2001 Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva
Here is a nice refined bottle of wine. The tannins are suave silky classy and firm. All the dark gamy comfortable tobacco and library aromas and flavors you could want. I don’t know if some find this overworked, but to me it was a refined classy pleasure.
2004 Pierre Gaillard VdP Collines Rhodaniennes “Syrah”
This was the exact opposite of refined and classy. It had decent baconey pork flavors, but a thin bitter superficial candied vitamin element, that was not very endearing.
2005 Chandon de Briailles Pernand Vergelesses “Ile de Vergelesses”
Smells phenomenal on opening, the fruit leaps across the room. Obviously this will only get better with age, but it gave some pleasure now and showed enough lovely length, breed, finesse, and perfume for me to wish I had some in the cellar.
2002 Chandon de Briailles Pernand Vergelesses “Ile de Vergelesses”
Fuller than the 05, but not as expressive right now. Mainly just showing a silky thread of elegance that will be better in time. Again, I wish I had a cellar for these wines.
2005 Francois Chidaine Montlouis “Clos Habert”
Rich and very seductive on the first day. In fact, almost too rich and seductive for my tastes, as the succulence is covering what stony minerally focus and character may be underneath. At times it hints towards those aspects, especially on the second day. But, for my tastes I would probably wait and see on this wine, and I guess I should be drinking other cuvees now. Although don’t get me wrong, this was fun, despite the critiques.
