TN Midweek 6–9th September

F&C look great, where did you go for BYO?
Funnily enough having followed the Tom Kerridge BYOB derail recently we showed up at our old haunt 'the golden hind' in Marylebone after a four year hiatus and plonked the bottle down expecting all to be grand. Turns out there has been a change of ownership, within the family, in the interim; they now have a dull and ambitiously-priced list. The new owner Jason very kindly honoured our nostalgic expectation and poured away gratis, I think it being the Thursday evening in a torrential downpour helped point out the inevitability of the arrangement. Fish not the freshest, chips not the greatest spuds, but all very well cooked and presented, and really the wine would have made almost anything taste like ashes. Having a drink out with my old best friend for the first in a long time and such a wine was bliss. Woty probably, night of the year most definitely
F&C look great, where did you go for BYO?
 
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Popped into Waitrose for an impromptu BYOB and figured this was worth a shot for a shade under 60 quid. It was! I'm not hugely experienced with young white burgundy but this was a revelation, delightful white flower and pineapple nose with incredible density and gras on the palate, a little mute in flavour but lovely botrytis sweetness and texture and an endless mouthcoating finish, completely negated the rather good food. A non wine obsessive mate was inspired to buy a couple. Just sheer childlike joy in this wine, I presume there's lots to unfurl as it develops and will be filling my boots next 25% off
It can be a stunning wine as per your hugely tempting description but given past performance I would drink it in the first flush of youth.
 
I wonder if the glorious weather helped? I've tried that twice and found it markedly too sweet on both occasions, though I do have a low tolerance.
I really like the Dopff Cremant - I bought 6 halves from TWS earlier this year, ploughed through them in no time and then bought another 12. It's quite elegant I think and great as an aperitif, ideally with something like Bombay mix or spiced nuts to nibble on.
 
2013 Taittinger Champagne Brut Millésimé - France, Champagne (8/9/2021)
Agree with the previous note that this wasn't as precise as I would have liked, but definitely bears some similarities to the Comtes - even though blends are different. Rich, toasty style but lacking the elegance of the Comtes despite its power. Very food-friendly.
Melvin,
A very good description of this, if you want to dial in a little precision the 12 is perhaps a point out of a hundred better for that reason.
But isn’t that 13 tasty/toasty.
 
It can be a stunning wine as per your hugely tempting description but given past performance I would drink it in the first flush of youth.
Thank you Tom, just the half case so. I do wonder though, if it were a young pinot noir I would be very confident of a medium term payoff given the sheer density of the thing. Is that just puppy fat and the botrytis element lulling me into an illusion of depth? Very happy to enjoy it in its current form but couldn't help hoping I'd stumbled across a callow unicorn
 
It ought to be able to age, Brian, but the sad truth is that several vintages have been horribly advanced/prematurely oxidised at age 5. Thay may have fixed things chez Drouhin or they may not; even their Montrachet has been a disaster in the 21st century.
 
It ought to be able to age, Brian, but the sad truth is that several vintages have been horribly advanced/prematurely oxidised at age 5. They may have fixed things chez Drouhin or they may not; even their Montrachet has been a disaster in the 21st century.
I've only a handful of notes for their whites since millennium & only one is really positive - though not effusively so - their Corton-Charlemagne '11. I was surprised. On a positive note, I only have Drouhin reds remaining.
 
I have two cases of burgundy from my TWS cellar plan:

Louis Jadot Marsannay Clos du Roy (Gagey) 2015

Louis Jadot, Chorey-lès Beaune Les Beauxmonts (Domaine Gagey) 2015

One is suggested to drink 2023 -, the other 2024-. I have relatively limited experience with TWS drink dates, and these wines. Does anybody else have some insight into a) whether these dates from TWS are likely accurate (conflicting views on this in other places, such as TWS community), b) whether either are worth a shot (or better still, has anybody had these exact wines?). I do of course have other options for tonight so will gladly accept that opening either would be a 'bad' move, but...curiosity...

Thank you!
 
@Chris Wood - there is an argument for cracking open both cases and checking in on the wines and then you can judge according to your palate whether they are ready or need many years. If you simply rely on other opinions who is to know whether they are correct? If you had 1er Crus I might recommend holding off.

*Disclaimer - I never mind opening bottles early as I almost always enjoy the educational experience rather than feeling like I have short-changed myself by not having stumbled upon optimum window (and how do you know when optimum window is, without a reference point?).
 
I have two cases of burgundy from my TWS cellar plan:

Louis Jadot Marsannay Clos du Roy (Gagey) 2015

Louis Jadot, Chorey-lès Beaune Les Beauxmonts (Domaine Gagey) 2015

One is suggested to drink 2023 -, the other 2024-. I have relatively limited experience with TWS drink dates, and these wines. Does anybody else have some insight into a) whether these dates from TWS are likely accurate (conflicting views on this in other places, such as TWS community), b) whether either are worth a shot (or better still, has anybody had these exact wines?). I do of course have other options for tonight so will gladly accept that opening either would be a 'bad' move, but...curiosity...

Thank you!
I'm finding wines from '15 to be pretty juicy, add that to Jadot style and they might be very approachable.
 
Thank you Tom, just the half case so. I do wonder though, if it were a young pinot noir I would be very confident of a medium term payoff given the sheer density of the thing. Is that just puppy fat and the botrytis element lulling me into an illusion of depth? Very happy to enjoy it in its current form but couldn't help hoping I'd stumbled across a callow unicorn
I had the 2011 in around 2016. It was also stunning. Nothing callow there!
 
A beautiful sunny September afternoon in England. A reunion lunch with a dear old friend I've not seen in person for 2 years. A nicely chilled glass of something that was as lovely, unassuming, delicate, ephemeral and uplifting as the occasion itself. What was it? Davenport Horsmonden Dry 2017. Music can sometimes have something of the same effect on me but being mostly tone deaf I find wine is more consistently reliable.
 
Last night a return to face to face tasting for my Oddbods group.
I put on a mix from my Wine Society wish list. Here’s the line up.
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A good line up with no fails. I started taking notes but the evening overtook me so I’m left with impressions. Sorry to all you note takers.
My star wine was :
The Exhibition Chenin Blanc 2000.
It’s by Chris Alheit of Cartology fame. It has a great length and balance. Very classy.
Second place was
The Exhibition Soave 2020
which has similar persistence and lovely peach/lemon fruit.
I really enjoyed the
Mendes Muros Antigoes Alvarinho 2020
a fresher style for a summer day but with lemon and mineral finish. Not a Vinho Verde as I remember them, not green at all, which is very good by me. Tom had this as his desert island wine, and I see why, Sun +bbqed fish.
The red were all worthy of future drinking, but
Elk Cove Pinot Noir 2018
was the star for me and the group. Quite deep colour with raspberry/mulberry notes and clove and cedar spices. Quite young still. Maybe not for ethereal Pinot lovers.
Mentions also for
garnacha Cuevas de Arom As
Ladieres 2018, more spice than fruit and charming in a way Grenache often isn’t.
The Pietradoica red was floral poised but I found it difficult to love, not it’s day/night!
Now the Xinomavro Jeunes Vignee 2019, I love this wine, but it split the room. Two people even discarded their pours upon first taste. Too acidic/tannic? But I love the tension of soft floral fruit to structure. Maybe a lamb kebab would have helped.
Overall a great return to face to face tasting.
 
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