All 20 Vintages of Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique
Tasted Sunday, April 3, 2022 by Cailles with 172 views
Introduction
Tasted with winemaker Martin Donatsch at the Matter of Taste event in Zurich
Tasted Sunday, April 3, 2022 by Cailles with 172 views
Tasted with winemaker Martin Donatsch at the Matter of Taste event in Zurich
2000 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 94 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Intoxicating nose with smoke, ash, meaty notes. Quite intense. On the palate this has still a sweet fruit core, again lots of ash and smoke, some meaty notes, hints of coffee. Superb freshness, melted tannins, nice creaminess. This remains on the very fresh side and is quite exciting from start to the very long finish. Medium+ complexity with that touch of greatness and a very high precision. 94/95 pts. This seems at its peak from magnum. Maybe 750s might already be at the end of their life. Drink up.
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2001 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 91 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Not very expressive nose. On the palate this still shows a bit of fruit, some meaty notes and spices, not a very high concentration but good, elegant, finesse-driven structural frame. It’s all about linearity and freshness. Overall solid but without greatness. 91/92 pts. Maybe a few more years in the cellar might bring out a bit more complexity and a touch more creaminess. It’s fun to drink but I would wait a few more years (maybe 750s are already a bit further along in their development).
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2002 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 84 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Oxidized notes, some broth and soy sauce. Same on the palate. This is past the peak. I was surprised that there were voices in the room suggesting that this was drinking still well, although a bit evolved. For me this was over. Maybe it was the bottle/cork, maybe it’s just the year. Winemaker Martin Donatsch mentioned this to be a rather difficult vintage. 84 pts.
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2003 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 93 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Not overly expressive nose at first, with more time a bit more open but never as expressive as the palate.. On the palate you can sense the hot vintage with much riper fruit than usual but still clearly remaining on the good side of things at first and only with a lot more time in the glass showing a bit more raisiny notes. Sweet and sexy, herbs and minerality, a beautiful creaminess. Not super complex but very precise and great to drink. A hedonistic vintage which I would not decant. 93+ pts at the beginning (91 pts towards the end).
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2004 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 94 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Classic, medium intense nose with dark berries, ripe red berries, ash and smoke, stems, crushed rocks. Quite nice but the palate is on another level. Intense, very layered with lots of dark red fruits, ripe red berries, some darker berries, ash, smoke, minerality, herbs. A wonderful sweetness to balance all the minerality, earthy notes. This is great. The first quite complex wine with a medium long finish with fruit and some coffee and ash notes. 94/95 pts
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2005 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 97 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Medium+ intense nose with herbs, spices, ripe red berries, some hints of herbs, a few toasty notes. Quite intoxicating nose. Wow. On the palate this is so hedonistic, lots of ripe red fruit, coffee, toasty notes, ash and smoke, crushed rocks. Wow. This is so great and hedonistic. Melted tannins, superb freshness, high tension, very good length. Seductive and sensual, it’s still all about finesse. 97+ pts.
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2006 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 96 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Medium expressive nose, dispalying dark red fruit, minerality, smoke, stems. On the palate this is all about freshness, a superb purity of fruit, a cooler fruit expression with lots of blue fruit aromas mixing with the red fruit aromas. Smoke, stems, earthy notes, crushed rocks. With time more and more toasty and coffee notes. This is fantastic on the palate with such a superb freshness, ultra fine, slightly melted tannins, a nice creaminess, very weightless and a very long finish. Wow. 96 pts
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2007 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 94 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Herbacious, vegetal aromas mixed with red berries and minerality. Not my favorite profile but quite intense and complex. With time that vegetal aromas were pushed to the back. On the palate much better with red fruit, ash, stems, toasty notes, minerality, but no vegetal aromas. But still a bit cooler expression with also some blue fruits mixed in. Nicely melted tannins, high freshness, nice creaminess. Quite round and balanced, quite complex and highly precise. Easily worth 94 pts.
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2008 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 95 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Dark berries, power, herbs, stems, toasty notes, earthy aromas on the complex and precise nose. Very balanced and inviting. On the palate this shows great, so soft and elegant, so much finesse, coffee sexiness, paired with fine red berries, herbs, stems, crushed rocks. Wow, very complex, highly precise, so wonderful and round, full of finesse, creamy and superb freshness. I would like to drink this every day. Hedonistic, yet highly elegant. 95/96 pts.
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2009 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 96 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Fresh, minerality-driven. On the palate this is amazing, so much substance, medium+ bodied, this shows layers of pure strawberries, other red berries, minerality, stems, herbs, toasty, coffee notes. Very complex, lots of substance, superb precision. Creaminesss, melted tannins, superb tension, high freshness, long lingering finish, impeccable balance. Wow, the complete package. 96/97 pts
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2010 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 94 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Medium expressive nose, stems, herbs. On the palate this is fine, round, with a very weightless feel, so light and feather-like. A step change to the wines before in terms of that. Quite complex and precise but still a bit closed and will need more time. But the structural frame, the elegance are the highlights. 2010 is a probably the most finesse-driven vintage in the lineup. When time will add more complexity, it could become absolutely great, but today it misses a bit of creaminess and concentration. 93/94 pts.
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2011 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 93 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Very minerality-driven nose with ripe fruit underneath. On the palate, this shows a bit more open with coffee, toast, ripe red berries, stems, lots of minerality. This will need a few years to open up, to get even creamier and softer. Today, it‘s still very structured. Quite great, could become fantastic. Give it time. 93 pts.
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2012 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 93 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Intense red fruit and minerality nose, a bit wild. Some stems and toasty notes complement the bouqet. On the palate this again shows great with ripe red strawberries, red berries, some floral hints, coffee, toasty notes, herbs, stems, minerality. Super complex, very precise, this will still some years to get creamier and softer to reach the realm of the best vintages. But it‘s quite great today already, 93
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2013 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 89 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Dark and smokey nose. On the palate this seems completely closed, muted and not overly complex. You can sense the substance but you don‘t get much out of it. This is supposed to be a superstar vintage, and back in its young, fruity phase, this showed incredible (I’ve scored it up to 97 pts). But this is closed at this point, at least from magnum. 89 pts but I have little doubt that this can become a 95 pts wine again.
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2014 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 92 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Medium+ expressive, dark berries, dark red berries, smoke, ash, minerality and beautiful toasty notes. On the palate this is very fresh and elegant but misses a bit of openness, charm, creaminess, This will need a few years. 92/93 pts today but with more potential.
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2015 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 93 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Intense, dark red berries, dark berries, toasty notes, quite ripe, probably the ripest wines of all. The nose was a bit muted but the palate showed more open. The freshness is there, the creaminess slowly builds, the tannins are of impeccable quality. Overall this could become an amazing wine. It will need another 10 years to get there. 92/93 today.
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2016 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 93 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Fresh, dark and dusty on the nose, lots of minerality, ash, rahter dark fruit. On the palate this shows brighter, with quite ripe red fruit, herbs, stems. This is an infant with lots of tension, power and verve. This could become great. Today, this misses a bit of charm, creaminess and tannins have to melt further, The substance is very promising, though. 93
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2017 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 94 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: A bit more open nose than the previous vintages, fine red berries, floral and some toasty notes. On the palate this is so full of finesse, elegant, light, weightless, lots of toasty notes, pure fresh red berries, some stems, extremly long finish. Wow, this is one of the better 2017s I‘ve had to date. 94/95
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2018 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 93 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN Dark and intense nose, minerality dominates the nose at the moment, the fruit - and the same is true for palate - has receded since the release a year ago. This is no longer the great, perfectly ripe, seductive, pure, fruit-driven wine. You can clearly see that the substance is impressive and that this wine (the favorite vintage of winemaker Martin Donatsch) could become great with another 10+ years in the cellar. 92/93 pts today. Potential for more is obvious.
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2019 Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique 93 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: Medium expressive on the palate. Superb on the palate, with so much ripe but pure red berries, dark red berries, toasty notes, stems, earthy notes. Lots, lots of purity, tension. This shows very, very promising, freshness, quality of tannins are exremley high. Will need 10 years to get to the 95 pts+ category. Promising.
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2018 Donatsch Pinot Noir Réserve Privée 92 Points
Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans
Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste all vintages ever produced of this top Swiss Pinot Noir. All from magnum. A few obeservations: A) The structural frames are exceptional. Superb tannin quality, high, and perfectly-integrated acidity, lots of finesse and a weightless feel in all vintages. B) These wines are made to age. Only the 2002 was over-the-hill, most other showed young(-ish) from magnum and will have a long life ahead. Only the first vintage (2000) showed tertiary/peakish. C) The wines start drinking quite well from the age of 12-15 years. The younger ones from the 2010 vintage onwards were more about the potential with many even a bit closed. D) There's a jump in complexity with the 2004 vintage. Most (open) wines show beautifully complex, very well delinated, pure and Burgundian in style with a well-measured touch of sexiness.
TN: This wine was added to the lineup. A selection of the best three barrles, only produced in great years (2013, 2015 and 2018 so far) and not officially sold (a few bottles get auctioned off, though). Very dark and dense on the nose. Lots of minerality. Not the most pleasant nose right now but still quite interesting. On the palate this just hints at all the potential it has. Lots of substance, high density but not open for business today. The direct comparison with the 2018 in the next glass showcases the additional density and substance quite good. This will certainly need another 15 years or more before it will start to sing. Drinking pleasure today is at 91/92 pts. The potential is clearly 95+ pts.
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