Exploring The Forgotten Side Of Bordeaux - Prologue

Some of the bottles to be consumed soon...

My fellow wine aficionados, with your hand on your heart, when was the last time you drank a fine white Bordeaux? Last week, last month or was it several years ago?

As I discretely implied in the competition about this project, white Bordeaux isn´t the trendiest wine out there. Rarely any articles in the wine magazines are to be found and even more seldom, any tasting notes on blogs or wine forums.

I haven´t been improving things over the years. Since I started taking down notes, in 1992, I have compiled a staggering 52 notes of white Bordeaux. 52. In 23 years.

Things are, however, about to chance. I have up to now bought 34 bottles, dating back to 1939, and more are on their way!

Let the exploration of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle and Sauvigon Gris begin!
Where is the corkscrew?

More precious white Bordeaux

A Parker Calibration

This is the third time Roderick arrange a Parker Calibration. Fun as always - thanks!

The concept is easy enough - 6 bottles decanted and presented to us blind. The only thing we now is that the big man have scored them 90, 92, 94, 96, 98 and the hight and mighty 100p. 

Our task is to figure out what wines have been and poured, score them ourselves and make a guess what score Parker have assigned each wine.

Ok, here we go.

Glass No 1

The first wine has a big, somewhat mature nose with notes of warm herbs, black fruits, a autumn forest walk and some dog fur. Ripe and fine. Very good.
The taste is warm and tight with sweet red and black fruits, undergrowth, meat stock and raspberry liquorice. A long, intense finish with some power still. Almost fully mature.
Very good, but I don´t really get a single grape so I´m going with a Châteauneuf-du-Pape from 2000. Geographically close...it is 1995 Côte-Rôtie, Jamet. I usually find Jamet´s Côte-Rôtie more peppery and meaty, but it is easy when you have the label before you...
I guess that Parker has scored it 92p. And so it is! :-) I am close with
91p   (tasted 2014/04)

 

Glass No 2

This is a stunner from the get go, although it kept on progressing all night long. A deep, intense, tight nose with notes of red and black cherries, raw rubber, expensive leather, some peppery scents and forest floor. Very focused and refined. Some new wood, that adds to the complexity. Very fine.
The taste is tight, focused and mouth filling with warm black fruits, moist undergrowth, warm herbs, cherry liquor and a hint of oak vanilla in the long, long finish. This is good!
Massive fruit, some new oak, warm herbs, I am going with a high end Garnacha from Spain. Ah, well. it is 1997 Côte-Rôtie La Landonne, Guigal. Tasted a  a few years back, and then I found it even greater.
I guess that Parker has scored this 96p, but the "thruth" is 98p. I give it
95p   (tasted 2015/04)

Glass No 3

This divided the crowd, from the best to the worst wine. I found a big, concentrated, sweet nose with lots of jammy, ripe cherries and additional notes of fried herbs, bonfire, flower water, warm tiles and raspberry vinegar. There is a lot going on here but it is complex and deep.
The taste is very big, very intense and very jammy with lots of everything - fruit, alcohol, tannins, wood. Yet, it ends balanced. Like a fine Riesling Auslese that initially feels sweet but ends (almost) dry. It is not really my cup of tea, but I am impressed.
Ok, this has to be a full throttled Châteauneuf-du-Pape from 2007! And so it is - 2007 Cuvèe du Quet, Mas de Boislauron.
I guess that Parker has scored this big one 98p, but of course this is the "perfect" wine - 100p. I am more modest with
94p   (tasted 2015/04)

 

Glass No 4

The fourth wine has a mature, soft nose with notes of mixed black fruits, warm tiles, tobacco, not perfectly clean stables and meat stock. Hard to pin down grape wise. Some smoke after a while. Very good.
The taste is more elegant than the nose with notes of black currants, blueberries, earth, smoke and some pine notes. Very balanced and fine. Almost fully mature. Very, very good.
Since I can´t get a clean grape variety, as with wine no 1, I´m going for a Châteauneuf-du-Pape from 1998. It is 1996 Cornas Cuvée V.V., Alain Voge. A fine wine in a perfect drinking stage.
I guess that Parker has scored this 90p. And guess what, he did! I think it is a bit better and I go with
91p   (tasted 2015/04)

 

Glass No 5

My favourite in the line up is a mammoth of a wine, yet with grace and balance. The nose is of a animal in heat with notes of blood, sweet flowers, ripe blueberries, pickled onions, parsnips, smoke and pipe tobacco. Some mint after a while. Just stunning. Deep, deep. Not for the faint hearted.
The taste is big and broad shouldered with notes of ripe raspberries, cherry jam, sweet root vegetables, mint chocolate mousse and tobacco. Some smoky notes in the minute long finish. There is some tannins lurking under the sweet fruit. A great wine.
A am guessing a California Syrah from around 2000. Close enough - it is 2001 Midnight Oil, Sine Qua Non. I am glad I have one bottle of this left.
I guess that Parker has given this a perfect score, but it is a 96´er. I think it is better and I give it
98p   (tasted 2015/04)

 

Glass No 6

The last wine has a big, outgoing nose with notes of white peppered raw meat, raspberries, eucalyptus, rosehips and fried basil. Very big and brawny, but very, very yummy. Deep.
The taste is steady and warm with notes of sweet black cherries, dried flowers, eucalyptus, mint chocolate and moist earth. A very long, warm finish. This is good!
I´m going with a Aussie Shiraz on this one, from about 2005. Partly right but it is older - 1998 Stonewell Shiraz, Peter Lehmann.
I guess that Parker is 94p on this...and so he is! I´m close with
93p   (tasted 2015/04)
 

What Will My New Tasting Project Be...?

Updated!

My next project is White Bordeaux - the Prologue coming soon.

We have a winner - my clues were obvious to easy... :-)
Congratulation - Vinosapien!

This bottle will be yours:

Well, now you have the chance to guess! And win a bottle of wine!

I will let you have some clues.

It is a type of wine that I, as with the Brunello project, have tasted fairly little of, although I have drunk boatloads of another type of wine from the same area.

Some journalists/writers have compared drinking this type of wines with having a cell phone and only using it for actually talking to people, preferring  to listening to lp records and wondering what Spotify is, and reading the news in a printed newspaper and paying for it.
Not trendy at all.

It is always named with reverence when these types of wines is talked about, and yet I rarely see tasting notes, blog posts or articles on these wines.

Got it? :-)

The first correct answer in the comment section will win a bottle from this area. The bottle is of vintage 1996 and is in perfect condition.
The wine in question is described as "sensitive, fragrant, capable of having surprisingly long lives".

(of course provided that it is legal to send a bottle of wine to that land in question and that the winner will be able to provide proof of legal age to possess alcohol beverages)

Another Great Tasting Dinner With Krug, Prüm, Dominus, Palmer, Heitz & More

It was time again for our yearly tasting dinner in our tasting group. Due to mixed up dates and work obligations, we were down to five. Well, more wine for us! :-)

I was responsible for the bubbly section and I had collected three different versions of Krug Grande Cuvée. It was a good start...:-)
MV Krug Grande Cuvée
A very mature, rich, malty nose with notes of burned sugar, old sponge cake, cold coffee, moist earth and old wrinkled red apples. Smells like a (really) old white Burgundy. Very deep. It revives itself somewhat with air, but it is still past its prime.
The taste is still intense and focused and feels younger than the nose. Fine notes of dry fudge, ripe red apples, caramel nuts and earth. Very, very long with a fine acidity. Maybe a tad old on the taste also but it has a lovely vigour and charm. Give me another bottle anytime.
92p   (tasted 2015/14)

MV Krug Grande Cuvée
Is this what a mature Grande Cuvée should be like? Heaven that is. The nose is a dream with its depth, complexity and joyfulness. Lovely notes of sweet/sour lemons, freshly grounded coffee, white peaches, vanilla ice cream and a hint of soap are some of the things your nose detects when you sniff this nectar. The ripeness of the fruit is amazing. Some nutty aromas with air. Just striking.
The taste is structured, layered and intense with notes of summer flowers, peaches, white pears, vanilla fudge and some chalky notes. The finish goes of for two minutes. I guess that this bottle is entering perfect maturity. I am glad we caught it at this time.
97p   (tasted 2015/04)

MV Krug Grande Cuvée
The young one is also a beauty. With the system of ID numbers that Krug now have we can easily find out that this bottle is based on the 2006 vintage, and that the oldest vintage is the 1990 and that there are a total of 11 vintages and 142 wines in the blend. Impressive!
And the finished product then? Oooh, it is good! The nose is like a freshly opened flower with gorgeous notes of lavender, grass, tangerines, sweet lemons, chalk and some smoke. Very deep and pure.
The taste is very young, racy and focused with notes of buckthorn, tangerines, warm grass, chalk and butter biscuits. The acidity is high and mighty and are very noticeable in the long, long finish. The structure, the structure; this is built for the long haul. And what a wine it is going to become, I have to get me some of these.
95p   (tasted 2015/04)

It is not that easy to comprehend all the different versions of Grande Cuvée, but we who read Swedish can just go here for all there is to know about the subject.

For first course we had a very interesting chicken dish from Indonesia. Perfectly succulent and spicy to go with the fine Riesling´s.
2002 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese, Fritz Haag
A fine, restrained nose with notes of wet stones, sweet/sour lemons and a touch of dry honey. Some maturity in the shaped of dried fruits and a dried up sweetness. Very good.

The taste is medium bodied and somewhat mature with notes of almond paste, lemon candy and crushed rocks. A medium long finish with a fine acidity. For drinking now. Very good.

88p   (tasted 2015/04)

2003 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese, Willi Schaefer
A intense, deep, finely tuned nose with notes of dried flowers, lavender honey, ski wax and a rubber suit. A bit steely in the middle. Subtle. This is fine.

The taste is tight and concentrated with notes of sweet lemons, sea food shells, warm grass and a lot of slate. Very, very nice. Long and fine. Could still develop some. Great.

92p   (tasted 2015/04)

2003 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese, Selbach-Oster
A light, cool, fresh nose with notes of ripe pears, cap gun smoke, sweet minerals and some rubber. Very elegant. Medium deep. Some maturity.

The taste is fresh and light with notes of lemon peel, mussels, dried apricots and crushed rocks. The finish is medium long, balanced and fine. Very, very good.

90p   (tasted 2015/04)

2002 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Joh. Jos. Prüm
This beauty shows beautifully today. The nose is still young with notes of sweet lime, matchbox, dry rubber, liquorice and white peppers. Very complex, almost electric. Stunning. Very, very deep.

The taste is refined and pure with notes of ripe lemons, elderberries, nutmeg and sunwarm rocks. The finish goes on and on, with a high and balanced acidity. Will go for many, many years.

93p   (tasted 2015/04)

Due to the above mentioned absence causes, I also managed the main dish. We had three versiosn of veal - filet, sweetbread and a home made veal sausage with a Jeruslam artichoke purée and a Madeira sauce.
1991 Dominus
The 91 Dominus have been great from my first tasted bottle in 1997 to this, alas my last bottle. The nose is deep and gorgeously mature with notes of ripe black currants, fresh stables, dark leather and fine tobacco. A dead ringer for a mature Bordeaux, as everyone around the table pegged it as.

The taste is velvety yet firm with earthy black currants, tobbacco leaves, warm tiles and worn leather. Long, intense, harmonious and sooo delicious. On top of its game, it will surely keep for another 7+ years, but I don't think it will get any better.

95p   (tasted 2015/04)

1991 Cullen Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot
Bought just a while back, this fitted the line up perfectly. The nose tells you that this is a different creature than the Dominus. More fleshy and voluptuous on the nose with notes of blackberries, plums, dark chocolate and a hint of toothpaste. Deep and warm, but with a fine firmness to the flashy fruit.

The taste is big, warm and steady with notes of black currant jam, plums, violets, tar and dark earth. The finish is very long, broad shouldered and really yummy. Not overly mature, this will go on for many years to come.

93p   (tasted 2015/04)

1990 Château Palmer
Well, the classics are the classics for a reason - a gorgeous nose with notes of cool black currants, lead pencil shavings, dry tobacco and even some floral notes, graces your olfactory senses when you stick your nose in the glass. Just beautiful. A clean stable in the distance. I could sit and sniff this all night.

The taste is perfectly mature with a perfect balance between ripe fruit, mature features and a creamy balance. Lovely notes of red and black currants, autumn leaves, worn leather and a hint of animal fur. Great balance and mouth feel. Great wine.

95p   (tasted 2015/04)

1991 Heitz Martha´s Vineyard
Aaaaah, a liquid dream. The nose is a masterpiece with its tell tale sign of eukalyptus and additional notes of plums, black currants, Valrhona chocolate, scorched earth and autumn leaves. A wonderful sweetness to the fruit. In a perfect time and place.

The taste is ripe, mature and concentrated with notes of red and black currants, plums, red liquorice and eukalyptus. So long, so elegant and so, so, so great. 

97p   (tasted 2015/04)

Dessert - a perfect Chocolate fondant with fresh berries - yummy!
1956 Riversaltes, Domaine de Rombeau
This was a new acquaintance, and I am impressed! The nose is deep, very deep, with a hedonistic dark sweetness in the shape of walnuts, damsons, raisins, fire smoke and band aid. Very complex. A refined dry sweetness that comes with long aging in wood. Great stuff.
The taste is big and intense with notes of toffee, dusting sugar, assorted nuts and sugared cold coffee. Very long with multi layered tastes. This is good! Would love to get me some.
93p   (tasted 2015/04)

1980 Bual, Blandy´s
In almost any other context a bottle from 1980 would have been a mature wine, but with Madeira, this is a youngster. And a adolescent youngster at that. The nose is upfront and fiery with notes of paint, dry nuts, green raisins and rubber. Somewhat foursquare. Needs more bottle age, say 50 years (slower than in wood, I know, but still...)
The taste is seedy and tight with notes of stems, green raisins, band aid, old nuts and dark plums. A very high acidity, as expected, but not that nicely integrated. A bit angular. Good with the dessert though.
86p   (tasted 2015/04)

  

Four Champagne´s From Michel Genet

The four bottles tasted and you can see Vincent Genet behind the bottles to the right

Divine invented to lunch. The purpose was to taste some bottles from Michel Genet, which for me was a new acquaintance. And a very nice one at that.
The family makes their wines exclusively from owned grapes, the Chardonnay grapes are from Grand Cry vineyards in Chouilly. Production is about 70.000 bottles/year.
All the tasted cuvées have a dosage of 9 g/l. Beforehand I would have thought that it would give them a more off dry feeling but no, none of them showed any such characteristics. All very fine wines.

NV Brut Esprit Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs
The nose is cool, elegant and pure with notes of lemons, toasted bread, freshly washed clothes and dry passionfruit. Very nice. Some sweet lime after a while.
The taste is young and tight with notes of lemons, sweet minerals, dry fudge and some smoky aromas. The finish is long and dry. Very, very good.
88p   (tasted 2015/04)

NV Brut Rosé
A creamy, finely tuned nose with notes of just ripening raspberries, lingonberries and earth. Refined. Medium deep and persistent. Very, very good.
The taste is tight and racy with notes of raspberry biscuits, gravel and lingonberries. A long, fine finish with a great acidity. This I like!
90p   (tasted 2015/04)

2009 Grande Rèserve Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs
A fine, upfront nose with notes of almond milk, sweet lemons, gravel and a hint of liquorice. Pure, deep and fine. A fine sweetness to the fruit.
The taste is dry, tight and refined with notes of lemons, lime, oyster shells and warm gravel. A long, intense finish. Really good, but I feel that this is for drinking sooner than later. And I have no problems drinking this right now!
91p   (tasted 2015/04)

2007 Prestige de la Cave Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs
The Prestige has a cool, refined, aristocratic nose with lovely notes of white pears, lemon candy, warm grass and some smoky scents. Very fine. A understated elegance. Deep.
The taste is intense and focused with notes of candied lemons, white peach, flowers and a wonderful smokiness. A long, long, intense finish with a stunning acidity. A lovely structure. This will evolve nicely for 6-10 years. I will be able to tell, because this will go into the cellar.
94p   (tasted 2015/04)

Me & My Magnum - 1985 Château De La Rivière

"A magnum is the perfect size for 2 gentlemen to share over lunch...especially if one of them isn´t drinking". This quote is said to have originated from Winston Churchill.

Recently I drank a bottle of 1990 Château de La Rivière and subsequently ordered a couple of 1985 and 1986´s, the 1985 being magnums.
Time to take one for a test drive, all by myself...:-)

1985 Château de La Rivière
The nose shows a bit restrained at first but opens up nicely with some air in the glass. After a while it displays fine aromas of plums, black currants, graphite and autumn leaves. A lovely mature, old school Bordeaux typicity.
The taste is beautifully mature with fine note of red and black currants, dry tobacco, autumn leaves and warm tiles. The finish is medium long, perfectly dry and very, very good. Not as great as the 1990 but tonight this is a perfect drinking Bordeaux, at least from a magnum. :-)
91p   (tasted 2015/04)

 

Drinking Tonight - 2006 Pinot Gris, Schlossgut Diel

Coming home on Friday evening, making a tasty fish soup and pondering over what to open. Wait, is it not a single bottle of a Pinot Gris laying around? Well, it seems to be.

2006 Pinot Gris, Schlossgut Diel
Isn´t Grauer Burgunder a more beautiful name? It says that on the back label but on the front label Pinot Gris boast its name. Anyway, a big, extrovert meets you when you put your nose in the glass, with fine notes of sweet flowers, candle grease, dried peaches and candied lemon. Some maturity. Very good. Round and yummy.
The taste is broad and tight with notes of apricots, pine apple juice, smoke, candle grease and blood orange peel. The finish is long, warm and mouth filling. The acidity is on the low side of things but I really like it all the same. Went perfectly with the fish soup. Drinking perfectly now.
89p   (tasted 2015/04)

Keller - Seven Bottles From The 2012 Vintage

A couple of weeks ago, at Mirans follow up chapter of my Brunello project, he also poured a LOT of white wines, before we came to the Brunello´s.
Here are some of them...

And if you want to read all there is to know about Keller, look no further than here.

2012 Rieslaner Spätlese, Keller
A young, vigorous, fine nose with notes of pear juice, bay leaves, flowers and gravel. Fine spicy aromas. Very, very good.
The taste is young, tight and elegant with notes of ripe yellow pears, spices, dried flowers and gravel. The finish is very long and crisp. Really fine.
92p   (tasted 2015/03)

2012 Westhofen Morstein GG, Keller 
The nose is very young and restrained, but with some swirls of the glass you can get scents of chalk, white currants, grape and a touch of matchbox. Very refined. This has lots to offer although it needs lots of time.
The taste is young, tight and seedy with notes of white flowers, white and red currants, chalk and almonds. The finish goes on and on and on. A high strung acidity. Sooo good, but it needs at least 6+ years in the cellar.
94p   (tasted 2015/03)

2012 Riesling -RR-, Keller
A very young, focused and intense nose meets you when you put your nose in the glass. Stunning notes of lemon peels, white flowers, slate and a touch of ginger. Some pine forest scents after a while. Really fine.
The taste is elegant and pure with notes of dry white peach, summer flowers, slate and pears. The finish goes on for over a minute. Very, very good. A stunning acidity. Young of course, but oh so lovely already.
93p   (tasted 2015/03)

2012 Nierstein Hipping -R-, Keller
A low keyed, refined nose with gorgeous notes of just ripening peaches, wet asphalt, birch leaves and sweet minerals. Just lovely.
The taste is cool, tight and intense with notes of lemons, lime, birch leaves and lots of crushed rocks. A long, elegant finish with a great acidity kick in the end. This is fine!
92p   (tasted 2015/03)

2012 Nierstein (Hipping) Riesling Kabinett -H-, Keller
This comes from Hipping but according to the German regulations, it can´t be labelled as such, hence the "H" on the label. It has a cool, sandy nose with notes of green apples, gooseberries and a hockey puck! Pure as a mountain river. Great stuff.
The taste is young and cool with notes of gooseberries, rhubarb, sweet lemons and cucumber. A long, medium dry finish with a stunning acidity. Very, very fine.
93p   (tasted 2015/03)

2012 Nierstein (Pettenthal) Riesling Kabinett -P-, Keller
This beauty shows of a deep, penetrating nose with stunning notes of sweet/sour lemons, modelling clay, pear ice cream and lots of crushed rocks. A lovely, wilful nose that leaves a distinct mark on your olfactory senses.
The taste is tight, focused and pure with notes of ripe pears, almond paste, lots of gravel and candied lemon peels. A lovely acidity that marks the long, long finish. This is a stunning example of what Riesling can achieve. Simply marvellous.
96p   (tasted 2015/03)

2012 Nierstein Pettenthal Riesling Spätlese, Keller
A deep, medium dry nose with notes of ripe peaches, lemon candy, warm grass and a lovely after-the-rain scent. Very refined. This is goooood!
The taste is pure as a mountain river with lovely notes of white peaches, sweet lemons, grass and a touch of lemon liquorice. The finish is long, focused and with a gorgeous balance. Very, very fine.
94p   (tasted 2015/03)

 

Two More Bottles Of 2010 Chianti

Two more 2010 Chianti´s down the hatch. A great vintage, as shown in these bottles and previous tasted bottles - here, here, here and here.

2010 Chianti Classico Riserva, Montegiachi
With a young, upfront, juicy nose, this Chianti delivers the goods. Fine notes of violet pastilles, sweet/sour cherries, gravel and roses. Very fine. A lot of nerve and interest.
The taste is young and tight with a core of sandy tannins, a fine acidity and lots of ripe cherry fruit. The finish is long with notes of smoke, violets and warm gravel. Very good now, this will be even better with 5+ years in the cellar.
90p   (tasted 2015/04)

2010 Chianti Classico Riserva Monsenese, San Leonini
This one is denser and richer than the wine above. A big, structured nose with notes of ripe black cherries, liquorice, dried flowers and some chocolate scents. Some oak vanilla in the background. Compact. Needs time.
The taste is big and intense with notes of chocolate covered cherries, liquorice, hot gravel and sweet flowers. Some dusty tannins in the long, warm finish. Needs time to come around but I think that it will be fine in 6-8 years time.
87p   (tasted 2015/04)

Preparing For Tonight

Tonight it is time for another wine dinner in our tasting group. I am preparing the amuse bouche´s that will be nibbled on with three bottles of Champagne (no pics of those for an obvious reason...:-)

These three will be opened to along the main course, which will be three variants of veal. Notes to follow.

A Bottle Of Bubbly - 2004 Rubis De Noirs, Leclerc Briant

I opened this as an aperitif over Easter. The whole bottle didn´t get emptied so I toyed with it for a couple of days, and it stayed the same for those three-four days.
Info here.

2004 Rubis de Noirs, Leclerc Briant
This 100% Pinot Noir 1er Cru has a elegant, rather withdrawn nose with notes of ripening raspberries, lingonberries, blood grape and crushed rocks. A touch anemic but good all the same.
The taste is tight and restrained with notes of rhubarb, barely ripe raspberries, earth and red beet juice. The finish is medium long and shows a fine acidity. Nothing wrong with it, but neither something to get excited over.
84p   (tasted 2015/04)

Lamb & Two Bottles Of 1983 Bordeuax

No Easter holiday could be complete without a lamb dish and some Bordeaux poured. I opted for two bottles of mature Bordeaux, in a, obviously, classic style.

Said about Château Soutard:
"The aim is to make long-keeping, classic wines, and the result is rather uncompromising and needs patience from the consumer."         
(David Peppercorn: Bordeaux (1991))

"this is one of the most traditionally made and longest-lived wines in St Emilion"
(Robert Parker: Bordeaux (1998))

1983 Château Soutard
Even though it is 32 years old it needs some time to come around. When it opens up, it offers fine scents of red currants, cool plums, dry tobacco, autumn leaves and road dust. A old fashioned style with lots of backbone and a resolute character. Very, very good.
The taste is perfectly mature with a taut structure and a rugged, old style fruit with additional notes of tobacco ashes, old leather, warm tiles and dry earth. A long finish with still some tannins present. With the lamb this created harmony. Perfect now. I really like Soutard - as this tasting with 8 vintages almost three yeras ago shows.
91p   (tasted 2015/04)

Said about Château Rouget:
"As a result of its position and the methods employed, this is a really powerful, tannic, old-fashioned Pomerol, that demands keeping for its true merits to be appreciated."
(David Peppercorn: Bordeaux (1991))

"there is no question that Rouget can be a rich and interesting wine"
(Robert Parker: Bordeaux (1998))

1983 Château Rouget
The 83 Rouget is more open right from the bottle, with fine notes of dark plums, sugared coffee, moist undergrowth and pipe tobacco. This has a lovely warmth, but it is a tad more shallow than the Soutard. Very good though. Again, a nose from a distant era, when you could identify a Bordeaux from a mile away, even though the question of the Left or Right bank sometimes could cause some pondering...
The taste is tighter and drier with notes of dried black cherries, plums, pipe tobacco and cold coffee. A medium long finish with a fine warmth. A deep, sweet, mature black fruit. This wears its heart on its sleeve. Maybe a tad overmature, but I love drinking it! Bought a couple of months ago for the outrageous sum of 11 Euro...:-)
87p   (tasted 2015/04)

                            

A Easter Pinot

This bottle was opened to compliment a whole roasted chicken, stuffed with truffle butter, Serrano ham, thyme and lemon.
It did.

2005 Beaune-Greves 1er Cru, Jacques Prieur
It needs some time to open up in the glass but when it does it shows lovely aromas of ripe raspberries, red cherries, damp earth, assorted herbs and a touch of chocolate. With air it becomes more meaty. Deep and fine. Still on the young side of things.
The taste is young and firm with notes of cool raspberries, dry liquorice, forest floor and a hint of chocolate covered cherries. A long, structured finish with a fine interaction between the sweetness of the fruit, the acidity and the sandy tannins.
Perfect with the chicken. Alas, my only bottle, would love to have more of this beauty. And it will get even better in 4-6 years.
93p   (tasted 2015/04)

2012 Heytesbury Chardonnay, Vasse Felix

To go along assorted shellfish yesterday I opened this youngster. I drank the 2009 a while back.

2012 Heytesbury Chardonnay, Vasse Felix
A young, upfront yet focused nose with notes of sweet/sour lemons, dried papaya, milk chocolate fudge and a lot of cap gun smoke. There is a lot of interesting things going on here, although its still very young. Lots of sweet minerals.
The taste is young, tight and concentrated with notes of lemon candy, flint, dried tropical fruits and dry fudge. A very fine acidity characterizes the long, intense finish. Very, very good. This need a couple of years in the cellar to really unfold. A serious Chardonnay.
92p   (tasted 2015/02)