Wines in France and Italy October 2013

12^th

Ø  Pierre-Yves Colin Morey (PYCM) St-Aubin Em Remilly, 2011... Initially suffered from bottle shock. Very young, but picked itself up and finished very strong. MEK 17/20, IA 17.25

Ø  Gilles Barges Cote Rotie Cuvée Du Plessis, 2001. Just entering its drinking window.  Smoky, spicey gamey, lifted and complex.  Traditional but really good Cote Rotie. MEK 17.5, IA17.

13^th

Ø  Chateau Minuty Blanc 2011. Perfect for wiling away the time with Moules Marinieres looking out on to the ocean waves. MEK, IA 15/20

Ø  Yves Cuilleron Condrieu 2009. Very shy and inert initially, and then began to open with faint notes of lemon and honey suckle. Nice texture. MEK 16.5, IA 15.5.

14^th

Ø  Ceretto Roero Arneis 2011. Only by the glass. IA 15/20.

Ø  Ceretto Barbera D'Alba 2011. Only by the glass. 15/20

Ø  Ceretto Barolo Zonchera, 2009. Luscious and remarkably forward for a wine which is usually so ageworthy. MEK 16/20, IA 16.5/20

Ø  Roero Arneis .... name? Very impressive and clearly better than the Ceretto.16/20

Ø  Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra 2005. Still young, but very promising modern-style Barolo, which is delicious after a good decant. It has a dense mid-palate and a strong finish.  IA: 18/20

15^th

Ø  Ramonet Chassagne Montrachet La Boudroittes 2011. We could have ordered a Gaja chardonnay and paid more. We made the right choice. Astonishingly cheap at 57 euros for a Michelin star restaurant. IA 18, MEK 19

Ø  Marchesi Di Gresy Martinenga 2007. This was translucent, ethereal and elegant. A beautiful wine. IA 18.5, MEK 18

Ø  Henschke Julius Riesling 2007. Nice, tight and impressive 17.5

Ø  Castello Di Nieve Barbaresco Santo Stefano Riserva 2007. Very delicious, with a thick texture. More than just a poor man’s Giacosa. IA 18, MEK 17.5

16th 

Ø  JL Chavy Puligny Folatieres 2011 A very good wine that lacked the zip of the last bottle we drank in London. Both 16.5

Ø  Cappellano Barolo Pie Rupestris 2007 needs a lot of time. It is thick and powerful but nowhere near resolved. Old school; don't touch for 7-10 years. Both 16.5

17^th

Ø  PYCM Saint-Aubin Les Charmois 2011. Magnificent. Wet stones, minerals, white peach, herbal notes, laser-like focus, lithe, power, good balance. It only lacks the full bodied expansiveness of a grand cru. MEK 17, IA 17.5 

Ø  Jasmin Cote Rotie 1984. Clear ruby translucent hue, this was scintillating with notes of berries, bacon fat bonfire ash and piped tobacco. It had blood, iron and gamey notes, with black and white peppers and Mediterranean herbs, with still finely delineated red fruits.  It is medium bodied, but surprisingly rich, yet at the same time delicate, refined and complex with a smooth and delicious finish. Though we worried that this would fade it went from strength to strength. This is thrillingly mature, fully resolved Cote Rotie at its best. 

18^th

Ø  JL Chavy Puligny Montrachet Les Perrieres, 2011. Much the same as the Folatieres. Good but lacked that zip of the last bottle. Normally this would be 17.5+, this time 16.5.

Ø  Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1990. Although I love the 'Hommage a Francis Bacon' label I wasn't really expecting much. I have had this wine a few times before, though admittedly not for 7-8 years, and based on those experiences I broadly concurred with prevailing sentiments that Mouton significantly under-achieved in the context of the vintage. So we sat down, this wine and I and we had a conversation. I said 'you do not have a very good reputation' and (s)he replied 'rather than have preconceived ideas why don't you just judge me on my own merits and on your own criteria'? This wine has the enthralling Mouton nose of soy, and a certain haunting quality...exotic mushrooms to the fore and a certain leafiness. On the palate it was no more than medium-bodied, but beautifully delineated and poised. It is not pouting or highly extracted but is restrained, discreet and has a captivating balance and karma, attenuated by age. This is the first fully mature example I have tried, and it was simply fabulous. The wine maker was clearly going for finesse and balance over power and extraction. This is not the first fully mature First Growth with an iffy reputation that has surprised and delighted me. Others have included Lafite 1985 and Latour 1983.