Ian Fitzsimmons
Ian Fitzsimmons
2009 Pavillion du Chavannes Ambassade Cote de Brouilly
Less generous with its fruit than the other 09 cru Beaujolais I've tasted so far (Vissoux, Foillard, Coudert, Brun), with a pronounced (ripe) tannin edge, but very fine, with good acid-fruit-tannin balance. Some coffee, red-black fruit sensation, good tension or nerve. At $18, a re-buy.
Between this and Thivin's wines (which sport nearly the same label), Cote de Brouilly may be my sweet spot in this region. This is the best young-drinking Beaujolais of the vintage so far for me - maybe because my tastes lean away from primary fruit - with its nice balance and sense of lightness.
2002 Haut Bailly Pessac-Leognan
Drank over four days: showed some fruit but was a fuzzy, tannic mess of components. Straightened out progressively, becoming nicely-delineated, well-proportioned, discretely fine Bordeaux. The last glass was the best.
1998 Doisy-Vedrines
Imbibed over a week as aperitif. Rather sugary to start; at its best about half-way through, when sweet and sour came into balance; still good as it began to fade at the end of the week. Drink or hold, but no hurry.
2002 Huet Petillant, first bottling
Opened to toast my son's birthday. Texturally nice at first, but hard- and bitter-tasting. Needs a decant, then shows some flattering roundness and biscuity richness. Nice, but still young, I'd guess.
2002 Meulenhof Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett
Nice, balanced MSR Kabinett, showing the delicacy of the WS vineyard. A bit young; give a healthy decant if opening now.
Less generous with its fruit than the other 09 cru Beaujolais I've tasted so far (Vissoux, Foillard, Coudert, Brun), with a pronounced (ripe) tannin edge, but very fine, with good acid-fruit-tannin balance. Some coffee, red-black fruit sensation, good tension or nerve. At $18, a re-buy.
Between this and Thivin's wines (which sport nearly the same label), Cote de Brouilly may be my sweet spot in this region. This is the best young-drinking Beaujolais of the vintage so far for me - maybe because my tastes lean away from primary fruit - with its nice balance and sense of lightness.
2002 Haut Bailly Pessac-Leognan
Drank over four days: showed some fruit but was a fuzzy, tannic mess of components. Straightened out progressively, becoming nicely-delineated, well-proportioned, discretely fine Bordeaux. The last glass was the best.
1998 Doisy-Vedrines
Imbibed over a week as aperitif. Rather sugary to start; at its best about half-way through, when sweet and sour came into balance; still good as it began to fade at the end of the week. Drink or hold, but no hurry.
2002 Huet Petillant, first bottling
Opened to toast my son's birthday. Texturally nice at first, but hard- and bitter-tasting. Needs a decant, then shows some flattering roundness and biscuity richness. Nice, but still young, I'd guess.
2002 Meulenhof Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett
Nice, balanced MSR Kabinett, showing the delicacy of the WS vineyard. A bit young; give a healthy decant if opening now.
