New Years Eve Drinking...

[JonoB]

Champagne Chartogne-Taillet Brut, Sainte-Anne
smoke, Flint, lemon, chalk, minerals, lime, balanced with pleasant acidity, fairly ripe and round. A creamy but delicate mousse and some dosage sweetness, strawberry and a touch of cooked/braised meat underlying with a touch of White bread, nuttiness and yeast. Persistent lime, chalk finish. A touch of ripe apple. Very nice... ****(*+) or [4+4+4+4.5~=16.5+/20 potentially 17.5-18/20] (Montagne de Reims, 80% from 2006, 20% reserve wines from 2004 and 2005... 60%Chardonnay, 40%Pinot Noir) 

2009 Casa del Cerro Sauvignon Blanc, DO Valle Central, Chile: Dyonisos Wines, Pascal Marty
ripe, round, gooseberry, grass and Flint, big round modern, alcoholic... But on sale for about £5 a bottle you can't complain... It is well made, and drinkable but it probably lacks a touch of acid to keep a nice balance... But I could chill it down some more! **** or [4+3+4+3.5=14.5/20]  

2002 Vigna Magna, Ribera del Duero, Dominio Basconcillos
earth, pepper, iron, cassis, dark plum, hints of herbs, eucalyptus and mint... Accomplished, tobacco, Bordeaux-esque but really nice. Poised, precise, concentrated, although the tannins are a touch green and it isn't a great vintage, this wine really sings it's heart out... It trys so hard and you have to give it credit, this is more than  just pure effort. There is that effortlessness there but it won't show itself until clearly until a great vintage comes along. Earth and cedar. A long cassis, dark plum, herby, tobacco finish. Really good... *****+ or [3.5+4+4.5+4.5~=16.5+/20 potentially 17.5+/20]  

NV Champagne Jean Laurent Blanc de Noirs Brut
strawberry and raspberry nose with lemons and ripe apples, chalk and marble, strict and structured... Poised and precise, lack of concentration let's this down but it had structure and a nice lemon, lime finish. ****(*+) or [4+4+3.5+4.5~=16+/20 potentially 17.5/20]