2009 Zind-Humbrecht Calcaire Gewurtz
This is about as far over the ledge as I’d want to get with the house style—blind you might guess a VT, you really might. There’s just that little bit of acid to pull it back, but very rich melon and an underlying lychee note on nose and more melon and pear compote flavours on the tongue with florals. I was prepared–sort of–for this, and a couple guests went back for seconds, but I’d have to space out the occasions I drank this.
2008 Alain Chavy Puligny Montrachet Les Folatieres
A very fine showing, crisp apple and small nut and stone scents waft up the glass. It has the minerality and that definite salinity that I sometimes associate with Puligny on the palate, with very defined apple, but the fruit has also blossomed some. I’m so paranoid about premox now and candidly, I wonder if this may be gone in a year or two. I have one more bottle and will probably drink it sooner rather than later. But right now, this was really good and WOTN, with balance and lots of character.
2010 Louis Jadot Beaune Les Boucherottes
This is what it is—a Beaune Boucherottes. There are elements of earth, dark strawberry, boysenberry and light herbs on nose and mouth, but not enough drive to get to a second level of complexity or interest. I’d call this the Burgundy to introduce newbies to Burgundy. It opened up a little bit more with some air.
1998 Beaucastel
Dark cherry, plum and certain leather aromatics here. Also had a slice of fresh herbs. Dans la bouche, it sat and flowed quite nicely, plum and leather replays and cooler down the throat than one might expect. This isn’t a superstar Beaucastel, but it has ended up in a very nice place. I enjoyed it.
2007 Chateau Doisy-Vedrines Sauternes
From half, I gave this a day’s aeration. Nothing wrong with it, it has the balance between botrytis, pear and tropical fruit and acid that most 07s have, but this, too, is missing an extra dimension, an extra gear that I would like to have seen. Good, but not great.
Haere Ra,
Mike