Monday, June 12, 2023

LeDomduVin: Burgundy Stellar Examples - Raveneau and Groffier







Burgundy stellar examples: 

Raveneau and Groffier




Opened this weekend... (1/2)

Raveneau and Groffier need no introduction, as both are widely recognized among connoisseurs and enthusiasts of exceptional Burgundy. Their reputation precedes them.


Domaine Francois Raveneau Chablis Premier Cru "Foret" 2018


Stunning! Upon opening the bottle, I immediately detected a pleasant aroma from the cork, indicating its initial appeal. It boasted zesty citrus peel notes in the glass, subtle nuances of apple and pear, toast, and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, it is smooth, silky, generous, ample, and charming, exuding elegance and precision, enhanced by crisp acidity and chalky minerality on the finish. Beautifully balanced, finely structured, and textured, while gracefully expanding from the attack to the long finish. What a delightful wine! Loved it. 


Domaine Robert Groffier Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru "Les Sentiers" 2018


As soon as I opened it and took a whiff at the cork, enticing aromas filled my nostrils and put a smile on my face. Past its dark red hue, the nose offered timid black cherry and floral notes with an earthy tone. After a little while, the nose was quite charming and refined. The palate also seemed shy, dry, earthy and acidic, thin, and lacking a bit of amplitude. After about an hour, it opened up, revealing more prominent flavours of ripe dark cherry and plum mingling with floral and earthy notes. The moderate tannins provided a good structure and length, and the wine was pleasantly easy to drink. Yet, it seemed that it was still closed, having yet to fully express itself. Too young, I thought. And yet again, something told me that within 5 or 6 more years, this pinot would transform into an exceptional wine. It just needs a bit of time.


Domaine Robert Groffier Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru "Les Amoureuses" 2018


Compared to "Les Sentiers," "Les Amoureuses" appeared so much more open, confident, and exuberant. The nose was refined and enticing, combining red and dark ripe cherry with mineral and floral nuances. The palate is soft, silky, refined, almost fragile, yet layered, complex, rich, and generous in a very elegant and sophisticated way. Impressive!



As discussed with my colleagues that night, it is true that it is very difficult to go back to drinking average wines once you've tasted high-quality ones (like those above). For wine (and everything else), you can not return to mediocrity once you have tasted excellence. - Dom

Cheers! Santé!

Dom 



@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #vin #wine #vino #wein @domaineraveneau #domaineraveneau #francoisraveneau @domaine.robert.groffier #domainerobertgroffier #robertgroffier #burgundy #chablis #chambollemusigny #stellarwines #stellarwineexamples #lesphotosadom #sommelier #sommelierlife #sommlife #ilovemyjob



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LeDomduVin: Trio de Choc





Trio de choc (again)


Billecart-Salmon 'Le Clos Saint Hilaire' Blanc de Noirs Champagne 1996


François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru “Forêt” Burgundy 2018


Robert Groffier Chambolle Musigny “Les Sentiers” Burgundy 2018

Mise en place


Cheers! Santé!

Dom

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #vin #wine #vino #wein @champagne_billecart_salmon @domaineraveneau @domaine.robert.groffier #billecartsalmon #domaineraveneau #robertgroffier #champagne #burgundy




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: Proverbe du jour





Proverbe du jour 


"Le soutien gorge rembourré. Le vin aussi."😂



To fully grasp this "play-on-words" and its metaphorical meaning, one must either be French or possess a thorough understanding and mastery of the subtleties of the French language.

Literally, it translates as "The padded bra. The wine too.", which does not mean much, just as is. 

Yet, in French, the word "rembourré" (meaning "padded" or "stuffed" in English) sounds and is pronounced like "rend bourré" (meaning "makes you drunk" in English), which completely changes the sense of the sentence that now could be translated as: "The bra makes you stuffed (meaning "drunk"). The wine too." ... 

Funny, isn't it? Well, maybe not in English... but it is really funny in French. 😁👍🍷 

Cheers! Santé!

Dom



Merci @chaileonreims 
Excellent 
Un Caviste qui a de l'humour. 

#chaileonreims #wine #vin #vino #wein #caviste #humour #joke @ledomduvin #ledomduvin 



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Friday, June 9, 2023

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

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #lesselectionsadom #miseenplace #vin #wine #vino #wein #champagne #burgundy #bordeaux #sommelier #sommelierlife #sommlife #ilovemyjob @suntorywhisky_hibiki @krugchampagne @louislatour1797 @philipcolin8 @chateaupalmer @vieuxchateaucertan




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Friday, June 2, 2023

LeDomduVin: La dernière bouteille de "Brut Premier"





 La dernière bouteille de "Brut Premier" 



Certains lisent dans le marc de café. Je lis dans le vinaigre balsamique baignant dans l'huile d'olive. 

Perdu dans mes pensées, le regard dans mon assiette à pain, la silhouette d'une bouteille et d'une coupe se dessinaient dans cette flaque brune cerclée d'une aura jaunâtre. 

L'appel du champagne était indéniable et je ne pu lui résister... 

Ses bulles m'égayèrent l'esprit. Sa minéralité adoucit mon anxiété naturelle et son acidité me rafraichit les idées, me rendant plus lucide, me rappelant à la réalité, prêt à reprendre la conversation avec la tablée, que j'avais quittée l'espace d'un instant où mon esprit s'était égaré. 

C’était une bouteille de Louis Roederer « Brut Premier ». Peut-être l’une des dernières sur le marché, car « Brut Premier » a été abandonné en 2021 et a été remplacé par « Collection », une cuvée numérotée qui a une expression légèrement différente chaque année, et dont la dernière porte le numéro « 244 ». 

J’eu plaisir à la boire en compagnie des autres convives à la table et l’accompagner dans son dernier voyage avant qu’elle ne tombe dans l’oubli. 

D’ici quelques années, peu se souviendront de « Brut Premier », seule « Collection » restera dans les mémoires. 

Et si ce reflet dans le vinaigre, c’était sa façon a elle de dire que même dans l’ombre elle sera toujours là, ayant était d’une certaine façon l’inspiration première à l’initiative de ce qu’est devenue « Collection ». 

Adieu « Brut Premier » et merci pour toutes ces années de bonheur des papilles gustatives. 

Cheers ! Santé ! 

Dom 

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin @louisroederer_ #louisroederer #champagne #brutpremier #collection #brut #wine #vin #vino #wein #lesphotosadom #adieu #farewell #sommelier #sommelierlife #sommlife #ilovemyjob



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LeDomduVin: A very evocative decanter







A very evocative decanter...



No matter how you look at it, this decanter is definitely quite evocative… in both a feminine and a masculine way, isn’t it? 
😇😉😁👍🍷




And, of course, it resulted in a few salacious jokes around the table. Impossible to avoid when facing such an object, clearly evoking certain body parts. 😅😅😅





As in everything, what you see is only a matter of perspective and imagination. 😄👍🍷





I used it in a restaurant to decant @levieuxdonjon 2019. It was the only type of decanter they had. 😅😅😅


So, what do you see? 😇
Let me know in the comments below if you want.

Cheers! Santé!

Dom


@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #decanter #evocative #evocativeshape #shape #feminine #masculine #evokingshape #whatdoyousee



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LeDomduVin: Mise en Place






Mise en place 



A good Sommelier is always prepared for the worst and the last-minute guests the host may have. 







Mostly Bordeaux on these two shelves, but we also have many great burgundy wines. 😄👍🍷

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #miseenplace #vin #wine #vino #wein #bordeaux #bordeauxwine  #grandcruclasse #greatwines #lesphotosadom




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: Sediment... and this is why we decant wine...




Sediment... And this is why we decant wine…


😄👍🍷

As a picture is worth a thousand words. 

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom 

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #sediments #sedimentation #vin #wine #vino #wein #bordeaux #sommelier #sommelierlife🍷 #sommlife #ilovemyjob #intheglass




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: Trio de Choc





Trio de Choc



A selection I made recently for a private dinner. You cannot go wrong with these 3. They are stellar wines and classics amongst their peers. Their combination is the perfect recipe for a successful dinner. 

Krug Vintage 2008
Philippe Colin Chevalier Montrachet 2019
Perrot Minot NSG La Richemone Vignes Centenaires

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

NB: full descriptions coming soon

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #lesselectionsadom @krugchampagne #krug @philipcolin8 #philippecolin @domaineperrotminot #perrotminot #champagne #burgundy #vin #wine #vino #wine #sommelier #sommelierlife🍷 #sommlife #ilovemyjob #lesphotosadom 




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: Château Haut-Bailly 2010





Chateau Haut-Bailly 2010



3 bottles opened recently while working on a luxurious yacht. 

Over the last 2 years, I opened quite a few bottles of this wine in this vintage, and I must say I never get tired of it. I love it. 

Thank you, Véronique and your team. I have been buying, selling, opening, tasting, serving and drinking Haut-Bailly, for the past 30 years, and it is getting better and better. 






Tasting the delicious Chateau Haut Bailly Grand Cru Classé Pessac Leognan 2010 on a luxury yacht always adds a “je ne sais quoi” of smoothness and sophistication to the wine. 😉😁👍🍷

These 3 bottles of Haut-Bailly 2010 were delicious, rich, layered, complex, balanced, voluptuous, generous and long. Loved it. 

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #vin #wine #vino #wein @chateauhautbailly #chateauhautbailly #graves #pessacleognan #grandcruclasse #sommelier #sommelierlife🍷 #sommlife #ilovemyjob



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).