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2009 Ermitage Rouge, Ex Voto, E. Guigal, Rhône
This Ermitage from the top Rhone producer Guigal is nothing short of astonishing. The nose is reticent and shy to come out but shows fruits of the forest, liquorice, black olive tapenade. The palate is lush, mouthcoating and full, tannins are incredibly well integrated and balanced and yet there is still an underlying power that will keep this beauty into the next two decades.
Stuart Rae, Private Account Manager2009 Ermitage Rouge, Ex Voto, E. Guigal, Rhône2009 Ermitage Rouge, Ex Voto, E. Guigal, RhôneBottle Price 75 cl $557.00 -
2010 Clos de Tart, Grand Cru, Clos de Tart, BurgundyTasted at the pre-dinner vertical to mark Sylvain Pitiot's retirement from the domaine, the 2010 Clos de Tart Grand Cru would have been made by angels if not Sylvain Pitiot (angels that had graduated from University of Dijon with a degree in oenology). The nose is so ineffably pure that it is guaranteed to bring a tear to the eye. In a strange way it reminds me of a top Armand Rousseau with its awe-inspiring transparency. The palate is ethereal - divine balance, a gentle grip, a saline edge and poise on the finish that takes your breath away. Iron fist in a velvet glove, etc. This is surely legend in the making.
Wine Advocate 98/1002010 Clos de Tart, Grand Cru, Clos de Tart, Burgundy2010 Clos de Tart, Grand Cru, Clos de Tart, BurgundyBottle Price 75 cl $1,413.00 -
2007 Ermitage Blanc, l'Ermite, M. Chapoutier, RhôneAnother candidate for perfection is the 2007 Ermitage l’Ermite blanc. A nectar of rocks, honeysuckle, quince, pears, and white peaches, this super-expressive, full-bodied, thick, glycerin-endowed wine is another example of a massive white Hermitage that can not be found anywhere else in the world. It should last for 35-50 years.
- Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate 2009, 99/1002007 Ermitage Blanc, l'Ermite, M. Chapoutier, Rhône2007 Ermitage Blanc, l'Ermite, M. Chapoutier, RhôneBottle Price 75 cl $581.00 -
2008 Champagne Veuve Clicquot, La Grande Dame, Brut
Very pale with a greenish tinge. Fresh, pretty youthful nose. Masses of acidity and very definitely not ready yet. Still seems embryonic. But it certainly isn’t too sweet!
Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com (June 2020)2008 Champagne Veuve Clicquot, La Grande Dame, Brut2008 Champagne Veuve Clicquot, La Grande Dame, BrutBottle Price 300 cl $1,615.00 -
2007 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Hommage à Jacques Perrin, Château de Beaucastel, RhôneThe star of the show was the 2007 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage À Jacques Perrin, which in this vintage is a classic blend of 60% Mourvedre, 20% Syrah, and the rest Counoise and Grenache. Inky colored and insanely perfumed, with to-die-for notes of lavender, Provencal herbs, roasted meats, black cherries, truffle, crème de cassis and licorice, it flows onto the palate with massive concentration, a stunning mid-palate and a thick, rich texture that never gets heavy or cumbersome. This is blockbuster stuff that just could not get any better. Drink it anytime over the coming 3-4 decades. 100/100
The Wine Advocate -
2000 Château Latour, Pauillac, Bordeaux
2000 saw a warm, dry July and August with a small amount of rain from mid-September onward. Composed of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2000 Latour has a deep garnet color and is showing a good amount of evolution, sporting mature notes of fried exotic spices, hoisin, unsmoked cigars and fruitcake with hints of incense, potpourri, cast iron pan and charcuterie.
Medium-bodied, soft, plush and savory in the mouth, it has a long, mineral-tinged finish. 14,000 cases were made this year, representing 48% of production.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (February 2019)2000 Château Latour, Pauillac, Bordeaux2000 Château Latour, Pauillac, BordeauxBottle Price 75 cl $1,716.00 -
2004 Hermitage Rouge, Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Rhône
The 2004 red Hermitage, which was given a much longer time in barrel and small foudre than normal because the Chaves determined the tannins and the acids needed a longer time to integrate, is a beauty. The wine exhibits a dense ruby/purple color, a big, sweet nose of creme de cassis, black cherry, licorice, pepper, and a hint of olive paste. It is a full-bodied wine that tastes atypical for this vintage with its beautifully integrated acidity and sweet tannin. The wine is structured, more masculine and backward than the over-the-top, full-throttle 2003. Readers could probably think of it as an improved, modern-day version of the 1988 or 1998.
Robert M. Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate (April 2007)2004 Hermitage Rouge, Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Rhône2004 Hermitage Rouge, Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, RhôneBottle Price 75 cl $747.00 -
1997 Charmes-Chambertin, Grand Cru, Domaine Dujac, BurgundyConcentrated layers of black fruits are intermingled with red berries, stones and Asian spices in its character, as well as in its 30+ second finish.
- The Wine Advocate -
1994 Masseto, Tuscany, Italy
The 1994 Masseto is not a wine I have had often, but it is so compelling tonight. The aromatics alone are totally beguiling. A whole range of floral, savory and spice notes are woven throughout a core of red-toned fruit. Delicate and nuanced, the 1994 is utterly beguiling. I absolutely loved it. Readers who own it should be thrilled. The growing season was marked by an early flowering but normal harvest time, which means the cycle was on the longer side. Maybe that explains why the 1994 is such a complete and alluring wine.
Drink 2018-2028
Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Jan 2018)1994 Masseto, Tuscany, Italy1994 Masseto, Tuscany, ItalyBottle Price 75 cl $1,817.00 -
2017 Côte-Rôtie, La Landonne, Domaine René Rostaing, RhôneThis famous vineyard is currently shared by five vignerons. Rostaing uses only whole-bunch on the fruit from their plot. Inky black in appearance, the nose reveals youthful bramble fruit with heady violets creeping through. The palate is textured and muscular, the dark blackberry fruit combined with a hint of pepper and iron. The finish is very long and the tannins fine, adding to the wine’s finesse.
Drink 2022-2042.
Oliver Barton, Buying Assistant -
2017 Mazoyères-Chambertin, Grand Cru, Arnaud Mortet, Burgundy
A cool, pure and airy nose reluctantly expresses notes of red cherry and whiffs of spice, humus and freshly turned earth. There is good power to the succulent and enveloping medium weight plus flavors that offer even better minerality if, somewhat surprisingly, a bit less concentration, on the youthfully austere and mildly awkward finish as there is just enough dryness to mention. This may well come together as the supporting tannins seem ripe but that is not a certainty.
Drink 2029+
Burghound (Jan 2019) -
2016 Opus One, Napa Valley, California (Magnum)
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Opus One bursts from the glass with ripe blueberries, black cherry jam and cr?me de cassis with hints of violets, dark chocolate, cedar chest and cardamom, plus a touch of charcoal. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, the palate delivers layer upon layer of opulent stewed black fruit with amazing tension and firm, ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing long with a whole array of exotic spices coming through.
Drink 2021 - 2055
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (Feb 2021)2016 Opus One, Napa Valley, California (Magnum)2016 Opus One, Napa Valley, California (Magnum)Bottle Price 150 cl $1,413.00 -
2017 Opus One, Napa Valley, California (Magnum)
A remarkable wine for the year, the 2017 Opus One is a dense, full-throttle beauty. Plush fruit and soft, silky contours give the 2017 its racy personality. Exotic, beautifully perfumed and impeccable in its balance, Opus One is one of the most complete wines of the vintage. In 2017, Opus One has a distinctly red-toned fruit profile that distinguishes it from the surrounding vintages.
Antonio Galloni, vinous.com2017 Opus One, Napa Valley, California (Magnum)2017 Opus One, Napa Valley, California (Magnum)Bottle Price 150 cl $1,211.00 -
2015 Nuits-St Georges, Les Damodes, 1er Cru, Domaine de la Vougeraie, BurgundyA fine, precise Nuits-St Georges from a hillside site, this was late to finish its malolactic fermentation, so the fruit is more backward. Bright purple, with a darkish style of fruit, it is pleasingly intense, with weight, persistence and some mineral notes. Drink 2022-2028.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
This year Pierre Vincent has been able to achieve his aim of an ideal barrel rotation. Each of these wines has been matured in one-third new wood, one-third one-year-old and one-third two-year-old. Because of the exceptional health of the grapes in 2015, he has also been able to vinify all the wines without de-stemming. His 2015 reds are wines of grace and elegance, while the white wines (picked from 28th August) have an impressive tension alongside a concentration of fruit. -
2015 Chambolle-Musigny, Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier, BurgundyAs is usually the case this is both more elegant and more aromatically complex with its wonderfully broad-ranging nose of sandalwood, violet, plum, lavender, Asian-style tea and dark cherry scents. The gorgeously refined, intense and mineral-driven medium-bodied flavors are pure silk while delivering plenty of punch on the impeccably well-balanced finish. This is both classy and graceful and importantly for those who prefer their wines on the younger side, this should be reasonably approachable young meaning after 7 to 8 years. In a word, gorgeous.
Burghound 96/100 -
2012 Clos de la Roche, Grand Cru, Domaine Dujac, Burgundy
There is enough reduction to notice though not so much as to completely dominate the floral-suffused nose. This also possesses relatively fine-grained tannins though there is notably more size, weight and power as well as a bit more complexity to the mineral-driven and impeccably well-balanced finish that is both explosive and palate staining. This is most impressive as it manages to deliver stunning intensity and depth of material without any undue heaviness. Note however that this is one very structured wine that will require a lengthy stay in a cool cellar to arrive at its full peak.
Allen Meadows - burghound.com - Jan 20152012 Clos de la Roche, Grand Cru, Domaine Dujac, Burgundy2012 Clos de la Roche, Grand Cru, Domaine Dujac, BurgundyBottle Price 75 cl $1,918.00