LeDomduVin: Tonight's wines

Tonight’s wines 

Philipponnat “Clos des Goisses” Champagne Extra Brut 2012

Bone dry, mineral, zesty, fresh and crisp, generous and nicely expanding, with a lovely balance and a touch of salinity in the long, savoury finish. Pleasantly surprised. Loved it. 

Bernard-Bonin (BB pour les intimes) Meursault vieilles vignes 2019

Young, light, elegant, almost shy,  with a nice attack, good acidity, an ample and round mid-palate, yet vanishing a little on the finish. Well crafted and balanced, overall charming. And yet, I would have loved to get a bit more substance, texture and structure. A bit light and timid for my taste and palate. We double-decanted it to boost it, as it is such a young wine. It showed better after a few hours of opening. That said, I still liked it a lot, though. 

Anne Gros Echezeaux Grand Cru “Les Loachausses” 2019

Enticing nose of freshly crushed cherries and mineral, earthly aromas mingling with floral and peppery notes. A beautiful, complex wine in a light, elegant and refined way. Surely too young, it showed great potential to age for many years. Loooooved it. 

Once again, a lovely trio. 

A “clin d’œil” to Monsieur Olivier Halley (@ohalleyphoto), a fan and a follower of my page for the past 7 years (thank you, much appreciated 🙏😀👍🍷), whom I had the pleasure and the privilege to meet and chat with, for the first time, face to face, as he was one of the guests of tonight’s dinner. Thank you 🙏 

Gordon & MacPhail Linkwood 25-year-old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 

Strong and smooth simultaneously, sophisticated, elegant and layered without being heavy or harsh. Nice discovery.   

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

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LeDomduVin: Egly-Ouriet Brut Grand Cru Millesime 2008

Egly-Ouriet Brut Grand Cru Millesime 2008

I took this picture from that angle to showcase the magnificence of the Champagne, as it was genuinely GRAND! 

Egly-Ouriet is a difficult Champagne to get as its production is tiny, demand is high, and stocks from distributors and retailers usually go really fast. 

I was lucky to secure this last bottle of 2008 from my supplier. Lucky, as well as I never tried this vintage before. I was truly impressed. 

Impressed because right at opening, it boasted enticing aromas of ripe apple and yellow fruits, with citrus notes and baked bread, toasted, buttery, yeasty nuances that resonated and are amplified in the palate. 

Impressed also by its mesmerizing brownish-golden colour denoting a certain age, some could take it as a flaw, yet it suits this beautiful nectar crafted from old vines in Ambonnay perfectly. 

Impressed as the multidimensional palate is a delight for your taste buds: intense, full-bodied, generously expanding, deep, rich, structured, textured and layered, coating with great depth and concentration, vibrant and lively, elegant and sophisticated, long and immensely satisfying. Gorgeous! 

I was also impressed as this Champagne got its unique complexity, richness and characteristics from being aged on its lees for a mindblowing 129 months, that's 10 years and 9 months, before being disgorged in April 2020. 

There are not enough adjectives for me to describe this exceptional Champagne. It would be best if you tried it to understand what I'm trying to say. 

Impressive! Thank you, Mr Francis Egly, for this gem! 

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom 

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LeDomduVin: Trio de Choc (again)

Trio de Choc (again)

Opened this weekend, these 3 bottles were terrific. 

Egly-Ouriet brut Grand Cru Millesime 2008 (see next post for description)

Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet 2019

I fell in love with Leflaive when I tried their Puligny Montrachet Les Pucelles 1992 for the first time, back in 1997. It was a revelation, and Leflaive has remained one of my favourite burgundy producers ever since. 

Domaine Leflaive stands among the world's leading wine estates, renowned for crafting some of Burgundy's most coveted white wines. The Leflaive family has a rich legacy dating back to 1717, and their Domaine spans over 23 hectares of vineyards throughout Grand Cru, 1er Cru, Village, and AOC levels in the Puligny region.

Although considered the smallest of the 3 Grands Crus, after Montrachet and Batard-Montrachet, it remains a fantastic wine, displaying a lot of character, personality, depth and complexity, outstanding balance between the yellow and citrus fruits and the refreshing acidity, ample, generous, yet elegant and lively mouthfeel. Long finish. Loved it. Still very young. Decanting is a must. 

Claude Dugat Griotte Chambertin Grand Cru 2020

Coming after its little brother, the Charmes Chambertin, opened a few days ago, the Griotte-Chambertin felt even better and greater. I felt privileged and humble as this wine is produced in small quantities. (which might explain why it is twice more expensive 😋🤙 🍷). 

Despite being way too young, I could not resist the temptation to open it. What an outstanding wine! Full of life and sophistication, with flavours of red berries mingling with floral, spicy, earthy notes. Complex and well-rounded wine with lively acidity, ripe tannins, and a long, intensely fragrant finish. Keep it in the cellar for a few more years or even a decade. It will surely reward you even more.

Loved it. 

Cheers! Santé!

Dom 

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LeDomduVin: Mise en place for the weekend, and once again, great lineup!!!

Mise en place for the weekend, 

and once again, great lineup!!!

This week has been a series of great lineups, one after another, mostly centred along the grand crus of Champagne, Puligny and Chassagne-Montrachet, and Gevrey-Chambertin. 

And this weekend is no exception. This is exciting. Look at these wines. 

Egly-Ouriet Brut Grand Cru Millesime 2008 (previous ones this week were 2013)

Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2019

Claude Dugat Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru 2020 

Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2018

I'm having a lot of fun making these selections and buying, opening, tasting, and serving these wines for the events and dinners. 

It is not "work" when you're passionate and having fun doing it. Man, I love my job!!!

Cheers! Santé!

Dom

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LeDomduVin: Selection for tonight’s dinner

Selection for tonight’s dinner 

Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru Millésime 2008

Bruno Colin Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2020

Claude Dugat Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2020

No description, unfortunately, as I selected and delivered these wines to the restaurant where the patron and his guests will consume them over a really nice Thai fusion food menu. But, I will not be the one who will open, taste and serve them. So sad 😞😞😩😉😁👍

Yet, if they don’t drink them all, I might have another occasion to taste them. 🤞🤞🤞

Great lineup once again. It is very exciting. I love weeks like this, with many dinners and events, which give me a good excuse to buy, open, taste and serve great wines. Man, I love my job!!!

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

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LeDomduVin: Last night's wines! Nice lineup again...

Last night's wines! Nice lineup again.

It may seem that these wines are the same as the ones from Monday night. However, apart from Marc Colin, the other two are different.

On Monday, I opened Jacques Selosse's "V.O." and "Initial" last night.

To compare them, I would say that "Initial" may not seem as sophisticated and refined as "V.O.", yet it is richer and friendlier. It has more mass appeal.

Where "V.O." is light, dry, crisp and tense, "Initial" is fuller, rounder, layered and more laid back.

They are both stunning Champagnes, and if they were women, "V.O." would be elegant, tall and lean, dry and haughty like a pompous yet sophisticated and attractive bourgeoise. While the "Initial" would be more like a smiling, pleasant, curvier, more cheerful, relaxed, chic and cosmopolitan.

Marc Colin Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2018 was as stunning as it was on Monday. It is an incredible young wine with great potential, offering a lot of butter, toasted oak and vanilla flavours that should ease and integrate with time. See my previous post for more details.

Georges Noellat Grands-Echezeaux 2018 was quite dry and tight at the opening, austere, subdued and introverted. The nose and palate presented some savouriness with many earthy, spicy/peppery notes.

Maybe a down phase. I was sceptical if it would open up. But, it did, about 1 hour after opening. Displaying ripe dark fruits, earth, spice, and coffee roast, balanced by a good acidity and tannic structure. It is a serious wine. More cerebral than I thought it would be. It is complex, multidimensional, layered and long in a refined yet discreet way.

I loved it for many reasons, but I would have loved to see a bit more depth, character and attitude for a Grands-Echezeaux. Yet, Georges Noellat's wines have never been friendly huge fruit bombs. As mentioned above, they are more cerebral and intellectual. Or, maybe that's just a phase, as the potential is there but a little dormant (IMO).

Time will tell.

Cheers! Santé!

Dom

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LeDomduVin: What a treat!

What a treat! 

Opened tonight for a private dinner. These 3 bottles were magnificent! 

Jacques Selosse V.O. Version Originale Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut NV (dégorgé November 2019) 

Very subtle, pale golden colour. Fine mousse. The nose is young, delicate, refined, discreet, and elegant, offering light and fresh aromas of golden apple and pear, with mineral and floral nuances, a touch of ginger and lightly toasted, buttery notes. The palate seems slightly older than the nose would suggest, with light tertiary flavours. And yet, so polished and sophisticated, with great balance and texture, structure and style, with great acidity,  richness, complexity, and length. The expression "well-mannered" and "well-behaved" come to mind, as well as racy and courteous. Looooooooooove it. 

Marc Colin Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2018

Attractive pale yellow colour. The nose at first was a bit shy, and the wine was too cold. I left it out of the ice for it to warm up, and it opened up like a blooming flower. I did not decant it, but I should have. After 3 hours of being opened, it was amazing.  And I told my colleagues, if you don't like this Bâtard-Montrachet, then you may never really know what a great white Burgundy is, and you may never appreciate real Chardonnay. This wine has everything you hope to find in Bâtard-Montrachet. Great nose, refreshing and inviting, displaying white and yellow fruit, lemon zest, stony minerality, and light buttery notes. The palate is complex, generous, ample, rich, nicely expanding, textured, layered, well-balanced, harmonious, focused, and so long. Stunning! 

Dugat-Py Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru 2018

This was the cherry on the cake. Already at the opening, great aromas of ripe red and dark cherries mingling with floral and mineral notes perfumed the room's atmosphere. At first, it tasted great, light, fresh, and acidic, almost too young to be opened. It gradually opened up and only started to reveal itself about 4 hours later. It was captivating and intriguing, with ripe, almost jammy red and dark fruits with light oaky, earthy, peppery, spicy notes. The palate was gorgeous. 

Cheers! Santé!

Dom 

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LeDomduVin: Mise en place for the week (2)

Mise en place for the week (2) 

This week will be fun as it is a full week for me, with dinners every night, weekend included. That means that I have to plan, source, buy, prepare, open, taste and serve different wines to all these dinners. 

I love when this happens as it is fun for me to make some selections according to the menus, buy the wines and have the chance to taste and serve them all. Looooove it. 

This is the primary job of a Sommelier like me. And when you get the chance to have access to such incredible producers and wines regularly, you can call yourself extremely lucky. 

That is one of the main reasons I love my job so much, as for the last 32 years (and many more to come, I hope), I have bought, opened, tasted, prepared and served some of the most outstanding wines in the world. 

Wines that I have never been able to afford for myself, yet my job has allowed me to access, taste, and occasionally even drink these wines. I love my job. 

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

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Unless stated otherwise, all right reserved ©LeDomduVin 2023, 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: Mise en place of the week (1)

Mise en place for the week

This week will be fun as it is a full week for me, with dinners every night, weekend included.

That means that I have to plan, source, buy, prepare, open, taste and serve different wines to all these dinners.

I love when this happens as it is fun for me to make some selections according to the menus, buy the wines and have the chance to taste and serve them all. Looooove it.

This is the primary job of a Sommelier like me. And when you get the chance to have access to such incredible producers and wines regularly, you can call yourself extremely lucky.

That is one of the main reasons I love my job so much, as for the last 32 years (and many more to come, I hope), I have bought, opened, tasted, prepared and served some of the most outstanding wines in the world.

Wines that I have never been able to afford for myself, yet my job has allowed me to access, taste and occasionally even drink these wines.

I love my job.

Cheers! Santé!

Dom

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #miseenplace #lesmisesenplaceadom #lesselectionsadom #wine #vin #vino #wein @domainejacquesselosse #jacquesselosse @domainemarccolin #marccolin @dugatpy #dugatpy #champagne #burgundy #sommelier #sommelierlife #sommlife #ilovemyjob

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Ledomduvin: Work Weekend (mise en place)

Work Weekend (mise en place)

Hibiki 17 Year-Old (2017 Edition) 

Discontinued in 2018, Hibiki 17 has become a trophy for whisky hunters. As the years pass, prices will soar, and this whisky will be hard to find. 

Krug Cuvée 170eme

Nice, light, crisp, fresh, mineral, and racy, it remains one of the best entry-level champagne in the market (despite its price) 😁👍🥂🍾

Louis Latour Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2016

Tasted a few times over the past year, it must breathe to fully reveal and express itself. Decanting is definitely suggested. Some slightly oxidative notes might also be present, yet I still find it interesting. 

Philippe Colin Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 2019

Talented and terroir-driven, Philippe Colin makes stunning wines, and this Chevalier-Montrachet is a perfect example of it, ripe, generous, ample, complex and layered, yet balanced by enough acidity and minerality to keep it focused and precise. 

Château Palmer Margaux 2009

I love Palmer! And I have loved, bought, opened, tasted, served, and drank Palmer for the past 3 decades. I never get tired of it, and this 2009 is gorgeous. Surely one of the best vintages they made. Looooooooooove it. 

Vieux Château Certan Pomerol 2016

Back in 1997, I visited Pomerol and some of its Châteaux, including VCC, for the first time, and it was love at first sight. The tall, thin, and timid Alexandre Thienpont received us really well, shared his knowledge, let us taste at the barrels, and even opened a bottle, and the rest was history. VCC instantly became one of my favourite wines ever, and still to this day. Although this 2016 is way too young, it still drinks beautifully after one hour of decanting. Looooooooooove it. 

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

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Cupid sitting on a roof - artist unknown -
Original picture modified and enhanced by @domelgabor 2021

Cupid sitting on a roof...

Don't ask me why, but I love this picture, and Cupid is all about love.

Cupid sitting on a roof carries the message that love is never too far, for anyone who is willing to see it and nurture it, whatever that love can be. 

Love for your girlfriend or boyfriend. Love for your partner or spouse. Love for your children and family. Love for your pets and animals. Love for the sun rising in the morning and the moon enlightening the night. Love for the oceans and seas. Love for the mountains and valleys. Love for people. Love for nature. Love for food and wine. Love for music and arts and cultures and diversity. Love for...

There are so many kinds of love, it would be difficult to list them all. Let's just say that love is all around and life is all about love. 

So give each other love, 'cause that's all we got! 

Dom

Domelgabor for LeDomduVin 2021 

Photo credit: author unknown (found on the internet, no source or name), but whoever that may be, thank you for it. Original picture modified and enhanced by @domelgabor (my other alias)

#cupid #cupidonaroof #love #loveisnevertoofar #loveisallaround #messageoflove #lesselectionsadom 

#domelgabor @domelgabor ©Domelgabor #ledomduvin @ledomduvin ©LeDomduVin 2021

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