And some memorable events in 2013

Wine moment of the year:

While visiting Raveneau in Burgundy and they decided to open a 1978 Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos form their cellar:

1978 Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos:

Towards golden colour. Nuts, smoky minerals, almonds, some apples, orange marmalade touch. Fresh acidity, leaner style, elegant, lively, refreshing, elegant minerality, apple core and a slight bitter touch, lemons and lime and lemon zest. Very nuanced and layered. It may be in a bit of a decline, but still gorgeous. Long. 95

Wine surprise of the year:

At dinner with Denis and Jean Jacques Dubourdieu at Château Reynon, a Sauterne appeared blind, and it was 1959 Château Cantegril. This is a €20ish wine!

1959 Château Cantegril:

(Served blind) Golden with amber hue. Caramelized apricots, fruity, elegant and lovely nose. Fresh acidity, lively. Superb balance, not the most complex but long and pure and alive. What a surprise! 90

Wine education of the year:

Drouhin is a much more serious maker of fine Burgundy than I expected. And finally a not to strict Bonnes Mares, a vineyard I have had difficulties to grasp the greatness of.

1990 Joseph Drouhin Bonnes Mares:
2040 bottles made. Bottle directly from the cellars of Drouhin. Bright ruby, thin garnet rim. Gorgeous nose, scented, red berries, floral, nuanced, layered, superb nose. Slightly exotic spicy, minerals and with air a touch of sous bois, just a touch. Stunning nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, lively, nuanced, elegant, sublime,  a backbone of structure and acidity that carries the flavors, very long finish. I've always had a bit of an issue with Bonnes Mares, finding them a bit rough, maybe lean and edgy. Everyone tells me they need to age, and this is one of if not the oldest I've had, and this is absolutely superb. 95

Wine Producer visit of the year:

Finally I got to visit Comte Liger-Belair. And when Louis-Michel Liger-Belair took us walking through the vineyards of Vosne-Romanée, it’s hard not to be impressed with the dedication, knowledge and the wines. You can read more here: http://mywinesandmore.blogspot.no/2013/07/comte-liger-belair-2012-and-2010s.html

Wine tasting of the year:

This stands between the 30 vintage Latour vertical with a few not perfect bottles and a twenty vintage with more perfectly stored Léoville Las Cases vertical. Two magnificent evenings.

http://mywinesandmore.blogspot.no/2013/12/chateau-latour-vertical-1934-2001.html

http://mywinesandmore.blogspot.no/2013/01/1945-1998-las-cases-twenty-vintages.html

My top fifteen of 2013.

Top fifteen 2013

Why top fifteen? Well, that was the only ones of about 6500 bottles tasted during 2013 that reached 98 or higher. Some say I'm to strickt on my ratings. 

1
1990 Château Montrose:
Ruby, garnet tim. Tight, slightly herbal, scented, nuanced, intense, refreshing, stunning nose, floral notes, gorgeous, nuanced and layered. Layers upon layers. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant, nuanced and refreshing, intense, mouthwatering, amazing, ads and ads and everything is so fresh. This was served blind and I spotted it on the nose, perfect, my best bottle of this so far. 100
2
2009 Château Lafite Rothschild:
Ruby. Scented, ripe but delicate nose, layers of seductive Pauillac, cassis, floral notes, delicious, restrained, superb nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rich and again restrained and delicate, perfect balance, gorgeous wine, finesse, incredibly long. 100
3
2009 Château Margaux:
Ruby. Floral, violets, roses, cassis, red berries, leqps out of the glass, absolutely stunning and flirting nose, seductive as few. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, perfect balance, gorgeous and nuanced, the details are superb, very long indeed. The first bottle I haven't given a perfect score of this wine. 99
4
1986 Château Léoville Las Cases:
In neck fill. Ruby. Scented, deep and intense nose. So youthful, and more open than the last few bottles, but also given more air, five hours in decanter and could still have more. Layered and nuanced, very refined, fresh acidity, ripe tannins, superb texture and structure, still very youthful, superb bottle and incredibly long. Minutes of aftertaste. 99
5
1970 Château Latour:
In neck fill. Decanted for three hours and not enough. Deep ruby, garnet rim. Tight, closed, shutt, red berries far behind. Finally some scented touch and floral notes appearing, getting more intense, slowly, took five hours. Layered, nuanced, violets, pure cassis, refreshing nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, massive texture, a cathedral of a wine, mountain of tannins with fruit and power to back it, long, nuanced and fresh. 98
6
1900 D'Oliveiras Verdelho:
Deep amber, almost brown with orange tim. Rich nose, figs, citrus, difficult to describe, nothing jumps out, complex. High and playful acidity, superb texture and structure, massive intensity, superb balance, very long finish, stunning. The best bottle I've had of this. 98
7
2011 Schloss Johannisberg Johannisberger Riesling Goldlack Trockenbeerenauslese No. 173 Auction Wine:
Pale golden. Apricots, apples, raspberries, layered, complex and pure nose. Gorgeous. Fresh acidity, lively, stunning texture and structure, so refreshing and lively, magnificent, incredibly long. 98
8
2010 Comte Liger-Belair La Romanée:
Bright ruby. Minerals, red berries, scented, so nuanced and layered on tje nose, complex and refined, touch of spices. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, stunning fruit, texture and body, gorgeous balance, red berries, incredibly long, superb. 98
9
1967 Château Suduiraut:
Top shoulder fill. Golden with greenish tint. Apricots, caramel, raisins, touch of vanilla, apples, minerals, goes on and on, layered. Fresh acidity, lively, elegant as few, not as caramelly and rich as 1967 Yquem, more refined in a way, or more delicate. Subdued, complex, exceptional length, paradise in a glass. 98
10
1945 Château Léoville Las Cases:
Mid shoulder fill only. Bright ruby, thin orange rim. Stunning nose, scented, layered, somewhat rich actually, subdued yet intense, floral, cedar, superb nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, mellow and polished, but still there, slightly warm and sweet fruit but subdued, extremelly long. 98
13
2005 Château Petrus:
Ruby. Scented, blueberries, vanilla, floral notes, detailed and layered nose, complex and refined even if pure youth. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant, layerd, detailed, very long indeed. 98
14
1985 Château Laville Haut-Brion:
Towards lemon yellow. Started out very smoky and grapefruity on stilts on the nose, needed lots of air to open and surprisingly youthful. With air it all comes together, lovely nuance, superb citrus, tiny touch of apricots and vanilla, layered nose. Fresh acidity, lively, very nuanced, the smoky minerals are more persistent. Almost as young as a 07 tasted a few months back. Floral after an hour, extremely long, a rare beauty. 98
15
2010 Château Lafite Rothschild:
Deep ruby. Tighknit, especially compared with a 2009 a few weeks back, it wants to keep it's secrets for itself, but incredible subtely and nuances, red berries, complex and layers and layers. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, refreshing and lively, incredibly nuanced, stunning balance, the barrel notes are a bit showy mid palate, incredibly long. 98 for now.

07 SHL and 99 HBL

2007 Château Smith Haut Lafitte:
Ruby. Starting out ever so slightly herbal, typical of the vintage and a bit lean. With a few hours in decanter, very elegant cassis, tobacco, minerals and a slightly spicy and scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant fruit and balance, fruity, quite refreshing, long finish. 91

1999 Château Haut-Bages Libéral:
Ruby. Starting cedar, cassis, some leather, fairly detailed and classic Pauillac with just starting maturity. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, ever so slightly sour touch just to make it more easy to enjoy, fairly rounded, vanilla flavour but not oaky with a few hours of air. Long, but when it goes, it goes quickly.  can easily be kapt another five to ten years. 90

2011 and 2010 Roc de Cambes and Tertre Roteboeuf

2011 Roc de Cambes:
Deep ruby. Cassis, some plums, blue- and blackberries, rich and intense nose. Nuanced. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, ripe, rich and intense palate, long finish. 91

2010 Roc de Cambes
Deep ruby. Rich, intense, fruity, ripe, layerd nose, spices and lots of fruit, scented. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, rich, ripe and fruity palate, intense, needs many years to round off. Long. 92

2011 Château Tertre Roteboeuf:
Deep ruby. Rich, ripe and fruity nose, oak is a bit up front on the nose now, intense, spicy and layerd. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, bit tight, fruity and intense, minerals nose underneath, layered, long finish. 93

2010 Château Tertre Roteboeuf:
Deep ruby. Ripe, rich, fruity, intense, coffee and loads of dark berries, layered and minerals far below on the nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, ripe, intense, sweet, slightly warm, massive wine still layered and nuanced, long. 94

2010 Roche de Bellene Meursault Les Charrons

2010 Maison Roche de Bellene Meursault les Charrons:
1800 bottles made. Pale lemon yellow. Apples, honey, minerals, touch of yellow fruits and some nuts. Fresh acidity, elegant and refreshing, lemons, ever so slight bitter note, honey touch, long. 89

Milan Cuvée Nico Widerberg

Champagne Milan Cuvée Nico Widerberg NV Brut:
Watery yellow lemon, small bubbles. Apples, some minerals, subdued and somewhat more fruit driven nose. Fresh acidity, elegant mousse, somewhat ripe yellow fruit, kind style. Brilliant for the average consumer, as its not acidic and firm, maybe a little bland for the proffesionals, but it is balanced. Inexpensive Champagne. Good length. 86

Chivite tasting

2010 Chivite Finca de Vilatuerta Chardonnay:
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, vanilla, yellow fruits and touch of minerals. Fresh acidity, leaner palate, quite fresh and rounded, somewhat smoky finish, smooth. 87

2007 Chivite Coleccion 125 Chardonnay:
Towards lemon yellow. Apples, ripe yellow fruits, vanilla, spices, intense and rich nose. Fresh acidity, fruity, quite fresh, intense, almost salty minerality, tropical notes, fresh, long. 91

2004 Chivite Coleccion 125 Chardonnay:
Towards lemon yellow. Apples, nuts, fruits, vanilla some tropical fruits nose. Fresh acidity, fruity, minerals, again this slight salty note, tropical fruits, vanilla, fresh and long. 92

2000 Chivite Coleccion 125 Chardonnay:
Towards golden. Apples, nuts, vanilla, smoky notes, butter touch, intense nose. Fresh acidity, fruity, bit more oak structure and barrels show through, spicy barrel notes finish. 88

2009 Chivite Finca de Vilatuerta Seleccion Especial:
Ruby. Herbal, dark berries and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, acidified?, acidity is a bit on top of the fruit, fruity, bit oaky finish, good length. 86

2006 Chivite Coleccion 125 Reserva:
Ruby. Blue- and blackberries, vanilla, coffee, anise nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, slight herbal note, bit of a ball, oaky finish. 88

2004 Chivite Coleccion 125 Reserva:
Ruby, thin garnet rim. Blueberries, vanilla, coffee, slightly scented, floral notes and anise. Fresh acidoty, ripe tannins, leaner palate, fruity, again oak is a bit up front in texture, fresh finish. 89

2001 Chivite Coleccion 125 Reserva:
Ruby, thin garnet rim. Vanilla, blueberries, oak spices and anise. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, prunes and fruity behind a wall of oak. Woody finish. 88

2008 Arinzano La Casona:
Ruby. Ripe red berries, vanilla, coffee, fruity and sweet feel. Freshish acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, quite fresh palate, good length. Oak spices in the finish. 87

2004 Gran Vino de Arinzano:
Ruby, garnet rim. Tobacco, spices, vanilla, dark berries, rich and intense, ripe, concentrated. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, sweet, ripe, fruity, bit alcoholic, oaky finish. 89

2001 Gran Vino de Arinzano:
Ruby, garnet rim. Figs, plums, blueberries, vanilla and spices nose, ripe and rich, intense. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, ripe, sweet, bit alcoholic on top, drying oaky finish. 88

2000 Gran Vino de Arinzano:
Ruby, garnet rim. Spicy and oaky nose, somedark berries, ripe feel. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, sweet fruits, lots of oak spices, fruity, leaner oaky finish. 87

89 Poujeaux

1989 Château Poujeaux:
Ruby, garnet rim. Some aristocratic notes over more rough Bordeaux nose. Cedar and floral touch, cassis and wood. Fresh acidity, still tough tannins. The ripeness of the vintage shines through here and there, feels younger than it is. Excellent fill in bottle, perfectly stored bottle. Does it have enough fruit for the structure? 89

Château Latour vertical, 1934-2001

2001 Château Latour:
Ruby. Cassis, leather, vanilla, tobacco nose, starting to mature. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, refreshing, cool fruit, ads with a few hours in decanter, almost sweet cassis and spicy palate, long finish. 94

1997 Château Latour:
Bright ruby, garnet rim. Cedar, cassis, starting prunes, scented and floral nose, lovely, ads with air. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner palate, refreshing if a bit easy going, fairly fruity, coffee finish. Good length. 89

1995 Château Latour:
Ruby, garnet rim. Scented, fruity, cassis, leather, starting figs, superb nose. Coffee and a faint bell peppers touch that dissapears with air. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, stil has it's grip on the palate, textured and youthful, needs ten years to settle still, long. 95

1993 Château Latour:
Ruby, garnet rim. Some leather, cassis, leaner nose, subdued cassis. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lean and a bit dry, good length. Touch of cork after twenty minutes in decanter.

1992 Château Latour:
Ruby, thin brick rim. Scented, leather, anise, cassis and figs, bit lean nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner palate, slight cherries and stone from stone fruit touch,  bit more fruit with air, good length. 87

1991 Château Latour:
Ruby. Elegant red berries nose, scented, fruity and nuanced, not that complex. After a short decanting it's a little bot more scented. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner palate, refreshing, gives less than last bottle, good length. 88

1990 Château Latour:
Fill 4mm below cork. Ruby, thin garnet rim. Scented, fruity, cassis, leather, layered and complex, astonishingly youthful nose, ads with air, gorgeous! Floral notes, seductive. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, refreshing, intense, focused, fruity, superb texture, bit tight knit still, long indeed. 96

1989 Château Latour:
Ruby, garnet rim. Fruity, nuanced, cassis, leather, floral, bit tight nose. Scented, gorgeous nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, rounded and fruity palate, bit tight, needs air to open, refreshing and long. 96

1988 Château Latour:
Ruby, scented, floral, quite seductive nose. Fruity, cassis, leather, elegant and nuanced. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh and lively, fruity, intense and playful, lovely, long, another fantastic '88 Latour bottle. 94

1986 Château Latour:
From Bruun Rasmussen Auctions. Top shoulder fill, soaked cork. Ruby, garnet rim. Corked.

1986 Château Latour:
New bottle fetched, low neck fill. Deep ruby, thin garnet rim. Tight, some vanilla, cassis, leather, burnt rubber and herbs. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, intensely structured, lacks fruit, not the best bottle I've had, must be warm storage. 87

1986 Les Forts de Latour:
Ruby, garnet rim. Intense, coffee, cassis, tea notes, bit warm touch, herbs. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, drying and not very elegant, warm storage bottle. 86

1985 Château Latour:
Top shoulder fill, soaked cork. Ruby, garnet rim. Layered, nuanced, elegant and refreshing nose, scented and aristocrathic, superb. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner palate, refreshing, playful and nuanced, lovely indeed, long. 95

1984 Château Latour:
In neck fill. Ruby, brick rim. Fresh, lean and redcurrants and raspberries nose. Touch of tobacco, more scented after twenty minutes in decanter. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner palate, crisp feel to it, some lovely red berries notes, not that complex, good length. 87

1983 Château Latour:
Bottom neck fill. Ruby, garnet rim. Scented, bit tight, cassis and red berries nose. Touch of tobacco, ads with air. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant, fruity and nuanced, refreshing, lovely balance, could have more intensity, long. 93

1982 Château Latour:
Bottom neck fill. Ruby, garnet rim. Corked.

1978 Château Latour:
Very top shoulder fill, soaked cork. Ruby, brick rim. Red berries, faint hint of leather and tobacco, quite a pure nose. Ads body with air. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, bit easy going, refreshing, leaner and nuanced, again unripe red berries palate, long finish. 90

1976 Les Forts de Latour:
Ruby, garnet rim. Warm, dry, dusty and a bit cooked nose, some herbal notes behind. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresher palate, some red and darker berries, good length, probably somewhat warm storage. 85

1975 Château Latour:
Top shoulder fill, soaked cork crumbling to pieces when opened. Ruby, thin orange rim. Oxidized and off bottle

1971 Château Latour:
In neck fill. Ruby, orange rim. Scented, lean, cherries, anise and tobacco nose. Fresh acidity, ripe and few tannins, lean and easy going, iodine finish, short. Bit more fruit with air. 82

1970 Château Latour:
In neck fill. Decanted for three hours. Deep ruby, garnet rim. Tight, closed, shutt, red berries far behind. Finally some scented touch and floral notes starting to evolve, getting more intense, slowly, took five hours, layered, nuanced, violets, pure cassis, refreshing nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, massive, textured, a cathedral of a wine, massive mountain of tannins, takes time to open, long, nuanced, fresh. 98

1970 Château Latour:
Bottom neck fill. Decanted thirty minutes. Deep ruby, garnet rim. Tight, cassis, some black tea, scented, ads with more air, very slow to evolve in the glass. coffee eventualy, then red berries. Incredibly slow. Fresh acidity, ripe and massive tannins, tight as a athletes butt, firm, long and focused. Refreshing, lively and starting to really give with lots of air, but never top. 96

1969 Château Latour:
Upper shoulder fill, soaked cork. Garnet with orange rim. Lean and dry nose, touch of figs and wood polish, nuts and leather. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lean and drying. 78

1966 Château Latour:
Upper shoulder fill. Redcurrants red with thin brick rim. Bit lean nose, red berries, cherries, anise and leather, some tobacco and a slight floral note. Fuller and fruitier with air. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, refreshing and fruity, leaner palate, lovely texture, lively and elegant, long if a bit lean finish. 93

1964 Château Latour:
Upper shoulder fill, soaked cork. Bright ruby, thin brick rim. Redcurrants, rose hips, leather, anise, leaner and focused nose, opens up tighter than last good bottle. Scented with more air. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, surprisingly biting texture, lovely balance, refreshing, long. Falling a bit apart with air. 91

1959 Château Latour:
Bonhams auction buy. Towards mid shoulder fill, soaked cork. Ruby, orange rim, sediments, not fully clear. Leather and prunes nose, lightly floral, not that intense. After half an hour of air, scented, violets, nuanced and elegant, aristocratic. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lean and narrow, first, fruity and of not intense, way more rounded. Lovely texture and structure, almost sweet, touch of prunes and figs, ripe blueberries, long. 96

1952 Château Latour:
Upper shoulder fill, soaked cork. Ruby with brownish hue, orange rim. Leather, tobacco, drying and tired nose. Fresh acidity, lean and metallic. Tired and the shortest Latour I've tasted. 72

1951 Château Latour:
Upper shoulder fill. Ruby, orange rim. Leather, nuts, drying and a bit dusty, some figs. Fresh acidity, ripe and few tannins, lean, drying properly, short. 78

1947 Château Latour:
Upper shoulder fill. Bright ruby, orange rim. Slightly floral, scented, some spices, red berries nose. With air, leather, black tea, nuanced scented and anise. Lean and dry palate, drying. With air, (two hours open and about twenty minutes in a narrow caraffe), more cherries and plum stones, red berries, fuller body, if never full, long. 95

1934 Château Latour:
Mid shoulder fill, soaked cork. Cloudy orange, gone.

2001 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey:
Served blind. Golden. Honey, wax, apricots, vanilla, botrytis, rich nose. Fresh acidity, lively and fruity, elegant palate, refreshing, slight bitter note, lively and long. Lovely indeed. Nailed producer, missed the vintage with good margin, evolved for it's age. 92

1967 Château de Fargues:
Golden, amber hue. Rich nose, dried apricots, orange peel and marmalade, almonds, vanilla, layered nose. Fresh acidity, refreshing and fruity, bit lean palate, refreshing, bit bitter finish. Long. Could be more together. 93

1912 D'Oliveiras Verdelho

1912 D'Oliveiras Verdelho:
Deep amber, tiny yellow rim. Elegant and rich nose, fruit cake, honey, nuts and dried fruits. Layered and nuanced. Beautiful acidity, very elegant texture, somewhat full, yet lively and elegant, superb balance, mouthwatering, very long finish. 95

1900 D'Oliveiras Verdelho

1900 D'Oliveiras Verdelho:
Deep amber, almost brown with orange rim. Rich nose, figs, citrus, difficult to describe, nothing jumps out, complex. High and playful acidity, superb texture and structure, massive intensity, very long finish, stunning. 98

1850 D'Oliveiras Verdelho

1850 D'Oliveiras Verdelho:
Gorgeous deepish amber colour. Nuts, spices, very layered and nuanced nose, you can smell this one for hours. Superb acidity and freshness, lively, quite intense, very elegant, layered and almost transparent feel to it, enormous length. A Beautiful bottle. 97

3 beauties from Markus molitor

2012 Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett:
Watery lemon yellow. Fresh, crisp, apples and minerals nose. Fresh acidity, playful and lively, elegant, almost refined, mouthwatering, absolutely lovely. 88

2005 Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Edition 4 Riesling Auslese** Feinherb:
Towards lemon yellow. Apples, minerals and nuanced nose. Fresh acidity, lively and rounded, fruity, aplles, long finish. 91

2011 Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese***:
Towards golden. Apples, minerals, floral, nuanced, fruity and delicate nose. Fresh acidity, lively and refreshing, mouthwatering, stunning balance, refined and long, lovely. 94

06 Bouchard Chevalier-Montrachet

2006 Bouchard Chevalier-Montrachet:
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, minerals, fruity and some yellow fruits nose. Fresh acidity, lovely balance, refreshing, apples and fruits palate as well, fairly nuanced, long. 93

2010 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne

2010 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne:
Towards lemon yellow. Apples, minerals and cool nose, lemons and slightly yellow fruity, vanilla. Fresh acidity, rich, fruity, nuanced and lemony, long and refined would be pushing it but fine, long. 93

2010 Château Smith Haut Lafitte

2010 Château Smith Haut Lafitte:
Deep ruby. Dark berries, minerals, floral, deep and rich nose, graphite minerality beneath. Fresh acidity, high of ripe tannins, fruity, nuanced, bit biting texture, long finish. 96

10 Belair Monange and 09 La Fleur Pétrus

2010 Château Belair Monange:
Deep ruby. Fruity, nuanced, elegant nose, layered, lots of blueberries. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, bit sweet palate, ripe and fruity but manages to stay balanced, long. 94

2009 Château La Fleur Pétrus:
Ruby. Rich nose of blueberries, vanilla, ripe and intense, fruity. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, sweet and could be more nuanced, long. 93

07 Haut-Brion and LMHB

2007 Château La Mission Haut-Brion:
Ruby. Scented, nuanced and fruity nose, intense and even got a warm feel to it, earthy minerals beneath. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner than last bottle, fruity, elegant, bit biting texture still, long. 90

2007 Château Haut-Brion:
Ruby. Minerals, cassis, herbs, fruits, layered nose, nuanced. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, leaner and gives less than last bottle (less air), oak seems a bit up front, long finish. 90

2003 Lafite Rothschild

 2003 Château Lafite Rothschild:
Ruby. Scented, layered, floral, nuanced and pure, touch of cedar and tobacco, I wasn't a big fan of 03 Lafite before, but it's really comming together beautifully now. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner palate, refreshing for the vintage, long if a bit narrow, some bottle variations. 92

06 Ch. Margaux

2006 Château Margaux:
Ruby. Scented, fruity, nuanced and elegant nose, minerals, lovely. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant if leaner palate, starts to loosen up it's texture but stil firm, long. 94

2011 Arlaud MSD Cheseaux and Ruchots and Charmes-Chambertin

2011 Domaine Arlaud Pere & Fils Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Aux Cheseaux:
Bright ruby. Red berries, floral, some herbal notes on the nose. Fresha cidity, ripe tannins, rounded, elegant, fresh apalte, almost creamy texture, long. 90

2011  Domaine Arlaud Pere & Fils Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Ruchots:
Bright ruby. Red berries, scented and fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounder, elegant, lovely balance, long. 91

2011 Domaine Arlaud Pere & Fils Charmes-Chambertin:
Ruby. Red berries, scented, some vanilla and layered nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lively, elegant, lovely balance, fresh feel to it, long. 93

Two from Patrice Rion

2011 Jean-Yves Devevey Moestue Volnay:
Bright red. Red berries, anise, some vanilla and herbs nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, red berries palate, bit tight now. 88

2011 Patrice Rion Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos des Argillières:
Bright ruby. Scented, red berries, nuanced nose, some vanilla overshadows a bit right now. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, lively, quite intense, fruity with a bit oaky finish, long. 89

2011 Patrice Rion Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos des Saint Marc:
Bright ruby. Scented, fruity, vanilla and red berries nose, floral high notes. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, lively and fruity, fresh if a bit oaky palate, long. 91

04 Dom Perignon, 00 and 96 Duval-Leroy Femme

2004 Dom Perignon:
Pale lemon yellow, tiny bubbles. Apples, minerals, yeasty and intense nose. Fresh acidity, elegant mousse, fruitier and rounder than earlier bottles, seems to open up a bit now, long. 94

2000 Duval-Leroy Femme:
Pale lemon yellow, tiny bubbles. Apples, minerals, tight, flinty and nuanced nose. Fresh acidity, rounded and fruity, elegant and fresh, fruity finish, long. 93

1996 Duval-Leroy Femme:
Pale lemon yellow, tiny bubbles. Apples, minerals, flinty and intense nose. Fresh acidity, elegant mousse, intense, fruity, crisp and mouthwatering, fresher than a bottle two years back, long. 94

96 Cristal, 86 Montrose, 01 Damoy Chambertin, 09 Ponsot Chambolle Charmes and 99 Lamarche Echezeaux

2006 Roederer Cristal:
Very pale golden, tiny bubbles. Minerals, brioche, apples, cool fruit, nuanced, layered, seductive, gorgeous nose. Fresh acidity, elegant mousse, crisp flavours more than mousse, refreshing, nuanced, detailed and very elegant, delicate, zesty lemony mineral finish, very long. Crisper than last bottle five weeks back. 96

1999 Lamarche Echezeaux:
Ruby with broad garnet rim. Starting out tight and firm, then some very subdued floral and scented notes, fell apart in decanter after four hours, but half was left in bottle. Scented, nuanced, maybe a bit oaky nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner Echezeaux, slightly edgy texture, barrels show through all the way, long. 91

2009 Ponsot Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes:
Bright ruby. Tight first, but with air (not decanted) it opens up with floral notes, nuanced, transparent and very pure red berries fruit. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, bit vanilla up front on the palate, nuanced and delicate fruit behind, almost creamy, long finish. 93

2001 Pierre Damoy Chambertin:
Ruby, garnet rim. Intense nose, leaps out of the glass, scented, spicy, some vanilla, intensely fruity, strawberries with blackberries touch on the nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, soft and fruity, rounded, oaky texture with slightly drying notes on the palate, slightly hollow if I'm very firm with it, long. 92

1986 Château Montrose:
Ruby with brick rim. Leathery and plummy bottle, skinny even, more evolved than last bottle a few months back, lacks some younger fruits, anise and prunes. Fresh acidity, few and ripe tannins, elegant if a bit skinny bottle, nuanced and refreshing, scented finish, long. 90