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A Test Of Greatness: 2009 Bordeaux Ten Years On (March 2019)

The 2009 Gruaud Larose has calmed down since I last tasted it (when I described the bouquet as raucous). Now it is quite refined with blackberry, cedar and leather aromas, not the most powerful you will come across but very well focused. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, not…

A Test Of Greatness: 2009 Bordeaux Ten Years On (March 2019)

The 2009 Gruaud Larose has a fresh, backward, tightly coiled bouquet with ample blackberry and bilberry fruit, fine tension and focus, a nose that is intending to last the distance (and why not?) The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, fresh and vibrant, laced-like tannin with a wonderfully detailed and…

The 2009 Clarets (Jul 2012)

Dark ruby-red. Intense aromas of red cherry, cassis, aromatic herbs and cedar. Rich, dense and suave, with concentrated flavors of dark berries, cedar and quinine complicated by smoky and peppery nuances. Finishes very long and smooth, with a highly tactile quality to the cedar and cassis flavors. This Gruaud stands out for its purity, as…

1996 Champagne – For The Ages (Oct 2014)

Thrown in as a ringer, the 1995 Clos d’Ambonnay is a real treat to taste next to the 1996. In particular, tasting both vintages together shows that that 1995 is the more complete of these two first releases of Krug’s single-vineyard Champagne from Ambonnay. Finely-cut fruit, expressive aromatics and exceptional textural finesse are the signatures….

Champagne: The 2017 Summer Preview (Jul 2017)

Pol Roger’s 2008 Brut Vintage is bright and energetic, but also tightly wound and not fully expressive today. There is good energy to the orchard fruit and citrus driven flavors, not to mention plenty of acid-driven persistence. I would prefer to cellar the 2008 for at least a year or two to see what happens.

Opus One – Past, Present and Future: 1979-2012 (Jun 2013)

The 2009 Opus One is impeccable. It brings together the silkiness of the 2007 with the power and darkness of the 2008, a combination that is hugely appealing, to say the least. With a little air, the 2009 can be enjoyed young, but it is best cellared for at least a few years, which will…