of figs and some truffle action. Absolutely a point. I guess I prefer the slightly grassy, herbal, less ripe vintages like this over the superstar, riper vintages.
1995 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (15/07/2017)
From magnum. Dark, rich, young and very promising. Lovely balance and a bright future ahead.
2003 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Inspiration - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (15/07/2017)
From magnum. Uncorked and left to slow ox for 8 hours then double decanted back into the bottle 4 hours before serving. Lovely and surprisingly elegant nose of flowers and sweet fruits on the nose. Richly/Luxuriously fruited on the palate but still surprisingly elegant. No question you can feel the alcohol but it’s not at all OTT. No idea how this would age from here but it was certainly in a good place tonight.
2005 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Plume du Peintre - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (15/07/2017)
This suffered next to the 03 inspiration as it was only opened just before serving. A somewhat impenetrable wall of compact, dark fruit and alcohol at the moment. Needs a lot of time, at least a decade or so but probably has the class to be something really special in 20 years time.
DPdinner at Medlar
2002 Union Champagne de Saint Gall Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Orpale Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (17/07/2017)
Served blind. Pale yellow gold colour. Reticent nose. Clean, crisp, refreshing. Seems like a BdB. Cooler 2nd pour shows some oyster shells on palate. Good stuff.
1998 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon - France, Champagne (17/07/2017)
Rich, toasted bread nose. Sweet finish as it aired. Again, developed some slippery oyster shell notes with air. Starting to drink really well.
2000 Dom Perignon Champagne - France, Champagne (17/07/2017)
Broader and darker coloured than the 02 with a bruised apple note on the nose. Quite a broad mouthfeel too with lots of slippery oyster shell tones.
2002 Dom Perignon Champagne - France, Champagne (17/07/2017)
Interesting spearmint note on the nose. Vigorous initial mousse softens quickly in the mouth. Crisp, fresh and nicely balanced with a hint of black treacle on the palate giving it a slightly bitter finish. Started to broaden a bit with air but still very tight
1993 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon - France, Champagne (17/07/2017)
Surprise of the night. From an unheralded vintage, this showed very well indeed. More burnt toast and oyster shell notes together with a lovely whiff of delicate perfume on the nose. Palate cleans up with air too and becomes very pure.
1995 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon - France, Champagne (17/07/2017)
Darker colour and broader nose than the 96 alongside. Bit richer and darker all round. Dark treacle notes with air. At peak but likely to hold for a good while from here.
1996 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon - France, Champagne (17/07/2017)
Just slight hint of gold in the colour. Wonderfully pure and balanced with only a tiny hint of broadening at this stage. Has everything to be a truly great DP in another decade or so. Amazing to consider how young this showed in every way relative to any 1996 white burgundy out there.
1982 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon - France, Champagne (17/07/2017)
Almost as astonishingly young as the 85 served alongside. Pale amber colour. Great balance and purity with sweet sherbet on the palate and hints of tertiary development coming too. Really fantastic. This and the 85 were almost identical to the first time I had the wines side by side - 15 years ago!1985 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon - France, Champagne (17/07/2017)
An astonishingly young showing compared any of the numerous experiences I’ve had of the 85 over the last decade. Pale gold colour. All in all, quite a bit less developed than the 95! Fresh, crisp on the palate with only hints of ageing. Remarkable provenance for this bottle.
1990 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon - France, Champagne (17/07/2017)
The only let down of the evening. Quite an advanced, amber colour. Still a vigorous mousse initially but a very one note, sweet palate rather than offering extra complexity from the age.
Clos de Vougeot dinner at Stannary:
2001 Domaine Georges Mugneret/Mugneret-Gibourg Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (18/07/2017)
Initially, served too cold. Violets and purple fruits on the nose. Surprisingly soft, almost flabby. Eventually, quite persistent fruit with a good finish did emerge. Given the 1er cru 01s I’ve had from MG, this was a little disappointing.
2006 Domaine Georges Mugneret/Mugneret-Gibourg Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (18/07/2017)
From magnum. Again, lots of purple and red/black fruit on the nose and palate. Ripe, explosive fruit but still precise. Obviously, still young/tight but great balance and promise. Really lovely.
1996 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (18/07/2017)
Still dark, fully saturated colour. Very young showing. Great balance and very elegant with lots of blackcurrants. Really classy wine. Typically tight for a 96 but no unbalanced acidity. Has the potential to be great in another decade or so as it unfurls.
2007 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (18/07/2017)
Rich, highly perfumed nose and palate. Real depth and volume, unlike most 07s in my experience. Drinking beautifully now. A real crowd pleaser.
1964 Domaine Jaboulet-Vercherre Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (18/07/2017)
Initially, quite bretty and unclean on the nose and palate but really cleaned up and became quite pure with air. Very dark colour indicated something of a traditional rhone blend…! Very nice, attractive brambly red fruit on the palate.
1995 Domaine Leroy Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (18/07/2017)
Classic Leroy in every way. Lots of ripe, dark fruit with a lovely polished mouthfeel. Tired a bit with air but none of the typical 95 hardness here.
1996 Domaine Leroy Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (18/07/2017)
Richer, smoother and deeper than the 95 served alongside. Really classy, elegant and persistent. Plenty of focus but no unbalanced 96 acidity here. Clear WOTN for me and most others present
1997 Domaine Leroy Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (18/07/2017)
Again, dark colour and fruit profile bnut a bit unbalanced, inelegant. Lots of black olives and bitterness on the mid palate and finish. Seems Lalou is human after all and couldn’t overcome the vintage’s deficiencies here.
1999 Domaine Anne Gros Clos Vougeot Le Grand Maupertui - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (18/07/2017)
Black colour and fruit profile. Super chewy and dry on the palate. Highly extracted. Softened a bit with air but this was another 99 that simply needs a lot more time.
2002 Domaine Anne Gros Clos Vougeot Le Grand Maupertui - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (18/07/2017)
Not much 02 charm here! All violets, purple fruit on the nose. A soft entry of super dark, spicy fruits then the steel doors come down hard.
2002 Domaine Denis Mortet Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (18/07/2017)
Clearly the most approachable of this flight. Still only a little more open. Violets and red/black fruits on the nose and palate. Good depth and quite a bit smoother and more elegant.
2002 Domaine Jacques Prieur Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (18/07/2017)
Again, super chewy tannins and quite extracted. Lots of spicy dark fruit and violets. Exactly what we were afraid most of the clos de vougeots this evening would be like - rustic and not much charm here! Needs decades. Reading Rovani’s note (96-99 points!) on this was really very amusing!
2000 Alain Hudelot-Noellat Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (18/07/2017)
Classic aged H-N - elegant, red fruited and brambly. Slightly herbal/horsey but in a good way Clearly, the most charming and drinkable this evening.
2010 Maison Albert Bichot Clos Vougeot Domaine du Clos Frantin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (18/07/2017)
Not easy to get much of a read on this at this early stage in its life. masses of purple fruits/violets on the nose and quite a bit of alcohol showing. On the palate, lots of ripe, red fruits.
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