Château L'arrivet-Haut-Brion, Pessac-Leognan, 2009
This is the best Larrivet-Haut-Brion I've had since the 1998, with red fruit and rotting leaves, just enough fruit to full out its medium-bodied frame, lithe, savory tannins and excellent acidity. It stays in form as it opens up, the earth notes wedded to cedar and mint notes, the tannins softening enough to indicate that it probably won't develop much further (but would definitely keep for at least five years). (May 24, 2021)
Dog Point Vineyard, Marlborough, Sauvignon Blanc, 2019
Aficionados sang hosannas to high heaven when Dani Galil started importing this New Zealand producer. Old World, they called the wines. I guess they were talking about the wines from smaller parcels. This larger-bottling is very good, near excellent, but the incisive marriage of chalk and slightly underride tropical fruit is nothing we haven't see from other classy Kiwi acts, wineries that nobody is labelling as Old World. (May 27, 2021)
Domaine Hubert Lamy, Saint-Aubin Premier Cru, Clos de la Chateniere, 2014
I expected greater tension and focus from a 2014 Lamy white. Maybe I waited too long with this specific bottle, because while it's damn excellent, I think a 2014 should still have electrifying acidity and form. Whatever, I find a very good nose with lime, and traces of nut oil and gunpowder. The palate is flavorsome, fatter and oilier than I figured it to be, but air and time helps render a chalky finish. I still expect a Lamy from such a lauded vintage to have more tension, even at seven years of age, but that finish at least answers many of my qualms, as does the complexity that develops on both nose and palate.(May 28, 2021)
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