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

A dinner at DL's 28/05/2006 (TNB)

Recent Burgundies 27/05/2006 (TNB)

With dinner in Burgundy and lunch on the way to Chablis 15/05/2006 (TNB)

Some oddments from the Burgundy trip 14/05/2006 (TNB)

A couple of meals and a coincidence 13/05/2006 (RJB)

In the cellars of V. Dureuil-Janthial 13/05/2006 (TNB)

Wine group at JM's in Burgundy 12/05/2006 (TNB)

At Morey-Coffinet's cellars 12/05/2006 (TNB)

A visit to J-M Vincent in Santenay 12/05/2006 (TNB)

Tasting Fourrier's 2005's from cask 11/05/2006 (TNB)

A visit to Domaine Ghislaine Barthod in Chambolle. 11/05/2006 (TNB)

01/05/2006 (RJB)

The Diary - May 2006

A dinner at DL's 28/05/2006 (TNB)

One of those evenings with a lot of corked and oxidised bottles - even before I arrived there had been some bad whites!
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 01/07/2006   Return to top

Recent Burgundies 27/05/2006 (TNB)

Mainly from my own cellar, tasted in the last month or two
  • Chablis Montee de Tonnerre 1997 (L. Michel) Quite mineral, but this seems a bit flabbier, flatter and lacking freshness than I remember. I could worry that we have a touch of premature-oxidation disease here although the wine is perfectly drinkable. I hope it's an odd bottle, the one I had in July 2004 was fine and I've had a couple since which I did not note because they were similar. **
  • Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru 2000 (Arlaud Pere et Fils) Nice fruit, very drinkable. Quite luscious even with a richness that one might attribute to the standing of the vineyard. Good balance too. But nice though it is, I find it rather undemanding - no tautness, no succulence, in short no really grown-up qualities. I'd hope for more excitment from this vineyard. Still a fine drink, and it doesn't sell for huge money either. ***
  • Chambolle Musigny 1er cru Les Groseilles 2001 (Digioia-Royer) A bottle drunk over two evenings as opposed to my last notr from the middle of a wine dinner. Bright and attractive raspberry, cranberry and beetroot Pinot - a touch of oak and tannins but fundamentally in an easy drinking style. Very pleasant drinking but not profound. Will improve a touch over a shortish timescale but not a long-term wine. ***
  • Bourgogne blanc 1996 (Leroy) Very (excessively even) citric, good acidity and a modest finish. No sign of 96 oxidation. I was given this knowing only that it was a 96 white Burgundy - thought it might be a disappointing grander wine. Actually this is rather good for its level. Top **
  • Morey St Denis 1er cru Les Chaffots 2000 (H. Lignier) On first opening, bright, high-toned, delciously fruity - mainly red fruits - and with good balance and length. Very quaffable. Later, some minerality appears too and it seems stylish too. Very nice indeed. Probably for drinking over the next few years. A very top ***
  • Vougeot 1er Cru Les Petits Vougeots 1996 (Fourrier) Even with decanting, still quite hard and needing food. Stylish - I hope it will resolve well. ***
  • Chambolle Musigny Vieille Vignes 1997 (Fourrier) A bit reductive at first, opens out to reveal strong high-toned fruit and a bit of pinot animality. A touch hard at the moment, particularly without food, but pretty good. Top ***
  • Chablis Montee de Tonnerre 1999 (Raveneau) Splendidly mineral and delicious. Bare ****
  • Chablis 1er cru Monte de Tonnerre 1997 (L. Michel) One bottle rather orange an unpalatable - oxidized Burgundy syndrome, I fear. Another quite mature and hinting at the same but still rather good and pleasantly drinkable. The good one: **
  • Volnay Vendage Selectionee 1997 (M. Lafarge) Fresh strawberry fruit, moderate acidity, some tannins and still quite firm although the acidity is moderate. Opens out nicely overnight but still has a twist of bitterness at the end of the palate that I have mixed feelings about. Bare ***
  • Meursault Blagny 1988 (F. Jobard) Bone-dry, austere at first but then just very classic appetising white Burgundy at peak. Bare ****
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 27/05/2006   Return to top

With dinner in Burgundy and lunch on the way to Chablis 15/05/2006 (TNB)

The Champagne was the last wine of the dinner, and very good it was too.
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 02/08/2006   Return to top

Some oddments from the Burgundy trip 14/05/2006 (TNB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 02/08/2006   Return to top

A couple of meals and a coincidence 13/05/2006 (RJB)

  • Rully 1er Cru 2003 (Olivier Leflaive) Friends brought this round for lunch. Lovely medium weight Burgundy with touches of toffee, nuts and melon. Good to have a wine that doesn't seem sterile in its freshness and isn't trying to be any more than it should be. ***
  • Rully 1er Cru Vauvry 2000 (Olivier Leflaive) And here's the coincidence. I just happened to drag this out of the racks in preparation for the same lunch. This, as one would expect, has more signs of age - there's also a slight dirtiness/stalkiness to the wine (again none of that sterility that can make some modern wine so boring). Good maturing Burgundy. *** plus
  • Nuits-St-George Les Damodes 1985 (Domaine Machard de Gramont) This wine has been a bit of an enigma over the years - Toby and I have both given varying reports. This bottle, however, was exactly what it should be. Fresh and vibrant, sweet strawberry and beetroot, and with good acidity. More than pleasant. ****
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 21/05/2006   Return to top

In the cellars of V. Dureuil-Janthial 13/05/2006 (TNB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 11/08/2006   Return to top

Wine group at JM's in Burgundy 12/05/2006 (TNB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 11/06/2006   Return to top

At Morey-Coffinet's cellars 12/05/2006 (TNB)

The 05's all barrel samples and so notes not to be taken that seriously.
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 02/07/2006   Return to top

A visit to J-M Vincent in Santenay 12/05/2006 (TNB)

The 2005's all barrel samples. I have not made notes at all on some of the whites because they had all just been subjected to battonage - I have added a note and score to those that seemed more assessable.
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 13/07/2006   Return to top

Tasting Fourrier's 2005's from cask 11/05/2006 (TNB)

The star ratings below should be regarded as very approximate since the wines are a way from finished and I do not do a lot of tasting from cask. See the accompanying article for some discussion. In short though all the reds are very highly recommendable.
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 28/06/2006   Return to top

A visit to Domaine Ghislaine Barthod in Chambolle. 11/05/2006 (TNB)

The 2005's below were barrel samples of as yet unfinished wines.
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 30/06/2006   Return to top

01/05/2006 (RJB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 01/05/2006   Return to top