2007 Ramonet - Chassagne-Montrachet - Vergers: Popped and poured. This took only a few minutes to unwind. The oak is conspicuous but pleasing, and it has a terrific acid backbone. Went well with pasta and a not-to-assertive pesto of parsley, basel, pine nuts and a little lime. Overall, quite taught, with the acid creating tension with the fruit and oak that held my interest. Probably five years away from really hitting it’s stride. 91++
1998 Clape - Cornas: Decanted two hours ahead. Not as much on the nose as I’d hoped and expected, either when it was first decanted or with dinner. There is decent fruit but it is still quite primary. Nothing secondary, no sulfur, no brett. Huh? What kind of Northern Rhone is this? In other words, it was kind of simple. And there are some fairly hard tannins that sneak up behind and kick you in the butt. Definitely shows better with the roasted herb-crusted chicken with an olive tapenade and ratatouille than on its own, but I’d hoped for something that sang Northern Rhone. This just whispers faint promises of something to come. At 15 years, I was ready for it to deliver and not just promise. I’ve got three more bottles. I guess I’ll wait and hope it develops. 88 with a big question mark for now.