Emmanuel Rouget
Cros Parantoux Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2014
Emmanuel Rouget 2014 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cros Parantoux
A wine from the nephew of the Wine God (Henri Jayer). This is my first time trying this domaine. In my view, Méo-Camuzet’s Cros Parantoux leans more feminine and delicate, while Emmanuel Rouget’s style is more like “a sea of stars and a sky of galaxies”—more structural, more spirited, with an air of chivalrous boldness.
2014 should be a relatively approachable vintage, but indeed the first glass showed very tight tannins, vibrant and layered acidity, a pronounced herbaceous/green note, earthy minerality, very fresh and natural, with a bright and clean quality. The structure wasn’t broad or massive, but rather deeply intricate, precise, and penetrating.
After 1 hour of aeration, wild strawberry emerged, along with a mineral sense of wet earth after rain in the forest. Floral notes were not yet obvious; I looked forward to its further evolution.
After 2 hours open, the nose was no longer about thick jammy fruit, but a mix of different spices—like scattered starlight in a river of stars: cool, shimmering, accompanied by rose petals, wild strawberries, and the cool limestone minerality. The aromas don’t hit you head‑on but slowly unfold in the nasal cavity like the Milky Way. Once fully opened, I experienced its signature “silver bead of acidity.” The tannins are incredibly fine, like velvet, and the wine floats on the tip of the tongue—not heavy, but like silk gliding across the night sky. That concentrated mineral energy strikes the palate instantly, then dissolves into a long, lingering finish. The aftertaste lasts for tens of seconds, carrying notes of sandalwood, dried tangerine peel, and damp earth.
Half‑drunk, I felt as if I were drifting into a dream beneath the starry river. — a month ago
Domaine Hubert Lignier
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2001
Hubert Lignier's Clos de la Roche 2001 is an elegant beast—powerful in structure, layered and unfolding progressively, with fleshy texture, dark fruit, and black pepper intertwining. It's a very 'un-Roche' Roche. I've had AR's Roche and Dujac's Roche before, but neither had this kind of sheer power.
The 2014 DRC Richebourg exceeded expectations. I wasn't a big fan of the 2014 vintage before—it's a weaker year after all. But this one only started to open up after three hours of decanting, from 5 PM to 8 PM. I poured it three times over the evening, and each glass showed a different evolution:
· First glass: hawthorn and sour plum soup.
· Second glass: elegant rose perfume began to emerge, along with white pepper spice.
· Third glass: fully opened—red fruit, floral notes, and licorice intertwined, with a slender, lean, elegant frame—charming and refined, never cloying.
What a joyful evening. Both bottles were absolutely delightful! — 3 months ago
Masseto
Toscana Merlot 2022
Masseto 2022
· First impression & decanting: It was my first time trying Masseto. Since it’s a young wine, I put half the bottle into a decanter and kept the other half for the next day. It only started to open up after about an hour of decanting, showing dark fruit aromas.
· Second-day explosion: On the second day, the aroma fully opened up. I poured just a little into the glass, and the aroma instantly filled the entire bowl. Intense blackberry and plum, with hints of tobacco and cocoa.
· Palate: Tannins are velvety smooth; full-bodied, with good acidity and plenty of power.
· Summary: A very classic top-tier “Super Tuscan.” In its youth it is very tight and needs a lot of patience with decanting or further aging. But once fully open, it is absolutely stunning.
Gaja Gaia & Rey 2022
· Aroma: Fresh citrus, white peach, and pear, with light oak-derived notes of toast, vanilla, and minerality.
· Palate: Round and full-bodied, with a distinct creamy texture, bright acidity, and a clean, mineral finish.
· Summary: A very elegant top Italian Chardonnay. Excellent balance—it retains fresh fruit while showing the complexity of oak aging. Drinking perfectly now.
One-line summary: One red, one white; one powerful, one elegant—a fantastic pairing! — 2 days ago
Domaine Armand Rousseau
Clos St. Jacques Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2004
Clos Saint‑Jacques is often hailed as the “Musigny” of Gevrey‑Chambertin. It combines the signature power and structure of Gevrey with the elegance and finesse of Vosne‑Romanée, and Armand Rousseau’s bottling has always been remarkably consistent.
2004 was a challenging vintage—a weak year in which many grapes failed to reach full ripeness. Now that it has entered its drinking window, it opens up quite nicely. This is not a flamboyant style; instead, it leans more toward herbaceous notes and bay leaf, with hints of florals and red cherry. It has a mineral quality, yet without the saline or briny character often found in other Gevrey vineyards. The acidity is well‑balanced. The overall bouquet is delicately fresh, reserved rather than exuberant, yet persistent, and it doesn’t evolve dramatically over time. — a month ago
Domaine Armand Rousseau
Chambertin Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2011
I never expected the 2011 Chambertin to have such a firm backbone! I opened it yesterday at 3:30 for decanter breathing, then started glass-breathing at 6:30. Right after pouring, it was extremely tight – it wasn't until 8:30, after two full hours in the glass, that the aromas finally emerged: intense floral and powdery rose notes, with a powerful structure, great depth, and hints of chocolate, earth, leather, tobacco, and a peppery spice. The fruit was certainly there, but it wasn't soft or delicate. To be honest, this was a great wine in terms of aroma, structure, and quality – but it wasn't easy drinking. It felt like hard work, and frankly, it's not my preferred style. I took half the bottle home. Then tonight at 6:00, I opened the remaining half – and wow, the nose was bursting with wild roses, violets, and powdery perfume. The palate was a pure delight: the tannins had turned incredibly silky, with black cherry and sour plum intertwined, finishing clean, sweet, and refreshing. Completely opened up. This wine, when closed, is deep, introverted, and grand in structure; once open, it becomes flamboyant and exuberant. From now on, I think the best approach for Chambertin is an 8-hour decanter breather, followed by glass-breathing to appreciate its evolution along the way. — 2 months ago
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)
Échézeaux Pinot Noir
15 is a vintage I like — a hot year. This time I also drank it in two sessions: half the bottle from a decanter at the restaurant, and the remaining half the next morning.
Right after opening: the floral notes were so beautiful. Violets lingered around the rim of the glass like vines, and the tart plum and red fruit flavors were very sweet. Many people say sandalwood — I didn’t get it.
The next morning: fruit, game, wood smoke, and a savory, saline hint of seafood sauce. Grand Echézeaux still has more structure than Echézeaux. In the same vintage it has earthy and cedar notes; this one is a little lighter, not as muscular — which is the style I like. It has backbone, but the backbone isn’t that hard.
Palate: full-bodied, powerful, and concentrated. The tannins are firm but fine-grained. Even on the second day the acidity was excellent, and the finish was extremely long. Love it. — 11 days ago
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)
Grands Échézeaux Pinot Noir 1990
Right after opening: black fruit, powdery perfume, and rose petals wrapped around me in three-dimensional layers. 1990 really is a great vintage—every great vineyard site and every famous estate lives up to expectations.
One hour later: sandalwood, cream, aged Pu’er tea, and temple incense—the tertiary aromas had fully opened, and I felt as if I’d been carried back in a dream to the White Horse Temple.
On the acidity: vivid yet understated, with a firm yet balanced structure. Drinking such good wine lifts my mood too. — 17 days ago
Domaine Leroy
Echezeaux Grand Cru Pinot Noir
Leroy 1969 Echezeaux
This 1969 vintage is the work of Henri Leroy, father of the "old lady" (Lalou Bize‑Leroy).
First glass: A hint of rotten egg and fruit, but I could not perceive much structure.
Second glass: Very intense honey notes with scattered dried flowers, a mix of jammy fruit and savoury umami. It felt like honey and peony paste melting on a soda cracker in the mouth. The structure is rounded.
Third glass: After an hour, the wine fully opened up. Tertiary aromas emerged – leather, forest floor, earth. Tannins are silky, structure balanced, making it highly enjoyable.
Fourth glass: Tea notes… a faint ginseng oolong tea.
Overall: With a fill level above the shoulder, this nearly 60‑year‑old wine showed a satisfying state – mature and balanced. It felt a bit tired at first, but once opened up, it became remarkably elegant and surprising. — a month ago
Château Rayas
Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache Blend 2008
Rayas 08 exceeded my expectations — it was in great condition. We decanted it at 3 PM and started drinking at 7 PM. In the first phase, it showed sweet red fruit notes. In the second phase, herbal/vegetal notes emerged. In the third phase, a cooling mintiness appeared.
This bottle wasn't as explosively aromatic as the 07 I opened last time — that 07, after two hours of decanting, unleashed an incredibly rich and enchanting floral bouquet. It was like the scent of a garden transitioning from summer into autumn — grand and opulent, with a hint of fading beauty. Notes of black cherry, rose, and blood orange intertwined, and the aromas kept evolving over time — garrigue, incense — complex and alluring, with a grand structure and a rich, round palate.
The 08, on the other hand, feels more like a refined lady from a scholarly family — graceful, gentle, intellectual, with no aggressive edge. — 3 months ago
Her Mir Tage
Valentini Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo Tasting Note
Region & Grape: Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo DOC, Abruzzo, Italy. Made from 100% Montepulciano. I picked this bottle at a steakhouse in Florence and served it blind to friends. It cost €110, about 10% below the international price. Production is very low, and unfortunately only the new vintage was available.
Aroma: Highly complex. Notes of wild strawberry, cherry, and rose petals, along with this wine’s signature unique perfume note—a friend described it as the pink Miss Dior, full of girlish charm—intertwined with herbs and wet stone minerality.
Palate: Full-bodied, with bright acidity and fine tannins. The finish shows distinct saline minerality and a slight almond-like bitterness, with a long aftertaste.
This wine is very difficult to identify blind. A legendary “cult” rosé from Abruzzo, extremely well made. Far from a simple, easy-drinking rosé. Valentini owns nearly 70 hectares of vineyards, but each year selects less than 5% of the fruit for winemaking; the remaining over 95% is rejected and sold off for failing to meet the standard. This extreme selectivity means the estate’s total annual production is only about 30,000 bottles, and the Cerasuolo rosé follows the same principle. I plan to hunt down some older vintages to drink. — 2 days ago