Reporting from a combined vertical/horizontal tasting from last April where we had Louis Boillot’s Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles and Domaine Fourrier’s 2009 1er Crus in focus.
Les Evocelles is a Pinot Noir from four organically farmed parcels in the Les Evocelles vineyard, originally planted in 1945 and where the average vine age is currently +50 years. All fruit is destemmed and fermented spontaneously. Aged for 18 months in predominantly old oak barrels.
You could really taste the differences in vintages when going through the Boillot wines - the warmer vintages had a noticeably different presence compared to the cooler ones, yet some of the warm vintages performed much better than I anticipated! I was also surprised how we had not one but two premoxed wines! Everybody knows premoxed white Burgs is an issue, but this was the first time I had seen the problem with reds. After all, storage shouldn’t be an issue here, since all the wines were always purchased upon release and aged similarly.
The Fourrier wines were just superb. Perhaps a bit on the impactful side, due to the warm 2009 vintage, but nevertheless showing impeccably.
And, as always, we continued with some extra blind bottles after the main tasting had run its course.
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2018 Mark Haisma Gevrey-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin (22.4.2022)
13,5% alcohol.
Youthful, translucent dark ruby color. Youthful, seductive nose of spicy Pinosity, ripe black raspberries, some primary red-fruited notes, a little bit of sappy herbal character, light toasty notes of sweet oak spice, a hint of exotic spices and a touch of juicy black cherry. The wine feels ripe, juicy and somewhat round on the palate with still surprisingly savory flavors of cranberries and wild strawberries, some lingonberry bitterness, a little bit of spicy Pinosity, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a hint of dried herbs and a touch of gravelly minerality. The overall feel is pretty balanced with the medium-to-moderately high acidity and firm, silky tannins. The finish is long, dry and quite spicy with savory flavors of strawberries, some peppered meat, a little bit crunchy cranberry, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of earth.
Quite similar experience to the bottle I tasted a year ago, although it feels like the dank, herby aromatics had receded slightly into the background and the structure had softened a little bit as well. Nevertheless, this was still a nice and balanced effort for a 2018. Sure, you can taste the ripeness and the overall feel is rather dark-toned, but at least the wine doesn't suffer from excessive alcohol, too sweet fruit or soft alcohol - instead the wine comes across as firm, balanced and enjoyably dry and savory despite its rather ripe disposition. Can be drunk now but will keep for many more years. Good stuff, albeit perhaps slightly on the pricey side of things at 55€.
(90 points) -
2018 Domaine Louis Boillot et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin (22.4.2022)
13% alcohol.
Youthful, deep and somewhat translucent blackish-red color. Ripe, sweetly-fruited and somewhat dark-toned nose with aromas of black raspberries, some fresh cherries, a little bit of earth and a hint of savory wood spice. The wine feels ripe, broad and moderately full-bodied on the palate with somewhat sweetly-fruited flavors of juicy black cherries, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of raw meat, light earthy notes, a hint of ripe raspberry and a savory touch of umami. The overall feel is slightly soft due to the medium-plus acidity and firm but very ripe medium tannins. The finish is long, juicy and somewhat grippy with a quite savory aftertaste of ripe black cherries, some meaty umami, a little bit of ferrous blood, light peppery notes of spicy Pinosity and a sweet hint of cranberry sauce.
A very rich, juicy and a bit soft Gevrey-Chambertin where the warm vintage shows a little bit too much through. In cooler vintages Boillot's Les Evocelles can be wonderfully fresh and nuanced, but this feels a bit too ponderous - if it weren't for the tannic firmness, the wine would probably feel too flabby. This is drinkable and quite enjoyable, but not really what I'd look for in a classic Gevrey-Chambertin. I really wish the wine would drop some of it baby fat with age, turning into something more sophisticated, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
(87 points) -
2017 Domaine Louis Boillot et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin (22.4.2022)
13% alcohol.
Surprisingly pale, luminous and fully translucent pomegranate color. At first the nose feels quite dry, earthy and even slightly dull, but it slowly opens up to reveal fine-tuned aromas of ripe raspberries, some fresh cranberries, light earthy notes, a little bit of black tea and light sappy notes of herbal spice. The wine is silky, juicy and quite precise on the palate with a medium body and bright, dry flavors of brambly raspberries and ripe black cherries, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of tart cranberry, light woody notes of savory oak spice and a hint of black tea. The overall feel is balanced and sinewy, thanks to the moderately high acidity and somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is savory, long and gently grippy with a dry aftertaste of crunchy cranberries, some sour cherry bitterness, light gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of brambly raspberry, a sweeter hint of ripe black raspberry and a touch of meaty umami.
A nice and sophisticated Gevrey-Chambertin that feels a bit closed and restrained for Les Evocelles - compared to other vintages this was a bit underwhelming aromatically, although the wine showed good sense of focus and brightness. At first many people thought the wine was corked due to its very reticent and even slightly stuffy nose, but everybody reversed their assessment later on when they returned to the wine, once it had opened. It was clear the wine was not corked, as the nose cleared up and the fruitier nuances came a bit more to the fore, but still the wine never turned particularly open over the course of the evening. This was good, but nothing thrilling.
(89 points) -
2016 Domaine Louis Boillot et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin (22.4.2022)
13% alcohol.
Luminous, rather translucent and quite youthful cherry red color. At first the wine feels a bit closed and stuffy, showing vague aromas of dusty attic and Play-Doh. However, with a bit of air the nose clears up and opens to reveal rather fruit-forward notes of ripe black raspberries, some red gooseberry tones, a little bit of crunchy lingonberry, light earthy nuances and a hint of darker plummy fruit. The wine feels juicy and quite ripe on the palate with a medium body and juicy flavors of ripe raspberries and cranberries, some fresh red plums, a little bit of meaty umami, light floral notes of violets, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of gravelly minerality. The overall feel is balanced and pleasantly structured, thanks to the rather high acidity and firm medium tannins. The finish is rich, juicy and gently grippy with a lengthy and quite fruit-forward aftertaste of black cherries, some ripe raspberries, a little bit of crunchy cranberry, light meaty notes of umami, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of gravelly minerality.
A sophisticated, classically built Gevrey-Chambertin. The wine is very balanced and harmonious, but perhaps a bit lacking in character; this tastes pretty much exactly how a typical red Burgundy would, but without any distinctive qualities that would make this wine really stand out from the crowd - apart from the stuffy nose in the beginning. I hope that with some age the wine would gain some additional depth or complexity - at least it feels like this vintage could age gracefully for years. If opened now, I heartily recommend letting the wine breathe for some time, just to let the nose open up.
(90 points) -
2015 Domaine Louis Boillot et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin (22.4.2022)
13% alcohol.
Medium-deep and moderately translucent garnet color. Quite big, sweetly-fruited and dark-toned nose with aromas of ripe raspberries, some licorice, a little bit of cherry, light meaty tones, a floral hint of violets and a touch of wild strawberry. The wine is ripe, sweet-toned and juicy on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and quite focused flavors of wild strawberries and brambly raspberries, some crunchy cranberries, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light peppery notes of Pinosity, a hint of smoke and a savory touch of meaty umami. The overall feel is wonderfully fresh and structured with the high acidity and firm, somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is savory, juicy and somewhat grippy with moderately long flavors of brambly raspberries and ripe strawberries, some fresh red plums, a little bit of meaty umami, light sweet notes of black cherries and a hint of earthy Pinosity.
A ripe but also enjoyably balanced and structured Gevrey-Chambertin that has retained its sense of freshness remarkably well for the solar 2015 vintage. There's quite a bit of fruit and some sense of density, but the taste stays always on this side of sweetness and there's enough savory complexity to keep the wine from coming across as too fruit-driven. The overall feel is still very youthful and I can see the wine improving easily for another decade or so. One of the better vintages of Boillot Les Evocelles from the 2010's.
(91 points) -
2014 Domaine Louis Boillot et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin (22.4.2022)
13% alcohol.
Quite deep, moderately opaque and surprisingly evolved pomegranate color with a somewhat oxidative rusty-brown hue. The nose feels surprisingly aged and somewhat oxidative with aromas of raisins, some gamey tones, a little bit of soy sauce, light sweet pruney tones, a hint of beef jerky and a touch of smoke. The wine is dry, crunchy and moderately oxidative on the palate with a medium body and rather tertiary flavors of soy sauce, some raisiny character, a little bit of beef jerky and gamey meat, light earthy tones, sweet hints of prunes and wizened strawberries and a touch of mushroomy funk. The wine is high in acidity with moderately pronounced tannic grip. The finish is long, evolved and quite grippy with rather tertiary flavors of soy sauce, some raisiny fruit, a little bit of beef jerky, light sweet nuances of wizened strawberries and a hint of mushroomy funk.
Well this was a disappointment. Most of us didn't believe the wine was in good condition, as this was the only vintage we tasted that was this tertiary - something we didn't expect from a red 2014 Gevrey-Chambertin. Most likely the bottle had a compromised cork that had let in too much oxygen, which is why I don't suppose this was a representative bottle.
(NR/flawed) -
2013 Domaine Louis Boillot et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin (22.4.2022)
13% alcohol.
Quite pale, rather translucent and slightly evolved rusty-red color with a very pale, almost colorless rim. The nose feels nuanced, savory and somewhat evolved with layered aromas of peppery spice, coniferous forest, some brambly notes of raspberry, a little bit of wild strawberry, light flinty notes of smoke, a hint of leather and a fragrant touch of dried herbs. Lovely! The wine feels rich, somewhat evolved and slightly spicy on the palate with a medium body and quite intense flavors of spicy Pinosity, some ripe raspberry tones, a little bit of sweet strawberry, light evolved notes of meaty umami, a hint of old leather and a touch of earth. The structure relies mostly on the high acidity, but the gently grippy medium-plus tannins contribute nicely to the texture and structure as well. The finish is savory, moderately grippy and somewhat developed with a lengthy aftertaste of fresh cherries, some savory notes of meaty umami, a little bit of strawberry, light ripe raspberry tones, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of old leather.
A very nice, somewhat evolved and quite classically built red Burgundy that is in a terrific spot right now. The wine seemed somewhat more evolved than some of the surrounding vintages, making me think this vintage isn't built to last as long as some other vintages, but as the wine seems to be still going up, there's no need to hurry with it. All in all, this wine shows good sense of freshness, varietal typicity and sense of place. Drink now or within the next 5-10 years.
(92 points) -
2010 Domaine Louis Boillot et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin (22.4.2022)
13% alcohol.
Deep, luminous and still quite youthful dark cherry color that permits relatively little light through. The dark-toned and slightly sweetish nose feels a bit reticent with nuanced aromas of ripe black cherries, some plummy tones, a little bit of woody oak spice, light floral notes of violets, a hint of blueberry and a red-toned touch of brambly raspberry. The wine feels dry, focused and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of tart cranberries, some redcurrants, a little bit of tart lingonberry, light saline mineral tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and an evolved touch of meaty umami. The overall feel is quite muscular and tightly-knit for Les Evocelles - this being probably the most structure vintage in our vertical - with the high acidity and firm, even slightly rustic tannins. The lengthy finish is dry, firm and moderately grippy with fresh, savory flavors of tart lingonberries and crunchy cranberries, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of saline tang, light meaty notes of umami, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of savory wood spice.
While the other vintages were showing a bit more finesse and elegance, this wine was noticeably more about structure and character, having some enjoyable roughness around the edges. The aromatics had a bit of evolved character, but the overall style was still so very youthful and most likely this wine will easily continue to improve for another 10-15 years. This was a terrific, structure-driven Gevrey-Chambertin that calls for at least a handful of years more to tone its tightly-knit structure a bit. My favorite vintage of the Les Evocelles 2018-2008 vintages that we had in our tasting.
(93 points) -
2009 Domaine Louis Boillot et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin (22.4.2022)
13% alcohol.
Luminous, very translucent and quite pale brick-red color. Sweet, fragrant and somewhat sunny nose with attractive aromas of blackberries and cherries, some strawberry, light floral notes of violets, a little bit of earth, a hint of rose hips and a touch of wizened dark plums. The wine is juicy, full-bodied and silky on the palate with somewhat evolved flavors of strawberries, some dried-fruit notes of wizened red plums and raisins, a little bit of earth, light developed nuances of leather and game, a hint of sweet black cherry and a touch of saline tang. Despite the quite noticeable ripeness, the wine feels quite firm and structured with its high acidity and ripe, textural medium tannins. The finish is long, dry-ish and gently grippy with savory flavors of fresh strawberries, red cherries, some earthy notes, a little bit of crunchy cranberry, light saline nuances and a hint of gamey meat.
A very nice, somewhat evolved and rather ripe Gevrey-Chambertin that feels surprisingly fresh, balanced and structured despite its solar disposition. You can taste the warm vintage in the full body of the wine and its sweet, slightly dried fruit flavors that range from wizened plummy tones to even raisiny nuances, but the overall feel is still surprisingly fresh and structured and the alcohol doesn't stick out at any point. I had my reservations of the vintage, but this turned out to be one of the best ones we had. Good stuff. Drink or keep.
(92 points) -
2008 Domaine Louis Boillot et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin (22.4.2022)
13% alcohol.
Quite pale, translucent and moderately evolved brick-orange color. Evolved and rather tertiary nose with aromas of wizened raspberries, some crunchy cranberry tones, a little bit of gamey meat, light lifted notes of nail polish, a hint of old leather and a green-toned, aldehydic hint of apple slices. The wine is savory, evolved and somewhat aldehydic on the palate with a medium body and somewhat tertiary flavors of cranberries, some raisiny dark fruits, a little bit of ripe redcurrants, an aldehydic hint of tangy salinity and a touch of soy sauce. The wine is high in acidity with gentle, resolved medium-minus tannins. The finish is quite long, crunchy and slightly aldehydic with flavors of tart cranberries, some raisiny tones, a little bit of tertiary soy sauce character, light aldehydic notes of green almonds and a hint of old leather.
This turned out to be surprisingly old and tertiary, already sliding downhill. Based on how youthful the vintages 2010 and 2009 came across as, I'm pushed to believe this bottle wasn't in mint condition, but instead had probably a compromised cork or some other fault, leading to problems with oxidation. Although still drinkable, I prefer to leave the wine unrated, as it didn't seem to be at the same level of quality as the other vintages we had. -
2009 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Champeaux Vieille Vigne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (22.4.2022)
From a 0,16 ha parcel in Champeaux 1er Cru, planted in 1919. Prior to fermentation, the grapes are cold-soaked for 3-4 days, after which the wine is fermented spontaneously. Aged for 16-18 months in oak barrels (20% new). Bottled unfined and unfined, very little or no SO2. 13,5% alcohol.
Translucent, somewhat evolved and very slightly hazy brick-red color with a pale, almost colorless rim. The nose feels fragrant, ripe and very slightly funky with somewhat sweet-toned aromas of cherries and raspberry marmalade, some tobacco, a little bit of game, light bretty notes of leather, a phenolic hint of smoke and a touch of wild strawberry. The wine feels ripe, juicy and even somewhat concentrated on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and dry flavors of crunchy cranberries and ripe redcurrants, some gamey tones, a little bit of leathery funk, light notes of tobacco, sweeter hints of cherries and wild strawberries and a touch of meaty umami. The overall feel is pretty focused and quite structure-driven, thanks to the high acidity and somewhat grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is dry, crunchy and somewhat grippy with a long aftertaste of tart cranberries and crunchy redcurrants, some leathery tones, a little bit of tobacco, light ferrous notes of blood and game, a hint of earthy and a touch of ripe cherry.
A fantastic, harmonious and still wonderfully youthful and vibrant Gevrey-Chambertin that has a subtly funky overtones, yet comes across as clean and focused. The overall impression of this wine was from between 2009 Fourrier Cherbaudes and 2009 Fourrier Combe aux Moines - the Cherbaudes bottling seemed slightly funkier in comparison, but also more serious and structure-driven in style, whereas the fruitier Combe aux Moines had no obvious funky tones, but was also softer in structure. In my books Cherbaudes was the best, closely followed by this Champeaux, but I can imagine things might be vice versa if one values silky mouthfeel and purity of fruit over structure and rustic character! Whatever the case, all these three wines were just darn lovely and most likely they will continue to improve for many years more. Superb stuff.
(94 points) -
2009 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Cherbaudes Vieille Vigne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (22.4.2022)
From a 0,6 ha parcel in Cherbaudes 1er Cru, planted in 1940. Prior to fermentation, the grapes are cold-soaked for 3-4 days, after which the wine is fermented spontaneously. Aged for 16-18 months in oak barrels (20% new). Bottled unfined and unfined, very little or no SO2. 13,5% alcohol.
Translucent, somewhat evolved and very slightly hazy brick-red color with a pale, almost colorless rim. The nose feels somewhat smoky and a bit bretty with vaguely lambic-like farmhouse notes, ripe black cherries, some plummy tones, a little bit of tobacco, light stony mineral notes, a hint of sweet strawberry, a touch of gamey meat and a whiff of leathery funk. The wine is dry, funky and savory with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense flavors of phenolic spice and leathery funk, some crunchy redcurrants, a little bit of ripe cranberry, light gravelly mineral tones, a hint of tobacco and a touch of meaty umami. The wine is enjoyably firm and chewy with its high acidity and quite assertive and even slightly gritty tannins. The finish is long, savory and quite grippy with a complex and slightly funky aftertaste of leather, phenolic spice, some crunchy redcurrants, a little bit of ripe cherry, light nuances of tobacco, a hint of saline minerality and a touch of smoke.
A very stern, impressive and structure-driven 1er Cru Gevrey-Chambertin with a very serious overall character and somewhat funky undertones that lend a slightly Beaucastel-like vibe to the wine. Despite its funky nature, this is still a very classy red Burgundy and instantly recognizable as a Pinot Noir. Seeing how the wine shows very little evolution and the structure comes across as pretty tightly-knit, I can imagine this will easily keep for another decade or two - maybe even longer. The most impressive effort in our mini-horizontal of three 2009 Fourrier 1er Cru Gevrey-Chambertins.
(95 points) -
2009 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Combe aux Moines Vieille Vigne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (22.4.2022)
From a 0,87 ha parcel in Combe aux Moines 1er Cru, planted in 1928. Prior to fermentation, the grapes are cold-soaked for 3-4 days, after which the wine is fermented spontaneously. Aged for 16-18 months in oak barrels (20% new). Bottled unfined and unfined, very little or no SO2. 13,5% alcohol.
Translucent, somewhat evolved and very slightly hazy brick-red color with a pale, almost colorless rim. Ripe, dark-toned and attractively fruit-forward nose of sweet black cherries, some brambly black raspberries, a little bit of wizened dark plum, light toasty oak nuances, a distinctive hint of cooked carrot and a touch of smoke. The wine feels juicy, ripe and quite supple on the palate with a rather full body and vibrant flavors of sweet dark forest fruits and black cherries, some brambly notes of black raspberries, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light gamey tones, a hint of wizened dark plums and a touch of smoke. The wine is moderately high in acidity with somewhat grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, harmonious and moderately grippy with ripe yet savory flavors of black cherries, some meaty notes of umami, a little bit of succulent plummy fruit, light floral notes of violets, a sweetish hint of toasty oak and a touch of smoke.
A vibrant, ripe and very fruit-forward Gevrey-Chambertin that seems to show more of that warm 2009 influence than the 2009 Champeaux and Cherbaudes we tasted at the same time - compared to those other two 1er Crus, this Combe aux Moines seemed a bit bigger, softer and sweeter in nature. It packed similar, firm tannins as Cherbaudes, but didn't seem to have as much acidic zip as the other two labels - perhaps due to its slightly more substantial body. Furthermore, the other two showed some rustic funky nuances of brett, whereas this Combe aux Moines was clean as a whistle. I leave it to the reader whether that's a good or a bad thing, but as a whole I enjoyed the other two labels a bit more due to their less sweet fruit, slimmer body and brighter acidity. But even then, this was a darn fine 1er Cru Gevrey-Chambertin and one that'll continue to evolve and improve for many years more. Recommended.
(93 points) -
2014 JC Cellars Viognier Two Guys Two Barrels Stagecoach Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley (22.4.2022)
A collaboration wine between Jeff Cohn and Yves Gangloff (of Condrieu fame). 100% Viognier from the Stagecoach Vineyard in Atlas Peak. Aged for 11 months in French oak barrels (approx. 1/3 new). 15% alcohol.
Luminous, pale lemon-yellow color with faint greenish highlights. The nose feels very sweet, floral and unctuous with rich aromas of honeysuckle and pineapple, some buttery notes of oak, light notes of vanilla, a little bit of caramel, light boozy notes of alcohol, a hint of apricot marmalade and a touch of beeswax. The wine is thick, fat and oily on the palate with a full body and rich flavors of sweet pineapple, some apple jam, light buttery notes, a little bit of creamy oak, light caramel nuances, sweet hints of pear jam and apricot marmalade and a touch of vanilla. The medium-minus acidity doesn't really feel adequate enough to keep the wine fresh and perfectly in balance. The finish is rich, warm and juicy with somewhat sweetly-fruited flavors of ripe apricots, some vanilla oak, light creamy tones, a little bit of pineapple, a hint of pear jam and a buttery touch of diacetyl.
A bold, super-rich and unctuous Viognier that is a bit on the fat and heavy side even when served pretty cool. The wine is varietally correct with its aromas of flowers, pear and apricots and its oily, viscous body, but the overall feel is just too lush and ponderous as the wine is very full in body and high in alcohol with very little in the way of freshness, brightness or structure. I must admit the overall feel is very youthful for the age, considering this is a Viognier almost 8 years old, but I doubt any amount of aging is going to make the wine feel any more balanced than what it is now. I'd say drink now, don't keep - this might drink well for years more, but I doubt it'll get any better than this.
(85 points) -
2015 Chanin Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (22.4.2022)
A non-interventionist Pinot Noir from organically and sustainably farmed vineyards in Sta. Rita Hills. Fermented spontaneously, bottled unfined and unfiltered. 39 barrels made. 13,5% alcohol.
Pale, translucent cherry-red color. Ripe, fragrant and quite sweet-toned nose that reminds me of Burgundy reds, only with a slightly more solar disposition; there are aromas of cherries, some pomegranate, light gamey tones, a little bit of beetroot, spicy hints of earthy Pinosity and a touch of ripe redcurrant. The wine feels ripe, broad and silky smooth on the palate with a medium body and vibrant flavors of strawberries, meaty umami, some raspberry marmalade, light toasty oak tones, a little bit of vanilla, sweet hints of ripe plummy fruit and a touch of roasted beetroot. The overall mouthfeel is a bit round, but not soft, thanks to the moderately high acidity and ripe and mellow yet sufficiently firm tannins. The finish is ripe, long and quite savory with layered flavors of ripe red plums, some juicy strawberry, a little bit of meaty umami, light woody notes, a hint of roasted beetroot and a touch of pomegranate.
A tasty, clean and harmonious Pinot Noir with wonderful sense of nuance and purity of fruit. Aromatically the wine feels quite Burgundian, only with a slightly sweeter and more sunny overall character, but on the palate the wine is a bit more "Californian", coming across as slightly softer and more round than a typical red Burgundy would. Nevertheless, this is a pretty lovely Pinot Noir with nice complexity, good sense of typicity and great drinkability. The wine is quite young but still very accessible already, so either drink now or keep for a good handful of years. Perhaps a bit pricey for the quality at approx. 50€, but not excessively so.
(91 points) -
2014 Mount Eden Vineyards Pinot Noir - USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains (22.4.2022)
The fruit is sourced from a 7-acre (3 ha) vineyard, part of which was originally planted in 1945. Fermented spontaneously in small open-top fermentors, macerated with the skins for 2 weeks, aged 18 months in French oak barrels (75% new, 25% once used), bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol. Bottle #5786 of total 9504 bottles.
Translucent, luminous brick-red color with a pale, almost colorless rim. The nose feels fragrant, sweetish and somewhat oaky with layered aromas of spicy Pinosity, ripe cherries, some savory wood spice, a little bit of raspberry marmalade, light pomegranate juice tones, sweeter toasty oak hints of mocha and exotic spices and a touch of wild strawberry. The wine is silky, juicy and quite rich on the palate with a moderately full body and rather ripe flavors of sweet black cherries, some spicy notes of peppery spice, light fragrant nuances of resin and coniferous forest, a little bit of strawberry, a toasty hint of sweet oak spice and a touch of pomegranate juice. The overall feel is textural and supple, the overall structure relies mostly on the moderately high acidity, whereas the ripe, soft tannins mainly contribute to the silky texture. The finish is ripe, juicy and somewhat sweet-toned with a long aftertaste of ripe cherries, some sweet oak spice, a little bit of raspberry marmalade, light woody nuances, a hint of pomegranate and a touch of allspice.
A rich, ripe and textural Pinot Noir. The overall feel is pleasant, supple and varietally correct, but also a bit of a crowdpleaser. There is good sense of balance, nuance and depth of flavor, but I prefer my Pinot Noirs with more freshness, zip and less sweet fruit. While thoroughly enjoyable and eminently drinkable, I feel this really isn't my kind of Pinot Noir. That being said, this is still a fine, well-crafted Pinot Noir with nice typicity and sense of complexity. I hope with some age the sweeter fruit notes and oaky tones would recede more into the background, making the wine feel less sweet and more, well, Burgundian.
(88 points) -
2019 François Dumas Vin de France La Vigne de Jean - France, Vin de France (22.4.2022)
A special bottling of Dumas's Gamay, made with fruit sourced from a very old, organically farmed vineyard and bottled only in good enough vintages. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 22 months in old oak barriques, vinified with minimal or no sulfites. 13,5% alcohol.
Very youthful, almost fully opaque blackish-red color with a primary, blueish-inky hue and a pale, translucent rim. The nose feels open, expressive and somewhat sauvage with intense aromas of ripe blackberries, some bilberry tones, a little bit of volatile lift, light fragrant nuances of orange zest, hints of crushed forest fruits and a touch of sappy, tart red berries. The wine is dense and ripe yet dry and lively on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and rather concentrated flavors of ripe blueberry-driven dark fruit, some sweet plummy notes, a little bit of boysenberry, light blackberry juice tones and a tart, crunchy hint of sappy red berries. The soft medium-to-moderately high acidity lends some sense of balance to the wine, but the overall structure relies mainly on the firm, assertive and quite grippy tannins. The finish is dense, sinewy and quite tannic with long, youthful flavors of blueberries, some sunny fruit notes of sweet plums and boysenberries, a little bit of meaty umami, light acetic zip of elevated VA, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of fresh dark berries.
A vibrant, zippy and very youthful powerhouse of a Gamay, coming across as serious as the best, Burgundian examples from Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent. The wine has a lifted, slightly acetic streak of VA, but unlike in the regular Dumas Gamay - which I thought was a bit too acetic for my taste - it never really distracts from the pleasure. All in all, this is a fine, serious and enjoyably structure-driven Gamay that is quite noticeably ripe, but despite its acidity - slightly on the low side for my preference - the wine never comes across as sweet, soft or excessively sunny. As the wine is still very primary, I'd say it will benefit greatly for at least a few years of further aging, but most likely it will evolve and improve for years more. Fine stuff, good value at 20€.
(91 points) -
2011 Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Inflorescence Blanc de Noirs Côte de Val Vilaine - France, Champagne (22.4.2022)
100% single-vintage Pinot Noir from the organically farmed 1,5-hectare vineyard Val Vilaine, owned by Cédric Bouchard's father. Fermented spontaneously and aged in tanks. Disgorged in April 2013, after approximately 15 months of aging. No dosage. Vintage 2011 was the last in which Bouchard labeled wines from his father's holdings with the double labels (Cédric's Roses de Jeanne on one side, his father's Inflorescence on the other) - the Inflorescence label was dropped beginning with the 2012 vintage. As the wine isn't aged for the minimal requirement of 36 months, the wine label doesn't mention the vintage directly, but the lot number says V11. 12,5% alcohol.
Pale, relatively youthful yellow-green color. Intense, expressive and still remarkably youthful nose with aromas of ripe citrus fruits, some creamy notes of leesy autolysis, light toasty notes of brioche, a zesty hint of grapefruit rind and a floral touch of apple blossom. The wine is dry, fine-tuned and silky on the palate with layered and quite ripe flavors of juicy red apple, leesy creaminess, some zesty citrus fruits, a little bit of chalky bitterness, light toasty notes of brioche, a hint of savory umami and a touch of fresh white fruits. Typical of Bouchard, the mousse feels gentle and silky smooth and despite the lack of dosage, the wine doesn't come across as bone-dry, even if there is no obvious sweetness either. The rather high acidity keeps the wine nicely in balance. The finish is ripe, long and juicy with flavors of crunchy red apple, some leesy creaminess, light chalky mineral tones, a little bit of autolytic brioche, a hint of juicy white fruits and a touch of vanilla custard.
A harmonious, fine-tuned and delicious Blanc de Noirs that must be both one of the most elegant Blanc de Noirs I've had and probably the best 2011 Champagne I've tasted. Almost invariably the 2011 Champagnes that I have come across have been disappointments ranging from green and unripe to unpleasant and weird. However, despite the dismal vintage, Bouchard has managed to craft a very impressive and completely flawless wine that showcases the silky finesse so typical of the house. As the wine is still remarkably youthful at 10 years of age, I have no doubts this will continue to improve with further age. Terrific stuff.
(92 points) -
2017 Cantillon Brewery Gueuze - Belgium, Brussels (22.4.2022)
The base beer is brewed at Cantillon using 100% organically farmed barley and wheat, hence the beer is labeled "Gueuze 100% Lambic Bio". The beer is aged in old oak pipes, barriques and pièces sourced from France, Italy and Spain. The Geuze a blend of older and younger lambics. If the youngest batch has fermented to full dryness prior to the blending, an addition of 2-3 g/l of sugar is added to the blended beer. Bottled on 29th of March 2017, best by 29th of March 2037. 5,5% alcohol.
Hazy grainy yellow color with a large but also quite short-lived white head. The nose feels pungent and stylistically very correct with aromas of latrine and ammonia, some hay, a little bit of grainy malt, light woody tones, a hint of leathery funk and a touch of phenolic spice. The beer feels dry but surprisingly round on the palate with relatively mellow acidity. There are flavors of grainy malt, some phenolic spice, a little bit of leathery funk, light rubbery tones, a hint of something smoky and a touch of latrine. The carbonation feels soft and there is no hop bitterness to speak of. The finish is dry, moderately sour and enjoyably funky with subtly sweet-toned flavors of grainy malt, hay, some phenolic spice, a little bit of leathery funk, light sweet biscuity tones, a hint of soapy bitterness and a touch of ripe lemon.
A classy classic. This bottling feels a bit softer, less tart, more accessible and perhaps slightly sweeter than how Cantillon Gueuze usually is. Although I prefer the sharp, tangy style a bit more, this brew is nothing I'd complain about. The beer shows no aged character whatsoever and most likely this will continue to improve for years - if not decades - more. Terrific stuff.
(94 points)
Posted from CellarTracker