Lunch with General Dempsey at the Portobello Gold, London

Lunch at husband’s Notting Hill Pub with my son-in-law Michael Wisecup and his boss the cheekily charming General Martin Dempsey with his wife and friends. They loved the wines ... All of these are also available at www.ellisofrichmond.co.uk. Contact David Azam on 07920 583 087 and tell him that Linda sent you!

2000 Bollinger La Grande Année

I have always loved Bollinger for its weighty, savoury style. I prefer those that are Pinot Noir dominated as opposed to Chardonnay. However, the 2000 is not drinking well today at all. It just does not seem to have the power and the matière that the 1996 has. I had the 1996 recently and it is drinking beautifully still.

 2002 Puligny-Montrachet, Louis Carillon

Flabby – lacking acidity. Diluted fruit and wobbly structure. A real mess. Boring. Perhaps it didn’t have the extracts to carry it to this age? It should be just coming into its own. What went wrong? Will re-taste in a few weeks and see if I am mistaken.

 2004 Meursault-Genevrieres Domaine Jobard

Stunning. Focused, tight, clean, vivacious and lively. A mineral, salty nose and a full, textured palate and long finish.

 2003 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru Grand Maupertuis, Domaine Jean Tardy

This is an estate to follow…he just gets better and better. I do miss the old, unabashedly feral and animal Burgundies from the 70s and 80s, but I miss the good old days a bit less when I can drink a wine like this. I didn’t get a chance to really enjoy this as I was running around, hostessing. I hae a few bottles tucked away at home and will bring then out over the holidays and write some proper tasting notes.