12/29/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Stood for several weeks. Decanted gently off moderate sediment about 1 hour before serving in Conterno Sensory stems. Color began brick red, but shifted over the course of the evening to much more garnet with only slight bricking at the edges. Completely clean of sediment, beautifully clear. The nose shed some early hints of maderization to materialize as fully intact, displaying dark berry fruit, some licorice, tar and leather, herbs and spices. This struck me as very much in line with the classic 1989 profile - structured, a little stark and brooding but deep and rich. Dare I call it masculine? There's some Gaja expression for sure, but nothing that put me off, no oak spice getting in the way for me. The mouthfeel was slightly nubby, velvety, unfolding on the tongue over the course of a sip. I liked the depth here more than the length, as there was a little falling off at the finish. This example was nicely balanced for my palate, with plenty of fruit/tannin/acid, nothing sticking out. I think this wine has a long life ahead of it, and will continue to develop for at least another decade, but that there's plenty to be enjoyed at this stage in development. Beautiful barolo, a treat with Flannery steaks as the year rolls towards its end.

12/25/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

With roast chicken, Pnp and allowed to open in the glass. Cherries and some crushed pine needles on the attractive nose. Good clarity and saturation. Nice balance and mouthfeel. Overall, though, a little less than I'd hoped for, with some cough syrup notes. Light bodied, on the delicate side, JR found it heavy handed, which I did not, but it was a little less emphatic than I expected it to be. Perhaps it was better a few years ago? Air didn't improve it much, in fact it tightened up a little. A very pretty little burgundy, so long as you don't have high expectations. I've always liked Drouhin's Griotte, so this was a bit of a let down. I'll drink my remaining bottles with proper level setting.

12/24/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Well preserved bottle with a torn capsule, but excellent fill level and color. Stood up in the cellar for 5 days, very little sediment observed. Removed the cork about 2 hours before serving, cooled briefly before decanting off minimal sediment at the last minute. Served in Conterno Sensory glasses with main course of squab with cabbage and rich squab sauce.

This poured crystal clear garnet with only a hint of brick brown and beautifully saturated, pale but not washed out. A color that only time in the bottle can produce. Those nose wafted seductively out of the glass – nothing coy here, elemental and purposeful mature burgundy notes, devoid of any maderization or oxidative elements. Autumnal, but still sun-warmed. Some macerated strawberries, touch of balsamic vinegar, dark chocolate, a bit of rose water. The kind of nose that makes you close your eyes and keep them closed for a few beats. In the mouth, this lithe, elegant, persistent and balanced. More silk than velvet, with none of the dustiness I often get even on the best old burgundies. There were no missing elements, from attack to lingering finish. The fruit, while faded, was still full and even rich, with energetic framing acidity. Interestingly, this demanded larger sips – with little kitten nibbles, it was like a pointillist painting viewed too close up. The picture revealed itself in its fullness with a real mouthful. Jonathan described it as having a liqueur-ish sense about it that only comes with fully mature burgundy. The wine matched perfectly with the fat of the squab and earthiness of the cabbage (touch of truffle butter). I would not have served this with a more complex meal, and I would not have wanted it on a line up with other bottles. I mourn the end of an era in our cellar – our last bottle of Leroy Musigny – but can’t imagine a better showing, exactly as it should be, enjoyed with the perfect food in the perfect company.

12/18/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Bought on recommendation of a Bordeaux loving friend, PnP in Zalto Bdx stems. Medium bodied, good clarity, some spicy notes. Some green elements along with sweetish red fruit. A little lacking in acid, and with a surprising citrus element. This came across as simplistic, though enjoyable, and reminded me of grocery store wines I'd buy when in France years ago - perfectly fine for a few EUR. I guess this is the current equivalent. We did end up liking it, and it was an amazing match with one of our favorite guilty treats of pretzels and port wine cheese. The lack of acidity is a challenge for those who drink a lot of champagne, Riesling, and Burgundy. That said, it's a good tool to have in the cellar and for the price is obviously a good value. I doubt this will benefit from more cellar time as there is really no grip or evident tannic structure. A nice, soft, inexpensive red wine for when you don't want something more acidic.

7/31/2023 - NYC_Maenad wrote:

Started cold and allowed to warm in the glass, consumed half before and half after dinner. Very nice nose, green apple and cinnamon, pronounced notes of creamsicle. I like the concentration, streak of chalkiness. Some oak is apparent but nicely framing, not aggressive or out of balance. Had a good core of dense fruit, lively acidity, not abrasive. Didn't like it at room temp at all, as it seemed to go flat, dissipated and blah when too warm. Jonathan thought it got some fake sugar taste on the finish in the last glass. It's definitely a wine full of character, and I will enjoy drinking my remaining bottles. But at close to $100 it is way overpriced for my taste and not a rebuy.

7/30/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Started off a little shy on the nose, tightly wound and deeply stacked on the palate. Bright green apple spritzed with lemon, touch of cinnamon. Some confectionary aspects to the mid and a linger finish. Opened up beautifully and had flared out to a stellar showing when we went back to it after dinner. Powerful yet elegant, fully fleshed out, no holes. I got none of the 2010 issues on this wine, just an impression of a very impressive and quite delicious champagne with plenty of character. Leaned more towards crisp and bright, but did have some richer marzipan notes as well. Deutz may have made the wines of the vintage in 2010 if this is any indication.

7/16/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

This bottle had been standing up for several weeks, but the decision to drink was last minute, so just decanted off sediment and consumed over a couple of hours. Far less eucalyptus than our last bottle a year ago, which for me is a good thing, still plenty of mature black fruit, crushed leaves, and sun warmed leather. The texture was slightly dusty, despite being perfectly clean of all sediment - just a function of age, not preparation. Perhaps a little more mature than ideal, but still showing lots of energy and with a fully intact frame. We've had a lot of these other the years, and, while they are not as strong as a few years ago, it's a testament to the golden age of California wine that these are still so beautiful at nearly 50.

6/8/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

With Flannery steaks. Decanted about an hour before dinner, could have used more, poured into Sensory stems. Deep garnet color, fully saturated, no noticeable bricking. Nose a little less expressive than I might have expected, but showed deep notes of violets, leather and tar, some earth and spice. Medium to full body, with richness and persistence. Beautifully integrated, still some grip, still some youthful (but not young) fruit. There is a long life ahead on this, with upside for sure. Drinking so well now, though, it's really just a matter of what you like. It was a magic combination with the rich fat of well aged rib steak, cooked over wood coals.

5/20/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Chilled and poured into GGG stems, allowed to warm in the glass over about 2 hours. Very pretty apricot and savory notes on the nose, chalk and some herbs, a touch of citrus. In the mouth, it is more rich than many brut natures, though still lean and focused, with emphasis on chalk and citrus. The quality of the fruit is clear, and I enjoy the classic BdB start, followed by hints of the exotic Asian elements. Perhaps the oak treatment keeps it from sliding too far into the austere and thin, weedy texture that I get on most brut nature. Still.....it's not my style. It was pleasurable to drink, and I will be interested to see what development happens over the next few years, but it lacks the roundness and bass notes I want in my champagnes, and which I find zero dosage struggles to produce. The price is also a challenge, as at around $100, there is a lot of champagne I like more.

5/19/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

After dinner bottle. Very good. No real Lyle green on this one, maybe a touch of wood spice at first. Sappy and nicely textured. Fruit opens up and fills in with air. Quite liked this one, fine without food, but would probably do a chicken justice. Darker red and black fruit profile. Good earthiness. Medium acid. A pleasure to drink, and good to see it developing this well. It's definitely got stuffing to develop a bit from here and will hold for quite a while, I imagine. Quality stuff and good QPR.

5/19/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Another excellent bottle, showing good progress from our last bottle two years ago. Served with mustard/curry rubbed pork chop. Lovely bottle, though maybe not quite as superlative as some have been. Very delicious, balanced and with good energy. Still getting guava. Nice structure, a little honey of maturity coming in, though not Ratz level honey. Texture is still pure and youthful. A very good year for this wine, no sign of heat or flab.

5/6/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Getting this wine to us was an epic saga, so a lot was riding on its showing. Served in Grassl Cru glasses after a 30 minute decant, starting a bit on the cold side and allowed to warm in the glass over about 2 hours. Beautiful wine. Aromatically restrained at first, but we were outside on the deck, which is never good for aromas. After coming inside, the nose was definitely more expressive. Exceptional balance, with bright lively acidity, and only a modest amount of framing oak in keeping with a richness to the mouthfeel. Ripe, but not overdone. I expected more of a lusciousness, and was surprised by how chiseled it turned out to be. I should have decanted longer, as it was just starting to open up at the end, even last sips were the best, even though it was a bit too warm then. I will wait a couple of years before opening another. It is delicious now for sure, but only touching a fraction of what I think it has.

4/28/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

I put this wine on my CT Wish List something like 15 years ago, for reasons I can't recall, and then totally forgot not only about the wine, but that I even had a wish list going. Jonathan found it, though, and bought me some for Christmas one year. This was the first from that purchase. Popped and poured into Sensory stems, this poured pure and clear ruby red, lighter than I would have expected. Nose began a bit shy, but promising full of red fruits and little in the way of mature notes. As we drank this over dinner of roast chicken, it deepened and took on not only weight but color and saturation. Cherry Ludens cough drops and a touch of 5 spice, strong acid backbone and a fun snappy finish. Still plenty of grip to it. Though it opened for about an hour, it rapidly shut down after that point, so I'd say there is definitely time to go and upside from here, though no sin to drink it now. Very classy and quite tasty, if not exactly what I'd expect from a Rugiens. A food loving wine and a pleasure. Looking forward to future bottles.

4/16/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Our first of these, with popcorn and a movie, served in Lehamann Prestige steams. Very nice nose, right up my alley, with the touch of nutty richness I like most. Plenty of structure and acid, easy going on the palate, but with plenty of interest. Overall, I see this as a work in progress. Base 2017 is challenging, and this is still young. I know William Kelly considers La Rogerie a strong up-and-comer, and I have to say I agree. I will be very interested to follow over coming years. Right now, I think the $75 pricetag a little punchy for what's in the glass, but I am optimistic that if it takes the trajectory I expect, and the price remains in this vicinity, then it will be a contender at its level.

4/15/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Less obviously expressive than a 2017 base consumed last year, with more backbone and structure. The nose is complex and slightly exotic, with apricot pastry and pistachio. Touch of gaseousness, but nothing beery or "natural" to me. On the palate, there is good energy and freshness, balanced acidity, and some roundness, with an excellent and classy finish. Light on its feet, without being simple. The quality of the fruit is evident. I don't at all get the comments on oakiness, unless one translates anything but pure racy steeliness into "oak." I like this quite a bit, but don't see it aging for real. At zero dosage, it's not my preferred style, but is an excellent example of the category that I quite enjoyed.

3/31/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Touch of brett-like aromas at first, but then settled down into a fine example of this wine. Rich and dark, plenty of density. Liked it a lot. What a development the 07 has been through, after starting relatively thin and delicate. I believe this will hold at this stage for quite a few years to come.

3/5/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Served in Lehmann Jamesse Prestige stems after a brief chill. At first lots of red apple, followed by more strawberries and white chocolate on the nose. Lively mousse, middle weight mouthfeel. Nice richness and gentle acidity, appealing flavor profile with the quality of the fruit evident. Fresh and not heavy. Could it have had a bit more tension and complexity? Sure, ideally, but at this pricepoint it was a very nice example of type. Paired well with some Midnight Moon cheese and Smoking Goose rabbit and pork terrine. A note to the cult of low dosage that you lose flexibility when you insist on level. 9 g/L may not be my most preferred style, but sometimes my most preferred style would not be the best pairing. This was an excellent match, and a good use for champagnes of this ilk. Very nice indeed.

2/26/2023 - NYC_Maenad wrote:

Our last bottle from a 6 pack, none of which have been terribly impressive, and this was no exception. Started out well on the nose, suggesting a palate of some maturity and richness, but the palate turned out to be watery and dilute. There was no There there. Also did not have the acidity I would expect from a 2103. We've liked most other Battenfeld-Spanier wines better, including other vintages of the Herrgott. Maybe they hadn't quite hit their stride with this vineyard in 2013? Or maybe we should have held it longer, but compared to the one we had in 2021, which showed searing acidity, I'd say it wasn't in need of more time.

2/25/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Served slightly too cold, but gave time to warm, in GGG stems. Bright gold, delicate mousse. Citrus and white flowers on the nose, a little bit of yeasty bread, touch of maturity and sweeter stone fruits on the palate. I got a slightly corky note, not as much as my last bottle, but others didn't really perceive it. This came off as good quality, but maybe a little past prime and somewhat clunkier than I recall another being. Still, for a very odd vintage, the wine is a success and it was certainly easy to drink after it warmed to a reasonable temperature.

2/19/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Considerably developed from the last bottle two years ago, much more nutty brioche on the nose, hint of cider (not pre-mox cider), but still with freshness and lively mousse. Much more golden than I remember the last bottle being as well. Very enjoyable drink, a little on the generic side of big house champagne, but showing elegance and depth, approaching maturity for me. These were shutdown for a while, I think - no longer! At a very good place for pleasure drinking.

2/18/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Gave a quick decant and drank probably too quickly. A solid tasty Barolo, not terribly complex or deep, but nicely structured with good mouthfeel and still a good amount of sweet fruit. Still some tannic grip, so no rush to consume. A good drink, no complaints.

1/1/2023 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Definitely not for the young hipsters, this is an adult wine. This was rich and round and deep, fully mature but not oxidized. Lemon curd, toasted hazelnut oil, some hints of apricot. Plenty of acidity and structure, great character and balance. I’d take this any day over the oceans of generic all-about-the-acidity wines that are so popular these days. Don’t get me wrong, there was plenty of acidity, tension. This is the kind of wine you can only have if you’ve put the time in to wait for it. Loved it.

12/30/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Out of magnum this was fresh as a daisy, bright and clean with a light corral color and elegant confit citrus and apricots. Showing signs of mature generosity, but not dissipated at all. This held up well over a few hours of dinner, and I kept returning to it for freshness and change of pace among a table full of reds. No problem here matching with spice and hints of Asian flavors, but also great with a dense chicken liver mousse.

11/28/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

This seemed to be emerging a bit from a serious shutdown period at first, leading us to declare the 10 year mark holds in this case. Opened with a very flashy nose of apricots and cream, came off as a touch sweet at first. After 15 minutes or so, the acid structure became more aggressive. There was a period in the middle when it was in balance, then the fruit got dominated and it was less friendly to drink. It might be the vintage signature will never come into balance with the fruit for real, and we should have drunk these early when it was all about the fruit and minerals. Will drink the remaining bottles over the next couple of years.

11/28/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

First of this vintage for us and it's in a nice place. Good depth of fruit, a bit of gingerbread and Christmas cake at first, but that settled down into a less exuberant, but more pleasingly typical fruit, earth, small spice profile. A touch of Monthelie and Fass green, but only as an herbaceous note, not astringent. Altogether a very good rendition of this cuvee and no problem to drink it now. An excellent match with a weeknight roast chicken.

11/23/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

With lamb leftovers, served in Riedel syrah glasses, not decanted - pours a lovely clear deep garnet, just the slightest touch of purple, not obviously viscous, no legs to speak of and little sediment. Medium expressive nose quite correct for Cote Rotie, and not a smidge of 2003 heat or roasted elements. The label says 12.5% and I believe it. This bottle showed good maturity, not the least bit over the hill unless all you want it blockbuster fruit. I was not expecting to like this very much, and I found it quite tasty. I might have wished for more depth and concentration, but really can't complain at all about what was in the bottle. A nice surprise.

11/22/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

With a nice ripe brie de meaux, this was a gorgeous bottle. Highly aromatic, medium to fuller bodied, plenty of depth and hints of real power. This champagne is right in my sweet spot. I love it. Exotic without being flamboyant. It just tastes great.

11/21/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Very nice bottle, doing exactly as I've come to expect from most Ployez-Jacquemart - a touch coarse on the bubbles and not elegant, but bursting with flavor. Kind of like your boisterous friend who you wouldn't invite just anywhere, but you still really like him in the right situations. This doesn't need to be perfect, it is friendly and big-boned and can be drunk on its own or with food.

11/19/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

We had this in Spain and were so impressed that we sought it out at home. I was a little afraid it would be a letdown and not as remarkable as I remembered it, which often happens with wines you love on vacatino, but I needn't have worried. It was fantastic. Enchanting nose, one toe in Burgundy and one in...something I can't put my finger on, but hauntingly familiar. In the mouth, it is medium to full bodied, electric and humming with tension, given texture by the minerality and with a finish that puts a big beautiful bow on each sip. It had a salinity and minerality I associate with Galician whites, but even more depth and character without going heavy-handed at all. It's raised in barrel, but it must be neutral oak or darn near as there was no taste of oak, only the body. We paired this with mussels in garlic saffron broth and it handled the garlic like a champ, which a normally great albarino we tasted alongside simply could not do. I don't add very many new wines to my cellar anymore, but this one was an absolute must. I loved it.

11/18/2022 - NYC_Maenad wrote:

Given notes on reduction, I planned a few hours decant. It did smell reduced at first, so ended up about 2 hours decant before having some with dinner and then a little more later in the evening. Shy nose, even with swirling, expected more from the aromatics. It was more interesting on the palate and with air, showing good balance and kind of chenin-lite personality. Not as expressive as I would have liked, but enjoyable. Will see how it develops, doubt I'll buy more. Not a bad match with salmon.

11/11/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Brought this to a friend's birthday dinner in NY along with a magnum of '82 Dunn Howell Mountain. We meant to open this in the hotel room beforehand, but didn't end up having the time, so only popped the cork right before pouring. Fortunately, this wine was up to every challenge thrown at it. The nose was powerful and enchanting, leaping up to grab and shake your senses. Fruit was bright and concentrated, still showing plenty of vigor, but moving into real maturity. No longer shimmering and electric, those bright stubborn elements that you associate with young trocken were integrated structurally, aromatically and in the mouth. Plenty of peach and pear, fresh apple, but really about the minerality. Some dark honey notes in the back, but no discernable sweetness, just great balance. A wine where you reap as much joy from the nose as the palate. I kept returning to this over the evening, and found it showed some additional development, but mostly it was fully present right from the start. An exciting bottle that has rewarded our patience.

11/11/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Brought to a friend's birthday dinner in NY. Opened maybe 40 minutes before serving, didn't decant. The cork totally disintegrated, causing a bit of trepidation, but we needn't have worried. Even after the car ride and trip downtown in a backpack on the subway, this was gorgeous. Classic nose, tiny touch of eucalyptus, savory herbs, brambly black fruit, tobacco, slight dustiness, resolved tannins. Still great underlying balance and tension, structural support, firmly dry. Felt it was in a state that can last and hold forever, especially in this format. I love magnums. It was fun to present this in a strong lineup of mostly Burgundies and Rhones (for the reds) and have it show so well and full of a completely different personality.

10/16/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Consumed before and after dinner in Lehmann Jamesse Prestige stems. Enjoyable. Excellent nose, almond croissant, a little savory element in the mid-palate. At first clipped finish with some bitter citrus pith, but that opened out with air. On the rich side, perhaps slightly more dose than would have been perfect which made it a touch clunky. A bit lacking in grip and depth, likely due to the vintage, but really a nice drink. Interested to see what the '12 is like.

10/15/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

As always, this is just about the perfect wine with tangy, peperoni and onion pizza. Just the right balance of fruit, acid, tartness and lift from the very subtle fizz. Love the brambles and blackberry fruit, little touch of RS handles the salt well. There's a surprising amount going on in this wine, but none of it sticks out, which is just what I want on pizza night.

10/15/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Served after a brief chill in Riedel vinum burgundy stems. Nice rich orchard fruit, marzipan, some noticeable but deftly handled oak, touch of honeysuckle. Medium weight, good mouthfeel. Plenty of acid, but not high acid like some young white burgs can have. A bitter note came in on the finish about 30 min in, but I thought it went away. A minerality emerged for both of us after a while. Jonathan liked it best at the start on pop and pout, I preferred near the end. It's a tasty little wine, worthy of contemplation but not requiring it. Drank easy and gave pleasure at a comfortable price point. My first white from Glantenay and a success.

10/3/2022 - NYC_Maenad wrote:

Opened with roast chicken when I didn't like the Monthelie we tried first. PnP, served in Riedel burg stems. Not like anything we tend to drink. Light bodied and juicy, snappy, bit of spice, bit of herb. Strawberry, candied, bright, crispy. Aftertaste of aspartame. A little too polished for me, "made up" said JR (as in wearing makeup). Easy to drink, but can't take it seriously. Would be happy to find it in a wine bar, and I can see why lots of people would like it, just not something I seek out in wine.

9/12/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Our last bottle of this, of 2 cases purchased in 2013, alongside the 2015 in Zalto Universals on a beautiful day. Not decanted. It has lost fruit, but the acidity and structure are still excellent. Nutty on the nose, plenty of richness, dark straw color, actually a bit Burgundian in that I might have called it chardonnay on first sniff, before really thinking about it. It seemed to improve after an hour or so open, surprisingly given that the fruit was a little tired, and the last sips were among the best. Finished on the deck. What a run for these bottles. Makes us think the drinking window on VdF may start at 5 yrs and go to around 10, but could be longer what with more GG wine included, older vine age, improvements in winemaking etc.

7/17/2022 - NYC_Maenad wrote:

Opened alongside the 2006, cork pulled 30 minutes before pouring in Riedel vinum burgundy stems and consumed over about 2 hours. At first, beautiful and expressive nose of red fruits, baking spices, a touch of smokiness and a hint of mushroom. I really liked the nose at first, and was surprised by the silkiness of the palate. To me, it showed more enjoyable than the 2006 when first tasted and I was very pleased to have a balanced and expressive 2009. I was messaging with a friend who knows Bachelet well and he mentioned a "weird cigarette ash" smell on the '09s and '10s, which of course made me look for that element. On first search, I thought maybe the smokiness I got was the ash he meant, but as the wine opened up...he was right! For the first hour or so it was just a hint of cigarette, and not a problem. Jonathan kept saying "no, I don't get any wet ashtray." And then we did. I don't think it was just the power of suggestion either, though that's what first put a name to the scent. The palate remained mostly intact, no objections, pleasant even. But the nose was not what we wanted at all. I have a few more of these, and I intend to pop, pour and drink quickly, because air only brings out that ashy element. I could be wrong and more time will help, but I'm not confident. I'm glad the Bourgogne is the only '09 Bachelet I bought.

7/17/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Opened 30 minutes or so before dinner of roast chicken, consumed over 2 hours from Riedel vinum burgundy stem. First from this 6-pack bought on release, drunk alongside the 2009. Very classic, subtle and elegant Bachelet. Red fruits, some spices, a touch of herbs. The kind of burgundy some people use as an example of why they don't like burgundy, but right in the wheelhouse of purists, I'd guess. Medium bodied, very pretty fruit, aromatics a little restrained. Needs more time, I think, but promising. More serious depth than the level would suggest, and quite a nice wine for the price back then. Now? Maybe not. Still, this is a wine to be savored if you have it, and appreciated for a what can be accomplished in a lowly Bourgogne.

4/22/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Opened after dinner, decanted about 15 minutes before serving and consumed fromad Riedel Vinum burg stems. A totally sound bottle, perfectly mature and showing strong Chassagne character. At first the mid was a little empty, but an hour of air filled that in nicely. This wine is now integrated, elegant, interesting and delicious. Not pretending to be anything other than it is. Village wines can be so beautiful when you give them a chance to do this (and when they don't do that other thing). They may lose a bit of the electricity and overt zing of youth, but I personally love the balance and refinement that comes with time. Our last bottle of a case purchased years ago for a song, and I think we timed it perfectly.

4/16/2022 - NYC_Maenad wrote:

Opened 30 min or so before starting to consume. Served in Lehmann Prestige Champagne stems.

I really, really wanted to like it. And we did like it! Certainly we liked it better than the 2012. It did not have the disjointed quality or awkward structure and bitter finish that we found on the ‘12. It was quite easy to drink while people gathered and chatted, and made for a pleasant background champagne (but of course Jonathan and I were looking at it more closely). The magnum went relatively quickly, which I didn't try and stop since most people, including Arthur Larmandier and his family, seem to think that the wines don't really change with air. I made sure it was not too cold to start and we did spend enough time to observe the effect of warming even more, which was indeed beneficial. I wasn't unhappy drinking it, and I'm sure we'll put our other bottles to work with ease and to good reception. But we won't rebuy, and I won’t ever recommend it. Part of the problem is it simply isn't my style. I also, however, found it lacking in a way that, for me at least, goes beyond stylistic preference.

To expand - the nose is quite captivating, with some granny smith apple and lemon zest, and the attack had grip and an initial hit of flavor which lifts expectations. But then the rest of the experience doesn't live up. There is plenty of acidity, which is neither shrill nor awkward, and good flavors, but there is a dilute quality that is at odds with the powerfully aromatic bouquet, leading you to expect richness that doesn't materialize. Somehow, it felt like it only hit the sides of my tongue, regardless of how I swirled it in my mouth.

The lack of depth was more a textural thing than a flavor or complexity issue. It wasn't so much watery as it lacked concentration and clarity. It struck me like a sauce that hasn't been reduced enough - all the flavors are there, but not yet distilled down to their essence, and without density or body.

One odd thing - both the 2012 and 2013 left a slight bitter tingling on my tongue, a little like having chewed a peppercorn. When I got it on the 12, I blamed the white pepper on the scallop dish I was eating at the time. But with no such dish alongside the 13, I have to assume it's the wine. I'd be curious if it's truly a signature of the wine, like the strong saline finish that Arthur spoke of and which we found present in both vintages.

To be fair, this is still a very young wine, particularly in magnum, with a disgorgement date of 03/2019. So my impressions of the wine now could be very different with more time. I look forward to trying the next one in a few years.

4/3/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

First of a case purchased in France in 2015. Pop and pour into Grassl Cru stems, served a bit below room temp to accompany roast chicken with mushrooms with paprika butter and lemon confit. Very pretty red fruited nose, touches of spice and earth, medium body in the mouth, nice density in the mid-palate. Youthful and energetic, but not tight at all. Quite elegant. Was excellent with the food, especially liking the lemon confit. Glad we drank this pretty fast as it shut down hard after about 45 minutes and the last sips were much harder, with the fruit receding. I'll wait another couple of years on the next bottle, but I think this was a very good example of how many people underestimated the 2011 vintage. While not plush or ripe, there is plenty of nicely framed fruit and good balanced structure. I very much enjoyed this bottle.

4/2/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

On the deck before dinner served in Lehmann Prestige stems, then finished after dinner. Started out with a bit of the lactic malted Whopper thing I hate, but it wasn't on the palate at all. After dinner, that note was completely gone and the nose stepped up to present red fruits, touch of orange peel, bergamot, lavender. Overall a very well crafted, balanced, rose full of personality. Nicely savory with both richness and bright acid. Delightful. 3 g/L dosage, 2018 disgorgement, 2012 bottling.

4/1/2022 - NYC_Maenad Does not like this wine:

I expected to hate this wine. I was right - I did hate it, but for different reasons than expected. It was not oaky or overly extracted or what I'd normally call spoofed. It smelled exactly like hot vintage grenache, though, with an emphasis on prunes and roasted, bruised ones at that, and raisins. To us, it also lacked tension and the structure was diminishing. Lots of bricking around the edges. I could see how people who enjoy this profile would like it a lot, and might see it as correct, but neither Jonathan nor I could stand it, and decided to abandon after a few sips for our back up. I've owned this wine since 2006, and the source was impeccable. I don't think it was heat damaged during its time in the bottle, but I'm pretty sure it was heat damaged while the grapes were on the vine. Glad it was my only one, and happy it's no longer taking up space in the racks.

3/19/2022 - NYC_Maenad wrote:

Opened this for the Zoom call today, popped the cork about 40 minutes before start time, served in GGG stem. Frankly, I was expecting we would both like this a lot. That didn't happen. I was impressed at first with the exuberant nose. I found it full of white chocolate, almonds and apricots. In the mouth very vinous and with vibrant texture. Jonathan, however, didn't like it at all. At first, he called it tight. Then he noted a "negativity" in the mid-palate, plus a bitter orange pith. Also, he noted a heat - not alcohol heat but ginger bite - that I got as well and didn't love. Finally, he called it "uninteresting, generic, and a lot like cava." I liked it better than that, but at the end didn't find it exciting either.

Arthur talked about the salinity today as a goal for this wine and we both definitely felt that. But we also both felt it was a little jagged. Perhaps brut nature just really isn't our thing? I don't know.

Interestingly, we saved 1/3 of the bottle and revisited after dinner to find it hadn't changed at all, just as Arthur said was his family's experience.

3/18/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

PnP and served in Riedel vinum burg stems. Just lovely nose of orange rind, white flowers, touch of brioche. A little well integrated oak, as others have said. Overall a beautiful mouthfeel and great energy. Not deep or powerful, though the nose takes on a higher category for sure. My predominant thought was "if this is the quality of the bourgogne chardonnay, be very happy to have village and 1ers in the cellar." No hint of 2018 overripeness. Pretty and persistent. liked it a lot. Drank a glass before dinner while cooking and finished after, consistent impressions throughout.

3/6/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Looks like 01/2020 disgorgement and 4g/L dosage. Damn this smells good! My eyebrows shot up when I first sniffed on PnP - glad I used the GGG stems as this is broad and deep and truly enchanting on the nose. The fruit and concentration are outstanding, with impressive power for something with such delicate mousse. Loved the pastry notes in the mid and the confident acidity. It's pretty tight right now, though, kind of a mallet rather than a chisel or maybe Thor's hammer, to extend the metaphor, as there is real thunder in this glass. It needs time for sure, and I have a lot of hope for what it could become. I'm so glad to have a few loose bottles to sample along the way and a full case sealed up and buried in the stacks. Hebrart has impressed me at every level in recent vintages.

3/6/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Popped and poured at slightly below room temp into Grassl Cru stems, consumed over 90 minutes or so. Showed beautiful rich red fruit on the nose with some spicy notes and a slight stemminess. In the mouth, a bit on the leaner side than other vintages I've had, but impressive balance and enough weight to stand up well to seared duck breast. I loved it, wish I'd bought tons of it. I'm down to my last 4 bottles and I'll be trying to spread them out over at least 5 years as I see some upside still in the cards here. Delicious wine, very happy I waited this long.

3/5/2022 - NYC_Maenad wrote:

We've had a few of these 2007 base in a row showing over the hill, or falling apart within a short time after opening, so much so that we now put two bottles in to chill when we want one, just to increase our odds of getting a good one. This bottle was firmly back on track and on par with my note of 8/21/2020 - mature for sure, but with none of the bruised apple juice or bitter elements that the dead ones have been displaying. Plenty of vibrant energy and depth, even freshened up with some air. Given the 6 or so faded 07 Murgiers and having recently had a listless and flat 2008 Boulard Les Rachais, I am having my doubts about how this producer's wines age in general, and am disinclined to chase them, though I'd love to be proven wrong.

3/4/2022 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:

Pop and pour into Zalto Universal stems because that's what we were already using. Showed a touch hot and potentially heat damaged at first, but that impression quickly faded and a fully correct bottle emerged. A nicely balanced and integrated Dogliani with ripe but not over-ripe fruit and a warmed earth scent on the nose. Medium bodied and easy to drink, with a little grip and good acid drive. Quite a nice bottle for the price and in a good drinking window. We keep drinking these on their own and I suspect with food would be even better, but they are so easy to reach for when we want something easy and enjoyable.