Cellar Notes - Cantillon Bruocsella 1900 Grand Cru

1999 Vintage / Tasted May 2008 (16/20)
Sweet nose, relatively speaking of course, and not miles away from dessert wines based on botrytised semillon grapes. In fact the similarity is striking. Colour is certainly developed with darker apricot but this 9yr old beer. Palate is dead flat and shows great aged apricot and wine characters. Good tangy, spicy fruits throughout. Slight pong on the finish.

2003 Vintage / Tasted May 2007 (12/20)
Ok, I admit, I am a complete nuff when it comes to the style, but the completely flat palate effectively kills the beer for me. Strictly medium strength in terms of acid, sour fruits and intensity, particularly in the contex of a Cantillon offering. Orange apricot hue with no head. Sour and citrus fruits on the nose. Much more bitter and firm to taste; citrus and acid in abundance early, but the palate suffers from a chronic lack of fizz which flattens and dulls the palate. Flavours tail off as a result. Disappointing (yeah I know, unblended lambic should be flat).
(purchased at the brewery in late 2006)