Three young from Madeira

1973 D'Oliveiras Verdelho:

Deep amber. Caramel, nuts, dried fruits, rich and intense, wood polish nose. Fresh acidity, fruity, elegant and lively, long. 90 ****

1984 D'Oliveiras Boal:

Amber, golden rim. Nuts, spices, some dried fruits on the nose. Fresh acidity, lively, fruity, elegant and long. One of few younger vintages of Madeira that feels fully balanced. 92 *****

1988 D'Oliveiras Terrantez:

Amber, golden rim. Nuts, elegant, dried fruits nose. Fresh acidity, elegant, superb, lively and long, nuanced, another fine example of this very rare grape variety. 92 *****

00 Mongeard-Mugneret Richebourg and more

1986 Château Camensac:

Ruby with thin brick rim, lots of sediments. Leather, anise, redcurrants, cassis and touch of tobacco and floral notes. Light, layered and elegant nose. Fresh acidity, tannins soon gone, savory, elegant, probably too lean for some, but lovely refreshing. Good length. 90

2006 Remi Jobard Meursault En Luraule:

Towards lemon yellow. Minerals, lemons and some apples. Needed air to open. Fresh acidity, rounded, very ripe lemons. Mineraly palate and finish with a touch of beeswax. 89+

2001 Henri Gouges Nuits-St-Georges Les Vaucrains:

Bright ruby, garnet rim. Tight as usual and some oak. Slightly rustic. With a few hours in decanter, floral and tight strawberries. Ever so slightly scented. Fresh acidity, still tight palate. Good length. 89

2000 Mongeard- Mugneret Richebourg:

Bright ruby, garnet rim. Very flirting and seductive nose, spices, floral and red berries. You could sit and smell this one for days. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lovely and pure fruit, if a very slight touch of green notes far back. Very long finish. 94

1984 Château Mouton Rothschild:

Bottom neck fill. Ruby with brick rim. Flirting nose, licorice, cedar, scented, cassis, figs, layered nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leanish body but fuller than previous bottles, also the youngest 84 Mouton I've tried. Was a bit tight, after decanting it for an hour, fuller body, fruitier than the last bottles, nuanced. Long finish.                                                                                                      

Four Madeira's, excellent Christmas wine

1989 D'Oliveiras Colheita Sercial:

Pale amber with golden tints. Nuts, some dried fruits, touch of caramel and minerals. Fresh acidity, rich and dry Sercial, somewhat tighter than some, good length. 88

1988 D'Oliveiras Colheita Terrantez:

Amber with golden tints. Nuts, dried apricots, raisins and minerals. Fresh and lively acidity, mouthwatering, long finish. 89

1984 D'Oliveiras Colheita Boal:

Pale amber. Dried apricots, raisins, caramel and nuts far behind. Fresh and lively acidity, elegant texture, refreshing, somewhat leaner finish, good length. 89

1973 D'Oliveiras Verdelho Reserva:

Amber with golden rim. More refined nose, more nuances, layered of dried exotic fruits, nuts, raisins and minerals. Some butter and butter scotch. Fresh acidity, lively and elegant, mouthwatering, up front and stil subtle. Very long finish. 92

Off vintage Bordeaux tasting

1995 Château Fombrauge:
Ruby, garnet rim. Deep and plummy nose, coffee, muscat nuts, caramel, herbal and a bit dusty. Lacks acidity, feels cooked, tannins gone. Not an off vintage, but likely bad storage. Other tasters liked it more than me. 75

1993 Château Fourcas Hosten:
Ruby, brick rim. Slightly of rose petals, cassis and herbs. Lean but classic nose. Fresh acidity, ripe and few tannins, leanish body but surprisingly together. 82

1992 Château Cos Labory:
Ruby, almost brick rim. Lean nose, some herbs over blackcurrants leaf and slightly perfumed. Fresh acidity, lean body, clean and lean pretty much sums it up. Tannins gone. 78

1988 Château Lanessan:
Darker ruby, brick rim. Spicy plums, cassis but also metallic. Fresh acidity, slightly cooked fruit, tired. This isn't a off vintage, but debatable storage. 77

Blind flight of four.
1992 Château Pichon Longueville Baron:
Ruby, garnet rim. Dirt, plums, licorice, black tea. Intense. Thyme beneath. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lean, somewhat fresher palate than nose, fine but very short. Nailed both producer and vintage. 86

1982 Château Grand- Corbin- Despagne:
Ruby, brick rim. Lots of sediments. Cassis, leather, figs, rose hips, almost perfumed and floral. Fresh acidity, tannins gone. Soft fruit, fairly elegant, not too complex and a bit short. Not an off vintage, but questionable storage put this one in. I was in Médoc.... 86

1984 Château Haut-Brion:
Bright ruby, garnet rim. Cassis, slightly perfumed, minerals, cigars, fresh, lively, lovely nose. Pine trees with more air (was decanted). Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, youngish feel, even if mature, a bit lean body, elegant nose. I was in Pessac right away, but at first on D d Chevalier, because of the pine touch. But it was too refined and elegant, and found vintage and producer with more air. 88

1984 Château Mouton Rothschild:
Ruby, garnet rim. Rich, almost opulent with vanilla, fine cassis, cigars, perfumed and floral notes. Almost feels closed. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, a bit hollow mid-palate. Fresh red apple peel, softer texture, and I was far off Mouton. With answer in hand, my by far youngest 84 Mouton. 89

30 years of Coulée de Serrant

La Coulée de Serrant was planted with vines by Cistercian monks as early as 1130 and has had 881 (soon 882) consecutive grape harvests. It's a single AOC of just 7 hectares. Biodynamic guru Nicolas Joly is at the helm here. I've been a bit sceptical, especially after the monstrous 06 and 05's, (and oxidized!) but todays tasting of 08 and 09 makes me feel they might be back on track. Todays speach on how a cow see right through you and that snowflakes are individual may seem a bit far off topic.

On the other hand, when he talks about that a little of this, or a little of that may, or may not be harmfull in or on the soil. When he then says that a leech was nothing but a tiny seed a few months back, it's all easier to see how only a tiny piece of something, can have a good or a bad effect. Obvious really, even if it sometimes feels like a gospel choir should be on stage with him. Below are the two latest vintages, and some older ones tasted back in 2010 further below.

2009 Coulée de Serrant:
Pale lemon yellow. Nutty, creamy nose, sweet lilies, marzipan, bananas and a touch of VA. Rich palate, medium acidity, balanced, didn't get a look at the alcohol level, but this felt less alcoholic than the 05. Good length. 90

2008 Coulée de Serrant:
BU5249401 (498,-) Pale lemon yellow. Feels like there is some botrytis, creamy and some vanilla. More subdued marzipan. Rich palate, fresh acidity, lively and elegant, again, feels like a change of style. Long. 91

Straws want to reach high into the sky, they are tied with the sky according to Mr.Joly

2006 Coulée de Serrant:
Golden. Massive nose of oxidation, alcohol and bananas. Lazy acidity overshadowed by alcohol and huge body, again unfresh and massive. At least ten bottles have behaved like this, from different cases, so I don't think it's bottle failure.... 75

2005 Coulée de Serrant;
Pale golden, almonds, tulips, floral, honney, orange blossoms, nuts, marsipan, intens and beautifull. Fresh acidity, elegant texture, almost velvety, so balanced, even with the quite high alcohol of 15%, one barely notice it way back in the finish. I have probably tried two dozen bottles of this, and this one is so different from the others, all of them oxidized in one way or the other, this one is just elegant, smooth and joyfull, with very different aromas. Bananas, melons, honney, pear, if this is how it should be, what a cool wine, but this bottle is, as stated above, nothing like the others. Very long finish. Lacks the minerality I associate with this wine though. 92 (On this one great bottle, the rest are low 80's....)


2002 Coulée de Serrant;
Dark lemon, high fill, no sign of sepage, but soaked cork. Intence minerality, some apples and yellow plums, petroleum, dust, cellar and fresh mushrooms. Medium body, fresh in a weird way, lots of acidity, lots of intencity, some oxidized notes, long aftertaste, different but good, needs decanting. Can be left in the bottle for weeks without much happening. 86

Not as oxidized as 05 and 06, but still, much of the same. Major difference is actually less alcohol, and that always helps.

1996 Coulée de Serrant;
Dark golden, soaked cork. Again this almost insane minerality, pear, stone, leaves, schistes, some mushrooms, actually more youthfull than the 02!. Medium body, extreme intencity, massive and fresh acidity, yellow plums, apples and pears, acidity never gives in, very long finish, but still a bit oxidized........88

So, how much older do we have to go, to get rid of the oxidation.........

1994 Coulée de Serrant;
Golden, cork only half soaked, this one leaps out of the glass, again this massive minerality, honey and melon, grapefruit, flint and schistes, unripe pear and is it botrytis back there? It almost has this Sauternes tropical fruit over this increadible massive minerality, it want's to love you and kill you at the same time, dry and crisp finish, still some oxidation. 92

I like them better and better, mostly because the oxidation and alcohol level both seems to drop with age......

1991 Coulée de Serrant;
Paler than the 94, still golden, again soaked cork, but it's a older bottle. Not as intence as the 94, otherwise more or less exactly the same, more gentle, shorter and easier, more forgiving, but still a bit oxidized, and as a lighter one, it shows better. 87

1990 Coulée de Serrant;
Golden, explosive minerality again, honey melon, fresh pears, honey and nuts, even when decanted for two days, nothing much happens in any direction, but the acidity is lazy, a bit lean body and all the honey don't mach, like the oposite of a fat girl with a bit too small top. And still oxidized.........84

So, trying wines from 16 years from oldest to youngest, all sharing a very similar style, except the lowering of alcohol, and to some exctent, oxidation, but it is still very much a part of the style.

1989 Coulée de Serrant;
Lemon yellow, more mature smelling, dust, leaf, minerals, quite less oxidation than the 90, flint, plaster and lemon, a bit steely and lean, not that long and an acidic finish. 83

1984 Coulée de Serrant;
Golden, a bit closed, some minerals, apples, pears, much fresher than the 89 and 90, massive nuts, probably how a squirrel feels when it has the cheeks filled with hazelnuts, lean, acidic, a bit short finish. Still some oxidation, great balance, but a bit short. Nothing happened during 24 hours open, in the bottle. 86

Seems to get fresher again after two a bit dissapointing bottles of 90 and 89.

1980 Coulée de Serrant;
Deep straw yellow! First light colour, and that at almost 30 years of age! Some smoked meaty notes, flint, hints of melon, more citrus, then oysters. This is really different. Even more, almost massive citrus with more air, fresh and lively minerality, very elegant and great balance, leaner than all the others, and so much fresher and more youthfull, actually has the fat girls 14,5 alcohol, but this one knows how to dress, and looks smart. Very long finish. 90

So. This last one, doesn't have any oxidation at all. Is this more of the style that made Coulee de Serrant world famous? It was an impressive old bottle from a lesser vintage. I preffer this style. Has the style gone more back to its roots? I don't know, I didn't taste them young, but from those two young vintages (and bottles) today, I keep my fingers crossed.

84 Mouton

1984 Château Mouton Rothschild;
A level fill. Garnet, hint of mahogany rim, very developed nose, cedar, tobacco, cassis, well balanced, if lean, very mature, good acidity, tannins almost gone, drinking way better than expected, elegant and nuanced, even if not too complex. 86

Mr Joly

The quest continues.

1990 Clos de la Coulee de Serrant;
Golden, explosive minerality again, honey melon, fresh pears, honey and nuts, even when decanted for two days, nothing much happens in any direction, but the acidity is lazy, a bit lean body and all the honey don't mach, like the oposite of a fat girl with a bit too small top. And still oxidized.........84

So, trying wines from 16 years from oldest to youngest, all sharing a very similar style, except the lowering of alcohol, and to some exctent, oxidation, but it is still very much a part of the style.

1989 Clos de la Coulee de Serrant;
Lemon yellow, more mature smelling, dust, leaf, minerals, quite less oxidation than the 90, flint, plaster and lemon, a bit steely and lean, not that long and an acidic finish. 83

1984 Clos de la Coulee de Serrant;
Golden, a bit closed, some minerals, apples, pears, much fresher than the 89 and 90, massive nuts, probably how a squirrel feels when it has the cheeks filled with hazelnuts, lean, acidic, a bit short finish. Still some oxidation, great balance, but a bit short. Nothing happened during 24 hours open, in the bottle. 86

Seems to get fresher again after two a bit dissapointing bottles of 90 and 89.

1980 Clos de la Coulee de Serrant;
Deep straw yellow! First light colour, and that at almost 30 years of age! Some smoked meaty notes, flint, hints of melon, more citrus, then oysters. This is really different. Even more, almost massive citrus with more air, fresh and lively minerality, very elegant and great balance, leaner than all the others, and so much fresher and more youthfull, actually has the fat girls 14,5 alcohol, but this one knows how to dress, and looks smart. Very long finish. 90

So. This last one, doesn't have any oxidation at all. Is this more of the style that made Coulee de Serrant world famous? It was a impressive old bottle from a lesser vintage. I preffer this style........

Lynch Bages and Chateau Margaux

2003 Chateau Lynch-Bages;
Ruby with ruby rim, slightly perfumed nose, hints of roses, lavendel, red ripe berries and sweetish fruit. Ok acidity for a 03, ripe tannins, some herbs, loads of ripe red plums and sweet fruit. Ok finish, not a typical Pauillac, easy drinking, but not great. 76


1985 Chateau Lynch-Bages;
Ruby with ruby rim, fantastic nose, starting with secundary aromas, but only hints, cedar, leather, blackcurrants, cigar, cassis, hints of vanilla, intens and complex. Nice and fresh acidity, elegant and balanced, ripe tannins, almost unbelievable clean fruit, some stone fruits and fantastic long finish. A classic. 95


1984 Chateau Margaux;
Ruby with brick rim, lots of sediment. Light nose, some cigar, hints of coffe and minerality, slightly volatile. Nice acidity, some tannins, nice fruit with some leather and stone fruits. Dries in the aftertaste, quite tired, and dies afterone hour in the bottle. 62 (Uncertain storage, could have been kept too warm)

Viner under sølvbryllup.

2007 De Villaine Bouzeron
Lyst strågul, deilig eple, litt pærekart, mineraler, noe gips, gul plomme og kjærnestein. Frisk, lett fyldig kropp, frisk syre, intenst av mineraler og eplekart. Flott fresh finish. 81


2005 Pintia, Toro;
Nærmest opaque, syltynn lilla kant, kaffe, mocca, litt anis, noe urter, kirsebær og mørke bær, noe vanilje, kompleks og intens. Frisk syre, modne tanniner, fresh frukt, flott balanse, lang finish. 86


1984 Chateau Gambaude Guillot, Pomerol (Magnum);
Ruby med tegl kant, dekantert mange timer, flott moden nese, sekundæraromaer, plommer, lær, snev av lakris, litt løv og noe svisker og fiken. Fin syre, tanninene er bort, flott balanse, slank og elgant frukt, fin finish og intensitet. 84


1986 Chateau Leoville Barton (Imperial);
Dyp ruby, ruby kant, ekstremt lukket, med massiv lufting, solbær, lær, snev av begynnende sekundæraromaer, noe plommer, lakris og svisker. Pen syre, elegant frukt, balansert, modne tanniner, lang finish. `Fra imperial kunne denne ligge 40 år til. 90


1989 Chateau Piada (Barsac) (Magnum);
Lyst ravgul, lett botrytisert, noe epler, aprikos, gule plomer, ganske frisk nese. Fresh frukt, pen syre, ok balanse, ganske fresh finish. Ikke dårlig fra en ukjent produsent. 81