TN The last dry weekend 27th - 29th Jan

we grabbed a last minute table at Chez Bruce this evening and headed more off piste than usual wine wise with a very enjoyable 2018 Riccitelli trousseau from Patagonia, lovely medium light red and clean as a whistle, somewhere between a Langhe nebbiolo and a Cru Beaujolais. A producer that sources grapes from old vine plots in the region and one I’ll look out for in future. A good accompaniment to the delicious food
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Horrendous week (indolent and feckless builders, end wall of the house collapsing etc) so thought I'd open something nice for the fatherly rescue party (mine and my FiL). Every bottle of the 2012 Domaine de Colombier Cuvee Gaby I've had to-date has been fab, if not clean. Unfortunately tonight's was a little stewed and slightly funky. I must really have pissed off the big man recently....
 
Fancied a really expensive bottle last night so popped open a bottle of PRIME! Only joking, not falling for that craze.

Did want to open a good bottle though, as I received a case from my reserves earlier in the week. Chose Hubert Lignier MSD Tres Girard 2018, a producer I have never tried. On opening it was really disappointing, and I wondered if it had ‘shut down’. This was my only bottle, so the ’pain’ was intensified. However, after a few hours it really started to open up an became very enjoyable, look forward to trying the rest tonight.

This kind of bottle is a luxury for me, but the initial disappointment has eased, and this is another tick on my newly started Burgundy adventure. It is a interesting albeit expensive journey.
 
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As a nod to another popular thread of the moment I thought I'd open this oldish CNdP. Beautiful colour, obvious alcohol on nose and in glass. 14.5 claimed on the bottle and it is all of that. A fairly delicate palate of dark plums and not a lot else. An interesting rather than exciting wine. The previous bottles I had of this wine about 5 years ago were much more my thing. My last bottle but if I had any more it would be in the drink up quickly area of the cellar.
 
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A couple of oldies to go with the tennis. These were auction purchases that wer picked up today. As you can see the colour is very similar and they are both showing their age.

The 93 Elizabeth, on the left, is the better of the 2. This was from a -4cm bottle, and while it’s darker than some other bottles I have, it’s still good. Very fresh, dry, some orange and apricot and just a hint of toast, this was great for a few hours, but has started to fall apart.

I remember drinking a Gold Label Wolf Blass Riesling in the Jahanger Curry house in Dundee in the late 80s when I was not far into my wine journey and it was great. Never saw it again and I thought this 95 was worth a punt at less than £1 a bottle. Labels are tatty, but the level was good and there was a lot of sediment. Lots of honey, 11%, silky, camomile, low acid, more orange and apricot. Nice.

Both would have been fresher 10 years ago, but I like wines this age.
 
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Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 1982 Pauillac (en magnum)

Drunk with very good friends in our Ottery St. Mary boardroom yesterday lunchtime. Went perfectly with our local butcher’s sausages and mash, not that this amazing wine needed any ‘space’ to talk when it came to accompanying food.

I am personally not a regular drinker of red Bordeaux and I tend to only get drawn in when it is something of this ilk. Regarded widely as one of the top 1982’s and often regarded as First Growth quality in this vintage. Last time tasted from bottle in 2016 and it certainly blew us away then but this magnum was something else. Violets and black fruit. Dense and silky textured with gossamer-fine tannins and mind-bending freshness combined with the luscious, ripe and pervasive fruit. Magical and we were all sure that it could go on for another couple of years but was probably at its apogee now.

Sauternes "Cuvée d'Exception" 2001 - Dourthe

We purchased this from a customer a while back and had no idea what it may taste like. Tasted with Devon Blue. Extraordinary intensity and complexity with an unctuous mid-palate and very, very long finish. Marmalade, acidity and enthralling creaminess. Apparently a tri-blend of barrels bought from some Premier Crus. Whether that was the case or not, it certainly tasted like it!


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Christopher Piper said:
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 1982 Pauillac (en magnum)

Drunk with very good friends in our Ottery St. Mary boardroom yesterday lunchtime. Went perfectly with our local butcher’s sausages and mash, not that this amazing wine needed any ‘space’ to talk when it came to accompanying food.

I am personally not a regular drinker of red Bordeaux and I tend to only get drawn in when it is something of this ilk. Regarded widely as one of the top 1982’s and often regarded as First Growth quality in this vintage. Last time tasted from bottle in 2016 and it certainly blew us away then but this magnum was something else. Violets and black fruit. Dense and silky textured with gossamer-fine tannins and mind-bending freshness combined with the luscious, ripe and pervasive fruit. Magical and we were all sure that it could go on for another couple of years but was probably at its apogee now.

Sauternes "Cuvée d'Exception" 2001 - Dourthe

We purchased this from a customer a while back and had no idea what it may taste like. Tasted with Devon Blue. Extraordinary intensity and complexity with an unctuous mid-palate and very, very long finish. Marmalade, acidity and enthralling creaminess. Apparently a tri-blend of barrels bought from some Premier Crus. Whether that was the case or not, it certainly tasted like it!


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CellarTracker notes for the Sauternes reference '2nd wine of d"Yquem'. Rather like the 6th Beatle & attributions to Rembrandt, I've seen many similar claims over the years.
Notwithstanding, 2001 Sauternes in all its guises rarely fails to deliver.
 
Over the weekend, Beychevelle at home, others at our local one star Michelin restaurant from the list.

Roederer 243, very fresh, good acidity but most probably better in 3 years

Chateau Beychevelle 2005, full bodied, beautiful nose of red berries and roses, mushrooms, sandal wood, tobacco, decent alcohol not too high, quite complex but still very young, really good with a good future ahead,
Nice to have
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Chateau Musar 2000, medium ruby colour, floral & earthy nose , medium body, mature but with Musar you never know how long this will last, at peak, great food wine but right now I would think drinking sooner than later might be the answer. Great companion for our dinner and a good choice
Cheers
Rainer
 
SOME AMAZING BURGS À TROIS - (27/01/2023)

An informal dinner with some lovely food and a fabulous set of wines served blind

  • 2011 Jean-Marc Vincent Santenay 1er Cru Beaurepaire Blanc - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Santenay 1er Cru
    This is in great shape at 12 years and not a hint of pox here. Colour is greeny gold. Nose opens with some lemon oil and a little pear drop acidity. Palate has lovely bracing freshness and a fabulous mouthfeel. An appropriate salinity too. Later on the nose some cashew nut brittle and the faintest hint of dill. Fabulous. (91 pts.)
  • 2020 Domaine Robert Sirugue Bourgogne Passetoutgrains - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Passetoutgrains
    Are there many better PTGs out there than this? Joy in a glass. Think this (from half bottle) had had some air which brought a different dimension to others I've had from my cellar which have been opened and enjoyed straight off. This is very red fruited with some freshly sliced plums and some raspberry fruit too, also a little and subtle smokiness. My most recent bottle of this was last summer and on the palate it's really added some richness. There is a subtle spiciness and some cherry pit. Coming back for a top up at the end of the evening there is a charming Bakewell, almond sweetness and some Morello cherry. Cracking. (90 pts.)
  • 1988 Francois Gay Aloxe-Corton - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Aloxe-Corton
    Clearly a mature bottle here. The nose melds damson fruit, bruised strawberries and a lovely tertiary forest floor leafiness. Palate is small but perfectly formed, a lovely slightly sweet bacon fatty character emerges with some time. Doesn't fall apart over a couple of hours. Chapeau François. (92 pts.)
  • 2004 Domaine Dujac Morey St. Denis - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis
    Darker fruited that the Côtes de Beaune that preceded it. Feels very youthful for a 19 year old wine. The nose reveals a little House of Lords' leather, some liquorice and some demerara sugar, not sure if the vintage character coming through but this palate doesn't quite deliver on the promise of the nose. Good without taking my breath away. (91 pts.)
  • 1994 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru
    Wow. Served blind by a very generous friend. Very open for business, on pouring there is an exotic (and understated) character here, almost like a cube of very posh rose Turkish delight complete with a fine dusting of the icing sugar. This recedes after 5 minutes in the glass leaving a lovely red fruited nose, in the ripe strawberry spectrum with a little plum. The faintest suggestion of white pepper spice. With time the palate shows some shiitake mushroom tea and a little treacle sponge. From the weakest of the 90s vintages a great wine maker has produced an excellent wine. Not one I have drunk widely so little to compare it to but this is an absolute joy. (95 pts.)

An absolute treat to try these. All provided pleasure from the highest regarded to the passetoutgrains.

Posted from CellarTracker
 
  • 1998 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (29/01/2023)
    BTG @ Hambleton. A Coravin’d glass with a fair amount of fine sediment initially rendering the wine opaque. The sediment accentuates the meaty notes of previous bottles, but also unfortunately mutes the purity of fruit. Nicely rich, balanced and with those caveats, satisfying. A freshness with bright acidity starts to emerge on the finish. Good, and excellent with richly sauced Hereford beef fillet, but the sludginess of this particular glass keeps this sample short of its five star pedigree. **** (93 pts.)
  • 2012 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Millésimé - France, Champagne (29/01/2023)
    Mid straw. Nicely rich with a buttery, biscuity mid-palate, fresh on the finish. Some complexity building here. Just a bit more poise and precision than a similarly aged NV. Very good, and consistent through the bottle over a couple of hours with and without food. **** (92 pts.)
  • 2019 André Perret Condrieu Clos Chanson - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu (27/01/2023)
    BTG @ Hambleton. Pale to mid straw. Expressive nose, very Viognier. Mid palate richness and some weight, but balanced and clean with a fresh finish. This is both interesting and moreish without the flabbiness and overly flamboyant tone that the grape can strike. Great match for smoked eel. **** (92 pts.)
  • 2019 Domaine Jean Guiton Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Hauts Jarrons - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru (27/01/2023)
    Half. Good dark red fruit with a lick of oak. Densely silky with a degree of rounding. Some complexity. Decent finish. Enough interest through the youthful glossy sheen. ***1/2 (90 pts.)
  • NV Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs - United Kingdom, England, Kent (27/01/2023)
    BTG @ Hambleton. Decent aperitif, fresh and harmonious. Positive finish. *** (88 pts.)
  • 2002 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut Vintage - France, Champagne (26/01/2023)
    Mid to full straw. Creamy mousse, nicely rounded and mature. Moderately rich. Very pleasant, very good even, but doesn’t really justify the cellar time. ***1/2 (90 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
 
2019 Pofadder and 2020 Condrieu Le Grand Vallon Francois Villard both sublime. I am more and more convinced that Cinsault has made itself very much at home in South Africa, and truly world class wines are being created.
1995 Beaucastel knackered (bretty and quite oxidised)
2021 Albert Bichot Chablis doesn't really taste a lot like Chablis (which is why the person who brought it likes it?!)
The non-knackered CNDP 2020 Les Galets de la Berthaude was OK, but nothing to write home about.
2018 Murgo Tenuta San Michele Etna Bianco (a cheap one, from Roberson bin end) is fun and fruity. I felt that I enjoyed it more than I should have done!
2018 Kracher Beerenauslese Cuvee was decent as was the 2009 Raymond Lafon. Served with a rhubarb clafoutis, it seemed like such a lovely match it would be a shame, and too much like hard work, to analyse too much (or, indeed, at all!)
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