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Krug: Clos du Mesnil 1979-1998 (Jul 2011)

The 1992 Clos du Mesnil require quite a bit of air to open up. It is an unusual Clos du Mesnil marked by elements of botrytis that lend it an exotic air. There is plenty of power and the reserve to age well for many more years.

New Vintage Champagne Releases (Nov 2004)

Subdued, extremely pure, soil-inflected nose hints at lemon, ginger, smoke, minerals, iodine, nutmeg and hazelnut. From a sniff, I would have been as likely to say Le Montrachet or Corton-Charlemagne as Mesnil, but I would certainly have named one of the planet’s elite sites for chardonnay. Very laid-back and dry, even austere today, with an…

Where the Heart Is: Ducru-Beaucaillou 1934-2018 (Jul 2022)

The 1970 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a vintage that I tasted regularly about twenty years ago – always a strong performer even if it did not deliver fireworks. At over half a century, it has not lost a bit of vigour, but there are lovely scents of clove, liquorice and a touch of furniture polish combining with…

1997, 1996 and 1995 Bordeaux (May 1998)

Deep ruby-red. Bright, enticing aromas of redcurrant, minerals and tobacco; not quite as ripe as the ’96. Lovely sweetness and clarity of flavor in the mouth. More supple than the ’96, and likely to be approachable much earlier. Finishes with substantial, tongue-coating tannins.

Cleaning Out the Cupboard: Bordeaux 1943-2020 (Jan 2023)

The 1997 Lafite-Rothschild is certainly one of the better First Growths of this somewhat maligned vintage. Gravel, pencil shavings and light tobacco notes furnish the mature nose that is open-knit and perhaps missing some vigour. The palate is medium-bodied with dry tannins, balanced and conveying some of Lafite’s elegance, yet it does taper quickly on…

1997, 1996 and 1995 Bordeaux (May 1998)

Very good deep red color. Complex aromas of black cherry, currant, chocolate, herbs, licorice and tobacco leaf. Fairly sweet and dense on the palate, with very good concentration and firm acidity for the year. This is aged in 100% new oak, but the wood is very much in the background. Finishes very long and subtle,…