BURGUNDY, BORDEAUX, AND CALIFORNIA - DUJAC, PYCM, LAFON, CARILLON, NIELLON, LAFITE, LATOUR, MAYACAMAS, MONTELENA, MONDAV

BURGUNDY, BORDEAUX, AND CALIFORNIA - DUJAC, PYCM, LAFON, CARILLON, NIELLON, LAFITE, LATOUR, MAYACAMAS, MONTELENA, MONDAVI, AND MORE - (11/27/2018)

  • 2005 Paul Bara Champagne Grand Cru Special Club - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
    Served blind, I guessed it was grower fizz. This is good, but a bit simple - predominantly mineral and I wasn’t getting much more. Perhaps it is young.
  • 1990 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut - France, Champagne
    Showing its age, a bit tired, but there remain some hints of greatness. A finish of bitter chocolate and orange marzipan.


  • 2009 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Corton-Charlemagne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
    Lovely, at peak. Balanced, long finish - intense but focused. Really exceptional. This may be the best PYCM CC I’ve ever had, certainly top 3.
  • 2011 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
    Elegant, precise, and restrained. My first thought was this would be much better in time, then in the glass started to show some slight signs of oxidation, not a perfect bottle evidently. Still those first sips were exceptional.
  • 2015 Domaine Michel Niellon Bâtard-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
    Very intense flinty/sulphur aroma, ripe fruit on the palate, some oak on finish. This is drinking very well for such a young grand cru, and my inclination would be to drink sooner than later don’t know how long it will hold up. At the moment, it’s quite enjoyable.
  • 2010 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
    Served blind. Light color, flinty nose, light mouthfeel very citrusy. Young with some heat. Others at the table waxing poetic, I’m not feeling it quite as much but I like it.


  • 1991 Domaine Dujac Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Gruenchers - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
    A bit dirty aroma, then spice. Sexy fruit and spice, a hint of sauvages. Memorable, complex, and delicious.
  • 1993 Domaine Dujac Bonnes Mares - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
    Dear God this is glorious! Elegant loooooong finish. Exotic spice. So clean. This is a “prince of princes” grand cru. Pretty close to perfect. Dujac really made some magic in the '93 vintage.
  • 1993 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
    I feel like I have to recuse myself from tasting notes on CSJ, I never “got” it. This has a weird aroma and wasn’t ringing my bells, happily the palate was better than the aroma. Dense, more masculine style.


  • 1996 Château Latour Grand Vin - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
    Sweet tobacco nose, balanced with a long finish. Seemed to close down in the glass, I’d be inclined to let this wine sleep another decade.
  • 1996 Château Lafite Rothschild - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
    Pencil lead, olive, ripe plum. Memorable finish, but like the '96 Latour beside it I feel it deserves another decade.
  • 2005 Château Léoville Las Cases - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
    Wet clay aroma, palate dominated by mineral. Some heat on finish.
  • 2016 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
    At first I got cotton candy and heat on the finish, but after about an hour it totally metamorphosized. In the end this was flintier, and much better balanced. Whether it was air or temperature or both, big change here. I quite liked the wine it became.


  • 1978 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder
    Served blind. I thought this was an off bottle, there was a slight TCA and rubber note on the nose. The palate was sweet, with some heat on finish. It seemed disjointed. Then with air it became a bit better knit. Never really knew what to make of it, and upon the reveal I was sad as I would loved to have experienced a sound bottle of this wine. I suspect we just got a hint of its potential today, sadly.
  • 1978 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley
    Served blind. A funky nose akin to a Cab Franc but different, smoothed out with air. Some menthol/eucalyptus and bell pepper aromas emerge. Good fruit on the palate, some heat on finish.
  • 2001 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
    Totally undrinkable, this smelled like a tire fire.

I only drink Brunello a couple of times a year, but my friend who has been collecting Brunello for many years couldn’t drink this either.

  • 2005 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
    Ripe, easy to drink but simple.
  • 1997 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley
    Balanced, food friendly, not a “wow” wine but really solid. This is what I want from a California Cabernet, something understated and reliable. A keeper.
  • 1990 Mongeard-Mugneret Echezeaux Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru
    Served blind. Funky nose, elegant raspberry fans out on the finish, some oak.
  • 2009 Louis Carillon Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
    Cotton candy and light petrol aromas, mineral palate. Young.

a shame re Lafon, now Diam, no? And sad if 09 Colin-Morey 09 has already peaked. Thanks for the notes.

What is the idea behind the use of all caps? Often meant to indicate shouting when used online… Not attacking you, just asking.

No Diam on Lafon. It was good just not as good as it should have been.

09 PYCM was glorious.

That is one heck of a varied lineup at a dinner!