5/7/2024 - wineton.mee wrote:

pop and pour. amalgamation of roses, dark cherries, blood orange, minty spices and woody undergrowth. The classic cool and lush Dujac game here. Oak not yet fully integrated but it’s doing its best to get there. Palate is crackling, with a broad spectrum of stimulating spices doing good work in the mouth. Overall, I’d let this sit for a bit before cracking another one.

5/7/2024 - Bolognese Diner Likes this wine:

I didn't expect that a Croatian wine could hold up so well to aging (especially under questionable conditions), I was amazed; on the nose, it exudes rich fruity aromas of dried cherry and plum mingled with red raspberry and blackberry. The sweet fruit is balanced by a beautiful blend of sour cherry and clove spices, with a hint of fennel seeds, along with tertiary vegetal notes indicating its age. On the palate, the virility and strength have given way to the depth and round softness of a nearly completely softened tannin. A substantial body is accompanied by tannins crushed like velvet; however, on the freshness front, it seems to have lost some vigor, and I don't think it can go much further in terms of aging.

Non mi aspettavo che un vino Croato potesse reggere così bene all'invecchiamento (tralaltro in dubbie condizioni), sono rimasto stupito; al naso sprogione ricchi aromi fruttati di ciliegia secca e prugna mescolati con lampone rosso e mora. La frutta dolce è compensata da una bella miscela di spezie di amarena e chiodi di garofano, con un pizzico di semi di finocchio, ancora una parte vegetale terziaria che indica l'età. Al palato, la virilità e la forza hanno lasciato il passo alla profondità e alla morbidezza rotonda di un tannino quasi totalmente smussato. Un corpo importante è accompagnato da tannini schiacciati come il velluto, sulla freschezza dimostra invece di aver perso verve e non penso possa andare ancora molto avanti negli anni.

5/7/2024 - C Soeborg Likes this wine:

Oily but it kept its elegance. It took some time for it to open up, but it came through with smells of herbs, salvie and rosemary, citrus and apple. Great with food. Stood the most out, with trimbach and boxler

5/7/2024 - jmoon Likes this wine:

Same as a year ago. Lovely fresh tangy and juicy. Medium body.

5/7/2024 - C Soeborg Likes this wine:

Already drinking well
Lemon peel, strawberries, asparagus, ocean
Round acid, oily, coating the mouth. After some time it became more powerful, catching a bit up to Boxler

5/7/2024 - ClausP wrote:

Powerfull fruit with a good tannic backbone.
Excellent qpr

5/7/2024 - C Soeborg Likes this wine:

Powerfull, great acid, still Young keep it.
Great acid in the back of the mouth, round acid.

5/7/2024 - sebburch Likes this wine:

Apple, melon, citrus-sy biscuit nose. Very high acid, with loads of lemon juice and pith. It's good!

5/7/2024 - yourcenar Likes this wine:

just splendid

5/7/2024 - Lordswood wrote:

Delicious rich, slightly muted style of Sauvignon Blanc (and Sauvignon Gris?) from this outlier AOC in Burgundy. A plastic cork indicates no great ageing expectations but at nearly five years old it was delicious, with white fruit, slightly buttery texture and a clean finish.

5/7/2024 - C Soeborg Likes this wine:

Nose: Citrus, cheese, minerals, eksotic fruit.
Mouth: High acid, a bit bitter, bubbly, coating and great acidity

5/7/2024 - peous Likes this wine:

Well balanced. Feels like it’s ready to drink and won’t get much better.

5/7/2024 - gjgordon wrote:

‘

5/7/2024 - twing wrote:

Deep dark red in colour.
A nicely balanced nose of dark fruits, cedar, black raspberry.
The palate is rich, round and full bodied with lovely fine grained tannins.
Drinking well.

5/6/2024 - liber Likes this wine:

5th of 6, decanted 30 minutes, perfect cork and level - again lovely and unchanged from March bottle, more pleasure packed than technical mark, some upside, 10+ years. F (17.5).

5/7/2024 - Ozmango Likes this wine:

Hmm. Screwcap. Different mix of the 5 noble grapes. Younger, softer, more refined the last night's 2005 monster. Medium weight plum red colour. Vanilla, tabbaco, dark berry nose. Soft blackberries, tannins start early and take over, though fine. Starting to become unbalanced.

5/7/2024 - Bigdong wrote:

90-91 compare to 2018, this is a lot worse. all felsina chianti has big mint flavors besides colonia in 2019 and I hate mint. other things are there, acidic red fruit, some oak but all overpowered by the mint. if you are a mint lover, this is for you.

5/7/2024 - David Benhamou wrote:

The cork split in half as we opened the battle, and part of it fell into the bottle, but it did not alter the quality of the wine. My G-d was this wine amazing!
Like drinking silk, soft tannins, with notes of oak, butter, and though the wine is 21+ years old, we had primary aromas (cassis, raspberry! It was worth the waiting

5/4/2024 - oxwombat Likes this wine:

Opened at Clarence in HK. P&P and enjoyed.

This is a beautiful Stella. Not as concentrated as the VCLC '16, which really does need quite a lot of air and time to open up, but still an incredible Rosso and a very serious wine. Sweet red fruits coming through on the nose, yielding to a silky smooth palate.

If I were to nitpitck, there's a slight hint of tannic grip and oak here - which is good news in a way, as this suggests potential upside with a few more years. I'd love to revisit this in 3+ years to see how it's doing. For current joy and more immediate playfulness, drink the '14s instead. Great to share with friends and always a pleasure to drink Stella.

5/7/2024 - geraldsng wrote:

The Beau-Sejour Becot felt like a left bank with a very Cab Sauv nose. There was a very strong ferric note too initially which morphed into a seaweed-iodine note as it got more air in the decanter. The intrinsic quality is fair but it was heavily outshone by the La Chapelle.

5/7/2024 - geraldsng wrote:

The La Chapelle came from what I am told are the fallow years prior to Frey but I think vintage still counts for something as it was excellent. Thought there was a brief hint of TCA on opening but thankfully that disappeared. Left in the bottle for an hour before starting, and probably it could’ve used another hour as it grew from strength to strength. It’s not recognizably Syrah at this stage as whatever it may have once had have now disappeared. Slight plum (but not plummy) and there is still a sensation of blood or meatiness on the nose. And a brief touch of mushroom umami on the palate. Predominantly though it is cool and silky and feels positively Burgundian. I enjoyed this tremendously. It is quite unrecognizable in style from the more recent vintages of their other wines I’ve tried (from 2010 onwards).

5/7/2024 - geraldsng wrote:

This is a Folatieres that still tends towards minerality and elegance rather than opulence. Initially just lime and reduction. Took about 1.5h in the carafe before the true character was revealed. A very nice honeysuckle flower nose, salty palate with just the right amount of acidity. It’s perhaps not as dense in extract nor as persistent in finish as the top wines but this was still very satisfying. And now I know to carafe for a couple hours before drinking the next time.

5/7/2024 - geraldsng wrote:

Wasn’t terribly convinced by the Billecart. First impression was a nice sensation of richness on the nose, but then the high dosage hits the palate out of whack. But it was enjoyable for the middle 30 minutes once you ignore the sugar, there’s probably a good amount of PN in it to give some tannins and red fruit character. Dense and long. But then I left a glass to track through dinner and as it warmed it turned more and more oxidative and ended up smelling like sherry.

5/7/2024 - jmoon wrote:

Didn’t love it. Big and blocky at this stage. If you’re going to open suggest 3 hour decant min as was still good in the decanter the next day / deeper and calmer.

5/5/2024 - oxwombat Likes this wine:

Opened in HK. P&P, served blind and slowly enjoyed.

This really surprised me in a positive way. I tend to avoid 2011 Burgundy reds where I can, having had disappointing experiences with various wines, even from top Domaines. However, this completely fooled me, as I didn't get any green wateriness at all. I guessed somewhere between 09 or 13 Chambolle, but wouldn't have gotten 11.

Light and airy, red fruits and slight sweetness upon opening. Gains a bit of weight over time and rounds out with some air. Going down beautifully at the moment; no hint of tertiary - really enjoyable and I'm so happy to see this bottle performed so well.

Would suggest that this is at peak right now, and wouldn't hesitate to drink up. Thanks to M for sharing as always, such a wonderful treat!

5/7/2024 - Luke275 Likes this wine:

On the nose, cherries, moving to dark fruits with soil and that wonderful leafy/pencil lead thing that Loire valley CF has going on. Moderate tannins and nice acidity with a strong cherry and graphite finish. Lovely and a classic Saumur-Champigny

5/3/2024 - WTF My Email was Here? Likes this wine:

Wild nose. Extremely pungent, rich black/purple fruits on, cloves, slight green note.

Tasted as it smelled with a green finish. Would be easy to blind as cabernet based.

5/7/2024 - burgund wrote:

Gone brown and oxidized

5/7/2024 - burgund Likes this wine:

Must be in a closed phase. Took more than 30 min to revial more complexity. Color a bit tired red/brown, quite lean and dry taste and medium long. Expected more nose, taste and aftertaste. Blind tasted. Helped with food.

5/7/2024 - burgund wrote:

No taste of burnt cartires here. Actually quite good and balanced.

5/7/2024 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:

Ridiculously good for its level. Some smoky mineral reduction and citrus blossom. The palate has a sweet core of white peach. There's freshly grated ginger too. It is unctuous and silky of texture. The finish has citrus rind freshness and it persists. Entering a good drinking zone but still very fresh and vital.

5/7/2024 - ::robo:: Likes this wine:

Pretty flippin' good for 16 clams (Aussie).
Age has smoothed some of the raw edges, making this a full-flavoured but pretty refined drop. Not as hot as some vintages.
Good drinking.

5/7/2024 - burgund Likes this wine:

Wooden taste and quite a full scaled chardonnay. Long aftertaste and complex. But then also more french and subdued than most.

5/7/2024 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine:

Popped and poured. This is rounding into shape beautifully. Rich, full blackberry fruit in nose and mouth, with excellent balance, structure, and tannic backbone. Glad I loaded up on this, as it was a tremendous bargain on release (and probably still is at what must currently be a higher tariff today). Great future ahead, but already coming around. 5-13-17-9: 94/100.

5/7/2024 - henrijanssen wrote:

abrikoos honing appel limoen ananas te zoet voor mij

4/23/2024 - forceberry wrote:

100% Jaen (aka. Mencía) from organically farmed vineyards at Quinta da Pellada. Fermented spontaneously, macerated with the skins in small lagares for the primary fermentation (ie. approximately a week), then racked into old oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol.

Moderately translucent and still surprisingly youthful cherry red color. The nose feels open and expressive with vibrant aromas of strawberries and raspberries, some juicy cherry tones, a little bit of fresh red plum, light perfumed notes of dried flowers, a hint of damson and a touch of sun-baked earth. The wine feels lively, nuanced and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and bright flavors of fresh red plums, some floral notes of violets and dried flowers, a little bit of ripe blueberry and damson, light gravelly mineral tones, a ferrous hint of blood and a savory touch of meaty umami. The wine feels fresh and balanced with its high acidity and ripe medium tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is clean, juicy and gently grippy with a long, dry aftertaste of cherries and wild strawberries, some brambly raspberry tones, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light crunchy notes of fresh red plums and damsons, a floral hint of violets and a touch of blueberry.

A very fresh, fruity and attractive Jaen that really underlines the comparison between Dão and Burgundy. Sure, the wine tastes like Mencía (Jaen), not Pinot Noir, but the overall style is so much closer to Burgundy than to the burlier and more solar Mencías of Bierzo across the border. The winemaking here is deft and elegant: the emphasis is obviously on freshness and high acidity, yet the wine feels perfectly ripe and vibrant with its fruit - not picked one bit too early or too late. The tannins are not clunky or rustic, but instead well-manicured, lending just enough firmness and bite to the palate without sticking out. What surprised me, though, was how remarkably youthful the wine was - at eight years of age, the wine shows very little if any sense of age! Maybe with additional aging the wine will evolve from this fruit-forward stage to a more savory and earthy direction with more emphasis on tertiary complexity? However, seeing how wonderfully the wine is drinking at the moment, no further aging is necessary. A good purchase at 25€.

5/7/2024 - Satoshi Nakamoto Likes this wine:

Flowers, dark berries, dried herbs, spices, and perfume. Rich, dense, regal, yet sensual in a way. Obviously a long future ahead, but damn, this was an amazing showing. Thanks, Michael.

5/7/2024 - mouki Likes this wine:

Very nice and smooth, harmonious tannins, very soft, as stated by others bing cherry on the palate and some other red fruits but not overly fruity, dry like Italian should be, very tasty, wife really liked this wine.

5/7/2024 - Satoshi Nakamoto Likes this wine:

Haven't tasted this in a decade, but it's wonderful today. Orchard fruit, yellow apple, brioche, honey, sweet lime, and just a hint of hazelnut. This bottle came across a bit advanced, but it worked well nonetheless. Thanks for sharing, Z.

5/7/2024 - Satoshi Nakamoto Likes this wine:

Lovely aromas of grapefruit, lemon zest, grass, stony minerality, and white flowers. Mouthwatering bright acid with lovely texture on the palate. Always a pleasure. Thanks, Z.

5/5/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Screw cap. 13% ABV. Decanted for two hours. Medium-bodied and loosely structured. The wine is sweet and savory, well balanced, and very smooth, with well integrated oak, and highly drinkable. It just lacks the structure to age. Drink now and enjoy!

5/5/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

The wine showed extremely well in a tasting a few months ago and I was unable to resist the temptation of opening one of my bottles. Screw cap. 13% ABV. Medium ruby colour. Good red and dark fruit, cherry, forest notes, espresso, and intense spice, with medium-level acidity, well-integrated tannin, and very good length. Medium-bodied, with a creamy texture, and well-integrated oak. Riedel Sommelier Burgundy and Riedel Winewings Burgundy glasses worked well, better than the Zalto Denk‘Art Burgundy glasses which emphasized the tannin. The wine kept improving as time passed, developed an intriguing combination of sweet, spicy and savory notes, and became balanced and harmonious after about two hours of aeration. Drink or hold.

5/7/2024 - Satoshi Nakamoto Likes this wine:

Crazy weight and richness on this. Layered and dense, amazing acidity. Instantly commanded my attention.

5/6/2024 - Giggs wrote:

Grape Nerds, pencil shavings, canned prunes. Complex, charmingly austere, if flabby.

5/7/2024 - Macdog Likes this wine:

A birthday bottle of wine from Gus . He bought it based on the label and he clearly has an eye for such things at 5 years old. I really enjoyed this wine with fillet steak/balsamic/truffle salt/Parmesan and a rocket and tomato salad. Best after the bottle had been open for a an hour or two, but was perfectly p n p - able. Didn’t decant.
Initially candied on the nose and quite explosively so. A little violet and rose with a touch of piedmont ‘tar’. Light building to medium bodied across the pallet with some satisfying creaminess with the meat. Perfectly fine on its own but maybe a touch tart. Better with the food. 2016 obviously nails it. I have had this from lesser vintages in bars/restaurants and it’s not nearly as good hence I wasn’t expecting so much from this. Great choice Gus thank you.

5/6/2024 - Motz wrote:

Crisp and bright red fruits and berries, root vegetables, olive medley, herbs, peppercorns, spice, and weathered clay. Delightful expression of place! Serious acid, gritty tannins. Deft balance at all phases. Long, supple finish. I drink wine for experiences like this.

5/7/2024 - Macdog Likes this wine:

I really enjoyed this at the sir Charles Napier with roast beef. Best after an hour of air in the bottle but on day 2 a little more mellow and even more like a velvet hug on the finish. Sufficiently interesting and enough length. Paid £120 in the restaurant and I would imagine it was a £45/50 wine. Would buy the producer to try again.

5/6/2024 - belfast taxman wrote:

Excellent wine at the village level. Okay the 2021’s may have had some issues such as frost and some may lack concentration but this was very pleasant and a great accompaniment to wifey’s very wonderful prawn and monkfish risotto. Good balance and decent length.

5/6/2024 - belfast taxman wrote:

A pattern seems to be emerging with this Champagne. Once bought, we now mature it in bottle for a year or more. The result is a little bit of weight and autolytic development that really improves what can be something of a lightweight citrus dominated wine..

5/7/2024 - RN wrote:

Emirates 1st- average year, great wine. Elegant, concentrated, seamless, perfectly balanced but still with an incredibly long finish. What good burgundy is all about. Right in its drinking window. Absolutely delicious….