Some great fruit from the Stoneridge Vineyard. Four hours of air did the trick. Refined and polished with olives, wild raspberry, and a bit of camphor. The oak is abundant but well integrated showing suave vanilla aromas. Cola. Wears the 14.5% abv well. A great pairing with beef bourguignon. Think this would wear a $60 price tag a bit more easily. — 5 years ago
First time I have had a late harvest Sancerre. Very unique. I definitely would order again. — 11 years ago
Charles Noellat 1976 Richebourg
Each bottle opened is one less in existence; without it, there would be no subsequent legends of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti or Henri Jayer.
Aged yet remarkably robust—it’s surprising how well this bottle has been preserved.
· After opening for half an hour: notes of honey, dried rose petals, and dried preserved fruits.
· After an hour: aromas of red dates, cinnamon, and a hint of spices.
· Overall impression: The fruit profile still dominates, with no woody notes emerging. The structure of Richebourg remains present, showing a rounded, ripe fruit character.
The year 1976 was renowned for its "hot, dry summer." The growing season offered ideal conditions—plenty of sunshine, high temperatures, and almost no damage from hail or other severe weather. These conditions led to perfect grape ripening. The wine is full-bodied and lush, with mature, soft tannins and very ripe, almost jam-like red fruit flavors (such as ripe cherry and strawberry jam). It still has aging potential, and this bottle retains well-balanced acidity.
What’s more, 1976 saw the famous "Judgment of Paris"—a tasting that broke the myth of the Old World’s invincibility, reshaped the hierarchy of the wine world, and established New World regions (especially California) on the international stage. It truly shows how fascinating blind tastings can be!
Next time, I’d love to try a 1976 California wine and compare the experience. — a month ago
cherries 🍒 Needs more time to age. Cabernet Franc. Minerality, chalky. Food and wine pairing: beef bourguignon 🍷🍷😍 — 9 years ago
This came from a special release called La Collection Crayeres Mis En Caves, where Charles Heidsieck released old non vintage champagnes dating back to 1990 and all the way through 2001, alongside a somewhat late disgorged release of their 2000 vintage (this bottle). I opened a bottle of the 2001 MEC (which is a base vintage of 2000) a few weeks ago and it was corked. Thankfully I got a spectacular experience with this 2000!
I was able to enjoy this next to a ‘96 Krug, 15 Henri Giraud and a few other great champagnes. Richly colored in the glass, almost gold like. Distinct aromatics of pencil shavings/sawmill dust, toffee, espresso, and lemon scone. Lots of depth and richness on the palate as expected, but it’s amazingly fresh. Nougat, more lemon pastry notes and plenty of creamy mousse at the finish. In fact, there were a lot of similarities to the ‘96 Krug, but less ginger and slightly less finesse driven. Absolutely delightful! — 4 years ago
Serving with beef bourguignon on a day off. Perfection! — 10 years ago
Matthew Cohen
Still one of the great alt whites in the world.
N: swirling white and yellow flowers. Almost an echo of tropical fruit.
P: delicious. Clean. Balanced. Juicy. Liquid yellow flowers. Some crunch. Mountain steam. Amazing elegance.
9.5-9.6. Sick value at this price.
Fass selections — 11 days ago