TN Wines for Christmas weekend

[Saina Nieminen]

Peter Nicolay Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Spätlese 2002 - Mosel; 8% abv; 60 g/l RS; 8,5 g/l acidity; c.25€

We don't see much aged Riesling here so despite not knowing the producer I bought one. And it's very tasty. Lovely aging Riesling fruit, not so aged that it would just smell of generic old wine - this is very much Mosel Riesling and all sunshine and antidepressant in the glass. But it is gentle, mildly sweet, no harsh edges, no spiky acidity. I think these days I like my Riesling a bit younger when they have an explosion of flavour and spiky acidity to counter the sweetness - before this gentle, calm old age arrives. But this was still a very nice glass after all the xmas mayhem of spending it with family who have lots of children.

 

[Mark Carrington]

Underwheling. Light but lacking any thing of interest.

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2016 Ziereisen Spätbirgundet Rhini
86 points
24 December 2023 - Deep, with crimson rim; big ‘n’ bold, dark fruits & similarly so on overbearing palate; unresolved tannins; stretched feel to finish. Best drunk up.

 

[Neil Holland]

2015 Macle Chardonnay. As always here, anything more specific seems indecipherable. Super fresh curry, easy styled, lovely with fancy Beaufort that lived in a shed. Or something like that.

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Barn Beaufort the best alternative when free range not available...

 

[Simon Reilly]

Xmas Eve nibbles a plenty. Highlights were an old friend from the Loire. A cremant to beat all Cremants. Then my best friend’s mum’s devilled eggs with old vine mullineux. Next level. To finish: St John mince pies, creme fraiche and calvados. Heaven.

 

[Ian Hampsted]

Lately these, all delivered



Clos Fourtet 2000 - still young, modern without being spoofy, really spoke to me and showed its class on day two 93 +3

Ficomontanino Bulgarelli 2020 - over a year since I drank the last one, has integrated well, plenty of vibrant fruit - 91 +1

Ballot Millot Meursault Narvaux 2017 - electric, still youthful and vibrant - 93 +3

Henri Perrot-Minot, Mazoyeres Chambertin VV 2000 - lavish use of oak but now integrated and all coming together, GC gravitas and signature, thrilling - 95 +5

Chateau de Suronde Quart de Chaume 2009 (Loire Chenin) - vgi, not quite as impressive as the 2001 I tried in March - 92 +2

 

[Ben Coffman]

A 2000 Sociando Mallet Haut Medoc was on fine form with Xmas day beef - a great match. Really pure and silky palate. No heaviness. Airy and classy nose. Nose perhaps too cedary if I am picky.

 

[Simon Grant]

• 2010 Domaine Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Mouchère - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru (24/12/2023)
  Three and a half years on from my previous bottle of this and this feels a decade younger. Rapier like in its elegance, line and cut. After 48hrs this is starting to be a little less aloof, but still so poised and focussed. Come back in a decade! **(**1/2) (94 pts.)
  
  
• 1996 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année - France, Champagne (25/12/2023)
  Consistent with a bottle fifteen months ago, and indeed unchanged over the last decade or so. Rich, gingery brioche with an initial sense of vanilla crème pat, deepening to buttery biscuit and toast. Nicely mid to full weight with some depth and good energy. Just lacking a little mid palate complexity and length for really fine. ****1/2 (94 pts.)
  
  
• 2009 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Vignes Rondes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (25/12/2023)
  Gosh, quite different from a gloriously open and ethereal 5* bottle from the same case a couple of months ago. Far tighter, indeed less involved than the first from the case 30 months ago. Full garnet to mid ruby. Meaty, dense mid red fruit, good structure. Built for the future with tannin and acidity in step with the fruit. Lots of wine here, but not shining fully today. **** (92 pts.)
  
  
• 2001 Domaine Ponsot Griotte-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru (26/12/2023)
  Ever so slightly hazy cloudy, mid to full garnet. Mature sous bois cut through with bright raspberry fruit. Decent weight and nicely bright acidity. Fills a little with air. Enjoyable, especially with côte de veau aux cèpes, and I have a soft spot for it, but it’s not top flight Griotte or Ponsot. Bare **** (91 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

 

[Russ Sainty]

Cheeky duo open.
Pretty much at the either end of the spectrum. Surprised by the red chassagne, all red fruit and undergrowth, 24 years old and singing.
The d’arenberg really wanted to be noticed, obvious blackcurrant and slightly over ripe, I like it.

 

[Ben Hunting]

2010 Jean-Marc Bouley Beaune Reversées was delightful tonight with chicken livers and sage and onions following Marcella Hazan’s recipe. Wet earth, leaves, layered, savoury, and silken. The 3rd bottle from a recently purchased, bargain case of 6. The second bottle was sadly oxidized but the first was equally good. Not a wine from Thomas Bouley I’ve had before but excellent on this basis.

 

[Thom Blach]

Cheeky duo open.
Pretty much at the either end of the spectrum. Surprised by the red chassagne, all red fruit and undergrowth, 24 years old and singing.
View attachment 35573The d’arenberg really wanted to be noticed, obvious blackcurrant and slightly over ripe, I like it.

I used to love Amiot reds-it's been a very long time.

 

[Jonathan Mitchell]

A small affair for us this Christmas in terms of numbers. 2013 Riverby Sauv/Sem still fantastic. The 1983 Figeac was just sensational. Cloudy Bay lovely and the Angludet drinking well after a three hour decant.

 

[Simon Grant]

• 1990 Lanson Champagne Gold Label Brut - France, Champagne (27/12/2023)
  Full gold. Gentle stream of fading bubbles, but a vibrant and creamy mousse. Ginger spice, nicely rich without being overly weighty. Good bite and grippy trademark acidity on the finish. Last bottle of this, some fifteen years since my previous one, and it’s gone out on a high. Well worth the quarter century of post-purchase cellaring. Unsurprisingly, very similar to an 85 enjoyed in the summer, but with more vitality. **** (91 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

 

[Mike Holliday]

Been staying with relatives who are not particularly wine-focused, but felt I'd like a couple of nice bottles - limited notes as it wasn't the right sort of occasion -

2010 Louis Jadot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot - I had considered this for Richard's recent Jadotfest but decided it was too much of a risk as I didn't have an eligible reserve; it actually seemed to be still alive; lightish straw yellow, with just a hint of green, quite full in the mouth, went nicely with a fish pie the evening before the Christmas lunch.

1963 Porto Rebello Valente Vintage (Berry Bros. & Rudd bottled) - lots of deposit in the bottle as can be seen in the photo; colour a translucent red, slightly deeper than I had expected in fact, still some fruit on the nose, slightly nutty, with a gentle sweetness.