A FUN GATHERING AT L’AUBERGE CHEZ FRANCOIS - L’Auberge Chez Francois, Great Falls, VA (9/9/2020)
Five us got together at Chez Francois to drink a few nice bottles.
Champagne
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1996 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne
Ideally stored bottle. Medium expressive nose displaying very ripe yellow fruit, baked apple, granny smith, peach, crème brulee, sweet spices and smoke. Very good concentration, packed ripe yellow fruit, medium generous fine mousse, rich but lacking focus, bright acidity, medium mineral, and a medium long finish with baked apple at the end. This bottle is a bit more advanced than usual which is strange. (94 pts.) -
1990 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon - France, Champagne
Very ripe mature nose displaying ripe yellow fruit, peach, apple pie, caramel, sweet spice and earth. There is a strong oxidized apple peel note that is bothersome. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of very ripe yellow fruit, medium generous fine mousse, rich and sweet, good acidity, medium mineral, and a medium long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with oxidized apple peel at the end. Came from my cellar, a bit advanced lacking freshness and complexity of the best examples. (93 pts.)
Chablis
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2010 Dauvissat-Camus Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
Incredibly precise mineral driven nose displaying pure white fruit, fresh lemon, honeysuckle, honey, beeswax, perfume, saline, white flowers and crushed rocks. Excellent concentration, slightly coiled concentrated white fruit, pure, precise and energetic, bright acidity, strong mineral and a long pure white fruit driven finish with white flower and mineral at the end. This is a textbook example Chablis that is very similar to the regular Dauvissat Preuses bottling. Drinking beautifully. (95 pts.) -
2009 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Valmur - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
Very focused nose displaying slightly coiled concentrated white and yellow fruit, lemon curd, lemon oil, granny smith, honeysuckle, cool mountain stream, cool sea breeze, white flowers, beeswax and limestone. Excellent concentration, finely layered slightly coiled white fruit, oily and rich yet also excellent precision and balance, medium acidity, strong limestone mineral and a long slightly coiled white fruit driven finish with hone suckle and saline at the end. It is a bit tight upon opening so decanting is recommended. Clearly richer and more opulent than the Dauvissat but equally enjoyable. (95 pts.) -
2007 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
Expressive nose displaying pure yellow and white fruit, lemon curd, granny smith, honeysuckle, beeswax, a hint of cedar, saline, rainwater, spicy spices and limestone. There is a strong pure Chardonnay note that is fascinating. Excellent concentration, finely layered yellow and white fruit, rich and oily but also cool and precise, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with honeysuckle at the end. The overall impression is similar to the 09 but more open and expressive. Drinking beautifully. (96 pts.)
Red Burgundy
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2001 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Ruchottes-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Expressive nose displaying ripe dry red and black fruit, blackberry jam, a hint of dry cherry, stewed tomato, caramel, grilled cep, a hint of sous bois, tree bark and earth. Very good concentration, dense concentrated black fruit, slightly chewy, rich and dense, bright acidity, earthy mineral and a medium to long sweet black fruit driven finish. There is a hint of bitterness that clips the finish. Drinking nicely but slightly lacking finesse. (93 pts.) -
1993 Louis Jadot Musigny - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru
Very youthful nose displaying perfectly ripe black fruit blackberry, black cherry, a hint of rose, caramel, a hint of sous bois, black truffle, dark spices and earth. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated black fruit, silky and beautifully detailed, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, still showing a bit of tannins and a long black fruit driven finish with rose at the end. This remains surprisingly youthful. (95 pts.) -
2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, La Tâche Grand Cru
Beautiful refine nose displaying subtle black fruit, crushed blackberry, blackberry soda, light caramel, a hint of stem, Chinese herbal medicine, tea, rose, tree bark and earth. Fully integrated palate, very finely layered subtle black fruit, very precise, detailed and airy, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a seamless long subtle black fruit driven finish with stem and perfume at the end. Not a big concentrated La Tache but very precise, harmonious and detailed. Drinking beautifully but can improve for another decade gating sweetness and sous bois. (97 pts.)
Northern Rhone
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2005 Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
Youthful expressive nose displaying intense black fruit, blackberry jelly, crushed blackberry, ink, licorice, tapenade, lavender, charred rare steak and crushed rocks. There seems to be a hint of VA. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of ripe yet pure black fruit, opulent yet silky and harmonious, bright acidity and strong mineral, and a long concentrated black fruit driven finish with licorice and balsamico at the end. This is a big scale Syrah. (94 pts.) -
2005 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Expressive nose displaying concentrated black fruit, crème de cassis, blackberry jam, black cherry, licorice, tapenade, lavender, black pepper, a hint of cedar and mineral. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of youthful black fruit, rich yet silky, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long intense black fruit driven finish. Drinking beautifully in a youthful way. Needs another decade to reach the peak. (96 pts.)
ZH
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1994 Zind-Humbrecht Tokay Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal Sélection de Grains Nobles Trié Spéciale - France, Alsace
One of the most opulent, intense and concentrated wines yet also displaying exceptional balance and harmony. So much going on but somehow manages not to get overwhelming. Even AFWEs will find this irresistible. (99 pts.)
A great time was had by all!
Posted from CellarTracker
