From 375 ml. A very pure expression of the fruit, but alas red currant hasn't ever really been a fruit that I'm particularly fond of eating. Despite the balance, the tannins and mouth-puckering acidity of red currant is here, and it's the residual sweetness of the honey that gives this a really nice balance. Delicious stuff nonetheless, but admittedly not my favourite flavour.
From 330 mL. Pretty much just pure drinkability. Delicious, with just the right amount of sweetness and a little bit of bitterness on the back end as well. No funk. Mineral, pure, and clean. Goes down way too easily.
From half-bottle. Bottled September 1, 2015. This seems to have gotten a little more vinous than when I last had it. There's a bit more of an acid kick and a slightly sappy quality to the acidity. A touch funky as well, but amply enjoyable nonetheless.
From half-litre. A touch funky but it's the sort of restrained funk that I really enjoy in these kinds of beers. There'a wild, herbal and spicy element, as well as an almost sweet fruit-inflected quality here. Nicely balanced acidity with a hint of yeastiness.
Some of the fatter fruit on the palate, and a bit of an exotic sweet/tropical quality here gives you the indication this isn't your typical cool-climate chardonnay, but this is done in a brilliant, restrained style, with sufficient acidity and brightness coming through. Good breadth and power, and a pretty enjoyable roundness overall.
LC17. A freshie off the list at S.K.Y. I like this edition more than the last few vintages, there's something here that really just works for me. The fizz here is initially very aggressive and there's a huge whiff of CO2 as you pour this into the glass. There's a fairly coarse mousse to start but you have to just let this sit in the glass and get air. In fact, this just got better as the night went on. Despite being the low-dosage sort of champagne and the challenging vintage, this manages to pick up some good weight to counterbalance the archetypical acidity. This does admittedly show a little more golden/slightly browning fruit than such a young champagne might out to, but the expression is nonetheless very clean and delineated. Delicious.
A fairly rich and heady beer, with a deep spice note on the nose. Nice acidity and bonus acidity from the blackberries. The flavour of the blackberries is quite clear here, but like the "regular" version of this beer, the booze does come off a little strong here.
From half-bottle. Gewurztraminer isn't really my preferred grape, but this one seems to defy the style just a little. There's definitely some of the lychee and floral tones, but not overly so, and a little bit of heat and waxiness on the nose as well. The palate is waxy and rich, with lots of weight and just a smidgen of sweetness. Somehow, despite the grape, there is some nice acidity here. Very heavyset with bitterness on the finish. Great for gewurztraminer, but maybe that's a bit damning with faint praise?
Slight bit of reduction on the nose initially, which gives way to some ripe green fruits (think sweet kiwi) and some herbal and mineral elements. On the palate, this has razor-sharp acidity, but most importantly, the green elements are relatively toned down here. Tons of minerality on the palate and pretty good concentration too. This doesn't have the waxy richness of the Vatan, but is somehow similarly intense.
This seems a hint more advanced than when I had it last, but nevertheless this is a brilliant wild ale. Just the right amount of funk; this is one of those beers with just the right balance of clean and dirty that I really like. There is a hint of tropical fruit on the back end too.
Saline and nutty on the nose with a somewhat paradoxical note of browned fruit but still with tons of freshness. Bracingly fresh on the palate with really enjoyable acidity, a good squeeze of lemon, and extremely pronounced salinity and minerality. A rich body to round out everything, with a pleasant nutty bitterness on the finish.
Barrel number FDR3, batch year 2013. A relatively bigger and heavier style, with a distinct coffee/vanilla/brown spice note. Pleasant acidity that isn't over the top, but this is heavier in style (with a fair bit of maltiness on the palate) where a little more acidity would have been preferred. Not a huge fan of the slightly bitter finish either.
Very pure, juicy red cherry aromas on the nose. The palate is nicely balanced with the tartness of the cherries, but there's a hint of bitterness here that in combination with the sweetness and the cherry flavour makes this a little too close to cough syrup in profile. Nonetheless, if you can get through that, this is an unequivocally pure expression of tart red cherries in a delicious drinkable form.
A slight bit of blackberry on the nose, but this comes across more ale-y but with some yeasty dirtiness from the saison. All said, this is still a pretty clean beer, but I would have preferred a little more prominent fruit, and a little less funk. Moderate acidity and a slight bit of hoppy bitterness on the finish, with a note reminiscent of Smarties candy.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis 1er Cru
(4/5/2020)
Virtual tasting with Jeremy and Diana. This has lost a lot of the 2016 charm, at least right on opening. There is a sense of the red fruit here as well as bright acidity, but there's also a slightly darker complexion from oak spice while the stem-inflected lift doesn't seem to be out in full force. Then with air, more of the fruit starts to emerge and you get more expressiveness, but overall this wine is still a fairly large-scaled example that at this point needs a few years to come around again. If I got my information correct, this is a blend of 1/3 ha Ruchots, 1/5 ha Millandes, 1/12 ha Charrieres, and a tiny bit of Clos Sorbe.
#17-15, 13% abv. These GGs from the riper regions always tend to deliver more than those from the Mosel. This is no exception -- the nose shows some chalky minerals, green herbs, tart citrus, and a hint of tropical fruit candy. The palate, although very dry, has a roundness here that gives this breadth. This is not an acid bomb, but is very nicely balanced. On the palate, this isn't the most complex dry riesling but it is amply delicious and a brilliant value.
Initially a slight hint of volatility on the nose, but it's of the sort that manages to dissipate after a few minutes in the glass. This was ready from the get-go, and never seemed to shut down at all over the course of the 10 hours I had the bottle open. Beautiful red fruits on the nose, with a delicate sweetness that doesn't have the sappiness of riper vintages, but instead a more transparent quality on the palate. There's a little bit of leather and a fair bit of floral perfume here, and while there is obviously plenty of young nebbiolo tannic grip here, this just doesn't seem to clamp down hard.
Vines planted from 1975 to 2007; terroir of marl, blue clay from the Lias epoch; matured for 17 months in 228L oak barrels; pH 3.12; free SO2 < 6 mg/L; total 18 mg/L; volatile acidity 0.42 g/L; total acidity 5.2 g/L. Absolutely brilliant stuff for the price. The nose starts off with just a hint of a reductive stink but that dissipates fairly quickly, leaving you with a very obviously mineral-driven high acid chardonnay that drinks like a Chablis ought to. The bright citrus and salinity here are just amazing here. Crisp, clean, and laser-focussed, for the price, this has got to be one of the best chardonnays for the price.
#09-10, 9% abv. Lots of dissolved gas here, and a nose that has a bit of reduction, though it's not quite the "famous" old Prüm stink. The nose here shows a generous amount of fruit, probably owing to the vintage, as well as a slight bit of candied sweetness. On the palate, there's a distinct hit of effervescence (which hadn't dissipated 2-3 hours in). This is definitely on the riper side with more sweet fruit showing than acid, as well as a hint of creaminess that is perhaps a little rarer in Prüm. There is some malic-inflected acidity on the back end, but it's actually quite sneaky. This doesn't feel particularly shut down, but also it isn't particularly developed yet. Delicious stuff, but lacking a bit in overall complexity.
There's definitely a bit of a low-sulphur sense on the nose here, but there's a really lovely hit of minerality right off the bat. You get a little bit of creaminess and some citrus curd on the palate, with racy acidity that isn't sharp. Mineral, crisp, clean, and easy to drink.
Honestly, just something I don't understand at all. The nose is a little natty with some floral components, as well as a vague sweetness that reminds me of lychees. On the palate, my big complaint is the lack of acid. There's salinity here, but this is a big, blowsy wine without the cut that I like to have from my whites. Fun to try, but I'm sticking with assyrtiko.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru
(4/19/2020)
Virtual tasting with Erwan. Initially, this was a little dirty and my sense was this was a pretty meh older wine. This really picked itself up after just half an hour in the glass. It cleaned up, and you get a very generous amount of sweet (and somewhat dried) fruit on the nose. It is exuberant, with an almost glossy sheen of fruit layered over some serious earthy structure. Large-scaled, with obvious grand cru concentration and depth. As part of a project to build up a library at Faiveley, Erwan mentioned they had gone through all the tasting notes, and the Mazis was one of their top wines that vintage (alongside the Clos des Cortons Faiveley and Musigny).
#24-19, 7% abv. From half-bottle. There is something always incredibly exuberant about drinking a hyper-young high-Prädikat wine. The sweetness is so fresh and bright, and coupled with the crazy raw acids of youth, you get this electric excitement. This is no exception. This is a relatively lighter edition here, with fruit that is more on the tart side, and while this is sweet, there is certainly a bit of a greenish acid streak on the back end. Very nicely balanced, but oddly enough this edition feels a little more Mosel than usual, with those green fruit elements and a firmer backbone. Nonetheless, outstanding concentration and complexity (as always). It's been a long while since I've had this wine on release, so this was a real treat. The heightened sensation of acid here will give this wine a little extra capacity for aging is my guess.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
(4/20/2020)
Bottled under Diam GC. Brilliant nose with just a minute hint of reduction and then a judicious helping of toasty oak. A touch sweeter than I would expect on the nose from a 2017. On the palate, this is impeccably balanced, with a tinge of green giving the acidity here a real raciness, followed by a breadth that comes from a somewhat riper sensation of fruit, and a generous, but not overdone, use of oak. Compared to the 2018 which I tasted at the estate just two months ago, I may well have to give the nod to the 2018 (despite 2017 being such a brilliant chardonnay year). For my taste, there's more balance with the oak on the 2018 with the fleshier fruit profile. Don't get me wrong though -- this is no slouch and I'd be amply happy to have this in my cellar. Perhaps it's also a question of time where this has lost the exuberance of youth and is starting to go into its shell...
Quite delicious stuff, if a little more tart and dry than I would have loved. Moderately funky, with some of that chalkiness on the finish. The expression of cherries here is really bright and pure, and is very much on the tart, red version.
119003, cork code V1861K. This is a lighter edition of the GC, and reminds me a bit of the 166eme, and maybe even the 164eme in its predominantly white fruit inflections and relatively higher acidity. It's not as broad-shouldered and scaled as the 167eme either. There is a gentle hint of brioche here along with some marzipan, tart citrus, and maybe even a smidgen of fresh herbs. On the palate, this has a somewhat pronounced acid profile in comparison to the reset of the elements. There's a bit of a white grape thing on the attack which is probably a function of this being so young and fresh, and my expectation is that that will recede with a few months. A good iteration (as all bottles of Krug are), but I'd put it behind the 167eme.
A very pure expression of the fruit involved, though I admittedly had to look up what precisely an olallieberry was. But there's no denying the brambly quality of the nose and palate on this mead. As typical with the producer, the fruit quality is very pure and distinct here. Good acidity on the palate, with a slight bitter bite on the finish that evokes the seeds of those bramble fruits. Schramm's meads seem to always highlight a few particular flavours: they're not only delicious, but also quite good training for wine tasting.
This seems to have picked up some weight since the last time I had it. There's a good dose of tropical fruit on the nose, with a fair bit of concentration. On the palate, there's good weight and density, but this is lacking the mineral cut that makes Chablis Chablis. I think with time, if all this fat is shed this will end up a pretty solid white Burgundy. This is another example of why I don't find 2016 white Burgundy convincing. I much prefer 2015, not to mention 2014 or 2017.
A brilliant effort here. The nose is expressive and generous off the bat, with plentiful red fruit and florals as you'd expect. Distinctly mineral as well. The palate has a beautiful balance of weight and elegance -- the fruit is clearly red and crystalline, but there is sweetness and ripeness underpinning those characteristics. Persistent, if slightly bitter finish, with young nebbiolo tannins. Outstanding for the price; I'd love to see the 2016 single vineyard designates...
Served double blind. Immediately identified as gamay from the nose alone, with that bright red fruit. Juicy and fresh, and obviously a very young wine at that. The palate has good weight, and there's a really nice streak of acidity here as well. Quite fun and easy to enjoy. The generous gift of Alex after a lovely visit there in February.
Served double blind. Obvious Barolo/Barbaresco call here from the nose alone. A touch of black fruit, herbs, and a significant tarry component. Others thought this elegant, but I found it a touch blockier and reasonably in line with my last note. Based on the ripeness of the fruit and a little bit of traditionalist polish, I guessed 2000 Cavallotto. For my palate, this still has some time to go, though there could be some slight concerns about whether the fruit will dry out before the structure comes around. Nonetheless, I'm not opening any of mine for a few more years.
Served double blind. Immediately identified as Nahe; the nose here is light and ethereal and on the palate there's more of a silkiness and less of the laser-driven focus of the Mosel. The fruit shows like it's just a few hours from peak ripeness, and you get a little bit of tartness that is actually quite alluring. I called the producer, but based on the intensity and sweetness actually thought this was a lighter-styled BA or Eiswein. Go figure.
#4289. This is massive. It doesn't quite have the potency of 2015 or the elegance of 2016 (the last two iterations I tasted right at commercial release), but there is plenty of fantastic material here. The fruit is borderline purple, but it's not over the top in any way. A smidgen of vanilla that is mostly a product of youth and will almost certainly integrate away. Most distinctive is the already prevalent blood and meat flavours here. Acidity that is heightened and prominent, but serves to give this wine lift. A fair bit of tannin as expected, too. On the whole this is a bit of a step down from the 2015/6 in terms of vintage, but it's really not like I'm ever turning a glass of this away, and by no means is that a statement indicating you should skip this in favour of the last two vintages. Chave Hermitage is truly the king of the hill, year in year out.
#19-13, 13% abv. A nose that is pure rock dust. A little bit of green herbs and a mix of white/yellow fruit as well. The palate feels a little heavy and strangely a little dilute. I like the minerality here, but a lot of everything else is just kind of lacking. There's not enough stuffing and just all-round flavour here...
#19-19, 13% abv. The kind gift of the cellarmaster of the carne castle. I liked this more than the 12 Dreissigacker alongside; this had more of the ripeness that is necessary to achieve balance in a GG. The nose shows a generous amount of candied fruit, but also plenty of Morstein rock dust. On the palate, I do love the generous fruit and breadth, as well as the overall mineral cut.
Somewhat neutral nose, with a bit of citrus and some minerality. The palate is also fairly neutral, but there's some good minerality here. A slight oiliness and high-toned quality that I don't particularly love. This also feels a little heavy and alcoholic. There is moderate acidity here that is quite nice but the palate seems dilute.
This may well be my favourite of the Off Color foedre series. It's got the controlled, clean funk that I love in beers of this style; there's a tropical quality that is super enticing, but also some notes of citrus peel. No yeasty or chalky aftertaste here makes this a huge winner in my book. Awesome.
Brilliant stuff as always, even with a little more bottle age. A crystalline expression of the flavour of pear, with just the right amount of sweetness. Plenty of minerality and complexity, but all too easy to drink.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
(5/5/2020)
Wow. Fresh and bright and so much electricity and verve. Layered, complex, and rich with a somewhat generous kiss of oak which is nonetheless well balanced thanks to the fruit and acidity. There's a richness that speaks well of Chassagne, though I honestly doubt I'd peg it blind. What a brilliant wine -- this will no doubt go the distance. I'll add that this may well surpass the Meursault Perrières that I had a week or two ago.
There's a pineapple cake in Christina Tosi's All About Cake that uses a fair amount of wine-poached pineapple. If you then take that poaching liquid and reduce it down, you pretty much get a flavour profile like this. Indeed, the pineapple flavours here are more on the side of cooked pineapple than fresh. Amply sweet but also balanced, with a pleasant bitterness on the finish.
An excellent edition of this perennial favourite. The nose speaks very truly of the northern Rhone, what with its black fruit, smoked meat, and a mild hint of brine. Really nice intensity here, and like the 2017 Chave last week, this vintage seems to combine some of the acidity-driven elegance of 2016 with the darker weight of 2015. There's a really nice hit of minerality on the finish that gives this wine a clean knife-edge precision. Not just an excellent value, this is truly excellent wine.
Really should have aged these -- the peach flavour is much more prominent and beautifully defined on the palate now. Plenty of acidity but there's some serious palate complexity here. A moderate, but restrained funk that strikes the right balance for me. Just stunning how delicious this is.
#14-19, 8% abv. Quite an expressive nose with a focus on fruit. There is a slight hint of tropicality here but also a Mosel-like green apple inflection. The palate holds the Prädikat line well, but you can definitely feel the relative ripeness of the fruit here. Crispy acids on the finish. This seems to be in line with the relative quality I expect from this bottling, especially at so young an age. I'll be most interested in revisiting this with some bottle age.
From 250 mL. This definitely shows some of the rice and koji flavours (and is slightly reminiscent of Koi), but there is more bright tropical acidity here on the palate, which does make this easier to drink. There's a slight yeasty finish here, and while overall I wouldn't count this as one of my favourite Off Color beers, it's still amply delicious.
Released in March 2020. I've not generally been a massive fan of saisons but I'll admit this one is pretty well done. Extremely exuberant effervescence. A nose with some good tropical flavours and a hint of bitter almond. Pretty fresh and tasty on the palate, but at the end of the day, my preference definitely lies towards sours.
Served double blind. Initially a bit of reduction. Clearly high acid and a slight touch of gooseberry and pyrazines, which had me going to sauvignon blanc, but at the end of the day, I liked this much more than that insipid grape. The pepperiness here had me also thinking grüner veltliner, but it didn't really have the typical oiliness of an Austrian wine. In any case, this definitely didn't seem to have the 10 years on it -- fresh, bright, and plenty delicious.
Served double blind. There's an intense floral element on the nose here that drew me away from a riesling guess (though I kept feeling that this may have been something from a riper area in Germany). High acid, which meant this wasn't something like viognier or gewürztraminer. Fairly generous fruit as well to the point where you might mistake it for sweetness. I ended up guessing Vouvray sec.
Served double blind. Went straight to a good producer of new world chardonnay. There's some matchsticky reduction, as well as a fair bit of oak. The palate shows a little riper and fatter and the finish is marred with just a little more oak tannin than I would like (though in this context it's not overwhelming).
Served double blind. Crunchy red fruit and a slightly volcanic taste had me thinking that this was a frappato or something of that ilk. There's definitely something clearly Italian here, but I just couldn't really place it. That the tannins were so hard compared to the light red fruit made it a difficult wine to guess. Pretty fun to taste, and much better than a 2014 that I had a few years ago.
Served double blind. Cherries and vanilla, you get the sense that this is a really heavy wine but made in a really light style. Lots of fruit but also a slightly off, sickly sweet smell that evokes bug spray. A fair amount of tannin on the back end; I actually managed to guess the producer on this. There's something that seems to be pretty distinctive about the wines, and despite this essentially being the darling of the NY somm/hypebeast crowd, I'm gonna go and call out the emperor for having no clothes on.
Served double blind. One whiff on the nose and immediately identified as a ripe vintage Beaujolais; probably 2018 or possibly 2015. Plenty of dark strawberries on the nose with a sweetness that is so distinctive to gamay. The palate shows a mild hint of the sucralose but otherwise this is actually pretty decent for gamay; good body and weight, and a little bit of acidity to help cut through all the fat. This would probably benefit from time.
Bordering on the natty wine side of the beer (and not too surprising, given the collaboration with Martha Stoumen), this interestingly has a hint of white grape juice flavour, before it yields to its more yeasty nature. Not sour, but also not cloying or heavy-handed, this shows a distinct amount of yeastiness, and while it isn't unpleasant, this is definitely not my preferred style of beer.
Slightly tropical and herbal on the nose and palate, with a fairly exotic spice flavour. Not too much hoppiness here, but this does get a hint of bitterness on the finish. There's a slightly medicinal sweetness here, and overall this is quite pleasant and easy to drink, especially since it lacks a lot of the yeasty funk. I do like this hint of passionfruit on the palate though.
Batch 1. This is definitely not as green and astringent as I would have expected it to be, given the fruit that went into this. Far more pleasant than any sauvignon blanc, Vatan excepted, this has a moderate streak of racy green acidity with just a slight bit of herbaceousness. The sweetness really does help balance all of the elements out here; this is very easy and enjoyable to drink.
"Chardonnay - blend from En Chalasse, La Pellerine, La Bardette ... deep blue clay soil from the Lias epoch. Maturation in old oak barrels for 17 months." Shows some of the nuttiness of the ouillé technique here, but this is far from an oxidized wine. Incredibly fresh, broad, saline, and mineral, this is just damn delicious chardonnay. Mouth-puckering and easy to drink. Labet is love, Labet is life.
This stuff is inordinately crushable. A slightly candied raspberry/lemon flavour, but the fruit expression is very pure. Sweet, but with a lightness thanks to the low alcohol, and the acidity from the fruit giving this a jolt of electricity, this is such purely drinkable fun.
I preferred the Marassio to this. A very limpid sort of Barolo, with heightened, high-toned aromatics that slowly became more earth-toned as the wine got oxygen. The palate shows a really delicate touch, with wispy elements of red fruit and plenty of acidity. The ripeness of the vintage doesn't show here, but there's a fullness to the fruit that you wouldn't get in a lesser year. Like its fancier sibling, I feel like these are Barolos that hew closely to the modern en vogue red crunchy style in Burgundy these days -- not a bad thing; an observation.
I liked this a little more than the straight-up Serradenari I had next to this. The perfume here is more prominent, and there's more of a pronounced minerality in this wine. On the palate, there's more of an elegance here, with more complexity and elegance. The acidity in this wine is higher than the Serradenari too, and this is a step up in every way. (As a side note, the fruit here is even lighter and crunchier, but no concentrated and flavourful.) This is a Barolo made in the style of the modern red Burgundies with those light red fruit tones, but it works very well.
Leftovers from a bottle from the evening before, but the quality is stark and apparent here. To my taste, probably one of the most classically styled wines of the post-Gerard era, this is a wine with ample earthy complexity. Generous and velvety fruit, with a good dose of tapenade as well. Fully resolved now, and while it's almost a given that there is more to go in terms of longevity, the quality here seems to be at some sort of local maximum, and I would feel no regret as to opening bottles of my own right now.
For what is typically a maddeningly insipid genre, this is just a downright brilliant wine. The nose shows a beautiful floral bouquet, and on the palate there's a really nice amount of sweet fruit that actually seems to fill up the body very nicely. I'll admit that seeing the Conterno name on a wine that doesn't need 20 years in the cellar causes a bit of a double-take, but quality is quality, and it's here in spades.
Perplexing, somewhat odd stuff, that at the same time really is quite pleasant, even if it's not the sort of wine you can easily down a bottle of. Slightly reductive with a honeyed, sweet nose and a touch of apricot and honeydew. The palate is sweet and oily, but it's also not overbearing like other Alsace wines can be. Interesting stuff, and actually quite fun to try.
From 750mL. Tart and refreshing and easy to drink, with plenty of acidity to keep this very bright. No off or funky flavours, this is a very clean sour. Perhaps a little too sour, the raspberry flavours come off as a little too tart, and the citrus flavours are quite subtle on the back end. Nonetheless, the fruit is clear and quite distinctive; a perfect easy-going beer for the lead-up to summer.
End of the day, the story is that I just don't really like saisons. This is my favourite out of the three from is/was I've tried so far; the melons give this a slight honeyed sweetness that fills out the palate. But all in all, this still tastes a little too much, well, like a saison. Lacking acid and with a slightly bitter, hoppy finish that I don't love.
NV Schramm's Mead Red Agnes
USA, Michigan
(3/13/2020)
From 375 ml. A very pure expression of the fruit, but alas red currant hasn't ever really been a fruit that I'm particularly fond of eating. Despite the balance, the tannins and mouth-puckering acidity of red currant is here, and it's the residual sweetness of the honey that gives this a really nice balance. Delicious stuff nonetheless, but admittedly not my favourite flavour.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Eric Bordelet Sidre Nouvelle Vague
France, Normandy
(3/15/2020)
From 330 mL. Pretty much just pure drinkability. Delicious, with just the right amount of sweetness and a little bit of bitterness on the back end as well. No funk. Mineral, pure, and clean. Goes down way too easily.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 Cantillon Brewery Gueuze 100% Lambic Bio
Belgium, Brussels
(3/17/2020)
From half-bottle. Bottled September 1, 2015. This seems to have gotten a little more vinous than when I last had it. There's a bit more of an acid kick and a slightly sappy quality to the acidity. A touch funky as well, but amply enjoyable nonetheless.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2017 New Glarus Brewery R&D Gueuze
USA, Wisconsin
(3/18/2020)
From half-litre. A touch funky but it's the sort of restrained funk that I really enjoy in these kinds of beers. There'a wild, herbal and spicy element, as well as an almost sweet fruit-inflected quality here. Nicely balanced acidity with a hint of yeastiness.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2010 Stony Hill Chardonnay 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(3/19/2020)
Some of the fatter fruit on the palate, and a bit of an exotic sweet/tropical quality here gives you the indication this isn't your typical cool-climate chardonnay, but this is done in a brilliant, restrained style, with sufficient acidity and brightness coming through. Good breadth and power, and a pretty enjoyable roundness overall.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Jérôme Prévost Champagne La Closerie Extra Brut Les Beguines 93 Points
France, Champagne
(3/21/2020)
LC17. A freshie off the list at S.K.Y. I like this edition more than the last few vintages, there's something here that really just works for me. The fizz here is initially very aggressive and there's a huge whiff of CO2 as you pour this into the glass. There's a fairly coarse mousse to start but you have to just let this sit in the glass and get air. In fact, this just got better as the night went on. Despite being the low-dosage sort of champagne and the challenging vintage, this manages to pick up some good weight to counterbalance the archetypical acidity. This does admittedly show a little more golden/slightly browning fruit than such a young champagne might out to, but the expression is nonetheless very clean and delineated. Delicious.
Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2020 Off Color Brewing Blackberry Fox in the Snow
USA, Illinois
(3/24/2020)
A fairly rich and heady beer, with a deep spice note on the nose. Nice acidity and bonus acidity from the blackberries. The flavour of the blackberries is quite clear here, but like the "regular" version of this beer, the booze does come off a little strong here.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2014 Trimbach Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives 90 Points
France, Alsace
(3/25/2020)
From half-bottle. Gewurztraminer isn't really my preferred grape, but this one seems to defy the style just a little. There's definitely some of the lychee and floral tones, but not overly so, and a little bit of heat and waxiness on the nose as well. The palate is waxy and rich, with lots of weight and just a smidgen of sweetness. Somehow, despite the grape, there is some nice acidity here. Very heavyset with bitterness on the finish. Great for gewurztraminer, but maybe that's a bit damning with faint praise?
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2014 Domaine François Cotat Sancerre Les Caillottes 88 Points
France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
(3/26/2020)
Slight bit of reduction on the nose initially, which gives way to some ripe green fruits (think sweet kiwi) and some herbal and mineral elements. On the palate, this has razor-sharp acidity, but most importantly, the green elements are relatively toned down here. Tons of minerality on the palate and pretty good concentration too. This doesn't have the waxy richness of the Vatan, but is somehow similarly intense.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2019 Off Color Brewing Squoke
USA, Illinois
(3/28/2020)
This seems a hint more advanced than when I had it last, but nevertheless this is a brilliant wild ale. Just the right amount of funk; this is one of those beers with just the right balance of clean and dirty that I really like. There is a hint of tropical fruit on the back end too.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2017 Domaine Labet Fleur de Savagnin 90 Points
France, Jura, Côtes du Jura
(3/29/2020)
Saline and nutty on the nose with a somewhat paradoxical note of browned fruit but still with tons of freshness. Bracingly fresh on the palate with really enjoyable acidity, a good squeeze of lemon, and extremely pronounced salinity and minerality. A rich body to round out everything, with a pleasant nutty bitterness on the finish.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Destihl Brewery St. Dekkera Reserve Flanders Oud Bruin
USA, Illinois
(4/2/2020)
Barrel number FDR3, batch year 2013. A relatively bigger and heavier style, with a distinct coffee/vanilla/brown spice note. Pleasant acidity that isn't over the top, but this is heavier in style (with a fair bit of maltiness on the palate) where a little more acidity would have been preferred. Not a huge fan of the slightly bitter finish either.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Schramm's Mead Cherry The Statement Balaton
USA, Michigan
(4/2/2020)
Very pure, juicy red cherry aromas on the nose. The palate is nicely balanced with the tartness of the cherries, but there's a hint of bitterness here that in combination with the sweetness and the cherry flavour makes this a little too close to cough syrup in profile. Nonetheless, if you can get through that, this is an unequivocally pure expression of tart red cherries in a delicious drinkable form.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2019 Off Color Brewing Predator Noir
USA, Illinois
(4/4/2020)
A slight bit of blackberry on the nose, but this comes across more ale-y but with some yeasty dirtiness from the saison. All said, this is still a pretty clean beer, but I would have preferred a little more prominent fruit, and a little less funk. Moderate acidity and a slight bit of hoppy bitterness on the finish, with a note reminiscent of Smarties candy.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Domaine Dujac Morey St. Denis 1er Cru 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis 1er Cru
(4/5/2020)
Virtual tasting with Jeremy and Diana. This has lost a lot of the 2016 charm, at least right on opening. There is a sense of the red fruit here as well as bright acidity, but there's also a slightly darker complexion from oak spice while the stem-inflected lift doesn't seem to be out in full force. Then with air, more of the fruit starts to emerge and you get more expressiveness, but overall this wine is still a fairly large-scaled example that at this point needs a few years to come around again. If I got my information correct, this is a blend of 1/3 ha Ruchots, 1/5 ha Millandes, 1/12 ha Charrieres, and a tiny bit of Clos Sorbe.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2014 Künstler Kostheimer Weiß Erd Riesling Großes Gewächs 90 Points
Germany, Rheingau
(4/7/2020)
#17-15, 13% abv. These GGs from the riper regions always tend to deliver more than those from the Mosel. This is no exception -- the nose shows some chalky minerals, green herbs, tart citrus, and a hint of tropical fruit candy. The palate, although very dry, has a roundness here that gives this breadth. This is not an acid bomb, but is very nicely balanced. On the palate, this isn't the most complex dry riesling but it is amply delicious and a brilliant value.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2012 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
(4/11/2020)
Initially a slight hint of volatility on the nose, but it's of the sort that manages to dissipate after a few minutes in the glass. This was ready from the get-go, and never seemed to shut down at all over the course of the 10 hours I had the bottle open. Beautiful red fruits on the nose, with a delicate sweetness that doesn't have the sappiness of riper vintages, but instead a more transparent quality on the palate. There's a little bit of leather and a fair bit of floral perfume here, and while there is obviously plenty of young nebbiolo tannic grip here, this just doesn't seem to clamp down hard.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Domaine Labet Chardonnay Fleur 93 Points
France, Jura, Côtes du Jura
(4/12/2020)
Vines planted from 1975 to 2007; terroir of marl, blue clay from the Lias epoch; matured for 17 months in 228L oak barrels; pH 3.12; free SO2 < 6 mg/L; total 18 mg/L; volatile acidity 0.42 g/L; total acidity 5.2 g/L. Absolutely brilliant stuff for the price. The nose starts off with just a hint of a reductive stink but that dissipates fairly quickly, leaving you with a very obviously mineral-driven high acid chardonnay that drinks like a Chablis ought to. The bright citrus and salinity here are just amazing here. Crisp, clean, and laser-focussed, for the price, this has got to be one of the best chardonnays for the price.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2009 Joh. Jos. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese 90 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
(4/13/2020)
#09-10, 9% abv. Lots of dissolved gas here, and a nose that has a bit of reduction, though it's not quite the "famous" old Prüm stink. The nose here shows a generous amount of fruit, probably owing to the vintage, as well as a slight bit of candied sweetness. On the palate, there's a distinct hit of effervescence (which hadn't dissipated 2-3 hours in). This is definitely on the riper side with more sweet fruit showing than acid, as well as a hint of creaminess that is perhaps a little rarer in Prüm. There is some malic-inflected acidity on the back end, but it's actually quite sneaky. This doesn't feel particularly shut down, but also it isn't particularly developed yet. Delicious stuff, but lacking a bit in overall complexity.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2017 Alice et Olivier De Moor Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
(4/17/2020)
There's definitely a bit of a low-sulphur sense on the nose here, but there's a really lovely hit of minerality right off the bat. You get a little bit of creaminess and some citrus curd on the palate, with racy acidity that isn't sharp. Mineral, crisp, clean, and easy to drink.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2017 Domaine de Kalathas 10+12 Vieilles Vignes 83 Points
Greece, Aegean, Cyclades, Tinos
(4/18/2020)
Honestly, just something I don't understand at all. The nose is a little natty with some floral components, as well as a vague sweetness that reminds me of lychees. On the palate, my big complaint is the lack of acid. There's salinity here, but this is a big, blowsy wine without the cut that I like to have from my whites. Fun to try, but I'm sticking with assyrtiko.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1998 Faiveley Mazis-Chambertin 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru
(4/19/2020)
Virtual tasting with Erwan. Initially, this was a little dirty and my sense was this was a pretty meh older wine. This really picked itself up after just half an hour in the glass. It cleaned up, and you get a very generous amount of sweet (and somewhat dried) fruit on the nose. It is exuberant, with an almost glossy sheen of fruit layered over some serious earthy structure. Large-scaled, with obvious grand cru concentration and depth. As part of a project to build up a library at Faiveley, Erwan mentioned they had gone through all the tasting notes, and the Mazis was one of their top wines that vintage (alongside the Clos des Cortons Faiveley and Musigny).
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2018 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel 93 Points
Germany, Nahe
(4/19/2020)
#24-19, 7% abv. From half-bottle. There is something always incredibly exuberant about drinking a hyper-young high-Prädikat wine. The sweetness is so fresh and bright, and coupled with the crazy raw acids of youth, you get this electric excitement. This is no exception. This is a relatively lighter edition here, with fruit that is more on the tart side, and while this is sweet, there is certainly a bit of a greenish acid streak on the back end. Very nicely balanced, but oddly enough this edition feels a little more Mosel than usual, with those green fruit elements and a firmer backbone. Nonetheless, outstanding concentration and complexity (as always). It's been a long while since I've had this wine on release, so this was a real treat. The heightened sensation of acid here will give this wine a little extra capacity for aging is my guess.
Post a Comment / 6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2017 Louis Jadot Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
(4/20/2020)
Bottled under Diam GC. Brilliant nose with just a minute hint of reduction and then a judicious helping of toasty oak. A touch sweeter than I would expect on the nose from a 2017. On the palate, this is impeccably balanced, with a tinge of green giving the acidity here a real raciness, followed by a breadth that comes from a somewhat riper sensation of fruit, and a generous, but not overdone, use of oak. Compared to the 2018 which I tasted at the estate just two months ago, I may well have to give the nod to the 2018 (despite 2017 being such a brilliant chardonnay year). For my taste, there's more balance with the oak on the 2018 with the fleshier fruit profile. Don't get me wrong though -- this is no slouch and I'd be amply happy to have this in my cellar. Perhaps it's also a question of time where this has lost the exuberance of youth and is starting to go into its shell...
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2018 The Referend Bier Blendery Berliner Messe Kyrie
USA, New Jersey
(4/24/2020)
Quite delicious stuff, if a little more tart and dry than I would have loved. Moderately funky, with some of that chalkiness on the finish. The expression of cherries here is really bright and pure, and is very much on the tart, red version.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Édition 168ème 93 Points
France, Champagne
(4/25/2020)
119003, cork code V1861K. This is a lighter edition of the GC, and reminds me a bit of the 166eme, and maybe even the 164eme in its predominantly white fruit inflections and relatively higher acidity. It's not as broad-shouldered and scaled as the 167eme either. There is a gentle hint of brioche here along with some marzipan, tart citrus, and maybe even a smidgen of fresh herbs. On the palate, this has a somewhat pronounced acid profile in comparison to the reset of the elements. There's a bit of a white grape thing on the attack which is probably a function of this being so young and fresh, and my expectation is that that will recede with a few months. A good iteration (as all bottles of Krug are), but I'd put it behind the 167eme.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Schramm's Mead Olallieberry Pacific Bramble
USA, Michigan
(4/26/2020)
A very pure expression of the fruit involved, though I admittedly had to look up what precisely an olallieberry was. But there's no denying the brambly quality of the nose and palate on this mead. As typical with the producer, the fruit quality is very pure and distinct here. Good acidity on the palate, with a slight bitter bite on the finish that evokes the seeds of those bramble fruits. Schramm's meads seem to always highlight a few particular flavours: they're not only delicious, but also quite good training for wine tasting.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Caves Duplessis Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
(4/27/2020)
This seems to have picked up some weight since the last time I had it. There's a good dose of tropical fruit on the nose, with a fair bit of concentration. On the palate, there's good weight and density, but this is lacking the mineral cut that makes Chablis Chablis. I think with time, if all this fat is shed this will end up a pretty solid white Burgundy. This is another example of why I don't find 2016 white Burgundy convincing. I much prefer 2015, not to mention 2014 or 2017.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Nervi-Conterno Gattinara 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Gattinara
(4/28/2020)
A brilliant effort here. The nose is expressive and generous off the bat, with plentiful red fruit and florals as you'd expect. Distinctly mineral as well. The palate has a beautiful balance of weight and elegance -- the fruit is clearly red and crystalline, but there is sweetness and ripeness underpinning those characteristics. Persistent, if slightly bitter finish, with young nebbiolo tannins. Outstanding for the price; I'd love to see the 2016 single vineyard designates...
Read 2 Comments / Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2018 Alex et Benoit Moreau Fleurie 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Fleurie
(4/30/2020)
Served double blind. Immediately identified as gamay from the nose alone, with that bright red fruit. Juicy and fresh, and obviously a very young wine at that. The palate has good weight, and there's a really nice streak of acidity here as well. Quite fun and easy to enjoy. The generous gift of Alex after a lovely visit there in February.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2005 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
(4/30/2020)
Served double blind. Obvious Barolo/Barbaresco call here from the nose alone. A touch of black fruit, herbs, and a significant tarry component. Others thought this elegant, but I found it a touch blockier and reasonably in line with my last note. Based on the ripeness of the fruit and a little bit of traditionalist polish, I guessed 2000 Cavallotto. For my palate, this still has some time to go, though there could be some slight concerns about whether the fruit will dry out before the structure comes around. Nonetheless, I'm not opening any of mine for a few more years.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2013 Emrich-Schönleber Monzinger Frühlingsplätzchen Riesling Auslese 95 Points
Germany, Nahe
(4/30/2020)
Served double blind. Immediately identified as Nahe; the nose here is light and ethereal and on the palate there's more of a silkiness and less of the laser-driven focus of the Mosel. The fruit shows like it's just a few hours from peak ripeness, and you get a little bit of tartness that is actually quite alluring. I called the producer, but based on the intensity and sweetness actually thought this was a lighter-styled BA or Eiswein. Go figure.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2017 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 93 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
(5/1/2020)
#4289. This is massive. It doesn't quite have the potency of 2015 or the elegance of 2016 (the last two iterations I tasted right at commercial release), but there is plenty of fantastic material here. The fruit is borderline purple, but it's not over the top in any way. A smidgen of vanilla that is mostly a product of youth and will almost certainly integrate away. Most distinctive is the already prevalent blood and meat flavours here. Acidity that is heightened and prominent, but serves to give this wine lift. A fair bit of tannin as expected, too. On the whole this is a bit of a step down from the 2015/6 in terms of vintage, but it's really not like I'm ever turning a glass of this away, and by no means is that a statement indicating you should skip this in favour of the last two vintages. Chave Hermitage is truly the king of the hill, year in year out.
Read 3 Comments / Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2012 Weingut Dreissigacker Morstein Riesling 88 Points
Germany, Rheinhessen
(5/2/2020)
#19-13, 13% abv. A nose that is pure rock dust. A little bit of green herbs and a mix of white/yellow fruit as well. The palate feels a little heavy and strangely a little dilute. I like the minerality here, but a lot of everything else is just kind of lacking. There's not enough stuffing and just all-round flavour here...
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2018 Wittmann Westhofener Morstein Riesling Großes Gewächs 90 Points
Germany, Rheinhessen
(5/2/2020)
#19-19, 13% abv. The kind gift of the cellarmaster of the carne castle. I liked this more than the 12 Dreissigacker alongside; this had more of the ripeness that is necessary to achieve balance in a GG. The nose shows a generous amount of candied fruit, but also plenty of Morstein rock dust. On the palate, I do love the generous fruit and breadth, as well as the overall mineral cut.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2014 Vigne Marina Coppi Colli Tortonesi Fausto 85 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Colli Tortonesi
(5/3/2020)
Somewhat neutral nose, with a bit of citrus and some minerality. The palate is also fairly neutral, but there's some good minerality here. A slight oiliness and high-toned quality that I don't particularly love. This also feels a little heavy and alcoholic. There is moderate acidity here that is quite nice but the palate seems dilute.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2020 Off Color Brewing Miscellanea Vol. 2
USA, Illinois
(5/3/2020)
This may well be my favourite of the Off Color foedre series. It's got the controlled, clean funk that I love in beers of this style; there's a tropical quality that is super enticing, but also some notes of citrus peel. No yeasty or chalky aftertaste here makes this a huge winner in my book. Awesome.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 Eric Bordelet Poiré Granit 93 Points
France, Normandy
(5/4/2020)
Brilliant stuff as always, even with a little more bottle age. A crystalline expression of the flavour of pear, with just the right amount of sweetness. Plenty of minerality and complexity, but all too easy to drink.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2017 Louis Jadot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Clos de la Chapelle Domaine du Duc de Magenta 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
(5/5/2020)
Wow. Fresh and bright and so much electricity and verve. Layered, complex, and rich with a somewhat generous kiss of oak which is nonetheless well balanced thanks to the fruit and acidity. There's a richness that speaks well of Chassagne, though I honestly doubt I'd peg it blind. What a brilliant wine -- this will no doubt go the distance. I'll add that this may well surpass the Meursault Perrières that I had a week or two ago.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Schramm's Mead Pineapple The Rocket
USA, Michigan
(5/6/2020)
There's a pineapple cake in Christina Tosi's All About Cake that uses a fair amount of wine-poached pineapple. If you then take that poaching liquid and reduce it down, you pretty much get a flavour profile like this. Indeed, the pineapple flavours here are more on the side of cooked pineapple than fresh. Amply sweet but also balanced, with a pleasant bitterness on the finish.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2017 Domaine Faury St. Joseph La Gloriette Vieilles Vignes 93 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph
(5/9/2020)
An excellent edition of this perennial favourite. The nose speaks very truly of the northern Rhone, what with its black fruit, smoked meat, and a mild hint of brine. Really nice intensity here, and like the 2017 Chave last week, this vintage seems to combine some of the acidity-driven elegance of 2016 with the darker weight of 2015. There's a really nice hit of minerality on the finish that gives this wine a clean knife-edge precision. Not just an excellent value, this is truly excellent wine.
Post a Comment / 5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 New Glarus Brewery R&D Summer Sour
USA, Wisconsin
(5/10/2020)
Really should have aged these -- the peach flavour is much more prominent and beautifully defined on the palate now. Plenty of acidity but there's some serious palate complexity here. A moderate, but restrained funk that strikes the right balance for me. Just stunning how delicious this is.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2018 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese 93 Points
Germany, Nahe
(5/12/2020)
#14-19, 8% abv. Quite an expressive nose with a focus on fruit. There is a slight hint of tropicality here but also a Mosel-like green apple inflection. The palate holds the Prädikat line well, but you can definitely feel the relative ripeness of the fruit here. Crispy acids on the finish. This seems to be in line with the relative quality I expect from this bottling, especially at so young an age. I'll be most interested in revisiting this with some bottle age.
Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2018 Off Color Brewing Cygnet
USA, Illinois
(5/14/2020)
From 250 mL. This definitely shows some of the rice and koji flavours (and is slightly reminiscent of Koi), but there is more bright tropical acidity here on the palate, which does make this easier to drink. There's a slight yeasty finish here, and while overall I wouldn't count this as one of my favourite Off Color beers, it's still amply delicious.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2020 is/was brewing Will Be
USA, Illinois
(5/16/2020)
Released in March 2020. I've not generally been a massive fan of saisons but I'll admit this one is pretty well done. Extremely exuberant effervescence. A nose with some good tropical flavours and a hint of bitter almond. Pretty fresh and tasty on the palate, but at the end of the day, my preference definitely lies towards sours.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2010 Pazo de Señoráns Albariño Rías Baixas Selección de Añada 90 Points
Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas
(5/16/2020)
Served double blind. Initially a bit of reduction. Clearly high acid and a slight touch of gooseberry and pyrazines, which had me going to sauvignon blanc, but at the end of the day, I liked this much more than that insipid grape. The pepperiness here had me also thinking grüner veltliner, but it didn't really have the typical oiliness of an Austrian wine. In any case, this definitely didn't seem to have the 10 years on it -- fresh, bright, and plenty delicious.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2018 Kientzler Riesling Schoenenbourg 88 Points
France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru
(5/16/2020)
Served double blind. There's an intense floral element on the nose here that drew me away from a riesling guess (though I kept feeling that this may have been something from a riper area in Germany). High acid, which meant this wasn't something like viognier or gewürztraminer. Fairly generous fruit as well to the point where you might mistake it for sweetness. I ended up guessing Vouvray sec.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2017 Rall Chenin Blanc Ava 90 Points
South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland
(5/16/2020)
Served double blind. Went straight to a good producer of new world chardonnay. There's some matchsticky reduction, as well as a fair bit of oak. The palate shows a little riper and fatter and the finish is marred with just a little more oak tannin than I would like (though in this context it's not overwhelming).
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 Cameron Nebbiolo 88 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
(5/16/2020)
Served double blind. Crunchy red fruit and a slightly volcanic taste had me thinking that this was a frappato or something of that ilk. There's definitely something clearly Italian here, but I just couldn't really place it. That the tannins were so hard compared to the light red fruit made it a difficult wine to guess. Pretty fun to taste, and much better than a 2014 that I had a few years ago.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 Comando G Tumba del Rey Moro 85 Points
Spain, Madrid, Vinos de Madrid
(5/16/2020)
Served double blind. Cherries and vanilla, you get the sense that this is a really heavy wine but made in a really light style. Lots of fruit but also a slightly off, sickly sweet smell that evokes bug spray. A fair amount of tannin on the back end; I actually managed to guess the producer on this. There's something that seems to be pretty distinctive about the wines, and despite this essentially being the darling of the NY somm/hypebeast crowd, I'm gonna go and call out the emperor for having no clothes on.
Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2018 Marcel Lapierre Morgon Cuvée Marcel Lapierre 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon
(5/16/2020)
Served double blind. One whiff on the nose and immediately identified as a ripe vintage Beaujolais; probably 2018 or possibly 2015. Plenty of dark strawberries on the nose with a sweetness that is so distinctive to gamay. The palate shows a mild hint of the sucralose but otherwise this is actually pretty decent for gamay; good body and weight, and a little bit of acidity to help cut through all the fat. This would probably benefit from time.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2019 Middle Brow Beer Co. Other People
USA, Illinois
(5/18/2020)
Bordering on the natty wine side of the beer (and not too surprising, given the collaboration with Martha Stoumen), this interestingly has a hint of white grape juice flavour, before it yields to its more yeasty nature. Not sour, but also not cloying or heavy-handed, this shows a distinct amount of yeastiness, and while it isn't unpleasant, this is definitely not my preferred style of beer.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2019 is/was brewing Perceived Distance
USA, Illinois
(5/19/2020)
Slightly tropical and herbal on the nose and palate, with a fairly exotic spice flavour. Not too much hoppiness here, but this does get a hint of bitterness on the finish. There's a slightly medicinal sweetness here, and overall this is quite pleasant and easy to drink, especially since it lacks a lot of the yeasty funk. I do like this hint of passionfruit on the palate though.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
NV Schramm's Mead Gooseberry Patience
USA, Michigan
(5/19/2020)
Batch 1. This is definitely not as green and astringent as I would have expected it to be, given the fruit that went into this. Far more pleasant than any sauvignon blanc, Vatan excepted, this has a moderate streak of racy green acidity with just a slight bit of herbaceousness. The sweetness really does help balance all of the elements out here; this is very easy and enjoyable to drink.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2014 Domaine Labet Chardonnay Lias 93 Points
France, Jura, Côtes du Jura
(5/20/2020)
"Chardonnay - blend from En Chalasse, La Pellerine, La Bardette ... deep blue clay soil from the Lias epoch. Maturation in old oak barrels for 17 months." Shows some of the nuttiness of the ouillé technique here, but this is far from an oxidized wine. Incredibly fresh, broad, saline, and mineral, this is just damn delicious chardonnay. Mouth-puckering and easy to drink. Labet is love, Labet is life.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2020 Standard Meadery Session 002 Raspberry Lemonade
USA, Illinois
(5/21/2020)
This stuff is inordinately crushable. A slightly candied raspberry/lemon flavour, but the fruit expression is very pure. Sweet, but with a lightness thanks to the low alcohol, and the acidity from the fruit giving this a jolt of electricity, this is such purely drinkable fun.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 Giulia Negri Barolo Serradenari 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
(5/22/2020)
I preferred the Marassio to this. A very limpid sort of Barolo, with heightened, high-toned aromatics that slowly became more earth-toned as the wine got oxygen. The palate shows a really delicate touch, with wispy elements of red fruit and plenty of acidity. The ripeness of the vintage doesn't show here, but there's a fullness to the fruit that you wouldn't get in a lesser year. Like its fancier sibling, I feel like these are Barolos that hew closely to the modern en vogue red crunchy style in Burgundy these days -- not a bad thing; an observation.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 Giulia Negri Barolo Marassio 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
(5/22/2020)
I liked this a little more than the straight-up Serradenari I had next to this. The perfume here is more prominent, and there's more of a pronounced minerality in this wine. On the palate, there's more of an elegance here, with more complexity and elegance. The acidity in this wine is higher than the Serradenari too, and this is a step up in every way. (As a side note, the fruit here is even lighter and crunchier, but no concentrated and flavourful.) This is a Barolo made in the style of the modern red Burgundies with those light red fruit tones, but it works very well.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2004 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
(5/23/2020)
Leftovers from a bottle from the evening before, but the quality is stark and apparent here. To my taste, probably one of the most classically styled wines of the post-Gerard era, this is a wine with ample earthy complexity. Generous and velvety fruit, with a good dose of tapenade as well. Fully resolved now, and while it's almost a given that there is more to go in terms of longevity, the quality here seems to be at some sort of local maximum, and I would feel no regret as to opening bottles of my own right now.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2018 Nervi-Conterno Il Rosato 90 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Piemonte DOC
(5/23/2020)
For what is typically a maddeningly insipid genre, this is just a downright brilliant wine. The nose shows a beautiful floral bouquet, and on the palate there's a really nice amount of sweet fruit that actually seems to fill up the body very nicely. I'll admit that seeing the Conterno name on a wine that doesn't need 20 years in the cellar causes a bit of a double-take, but quality is quality, and it's here in spades.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2014 Rolly Gassmann Auxerrois Moenchreben de Rorschwihr 90 Points
France, Alsace
(5/24/2020)
Perplexing, somewhat odd stuff, that at the same time really is quite pleasant, even if it's not the sort of wine you can easily down a bottle of. Slightly reductive with a honeyed, sweet nose and a touch of apricot and honeydew. The palate is sweet and oily, but it's also not overbearing like other Alsace wines can be. Interesting stuff, and actually quite fun to try.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2020 Hopewell Brewing Co. Neon Batch No. 3 Black Raspberry Lemon Peel
USA, Illinois
(5/24/2020)
From 750mL. Tart and refreshing and easy to drink, with plenty of acidity to keep this very bright. No off or funky flavours, this is a very clean sour. Perhaps a little too sour, the raspberry flavours come off as a little too tart, and the citrus flavours are quite subtle on the back end. Nonetheless, the fruit is clear and quite distinctive; a perfect easy-going beer for the lead-up to summer.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2020 Standard Meadery Session 003 Watermelon
USA, Illinois
(5/26/2020)
Tastes like watermelon candy. Basically a Jolly Rancher as an adult beverage. No complexity or subtlety here, but just downright fun stuff to drink.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2020 is/was brewing The Finer Points of Bad Behavior: Volume 2
USA, Illinois
(5/27/2020)
End of the day, the story is that I just don't really like saisons. This is my favourite out of the three from is/was I've tried so far; the melons give this a slight honeyed sweetness that fills out the palate. But all in all, this still tastes a little too much, well, like a saison. Lacking acid and with a slightly bitter, hoppy finish that I don't love.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2020 Standard Meadery Session 001 Orange Vanilla
USA, Illinois
(5/28/2020)
I've never liked the orange creamsicle flavour, and this is a spot-on ringer for it. I wish there was more tartness from the orange here.
Read 1 Comment / Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue