Henri Bonneau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Célestins 2009
L.014 Deep, fresh pruney garnet-red, virtually opaque at the centre. Fruity on the nose, but on the palate has clearly lost fruit compared to the barrel tasting, a bit tighter, less opulent and more dusty-tannic as a result. Still a fruity and well-focused, precise vintage, well-balanced and harmonious, with perfectly integrated alcohol. Complex, but not the depth of the greatest vintages. An as if newer oak marzipan top note (the only other Bonneaus to show this and seem more modern than usual were 2003 and 2004). Some dried ginger, juniper, prune, meat juice, soft herbs and spices. Quite long. Not one of the sweaty vintages, nicely clean for Bonneau. Judging from the barrel sample I had expected the 2009 to be one of those vintages that would always be open and provide pleasure, but tasting it from bottle now it may be on its way to close down, probably best to wait for a few more years (although maybe not the full twenty years Wolfgang proposes). dp 94+/95
Churchill's Vintage Port 1985
Thanks to Wolfgang. Plummy ruby-black. Sweet fruit, dried violet, milk chocolate, honey melon. Reminiscent of (pre-Symington era) Graham. Medium-plus weight. Nicely firm tannin. Barely any volatility at all (a bottle in 1997 was so volatile, I decided against buying any). Quite long. One of the best 1985 Vintage Ports at this stage of their evolution (Wolfgang thinks second or third best of the vintage). Lovely! dp 92
Greetings from Switzerland, David.
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„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti