5.6.40
Fine Wine Diary The Bailey brothers have now tasted 12082 wines in 28 years 6 months and 15 days
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Diary index

Recent Burgundies 27/03/2003 (TNB)

Wine Group Xmas Dinner 16/03/2003 (TNB)

Recent fortified wines 16/03/2003 (TNB)

The Australian tasting in Edinburgh 09/03/2003 (TNB)

The Diary - March 2003

Recent Burgundies 27/03/2003 (TNB)

  • Givry Champ-Lalot 1999 (Faiveley) Lemony, succulent basic white Burgundy. There's a touch of mineral quality too. Pleasant drinking. Just about rates **
  • Savigny Les Vermots Dessus 1999 (Baron de la Charriere - Girardin) Trying this properly for the second time after a tasting it remains a mouthwatering young white Burgundy - nutty, with good acidity. It will keep for a while too. Top **
  • Romanee St Vivant 1993 (DRC) Meaty. Savoury. Rich, dry and long. Tasted when I had the remnants of a cold but I think it did not sing that loudly mainly because this is just a bit young and the style requies time. A conservative ***(*)
  • Puligny Montrachet Combettes 1993 (J.M. Boillot) As lovely as I remember it - lovely acidity and very fine fruit. Top ***
  • Volnay Vendage Selectione 1997 (Lafarge) Intense strawberry and beetroot pinot, quite dry and savoury, which makes the Pinot sweetness of the fruit on the finish all the more captivating. I feel this still needs a couple of years to show at its best. Top ***
  • Gevrey Chambertin En Pallud 1995 (Maume) Not so forthcoming on the nose, raspberry fruit, dry and savoury with a meaty, tannic finish. I think it needs a bit of time. **(*)
  • Nuits St George 1er Cru Clos des Forets 1990 (Domaine d'Arlot) Plumskin Pinot with a bit of cooked fruit on the finish. Plausible Burgundy, but not so remarkable. Scrapes ***
  • Chassagne Les Embrazees 1992 (B.Morey) Custard powder character with an impression of slightly faded fruit - not bad but not as good as I remember my last bottle of this wine. I suppose 92 is not a long-lived vintage. Bare ***
  • Savigny-les-Beaube Les Guettes 1970 (Doudet-Naudin) A very odd wine: solid colour, good condition, gamy nose and a very weighty palate. Fairly fresh. On that basis it ought to be wonderful but the palate is quite coarse and rustic and unusual for Pinot. Is this one of those old-fashioned Burgundies owing something to the South of France? Pleasant in its way. Top **
  • Gevrey Chambertin Les Eteloies 1999 (B. Maume) Spicy and smoky, crushed red fruits, good finish. Pretty dry and despite the ripeness a bit austere at the moment. This needs a bit of time to open out. Excellent village wine. **(*)
  • Meursault 1988 (Jean Germain) Richard picked up some of this for a song years ago and it has aged very well. Some will say it should have been drunk a while ago, but if you like older wine it is very drinkable now. Fresh from the cellar it seemed a bit mean but as it warmed towards room temperature and breathed a bit it became a pleasing old dry-honied vegetal-influenced mature Chardonnay. Still, time to drimk up. A decent **
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 27/03/2003   Return to top

Wine Group Xmas Dinner 16/03/2003 (TNB)

  • Maximin Grunhaus Abtsberg Spatlese 2001 (von Schubert) So rich and big - exceptionally so for the level and property. I suppose it may close up at some stage but it is still surprising. It seems to have less than the usual acidity too but that may be a misperception caused by the astonishing fruit. Whatever, it is an easy ***(*)
  • Corton Charlemagne 1994 (Jadot) Refined, nicely mineral - drinking well. A very good ***
  • Beaucastel blanc 1988 Nutty, fresh but with lots of evolved flavours. Delicious mature wine. ****
  • Santenay Beaurepaire 2000 (J-M Vincent) Quite earthy - lots of red fruits - carries it's new oak easily. It will certainly benefit from a few years but is almost worth a straight three stars for drinking now. **(*)
  • Corton Grand Cru 1997 (Follin-Arbelet) Very high-toned, crushed red fruits. Elegant, fine, beautifully constructed wine. Top ***
  • Chambolle-Musigny Charmes 1987 (Barthod) Dry, savoury, meaty, yet fragrant. Possibly beginning to fade a shade on the finish but very good drinking. ***
  • La Lagune 1978 Smoky, intense, quite big, not so refined. A bit rough and edgy. Good but finishes a shade sharp. ***
  • Barolo Cascina Francia 1982 (G. Conterno) Savoury, meaty, closed at first with some unclean flavours that blow off. (I almost wondered whether this bottle had been stored in over-warm conditions at some stage - or is it just a bit reductive?) Pretty tannic and difficult too but with loads of fruit. Seriously old-fashioned kit that needs another ten years at least! There is some "benefit of the doubt" here, but I'll hazard **(**)
  • Vin Santo 1988 (Selvapiana) Green rim, Madeira-like nose. Touch of chocolate. Very attractive. ***
  • Offley Boa Vista 1966 Opens up to a stylish, chocolatey, high-toned, elegant fruit. Lovely. Even ****
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 16/03/2003   Return to top

Recent fortified wines 16/03/2003 (TNB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 16/03/2003   Return to top

The Australian tasting in Edinburgh 09/03/2003 (TNB)

Brief notes from a rather large, crowded tasting!
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 09/03/2003   Return to top