Twitter

I have shifted much of my publishing to very frequent short posts via Twitter. My Twitter stream is always accessible at twitter.com/ironchevsky. I will continue to publish more involved stories here on the blog, but for quick takes, photos, tasting notes and opinions, I find that Twitter provides a more natural medium. Nearly every single one of my wine and worthwhile foodie experiences can be followed there. Many wine experts I know have shifted to Instagram for broadcasting their activities, as well as Cellartracker for writing wine notes. There is also significant traffic on WineBerserkers.com forums, as well as in some relatively recent Facebook groups. I visit and enjoy all of the above, but for now I am sticking with Twitter for most of my short-form updates. Please follow me there!

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Protege Opens in Palo Alto with Michelin-Star Aspirations

Finally, a fine dining, foodie restaurant opens in Palo Alto. There is no shortage of restaurants in this town flush with Silicon Valley millionaires (and billionaires), but finding an avenue that satisfies a truly discerning palate is a tough call. Protege is located at 250 S. California Ave. They soft-launched last week aspiring to fit that bill, and it mostly delivers. Founded by ex-French Laundry culinary and vinous experts Anthony Secviar (chef) and Dennis Kelly (master sommelier, a very elite designation of wine expertise), the food is high-end, yet manages to avoid a stuffy/snobby feel of a formal Michelin-star establishment. The room is divided into a "no-reservations-accepted / first-come-first-serve" a la carte section, which based on the review from a trusted source is fantastic, and the more formal "prix-fixe" reservations-only (reservations are taken exactly one week in advance) where you get to choose a 3 or 4 course (mix-and-match, i.e. you can get all 3 desserts if you like) menu, with a couple of amuse-bouches and the most delicious freshly baked bread thrown in between, a work of an inspired and extremely talented baker and pastry chef Eddie Lopez, also ex-French Laundry.



The four of us were able to secure one of the only three tables available in the formal dining room at any one time during this initial launch period, and we spent nearly four hours savoring the food, the wine, the atmosphere, and the company, staying well past the official close time, thanks to the most forthcoming staff. We all ordered the four-course menu, which baselined at $85 per person, plus some supplemental charges for things like foie gras, etc. Cheese plate and wines were all extra. The courses were beautiful and very promising, but not all successful, and the chef is still rapidly experimenting and refining the dishes, we were told. I loved everything except the meat courses. Speaking of which, the duck dish, called Peking Duck, had very little to resemble the classical Chinese dish. The skin was thick, with unrendered fat underneath, the flesh was steak-like rare and slightly chewy, rather than cooked-through and melt-in-your-mouth as in traditional Peking duck. It was basically a seared duck breast, from what I could tell, with a poorly chosen name for the dish. But aside from those small nits, the duck meat was tasty, and the sauce on it was spectacular, the whole dish pairing like a dream with the 2005 Michel Gros 1er Cru Vosne-Romanee Clos des Reas red Burgundy I brought ($50 corkage was worth it, but let me touch on that a bit later.) The renowned 1er Cru performed really well, bright and full of vitality, while at the same time showing fully secondary flavors, a complex medley of tree bark, brown sugar, hint of leather, licorice, and a glossy assortment of black cherries and blue fruits, accompanied by bright acidity - in other words a prime example of what I look for in red Burgundy. 2005's have taken a long time to develop, but this wine seems to have entered its drinkability window and should continue to drink great for probably another 10 years easy. Based on this specimen, I would suggest Burg geeks should start looking at their 2005's.

Duck

Wagyu beef

The wagyu filet dish was underwhelming. The beef did not taste special, IMO not even as good as a non-wagyu steak at a typical steakhouse, and I would have preferred just one piece (not two) and more other interesting things on the plate. Those dishes aside, the foie-gras appetizer that preceded these was sublime, paired with a 2001 Sauternes from Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey, all the seafood dishes (crab, hamachi tartar, and sablefish) were delightful, the cheese cart while limited in selections provided for a delectable, high-quality cheese plate, and the desserts were superb, especially the incredible strawberry shortcake meringue, an artistic and gastronomic masterpiece. I will also note that the interior of the place is stylish, tasteful and inviting, the master som expertly understated, and the service very friendly.



With regards to wine, I think we picked the right strategy, which was to rely on the master som's recommendation for the Champagne by-the-glass (starter and the pairing with the caviar amuse-bouche), Sauternes by-the-glass (pairing with foie gras), and the white half-bottle (a suitable but not noteworthy white burgundy from the master Paul Pillot, for a price one can swallow - $75 for half-bottle), while relying on our own high-end red Burgundy being a perfect (IMHO) choice for the later courses.

Now let me touch on the $50 corkage, the wine list, and the service. Overall, I feel the wine list is very well put together, many of my favorite producers, without being ultra-high-end (although you can spot a 2005 DRC RSV for $3500 there, which is actually one of the relatively better deals on the list, in terms of the markup over retail market pricing). The relatively high representation of half-bottles was a welcome touch. The glassware from the Ridel Vinum series was fabulous - tall glasses with thin stems, very elegant, different shapes specifically matched to each of the four types of wine we had. The only nit/suggestion I would make is that it would be way cooler, IMHO, if there were some easter eggs or special deals on the wine list that would appeal to the wine crowd. At Zola, for example, the corkage is discounted to $10 for wines that are 10 years or older. Or if Protege offered a few wines every week that were marked up perhaps 30-50% over retail rather than the customary 300%.

I was told that a chef's table will be set up in the wine cellar in April where guests will be lavished with even more attention and special items. All in all, a very promising start and a sure thumbs up, with the benefit of the doubt given to the inspiring restaurant. We hope to be back on a regular basis.

2011 Produttori del Barbaresco Horizontal Tasting

Produttori del Barbaresco is the benchmark producer of Barbaresco. Always reliable in quality, they represent remarkable value too. And with their 9 single-vineyard riserva cru's, you get a look at the nuances of the various terroirs of Barbaresco. Though 2011 was a warmer than ideal year, it is considered a good vintage in Barbaresco, with wines on the riper, richer, darker, sexier end of the scale, but with good tannic structure and sufficient acidity, giving them serious ability to age. The fruit is by no means roasted or raisiny, as may happen in hot years. In short, 2011 vintage in Barbaresco is a vintage of considerable early appeal, but with serious capacity to age.

Here are my impressions of the 2011 line-up from Produttori del Barbaresco, in the order I tasted them. There was a clear familial similarity among all the wines, including the Normale bottling. They were suave, rich, ripe, and tannic, shifting from red berries to blueberries and plums, hints of herbs and spices, with medium body and beautiful translucent garnet color (as typical for Nebbiolo). I would not call this a classic vintage for Produttori because the wines are quite rich, but nonetheless, they are delicious, perfumed and structured. They can also be enjoyed now with some decanting and food.

2014 Produttori del Barbaresco, Langhe Nebbiolo - before diving into the 2011's, we started with the impressively drinkable 2014 Nebbiolo. Supposedly a crap vintage, one expects top-grade juice to be declassified into the Nebbiolo Langhe, and indeed it showed.  Very perfumed red fruits and herbs. Perfect (imaginary) match to a Naples-style pizza.

2011 Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Normale - this is blend of multiple vineyards from grapes that didn't make it into the single-vineyard cru's. Terrific value in 2011, for the quality and richness you get. I think this wine will age a long time, even though it already drinks very well. Perfumed berry jam, with noticeable structure and tannins. This punches way above its weight class. Tasted on at least 5 occasions with consistent notes.

2011 Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Pora - red berries, bitter spices, tannin

2011 Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Paje - riper nose than Pora, some tea and blue fruit components, richer than Pora, plum, tannins kick in, beautiful, velvety blanket, leather, spice on the backend. Excellent! Tasted on two occasions with consistent notes.

2011 Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Ovello - more red fruited, more strict, drier than Paje, tannic and linear. This comes across cooler and more restrained, and I really like this for aging. Very good! Tasted on two occasions with consistent notes.



2011 Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo - less tannic, slightly more watery, a bit anonymous.

2011 Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Asili - tight nose, but I sense depth. On the palate, nearly silky, elegant spice, seamless balance, similar to Paje but more elegant, classier version. The most polished cru in the lineup. Beautiful symmetry in this wine. Paje seems a bit rustic by comparison. This is great!

2011 Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Rabaja - wow! darker, a fortress of Barbaresco, more dense and monolithic, this will go the distance, fanning out with age. A blanket of blue fruit buffering the considerable tannins that arrive later. A powerful Barbaresco destined for greatness!

2011 Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota - strawberry nose, red fruit on the palate, tannins in the end, not as complex as others, a bit anonymous.

2011 Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano - nice deep, ripe nose. Palate is ripe, spicy plum, blueberry, leather, long finish. Very good but a notch below Paje, Asili and Rabaja.

2011 Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Montefico - unfortunately I didn't get to taste this one.



It was no surprise, I suppose, that the two most famous Barbaresco vineyards - Asili and Rabaja - were the two most impressive wines, followed by Paje, Ovello, and Montestefano, in that order. Notice on the photo, the Asili (on the left) is clearly redder and more translucent than the darker Rabaja. The Ovello and Rabaja were the most distinctive wines representing opposite ends of the spectrum - Ovello being cooler and red-fruited, and Rabaja being dark and rich. While some wines clearly stood out, there were no slouches in the lineup. Tasting these seductive wines filled my mind with images of Italian food - a board of charcuterie, a plate of thick pasta with wild boar ragu, a bowl of mushroom truffled risotto, a pot of short ribs with polenta... Yum! Who's hungry?!

Meeting George Derbalian of Atherton Wine Imports

The other night I had the privilege of attending a private dinner hosted by our neighbors, who invited the owner / founder of Atherton Wine Imports - George Derbalian and his wife Sue-Min to be the wine stuarts for an aspiring group of wine aficionados. Atherton have been around for over 30 years and established reputation for carrying some of the top names in Burgundy, including producers like Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, Groffier, Roty, Hudelot-Noellat, Anne Gros, and many others whose wines I cherish in my cellar. They also import some other famous regions, but it's Burgundy where I have typically seen and bought their bottles. The dinner hosted by a prominent Chinese family consisted of home-cooked Shanghai-style (non-spicy) seafood, vegetables, poultry and pork-based courses. I have noted in the past that Chinese food when not spicy, tends to pair well with both white and red burgundy, and this experience further cemented that belief. George and Sue-Min seemed like a delightful couple, and it was my true pleasure to hear their remarks on the producers, vineyards, and vintages before us.

1. Upon arrival, guests were treated with a glass of chilled Krug Grande Cuvee (NV), one of my favorite champagnes, always classy, with great energy and precision, and a touch of gingery complexity and a brioche note. Krug for me strikes the perfect balance between ripeness, roundness and crystallinity.



Two superb white burgundies and seven red burgundies followed to delight taste buds. Here are my notes.

The Whites



2. 2013 Lucien Le Moine Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Champ Canet - despite the 2013 vintage having reputation for producing leaner, higher acid, zesty, crystalline whites, it was clear that the richer style of Lucien Le Moine resulted in something different... and decadent. Exotic notes of botrytis were evident, with tropical fruits supported by excellent acidity and oak - an incredibly delicious pairing for a ginger stir-fried crab with noodles.

3. 2014 Charles Van Canneyt Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets - my first time with Charles' own (negociant) label, one of the two excellent wines represented at the dinner, and another stroke of greatness of the 2014 vintage for the whites of Burgundy, this wine was much more classic in profile than the previous one - more crisp, structured, very clean and pure, with perfect balance of elements. As all other 2014 white burgs I've tasted so far (probably 20 or so), this is already delightful, and will only get better with a few years of age!


The Reds

For the reds, we had three excellent examples of the same Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru vineyard that I had never had before - Les Hauts Doix, which was exciting! We then had a brand-new 2014 Vosne Petits-Monts from Hudelot-Noellat's Charles Van Canneyt who now makes some clearly excellent wines under his own label. We finished the progression with three Grand Cru's.



4. 2013 Lucien Le Moine Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Hauts-Doix - very open and fruity, this is a pleasure to drink now for its breadth of aroma and exuberance. The structure is currently obscured by the fruit.

5. 2012 Groffier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Hauts-Doix - comes across as more serious, with more power, more structure, and more refinement. Superb with time.

6. 2008 Groffier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Hauts-Doix - with few more years of age under their belt, the 2008's are starting to drink well. This bottle was great - some secondary development, excellent balance of fruit and earth. Broad wine without hard edges, and my favorite of the 3 examples of this vineyard, although the 2012 seems to be destined for even brighter future. In general, the Groffier style came across as more refined, while Le Moine was (as usual) more opulent and luscious.

Then came the excellent 2014 Vosne-Romanee from Charles Van Canneyt.



7. 2014 Charles Van Canneyt Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Petits-Monts - an excellent vineyard, this was the only Vosne Romanee in the line-up and the more serious, more sculpted character of the commune was evident. Blind, I could have mistaken it for a 2013, but perhaps with a slightly better balance, and less acidity sticking out, which pointed to 2014. There are several excellent producers such as Joseph Drouhin, Georges Noellat, Comte Liger Belair and Mongeard-Mugneret now competing for top honors at Petits Monts, and I suspect Charles Van Canneyt will soon be among them. While this 2014 is still not fully integrated, it seems very well balanced. I wish I had more time to spend with it, but alas, the next set of wines was ushered in.

The party closed with three red Grand Cru's.

8. 2007 Domaine Joseph Roty Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru TVV - this is a flagship wine for the famous domaine, and considered by many to be the best example of that vineyard due to very old vines. It is also hardly a secret to Burgundy lovers that 2007's have been drinking superbly for a couple of years now. So this was the right time to take a look at this wine, and we were not disappointed. Though Roty's Charmes has a reputation for being deep, dark, extracted, and destined to last decades, it was apparent that the lighter 2007 vintage served well to soften the wine and make it approachable relatively early. Excellent density of material, perfectly balanced between red fruits, earth and herbs, still with long evolution ahead, this wine easily betrayed its pedigree without any overt flash, exoticism, or opulence. In the evening's exemplary line-up, this was the quiet but confident star.



9. 2002 Frederic Esmonin Chambertin Clos-de-Beze Grand Cru - the most elevated grand cru at the dinner, from an excellent vintage, this wine should have been fantastic. But the truth is it was relatively uninteresting, and perhaps too young and undeveloped (?) Not bad but nothing special. Bummer. Frederic Esmonin is much better known for his Ruchottes-Chambertin, so I was not totally surprised that his Beze did not shine.

10. 2000 Nicolas Potel Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru - I have had this wine a number of times over the last few years and it has never disappointed, as first described in my ecstatic note three years ago. It has continued to evolve and is getting better. This was the bottle I brought, and funny enough, it had been imported by Atherton. It was stellar this time too, with pungent, vibrant, powerful, complex cherry, pomegranate and forest notes, clearly grand cru weight and intensity. Drinking well now, but no hurry.



The wonderful evening organized by the gracious hosts underscored the versatility and charm of Burgundy. Having multiple bottles of Le Moine, Groffier, and Charles Van Canneyt, and that's before even getting to grand cru's, is not something that happens every day, and in fact, each bottle would have brought great pleasure to accompany a whole meal all by itself. Drinking them all in one evening was clearly too much "fun", and I paid the price (of hangover) the next day, but who's complaining?

La Paulee San Francisco 2016 - Featuring 2013 Burgundies

Another La Paulee is in the books. The 2016 edition roared through San Francisco to the delight of Burgundy lovers. The 3-hour (all-too-short) Grand Tasting focused on the 2013 vintage, and it did not disappoint. The reds and whites across the board showed clear and consistent vintage characteristics. For the reds, this meant tart acidity and sufficient ripeness and depth without overt over-ripeness, suppleness or fat of such recent years as 2009 and 2012. The whites were consistently excellent, with high acidities, citrus, minerality, crystalline purity, and loads of grip. The best reds I think came from higher cru's, which had a bit more flesh on the bones to balance out the high acidity of the year. Same with whites - the higher cru's with a bit more sweetness were well balanced by a level of freshness and purity rarely seen. I have generally recommended caution with 2013 whites, as this is a rather leaner, high-acidity vintage. The tasting did not change my mind, but it also confirmed that good producers made classic white burgundies from great terroirs. From my limited experience tasting the 2014 whites, that appears to be a much surer vintage across the board, with more flesh and slightly better balance. Yet, the 13's tasted here were beauties that will deliver pleasure over many years.

w/ Jean-Marie Fourrier

Overall, in terms of the entire lineups presented at the tasting, the most consistently delicious producers were Fourrier, Hudelot-Noellat, Drouhin, Chateau de la Tour, Bernard Moreau and Antoine Jobbard. Obviously it's hard to omit Roulot, Lafon , Dujac, Mortet, Lamy, Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey from this list, and they certainly poured excellent wines, some of which were among the very best, and I would be happy with any of their wines in my cellar, but they just didn't impress me across the board quite as much.

The top 3 reds of the tasting for me were Fourrier Clos St Jacques, Mortet Lavaux St Jacques, and Hudelot-Noellat RSV. Arnaud Mortet noted the lowering of new oak in his Lavaux in the last few vintages. I think the sleeker, slightly more angular style of 2013 also worked well in the wine, giving it a level of definition and elegance I hadn't seen since Arnaud took over. Among the whites, Bernard Moreau Grandes Ruchottes, Drouhin Batard, and Comtes Lafon Charmes were the most memorable.

Other notable reds were Domaine Jean Grivot Les Beaux Monts, Dujac Aux Combottes and Clos de la Roche, Chateau de la Tour (all wines), Lafon (Santenots), Hudelot-Noellat (Vosne villages, NSG Murgers), Jadot (Ursules), Drouhin (Chambolle 1er & Clos Vougeot), Camille-Giroud (Santenots), and Chandon des Briailles (Corton-Bressandes).

Other notable whites were Domaine Lamy (En Remilly), Paul Pillot (Grand Ruchottes & La Romanee), Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey (Chassagne Caillerets & Meursault Genevrieres), Roulot (the whole lineup), Antoine Jobbard (the whole lineup), Pierre Labet (of Chateau de la Tour -- Meursault Tillets), Mikulski (Poruzots, Goutte d'Or).

I must mention the wines of Nicolas Rossignol. They were very distinctive and obviously good quality, but they surprised me with high level of extraction and power, unparalleled at the tasting. The acidity of the year helped balance the wines. Still, I was taken aback by how potently concentrated and ripe they seemed, making me wonder about the alcohol level. Another interesting showing was from Benjamin Leroux, whose Volnay Clos de la Cave des Ducs was very pretty and distinctive and Clos St Denis tasted like a beautiful fruity Barbaresco, delicious but perhaps not exactly what I expect from a burgundy. A few people remarked how much they liked the wines of Grivot. Unfortunately, to me they were too reduced (full of meaty stink and coffee grinds) to appreciate, other than Vosne Beauxmonts which showed enough fruit underneath the mild stink to give a glimpse of future potential. Chandon de Briailles' lineup of two Pernand-Vergelesses and Corton Bressandes was very solid. Camille-Giraud's David Croix is getting much recognition these days in the wine community, but unfortunately only his Volnay Santenots showed well, while NSG Boudots and Clos Vougeot were just so-so for me.

And now, for reference, here are my rushed tasting notes. Apologies in advance for missing some of the wines and providing rather insufficient notes for many others. Although every two years I try to refine my tasting strategy and tactics, three hours is clearly not enough for this caliber of tasting. Oh well...

Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin vv - plush, fruity, delicious
Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Les Gruenchers - spice, crunchy red fruits, silky
Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Cherbaudes - long, perfumed, silky, tart and suave
Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St-Jacques - silky, plush, gorgeous hints of blueberry, cream, pepper, dark pine forest, great wine




Domaine Dujac Morey-St-Denis - savory, stem, nice and smooth, a hint of earth and leather
Domaine Dujac Morey-St-Denis 1er Cru - savory, tannic, quite tart with green peppercorns
Domaine Dujac Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Combottes - nice spice, more volume and precision, red fruits
Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche - darker fruits, stems are evident but in a classy way, quite silky

w/ Jeremy Seysses of Domaine Dujac

Denis Mortet Fixin vv - creamy nose, creamy tart red fruit
Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin Mes Cinq Terroirs - tart, silky, creamy
Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru - plusher, fuller, suave, very nice
Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux St-Jacques - great, darker tone, perfect silkiness, great balance, new oak in 60-70% since 2011 or 2012.

Arnaud Mortet

Camille-Giroud Volnay Santenots - rich, very well balanced, dark fruits, spice, very nice
Camille-Giroud Nuits-St-Georges Aux Boudots - oak nose, toasty oak palate
Camille-Giroud Clos de Vougeot - very primary, good balance, but not special, just ok for me

w/ David Croix of Camille-Giroud

Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru - silky smooth, very pretty, creamy, nice
Drouhin Clos de Vougeot - intense, pure, penetrating, balanced, some vanilla, very nice
Drouhin Batard-Montrachet - intense, zesty, oyster, grippy, long.

Veronique Drouhin-Boss

Grivot Vosne-Romanee - stinky, reduced, meaty nose, similar palate, like out of a can
Grivot Nuits-St-Georges Aux Boudots - tannic, stem, spice
Grivot Vosne-Romanee Les Beaux Monts - again reduced nose, but the palate is silk fruit, good intensity, very nice, other than reduction, long creamy aftertaste with lingering tannins and sweatness that comes on later.
Grivot Clos de Vougeot - oak, tart, tannic




Hudelot-Noellat Vosne-Romanee - whiff of vanilla nose. The palate - oooh very nice, clean, focused, balanced, nothing sticks out
Hudelot-Noellat Nuits-St-Georges Les Murgers - very smooth, nice spices, tannins, quite good
Hudelot-Noellat Vosne-Romanee Les Suchots - smooth, less focused than previous wines
Hudelot-Noellat Romanee-St-Vivant - excellent, feminine, delicate, silk and lace, sweet and perfumed, vanilla and flowers

Charles Van Canneyt of Domaine Hudelot-Noellat

Benjamin Leroux Volnay Clos de la Cave des Ducs - ooh, pretty mint spice, nice.
Benjamin Leroux Clos St Denis - beautiful fruit jam nose, reminds me of Barbaresco, similar on the palate - very Barbaresco-like, vanilla, tart creamy raspberries

Benjamin Leroux

Jadot Beaune Clos des Ursules - very good, deep, tannic, dark fruit, mint, I like it.
Jadot Corton Pougets - tart, meaty, sleek dark fruit, quite nice

Thibault Gagey of Louis Jadot and Resonance (Jadot venture in Oregon)

Chandon de Briailles Pernand-Vergelesses Les Vergelesses - quite nice, tart, sleek, but enough sweetness
Chandon de Briailles Pernand-Vergelesses Ile des Vergelesses - stem, riper and more suave
Chandon de Briailles Corton Bressandes - stem nose, dark, quite serious, long finish, I like it.
Chandon de Briailles Corton (blanc) - just ok, not memorable

Claude de Nicolay of Domaine Chandon de Briailles

Chateau de la Tour Clos Vougeot classique - perfume, great tannic palate, delicious fruit, structure.
Chateau de la Tour Clos Vougeot vv - focused, pure, intense, long, tighter than the classique
Pierre Labet Beaune Coucherias - sweet stems, perfume, vanilla, soft tannins, very nice
Pierre Labet Meursault Les Tillets - wow, great spice.

Francois Labet of Chateau de la Tour and Domaine Pierre Labet

Hospices de Beaune Pommard Epenots "Cuvee Dom Goblet" - meaty, reduced nose. Palate: plush fruit, quite silky
Hospices de Beaune Corton "Cuvee Charlotte Dumay" - soft, vanilla, hint of meat, very nice and tasty




Nicolas Rossignol Volnay Clos des Angles - sweet, intense, wow big wine!
Nicolas Rossignol Volnay Chevret - very stemmy, intense, wow tannic big wine!
Nicolas Rossignol Volnay Cailleret - meaty, more elegant, spicy, wow that's a long finish
Nicolas Rossignol Volnay Santenots - very intense, rich and ripe, meaty

Nicolas Rossignol

Lamy St Aubin Derriere Chez Edouard - orange and cream
Lamy St Aubin Les Frionnes - lemon/lime and slate
Lamy St Aubin Clos de la Chateniere - nose of spice, flower pollen and white pepper, long creamy finish
Lamy St Aubin En Remilly - more volume, slightly sweeter

Olivier Lamy

Bernard Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet -- ooh nice and sweet, really delicious
Bernard Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet Les Chenevottes - full, ripe, great acid, intense and flavorful
Bernard Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet La Maltroie - a bit fresher with floral spice, tons of perfume in my mouth, grippy
Bernard Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet Les Grandes Ruchottes - sweet, spicy, floral, intense, hint of honey, but fresh with lime acidity. Great.

Alexandre Moreau

Paul Pillot Chassange-Montrachet Clos St Jean - spice, stone, cream, very nice
Paul Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Les Caillerets - stony, lime, tannic grip
Paul Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Les Grand Ruchottes - mineral, grippy, high acid, consistent with vintage
Paul Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet La Romanee - intense mineral, fresh, really good




(2014) Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey St Aubin Chateniere - viscous, flowers, lime, stone, intense
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet Les Ancegnieres - riper, cream, minerals
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet Les Caillerets - more viscous, spicy, lime, cream, long finish
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Meursault Les Genevrieres - honey, flowers, cream. I like the sweet and acidic combo. The honey really makes this stand out. Lovely.

w/ Pierre-Yves Colin

Roulot Bourgogne Blanc - intense, sweet, concentrated for the level
Roulot Meursault Meix Chavaux - straw, long mineral finish
Roulot Meursault Tesson Clos de mon Plaisir - sweet and mineral, grippy
Roulot Meursault Clos des Boucheres - spice, grippy, sweet.

w/ Jean-Marc Roulot

Comtes Lafon Meursault - nice, rich and full
Comtes Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre - flowers, lime, perfume in my mouth
Comtes Lafon Meursault Charmes - nose of straw. Wow, intense, pure, expands in my mouth. Cream, perfect balance, big step up from Clos de la Barre.
Comtes Lafon Volnay Santenots-du-Milieu - spice, nice grip, intense and focused. Good.

Dominique Lafon

Antoine Jobbard Meursault En la Barre - intense, iodine
Antoine Jobbard Meursault Blagny - same style as above
Antoine Jobbard Meursault Poruzots - similar, intense chalk, creamy aftertaste
Antoine Jobbard Meursault Genevrieres - sweet




Thierry & Pascale Matrot Meursault Charmes - a lot of spice, rather ripe and spicy
Pierre Matrot Puligny-Montrachet Les Chalumeaux - really ripe and spicy, almost painfully




Francois Mikulski Meursault Poruzots - delicious
Francois Mikulski Meursault Charmes - high acid
Francois Mikuslki Meursault Goutte d'Or - grip, intense lime and mineral



Truly an embarrassment of riches, so to speak, the 2013 vintage gave us many delicious wines which don't seem to need a very extended cellaring. Already showing well, perhaps a few more years will better meld the fruit and acid.

(The 2014 coverage of the 2011 vintage two years ago was documented here.)