les Heritiers du Comte Lafon Macon Milly-Lamartine Clos du Four 2013

Date of Tasting: 15 March 2016

Wine Type: White

Grape Varieties: 100% Chardonnay

Alcohol: 13%

Origin: Burgundy, France

Appellation: Macon-Villages Controlee

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR25

Web: http://www.comtes-lafon.fr/
Chubby Appreciation: 92/100
Critics' Opinion: WE - 92/100, WA - 91/100, JR - 17/20, CT - 89/100

Appearance: Light yellow straw.

Aroma: Mild citrus. Stony, rocky and smoky. 

Palate: Fresh and clean on the palate with lovely minerally stony touch. Lingering notes of citrus and apple. Vibrant acidity. Structured and depth as well. Wonderful complexity and length.

Love the stony touch of this wine. Great concentration with fruits too. Easily a great wine for everyday either with food or as aperitif. It would surely worth waiting for some development. But why wait. It is already delicious. Salute!!!

Patrick Javillier Puligny-Montrachet Les Levrons 2012

Date of Tasting: 23 December 2015

Wine Type: White

Grape Varieties: 100% Chardonnay

Alcohol: 13%

Origin: Burgundy, France

Appellation: Puligny-Montrachet AOC

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR70

Web: http://www.patrickjavillier.com/
Chubby Appreciation: 93/100
Critics' Opinion: ST - 92/100, CT - 90/100

Appearance: Yellow straw.

Aroma: Nutty and citrusy. Granny Smith and peach. Limestone.

Palate: Creamy mouth-feel. Ripe white fruits and lemon. Fine acidity and minerality. Persistent.

Excellent concentration of Village white wine at Premier quality. Aromatic one with early consumption. A tat expensive but lovely. So fine as aperitif or pairing with white fish. Fresh and elegant are the keys here. Like it.

Domaine Leroy Bourgogne Aligote 2011

Date of Tasting: 8 January 2016

Wine Type: White

Grape Varieties: 100% Aligote

Alcohol: 12.5%

Origin: Burgundy, France

Appellation: Bourgogne Aligote AOC

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR60

Web: http://www.domaine-leroy.com/
Chubby Appreciation: 93/100
Critics' Opinion: CT - 89/100

Appearance: Light yellow straw.

Aroma: Saline, lime curd, crushed rock, and orchard.

Palate: Rich and creamy. Lingering acidity. Dry with density. Citrus and spice notes. Not at all austere.

Such a unique personality and expression from the woman behind Domaine Leroy, Lalou Bize-Leroy, this with Bourgogne is. This is no ordinary flat Aligote. On the other hand, vibrant and fresh with complexity. Initially, it seemed to hold its nerve backward. Only after a few hours of opening, the true characters revealed. Such an enjoyable Aligote.

Domaine de Montille Volnay 1er Cru en Champans 2011

Date of Tasting: 16 October 2015

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 12.5%

Origin: Burgundy, France

Appellation: Volnay 1er Cru Controlee

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR90

Web: http://www.demontille.com/
Chubby Appreciation: 93/100
Critics' Opinion: ST - 91/100, BH - 92/100

Appearance: Light ruby.

Aroma: Perfume of flower field enhanced with red fruits. Minerality.

Palate: Medium touch on the palate. Silkily smooth. Strawberry stands out. Complex with persistent finish.

Looking for masculine new world, you might just forget this one. This is pure and cool in style. Classic and elegant. Personally, love this style. Structure wise, it should live its age well in my humble opinion. Enjoyable now but cannot imagine how it would develop during the next decade.

Francois Mikulski Meursalt 1er Cru les Charmes 2007

Date of Tasting: 30 October 2015

Wine Type: White

Grape Varieties: 100% Chardonnay

Alcohol: 13%

Origin: Burgundy, France

Appellation: Meursault 1er Cru Controlee

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR70

Web: http://www.domainemikulski.fr/
Chubby Appreciation: 92/100
Critics' Opinion: WA - 92/100, WS - 89/100, BH - 92/100, CT - 88/100

Appearance: Pale yellow straw.

Aroma: White fruits, zest, honey, elderflower, mild spices and mineral.

Palate: Rich enough but accessible. Ripe citrus an white fruits. Tangy acidity. Mineral notes. Dry.

Not so rich as expected but structure was there. Dry notes with mineral surely. Accessible now but would indeed be fascinating to age further. Definitely a fine Meursault but in my humble opinion, something was missing there: sexiness or charm perhaps?

Domaine de la Pousse d'Or Volnay 1er Cru Clos des 60 Ouvrees 2011

Date of Tasting: 18 June 2015

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 13%

Origin: Burgundy, France

Appellation: Volnay 1er Cru AOC

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR70

Web: http://www.lapoussedor.fr/
Chubby Appreciation: 92/100
Critics' Opinion: ST - 92/100, BH - 93/100, JR - 16.5/20, CT - 92/100

Appearance: Dark and red.

Aroma: Seem complex but reduced at the moment. Dark fruits, spices, oak, and field of Provence.

Palate: Rather rich and structured. Fine and silky. Leaded by cassis and black fruits flavour. Minerality in the background. Quite long haul on the finish.

It was mid 2015 and this bottle of Volnay seemed to be closed and mute still. Dark fruit and subtle, yes. But its potential character and finesse are still sleeping. Structure and acidity were there though to support development. To savour its lingering pleasure, patience is required. Forget it for another 5 years, I guess.

Jean-Paul et Benoit Droin Chablis Premier Cru Montee de Tonnerre 2013

Date of Tasting: 10 May 2015

Wine Type: White

Grape Varieties: 100% Chardonnay

Alcohol: 13.5%

Origin: Burgundy, France

Appellation: Chablis 1er Cru AOC

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR30

Web: http://www.jeanpaul-droin.fr/
Chubby Appreciation: 92/100
Critics' Opinion: WA - 94/100, AG - 94/100, ST - 93/100, BH - 93/100, DC - 93/100, CT - 91/100

Appearance: Yellow straw.

Aroma: Classic lemony apple nose. Some white fruits and a bit of floral aroma.

Palate: Medium bodied on the texture. Full of minerality. Crisp and juicy. Abundant of citrus notes and smokiness. 

There are joys within this bottle of Chablis. I believe with or without food is perfectly fine. Not exactly easy drinking kind. I would say extrovert. Wonderful now actually but with its intense structure and acidity it should live its life for many years. Let's see how it develops in a few years.

Domaine Jean Tardy et Fils Vosne-Romanee Vigneux 2012

Date of Tasting: 9 June 2015

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 13%

Origin: Burgundy, France

Appellation: Vosne-Romanee AOC

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR60

Web: http://domainejeantardy.canalblog.com/
Chubby Appreciation: 89/100
Critics' Opinion: WA - 93/100, JR - 16/20, BH - 91/100, CT - 89/100

Appearance: Bright ruby.

Aroma: Mild floral aroma. A bit of cherry and spices.

Palate: Medium-bodied structure. Fine and smooth on the touch. Ripe pinot fruits. A bit of oak. 

Good village Vosne-Romanee but rather pricey. Both bouquet and palate taste do not seem to reveal its potential much at the moment. Perhaps a couple of years more of sleeping shall awake its form up. Expect to see more of complexity, minerality, and aroma from this one. 

Patrick Piuze Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux 2013

Date of Tasting: 16 May 2015

Wine Type: White

Grape Varieties: 100% Chardonnay

Alcohol: 13.5%

Origin: Burgundy, France

Appellation: Chablis 1er Cru AOC

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR40

Web: http://www.patrickpiuze.com/
Chubby Appreciation: 92/100
Critics' Opinion: AG - 92/100, WE - 94/100, ST - 93/100, BH - 92/100, CT - 94/100

Appearance: Soft yellow.

Aroma: Stony and lime perfume. White floral bouquet.

Palate: Vibrant and chalky with tanginess. Pear and citrus notes. Quite intense on the body and structure. Classic minerality. 

Pretty nice Chablis, this is. It is beautiful at its youth and should prolong its life nicely. Impressive energy lies within. I love the part that it shows both energy and sleekness. Rather value for money. I would not mind taking it as table wine in compliment. Cheers!!!

Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles 2004

Date of Tasting: 4 May 2015

Wine Type: White

Grape Varieties: 100% Chardonnay

Alcohol: 13.5%

Origin: Burgundy, France

Appellation: Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru AOC

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR200

Web: http://www.leflaive.fr/
Chubby Appreciation: 93/100
Critics' Opinion: ST - 92/100, DC - 18/20, BH - 93/100, CT - 93/100

Appearance: Yellow straw.

Aroma: Reduced nose of white flower, stony fruits, nutty mineral, herbs, honey and lime.

Palate: Clean and pure with beautiful complexity and vibrancy. Soft citrus flavour and tropical fruits. Yet it also possesses feminine power and structure. Lovely acidity minerality.

Excellent white Burgundy with class. This premier cru by Anne Claude produced in biodynamic way. Upon popping up, it was still mute. But after almost an hour, beautiful perfume started showing up and revealing its class. Love the aroma of white flower and stony mineral there. This is superior and should age pretty nicely. 

Benjamin Leroux Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Baudines 2012

Date of Tasting: 5 March 2015

Wine Type: White

Grape Varieties: 100% Chardonnay

Alcohol: 13%

Origin: Burgundy, France

Appellation: Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru AOC

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR80

Web: http://www.benjamin-leroux.com/
Chubby Appreciation: 92/100
Professional Rating: WA - 93/100, BH - 92/100

Appearance: Bright yellow

Aroma: Pure and fresh pear with floral floor and limestone

Palate: Rich structure with primary minerality. Vibrant acidity and tanginess. Citrus and peach notes. Dry and clean.

It is a fine and elegant Chassagne-Montrachet for me. However, at the moment its bouquet is still understated and tightly knitted. It would need a few years of good sleep before the real show of complexity will reveal. Keep it safe for the mean while.

Domaine Nicolas Rossignol Volnay 1er Cru Fremiets 2005

Date of Tasting: 19 March 2015

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot

Alcohol: 13%

Origin: Burgundy, France

Appellation: Volnay 1er Cru AOC

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR90

Web: http://www.nicolas-rossignol.com/
Chubby Appreciation: 91/100
Professional Rating: WA - 92/100, BH - 91/100, CT - 92/100

Appearance: Dark red

Aroma: Blue and red berries on the nose with earthiness

Palate: Rather full and concentrate with tannins. Meaty and sweety red fruits. Acid and mineral elements seemed to be diminished.

Not my kind of volnay just yet, this bottle was. However, I feel like it is not quite at its potential level just yet. Things are shut and muted at the moment: it was broad and confusing. Revisiting in a few years should be interesting to see how it reveals. Good night for now for this volnay by Nicolas Rossignol.

Benjamin Leroux Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Champ Gain 2011

Date of Tasting: 30 January 2015

Wine Type: White

Grape Varieties: 100% Chardonnay

Alcohol: 13%

Origin: Burgundy, France

Appellation: Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru AOC

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR90

Web: http://www.benjamin-leroux.com/
Chubby Appreciation: 93/100
Professional Rating: AG - 92/100, ST - 92/100, CT - 90/100

Appearance: Bright yellow

Aroma: Rich yellow fruits. Buttery and mineral aroma. Citrus blossom.

Palate: Cleanse and fresh with somewhat buttery texture. Mild honey and peach. Sophisticated spices. Long and savoury finish. Medium bodied.

Pretty nice wine with opulent character. Swinging and sniffing, it had already taken my breathe away. Sipping it took me to another level. Not exactly the very best Puligny Montrachet available but it hit the spot for me with those lingering acidity, seductive limestone-like touch, and firm dimensions. Delicious now but would lovely to see how it performs in the near future.

Philippe Pacalet Beaune 1er Cru Les Perrieres 2010

Date of Tasting: 20 January 2015

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 13.5%

Origin: Burgundy, France

Appellation: AOC Beaune 1er Cru

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR80

Web: http://www.philippe-pacalet.com/
Chubby Appreciation: 93/100
Professional Rating: BH - 91/100

Appearance: Bright red

Aroma: Wonderful perfume of red berries, strawberry, and refined flower

Palate: Middle weight style spicy notes and mild red fruit. Fine and smooth with round finish. Nice balance.

Pop and pour, aromatic scent released immediately. So much attraction for someone like me. Nothing much needs to be said here really. Just enjoy the beautiful nose as well as the comparable palate touches. It is gorgeous now and perhaps even better in a few years.

Pascal Marchand-Tawse Morey Saint Denis 1er Cru Les Millandes 2011

Date of Tasting: 22 August 2014

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 13%

Origin: Bourgogne, France

Appellation: Appellation D'Origine Controlee

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR60

Web: http://www.marchand-tawse.com/
Chubby Appreciation: 93/100
Professional Rating: ST - 88/100, BH - 92/100

Appearance: deep ruby

Aroma: red berries and herbs

Palate: full bodied with density and power. lingering red fruits palate. long and fine silkily tannins.

This is more like a bigger style of pinot noir from Morey Saint Denis. It is big but refined and seamless. The red berries note dominate throughout with support from fresh spices. Impressively long on the finish. Still rather young at the moment so let this baby sleeps until the end of this decade. Cheers!!!!!

Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Chaumes 2007

Date of Tasting: 22 October 2014

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 13.2%

Origin: Bourgogne, France

Appellation: Appellation Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Controlee

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR80

Web: http://www.arnoux-lachaux.com/
Chubby Appreciation: 92/100

Professional Rating: ST - 90/100, BH - 92/100, JR - 17.5/100, CT - 92/100

Appearance: bright ruby

Aroma: red pinot fruits aroma, floral scented, a bit of spices

Palate: medium bodied with fine volume of juicy red berries and blue berries forward. fruit seems to dominate rather than oak. lively with charming complexity. well balance.

Beauty and elegant in style. It possesses some heavy body but not really overwhelming. Arnoux-Lachaux Les Chaumes 2007 is drinking wonderfully now but yet the life span is still bright ahead. I like the purity and balance of this bottle which perhaps represents the charm of this terroir without forcefully driven. Shall indeed enjoy more of this.

Domaine Servin Chablis Premier Cru Vaucoupin 2012

Date of Tasting: 29 August 2014

Wine Type: White

Grape Varieties: 100% Chardonnay

Alcohol: 12.5%

Origin: Burgundy, France

Appellation: Chablis Premier Cru Controlee

Expect to Pay: ~ THB1,300

Web: http://www.domaine-servin.net/
Chubby Score: 90/100
Value for money: 7/10

Professional Rating: WA - 92/100, AG - 93/100, WS - 92/100, ST - 91/100, BH - 92/100

Appearance: bright yellow

Aroma: stony and chalky aroma with minimum fruit character

Palate: silkily fine texture. minerality and chalkiness dominant. freshness and lingering finish. pretty much dry with cleanse and crisp.

A unique style of its own, it possesses. Concentration and expression focus pretty much on minerality and chalkiness both nose and palate. This is a beautiful work. If you do not mainly look for fruit, you may well like this one. I suspect that it should perform wonderfully until the end of this decade.

Pascal Marchand-Tawse Fixin 1er Cru Clos du Chapitre 2011

Date of Tasting: 8 August 2014

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 13%

Origin: Bourgogne, France

Appellation: D'Origine Controlee

Expect to Pay: ~ THB2,000

Web: http://www.marchand-tawse.com/
Chubby Score: 92/100
Value for money: 7/10

Professional Rating: n.a.

Appearance: deep ruby

Aroma: floral and red currants infusion, some earth

Palate: medium bodied with opulent punch. some sweet red fruits and plum. sharp long finish. flavour development stemming along the course. a little low on acidity. a bit of pungent aftertaste.

It is a rather modern Burgundy for me. There are volume and mild sweetness like those pinot noir from California. I might as well say it is a half-blood. Nevertheless, there was so much joy from this bottle. After an hour from opening, it was blossoming splendidly. Rather value for money from my opinion and is the one to watch for development.

Philippe Pacalet Nuits Saint Georges 2009

Date of Tasting: 9 August 2014

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 13%

Origin: Bourgogne, France

Appellation: Nuits-Saint-Georges Controlee

Expect to Pay: ~ THB3,000

Web: http://www.philippe-pacalet.com/
Chubby Score: 91/100
Value for money: 4/10

Professional Rating: AG - 89/100, BH - 90/100, CT - 90/100

Appearance: ruby in colour

Aroma: red fruit aroma like strawberry with detectable mild flowers floor of which rose petals standout, some cinnamon and smoky cigar on the background

Palate: somewhat creamy with chewy but silky tannins in medium body style. a little perky acidity. pureness of ripe strawberry and minerality. 

It needs time indeed. Let this baby sleeps a few more years before experiencing it, otherwise give it a couple of hours with air. The nose is pretty nice but difference from the highly aromatic Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru La Perrieres 2009 which shows super nose but light body. If a more masculine type of pinot noir is your style, you may give this one a try. Do give it enough time to breath though.

Joseph Faiveley Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2008

Date of Tasting: 18 July 2014

Wine Type: White

Grape Varieties: 100% Chardonnay

Alcohol: 13%

Origin: Burgundy, France

Appellation: Chablis 1er Cru Controlee

Expect to Pay: ~ THB1,500

Web: http://www.domaine-faiveley.com/
Chubby Score: 92/100
Value for money: 8/10

Professional Rating: ST - 92/100, JR - 16.5/20, BH - 92/100, CT - 90/100

Appearance: pale yellowish green

Aroma: complex expression of white flowers and citrus fruits on the nose with some stone

Palate: medium on the body with excellent length. fine detail of minerality and acidity which balance on the palate. beautiful and supple tone of mild citrus. 

This is a rather nice food wine. I had it along with grilled sea bass and they paired and showed synergy pretty nicely. The refined texture and Chablis character were rather charming. This Faiveley Chablis Vaillons 2008 starts to express itself now and I believe it should live up for a decade. Thank God.