'82 Bordeaux horizontal

Wedding banquet at the Four Seasons Macau.

2005 Marquis d'Angerville Meursault 1er Cru Santenots - I had tasted the fantastic 2009 vintage of this wine just two weeks ago at the domaine in Burgundy.  This was of course another lovely wine from a stellar vintage.  Nose of minerals, toast, a bit of sweet corn and a little ripeness.  Very well-balanced on the palate.

2003 Pichon-Lalande en magnum - another fantastic wine.  Very ripe, sweet fruit, jammy, forest, smoky, exotic, coconut butter and toffee notes.  Like many of its peers in the same vintage, one may well guess this to be a Californian Cab in a blind tasting...  Decanted 3 hours before cocktails started.

1982 Canon - this ex-château bottle drank beautifully.  Lovely and open nose with sweet grass, smoke, lead pencil, fruit and smoke duck notes.  Smooth and soft on the palate.  My contribution to the group.

1982 Le Gay - a tribute to Mr. Pineapple himself.  Sweeter nose with ripe fruit, a little smoky.  There are still some tannins here.

1982 Léoville Poyferré - sweet grass, fruit, smoke, caramel and a hint of green pepper.  Very soft on the palate.

1982 Léoville Barton - sweet fruit, smoke, sweet grass and smoked meats.  A lovely wine.

1982 Grand-Puy-Lacoste - a classic example of this wine.  Smoke, lead pencil and mineral nose.  Actually still got a good amount of tannins.

1982 Gruaud-Larose - sweet fruit and smoked meats.  Very smooth and silky.  A lovely wine.

1982 Ducru-Beaucaillou - we ended up with two bottles of this wine.  Beautiful, soft and elegant.  Sweet fruit, smoke, a hint of grass and leather.  Still some tannins here.  Absolutely beautiful, and my favorite wine of the evening since I'm partial to Ducru.

Full post on banquet is here.

'85 and '97 Italians

Dinner at Otto e Mezzo.

Jacques Selosse V.O. - there isn't anything that Anselme Selosse makes that I don't like.  This had a yeasty, sweet caramel nose.  A lively and lovely wine.  I could drink this all day...

2007 Clos des Papes - nose was very alcoholic and sharp, metallic, sweet with tropical fruits like lychee.  Really hot and sweet on the palate.  A little too much for me.  Probably needs another 10 years to soften up.

1985 Gaja Darmagi - classic Bordeaux-blend nose, with lots of grass, smoke, a little brett, mint and green peppers.  Medium acidity.

1985 Giuseppe Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore - this was not decanted, and smelled a little "dusty".  Huge toasty and smoky nose with grilled corn, black pepper, green and vegetal.  There was sweet fruit underneath but took some time to reveal itself.

1997 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche - I joked that I was "Burg'ed out" and wouldn't be drinking anything from Burgundy this evening, but I got a pour from the waiter anyway...  Sweet, very floral, violet, with ripe fruit, game meat, leather and bacon fat.  Soft and lovely.  What an amazing wine!  Certainly my favorite wine tonight.

1997 Lamborghini Campoleone - I've been waiting to open this bottle for a long, long time, and finally had the occasion to do so.  Initially I thought the nose was very muted while my friends all thought the nose was open and lovely.  There were notes of mint, a bit of smoke and a hint of licorice.  Very concentrated on the palate and surprisingly tannic.  My second pour ended up being spilled on the tablecloth, and my third pour was much better.  Nose was much more open with additional notes of herbs and coffee grounds.  This is an interesting blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese.

1997 Soldera Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - sweet and clean, with a little herbs at first.  Later on overripe honeydew notes emerged, almost turning into turpentine and very alcoholic.  A little more tannic than one would expect from the color of the wine.  Also needs another 10 years of cellaring.

2004 Gaja Camarcanda - sweet and ripe fruit, mint, a bit smoky, honeydew, sharp and alcoholic, herbs and pine needle.  Pretty tannic as the wine is still young.

2005 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocce del Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba - alcoholic and hot, a hint of medicine, herbs and smoke.  Just a little too young to drink now.

Full post on dinner is here.

1978 Murrieta Castillo Ygay

1978 Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay - brought to M Bar.  Nose of ripe fruit, grass, mint and toffee.  Acidity was fairly high on the palate, which was not surprising for this old Rioja. 

Comte de Champagne + Cali Pinot

Dinner at On Lot 10.

1999 Tattinger Comte de Champagne - I could smell the yeasty nose from across the table, as it was poured into the flutes. Toasty with a bit of caramel on the nose. Medium acidity on the palate but finished rather dry.

2002 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Ferrington Vineyard - Oops! This was so... Californian! I couldn't have found a more "Californian" bottle if I tried. Nose was really sweet, almost bubble gum-like, with pine needle, a bit of chalk and vanilla. Very sweet on the palate, which later turned to be hot and orange on the finish. With additional aeration, coffee and coconut butter notes emerged. I might as well have been drinking a bottle of Pride Cabernet! After a week drinking some of the best Burgundy reds, even I couldn't bear to drink much of this wine.

Full post on dinner is here.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 6: 3 Meursault Perrières

Lunch at Caveau des Arches with Mounir and Rotem from Lucien Le Moine.

2007 Coche-Dury Meursault 1er Cru Perrières - mineral, flint, a bit ripe, high acidity on the palate.  Later on became ripe and sweeet on the palate, with rounded, buttery notes while still flinty.

2006 Rousseau Chambertin - sharp and alcoholic, mint, a little Chinese medicine, root-like, black cherries.  Much later on the nose was really really sweet, but palate kinda died and turned pretty disgusting, like drinking bleach...

Dinner at Il Vino d'Enrico Bernardo. 

2007 Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Perrières - big, explosive toasty nose with flint, minerals, fresh lemon.  The acidity was a bit high.  Drunk together with fish, the acidity disappeared completely, leaving only ripe, sweetness and a round and lovely wine.  Better than the Coche-Dury at lunch today.

2006 Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Perrières - really sweet, lovely and beautiful... decadent.  Sweet straw, honey, nectar, buttery corn.  Smooth and round on the palate.  Absolutely awesome.

1996 Méo-Camuzet Vosne-Romanée Aux Brûlée - nice and open, with a bit of smoke, black fruits, herbs and spices, sweet fruit, a little preserved prunes.  Medium acidity at first but later more acidic, and a bit tannic on the finish.

Full post on lunch and dinner here.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 6: Lucien Le Moine

Visit to Lucien Le Moine, warmly received by the husband and wife team of Mounir Saouma and Rotem Brakin.  We tasted through 37 separate wines in the space of less than 2 hours.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens - terroir is red clay, producing focused fruit, more precise and spicy nose.  Surprising level of tannins.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Pommard 1er Cru Les Epenots - more intense, meatier, a bit smoky, higher acidity, also lots of tannins and more fruit.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Pommard 1er Cru Les Grands Epenots - more finesse and elegant, softer on the nose with Asian spices.  Higher acidity along with softer tannins.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes - sweeter, toffee, ripe, black fruits, smoky and spicy.  Higher acidity, rougher tannins.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Volnay 1er Cru Les Caillerets - huge, pungent nose of raw animal, smoky, pepper and toast.  Really smooth, round and silky, which was surprising given the nose.  Not acidic at all.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Vaucrains - sweet, prunes, black fruits, a bit of smoke and hint of animal.  A bit rougher overall.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Cailles - fruit, minerals, smoked game meats.  Pretty big tannins here.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux Saint-Jacques - strong nose of minerals, iron, leather, animal, salty and black olives.  Higher acidity with tannins.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers - really open and elegant and showy.  Almost like white wine, with minerals and buttery corn.  Made from 108-year-old vines.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes - strong nose of animal, game meat, pungent with coffee notes.  Soft with light tannins.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Hauts Doix - definitely salty minerals, cassis and concentrated nose.  Smooth and silky tannins.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses - sweet, ripe and lovely.  Herbs, spices and smoke.  Great balance between acidity and tannins.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots - gamey, smoke, black fruits, cassis, a bit of sweet caramel on the edges.  Can definitely feel the tannins on the back end.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts - sweet, caramel, smoky and elegant.  Medium tannins.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Clos Saint-Denis - big nose of minerals and flint, animal, smoky game.  Very open nose, almost floral.  Good balance with silky tannins.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Clos de la Roche - smoke, minerals, salty, bacon fat, some fruit, almost floral.  Some smoky tannins but more tannic than Clos Saint-Denis.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Charmes-Chambertin - more exotic and pronounced spices, more open and enjoyable, with some sweetness.  Higher acidity, with more chewy tannins.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Mazis-Chambertin - sweet and showy, red currant, smoked meats.  Elegant with smooth acidity.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Chambertin Clos de Beze - lots of finesse, strawberries, ripe fruit.  No tannins, with great acidity balance.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Bonnes Mares - minty, smoky and herbs.  Some tannins with acidity.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Echezeaux - soft nose with a hint of smoke.  Big, chewy tannins.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Grands Echezeaux - smoke, minerals, savory meats, big and powerful nose.  Absolutely didn't feel the tannins at all... palate was clean.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Richebourg - soooo huge and smoky, toasty, minerals... big and savory.  Some round tannins.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Grandes Ruchottes - minerals, flint, cooked sugar cane juice (竹蔗茅根水), sweet tangerine.  Higher acidity.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets - flint, minerals, salty, toasty oak, a bit buttery and lemon citrus.  High acidity.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères - fresh and sweet, white flowers, flint.  Dry and acidic on the finish, almost grippy and tart.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières - really like a Condrieu, very floral and fresh, minerals, lemon.  Round and sweet on the palate, balanced with not much acidity. 

2009 Lucien Le Moine Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes - lots of toast, oak, sweet, buttery, flint.  Round and balanced.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières - lots of toast, sweet, ripe, buttery corn.  A little acidic on the finish.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières - loads of minerals, salt, toast, citrus, sweet and ripe.  Good balance with a bit of acidity on the finish.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Corton Blanc - so sweet and floral, clementine marmalade.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Corton-Charlemagne - sweet corn, candy, flint, ripe.  Great acidity balance.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet - ripe, tropical sweet fruit, hint of vanilla, oak.  Slight grippy finish.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Bâtard-Montrachet - big, toasty nose with minerals and smoke, but with amazing sweetness and ripeness underneath.  Higher acidity on palate.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Chevalier-Montrachet - green apple, a bit of toast, sweet and silky.  This was so different from the Bâtard... round but acidic finish.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Montrachet Cuvée P - from the Puligny-Montrachet side, this was sweet and lovely, round and elegant, with a little flint and butter.  Long and lovely finish.

2009 Lucien Le Moine Montrachet Cuvée C - from the Chassagne-Montrachet side, this showed stronger minerals but still had enough ripeness.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 5: 2004 Groffier Les Amoureuses

2004 Robert Groffier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses - drank over dinner at La Régalade.  Fragrant and lovely, with grilled meats, mint and smoke.  Fairly smooth and elegant on the palate, but the finish was a little short.  Lovely nose.

Full post on dinner is here.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 5: Marquis d'Angerville

Visit to Domaine Marquis d'Angerville in Volnay.  We were received by Guillaume d'Angerville.

2009 Marquis d'Angerville Volnay - mint, fruit, fresh herbs and spices.

2009 Marquis d'Angerville Pommard - more intense, sweet, with black cherries.

2009 Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Fremiet - sweet, mineral, intense and a bit tannic.

2009 Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Angles - sweeter fruit with some mint and spices.

2009 Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets - dense, intense nose of pine needles, sweet, almost toffee-like.

2009 Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds - minerals, a little closed initially but opened up to show more fruit.  Good acidity balance.

2009 Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Champans - fruity, sweet, a bit of toffee and herbs.  Nice.

2009 Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs - wow! So open and fragrant!  Much more herbs and spices, potpourri, sweet and complex.  Good amount of tannins.

2009 Marquis d'Angerville Meursault 1er Cru Santenots - explosive nose of minerals and toast, sweet popcorn, and reasonably ripe on the palate.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 5: des Lambrays

Visit to Domaine des Lambrays in Morey-Saint-Denis.  We were received by Managing Director Thierry Brouin, who has been with the estate since 1979.

2009 de Lambrays Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières - vanilla, toast, sweet, white flowers, minerals, ripe on the palate at first, then turned acidic.

2009 de Lambrays Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets - flinty, mineral, ripe, toasty oak and a bit of white flowers.

2009 de Lambrays Morey-Saint-Denis - really sweet, fruit-forward, a bit of herbs and forest. Lovely.

2009 de Lambrays Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Loups - riper fruit, sharper, a bit of turmeric, exotic Asian spices and cassis.  Tannic and grippy on the palate.

2009 de Lambrays Clos des Lambrays - more complex, fragrant, minty, potpourri and exotic spices.  Good balance.

2006 de Lambrays Clos des Lambrays - smoke, bacon, sweet fruit, ripe, black fruits like cassis.  Smooth on the palate with good acidity, but tannic finish.

1996 de Lambrays Clos des Lambrays - lots of smoked meats, leather, ripe fruit, a bit of prune, and slightly oxidized.

1991 de Lambrays Clos des Lambrays - very perfumed, floral, pretty sweet, black fruits, spices and herbs.  Clean and smooth with nice acidity.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 5: '07 Musigny + '97 La Tâche

Lunch with Laurent Ponsot at Castel de Tres Girard.

2007 Mugnier Musigny - which was sweet, fruity, almost jammy with blackberries.  Fragrant and really beautiful.

1997 DRC La Tâche - really smoky, minerals, vegetal, smelling of stems, sharp alcohol and green pepper.  Second pour was much better.

Full post on lunch is here.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 5: Ponsot

Visit to Domaine Ponsot in Morey-Saint-Denis.  Very warmly received by the flamboyant Laurent Ponsot.  I hadn't seen Laurent since he came to show us the amazing 2005s almost 3 years ago, and I was surprised to see that he's trimmed his long, wavy locks...

Ponsot does not use any new oak as Laurent doesn't believe in it.  That puts him in the minority here, especially when it comes to Grand Crus.

2009 Ponsot Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Clos des Monts Luisants - made from Aligoté planted in 1911.  Nose was pungent, with minerals, really ripe, buttery and floral.  Acidity was high on the palate, as I expected.  Better than the 2005 I tasted last time.

2009 Ponsot Corton-Charlemagne - one of a handful of new wines Laurent has been able to make in 2009 as he was offered grapes from other growers.  Made with 40% Aligoté.  Really sweet, ripe, floral, creamy vanilla... huge nose.  Good acidity balance here.  Laurent claims this is the only Corton-Charlemagne made without any new oak.

2009 Ponsot Bourgogne - smoked meats, fruit, rich and almost a little cloudy.

2009 Ponsot Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvée de l'Abeille - minerals, sweet fruit and leather.

2009 Ponsot Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes - sweet, black fruits like plums, ripe and smoky.

2009 Ponsot Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru - intense nose of leather, concentrated and sweet fruits.  Made with fruit from Clos Monts Luisants.

2009 Ponsot Corton Cuvée de Bourdon - color was really dark and inky.  Nose of pine needle, herbs, a hint of smoke.  Grippy on the finish with acidity.  Was this a Pinot that I drank?!

2009 Ponsot Corton Les Bressandes - more smoky and medicinal, brett and smoke on the nose.  Intense and dark, with higher acidity.

2009 Ponsot Griotte-Chambertin - really sweet and fruity, jammy, black fruits and herbs.  Soft and enjoyable.

2009 Ponsot Chapelle-Chambertin - really exotic, sweet, ripe, tropical fruits, coconut butter... Is this an Aussie Shiraz?

2009 Ponsot Chambertin - smoke, fruit and pine needle.  Elegant... some tannins here but reasonably smooth.  5 barrels.

2009 Ponsot Clos Saint-Denis Très Vieilles Vignes - made from 104-year vines.  Minty, intense nose of herbs and forest.  Raw, animal-like, almost pungent.  7 barrels.

2009 Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes - so smooth and silky... Nose of smoked meats, a bit fatty.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 5: Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier

Visit to Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier at the Château de Chambolle-Musigny, where we were received by Frédéric Mugnier.  I had met Frédéric when he came to Hong Kong last year, and I was happy to taste the new vintage in his cellar.

2009 Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny - spices, a little strong game meat, black fruits.  Easy to drink.

2009 Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Fuées - sweeter with more fruit, a bit more smoky, minty and more herbs.  Definitely more length on the finish.

2009 Mugnier Bonnes Mares - interesting to taste this before the remainder of the wines.  Another sweet and fruit-forward wine, with nose of strawberry, cotton candy and smoke.  Silky tannins with great acidity balance.  Beautiful.  5 barrels.

2009 Mugnier Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Maréchale Rouge - smoky, minty, rich and intense.

2009 Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses - intense, sweet and ripe fruit with spices.  Great acidity balance with enough tannins.  7 barrels I believe...

2009 Mugnier Musigny - the wine hadn't been racked yet when we tasted it.  Big and powerful nose, with game meats, intense fruit, smoke and full of spices.  I could feel the tannins but it wasn't too much.  Awesome balance here.  15 barrels.

2009 Mugnier Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Maréchale Blanc - not sure if I remember correctly, but this may be the secret Frédéric revealed last year.  Loads of sweet, buttery popcorn and toast.  Sweet and ripe on the palate.  Frédéric did not replant the vines - he simply grafted Chardonnay onto existing Pinot Noir rootstock.

2008 Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny - really nice and open, with fruit, smoked meats on the nose.  Higher acidity here with a great finish.

2008 Mugnier Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Maréchale Rouge - very sweet and jammy, with lots of mint and some smoked game meats.  A bit grippy here but some acidity also.

2008 Mugnier Bonnes Mares - this was oh-so-nice... Vibrant, fresh, lovely nose of bacon fat, smoke, fruit, caramel, herbs and spices.  Elegant with crisp acidity.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 4: '61 Sorrel and '72 La Mouline

Dinner at Ma Cuisine in Beaune, a restuarant with an impressive wine list.

1996 Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet - sweet, honey and buttery...so rich and creamy, with a bit of minerals, a hint of acetone.  Color was golden yellow.  Acidity was quite high on the palate, even though it was hot and burned a little on the finish.  Later on the nose showed a bit of grass, oak, more minerals, flint and toast.  An incredibly lovely wine.

1961 Henri Sorrel Hermitage - none of us had ever had the privilege to taste this wine before, although the name Sorrel is a distinguished one in Hermitage and one can't exactly go wrong with a '61 Hermitage!  Really nice and amazing.  Lots of herbs and spices, a little turpentine, sous bois, black olives, soy sauce, smoke and mushrooms.  The wine still had reasonable body for its age, but slightly high in acidity and burned the back of my throat on the way down thanks to the alcohol.  A real treat to be able to drink this!

1972 Guigal La Mouline - the second bottle of red just had to be this one, with so many fans of La Mouline present and also being Dayliao's birth vintage.  I'm sure I am biased when I say that I found this more enjoyable than the '61 Sorrel.  Lovely, huge nose with floral, bacon fat, grilled meats, violet, sweet and ripe fruit, prunes.  Soooo explosively sweet it was amazing.  After more than an hour the floral and sweet nose started to fade.

Full post on dinner is here.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 4: d'Eugénie

Visit to Domaine d'Eugenie, where we were received by Michel Mallard. Frédéric Engerer was unfortunately too busy to join us, but I had already tasted the older vintages with him in Hong Kong exactly one week ago.

2009 d'Eugénie Vosne-Romanée - lots of mint, ripe and concentrated fruit, a lot of herbs, potpourri, spicy and peppery.

2009 d'Eugénie Vosne-Romanée Clos d'Eugénie - the first vintage for this wine, made from vines planted next to the house and borders the famed La Tâche just over the wall.  Softer and more elegant than the village, with some mint on the nose.  Slightly harder tannins.

2009 d'Eugénie Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Brûlées - caramel, coffee, black fruits, concentrated.

2009 d'Eugénie Echezeaux - really sweet black fruit with mint.  Intense and big tannins.  7 barrels.

2009 d'Eugénie Grands-Echezeaux - nose was a bit tighter, with some chocolate, later on intense black fruits, some spice, some sweetness. 6 barrels.

2009 d'Eugénie Clos-Vougeot - this was the blended product of the two separate batches. Nose of spice, a bit of sweetness and toffee.  Grippy tannins.

2009 d'Eugénie Clos-Vougeot, de-stemmed - much softer on the palate. Vibrant, sweet and almost fizzy.

2009 d'Eugénie Clos-Vougeot, whole clusters - much tighter, with chocolate, a bit of game meats and herbs.

2010 d'Eugénie Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Brûlées - pungent nose, sulfur-like, minerals, pipi de chat and flint.  A lot of acidity.

2010 d'Eugénie Echezeaux - still pungent but much sweeter and very showy.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 4: Arnoux-Lachaux

Visit to Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux, where we were received by Pascal Lachaux and his wife Florence Arnoux.  This was formerly Domaine Robert Arnoux but now has been renamed.

2009 Arnoux-Lachaux Bourgogne - minty and game meat, very fresh.

2009 Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanée - nose of mint, flint, minerals and concentrated fruit.

2009 Arnoux-Lachaux Chambolle-Musigny - black fruits, softer and more silky, with higher acidity.


2009 Arnoux-Lachaux Nuits-Saint-Georges - smoky, game meats, farmy.

2009 Arnoux-Lachaux Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Corvées Pagets - fragrant, silky and nice.

2009 Arnoux-Lachaux Clos Vougeot - farmy nose with bacon notes.  Nice. Harder tannins.

2009 Arnoux-Lachaux Echezeaux - sweeter nose with mint and a hint of smoke.  Softer and silky on the palate.

2009 Arnoux-Lachaux Latricières-Chambertin - fruity and ripe with a hint of smoke.  Acidity was noticeable mid-palate but the finish was grippy.

2009 Arnoux-Lachaux Romanée-Saint-Vivant - nose of herbs and mint.  Some tannins were noticeable.

2007 Pascal Lachaux Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras - sweet nose of strawberries, light and vibrant, clean on the palate, with a little bit of tannins.

2007 Pascal Lachaux Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Grands Murs - smoky nose with leather and intense spices.

2007 Pascal Lachaux Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers - black fruits, flinty, minerals and some smoked meats.

2007 Pascal Lachaux Clos Saint-Denis - sweet and fragrant nose, a bit floral, herbs and fruit.  Smooth on the palate with silky tannins.  Very nice.

2007 Pascal Lachaux Chambertin Clos de Beze - very fragrant, very fresh, smoky, grilled meats, violet and floral.  Very silky tannins.  Beautiful!

At the end of the tasting, Pascal asked us whether we wanted to taste an older vintage, and he literally said "anything"... We were of course too polite to ask for anything specific, and left the choice up to him.  He returned from the library with a dusty old bottle that turned out to be the 1971 Robert Arnoux Romanée-Saint-Vivant.  Nose of sous bois, really sweet, a bit oxidized, caramel and toffee, smoked meats, lovely, ripe fruit with leather.  A very awesome wine!  An incredibly generous gesture...

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 4: Jean-Jacques Confuron

Visit to Domaine Jean-Jacques Confuron, where we were received by Sophie Meunier.  I had met Alain and Sophie Meunier at a dinner in Hong Kong two years ago, and it was nice to be able to taste a wider range of wines from them.

2009 Jean-Jacques Confuron Côtes de Nuits-Village Les Vignottes - minty, spicy with sweet fruit.

2009 Jean-Jacques Confuron Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Fleurières - very fresh and foresty, herbs, and alcoholic.

2009 Jean-Jacques Confuron Chambolle-Musigny - mint, spices, potpourri, a bit sharp but still enjoyable.

2009 Jean-Jacques Confuron Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru - spices, forest, caramel, concentrated fruit.

2009 Jean-Jacques Confuron Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Boudots - nice and open nose, with spices, mint, sweet fruit, a bit of chocolate and pine needle.

2009 Jean-Jacques Confuron Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Chaboeufs - nose of forest and a bit of sweetness.

2009 Jean-Jacques Confuron Clos-Vougeot - intense nose of forest, pine needle, herbs, bacon fat and game meat.  Very nice.

2009 Jean-Jacques Confuron Romanée-Saint-Vivant - forest and herbs, a bit softer, sweeter with a bit of grilled meats.

2008 Jean-Jacques Confuron Clos-Vougeot - really nice.  Herbs, exotic spices, grape skin, minerals, pipi de chat, game meats and toffee.  Acidity slightly higher.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 4: bargain DRC and Cros Parantoux

Lunch at Chez Guy in Gevrey-Chambertin.

2003 DRC Echezeaux - an obvious bargain on the wine list.  Initially a little tight, funky, savory, smoky, spices with fruit underneath.  Palate was a little flat.  Second time around the finish was longer and the wine was more concentrated, with game meat notes.

2006 Méo-Camuzet Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Cros-Parantoux - nose was a little closed, with sharp alcohol.  A really concentrated wine.

2006 Bachelet Charmes-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes - soft, open and fragrant, with mint and a bit of sweet fruit.  Round and lovely.

Full post on lunch is here.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 4: Dugat-Py

Visit to Domaine Dugat-Py.  We were hosted by Bernard Dugat.  The cellar was built in the 12th century... very beautiful.

2009 Dugat-Py Pommard - huge nose of pine needle, forest and very sweet.  Slightly higher acidity on the palate.

2009 Dugat-Py Vosne-Romanée Vieilles Vignes - exotic spices, leather, floral and violet.  Amazingly beautiful.

2009 Dugat-Py Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles - mint and spices, lots of concentrated fruit, a bit floral and just a little sweet, along with some minerals.  Feels very raw.

2009 Dugat-Py Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvée Cœur du Roy - toffee, chocolate, forest and saddle.

2009 Dugat-Py Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru - floral, black fruits, leather and forest.  Very nice.

2009 Dugat-Py Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Petite Chapelle - toffee, chocolate, very exotic with spices, smoke and leather.  Good acidity balance here.

2009 Dugat-Py Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Champeaux - intense nose of smoke, spices, potpourri... Very concentrated.

2009 Dugat-Py Charmes-Chambertin - really beautiful... Nose was soft and open, sweet with a bit of floral notes and exotic spices.

2009 Dugat-Py Mazoyères-Chambertin - farmy and animal, bacon fat, smoked meats, fragrant with some chocolate notes.  More solid and hard.

2009 Dugat-Py Mazis-Chambertin - nose was open and really amazing!  Floral, violet, chocolate, a little pine needle... so enjoyable!

We did not get to taste the Chambertin, since Bernard only makes 1 barrel of it.  Pineapple told us that he was only allowed to taste it once himself...

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 4: Bruno Clair

Visit to Bruno Clair in Marsannay.  Maître de chai Philippe Brun conducted the tasting.

2009 Bruno Clair Marsannay Grasses Têtes - soft, fruity and spicy.

2009 Bruno Clair Marsannay Longeroies - a little tigher, with a longer finish.

2009 Bruno Clair Chambolle-Musigny Les Véroilles - softer, more open and feminine.  Strawberry notes.

2009 Bruno Clair Morey-Saint-Denis Rouge En la rue de Vergy - black fruits, spices, sweet like cotton candy.  Pretty nice.

2009 Bruno Clair Vosne-Romanée Les Champs Perdrix - a much bigger wine, with mint and potpourri notes.

2009 Bruno Clair Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru La Dominode - bigger and sweeter nose with caramel, mint and spices.

2009 Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin - minty and pretty big on the nose.  Harder tannins.

2009 Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos de Fonteny - sweet caramel, mint and alcoholic on the nose.  Softer on the palate.

2009 Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Petite Chapelle - minty with black fruits.  Grippy on the palate but acidic at the same time.

2009 Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Cazetiers - fruity and sweet, with a bit of mint.

2009 Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jacques - prunes and leather, a little alcoholic.

2009 Bruno Clair Chambertin Clos de Beze - nose was more ripe, open and complex.  Sweet, minty with exotic spices.  Can feel the tannins but not grippy.

2009 Bruno Clair Bonnes Mares - nose was more floral, forest and sweet.

2006 Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jacques - a really lovely wine.  Ripe fruits, soft with Asian spices.

2009 Bruno Clair Corton-Charlemagne - green apple, minerals, flint, sweet with a bit of lemon.  Beautiful.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 3: A pair of legendary La Tâche

Dinner at Le Bistro de L'Hotel.

1993 Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses - a little bit dusty at first, with stewed prunes, grilled meats, a little smoke and leather.  Sweet and grassy.

1998 Mugnier Musigny - sweet fruit, mint and ripe melon.  Very nice and lovely.  Nose kinda showed a little oxidation later on.

1978 DRC La Tâche - O-M-G.  This was an awesome wine, and such a privilege to drink!  Amazing amount of sweetness in the nose, with sweet grass, bacon, farmy, floral and fragrant, minty... Just absolutely lovely.  Mind-blowing.

1985 DRC La Tâche - the other wine in the pairing could only be the '85. A little more muted than the '78, with some mint, sweet fruit, a little ripe with leather notes.  Also a little sharp at the beginning.

Full post on dinner is here.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 3: Michel Magnien

Visit to Domaine Michel Magnien in Morey-Saint-Denis.  Frédéric Magnien conducted the tasting.

2009 Frédéric Magnien Bourgogne - some fruit, sharp nose of acetone.

2009 Frédéric Magnien Marsannay Coeur d'Argile - more complex, farmy, bacon fat, floral, violet.  Pretty good.

2009 Frédéric Magnien Fixin - rubbery nose with a bit of smoke.

2009 Michel Magnien Morey-Saint-Denis Très Girard - very violet, floral, nice and a bit smoky.

2009 Michel Magnien Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Echézeaux - fruity, ripe, with bacon fat and smoke.

2009 Michel Magnien Gevrey-Chambertin Seuvrées Vieilles Vignes - smoky, rubbery, woodsy.

2009 Michel Magnien Chambolle-Musigny Fremières - animal, a little smoky, funky, minty with sandalwood.

2009 Michel Magnien Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Millandes - nose was a bit muted with some grilled meats and bacon.

2009 Michel Magnien Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Goulots - wow!  Nose was very open and nice, with smoke, grilled meats, farmy and toasty.

2009 Michel Magnien Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Sentiers - meaty and smoky.

2009 Michel Magnien Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Cazetiers - hint of smoke and a hint of bacon.

2009 Michel Magnien Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Chaffots - animal, a bit stinky with some exotic spices, a little ripe and sweet, with a little violet and floral notes.

2009 Michel Magnien Charmes-Chambertin - very open nose, with bacon fat, animal, fruit and violet.

2009 Michel Magnien Clos Saint Denis - smoky, bacon fat, a bit floral notes.  Pretty open and nice nose.

2009 Michel Magnien Clos de la Roche - open nose with strong notes of game meats, brunt rubber and toast.  A little sharp.

2007 Michel Magnien Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Chaffots - sweet and soft, with cotton candy notes.  A bit floral and grilled meats.

2006 Michel Magnien Charmes-Chambertin - a lovely wine with open and beautiful nose.  Lots of bacon fat, mint, fruit, a hint of smoke, violet, toasty popcorn.

2010 Michel Magnien Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Sentiers - less than 2 months after harvest, this wine smelled of lots of grape skin, pungent, stinky like pipi de chat.  Really acidic and grippy on the palate.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 3: Hubert de Montille

Visit to Domaine du Château de Puligny-Montrachet and Domaine Hubert de Montille.  Etienne de Montille conducted the tasting.

2009 Château de Puligny-Montrachet Meursault - mineral, very flinty, a little bit dirty, lots of toast.  Good balance on the palate with a little sweetness.  Fizzy and a bit reductive.

2009 Château de Puligny-Montrachet Chassagne-Montrachet - lots of toast, ripe, fizzy, green like green apples.

2009 Château de Puligny-Montrachet Puligny-Montrachet - nose of minerals and toast.

2009 Château de Puligny-Montrachet St Aubin 1er Cru - nose of toasty popcorn.

2009 Château de Puligny-Montrachet Meursault 1er Cru Porusot - big nose of minerals and toast.  Explosive.  Wonderful.  Well-balanced and smooth on the palate.

2009 Château de Puligny-Montrachet Meursault 1er Cru Perrières - a little bit of sweet nose hidden underneath the minerals and toast, along with buttery sweet corn.

2009 Château de Puligny-Montrachet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Folatières - sweet, buttery and minerals.  More subtle than the Meursaults...

2009 Château de Puligny-Montrachet Chevalier-Montrachet - minerals, toast, floral and green apple.  Round and sweet on the palate.

2009 Hubert de Montille Beaune 1er Cru Sizies - very fruit-forward, with mint and minerals.

2009 Hubert de Montille Volnay 1er Cru Brouillards - a little closed, with more minerals.

2009 Hubert de Montille Volnay 1er Cru Mitans - a bit minty, a bit farmy with some fruit.

2009 Hubert de Montille Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds - a bit nicer, with a smoky nose that was more open and rich, along with sweet fruit and lots of mint.

2009 Hubert de Montille Pommard 1er Cru Epenots - nose was very open and beautiful, with mint, minerals, sweet fruit and cotton candy.

2009 Hubert de Montille Pommard 1er Cru Rugiens - minty and fruity, soft on the palate.

2009 Hubert de Montille Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Saints-Juliens - nose was open, fragrant and a lot more farmy...almost cheese-like.  Notes of mint, fruit and floral on the palate.

2009 Hubert de Montille Beaune 1er Cru Grèves - very floral, open and beautiful, with exotic spices.

2009 Hubert de Montille Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Torey - nose of potpourri, fruit, a bit floral and peppery.

2009 Hubert de Montille Corton Clos du Roi - pretty open and fruity, but a little sharp.  Nose was pretty clean.

2009 Hubert de Montille Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts - floral, open and beautiful, with bacon fat.

2009 Hubert de Montille Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts Cuvée Christiane - open and sweet, spices, floral, violet... beautiful and soft, a feminine wine.

2009 Hubert de Montille Beaune 1er Cru Aigrots Blanc - open and vibrant, with floral, green apple, minerals and flint notes.

2009 Hubert de Montille Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Champ Gain - floral, buttery, oily and toasty.  Sweet and ripe on the palate.

2009 Hubert de Montille Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Cailleret - flinty, mineral and floral.  Nice.

2009 Hubert de Montille Corton-Charlemagne - big, floral nose with minerals and higher acidity.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 3: Montrachet and Bonnes Mares

Lunch at Le Montrachet in Puligny-Montrachet.

2004 Sauzet Montrachet had a good, buttery nose with toasty oak, flint, minerals, lemon citrus, and honey.  Ripe and a little hot on the palate as well as the finish.

2003 Roumier Bonnes Mares - minty, lots of fruit, pine needles, sweet, very beautiful... lots of minerals and almost a little iron.  A bit hot on the palate and very sweet.  The finish was a little grippy towards the end, and after a while the palate pretty much died.

Full post on lunch is here.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 3: Michel Niellon

Visit to Michel Niellon in Chassagne-Montrachet.  Michel Niellon himself received us and conducted the tasting.

2009 Michel Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet - lots of vanilla, oak, lemon, floral and sweet.

2009 Michel Niellon Chassange-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Maltroie - more closed initially... oak, vanilla and a bit of white button mushrooms on the nose.  Round and alcoholic on the palate.

2009 Michel Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers - also a little tight on the nose with mineral notes.

2009 Michel Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos St. Jean Blanc - sweeter nose with vanilla, a bit of minerals, and a little sharpness.

2009 Michel Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos St. Jean Rouge - nose of berries a little mushroom, and mint.

MNSC Burgundy Trip Day 2: Coche-Dury, Henri Jayer and more

Lunch at La Colline du Colombier in Iguerande, France.

2003 Coche-Dury Meursault 1er Cru Caillerets - lots of toasty oak, oily, buttery, a little steely with minerals, really round and smooth on the palate. Not acidic but not overly ripe either. Plenty of toasty corn at the end. A classic Coche-Dury.

2000 Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne - this wine had always eluded me, because I had always been content to drink Jean-François Coche-Dury's cheaper offerings. This wine was initially very closed, but after some aeration revealed the classic intense nose of toast I have comeh to love. Pretty ripe on the palate, with lots of minerals. After a bite of the acidic jelly, the wine tasted really sweet when I sipped it. What a wine!

1990 Henri Jayer Vosne-Romanée - a little vegetal at first masking the fruit core. Later strawberry notes emerged, with a little bit of grass, forest and mint. Still really young, although the color was pretty light. A reasonable amount of tannins left.

1993 Henri Jayer Echezeaux - very floral, osmanthus, a little smoky, some fruit came out after a while. Still enough tannins to be a little grippy.

1988 Henri Jayer Cros Parantoux - very farmy, nose was much more open and beautiful, with lots of fruit and a bit toasty. Higher acidity on the palate was noted. Lovely, floral like violet. A beautiful wine!

Dinner at Troisgros in Roanne France.

2002 Coche-Dury Meursault 1er Cru Perrières - nose was a bit toasty and mineral, which kept the ripeness of the fruit hidden underneath.  Drank beautifully while we were at the bar.

1996 Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Perrières - nose was very open and floral, with a bit of apricot, ripe fruit, honey, marmalade, sweet grass, and just sweet perfume in general.  There was also a slight hint of acetone.  A really beautiful wine.  Someone at the table commented that this was just like kissing and smelling the sweet scent of a woman's neck.  I think he was having a Les Gouttes de Dieu (神の雫) moment...

1993 Henri Jayer Vosne-Romanée - not in the original line-up, but Dr. Poon inserted this bottle as he thought it would be a reasonable choice.  I'm glad he did, as this bottle drank very well.  Minty nose with herbs, pine needle, black cherries... Sweet and a bit alcoholic.  Dr. Poon loved it so much that he spoke of opening a bottle for breakfast tomorrow...

1995 Henri Jayer Vosne-Romanée Beaumonts - a little hard and steely at first.  Nose turned floral and pretty sweet later. 

1992 Henri Jayer Cros Parantoux - a little vegetal on top of the fruity and sweet nose.  Farmy and minty notes, with rose overtones.  Really open and beautiful.  Definitely my favorite Henri Jayer today.

1982 Lafite-Rothschild - WOW!  What an amazing wine!  Decanted for almost four hours, this was beautiful!  Nose of mint, sweet grass, smoke and a little soy sauce along with some fruit.  A classic elegant claret through and through, and you know this wine can last for a long, long time.  Of course provenance is without question, and Pineapple acquired this bottle some years back and I know he is extremely meticulous on this topic...  This was the "missing bottle" from our Bordeaux trip last year - when we drank a bunch of '82 First Growths - and it was sooooo much better than the bottle I was invited to taste a couple of months ago in Hong Kong. As much as I liked this wine, I could not bring myself to give it a perfect score, as that is reserved for the next bottle we drank...

1998 Le Pin - I knew we were drinking a Le Pin the minute I swirled the glass and took a whiff.  The exotic nose was unmistakable.  Explosive, sweet, ripe and fruity, with notes of French pears and sweet tropical fruits.  Also notes of tea.  Decanted for 2 hours.  What a beautiful wine!  I actually wrote down "f**king awesome" in my tasting notes, because I loved it that much.  We drank another bottle of this wine last year in Bordeaux, and at the time it was also my favorite wine of the evening.  100 points!

Full post on lunch and dinner is here.