The theme was limited to quintessential Vosne producers and their signature 1ers or GCs which turned up a superb set of wines.
My hot take on the four producers featured based on this dinner:
Arnoux-Lachaux - Despite the style change, very consistent and terroir-driven.
Cathiard - Heavy producer signature but so seductive, although it would be the maker that I would find the most difficult to finish a a whole bottle of myself.
1998 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Echezeaux- France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru
Thought this was a little advanced at first with tea-like tannins at first but was probably too cold. Put on more structure and became more youthful with air but not as impressive as other old Arnouxs that I’ve tried, lacked the depth of the other wines tonight. (92 pts.)
Caught up with a champagne fan who is currently based in Johor Bahru because of his posting during a quick getaway.
2020 Champagne Clandestin Champagne Les Revers- France, Champagne
100% Chardonnay. Disgorged Jul 2022, zero dosage. Surprised that this was a BdB as it showed mostly robust red fruit at first with some austerity (that the server auntie that we shared a glass with picked up). Became more balanced as the fruit rounded out with air but will never win a finesse contest. Oak use not as discreet as the Vilmart. (90 pts.)
2019 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier d’Or- France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
My contribution, wanted to give this a test drive after taking delivery a couple of weeks ago. Lost about 1/5 of the bottle when opening because I thought one hour in the fridge in the AirBnB was sufficient for it to settle after a whole day of carrying it around. 80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir. Disgorged Jul 2023. I remembered being wowed when I tasted this at the domaine last year and glad it has fulfilled the early potential one year on. Texturally very elegant with some sweetness that made the wine pleasurable (as the server auntie that we shared a glass also picked up on), but still retaining a firm acidic backbone. Precise citrus fruit and delicate mousse to round off a very complete wine. Vilmart is always a winner in my book. (93 pts.)
1997 Nikolaihof Riesling Fass Severin Vinothek- Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
Wow first time having a recently released Vinothek and very impressed. Remarkably youthful pale yellow, no petrol notes at all and slightly off-dry so I thought Alsace Pinot Gris. Slightly reticent at first but when I revisited this I was astounded at how good this was; decadently rich tropical fruit with an immense structure but with acidity to match. Up there with the '07 Trimbach CSH as the best Riesling of the year. (95 pts.)
2004 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia- Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
To be honest I didn’t expect anyone to bring a Tondonia white at this dinner so I was stumped by this but on reveal it made complete sense. Such a unique white with oxidative, sherry-like notes and a viscous, waxy texture without lacking freshness. Very happy to have tasted this again as this wine was transcendental when I tasted this in 2018 without much wine knowledge. (93 pts.)
2022 Mansengs et Compagnie Vin de France Mansengs- France, Vin de France
My extra. Another unique wine that was a crowd favourite. A cloudy golden appearance with high acidity that would have made me guess Jura if blind, but the powerful citrus fruit gained presence with air. So much character and depth, and just as good as my previous experience with this producer. Worth the hype. (93 pts.)
2020 Jean-Claude Ramonet Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly Blanc- France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru
This was a very good wine but suffered coming after three idiosyncratic, but excellent whites. Clearly identifiable as a white Burgundy and I immediately said Ramonet Chassagne as the producer because of the signature generous (but well-managed) oak that gave some hazelnut and vanilla notes. Was telling someone who was relatively new to wine after to not be afraid of guessing since you only have to get one guess right to dine out for the rest of the night. (91 pts.)
2018 Emmanuel Rouget Bourgogne- France, Burgundy, Bourgogne
Thought Burgundy but the overtly ripe, sweet fruit with a cola note made me wonder if this could be a new-world. When confirmed to be a Burgundy I thought this was a '22 Faiveley Chambolle because of the previous experiences where I thought new-school Faiveley was new-world. Decently complex wild strawberry fruit for its level but a little too brash for me. (90 pts.)
2010 Domaine Bertheau (Pierre et François) Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru- France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
Colour was fading a little so I asked if this was advanced. When confirmed that it was, my first guess was '08 Bertheau but it was a little too masculine and blue-fruited especially with air so I ventured Ponsot or Potel instead. Very different from a lifted, red-fruited bottle that I had a couple of months back so as usual there is serious bottle variation for Bertheau. (90 pts.)
2015 Serafin Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes- France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin
After guessing masculine, dark red-fruited Gevreys with a pretty touch to be Vosnes the last couple of times I decided to guess Vosne for this… But a friend and I instinctively guessed '15 as the vintage because of the ripe nature of the wine wasn’t excessive unlike more recent warm vintages. Very impressive stuffing for a village that I thought this could even be a weak GC. (92 pts.)
2011 Bernard Faurie Hermitage Greffieux-Bessards- France, RhĂ´ne, Northern RhĂ´ne, Hermitage
White capsule. My contribution. Nose showed some savoury olives with a mint note that was present in the last bottle as well, but palate was a little tired and lacked definition so will chalk this down to be a less than optimal bottle. NR (flawed)
2007 Antinori Solaia- Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
I said this was undrinkable (because I am the only one who is impolite enough to directly point out a bad bottle) with pruney notes and zero structure that were tell-tale signs of oxidation or heat damage. When unveiled obviously everyone agreed that this was a bad bottle. NR (flawed)
2009 Château La Conseillante- France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Wow I guessed this to be a '08 right-bank because it had so much restraint without any pyrazine notes. But when revealed to be an '09 I switched to left-bank because I thought most right-banks were Parkerized messes during this period (including this producer that I thought went to the dark side). Superb elegance and very much on the red fruit end of the spectrum. Refined tannins and showed the acidity of a cooler year. (94 pts.)
NV Champagne Gaspard Brochet Brut Nature Le Renard Tome II- France, Champagne
Brought for a friend. 2260 bottles made, 100% Pinot Noir. Disgorged 8 Jan 2025, zero dosage. Pale salmon pink colour as usual with Gaspard’s Pinot cuvees, delicate and precise strawberry fruit with a firm acidic structure. Excellent freshness with a saline note that lingered. (93 pts.)
2021 Jules Brochet Champagne Les Survivants- France, Champagne
1501 bottles made. All his 3ha of his holdings were blended together in a single bottling because of the difficult vintage. Zero dosage but with 7g/l residual sugar because of a stuck fermentation. Disgorged Jul '24. A curious champagne as the quality of fruit that remained was clearly still very high, but the wine wasn’t quite coherent as it was a little too loose and open-knit. Very pleasurable still and the sweetness could stand up to a panettone. (91 pts.)
2002 Domaine Darviot-Perrin Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Blanchots Dessus- France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
Always had an impression that this was a ho-hum producer but this bottle was singing. Guessed early '00s Puligny from a good producer because of the richness and depth to the citrus fruit, had a lovely waxy texture that only age could bring. Everyone was seriously impressed and glad that some at the table got their first epiphany aged white Burgundy experience with this wine. (94 pts.)
2011 Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu Coteau de Vernon- France, RhĂ´ne, Northern RhĂ´ne, Condrieu
Same friend who brought the previous premoxed bottle and glad that this bottle turned out to be sound. Some petroleum on the nose that made me wonder if it could be Riesling but the other aromas of honeysuckle and slightly tropical fruit put me firmly in Condrieu (and a top maker at that) so it wasn’t difficult to guess that the maker. A large-scaled, viscous wine which was in no way flabby at all. Fantastic complexity and glad to try another singular white after the Nikolaihof Vinothek the previous day. (94 pts.)
1995 Joseph Drouhin Clos de la Roche- France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Initially a little tired in the generic old wine territory with tertiary fruit so decided to leave it aside for a couple of hours. On revisiting the dark cherry fruit was much more vibrant and the wine showed the elegance and harmony I expected from Drouhin. Very pretty wine and a shame that half of the bottle didn’t show well (interesting that another taster had the same experience in '09 in the note below). (93 pts.)
2010 Domaine Jean Grivot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers- France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
Such a pretty vibrant appearance of an almost translucent ruby red that usually bode well, and thankfully the nose and palate didn’t disappoint. Pretty, high-toned aromatics, palate had marked acidity that made up most of the wine’s structure. Agree that there was some greenness to the wine so guessed '11 or '13. Sensual wine but lacked a little stuffing. (92 pts.)
2006 Simon Bize Latricières-Chambertin- France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru
This suffered from being served alongside some more elegant wines but enjoyed its old-school nature. On the blue and black end of the fruit spectrum with a hint of liquorice, chewy tannins from the more extracted style of the era but the only red with grand cru weight today. (93 pts.)
2016 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Procès- France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
Pretty, stemmy spice-laden nose but with noticeable brett, palate had exquisite texture so my best guess was Rougeard. When revealed to be a Burgundy I thought it was a Mugnier (having read that he had some problems with brett in recent vintages). Superb wine other than the distracting brett (usually I have a high tolerance), liked the freshness and energy. As I noted from the Vosne dinner last week, A-L is a very consistent maker. (93 pts.)
2007 Château Climens- France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac
Usual Climens notes of marmalade and apricot, better acidity and less alcohol than the '09 that I’ve had a few times. Superb with a basque cheesecake. (94 pts.)
2018 Jerome Blin Champagne Extra Brut La Haute Cirrière- France, Champagne
100% Meunier, disgorged Jan 2023. Was surprised to discover that this was a Meunier, as this had elegant citrus fruit despite some ripeness. Didn’t feel the warm vintage either with high acidity that brought freshness. Among non-wine nerds I was the only one that preferred this over the more powerful Clandestin. (92 pts.)
2019 Champagne Clandestin Champagne Les Grandes Lignes- France, Champagne
100% Chardonnay, disgorged Jul 2022, zero dosage. Like Les Revers last week, thought this was a powerful, red-fruited champagne that would have brought me to Pinot Noir blind. Popular with non-wine nerds but lacked finesse for me. (89 pts.)
2022 Caroline Morey Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge- France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet
Not as light as previous Caroline Morey reds that I’ve tried but still a very pretty wine despite some Chassagne tannins present. More earthy than the other two Pinots that made it clear that it was a Burgundy. Has the structure to age. (91 pts.)
2022 Gian Luca Colombo Langhe Pinot Nero- Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
Bought this to try after having a very impressive Langhe Nebbiolo. A Pinot made in the vein of a Nebbiolo with dark cherry fruit that was slightly sweet. Noticeable tannins and VA, thought that the Langhe Nebbiolo was more refined. (90 pts.)
2023 Oakridge Pinot Noir Vineyard Series Henk’s Vineyard- Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
Wow I wrote this off as a typical new-world that too candied and alcoholic (13.3%) but after a couple of hours someone rightly said that this reminded her of the Koji that we had together. Wonderful lift from some reduction on the nose, lightly spiced cherry fruit that was both sensual and elegant. No finish of note but so pleasurable. Great QPR and brought back good memories of my visit a few years ago when I was very impressed across their range. (92 pts.)
2015 Sottimano Langhe Nebbiolo- Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
From magnum. Fully mature with some soy notes on the nose, slightly fading tart cherry fruit on the nose. Simple, no-frills Langhe Nebbiolo. (88 pts.)
2015 Olga Raffault Chinon La Singulière- France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon
Similar to previous impressions. Ripe vintage helped to mask any pyrazine notes; attractive and lush for a Loire with silky tannins. A very well-made wine. (92 pts.)
2022 Chiara Condello Romagna Predappio- Italy, Emilia-Romagna, Romagna
Similar to previous impressions. Crunchy dark red fruit with finesse, but could do with some time for the tannins to soften. (91 pts.)
