Tuesday Wines by ©LeDomduVin 2021

Tuesday wines... 😁👍🍷

Some of the wines I opened, tasted, and served last night. 

@champagne_bollinger

Bollinger PN VZ 16 (Blanc de Noirs)

This 100% Pinot Noir, crafted with 50% Vin de Reserve (reserve wine) and 50% from the 2016 vintage, from grapes harvested in vineyards located in Verzenay (abbreviated as VZ), is crisp, elegant, refined, rich, complex, and layered, with baked apple, yellow stone-fruit, fresh almond, viennoiserie, and mineral notes. Fresh and festive. 

@domaineleflaive

Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "Clavoillon" 2018

Undoubtedly one of my favorite producers for the past 30 years, I can only praise this beautiful wine, elegant and refined, rather light and timid, and probably too young to drink, yet, still delivering finesse, precision, structure, and focus, with notes of white flowers, yellow stone-fruit, toast, and fresh almonds, mingling with minerality and zesty acidity. Lovely. (Decanted 10 minutes before serving to give a boost)

@domainedelavougeraie

Domaine de la Vougeraie Bâtard-Montrachet 2014

Wow! What a wine! There is something quite special and unique about this wine, where razor-sharp limey acidity collides with bright and mouth-watering minerality to enhance the precise and finely layered, structured, and textured expanding palate, boasting fresh lime, white flowers, stone's dew, yellow fruit, and toasted notes. Perfectly balanced, harmonious, and integrated. Looooved it. (Decanted 20 minutes before serving). 

@domaineannegros

Domaine Anne Gros Clos-Vougeot Grand Cru "Le Grand Maupertui" 2002

Fragile and feminine, slightly shy at the opening, it rapidly opened up, unveiling an elegantly floral nose with bright red cherry fruit, stony minerality, and earthy notes. The palate is rather light, yet, bright, chiseled, balanced, complex, satiny, tangy, and earthy at the same time. Beautifully bred and very attractive. 

@chateauchevalblanc_

Cheval Blanc Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2001

Like the last few times, it showed wonderfully. Extremely satisfying after 30 minutes of opening. Elegant, with a velvety texture, medium body, and beautiful fruit mingling with floral and herbal, earthy notes. Gorgeous savoriness. 

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

@ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #wine #vin #vino #wein #tastingnotes #ledomduvin #bollinger #domaineleflaive #domainedelavougeraie #domaineannegros #chevalblanc 

Unless stated otherwise, all right reserved ©LeDomduVin 2021 on all the contents above including, but not limited to, photos, pictures, maps, memes, posts, texts, writings, quotes, notes, tasting notes, descriptions, wine descriptions, definitions, recipes, drawings, illustrations, visuals, graphs, tables, and even music and video (when and where applicable).

LeDomduVin: Bottle Sizes & Dimensions (part 2)

 

Bottle Dimensions by ©LeDomduVin 2021

Bottle Sizes & Dimensions (part 2)

I have created the above collage to complement a previous post on bottle sizes and dimensions that I wrote back in 2017. If interested, you can read it here  

This collage came to mind as I was revisiting the table I created for the previously mentioned post. I thought that creating such a collage could come quite handy as a simple yet informative visual to show the various bottle dimensions and variations in lengths and diameters at one glance.   

I had the idea to create it to show it during a Zoom meeting with my colleagues, as I'm part of a team participating in the opening of new restaurants in HK, for which I'm involved in the concept and design of the wine cellar and the creation and building of the wine lists (selections, prices, etc...). 

A visual is often better understood than a thousand words, as it speaks for itself. No explanation is needed. 

And, in case you're interested, here is the revisited and updated version of LeDomduVin Bottle Dimensions table (that I created back in 2017 for my previous post): 

Hope this post was as helpful to you as it was to me.  

Stay safe and take good care of yourselves. Best wishes to all of you for this end-of-the-year holiday.   

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom  

@ledomduvin, #bottledimensions, #bottles, #dimensions, #ledomduvin, #lescollagesadom, #lescreationsadom, #lesillustrationsadom, #vin, #vino, #wein, #wine

Unless stated otherwise, all rights reserved ©LeDomduVin 2021 on all the contents above including, but not limited to, photos, pictures, maps, memes, posts, texts, writings, quotes, notes, tasting notes, descriptions, wine descriptions, definitions, recipes, drawings, illustrations, visuals, graphs, tables, and even music and video (when and where applicable).

Petit jeu du soir / Little game of the evening

Petit jeu du soir 

Soustrais ton âge à 121, 

et tu devrais tomber sur ton 

année de naissance.

Voilà, pour celles et ceux qui ne comprendraient pas comment ça marche, c'est tout bêtement mathématique, et je viens de faire un petit tableau excel, car un visuel vaut mieux qu'une longue explication. Pour faire court, quelqu'un né en 2000 à 21 ans et quelqu'un né en 1921 à 100 ans. Regardez, c'est simple, n'est-ce pas?

Little game of the evening 

Subtract your age from 121,

and you should fall on your

year of birth.

There you have it, for those who do not understand how it works, it is simply mathematical, and I have just made a small excel table, because a visual is better than a long explanation. Long story short, someone born in 2000 is 21, and someone born in 1921 is 100.  Look, it's simple, isn't it?

Enjoy the rest of your evening and be safe. And give some love to each other, 'cause that's all we got! 

Peace!

Dom

@domelgabor #domelgabor #lesmemesadom #meme #game #jeu @ledomduvin 

Unless stated otherwise, all right reserved ©LeDomduVin 2021 on all the contents above including, but not limited to, photos, pictures, maps, memes, posts, texts, writings, quotes, notes, tasting notes, descriptions, wine descriptions, definitions, recipes, drawings, illustrations, visuals, graphs, tables, and even music and video (when and where applicable).

Pichon Lalande 1989

Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (Pichon Lalande)

Over the last 4 months that I started in this new job, as a Senior Manager - Wine Management / Sommelier, working at the office by day and 2-3 times a week at the restaurant at night, especially Fridays and Saturdays, I had the immense pleasure to taste some incredible wines, some from our own cellars, some brought by our customers. 

Although I cannot work full time as a Sommelier, due to a physical condition that has been bothering me on daily basis for decades (the reason I stopped working on the floor full time, 10 years ago), it is always a pleasure to occasionally put on my suit, proudly wearing the grape that was given to me in 1997, for my Sommelier certification, and help our restaurant team serving these amazing wines. 

The other day, I opened 2 bottles of Pichon Lalande 1989. I had not tried it for a while, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well it showed. 

Since it was acquired in 2007, by the Rouzaud family, owners of Louis Roederer, tremendous changes in terms of structure, blend, and taste have been made for the better. The wines gained in texture, complexity, taste, and quality. Yet, prior to this era, I must say that the wines of Pichon Lalande were more like a hit or miss, depending on the vintage. 

Personally, and although I have always appreciated it, to a certain extent, I have always found Pichon Lalande to be a tricky and capricious old Bordeaux style wine, often austere, tannic, and dry, and not revealing much in its youth. Marked by a certain feminine elegance and character, but rather like an old bitter lady, especially in the 80s and early 90s (I'm not going to make friends by writing this).

Fortunately, time has a taming effect on this old lady and this 1989 is a great example of it. It showed rather well after 2 hours of decanting, while restraint on the nose and somewhat on the palate too at the opening. Exhibiting timid earthy notes of dark cherry, currants, leather, tobacco, smoke, underbrush, pepper, and a few other tertiary aromas. Gentle, supple, elegant, yet, a bit dry, with a moderate finish, slightly fading (not many tannins or acidity left, at peak?). Good with lamb and/or pigeon. 

Cheers! Santé!

Dom

@ledomduvin #wine #vin #vino #wein #lesphotosadom #pichonlalande @pichon_comtesse #pauillac #bordeaux 

Unless stated otherwise, all right reserved ©LeDomduVin 2021 on all the contents above including, but not limited to, photos, pictures, maps, memes, posts, texts, writings, quotes, notes, tasting notes, descriptions, wine descriptions, definitions, recipes, drawings, illustrations, visuals, graphs, tables, and even music and video (when and where applicable).

Some of last night's wines 

@domaine_henri_boillot

Domaine Henri Boillot Bâtard-Montrachet 2014

Nice, racy, elegant, harmonious, and light on its feet, gracious like a ballerina, beautiful structure and texture, complex and rich without being too heavy. Beautifully crafted. Decanted 30 minutes before serving to give it a boost, as it is quite young and shy. Showed beautifully. Loved it. 

@chateauhautbrion_

Château Haut-Brion Pessac-Leognan 2000

Timid and slightly restraint at first, decanted about 2 hours prior to serving it. Haut-Brion is and has been my favorite wine for the past 30 years of my career in the wine industry. It is kind of sentimental between Haut-Brion and me. Undoubtedly amongst the very finest wine producers in Bordeaux, if not the world. A blend of 51% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc, the 2000 vintage has been deemed close to perfection by various esteemed wine critics, including Neal Martin 99+ and Robert Parker 99. Beautifully balanced, structured and textured, complex, refined, the list of adjectives to describe it is endless. Loooooooooooved it. And it still shows potential to last for a few more decades. 

#chateaulafleur 

Chateau Lafleur Pomerol 2015

Château Lafleur is a moody wine to be drunk at the right time, which tends to open up in its youth, like this 2015, then close down for a decade or two before reopening again to show its full potential. Meaning that if you miss the window when it opens up, you might find it close and restrained, while this is an absolutely amazing wine when the timing is right. 

Although it is probably a sacrilege to open such wine this young, it showed wonderfully last night, delivering tons of aromas, right from the opening, like dark fruits, plums, ripe cherry, chocolate, purple flowers, hints of smoke and earth, mingling in a layered, rich, opulent and complex and long-lasting palate. Even better after 2 hours. As I did not open it in advance, I had to decant it twice to give it plenty of air, for it to fully express itself. What an amazing wine! If you have a case of it, drink a bottle now to appreciate its youthfulness and friendliness, but keep the rest of it, as this wine will surely last for the next 2/3 decades. 

Cheers! Santé!

Dom

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #wine #vin #vino #wein #chateauhautbrion #domainehenriboillot #chateaulafleur #burgundy #bourgogne #bordeaux #pessacleognan #pomerol @domaine_henri_boillot @chateauhautbrion_

Unless stated otherwise, all right reserved ©LeDomduVin 2021 on all the contents above including, but not limited to, photos, pictures, maps, memes, posts, texts, writings, quotes, notes, tasting notes, descriptions, wine descriptions, definitions, recipes, drawings, illustrations, visuals, graphs, tables, and even music and video (when and where applicable).

Guigal’s “La Las” wines 2014

This trio represents the epitome of both Guigal's portfolio and undoubtedly the best of what Côte Rôtie has to offer. There are amongst some of the most sought-after wines in the world. 

Domaine Guigal La Mouline 2014

The most feminine of the 3, La Mouline should always be served first when the 3 are presented together. From a vineyard planted on the Côte Blonde, with 89% Syrah and 11% Viognier, and vines averaging 75 years old, La Mouline is like a spring-blooming flower, exhibiting delicate floral aromas and violet scent, with dark and red berries fruits flavors, mingling with earthy minerals notes. Delicate, elegant, and charming. Very seductive, despite a certain tightness and restraint due to its very young age, this wine deserves time to express its full potential. 

Domaine Guigal La Turque 2014

Halfway between La Mouline and La Landonne, in terms of structure, texture, and taste, La Turque is the youngest and most approachable in its youth of the 3. Fuller and denser than La Mouline, but not as complex and rich as La Landonne, La Turque is crafted from a vineyard in the Côte Blonde planted with 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier on vines averaging 25 years old. complexity and quality. The resulting wine is supple, generous, sensual, with a strong expression of its terroir. 

Domaine Guigal La Landonne 2014

Crafted from 100% Syrah, from vines averaging 35 years old, planted in iron-rich clay and limestone on the Côte Brune, La Landonne is a complex and rich, more masculine wine, bursting with dark fruit flavors mingling with earthy, smoky, gamey meats and minerality notes. Surely the most layered, textured, and structured of the 3, La Landonne is also the one that takes the most time to fully develop, gaining in flavors and complexity as it ages, rewarding those who have the patience to wait for it. 

Although they showed well after 2 hours of decanting, they were still too young to be fully enjoyed, in my opinion, showing restraint and shyness (brought by a customer, so, no choice). Yet, personally, I will have left them in the cellar to mature a few years longer, to reach their full expressions. 

Cheers! Santé!

Dom 

@ledomduvin #wine #vin #vino #wein #guigal #ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #rhonevalley #rhone @domaineguigal

Unless stated otherwise, all right reserved ©LeDomduVin 2021 on all the contents above including, but not limited to, photos, pictures, maps, memes, posts, texts, writings, quotes, notes, tasting notes, descriptions, wine descriptions, definitions, recipes, drawings, illustrations, visuals, graphs, tables, and even music and video (when and where applicable).

Do you Movember? I do 

Every year, I let my goatee grow for the last few days of October to be ready for Movember, and keep it for the whole month of November.

Movember (a "portmanteau" of the Australian-English diminutive word for "moustache", "mo", and "November") is an annual event involving the growing of mustaches, during the entire month of November, to raise awareness of men's health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men's suicide.

Whether you Movember or not, you can still donate if you want at

https://hk.movember.com/

https://us.movember.com/about/foundation

This November is gonna get hairy again. 😁👍

Be safe, be cautious, and take good care of yourself and your loved ones.  

Dom

#moustache #noshavenovember #movember #Movember2021 @movember #goatee #stache #lesphotosadom #ledomduvin @ledomduvin #donation #donate #menscancer #menshealth #cancer #awareness @domelgabor #domelgabor #dominiquenoel




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THANK YOU ALL (once again)

THANK YOU ALL 
by ©LeDomduVin 2021

THANK YOU ALL 

THANK YOU all for your continuous support! Much appreciated 🙏👍🍷😁

I'm very happy to still see my blog on the list of Feedspot Top 100 Wine Blogs (*), nestled amongst some of the most influential and informative wine blogs in the world. What an honor! 

Not that I do anything to deserve it, as I don't write much and don't really advertise it either, (as I only do that as a hobby and only post on my blog when I have time), yet, it pleases me to see that I am still there at number 132. That's great!👌👍 🤘🍷😁

And this thanks to all of you, so THANK YOU. I raise my glass to you all. 

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

(*) In fact, it should be Top 300, as their list contains 292 Blogs.

If interested, find the Feedspot Top 100 Wine Blogs list at 

https://blog.feedspot.com/wine_blogs/

#ledomduvin @ledomduvin #feedspot #toponehundred #wine #wineblog #vin #blog #toponehundredwineblogs #thankyou #thankyouall #number132 #numberonehundredthirtytwo

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HKB - Hong Kong Baijiu
by ©LeDomduVin 2021

HKB - Hong Kong Baijiu 

Trying a new gimmick Baijiu with the team to see if we can do something with it, to drink straight and/or in cocktails 🍸.  

The nose is pretty soft and almost sweet for a Baijiu, not as pungent or alcoholic as I thought it will be. Aromatics of lychee, pears, pineapple, and ripe exotic yellow fruits, mingle with notes of white flowers, chrysanthemum, and hints of fresh almond. The taste is awfully strong for my personal taste, yet, definitely ok for a Baijiu. Displaying similar notes as in the nose. 

HKB - Hong Kong Baijiu
by ©LeDomduVin 2021

Personally, I cannot and would not drink it on its own, the reason why I asked our mixologist if he could use his magic and imagination to ease the taste and make it more palatable (to my palate😁). 

He prepared a lovely cocktail made with pineapple juice, homemade camomile syrup, lemon juice, and HKB Baijiu. The result was light, crisp, fragrant, juicy, easy to drink, and delightful I must say. I'm not so much into pineapple usually, but it paired really well with it. The camomile also added a "je-ne-sais-quoi" making this cocktail very tasty. 

HKB - Hong Kong Baijiu
by ©LeDomduVin 2021

As for HKB Baijiu, I said that it is a "gimmick" as the story behind it started with a French guy (Charles Lanthier), who, while working in China and discovering the traditional Chinese spirits (also known as "Chinese White liquor") decided to create a "Baijiu" to help Westerners to get better acquainted with it, first intended for the American and European markets. 

Produced in small batches in the Sichuan province (China), HKB (Hong Kong Baijiu) is first distilled from a mash of five grains (sorghum, rice, sticky rice, corn, and wheat), prior being blended in Italy by a grappa producer after aging (in large, neutral terra cotta urns) for two years. 

Regarding the origins of its name, as it has nothing to do with the "Fragrant Harbour" (HK's nickname, known as "Port aux Parfums" in french), I guess the "Hong Kong" part was just to make it more appealing to Westerners. 😉😁👍 

Santé! Cheers! 

Dom 

#hkb #baijiu #hongkongbaijiu @ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #ledomduvin #spirits #cocktail

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Highlights of last night wines
by @LeDomduVin 2021

Highlights of last night wines 

Once again, last night, the restaurant was quite full, the energy was joyful and we opened some seriously good wines, here are some of the highlights of last night.  

La Clarté de Haut-Brion Graves 2011 (Magnum - 1.5L)
by @LeDomduVin 2021

La Clarté de Haut-Brion Graves 2011 (Magnum - 1.5L) (@chateauhautbrion_)

What a beautiful wine! The predominance of Sauvignon Blanc in the blend provides freshness, brightness, focus, incredible balance, and length. Aromas of honeysuckle mingle with citrus, yellow fruits, white and yellow flowers, as well as slightly herbal, vegetable notes. The palate is beautifully balanced, structured and textured, layered, generous and complex, yet light on its feet and elegant. Loooooove it. 

Domaine Lignier-Michelot Nuits-St-Georges 2012 (Magnum -1.5L)
by @LeDomduVin 2021

Domaine Lignier-Michelot Nuits-St-Georges 2012 (Magnum -1.5L) (@domaine_virgile_lignier )

Domaine Lignier-Michelot Nuits-St-Georges 2012 (Magnum -1.5L)
by @LeDomduVin 2021

This wine was amazingly good and still so youthful, I was very surprised and impressed. Lots of ripe dark and red cherry, mineral, generous and complex palate, great balance, full of life, and really smooth. Well integrated. Highly recommended.

Château Angélus Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 1978
by @LeDomduVin 2021

Château Angélus Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 1978 (@chateauangelus) 

I was a bit skeptical at first when seeing the condition of the label, and more especially the state of the cork, black and dirty on top, soft, soaked, and crumbling in the middle and at the base. Even the first smell inspired something rotten inside. The light brick/brownish color also revealed an advanced stage. However, the taste was ok, so, I served it, and to my surprise, it opened up after about 10 minutes and revealed some interesting aromatics: smoky earth, underbrush, dark fruits, leather, horse saddle, forest floor. The soft and light palate showed some fruits, good acidity, and structure. Fragile, but still very much alive. Surprising. Definitely, a must-taste. 

Château Lafite Rothschild Pauillac 1978
by @LeDomduVin 2021

Château Lafite Rothschild Pauillac 1978 (@chateaulafiterothschild)

Label in good condition. Light green bottle with thinner glass than I remembered and the punt also not as deep as I thought it would be, but still presenting some features from the 70s. I'm always careful when it comes to Lafite Rothschild, counterfeits are always a concern. The cork seemed correct, with expected dimensions and conditions. The nose presented some smokiness and earthiness the like of Haut-Brion, more than a Pauillac. Tasted very young too. Surprising here again. Fake? Maybe not... 

Most vintages of the 70s for Bordeaux wines being quite mediocre overall, I cannot help to think that, either 1978 is an extraordinary underrated vintage, which has somehow developed gracefully over the last decade, after being tight and closed all these years, and, thus, must be discovered at once, prior it reaches its peak, as these two wines above exhibited some really interesting and enjoyable features. 

Château Lafite Rothschild and Angelus 1978
by @LeDomduVin 2021

Or, these two wines are amongst some of the exceptions of this particular vintage, 1978, which, in Bordeaux, was nicknamed "the miracle vintage" due to a beautiful September, which saved the "Millésime", while most producers were expecting the worst, yet, it ended up not being so bad after all, even producing some rather fine wines for some Chateaux. Trying more Bordeaux 1978 should give us the answer.  

Cheers! Santé!

Dom 

LeDomduVin (aka Dominique Noel)     

@ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #wine #vin #vino #wein #tasting #winetasting #winedescriptions #winenotes #sommelier #sommelierlife #sommlife #ilovemyjob 🍷😋

Unless stated otherwise, all right reserved ©LeDomduVin 2021 on all the contents above including, but not limited to, photos, pictures, maps, memes, posts, texts, writings, quotes, notes, tasting notes, descriptions, wine descriptions, definitions, recipes, drawings, illustrations, visuals, graphs, tables, and even music and video (when and where applicable).