LeDomduVin: Palatable wines

Palatable wines

Serving great wines around 150 euros can be difficult, as there are many wines in this price range (and under, of course) from around the world. 

Yet, when the host asks for recognizable French labels or crus, my selection usually goes for Champagne, Burgundy, and/or Bordeaux, which constitute about 90% of the wines I buy (and have been buying throughout my 33-year Sommelier and Wine buyer career). 

Navigating the myriad of producers in these 3 regions can be challenging, so I always try to find the best quality-price ratio within the portfolios of my local suppliers. The most palatable wines to match the menu.   

That night I opened: 

Champagne Dom Perignon Vintage 2013

Light, dry, crisp, fresh, zesty, lightly toasted, and mineral, it is well-balanced and satisfying. Ideal as an aperitif and with fish or shellfish starters. A quaffer! 

Bachelet-Monnot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "Les Referts" Burgundy 2019

I do not know what it is or how to describe it, but there is an indescribable sense of minerality and purity in Bachelet-Monnot's wines that I have always loved. Nothing is in excess in their wines.  And this Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "Les Referts" is yet another great example of it. Lightly buttery, mineral, waxy, ample, and generous, with yellow stone fruits and apple aromas and flavors, exceptionally well balanced and lingering. Definitely the type of wine that makes you want to love wine. The first glass is immediately calling for the second.  Loved it.       

Domaine Humbert Freres Charmes-Chambertin Burgundy 2018

I have opened several bottles of this particular wine lately, and it has been excellent every time.  Showing remarkable consistency and potential. Is it the best Charmes-Chambertin I have ever tasted? No, but within this price range (140-150 Euros), it is definitely a great contender! Rich and generous, balanced with ripe dark and red cherry, earthy and mineral notes, refreshing acidity, and a lingering finish. The other day, one bottle was only half consumed; I revisited it 2 days later, and although slightly oxidized, it was still excellent.  What more to ask?     

Cheers! Sante!

Dom

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LeDomduVin: Frugal night...

Frugal night... 😜

"Frugal" is not an appropriate word when serving 500 euros a bottle, but it came to my mind as that night I only served 2 bottles to a private dinner, while I usually open more than two bottles, hence the word frugal. 😁

You can look at my previous posts for the tasting notes of Selosse VO, as I have opened several bottles lately.

As for Denis Mortet, one of my favorite producers, it had been a while since I opened a bottle, especially "Clos de Vougeot".

Denis Mortet Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru Burgundy 2019

The bottle I last opened was great. However, this particular one was in a closed and tight phase. I opened it about 1 hour before serving, and it remained muted. It was good but could have been more expressive. Soft, gentle, and delicate on the nose, offering timid aromas of fresh red and dark cherries with earthy and mineral nuances. Despite the juicy cherry fruit and the long and lingering finish, the palate was tight and slightly austere with high acidity, unlike the previous bottle I opened, which was much more exuberant, generous, and ample. 

That is sometimes the issue when opening such young wines that have the potential to age and better develop with time. They go through opening and closing phases, and it can be challenging, even for an experienced Sommelier like me, to define the right opening moment, as top-tier wines are unpredictable in their youth. 

Oh well. Now I know. I better wait a few more years. The problem is whether I will have the patience to do so. 😁👍🍷

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom 

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin @domainejacquesselosse #selosse #champagne @domainedenismortet #denismortet #burgundy #wine #vin #vino #wein #tastingnotes #sommelier #sommelierlife #sommlife #ilovemyjob #wineyearly #lifeinwine

Unless stated otherwise, all rights reserved ©LeDomduVin 2024, on all the contents above including, but not limited to, photos, pictures, drawings, illustrations, collages, visuals, maps, memes, posts, texts, writings, quotes, notes, tasting notes, descriptions, wine descriptions, definitions, recipes, graphs, tables, and even music and video (when and where applicable).

LeDomduVin: Quatuor

Quatuor

I forgot to post my tasting notes in my previous post, so here they are.

Champagne Jacques Selosse VO "Version Originale" Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut NV (disgorged in Nov 2019)

Selosse makes rich and complex champagnes, and this one was no exception. Beyond its dense golden color, it displayed buttery, toasted aromas, with yellow stone fruits mingling with nutty, slightly oxidative notes, like a Sherry. The palate is rich, layered, complex, ample, and generous, with just enough freshness and minerality to keep it balanced and harmonious. Due to its color and nuttiness, some may say it is already too old, but that is not the case. That is just how this champagne is. The finish is long and lingering. I liked it, but some may find it a bit overwhelming.

Jean-Claude Ramonet Bienvenues Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru Burgundy 2018

Ramonet is one of my favorite producers in the Chassagne / Puligny area. The wines, with their zesty fruits, great freshness, and high minerality, have a sense of purity. And it was the case for this Bienvenues Batard Montrachet, a pure delight!

Mongeard-Mugneret Richebourg Grand Cru Burgundy 2019

It was way too young, but I could not resist opening it. Nice, bright, ruby color with medium-deep intensity. The nose bosted beautiful autumnal aromas of dark cherry, toasted oak, venison, flowers, and earth, with smoky nuances. The palate was tight at first, with bright red and dark cherry and high acidity. I usually don't decant Burgundy wines, but I had to decant this one to allow it to better express itself. It took a while to reveal itself. Although I loved it, it will definitely benefit from a few more years in the cellar to display its full potential.

Chateau Haut-Brion Pessac-Leognan Bordeaux 2016

I have opened this wine a few times lately. It usually shows really well, yet it was in a closed phase that night. For the tasting notes, you can have a look at my previous posts.

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom 

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin @domainejacquesselosse #jacquesselosse #champagne #jeanclauderamonet #ramonet @domainemongeard #mongeardmugneret #burgundy @chateauhautbrion_ #hautbrion #bordeaux #sommelier #tastingnotes #sommlife #sommelierlife #ilovemyjob

Unless stated otherwise, all rights reserved ©LeDomduVin 2024, on all the contents above including, but not limited to, photos, pictures, drawings, illustrations, collages, visuals, maps, memes, posts, texts, writings, quotes, notes, tasting notes, descriptions, wine descriptions, definitions, recipes, graphs, tables, and even music and video (when and where applicable).