Quick notes from a combo of a tasting and a dinner:
Dom Perignon 2004: Fresh nose but deep, intriguing. Bassy. Unusual. Some lemon meringue. Really liked this...Champagne. 6/7
Puligny Folatieres, Ch de Puligny Montrachet 2016: Big, rich nose, very much top end Burgundy. Palate a bit too big and oaky at this stage, needs time, will it soften? 5+/7
Puligny Chalumeaux, Ch de Puligny Montrachet 2014: Noticeably lighter, more zip, gd acidity, decent length, in a very nice place, cracking drink. The Folatieres may surpass it in time, but for now a much more enjoyable glass. 6-/7
Charmes-Chambertin, Camille Giroud 2016: Nice, clean, pure Burgundy, quite delicate, persistent, almost enough to restore my faith in Burgundy after the 2002 debacle. 6/7
Clos de Vougeot, Grivot 2013: Bigger wine, stricter, juicy but shorter, v pleasant but not in same league as the Charmes. 5+7
Latour 1995: Gorgeous nose, deep, classic, fine cedar. Slightly disappointing after that, woody, a bit hard, structure loose. Worth it for the nose alone but fully mature. 6-/7
Leoville Las Cases 2000: This is the exact opposite to the Latour with a shy nose, gently subtle but nothing to grab you. Thereafter it builds and builds, has impeccable balance and tremendous complexity. Clearly very young but have a feeling this could be special in time. 7/7
Cheval Blanc 1983: From a bottle with a completely knackered label, from a previous one I thought this was going to be 1981 but the cork gave me a very pleasant surprise. Everything everyone says about Cheval 83 is true - it's one of the very top vintages for this chateau and still delivering fabulous pleasure. Accessible but intellectual at the same time. Love it. 7+/7
CdP Celestins, Bonneau 2006: Nose is attractive, deep and subtle, but just sets off a quiet alarm about overripeness. Palate similar, it's just on the right side but only just. Apart from that it is beautifully savoury and fans out spectacularly at the end. This is probably never going to be the greatest Celestins, but it's a pretty good one and apart from Rayas, I doubt there's a better 2006 CdP. 6+/7
Crozes-Hermitage, Thalabert, PJA 1990: Another phenomenal showing for this immortal Crozes. It's somehow wrong that this wine should be quite as good as it is. No sign of fading. Wonderful. 7-/7
Barolo, Bartolo Mascarello 2009: Now a feted wine, it's one I confess I have never got. Very old school, VA, austere but still all over the place structurally. Juicy middle. Decent enough, but take a look at the price... 5/7
Vina Tondonia Reserva 2005: This on the other remains an absolute bargain: fine, deep, Rioja, traditional but not forbidding, delicious nose, ripe, primary and still needs time to show its best but clearly a super wine. 6+/7