Had a lovely dinner with good friends last night.
2008 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut: Intense, compact, rich and contained. The purest of white peach fruit with a squeeze of lemon. It has spice and brioche notes and such great intensity and drive. Bead is super-fine and it finishes with fabulous cut. Despite how tight it is, it offers pleasure now, but the best is yet to come.
2014 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne, Grand Cru: Plenty of struck match to the aroma. Fruit flavours are generous, open knit and sappy. It is complex and layered and very long.
2011 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Corton-Charlemagne, Grand Cru: Much tighter than the ’14 BdM next to it. So fresh with a steely spine. There are notes of white peach, Arum Lillies, flint, mint and preserved lemon. It is so direct, with awesome dry extract and so much energy and drive.
2013 Cloudburst Chardonnay: Drinking beautifully. Very elegant with subtle whiffs of white peach, nutmeg, spearmint and fig. The palate is voluminous and silky. It has a light creaminess and a finish that is delicate and detailed.
2009 Louis Jadot Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses: Rich, opulent and giving. Has some foresty/pine needly notes along with intense cherry fruit. There is a stony/mineral quality to the wine and it builds through the mouth, fanning out on the finish. There’s plenty of earth and fruit flavours that linger once the wine is swallowed.
2009 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Grand Cru: So perfumed, spicy and sumptuous. Great flesh and intensity. Berry and cherry fruit flavours abound. It is a big and powerful wine but in perfect proportion and possessing exquisite balance. Perfectly ripe tannins carry the extremely long finish.
2008 Domaine G. Roumier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras: An inviting nose of rose petals, fresh tilled earth and red fruits. The palate is deep, with crunchy fruits playing on a geological base. It builds and finishes with excellent minerally cut.
2001 Giovanni Sordo Barolo Riserva Gabutti: Stern and sturdy with plenty of meat and iron. It is powerful, dense and a little bit blocky. There’s good chew to the finish and it is very savoury.
1981 Château d’Yquem, Sauternes: From half bottle this was rockin’. Aromas of lavender, marmalade, honey and apricot. It was unctuous and full in the mouth, with delicious spice laden flavours. There was just the right amount of sweetness and a fresh finish of outstanding persistence.