Holiday Notes

[RPCV]

On my dry January thing and just getting around to posting from the holidays.

2008 Simon Bize Savigny les Beaune Rouge, 1er Cru Les Fournaux

Beautiful light red color and translucent rim. Earthy, red-fruited aromas, and I get mushroom as well. Sappy red fruits, great acidity, spices and earth follow. Nice long finish. Great food wine. A four-star effort.

2021 Martin Mullen Riesling 1683 Revival Trocken

I need to drink more German wine. Peach pit, faint petrol with lifted lemon notes on the nose. At 11.5% ABV, this trocken wine is stellar. Ripe acids and that lemon curd note continue in the taste profile that really makes you salivate. Nice length on the finish. A four-star effort.

NV Jose Michel Brut Rose

Always a pleasure, Jose Michel makes some great Champagne at affordable prices. Beautiful Rose Champagne. Served with brunch. Four stars.

2010 Guion Bourgueil Cuvée Prestige

Garnet color, lightening considerably at the rim. Looked thin. On the nose, fresh cherry and strawberry scents rise from the glass. Cherry and strawberry continue on the palate and reveals a classic stemmy, slightly vegetal Loire Cab Franc note. Decent length and light tannins on the finish. A good food wine, but not for everyone. A three-star effort.

2009 Larrivet Haut Brion

Opened and poured a glass an hour before beginning consumption. Dark black currant color with very little bricking. Black current, sous bois, pencil shavings, leather, faint herbal notes and a hint of chocolate. Medium acidity, good tannic structure but not closed by any means. Good volume and length on the finish. Solid-middle of the road. No rush. A three-star effort.

2017 Tour Saint Christophe

I took a chance and opened this so I decanted it for a couple of hours. Dark maroon color, very primary. Dark berries, pencil shavings, cedar and licorice on the nose. A hint of smoke. A big wine at 14.5% but carries it well. A fleshy, rich wine for sure. A bit of oak vanillin pokes through at the finish with some grainy tannins. Needs time, but well made. Hold.

2001 Pontet Canet

Opened and was going to decant, but as I checked for cork taint, the haunting aroma that arose from bottle made me pour it straight away. I have a hard time describing this wine as it was so complex at every level. Elegant with plenty of red and dark fruit, lifted violet, lead pencil and cedar on the nose. Medium body, perfectly ripe acids and tannins with red currant/cherry and graphite/mineral on the long finish. Very Mouton-like. Such a classy wine in every way. Best wine I have consumed in quite a long time…... a point, but no rush. Simply fantastic! A five-star effort.