Gathered with a few mates last night for a bit of a Burg get together. Sadly some oxidation and bret ruined a few things that should have been brilliant. There were some stunners none the less and we had a ripping night.
N.V. Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvee Edition 170eme: Some biscuit and brioche notes along with powerful orchard fruits. Accessible and fine of bead. Good build and a chalky and long finish.
2010 Domaine Ramonet Bâtard-Montrachet, Grand Cru : Rich and powerful and ready to go. Some honeysuckle to the aroma along with exquisite white peach fruit. Sappy and layered, with some spearmint cream and underlying minerality. Deep and very long.
2010 Domaine Ramonet Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet, Grand Cru : Very advanced of colour and full of grilled nuts and baked apples.
2010 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne, Grand Cru : A strange showing. Almost a beeswax note to the nose. It had the density and line of Corton and was deep. Flavours were a bit advanced and the usual detail planed off a bit. Slightly oxidised? I have had far better bottles of this 2010.
2015 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant, Grand Cru : The nose draws you in, with aromas of freshy grated ginger, black cherry, rose petal and Asian spice. It is rich and creamy, deep and wide. Extremely powerful but light on its feet. Great mineral cut to the finish and such length and expansion. Wine of the night!
2005 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant, Grand Cru : A very deep, dark, unevolved colour. Sadly a fair amount of bret ruins this bottle. It is dense and has some spice, but there’s too much barnyard and leather and the finish is clipped by a metallic note.
1985 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant, Grand Cru : Well into tertiary territory, with some mushroom and earth and nutty aldehyde things in play. I enjoyed the palate with its honeyed sweetness and notes of cold tea, smoked meats and soy. It was mid weight and silky and still possessed a fine line of minerally acidity.
2015 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux, Grand Cru : Really good and up there for wine of the night honours. Complex aromatics of black cherry, spiced plum, camphor and smoked meats. Outstanding depth and chew. Rich and layered, builds then fans out. So much wine here.
1985 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux, Grand Cru : A little muddiness from the cork. Improved markedly with air. Has some Hoisin and smoked meat aromas and flavours. It is relatively gentle, sweet and vinous in the mouth. Fruit flavours are fading and the finish is decidedly earthy and persistent.
1986 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche, Grand Cru : I‘ve had this ’86 a few times over the past 20 years and this was the best bottle yet. Classic La Tâche with its intensely spicy nose. It is complex and engaging, with notes of Hoisin, soy, decaying rose and earth. The palate is beautifully balanced and proportioned and silky and whilst it is a lighter version of La Tâche, it still has fabulous presence and latent power. Spicy notes linger.
1997 Château d’Yquem: From half bottle, this was singing. A delightful core of sweet luscious orchard fruits. Plenty of honey and the usual Yquem coconut ice. Wonderful balancing acidity. Quite complete.
1979 Château d’Yquem: From half and another excellent showing. Didn’t have the sweetness of the ’97, but had equally rich fruit and a bit more dimension that age gives. There’s a hint of lanolin to the nose and plenty of dried apricot and honey. It has vanilla spice and such great complexity as it evolves with every sip. The finish is clean and bright and leaves a calling card of dried fruits and honey.