Domaine Pinson Chablis 1er Cru "Montmains' 2000 - I've had a few randox problems with this wine, so it was either off to the chopper or just drink the lot and put up with a few more crappy bottles. Thankfullly, the last 2 bottles, opened this last week, were indentical and quite excellent, especially for the modest price I paid for them some time ago.
Youthful pale straw/green colour followed by a probing nose housing a little struck match at first (that eventually blew off) with some lovely mealy oak, grapefruit pith, crushed rock, a touch of bacon fat and that haunting tell-tale regional seaspray/oyster shell character. The palate's tight and focussed with similar nuance found in the bouquet although with less of the worked barrel character. Exemplary mouthfeel. Finishes crisp and long with tingling mineral- and citrus-tinged acidty. Drink now-2012. 90 points 13% A/V
Zind-Humbrecht Alsace Pinot Gris "Clos Jesbal" V.T. 1990
I have very fond memories of the various late-picked Riesling's and Gewurtztraminers from this revered Domaine from the great vintages 1989 and 1990. Have not tried one for many years, this bottle provided wonderful drinking last evening, holding up extremely well for several hours after being opened.
This outstanding/exceptional wine posseses a deep, glowing burnished gold colour, an exotic, honeyed but still fresh bouquet of tropical fruits, yellow peaches, apricots, lychee, musky florals and the haunting minerality that abounds in these fabulous Alsatian whites. Possessing abundant extract and perplexing complexity on the palate (with identical descriptors as mentioned above) this fully mature Pinot Gris fills the mouth with a beautiful unctious texture, holds a faultless line but still has sufficient acidity to provide a precise, crisp, clean, lingering aftertaste of considerable aplomb. Bliss in a glass! Drink now-2010+. 95 points 13% A/V