A wonderful lunch in Chicago with the usual suspects.
CHEVY, CROS P AND ECHEZEAUX IN CHICAGO - (12/6/2025)
Opening Bubbles
- 1988 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut - France, Champagne
Fresh and bright. Classic oxidative Krug profile. Excellent bottle of a great wine. - 1988 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill - France, Champagne
Mag corked :( (NR/flawed)
Older Leflaive Chevy
- 1996 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Perfect bottle. Wonderful nose that was a bit more reserved than the 01 at first, but continued to open up throughout the afternoon. Palate is fully integrated and sensual. A mature white at its best. - 1999 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Cold honey citric creamsicle nose that was the best of the flight. Palate is very good, but just missing a bit of pop. 3/4 - 2000 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Touch reticent, with a bit less power and body. Amazing wine, but just a touch behind the other 3 in the flight. 4/4 - 2001 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Nose just bursting from the glass. Layered and deep palate with drive and depth. Continued to improve with air and was neck and neck with the '96 for WOTF.
Younger Leflaive Chevy
- 2010 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Opened an hour. Slightly advanced nose and palate. Warmer honey on the nose. Not premox per se, but just a bit oxidized. Still enjoyable showing hints of the amazing vintage. Slightly clipped finish. - 2012 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
premox (NR/flawed) - 2017 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Opened an hour. Bursting from the glass with latent power, drive, tension and depth. A nearly perfect young white Burg. - 2020 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
PnP as a backup. Lychee on the nose. Very good power and depth. Improved with air. A touch behind the fabulous '17.
Cros P
- 1996 Emmanuel Rouget Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cros Parantoux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Tons of power and lots of fruit. Finish continues to linger. A very good wine. - 1997 Emmanuel Rouget Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cros Parantoux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Made by Jayer and showed the expected perfumed nose. Very sultry wine. Amazing for the vintage with a clean palate and light on its feet. Great wine. 1/5 - 2000 Emmanuel Rouget Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cros Parantoux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Spices and floral notes on the nose. Palate is expressive if a touch simple. Tough sledding in the lineup. 4/5 - 1997 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cros Parantoux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Difficult vintage shows off the bat as it's a bit loose and fat. Good, but not great early, but really gained steam with air and added definition and came together nicely. 5/5 - 2009 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cros Parantoux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Ex-Domaine bottle. Really bright and fresh with a great fruit profile. Really good wine. 3/5
Destemmed Echezeaux
- 2012 Emmanuel Rouget Echezeaux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru
4 hour decant. Rather wild and rustic tannin structure. Needs considerably more time before being even approachable. - 2012 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Echezeaux Les Rouges du Bas - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru
4 hours slow ox. Doesn't quite have the body and structure of the Sisters. - 2012 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Echezeaux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru
4 hours slow ox. A wow wine - sexy, sultry and lovely. A full experience that will only continue to improve with more age.