Jay Kline

9.6

At this point, with this group, a Legends dinner simply wouldn’t be appropriate without at least one bottle of Chave Hermitage.

Opened about 90min prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1994 Hermitage pours a slightly hazy garnet with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with perfumed notes of dried brambles, dried blueberry, dried purple flowers, black olive, mushroom, espresso, leather, stony earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and slightly sanguine. Delicious with the 5 Spice Cured Duck prepared with marinated Bing cherries, crispy shallot and Olathe corn polenta. It was such a pleasure to taste the ‘94 Chave next to the ‘85 Gentaz. Two Northern Rhône Legends working with their respective terroirs. Where the Gentaz was all about the aromatics of Côte Rôtie, the Chave was brought more of the power from the Hill of Hermitage. Drink now through 2056. — 2 days ago

Jay Kline

9.8

Opened about an hour prior to service. The 2009 Chambertin Clos de Béze pours a brilliant ruby with a transparent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, holy shit…this came to party. There’s a mix of ripe and bruised strawberry, Bing cherry, mixed brambles, dried red flowers, sous bois, mushrooms, beautiful warm spices and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Everything is in fantastic balance; generous and yet hitting all the classic notes. It was also my favorite with the foie gras au torchon prepared with grilled Colorado palisade peaches, toasted almonds, aged sherry gastrique, thyme and toasted brioche. Brilliant. Drink now through 2059. — 4 days ago

Jay Kline

9.3

The last time I was fortunate to enjoy the 2009 Bourgogne Aligoté was early 2025 so imagine my excitement to try this again. Looking back at my previous notes, not much has changed!

Opened about 30min prior to service. The 2009 pours a straw color with medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is still developing and reductive (as is common) with strong notes of struck match, apple, lime, herbs and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and a touch saline. Worked well with toro crudo. This bottle still needs air. Remarkable Aligoté. I’m revising my previous assessment on drinking window; this example seems to have the stuffing to show deep into next decade. Drink now with maybe a short decant, through 2039. Bottle No. 10848/15579 — 5 days ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Opened about 30min prior to service. The 1995 Fôret pours a deep straw with medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of dried tropical fruits, dried orange, white flowers, honey, nuts, and some warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and leesy with that Chablisienne creaminess. Lovely. Drink now through 2035. — 6 days ago

Jay Kline

9.9

A couple years ago, I encountered my first bottle of Gentaz (1990) and I expected, quite justly, that it could very well be my only opportunity. I savored every moment of that bottle along with my brothers in wine. And now, here I am today, with most of the same homies, staring into the glass of the ‘85 and from the first smell, I was entranced. My eyes rolled back into my skull and I nearly fell back from the table. I dare say, this might be even more magical.

Opened about 90min prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1985 “Côte Brune” pours a deep, slightly dull garnet/purple with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with powerful notes of desiccated blackberries, prune, dried purple flowers, roasted meat, black olive brine, cumin, mushroom, ground coffee, Herbs de Provence, wet stones and rocky earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and sanguine. Out of this world. The kind of soul that James Brown would sing about having. Drink now, with some of your favorite people on earth, through 2045. — 3 days ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Opened about an hour prior to service and enjoyed over the course of two days. Better on Day 2. The 2005 RsV pours a deep ruby color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing and dark fruited with ripe notes of black cherry, strawberry, red and purple flowers, licorice, dried green herbs, and gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Always a special treat, the DRC comes across the most polished and frankly, primary in this lineup of legends. It fresh and beautifully balanced. It just needs time as the Day 2 experience indicated. The tannins are super sneaky. Drink now through 2050+ Bottle No. 1821/17392 — 5 days ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Opened about 30min prior to service. The 2024 “Sketch” pours a pale straw color with medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of bright stone fruit, lemon/lime pith, beeswax and wet stones. On the palate, the wine is dry with high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long with crazy salinity. This was a beautiful pairing with the toro crudo prepared with red yuzu kosho, arbequina olive oil, finger lime and basil blossom. Drink now through 2039. — 5 days ago

Jay Kline

9.6

Opened about an hour prior to service; enjoyed over the course of two days. Fairly consistent throughout but maybe even a touch better on Day 2? The 1976 “Unico” pours a garnet color with a slightly orange rim and a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with intoxicating notes of cassis, black cherry, red plum, dried flowers, coffee (for dayz), tobacco, leather, sandalwood, some organic earth and a mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long with gorgeous texture. This bottle came across remarkably young and supremely elegant. So much so, that I thought it was an inspired decision by one of our brothers-in-wine to include it in this particular lineup. We had a little leftover for the next day and it continued to show well. Brilliant stuff. Drink now through 2046+ — 3 days ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Welp…I didn’t expect to run into the 1999 “La Romanée” again so soon, but the generosity of my brothers in wine is extraordinary so, here we are. For the most part, my previous notes still apply and given that this bottle was part of a special lineup, I find them all the more valid.

This bottle was opened about an hour prior to service. The 1999 “La Romanée” pours a slightly deep ruby with a transparent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing and sanguine with black cherry, bruised strawberry, some roasted meat, mushrooms, sous bois and fine spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long. Still phenomenal old school GC Burgundy though, not quite as rustic as the 2001 Louis Remy, Latricières-Chambertain from earlier in the day…but certainly more old school than the 2005 DRC Romanée St. Vivant. Can’t believe I got to experience this again. The old drinking window holds true. Drink now with patience and through 2049+. — 4 days ago

Jay Kline

9.7

Opened about 30min prior to service. The 2017 Clos Ste. Hune pours a pale straw color with medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing wjth beguiling notes of the perfectly ripe Comice pear, a mix of stone and tropical fruits, lemon blossom, a touch of petrol and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish lasts forever. This is unbelievably balanced and a fantastic pairing with the toro crudo. This is just at the beginning of what’s sure to be a very long drinking window. Enjoy now through 2057. — 5 days ago