I’m starting my notes thread here, will keep editing with the additional flights:
Champagne Flight 1:
1982 Dom Perignon
This was quite fresh with a surprising amount of mousse and a fine bead. The wine was pale amber in color, and there were beautiful aromatics with a hint of butterscotch, but also lemon zest and toasted brioche. The palate had lovely fruit, with crisp acidity and a strong mineral streak. The finish was lovely, long, and ever changing with many different flavors. Absolutely stunning mature champagne just starting a graceful decline from its prime but certainly drinking fantastically right now.
1982 Philipponnat Clos de Goisses
This was shockingly light colored in the glass, with some stunning aromatics which included some lemon curd, but also a vegetal streak of some green tomato which was not at all offputting. The savory notes continued on the palate, with some crisp acidity and more stone fruits. The finish was long and pleasant. This was so fresh and could have been a 2002. Just amazing champagne!
2002 Salon
This was popped and poured, and was much readier to drink than the last few I’ve had. Beautiful ripe Meyer lemon on the nose with some slate, kaffir lime and a solid core of acidity on the palate, with an expansive finish that lasted for quite some time. Really good showing.
Champagne Flight 2 (08 focus):
Krug 164
This had a pretty nose with white peach and toasted biscuit on the nose, with strong acidity and a bit subdued fruit on the palate, cascading into a long finish. Not quite as sublime as a bottle earlier this year.
2008 Krug
I was very interested to see how this was showing as some people had mentioned it being open lately and it was indeed wide open for business. There was lemon zest and a hint of lime on the nose along with a bit of flint. The palate had more fruit than the 164 with a hint less but still prominent acidity and the finish was longer and more elegant.
2008 Krug Clos de Mesnil
This had a bit more reduction on the nose initially and was more aromarially muted, but opened up into a stunning nose with pure Meyer lemon and brioche. The palate had immense power and depth with a fine bead and crisp mousse. There was much more fruit and precision than the last two wines and the finish was long and elegant. This had much more stuffing than the 06 last year.
2008 Bollinger Vielles Vignes Francaises
Crazy nose with a symphony of aromas including lemon zest but also tea and a hint of smoke. The palate was vinous and elegant with more richness and many flavors. The finish was ever changing and long. In comparison to the 2006 this wasn’t quite as friendly but had more power and depth.
White Flight:
2008 Coche Corton Charlemagne
Stunning nose with crisp matchstick and stone fruits. Palate was a bit tight initially, although it opened up after an hour or so. The palate had quite a bit of structure and a bit of unintegrated oak, which did blend in nicely after a bit of time open. I think this will eventually be a superb wine but is in a bit of a closed/awkward phase atm.
2009 Coche Corton Charlemagne
Corked
2013 Coche Corton Charlemagne
Exuberant aromatics with lovely aromas of white peach, honeysuckle, and just a hint of struck match. The palate was again rounded, friendly, powerful, and wide open, flowing into a lovely finish that lasted for ages. This was spectacular and just drinking so well.
Red Flight 1:
1971 Roumier Bonnes Mares
This was monumental. The bouquet just burst from the glass with incredible aromatic power. It was one of those wines you just didn’t want to drink because the nose was so pretty. There was damp forest floor, rich black earth, and beautiful plum fruit. The palate was initially lighter bodied but built as the night went on in your quintessential iron fist in a velvet glove manner. The finish went on for what seems like eternity. This was WOTN by some margin, the best roumier BM I’ve had, and in the top 5 wines of the year with some bottles of Leroy grand crus and DRC RC.
1972 Roumier Bonnes Mares
This was alive, but not nearly as vibrant or fresh as the 71, although it still had pretty aromatics with some dark stewed plums and sous bois, with ample acidity. It fell apart quickly on the palate in 30 minutes, but initially had a bit of pretty fruit and a nice finish.
1989 Roumier Bonnes Mares
This had some pretty aromatics also, but had quite a bit more on the palate and finish than the 72. The relative youth was clear, and the fruit was bit fresher and cleaner. There were some black cherries and damp leaves on the nose, and some acidity and more cherries on the palate. The finish wasn’t profound. This was a good, correct older BM, without many fireworks.
1995 Roumier Bonnes Mares
This side by side was interesting. The 95 was lighter bodied, with pretty aromatics with forest floor and black currant fruit, with a rounded acidity and plusher fruit on the palate. The finish was a little shorter and this to me lacked a bit of density and weight on the palate. I preferred the 96.
1996 Roumier Bonnes Mares
This had darker fruit on the nose and palate, along with similar damp leaves and earth. There was more structure on the palate and a core of acidity that really drove into the finish. This was initially a bit tight but opened up nicely over a few hours open. Probably this would be better in a few more years but I liked it a lot now.
Red Flight 2:
1998 Roumier Bonnes Mares
As many 98s are, this was friendly, charming, and drinking very well. The nose had forest floor, dark plums, black currants, and the palate had crisp acidity, more pretty fruits, and a lovely texture. The finish was languorous and very long.
1999 Roumier Bonnes Mares
Much more structured, deep, and darker than the 98, this was a stunning wine. The aromatics were explosive, with black cherry, dark soil and the palate was quite tight on first sip, although it did open up with a bit of air. There was beautiful filigreed texture and lots of tannic structure which was starting to become accessible. The finish was profound.
2000 Roumier Bonnes Mares
This bottle seemed a bit off. The aromatics were pleasant but muted. The palate lacked precision and was desultory. The finish was a bit clipped.
2001 Roumier Bonnes Mares
This was absolutely beautiful, with cassis, old growth forest, and pine needles on the nose. The palate had crisp acidity and a beautiful finely knit texture, with more beautiful strawberry fruit. The finish was so pretty.
2002 Roumier Bonnes Mares
This was more on the sexy/sultry spectrum, with black cherry and a hint of vanilla along with some soft moss. The palate had ample acidity, and a bit more structure. This opened up over the course of a few hours open. The finish was tremendous.
Red Flight 3:
2003 Roumier Bonnes Mares (blind)
This was poured after the following four bottles, but I put it here for the sake of chronological order. This was shocking. The nose was similar to the other similarly aged bonnes mares with some black cherry fruit and earth. The palate was precise, delicate and finely knit without any heat. The finish was clean and long. My first guess was 12 amoureuses. After we were told it was Roumier BM and not a duplicate there were some calls for 2010. Everyone was blown away at the reveal. Christophe really killed it in 03.
2006 Roumier Bonnes Mares
This was very friendly for a 06, with lovely open bouquet of black currants and forest floor. The palate had a touch more acidity and structure with more pretty fruits. The finish wasn’t the longest.
2007 Roumier Bonnes Mares
This was tremendous. I am a big fan of 07s for current drinking and this was the most open, friendly, and crushable wine at the dinner. Some red and black cherries and earth on the nose; with ripe, pure cherry fruit on the palate with a beautiful texture and nice acidity. The finish was ever changing and lovely.
2009 Roumier Bonnes Mares
This had much more structure than the other wines in this flight. It had a huge nose with some earth, forest floor and raspberries. The palate had tannins that weren’t quite integrated along with another big dollop of fruit and crisp acidity. The finish was nice but the wine felt like it never really opened up.
2011 Roumier Bonnes Mares
Lighter bodied, with pretty aromatics. More black cherry and earth on the nose. Most of these bonnes mares seemed to have pretty similar aromatics with the bigger differences on the palate and finish. Lighter on the palate too, without any green notes and a bit more acidity. Finish was a bit clipped.
Red Flight 4:
2012 Roumier Bonnes Mares
Beautiful nose with red and black currants and a hint of forest floor. Palate had ample acidity and strawberry fruit, with a lot of structure. This showed a lot of potential and may end up being the best wine of this flight but needs a minimum of 5-10 years.
2014 Roumier Bonnes Mares
This was pretty locked down. Nose was ebullient and there was super pure black cherries but the palate was all structure and tannins. It opened up a little bit after several hours open, but clearly needs maybe 10-15 years.
2017 Roumier Bonnes Mares
This was pretty open and charming, as 17s tend to be, and had beautiful black currant fruit on the nose. The palate was still a bit structured with more currants and zingy acidity. The finish was long and pleasant.
2021 Roumier Bonnes Mares
This was a bit controversial, some people disliked it, but I thought it was great. There was a bit of smoke on the nose along with some red fruits, and the palate had lots of super pretty, lacy, beautiful fruit and nice acidity. The finish was long. This is clearly a baby but drinking well for me.
Dessert flight:
1975 Yquem
Absolute showstopper. This had it all. Apricot, crème brûlée, and lychee on the nose, with lovely acidity and more crème anglaise on the palate, with immense depth and concentration without much weight. The finish was everylasting and ever changing. One of my best recent Yquem.
1989 Yquem
This showed better than the last few bottles, and was really a profound wine. Some overripe pineapple and preserved apricots on the nose, with marmalade on the palate along with soft acidity. The finish was also supremely long. What a pair of wines!