More general drinking on the Monday

Hermitage La Chapelle 1988, Jaboulet

Slightly high-toned nose, it is a bit cheesy too. Not much fruit. Palate is a bit tough and dry and also lacks a bit of fruit. Reasonable length, though. It does seem a bit past it.

Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg Cuvée St. Catherine l’Inedit! 2000, Domaine Weinbach

Lovely earthy nose, extremely mineral and complex. Very concentrated, it is big but lovely. The palate is confidently structured: lots of fruit, acid and alcohol. But it is all in perfect harmony. Very long, very complex. This is really tits, man.

Chateau Ormes de Pez 1986

Blackcurrant nose, cedarwood and earth. This smells like type claret. The palate is dry and hard, with little fruit and not much in the way of charm. I cannot stand it.

Corton Clos du Roi Grand Cru 2004, Prince Florent de Merode

It is quite pale in colour. Smells a touch green, but has ripeness and weight. This bitter herb character seems very Corton to me. Again it has greenness on the palate, but a good degree of concentration. It has a degree of bitterness. It is OK, but nothing to write home about. With some air it lost some of its bitterness and gained a degree of charm. It is still nothing to write home about, though.

Hermitage 1994, J-L Chave

Herbal, meaty nose. Seems very ripe for a 94. Very complex, very earthy. Maybe the acidity it a touch high, but there is a lot of fresh fruit, real complexity and fabulous length. It is really tasty. This is clearly quite serious and drinking very well now.