1976 Bollinger RD
Disgorged 14 April 1988. Fine stream of bubbles still. Toasty, nutty and earthy aromas. Medium body and length. Lacking depth and complexity. Nice, but not great.
87/100
2006 Loosen Bernkasteler Lay Kabinett:
A floral lift on the nose, with a touch of mineral in the background. A touch of sweetness on the palate. Someone commented that it reminded them of moscato without the spritz and I would agree with that.
86/100
2000 Domaine Chandon de Briailles 1er Cru Ile des Vergelesses:
Cheesy, smoky nose. Palate was very dull, lacking fruit. Drinkable but without depth or substance. Possibly an off bottle.
82/100
2004 Kooyong Meres Pinot Noir:
Beetroot, earth and spice on the nose. Palate is surprisingly elegant – good depth of flavour without being too obvious. Balanced and with good length. I thought it was very nice and should be good to drink over the next 4-5 years.
88/100
1997 Domaine Jean Grivot 1er Cru Les Roncieres:
Earthy, raspberry, cherry and a touch of funk. Nicely balanced palate without being very complex or long.
87/100
2000 Rousseau Clos St Jacques:
Lovely nose with bright strawberry, cherry and some savory spice and game. Lovely texture to the palate, a definite step up from the previous two Pinots. Built weight and power in the glass over time but retained its brightness and purity of flavour. Very long length. Excellent.
92/100
1982 Chateau Les Ormes de Pez
Game, graphite and some wafting perfume. Medium bodied, good balance with tannins resolved and some ripe fruit still remaining. Was drinking well straight out of the bottle, but fell away a bit with time in the glass.
87/100
1995 Wegeler Erben Bernkasteler Doctor Auslese:
Very honeyed nose with toast, cinnamon, citrus and some kerosene. Very light sweetness remains on the medium length palate. Not as much complexity as hoped for. Good only.
88/100
2004 Robert Weil Kiedrich Gräfenberg Riesling Auslese:
Floral, lemon, honey and some strong mineral notes. Palate has very good structure with the sweetness present but blending in well with the acid. Very classy, needs time to blossom (but this bottle was starting to leak, so it wasn’t able to get it).
91/100