We’ve consumed some delicious bottles over the holidays, many at a dinner last night at Pappas Steakhouse with a great friend who’s also a great client (picture of the Pappas wines at the bottom). The Pappas list here still has some gems (like the Gonon VV for $360 and the Burlotto for $200). Here are some quick-hit TNs for wines from the past couple weeks.
'12 Pierre Peters ‘Chetillons’ - Brilliant wine. Intense and super vibrant with a fine mousse and piercing minerality. Vinous, finessed, and classy. (93)
Krug 168eme - Intense, rich, and chalky. Tightly wound but hyper concentrated. Needs time but all the pieces are here. For my palate, just a touch inferior to the 164 and 165 but better than the 166 or 167. Score is conservative as I expect this will age beautifully. (92)
Krug Rose 24eme - Fine red berries and a velvet texture. Good but, as always with Krug Rose, very pricey for the quality. (91)
'10 Gonon VV - Killer. My first VV and it’s really a different animal than the normal Gonon St. Joe (which I like but I now find overpriced). Layers upon layers of the purest dark-berry Syrah fruit. So deep it’s almost crunchy. Highly fragrant. Young but generous. WOTY candidate. Would love to put this alongside the '10 Jamet ‘Cote Brune’. (96)
'12 Allemand Reynard - Another great experience with this wine. Dark and very deep but highly energetic. Very bold but elegantly textured. A touch more compact and reticent than the Gonon VV, which was opened alongside it. (94)
'14 X. Gerard Cote Rotie - I’ve had many delicious bottles of this wine. It’s pretty restrained but has pure fruit and nice herbal undertones. (90)
'10 Roumier Chambolle - Astonishingly good. This absolutely screams ‘CHAMBOLLE’ with an explosive and beguiling Pinot nose and a palate that’s pure silk. And while Burgundy can claim far grander wines, it’s hard to recall a Burg that’s more satisfying. A triumph. (94)
'10 Groffier Chambolle ‘Sentiers’ - Not as good as the Roumier but a delicious wine in its own right. A touch darker and more brooding, but the balance is still impeccable, and this has a nice spice kick. A bit weightier than the Roumier. I find it puzzling that Groffier gets relativley little fanfare. (93)
'13 Burlotto Monvigliero - I don’t know what the going rate is for this wine, but it’s probably worth it. Extremely fragrant with a palate this is still open-knit, complex, and expressive. Youthful and wild and complex but still impeccably balanced. Hard to recall a more impressive young Barolo. (95)
‘96 Diamond Creek Cab ’ Volcanic Hill’ - This is still shockingly young. Tastes at least a decade younger than the vintage would suggests. It has dark fruits balanced structured tannins and enough lift to give the wine energy. But it’s still a bit monolithic. I’d give this another decade, at least (91)
'09 Dauvissat ‘Preuses’ - This has come together really nicely. I never expected '09 white burgs to amount to much but this is pretty lovely. Doesn’t have the acidity or extract of the '14, but the fruit is pure and it’s in a nice place. (91)
'14 Dauvissat ‘Preuses’ - This is a dynamo and shows what '14 has to offer. Massive dry extract, bright citrus fruits, and an opulent impression. This will be legendary if it can avoid premox. (94)
'16 Ramonet Chassagne ‘Morgeot’ - Disappointing. The fruit is rich and concentrated but it’s a bit flabby and while enjoyable in any objective sense, the overall impression is a touch flat. Shockingly, it was far inferior to the Kutch opened alongside it. (87)
'18 Kutch Chardonnay ‘Trout Gulch’ - I love Kutch Chard and this is another winner. Bright and dense with great proportion and balance. Better than the Ramonet. (90)
'18 Foillard Morgon Charmes ‘Eponym’ - Ripe and fleshy and generous and super satisfying. (89)
'19 Julian Haart Riesling 1000L - Bright and pure and great with food. But this is very acidic with sharp edges, so it’s not gonna be everyone’s cup of tea. (89)
