Backup Notes - Yet Another Trade Tasting - Bristly Wines

Another day, another trade tasting. A couple of months ago I attended Bristly´s.
As usual I started with Champagne, just one bottle though, the 2004 Cuvée Nicole Moncuit Blanc de Blancs, Pierre Moncuit which still is very young with notes of hyachint, lemon peel, copper and minerals. The taste is fresh and elegant with lemon fruit, bread and a high acidity. Needs some years to soften a bit (~91p).

Two Chassagne-Montrachet from Fernand & Laurent Pillot proved to be a pair of fine white Burgundies. The 2012 Champgains has a young, spicy nose with sweet/sour lemons and minerals, and a young, fresh nose with lots of acidity and ripe lemon fruit (~91p). The three year older version, the 2009 Champgains is more ripe with sweeter yellow fruit and a fine smoky note. The taste is elegant and racy with a lovely lemoncello character (~91p).
Moving on to the Pommards from F & L Pillot, the 2010 Rugiens shows a big, upfront nose with notes of ripe strawberries, pinenuts and liquorice. The taste is tight and focused with ripe red fruits and a long, broading finish (~90p). The 2009 Clos de Verger has almost the same profile as the Rugiens but with added depth and a fine earthiness (~91p).

Next up to be poured is two Brouilly´s from Jean-Claude Lapalu. Neither is my cup of tea, the 2013 V.V. has a yesty, unripe nose and a dry taste with notes of rubber, fermenting lingonberries and a high acidity (~72p). The 2013 La Croix de Rameaux is better, but the light strawberry nose and tight, foursquare nose will not make me a fan (~78p).

Moving on to Italy, Castello di Monsanto provides three fine bottles. The 2009 Chianti Classico Riserva has a fresh cherry fruit on the nose and seedy taste with lots of warm gravel and herbs, very good (~90p). The 2006 Chianti Classico Riserva Il Poggio is a very fine bottle of Chianti with its open nose full of herbs, sweet/sour cherries, worn leather and veal stock. The taste is tight and intense with lovely fruit and a taut backbone (~92p). Finally, the 2008 Chianti Classico Riserva Cinquantenario feels more mature than the Il Poggio and is a bit woody on the nose and the taste is high and full od acidity and laid back fruit. Very good but I would love to taste it again (~87p).

From Roagna, the 2007 Barbaresco La Pajè displays a light, earthy, fine nose and a traditional, seedy taste with a fine lingonberry fruit (~86p). The 2007 Barolo La Pira is way up on the quality ladder with its deep, intoxicating nose full of ripe cherries, truffles and asphalt. The taste is long, precise and combines power and lightness. Very, very fine (~93p). The 2007 Barbaresco Asili Vecchie Vigne is almost as good as the Barolo. It shows lots of autumn scents on the nose and on the palate it is long, fresh and seedy with great character (~92p).

From one of my favourite producers, Domenico Clerico, I tasted three bottles. 2008 Barolo Pajana has a young, focused, fine nose with notes of creamy cherry fruit and lots of mushrooms. The taste is young and structured with boat loads of locked up cherry fruit (~91p). The 2008 Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra is a gorgeous wine. Very young of course, but every element of future greatness is there (~94p). Lastly, the 2005 Barolo Percristina is very backward and shows very little of its future self, but with lots of vigour you can get the glass to display some aromas of ripe cherries and a very elegant structure. This will need lots of time (~92p).
An affordable and nice Barolo is the 2008, Raineri. A new producer for me, it delivers a light, mushroomy nose with some additional rosehips and herbs. The taste is young, tight and medium bodied with a good length (~87p).

And now it was time for the big line up of Châteauneuf-du-Pape´s. First four bottles from Domaine Saint Prefer. The 2011 Classique has an open, kirschy nose with a good warmth. The taste is big, fiery and a tad to sweet for my liking (~84p). The 2011 Colombis is much better with a fresh cherry and raspberry fruit paired with some garrigue and dried flowers. The taste is young, tight and concentrated (~89p). Even better is the 2011 Réserve August Favier with its focused nose full of ripe fruit, resin and stony notes. The taste is intense and fresh with a fine warmth (~90p). And at the top of the heap, the 2011 Collection Charles Giraud sits. The nose is deep and concentrated with a lovely creamy fruit. It flows over the palate with notes od raspberry coulis, garrigue and warm rocks. backed up with a fair amount of tannins. A great wine in the making (~93p).

From Domaine la Barroche, two Châteauneufs-du-Pape´s were poured. The 2011 Signature has a big, steady, upfront nose with notes of warm resin, earth and raspberry jam. The taste is structured and tight with dense fruit and notes of fried herbs and scorched earth. Very good (~90p). The two year older version, 2009 Signature, has a big, hot nose with notes of lingonberry jam, rubber and dried herbs. The taste is hot and dry with dried up raspberry jam, garrigue and the same rubber note as on the nose (~85p).

Domaine de la Janasse had three bottles on display. The 2012 Tradition has a big, seedy nose that is a bit unfocused. The taste is big and bold with lots of fruit, tannins and alcohol. Needs to settle down, but for now, not for me (~84p). The 2012 Chaupin is several steps up the quality ladder, with a ripe, powerful nose with notes of ripe raspberries, bonfire, forest floor and dried flowers. The taste is young and tight with sweet fruit, dense tannins and a fine focus (~90p). Last, but definitely not least, the 2011 Vieilles Vignes displays a young, fresh, cherry filled nose with notes of asphalt, forest floor and dark resin. The taste is young, steady and concentrated with notes of hard cherry candy, fresh herbs, liquorice and pine wood. Very, very good (~92p).

Two bottles from Le Vieux Donjon was thoroughly enjoyed. The 2011 has a old fashioned, somewhat barnyardy nose with a fine warmth and notes of ripe raspberries and dry liquorice. The taste is big and bold with fine sweet fruit, ripe tannins and a long, warm finish. Very, very good (~91p). The 2012 is a winner from the first sniff and sip. The nose is deep and restrained but the quality of the fruit shines through. Very refined. The taste is young, tight and concentrated with a perfect strawberry- and raspberry fruit, intermingled with notes of forest floor, leather and resin. A great wine in the making (~94p).

2011 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Château Sixtine, Cuvée de Vatican has a warm, spicy nose with a lot of earthy aromas. The taste is big and warm with steady tannin and a long, herbal finish. Very good (~87p). The 2012 of the same wine is better, the nose is deeper with a lovely kirsch note and the taste is more focused an the fruit it denser and more intense. Will turn out great (~91p).

The last bottles from Châteauneuf-du-Pape were a pair from Mas de Boislauzon. The 2012 Tradition has a cool, refined nose with notes of an autumn pine forest, dried raspberries, fresh herbs and liquorice. The taste is young, tight and impressive with notes of forest floor, ripe raspberries, thyme and some coffee powder notes. A long, intense finish. This is gooood (~93p)! The 2012 Cuvée du Quet is almost as good as the Tradition and while there are many similarities, this is more backward and today it doesn´t show the same goodies as the Tradition does (~92p).

The last wines tasted were the stunning wines from La Pèrira en Damasiela. First up the only white, the 2011 Deusyls which showcases a fat, hedonistic nose with notes of vanilla dusted ripe peaches, sweet summer flowers and lemon curd. Deep and profound. The taste is intense and concentrated with lovely sweet yellow fruit and lemon cream. There are acidity to match the rich fruit. This I like (~93p)!
The simplest red (and there is nothing simple with this wine!) is the 2011 Obriers de la Pèira that has a meaty, deep nose with lots of black fruits. The taste is big and tight with power and balance. Great stuff (~91p). After tasting the 2009 Las Flors I ordered bottles, for this is must have. The nose is decadently ripe, deep and beautiful with lots of sweet/sour cherries, dry liquorice, scorched earth, expensive leather and high octane chocolate. The taste is dense, tight and headstrong with boatloads of ripe black fruit, immense tannins and a finish that never stops. Not for the faint hearted and it is still young...(~96p).
Finally, the 2008 La Pèira has a tough job following the Las Flors, and it doesn´t reach its height, but this is no slouch, with its deep, restrained, tight nose and its massive, withdrawn taste that reveals more promise than enjoyment today. Wait at least 8 years for this one (~92p).