TN: Christmas Day Drinking...

[JonoB]

Four of us got together... Well it is 4:40 in the morning and this is what we have been drinking, and I'm now watching the NBA on WOWOW (Japan's HBO):

1999 Blanc de Blancs, Jean Laurent
round, elegant, crisp but with nutty, yeasty noted as well. Citrus, chalk, minerals, lime, hints of stewed lemon, balanced with bready notes, but it all sits in the background of the fruit, earth, minerals and balance. Round, broad, but lacking in serious depth although there is some and it will age nicely for another 5-10 years. A long limey finish, chalk, and fresh apple. It sort of builds up and suddenly appears. Really nice. *****+ or [3.5+4.5+4.5+4~=16.5+/20 potentially 17.5/20]  

2008 Bourgogne Aligote, Ballot-Millot
wood, butter, lemon, citrus, rounded but fresh, very fresh on the palate, pleasant and simple, with a citrus finish hiding hints of butter. Very easy, very pleasant, a touch of minerality but that isn't what this is about. Persistent poised finish. 4+3.5+3.5+4~=15+/20 potentially 16.5/20]  

2004 Echezeaux Grand Cru, Moillard, Negociant-Eleveur a Nuits St Georges
hints of greenness, fresh herbs and vegetation, but with some strong Pinot Fruit underlying this. Some black plum and depth, the fruit is really coming through now with time to blow off the bottle stink... Earth, minerals, eucalyptus and Rosemary. Strawberry, raspberry, perfume, but the green-ness comes and goes... Earth, sandy, sandstone, and a touch of some salinity, but strangely with sweetness as well. Sweet Pinot fruit finish, with hints of greenery, long deep and dark fruit lingering. This needs time, for the serious deep fruit to overpower the overt greenness, but it has the ability to do it. ***(**++) or [4.5+4+3.5+4=16+/20 potentially 17.5-18/20]  

2008 Chateau Grand Donnezac, Bordeaux AC, Didier Merit  
cassis, red plum, raspberry, simple, delicate and verging on Burgundian. A touch of acid to balance everything out. A bit of iron ore and mineral charactar, plum, dark and red. Very pleasant... ****(+?) or [3+3.5+3.5+3.5~=13.5+/20 potentially    14.5-15/20]  

2005 L'Hermitage de Pranzac, Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux  
bell pepper, deep, round cassis, primary but drinking, tight and in need of time, scorched earth, cocoa, ground coffee beans, a touch of vanilla but bit overpowering. A touch of cheese and wet soil, some depth for what it is, well made, balanced if not a little VA attacks the teeth, but very good in 3-5 years. A primary, cassis, earth, closed finish that lingers. The only downside aside from youth is the touch of VA. ****+ or [3+4+3+4=14+/20 potentially 16/20] a touch of cedar and tobacco, leaf, herbs. Needs time but will be very nice.