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Despite getting into two bidding wars I lost out on most of the wines from last week's winebid including two 2010 Rollins which got me bidding in the first place - a Fretille and a Les Vergelesses. But I did pick up a 1990 Louviere and a 1986 Drouhin Chablis Vaudesir I had a 2010 Fichots from Rolli...

I'm with Greg on this. The only 2 bottles of 15 whites I got were Ramonet Saint Aubins! I avoided 15 whites in general, will be the same for 18s and 19s (both colors). Happy to pay up for better vintages. I own more 2015s than that, but not by too much, and I focused very specifically on producers ...

Given that I paid about $50 for the CM and $80 for the Ruchottes (including shipping, etc. from Cote d'Or Imports), they were great buys for me and I am happy to try to age them both a few more years. I hope you’re right for your sake; I’m pretty pessimistic. I think 15 in general was a very specif...

Given that I paid about $50 for the CM and $80 for the Ruchottes (including shipping, etc. from Cote d'Or Imports), they were great buys for me and I am happy to try to age them both a few more years. I hope you’re right for your sake; I’m pretty pessimistic. I think 15 in general was a very specif...

Been a while since I've seriously attacked some 03s - but all that I've drunk seem to have been in 'stasis' - a plateau that's lasted at least since 2010. The bad ones were already practically dead just 2-3 years after release, the rest have easy ripe fruit and a certain structure, sometimes lush a...

Howard, I wouldn’t think 1985 Bordeaux would qualify as a real surprise. Maybe that such a forward vintage would age so well and become so interesting? I’ve had many excellent examples in the last few years that I felt are on a long plateau of deliciousness. Real surprises for me to the upside amon...

We have done a number of times the producers we each have the most of but I cannot remember doing this by vintage: Red: 1 2005 2. 2010 3. 2009 4. 2008 5. 2006 Looking back at these, I think a few factors are in play here other than vintage quality. Surely, 2005 and 2010 are vintage quality. Certain...

Howard, I wouldn’t think 1985 Bordeaux would qualify as a real surprise. Maybe that such a forward vintage would age so well and become so interesting? I’ve had many excellent examples in the last few years that I felt are on a long plateau of deliciousness. Real surprises for me to the upside amon...

I know this is an extremely early call, but I've been really surprised by 2017 Burgundy. After a few examples that were watery and thin, I was ready to mostly ignore the descriptions as a "giving, early-drinking vintage". But over the past couple of months I've been really impressed by a few select...

2001 left bank Bordeaux - I always thought it was very good, but these days it’s delicious. I agree 100%. Feel the same about 2004. Todd disagree, but we all know he has a Cali-palate! [wow.gif] I think 2004 is a great classic vintage - I've been drinking Pontet Canet and Gruaud Larose for years, a...

We have done a number of times the producers we each have the most of but I cannot remember doing this by vintage: Red: 1 2005 2. 2010 3. 2009 4. 2008 5. 2006 Looking back at these, I think a few factors are in play here other than vintage quality. Surely, 2005 and 2010 are vintage quality. Certain...

Thanks for the update. I only got a couple bottles, but the price at the Zachy's auction (about $250) was too good to pass up given today's crazy Jamet pricing. That said, we may be seeing cheaper Jamet and everything else if the bottom drops out of the wine market as I kind of expect it to do. I'm...

John Morris wrote: ↑
March 24th, 2020, 9:04 am
Thanks for the note. Interesting that you liked this better than the 05 Voillot Volnay.

The few 05s I’ve had recently haven’t been fun to drink, so I’m not that surprised. Every 05 I own is buried in storage.

Right before things accelerated about a week ago, I picked up: '04 Jamet 'Cote Brune' '15 Fourrier Gevrey 'Combe Aux Moines' A few '99 Pousse d'Or 1ers Now, I'm keeping my powder mostly dry to see how the markets shake out: stock market, legal services market, wine market ... The Jamet 04 was the o...

Greg did you pop a Levet? I have a Maggie of the 04 La Chav. Thoughts on optimal window to open? Yes - the lineup was Levet, Michel's Geynale, Clape, Verset, Levet's Chavaroche, Sorrel le Greal and both Allemands. Consensus was that the Reynard was the best wine, Levet was probably second best. Sor...

Right before things accelerated about a week ago, I picked up: '04 Jamet 'Cote Brune' '15 Fourrier Gevrey 'Combe Aux Moines' A few '99 Pousse d'Or 1ers Now, I'm keeping my powder mostly dry to see how the markets shake out: stock market, legal services market, wine market ... The Jamet 04 was the o...

The '14 was surprisingly open and giving around 3 weeks ago. Most 14s Barolos I've opened have been open - it's not a long lived vintage, no harm in opening them now. A 2014 Rupestris was excellent on pop and pour. Personally, I think the 15 edition of the Monvigliero is a considerably better wine ...

Hudelot Noellat, the Suchot especially.

Another vote for the 15.

Not sure this will matter for most. I went to Cagen Sake Bar last night and they only had 3 customers in the 2.5 hours I was there. Restaurants are hurting bad. And all Asian restaurants have been hurting since this started. I know everyones comfort level is different, if you can, go out and suppor...

i'm sure everyone has seen this but here ya go anyway https://ny.eater.com/2020/3/12/21175439/coronavirus-nyc-restaurant-capacity-reduce yikes Not sure this will matter for most. I went to Cagen Sake Bar last night and they only had 3 customers in the 2.5 hours I was there. Restaurants are hurting ...

Nice, concise TN. I have three, haven't opened one yet. Would opening one now be a waste (I don't have a ton of experience with ageing Côte-Rôtie)? I think this is in a good place to open, personally. I like the "Rule of 15" for Northern Rhones generally, but this bottling is on the more generous s...

I have a strong aversion to oak in chardonnay, so have never liked PYCM's style, but was incredibly impressed by his grand crus . Almost feels like they're made by a different producer than the 1ers. Nice to have your preconceptions shattered sometimes. Wow, you have swung to the dark side! I alway...

R. Frankel wrote: ↑
March 9th, 2020, 7:16 pm

Gus Siokis wrote: ↑
March 9th, 2020, 6:48 pm
Just had to show your AMEX....and they would let you in.
You must have showed yours with the secret handshake. I showed mine and got turned away. I had to console myself with Vogue Bonnes Mares.

Adding insult to injury!

It's interesting to read people's perspectives! I thought 17 was a pretty vintage but very producer driven - i.e., if you like the producer, you'll probably like it (unlike, say, 16, where it was hard to make bad reds). Overall, I thought the 17 reds were charming but mostly on the lighter side, whi...

Gerhard P. wrote: ↑
March 3rd, 2020, 1:41 pm
THIS
Greg K wrote: ↑
March 3rd, 2020, 8:34 am
... Chapoutier wines aren’t very good imho.
...
was exaggerated (imho) ... but of course you are entitled to your ho ...

No, it's not exaggerated, because it's clearly qualified as my opinion. My opinion is that Chapoutier wines aren't very good.

There was absolutely nothing flawed about the 1990 Sizeranne, it was just a not very good bottle of Hermitage (it is not Côte Rotie). Chapoutier wines aren’t very good imho. .... Yes, sure, my mistake ... a mental leap maybe due to holding a bottle of Chapoutier 1990 Cote-Rotie in my hands two days...

There was absolutely nothing flawed about the 1990 Sizeranne, it was just a not very good bottle of Hermitage (it is not Côte Rotie). Chapoutier wines aren’t very good imho. Last I checked, Gilman gave it a 78. My palate doesn’t always align with John’s (though it does often), but he’s spot on in th...

I’ve also had nothing but great interactions.

wspohn wrote: ↑
March 1st, 2020, 8:17 am
OTOH, I have slowly worked my way through almost a case of 1993 La Sizeraine, some good some not so much, and the last one I opened was the best I have ever tasted.

To each their own!

Ramon C wrote: ↑
February 29th, 2020, 4:12 pm
Have had most of the Northern Rhone producers in earlier vintages. Not that surprised that the non-Northern Rhone (go Rieussec!) won in this one.

Yeah.....I’ve literally poured most of the 1990 Sizeranne down the drain because no one liked it.

Ham W wrote: ↑
February 29th, 2020, 5:17 pm
Ok. So how do you handle all the wine? Lots of spitting?

Yes.

Greg, I am not sure I would agree with that. I think your first obligation is with the people on your table and the winemaker, who will be pouring for you. After table pours, you usually end up with around a third of a bottle, enough to table hop and make new friends. A couple of years ago, we had ...

From the Marvelous collection at Flat Iron Wine - hope the 1985 is still good. Was looking for a birth year wine for my wife. La Jota, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 1985 L'Aventure, Paso Robles Optimus, 2001 Nice! I snagged the 2001 Robert Michel Geynale from the same cellar You beat me to that -...

Here we are... now that you have "full confession" from the man, you feel yourself authorized to lynch him publicly. Next move is what ? Spit on his grave ? File a lawsuit arguing he poisoned billionnaires in full consciousness ? This seems a bit of an extreme response, Emmanuel. That’s my opinion....

Exactly how would you suggest that "real stats" be developed???? The wines are not in one place. They are scattered all around the world in different cellars. I really don't understand what you suggest doing in your pie in the sky approach. We all come to this board to get information that helps in...

Thanks for the notes Herwig. Was the third wine was a Jacques Carillon (as opposed to the Folatieres from Francois)?

Meanwhile, a friend brought a 2013 Pierre Morey Perrieres to dinner last night. You'll never believe it, but it was advanced.

Without real stats and solid provenance tracking, not anecdotes, generalizations are tough. Still I see both sides of the argument above about anecdotal experiences. While I do enjoy Don’s yearly report and think Don’s tastings and experience are valuable, and no doubt identify premox problems anec...

William Kelley wrote: ↑
February 21st, 2020, 8:10 am
BTW, you guys have evidently not been in the habit of reading your labels very closely. None of the DRC wines, for example, say "Grand Cru" on the label...

But William, that's how I know my bottles of Duval-Blochet are real!

Not that I agree with Emmanuel, but before we totally blow him out of the water with nuclear weapons, realize that a tasting of these wines in LA may yield totally different results than a tasting of the same wines in France. the wines that made it to LA have very likely been exposed to more oxidat...

Sorry to develop quixotic thesis. Apparently affirming that 2011 vintage has a 20pct premox rate on the basis of 60 wines tasted only one time does not call questions. Well noted. Thanks Being obtuse on a message board is only a winning strategy if your goal is to be an *sshole. 1. Don’s argument i...

86 Pichon Lalande is great. My experiences with Gruaud have been a bit variable, but when on its also very good.

Seems that Pierre-Yves Collin Morey is on the eligible list judging by the huge number of his wines present at the diner. I would call this statistically representative of PYCM production at least ! Congrats also for having cracked the mysteries of premox: DIAM closure is the solution.... until it ...

Thanks Gerhard......the voice of reason as always. An interesting sentiment. Some wine drinkers are very averse to oak. Some less so. Some not at all. It’s not a matter of reason, it’s a matter of preference. Whether or not one likes wine made Guigal or think they have a lot of typicity doesn’t mak...

I’ve had multiple advanced bottles of 2011 Pierre Morey; am surprised by the strong reaction.

Thanks for the notes Don. And agreed on the Pillot Clos St. Marc; with a few years it’s a great wine.

Thanks Gerhard......the voice of reason as always. An interesting sentiment. Some wine drinkers are very averse to oak. Some less so. Some not at all. It’s not a matter of reason, it’s a matter of preference. Whether or not one likes wine made Guigal or think they have a lot of typicity doesn’t mak...

I never understood the AFWE aversion to these wines. Why would the AFWE crowd have an aversion to a wine so larded with new oak so that 20 years in it can have absolutely zero varietal typicity, let alone geographical typicity? It’s a complete mystery. I have no idea what the AFWE is thinking, but ...

Kent Comley wrote: ↑
February 13th, 2020, 7:53 pm
Interesting, this wine very obviously Shiraz, and the oak was well integrated, and I have quite an aversion to new oak.

I’m glad you liked it!

Nathan Smyth wrote: ↑
February 13th, 2020, 7:30 pm
I never understood the AFWE aversion to these wines.

Why would the AFWE crowd have an aversion to a wine so larded with new oak so that 20 years in it can have absolutely zero varietal typicity, let alone geographical typicity?

It’s a complete mystery.

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