As a wine geek, living and working in London really is superb. Hot on the heels of drinking some excellent aged wine at the weekend, I had a truly mouthwatering tasting lined up for this week. At the start of the year Roberson sent out an email with their upcoming tasting events and this one stood out like a beacon. Bordeaux 1995 horizontal.

Before Xmas I attended a Leoville Barton vertical, where you taste a number of wines from a single property from different years. A horizontal is tasting wines all harvested in the same year from different properties. And what properties… Including Mouton Rosthchild and Cheval Blanc. The type of wines I could only ever dream of drinking. Until tonight.

1995 was a highly rated vintage, with maybe only 1990, and in some opinions 1996, gaining better reviews from the 90’s. I was just hoping that the wines would meet my high expectations…

Overall the tasting was a delight with some excellent wines. Both of my favourites came from the right bank and Leoville Barton again showed its class and consistency. Although an excellent wine, I was hoping for a bit more from the Mouton – however I was in the minority as when the votes were counted for the best wine of the night the Mouton came out on top.

Here are all of my notes, in the order the wines were tasted (all prices are per bottle from Roberson):

Chateau Haut-Bailly 1995, Pessac-Leognan (£86.95)
Very mineral and earthy nose with restrained black fruits. What was great about this wine was the massive freshness and beautiful acidity. There is plenty of red cherry fruit as well as some nice blackcurrant warmth, backed up by the mineral from the nose. The tannins are very fine and provide a lovely structure. This is a very well balanced wine with good fruit and savouriness. Excellent start to the tasting. 92 points

La Mission Haut-Brion 1995, Pessac-Leognan (£215)
This wasn’t on the original list and was added to the tasting at the last minute. Was very excited about this, especially when I smelt the big concentration of red and black fruits on the nose and a lovely hint of earthiness. How disappointed I was to find a lean, thin wine in the mouth without the promised power. The tannins are still at the forefront and the wine may come together over the next few years – it left me a bit flat. 88 points

Chateau Cantermele 1995, Haut Medoc (£45)
I reckon this is a love it or hate it wine I didn’t love it. A feral nose with stewed plums and roast meat, almost high. A bit thin and green on the palate and just seemed past its best. Hints of fruit but instantly forgettable. 87 points

Chateau Palmer 1995, Margaux (£165)
Oh how I wanted to love you! Very floral and red fruit aromas – this is a very pretty wine with lots of elegance and class on the nose. Sweet red fruit, backed up with some blackberry shadows. There’s lots of minerality and even a touch of dried herb but somehow it doesn’t all come together like it should… Frustrating wine! 90 points

Chateau Leoville-Barton 1995, St Julien (£105)
Real class here. Blackcurrant, mineral and graphite aromas – very concentrated and very inviting. The concentration of fruit is very evident on the palate and a distinctive and attractive freshness. The fruit is supported with a lovely subtle eucalyptus freshness and very fine and chalky tannins. Real finesse, good weight and lovely balance. By far and away this wine took the trophy for best value wine on the night. 94 points

Chateau Leoville-Poyferre (£94.95)
Another fine wine from St Julien… A shame it came straight after the Barton! If anything, the nose here is even better than its predecessor with gorgeous cassis along with the gravel and earthiness. The tannins are firm and it is more closed than the Barton and not as balanced. The oak is sticking out a little bit but there is plenty of fruit. I’d keep this one for a couple more years. 91 points

Chateau Cos d’Estournel 1995, St Estephe (£165)
This is the real thing. Really developed black fruit, menthol freshness and meaty. This wine has real power, concentration and stuffing. The tannins give a super structure and the flavour stays with you for a very long time. This still feels very young and has a wonderful future ahead of it. I wish I had 3 to keep and 3 to drink right now. Brilliant. 94 points

Chateau Clerc-Milon 1995, Pauillac (£69.95)
A big step backwards from the Cos. Very withdrawn nose – I had to really stick my nose right in there to get a whiff of dark fruit. Thin and lean on the palate, good freshness but just a bit bland. Meh. The French in the audience seemed to like it though! 87 points

Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 1995, Pauillac (£495)
This was supposed to be the highlight of the night – and it was for many… But not for me. The nose is pure class. It’s elegant and polished. Sweet, ripe black fruit with cedar and a hint of eucalyptus and graphite. But then it didn’t live up to its billing on the palate. The fruits there, there’s decent power but not the concentration I was expecting. Don’t get me wrong, this is a fine wine and my guess is its still opening up… I suppose I shouldn’t mind being underwhelmed and still awarding 93 points.

Chateau Trotanoy 1995, Pomerol (£165)
Now we are talking! Cherries and strawberries, the smell of summer. Violets and anise back up the fruit on the nose and make you close your eyes and smile. The wine is silky, sensuous and just feels complete. So complex, its like the most supple, best quality leather with spikes of red fruit and beautifully integrated spices. It has a sensational lift of freshness and is just quite magnificent. 96 points

Chateau Cheval Blanc 1995, St Emilion (£380)
And I thought it couldn’t get better. Smells of sour cherries, raspberries, leather, sweet spice, pencil shaving and cedar. The aromas fill your nostrils with goodness. And the the palate… It’s lake waves of silky flavour on your receptors – fruit, spice, leather, sweetness, freshness…. And it just keeps coming and stays there for an awfully long time. It’s delicate yet concentrated, rustic yet integrated. This is absolute class. One of the best wines I have ever drunk and for me(and eight others!) the standout wine of the night. 97 points

I love tasting wine with winemakers. I love their energy, their enthusiasm and, most of all, their passion. Quite often you get a sense of a winemaker from tasting his or her wine, but also you can be swayed into unwarranted compliments, influenced by the context.

Earlier in the week Roberson put on a very interesting and stimulating tutored tasting (link to upcoming events). The two winemakers presenting their wines were California trailblazers Raj Parr and Jamie Kutch. They are part of a new Californian collective who want the US and the rest of the world to reevaluate Californian wines and to demonstrate how the area can deliver elegance and finesse, as well as brute force and power.

In Pursuit of Balance (web link) “seeks to promote dialogue around the meaning and relevance of balance in California Pinot Noir and Chardonnay”. To an extent the wines presented are definitely on their way to accomplishing this. However, I did find some of the Pinots a shade underwhelming and in need of some of that power that the grape can deliver, in order to really achieve the balance the wine makers are searching for.

The wines were served in two flights, starting with Raj’s wines as he was presenting both Chardonnays and Pinots. I really wanted to love the wines as much as I loved the stories that supported them, but only one of the flights really shone for me… And at a price.

Flight #1 – Sandhi Wines

Focussing on selected vineyards from the Santa Rita Hills in Santa Barbara County, Raj is in love with the Chardonnay grape and what it can offer. The three Chards on show were really delicious and delivered a lovely balance of fruit and salty/savoury. These wines are produced in a minuscule scale (70 cases of the Bentrock!), hence the hefty price tag, but there is much to enjoy here. The Pinots also delivered bright fruit and energy and if they were half the price I would love to add a few to the cellar.

Santa Barbara Chardonnay 2011 (£26.95)
Peachy, nutty and toasty with plenty of citrus fruit and a hint of grapefruit. This wine is surprisingly light bodied, as the nose suggested an all together bigger wine. The acid is fantastically refreshing and delivers loads of citrus fruit and buttered toast on the finish. This is a lively, energetic and a “happy” wine. I was just left thinking how much more Chablis or Macon I could get for my money. 91 points

Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay 2010 (£44.95)
Very toasty and smoky nose with plenty of citrus on the nose. Fuller in body, actually very rich and round, but still with that lively, citrus-driven mouthwatering acidity. You could really taste the salt from the ocean in this wine, but I found the finish a little short and underwhelming on the finish. 90 points

Bentrock Chardonnay 2010 (£69.95)
Wine of the night by some distance. Tropical aromas, especially mango along with a lovely touch of brioche. Quite a nervy palate of lemon and lemon balm, with a surprisingly grippy, almost tannic structure. Salty again but with a delicious tension between the salinity and the fruit. Delicious savoury and long finish. 94 points

Sanford & Benedict Pinot Noir 2010 (£44.95)
Very ripe red cherry and menthol on the nose and very juice straight-line cherry and raspberry on the palate. Young and tannic, slightly hiding some of that delicious fruit at the moment, delivering lots of grip and again that salty finish. Good freshness and acid but just a bit short at the end. 89 points

Evening Land Tempest Pinot Noir 2010 (£69.95)
Deeper and darker cherry aromas here, with even a touch of blackcurrant and a hint if menthol and spice. Deeper and richer body than the Sanford and lots of energy – the fruit really does dance all over your tongue. With menthol and some anise on the finish – this will just get better with a few years in bottle. 91 points

Flight #2 – Kutch Wines

Jamie is an ex Wall Street trader who followed his dream out west. He is all about Pinot and really wants to show how elegance and balanced can be delivered in California. Obviously a huge fan of Burgundy, Jamie is an experimenter, which is quite a tough task when you don’t have a great deal of grapes to play with! He hasn’t reached where he wants to be yet but he will get there… And soon.

Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2009 (£38.95)
As with most of Jamie’s wines I found myself having to work very hard to get a lot of fruit on the nose. There are ripe red fruits here but they’re just not very forthcoming. Along with the hidden fruit there is menthol and spice but there is also a resounding warmth of alcohol. There is tension here but not quite the balance. 86 points

Savoy Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010 (£42.95)
Again I struggled to get a great deal on the nose here. There is some very pretty red fruit on the palate and a hint of leather and savoury notes. Again there is just too much alcohol showing through at the end. 85 points

Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2010 (£38.95)
This is much more interesting with sweet red cherry, some mushroom and some roasted meat, even gamey notes. More weight and power here and the fruit is far more concentrated. Lots of grippy tannin but this is one I would like to try again in a year or two. 90+ points

McDougall Ranch Pinot Noir 2019 (£44.95)
Very light in the glass and again just a hint of ripe red fruit. There are fine tannins providing some nice structure behind the cherry fruit, black spice and a certain amount of animal, and an elegant sweetness at the end. 89 points

Falstaff Pinot Noir 2009 (£41.95)
Ripe red fruit on the nose he along with a bit of spice, anise and menthol. Very austere and tight on the palate but the fruit is in the hiding somewhere. Certainly more oak in use here which certainly adds to the enjoyment. Another one that needs another year or two. 90 points

I would like to say a massive thank you to Raj and Jamie for sharing their passion with us and also to Roberson for putting on such an interesting and thought provoking evening.

The second part of this week’s Burgundy love-in took me to a fabulous tasting of Grand Crus at the West London Wine School. As usual Jimmy had put together a superb array of fine wines as well as an informative, interesting and amusing history lesson on the great wines of the greatest wine region in the world. Seriously, if you do get a chance then check out the fine wine tasting diary (West London Wine School) and book your place; you won’t be disappointed.

The tasting included Chardonnays from Chablis and Corton, while the Pinot Noir selection took us on a tour of Gevrey Chambertain, Morey Saint Denis and Vougeout. You all know by now how much I adore the wines of Burgundy but this was serious stuff, and as you’ll see the scores for the wines reflect this… Nothing under 90 points!

But before the detail, let’s give this tasting some context. Grand Cru wine accounts for a mere 1.4% of total wine production in Burgundy. This is one of the reasons for the often astronomical prices – it’s simple supply and demand. However don’t be fooled into thinking this is the only reason for the prices, because as with most things in life, you get what you pay for… I just wish I could afford to pay for some of these magnificent specimens!

Its time to gasp at the prices and I only hope my words do justice to my enthusiasm and enjoyment…

Domaine Pascal Bouchard, Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir, 2006 (Waitrose £29.99)
Lots of stones and mineral on the nose but also plenty of green apple fruit. There is also a delicious savoury element here, reminiscent of almonds, marzipan even. On the tongue its clean, fresh and wonderfully acidic. Tart green apples and lovely minerality. The finish is generous with a touch of bitter almond right at the end. Clean, elegant, fruity, mineral and savoury. Very good. 91 points

Domaine Laroche, Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos, 2004 (Millesima £65)
Much richer aromas than the Vaudesir – intense, creamy and toasty with plenty of red apple and white peach fruit. On the palate its rich and buttery with a good blast of peach. Also a nice hint of spice and a delicious toasty finish. I’d like a bit more fruit and acidity, but still a good wine. 90 points

Maison Nicolas Potel, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, 2005 (Exel Wines £60)
Oh my this smells amazing. Oakley, floral and delicate, with plenty of white peach and sweet vanilla. In the mouth there is a wonderful streak of acidity – really zesty green apples and wonderful ripe peaches. The oak is beautifully integrated and kisses your tongue, providing a lick of vanilla. This is elegance personified and amazing fruit, oak spice and toast that lingers and lingers and lingers… 94 points

Domaine Armand Rousseau, Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru, 2000 (Jeraboams £195)
How many times can I say wow?? Wow! There is so much fruity aroma here, with red, even dried cherries and wild strawberries, backed up by a light, savoury meatiness, forest and truffle. There is so much red fruit on the palate, with sour cherry and wild strawberry at the fore, providing amazing acidic freshness, making your mouth water for a very long time. So much fruit, so bright and so, so elegant. More Chambolle than Gevrey but that just suits me fine… Incredible! 97 point

Domaine Ponsot, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, 1998 (Fine & Rare £174)
Intense, almost stewed red fruit and lots of meat and leather on the nose. Very earthy, lots of mushroom and bit of a black pepper hit. The earthiness continues onto the palate and is backed up with lots of tannic structure… Then the freshness of the acidy kicks in and the balance in there. Dark cherries and black spice but very smooth at the end… Eventually! Still some time to reach its best I think but still quite superb. 93 points

Domaine Maume, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru, 1999 (not available in UK, Approx £140)
Lots of roasted meat and wild mushroom aromas – this ally is a brooding beast. Lots of pepper, clove and very dark fruit. This is a full bodied Pinot with lovely whispy tannins. The fruit is redder than the nose suggested but then you get the dark spice and roasted meatiness. Very powerful, very intense, almost brutal. 92 points

Domaine Drouhin-Laroze, Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, 2004 (Fine & Rare £57.68)
The first bottle was lean and green but not to worry, Jimmy had another in reserve! Smoke, oak and chocolaty aromas, with hints of roasted meat and plenty of black fruit. The fruit on the palate was more redolent of red cherries but masked a bit by lots of oak and lots of tannin. Powerful, structured, but not elegant. Needs more time I think (most of the wines had been open for over 3 hours so maybe a bit unfair as it was drunk as soon as the second bottle was opened). 90 points

Domaine des Lambrays, Clos de Lambrays Grand Cru, 2005 (Goedhuis £138)
This was the wine I was most looking forward to and it didn’t disappoint. Sweet cherry nose, with a touch of roasted meat and a heady mix of sweet and black spice. Still lots of tannin and plenty of power here, but the acid is there in abundance providing a beautiful balance. Sweet red fruit is there in the background and I would love to try this wine again in another 10 years. Fruit, tannin, power, everything… You just have to pay… And wait! 96 points