5/19/2024 - pavel_p wrote:

Was curious to try when our guests announced to bring this sparkling wine to our place for dinner. Unlike a blanc de noir Champagne this tastes just like you would imagine the combination of new world Shiraz with bubbles to show. The underlying Shiraz is quite nice and not overdone in terms of ripeness or oak but still i struggle a bit to think of an occasion I would want to open this. It certainly does not have the freshness and versatility of Champagne when it comes to pairing with a range of appetizers, hence I guess more of a stand-alone drink. An acquired taste for sure. NR

5/19/2024 - pavel_p wrote:

My last bottle I believe and unfortunately after showing superbly on previous occasions (rated 94) this bottle was clearly advanced. Still enjoyable and complex for sure but tasted like 90s white Burgundy. So unfortunately premox is alive and kicking at Castagnier in 2011 too... NR

5/19/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Pnp after the excellent 86 Palmer. Was not expecting much as this was a high shoulder bottle only but great immediately upon pulling the cork. This is much looser knit than the serious Palmer. More forward and with still good remaining fruit. Still some pencil lead here as well. My only criticism here would be the finish which seemed fairly short but perhaps better bottles would show even better.

5/19/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

My fourth time drinking the 86 Palmer in the last 10 years and am glad to report that this bottle put the score at an equal of 2 excellent bottles and 2 ok ones. Brought by our generous guest who was not entirely convinced after double decanting the wine at home. Seemed fine initially but improved during the evening. Clear garnet with a thin translucent rim. While the tannins are fully resolved this remains a very serious wine as expected from an 86. More Pauillac than Margaux with some iron and pencil lead. Excellent delineation. Very regal classic Bordeaux.

5/12/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

18 months since my last bottle. Slow ox'ed for about 1h at home then poured into decanter at restaurant. This is still showing good concentration of rich and round dark fruit but at the same time also plenty of leather and tobacco. Will stay at this level for many months but doubt it will improve. Classic Right Bank Bdx and consistent 93 points.

5/12/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Off restaurant list. Drank two glasses and then moved to the 96 Angelus we took to the restaurant so finished this the next week. As others mentioned this has a surprisingly developed light golden color. Upon opening this was fairly rich, round and sweet. Not overly oily but still very much in a New Worls Chardonnay style. Oak well managed and very pleasant to drink.
On day 2 surprisingly the sweetness has disappeared, this is much more defined by acidity which results in a clearer delineation. Chalk. I liked this and opened out of curiosity the 2017 to compare. The 2017 is in my eyes a touch better in terms of balance but also freshness.

5/5/2022 - pavel_p Does not like this wine:

Very disappointing, rather thin and dominated by toasted oak notes. Short.

4/26/2024 - pavel_p wrote:

Jason's birthday: This was unfortunately a very disappointing showing, a lean and mean left bank Bdx with a robust structure but not much fruit at all. A 3h decant might have helped but the wine left us all puzzled. On that evening around 89 points.

4/26/2024 - pavel_p wrote:

Jason's birthday: Own bottle. This was as expected the fun pairing with the 89 Calon Segur and guesses double blind mostly around Right Bank Bdx, but I was secretly hoping for a bit more from this wine as this was a perfect bottle with an in neck fill and a barely stained cork. Still rich dark fruit but lacked in complexity and depth even when compared to the good but not great Calon Segur. On the positive side this is good for another 15 years in my eyes as the rest of the bottle did not move a bit 24h later.

4/26/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Jason's birthday: Own bottle. Nice and fully resolved classic Bordeaux towards the end of its drinking window. Similar in quality to the 83 and 85 Calon Segur I recently had - not the best decade for Calon Segur in my eyes.

4/26/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Again quite rich but not very structure or aromatic. Settled on aged New World Pinot.

4/26/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Jason's birthday: A bit closed on the nose but better on the palate. Clearly a cooler year and less ripe than most of the wines preceding. Complex even if not super aromatic.

4/26/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Jason's birthday: Olive tapenade and rich dark fruit. Unlike the Pignan, I thought this tasted clearly Southern Rhone / C9dP.

4/26/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Jason's birthday: Another still fairly young wine with rich and juicy fruit. Good length too.

4/26/2024 - pavel_p wrote:

Jason's birthday: Richer and fruitier than the Grivot preceding it. 05 Burgundy 1er Cru?

4/26/2024 - pavel_p wrote:

Jason's birthday: Garnet with some bricking towards the rim. Animal notes on the nose, on the attack initially very soft and resolved but towards the finish still some grippy tannins. Finish not very long. Settled on Barolo 90s.

4/26/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Jason's birthday: Dark fruit, initially a bit fizzy even, medium length. Very nice. NSG late 90s?

4/26/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Jason's birthday: Very aromatic and expressive, some olive tapenade, resolved tannins. Was sure this was a Northern Rhone from a warm vintage, guessed late 90s. Totally off...

4/26/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Jason's birthday: Same bottle as Melvin. Superb showing and in my eyes head and shoulders above all the other, very good wines during this great evening. Clearly whole clusters on nose and attack but not overdone, and then sweet red fruit made me initially think of a very ripe Burgundy vintage like perhaps 2009. This had also a Burgundian weightlessness on the mid palate but ultimately this combination of red fruit and sweetness in a clearly mature wine steered the discussion away from Pinot and Melvin brought up Rayas. Very long lingering finish. Superb wine and much more refined than the Fonsalette preceeding it.

4/22/2023 - pavel_p wrote:

Slow ox’ed for 45 min. Very pale yellow. Initially aromatically rather muted but improves a bit with more air. Nice but fairy simple nose with white and yellow fruit and nicely integrated sweet oak notes, similar showing on the palate which is fairy sweet but balanced by nice acidity. Medium + finish, again dominated by sweet wood spices.
What this wine lacks is delineation and clarity, and hence a bit disappointed especially since this is 2014. Solid but nowhere near a recent (case of the) 2016 Meursault Perrieres which was superb despite the so-so vintage. 89-90

11/22/2023 - pavel_p wrote:

Pnp and drank over 2h at home. Lemon yellow, rich and heavy on the palate with fruit notes going into quince. Good length. Lacks freshness and energy though for my taste. 88

4/21/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Opened with very little expectations given the very difficult Bdx year and a mid shoulder bottle with signs of leakage some time ago. Struggled to get the slightly sunk in cork out with the Durand. Bricking in the glass but clear. On the nose surprisingly clean as well. Dried fruit, some leather and wood spices. Seamlessly integrated for a wine that must had seen quite some sugar added. A touch medicinal but not oxidized. Very nice

4/20/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

6/12. Decanted for about 90 min. Showing much more loosely knit than the last bottle with some oak but now also plenty of tobacco and leather notes on the palate. Unlike the very smooth Malartic Lagraviere this has a more sandy texture. Very good Bdx and of similar quality as the 09 Malartic Lagraviere but curious to see if the Brane will be the better wine in the mid term.

4/20/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Been some time since my last, not entirely convincing bottle but this is back to old form. Pnp after we finished an 09 Brane Cantenac. A fair bit of oak on the nose but then this is Pnp. Unlike the very last bottle, this is again fresh like earlier bottles and super smooth on a medium body. Good length too. Very well done and not showing any of the overripeness of the most recent bottle

4/18/2024 - pavel_p wrote:

Emirates lounge. Dark garnet. Rich and rather ripe dark fruit. Seems well integrated already. Fairly short finish.

4/18/2024 - pavel_p wrote:

Another Emirates bottle, this time on the ground in their Dubai lounge. Confirms my impression from the last bottle and seems even more advanced this time. Clearly in the yellow fruit spectrum, quince and so on, oak still very noticeable. Not my kind of Corton Charlie.

4/18/2024 - pavel_p wrote:

A glass at Larnaca airport. Pale yellow. Good freshness. Not overoaked but quite sweet and soft Chardonnay. At the same time this has good freshness and is not overly heavy or oily.An enjoyable and well made Chardonnay even if it’s not particularly aromatic or complex.

4/18/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

A glass at Larnaca airport. Very pale golden yellow. Not very aromatic but with good freshness. On the attack reminds me a bit of a young Riesling, a bit fizzy, on the mid palate then with a bit more weight and concentration, a touch of bitterness as well that carries into the finish.
Very well made and refreshing white. Apparently the most common white wine grape in Cyprus. Keep wondering why so many warmer climate new world growers stick exclusively to Chardonnay, if the Greeks and Cypriots have all these native white wine grapes that handle the heat so much better. 89-90

4/10/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Another year since my last bottle and this must be no 7 or 8 in fairly regular intervals since release. Consistent showing with good depth and concentration of dark fruit, good freshness not overripe like some 09 Bdx can be. The 09 Batailley (opened a day later) now feels a bit more polished and also with a touch more depth but this was superb value at $27 on release and a great 09 in the low to mid price range

4/9/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Almost 2 years since my last try and overall bottle no 12 in fairly regular intervals since arrivage. Pnp and shows beautifully from pulling the cork. Still a dark garnet in the glass with a very thin translucent rim. Deep dark fruit, good freshness, the oak is refined but still a bit too prominent for my preference, some animal notes. Good medium + weight and concentration on the palate, very typical Pauillac, medium tannins providing good support. Short to medium finish. Excellent showing of this 09, would give it another 1-2 years to integrate further.

4/6/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Pnp. Pale yellow. Pretty nose with subtle and well integrated wood spices. On the palate plenty of candied lemon but retains good freshness, not too rich/fat despite the hot vintage. Initially also a touch of bitterness which however disappears in the generous fruit with more air.
Ponsot did well with this Meursault village in a hot vibtage

4/5/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

First bottle from a recently purchased case. Perfect condition with in / bottom neck fill, clean cork top with only bottom third soaked. Immediately upon pulling the cork I thought this would be corked given the smell from bottle and cork. However the first sip is quite clean only some sous bois is showing which largely disappears in the fruit as the wine gains weight with more air. In the glass still a medium garnet with little browning but a fairy wide transparent rim. Beautiful, refined nose with some leather, earth and remaining fruit. The palate cannot entirely measure up. Fully resolved with little fruit left, a touch of vegetable already lingering in the background. Tannins fully resolved. Short to medium finish. Nose 92, palate 89. Drink up.

3/31/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Another beautiful vintage from one of the most underrated Bordeaux estates. 8 years since my last try of the 96 Fieuzal, and this was a perfect bottle with in neck fill, clean and dry cork top and only 1-2mm of the cork end stained. Still a dark garnet in the glass and just the slightest bricking towards the rim. Fairly ripe deep dark fruit however also good freshness (12.5% alcohol is the magic here), some sous bois but also a touch of animal notes. Also a bit of olive tapenade, which I previously had only noticed in Graves since the 09/10 vintage, but obviously it was there in riper vintages way earlier. Plenty of fruit is covering the tannins which are still providing structure. Medium finish. Great wine for the price and good for another 10 years at least

3/29/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Pnp at restaurant. Very polished, rich dark fruit but not overripe. Almost a bit lactic on the palate. My wife said it tasted almost like Bdx, and while I don’t necessarily agree, I see where she is coming from

3/24/2024 - pavel_p wrote:

Bought a bottle of the 2018 out of curiosity and just to try after having had the outstanding 2017 twice. As expected this is showing clearly the warm vintage. Unlike the 2017, the wine is rich and round. Citrus, white fruit and flowers, some limestone. Oak is subtle and well integrated. Am also getting some candied lemon - particularly on the finish - which I am in general not very fond of. Good acidity is giving this a nice lift thought.
A solid Meursault but still not a white Burgundy vintage I would seek out.

3/24/2024 - pavel_p wrote:

Grabbed another bottle of the 2005 from an open OWC as I was in a hurry and did not know what else to open for dinner at home. At least had a chance to give this for once a fairly long 2h decant. The extensive air did however not deliver any significant improvement over my earlier pnp bottles. This is a solid medium bodied left bank Bdx but just a bit underwhelming in terms of depth for what should have been an extraordinary vintage also at Lagrange. Consistent 91.

3/24/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Bought a case of the Resonance after being very impressed by a 2016 Concordance recently. Slow ox'ed for about 1h. Pale lemon yellow in the glass. Plenty of bruised apples as others have mentioned. Good freshness and nice balance. A very approachable and good quality Blanc de Noir, even if the 2016 Concordance was two notches above this NV in terms of aromatics, complexity and delineation.

3/21/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Wow. 3.5 years since my last bottle and another stunning showing. Really a wine to recalibrate for me. Having gone through a stretch of solid but ultimately slightly underwhelming cool climate Chardonnays over the last 4 or 5 months (2016 Pernot Belicard Meursault Perrieres, 2017 Xavier Monnot Charmes, 2011 Latour Corton Charlie, 2011 Potinet Ampeau Perrieres, 2016 Vasse Felix Heytesbury, 2019 Kumeu River Hunting Hill etc), this comes at the time when you start doubting whether it’s the wine, or rather your taste that is the issue…
I have found the 2017s in many instances a bit too ripe and rich but this Matrot shows again superb delineation and precision. Still a pale yellow in the glass, wonderful white and yellow fruit, almost Chablis like limestone, then a well judged touch of oak, very aromatic, and ending with a long finish. What else could you want from your Meursault Perrieres…?

3/17/2024 - pavel_p wrote:

A year since my last bottle. Consistent notes as this has not moved much. An enjoyable Meursault but not a great Meursault Perrieres. The 2012 Marc Morey Chassagne Montrachet En Virondot that followed was clearly the better wine. 91

3/16/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Recently purchased 12 regular bottles, after drinking two very convincing splits two years ago. Bottle in excellent condition with bottom neck fill and clean and dry cork top. Slow ox'ed for an hour or so. This is very Graves and very 88 Bdx with its leafy body and plenty of herbal notes pointing to a borderline ripe Cab. Tannins are well integrated though. Very satisfying, classic Bordeaux that works great with food. Still at peak, and no rush in drinking well kept bottles.
Again, I feel de Fieuzal is one of the most underestimated and underappreciated left bank Bdx producers, and the leading wine critics seem to be only recently discovering the quality the estate has been producing for at least 40 years.

3/16/2024 - pavel_p wrote:

Pnp. Dark garnet. Medium + body with plenty of dark fruit. Oak and tannins well integrated. Would drink over the next 5 years. Good wine.

3/9/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Emirates flight. Tried after the 06 Cos and was fearing this could be too ripe in comparison but an equally beautiful wine. A touch lighter with a bit less depth than the Cos but excellent balance here too and I thought more Bdx than typical Tuscan in style on that occasion.

3/9/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Emirates flight. Excellent showing and significantly better than how I remember my last bottle 4 years ago. Tell tale left bank Bdx with good weight and depth. Has lost the baby fat and sweetness of earlier years and comes across pretty serious now but with nicely integrated tannins and good length. Excellent for 2006

3/9/2024 - pavel_p wrote:

Emirates lounge. Earthy notes and dark fruit on a medium body. Tannins well integrated which is not always the case with 2011. Short finish. Solid everyday Bdx from a tricky vintage

3/8/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Emirates flight. Pale lemon yellow. Fairly rich and buttery but lacking a bit in energy and delineation/aromatics. A nice Burgundy for sure but not a great Corton Charlie in my eyes.

3/8/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Emirates flight. Beautiful showing. This is very precise and well balanced. A bit on the leaner side but if you value delineation over richness then this is a wonderful Dom Perignon

3/5/2024 - pavel_p wrote:

From memory. Not a big fan. Very modern, rich and ripe Barolo. Even on the hot 2007 vintage there are much more refined and aromatically conplex wines

3/2/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

Clearly a notch or two up from the last bottle 9 months ago. Much more open and integrated now. Smooth and silky but not overly rich or ripe. Getting this strange, Rioja-like dill note on nose and attack. Otherwise a very nice left bank Cab blend, not overly ripe but still polished. Lovely! 91-92

3/2/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

From magnum. Slow ox’ed for 6 hours but did not decant. Wine is open and ready to drink now even from larger format. Clear garnet with transprent rim. Tobacco and leather, ripe dark fruit, medium (+) acidity, tannins integrated. Fairly short finish. Good food wine with Pizza and pasta at home.

2/25/2024 - pavel_p wrote:

Don’t think I have finished a bottle in worse condition than this 70 Palmer. Cork sunken in and leaking fairly recently into the OWC, hence low shoulder. Managed to remove the cork with the Durand and with the white mold on top of the cork too. Initially moldy notes with plenty of mushroom on nose and attack but not outright oxidized. After a few hours of slow ox, this blew off though and the wine was still holding up, showing dark fruit, integrated tannins and a short finish. Bottles in good condition will show much better for sure