Guffens-Heynen Macon-Pierreclos “Tris de Chavigne” 2023
Steely and lively on the nose with the striking scent of fresh guava when you take a bite. My mother in law grows guavas in her backyard (along with many other fruits), it’s uncanny how similar this smells. Palate is rich white fruit and caramel notes, dry extract, almonds. This is in the tropical end of the register but never cloying, hard to capture.
Pretty delicious for my palate. I don’t have a ton of experience with Guffens but I feel like I get it with this wine; not a wine I’d call for every time but a fascinating treat.
Wines brought to Na Oh, an upscale Korean restaurant at the Hyundai factory here in Singapore.
NV Bérêche et Fils Champagne Brut Réserve- France, Champagne (3/1/2026)
Disgorged Jan '22, 7g/l dosage. Glad I waited for some time to open this post-dosgorgement as this felt at peak. Showed some development in terms of colour and the merest hint of honey, delicate red fruit that with the perfect balance between roundness and crispness. So gulpable and this was practically finished in no time by everyone at the table, including non-wine nerds. (93 pts.)
2021 Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage- France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage (3/1/2026)
Easily identifiable as Syrah but others didn’t get to Crozes for this; I agreed that it drank more like a Côte-Rôtie in a more polished, red-fruited style. Also felt that they picked later and extracted more in a cooler year (13% alcohol), not as seamless as the terrific '19 I had previously. (90 pts.)
I love this wine. Yes there is ripe tropical fruit in there, but in most vintages the citrusy and saline cut is sufficient to bring balance. But most of all, to me, this wine is about the texture. So much mâche to it! Cheers!
Excellent bottle. Cork was firm and stained only a quarter inch or so. Decanted for about an hour off of a moderate amount of sediment.
Aromas of cedar, tobacco, damp dirt, autumn leaves, unsweet cocoa powder plus some red and black cherry fruit. On the palate surprisingly fresh, structured and stern. There is a lot of fine but firm tannin. However the wine delivers up flavors of red fruit, leather, cedar, and incense with a moderate finish and medium acid. The flavor profile is more savory than sweet.
My recently-arrived 1997 Confuron-Cotetidot Chambolle-Musigny was alive and well tonight. Popped and poured a couple of hours before dinner, it showed some very pretty strawberry, damp soil, sous bois, potpourri, and pepper on the nose, with a more savory palate. Upon returning to the wine at dinnertime the fruit aromas took center stage, showing nice clarity and freshness. Texturally the wine retained just enough grip to make it a good match for beef tenderloin.
There was a bit of fine sediment that made the last couple of ounces of the bottle a little cloudy, so I’m happy with my decision to stand up the bottle for a few weeks prior to opening. If anyone has any of these in the cellar, I would open and enjoy over the next several years.
Kellerei Cantina Terlan Pinot Grigio Tradition 2018
Now lacking the slight acidity, salinity and interesting bitterness this had in 2020. This didn’t evolve to my taste: too round and fatty. Live and learn.
Domaine de la Roche Bleue Jasnières Sec 2017
The previous bottle of this was flawed. This isn’t but it still didn’t age the way I thought and hoped it would. The laser like acidity and minerality was replaced by hollowness and lack of verve. Not all Jasnières is meant to age, I guess.
Domaine Monier Saint-Joseph Terre Blanche 2014
Finally, something to drink! My last 2014 and this continues to evolve beautifully. Stinky on opening, as it is usually is, it cleans up in a carafe and drinks beautifully from that point. No smokiness on the 2014, it’s just beautiful red berries and violets. Time has added some earthiness that adds to the complexity. Very nice St-Jo.
Totally, the density was incredible. Structured too, not flabby! And while the nose was all guava, the palate had citrus as well. Shame these are relatively challenging to buy
The 2001 Raymond Lafon is just fabulous. So rich and deep and long with awesome 2001 bright acidity. Apricots, marmalade and spice on a glorious melange.
2018 Old Weka Pass Pinot Noir. What a fabulous 2nd label young vines wine from NZ’s best Pinot Noir maker Bell Hill.
Pale red, floral and red fruited (strawberries) and touch of decayed leaves, total pinosity in the mouth, elegant, supple silky, bright red fruit, kind of reminds me of Hudelot Noellat in terms of mouth feel and elegance. Drinking superbly right now. Showing some nice development under screw cap. Yum indeed
Opened a 2021 Beta Parantir Vineyard Mt Feeder yesterday. Delicious - restrained, earthy and evolving in glass. Almost imperceptible oak profiling. Straight up my alley. Wish I had more in-depth notes, but now excited about the Jasuds.
I thought of @IlkkaL when sipping this after the recent thread about Jurançons:
Camin Larredya - La Part Davant - Jurançon 2023
Lovely aromas of fresh Pink Lady apples, with pears and then tropical fruits, but tempered by some spring flowers and crisp lemon. Much the same sensations on the palate, but not in the same order: the crisp lemons begin, followed by the apples and pears, before some mango and honeysuckle, but the lemons return to steer it back towards a fresh, crisp finish, if long and persistent. If I didn’t know it was 14% ABV I would never have guessed.
All in all a delicious wine. My youngest daughter described it best: like a mixture between a Côtes de Gascogne and a lighter Sauternes. I’d be interested to see how this would age. Very good value for the 18€ I paid. 92 pts for now, possibly worth more in the future.
