11/8/2022 - Billy Swan wrote:

Fascinating wine. Made from a supposedly lesser grape, 12 years after harvest it still feel young. Fruit is alive, shifting between clear red and darker, acidity is on point and cleansing minerality. But there is more to it than this. It's so very Piemonte with flowery sensation (violets), a feeling of tar in a good way, leather, sotto bosco, and ripe rolling tannins that crash your mouth like waves treat a beach. Lovely and will probably keep at least five years more.

7/18/2022 - Billy Swan wrote:

Magnificent showing. Silk fruit of the highest quality (mostly red currant and strawberries, but lovely undercurrents of cassis as well), rounded tannins and a bunch of dusty granite. The acidity, think zest from ripe oranges, just sucks you in. Do not make the mistake of thinking this is just easygoing, easily forgotten glouglou. The structure is light but seriously strong. Brilliant Beaujolais.

4/25/2022 - Billy Swan wrote:

Quite often wine gets nitpicked to death. Is something lacking? Is it to much? Is it 93 or 94 points? In an attempt to take in everything a wine has on offer can result in seeing a lot of trees but not the forest.
However, Dönnhoffs Hermannshöhle just cruises in and puts on THE show. It manages to present itself without any deviations, it’s completely harmonious and elegant and yet intriguing and complex, giving food for thought. The fruit is lovely, a mix of grape, lime, stonefruit and pineapple. The minerals have a whiff of gunpowder, but also slate and limestone. The driving force is the acidity, it powers everything ahead like an arrow shot from a bow - straight into the blue. Lovely now, will surely hold for quite a few years more.

4/19/2022 - Billy Swan wrote:

If you like you can probably hold on to this for quite some time, but it sure is both lovely and open for business right now. Sweet raspberrys picked a couple of minutes ago, leather handled by someone very skilled and obviously som licorice and violets. It sounds classic and it is, but a tasting note of Rinaldis Tre Tine, regardless of vintage, will always sound flat and plain compared to actually drinking it. There is so much detail and definition here, just putting on a parade you can enjoy while it marches by. But above all, everything sits together like a persian rug weaved by a true master. Points can't really tell you anything about this wine.

3/28/2022 - Billy Swan wrote:

Real treat drinking this. I remember opinions on this wine and the vintage 2009 in Beaujolais being all over the place. From vintage of a lifetime to "atypical".
When opening I was thinking about the old saying, age a good Bojo and it becomes a Pinot Noir. In this incarnation the wine has not reached that stage, this is Gamay, this is Beaujolais. Fruit is plain lovely, ripe red currant, raspberries making love to flowers and fresh herbs with a nuance of licorice growing nearby. Yes, concentration and extract are on the high side for a typical old school Bojo from way back when, but a cleansing acidity with shades of oranges and mandarins keep things very fresh. Then at the end a sledgehammer of granite descends on your tastebuds.
13,5% alcohol used to be a lot for a Beaujolais, but now rather is towards the low end in many recent vintages. Brilliant wine, too bad it was my last one. Stored cool this will probably have life for at least another 5-7 years.

4/26/2021 - Billy Swan wrote:

I really like Sangiovese and I really like vintage 2013. I've had quite a few bottles, but I fail to learn that this often is an age-worthy vintage. The perfume rising from the glass is seriously stony and herbaceous to begin with, a fragrance perhaps more installing respect than being open and flirty. It's like biking along a Tuscan gravelly road with Rosemary and Thyme in the ditches just being hit by hail. I really like it, but not even 45 minutes in a decanter let's the fruit loose. Still very good to a variation of Melanzane, but man are we in for a treat after dinner.
Then the wine takes off and the fruit just plain begins singing. Lovely Chianti Classico Riserva with depth, complexity and nuances.
So, arm yourself with patience a couple of years or let it sit in a decanter 2 hours rather than 45 minutes.

1/10/2021 - Billy Swan wrote:

All this wine needed to sort itself out was time. Lovely, floating reddish fruit (cherries, rosehip, even strawberries and a whiff of raspberries) intertwine with violet, orange acidity, herbs, forest floor and notes of tar/licorice. It ends with light, ringing minerality. There are still some tannins, but they’re ripe and characteristic for a nebbiolo, no feeling of woodiness. Will probably hold some years, but it’s so good now I woudn’t risk anything. For all you people who use points to point a direction -93-ish.

1/1/2021 - Billy Swan wrote:

First I open a 2012, but that is corked. 2020 sending me one (hopefully) last middle finger. I give it right back to 2020, by pulling out the 2013. This feels old school and pure, very much Brunello di Montalcino but in an understated way that seems to be going out the door in search of more power and in your face wine. There is intensity here rather than power. The fruit is pure and deep like a well, lovely herbs linger together with shadows of spice, a Tuscan gravel road, limestone, acidity like zest from blood oranges. Tannins are ripe and round, caressing your tastebuds rather than gripping them. It’s very light on it’s feet, dancing, fleeting like fog coming up over the valley between Montalcino and Monte Amiata. But it has a lot of staying power and is just beautiful. Will probably hold and develop for quite some time, but very much worth enjoying now too. Marino and Luisa Colleoni sure know what they’re doing.

1/1/2021 - Billy Swan wrote:

One of the best Champagnes I’ve had this year. Lovely dry, but ripe fruit (mostly red apples intertwined with citrus and a touch of lovely wild strawberries), acidity is high and electric, but very much in balance with the fruit. Nice touch of wafers and bronze and a cleansing minerality with a really good grip that rings for quite som time. 100% pinot noir from Montagne de Reims, 4 grams dosage, naturelle fermentation in used barriques and long time on the lees give a nice touch of complexity to the pure fruit. Surprisingly good already, two years after disgorgement. Will hold and develop for several years.

11/30/2020 - Billy Swan wrote:

Lovely wine from vines that are more than 100 years old in Moulin-á-Vent in what seems to be a good and fairly cool vintage. As usual, Julie Balagny manages to create a wine that is both delicate and packed with energy. Delicate fruit towards red currant and cherries (and perhaps just the odd bluberry) rise out of the glass, it mingles with delicate floral notes that intertwine with orange zest, and something spicy that I can't quite put my finger on. Completely transparent wine that ends with a minerality that strikes down on our tastebuds like hail on a tin roof. Clean as a whistle and I believe that the fact that it is sans soufre adds to the striking fruit. Nothing is on mute here, and still it's haunting rather than in your face. Would love to taste this with age, but can't for the life of me believe that I'll manage to save these more than a few years.

11/10/2020 - Billy Swan Likes this wine:

I might have enjoyd this a tad more when just released, when it was more bursting, enthusiastic but still complex and convincing. I still have to admit that it is a very well behaved teenager today. Fruit, a combination of creamy cassis and red cherries, is enhanced by lovely floral notes and with touches of epice riche, smoked meat, blood, juniper, a well balanced acidity and nice almost salty mineral notes to finish. There is no doubt it has seen quite a lot of new medium toast Allier, but at this stage the oak and it's tannins are well integrated. No toffee coffee, more of asian spice and leather. Not quite my style anymore, but very enjoyable to drink anyway, particularly with our deer casserole. Not sure it will reward further cellaring, but I'm quite certain it will stay in fine shape at least five more years. 92-93ish.

9/21/2020 - Billy Swan wrote:

Back in the day I thought I was wise to buy a sixpack of these. Turns out I was just as stupid as usual not buying a 12-pack ...
This was just lovely on release with rich, spicey cherry fruit making passionate love to blood oranges on a cool limestoney mineral bed. With age the fruit has mellowed towards something amarolike, but is still bright and fresh. The lovely acidity from the blood oranges takes a front seat to watch the show the limestone is putting on. Elegant, deep, easy to drink but also stimulating on a dreamy level. If I did points I'd be sailing like Armand Duplantis over the bar of CT:s average 90,6.

9/21/2020 - Billy Swan wrote:

With a quick decant this is more than drinkable today, but I believe better and more complex days are coming in just a couple of years. Nosewise there is a discreet whiff of butter and toast, but limey sensations lead over barely ripe pears, some honeydew melon and nuts (not quite almonds and not quite pine, but inbetween there), acidity is high and very pure, fine chalky minerals ring for quite some time. Just a whiff of oak that has minimum toast and the impression is of a cool climate wine. Very fresh and gets no unwanted weight from 12,5% alcohol. Very well done, Young Luke!

5/31/2020 - Billy Swan wrote:

I had one young, seven or eight years ago and loved it - like I usually do with good Chenin Blanc from producers that know what they’re doing. But now it’s clearly even better. Sweet flowers, yellow apples, quince, maybe a tad apricot are struck by a limestone hammer. Acidity is high but perfectly in harmony with everything else. The limestone salinity comes in wave after wave. Remarkably good, 93-94ish and nowhere near going downhill. Have a hard time seeing how it could get better, but no rush. I lost track of Domaine Huet when they switched owners. If they’re still doing ’em like this that was a serious mistake.

5/5/2020 - Billy Swan wrote:

A wine that skilfully combines the traits seriousness and happiness. Fruit is limestoney yellow and exuberant, acidity high-flying like Scottie Pippen released, while the minerality gives length to keep you grounded for longer than Robert Parker can hold his stop watch. Precision, detail, depth and power combined. Savagnin like I've never had it before. Will be exciting to see what happens as it matures in the cellar - if my legendary non-existent character allows this to happen. For those of you who possess at least semblance of patience, I believe this will live a nice and healthy life +10 years easily.

4/22/2020 - Billy Swan wrote:

Most definitely a fine wine, in a quite fat and sunny style. Yellow fruit, chalky minerality, not to oaky and nice acidity. But, I don't find a hanger for my feelings. Nothing hooks me, seduces me, draws me in. I drink and enjoy but in a kind of sedated way. I hoped for and wanted something more.

4/22/2020 - Billy Swan wrote:

Bought this at the estate almost 15 years ago. You could colour me partial, but I see that as one of wines best features, to make you feel, remember, contemplate and in the best of situations get teleported somewhere. Long way of saying that if I did points I would be higher than CT:s average of 89. This has come together in a just lovely way with typical cab-notes; black currant/cassis, lovely herbs, fine minerality, melted tannins, very discreet and integrated oak. Even though the vintage is 2003 there are no signs of one of the hottest vintages ever. Alcohol is 13,5%, tannins are smooth, fruit is fresh. Even though this comes from Languedoc I'll go out on a limb and say that you would find few Bordeauxs from 2003 that are this cool and harmonious. Just lovely with lamb, potato gratiné and oven-roasted vegetables.

4/22/2020 - Billy Swan wrote:

Vouvray can be seriously good, even with bubbles. At least in the hands of Michel Autran. Quite small bubbles, but still with a certain density. A fine vintage gives yellow apples, quince, a touch of lemon zest, very chalky minerality, fine acidity and even with bubbles a strong sense of place. I love that there are coming so many fine Chenin Blancs from all over Loire.

4/22/2020 - Billy Swan wrote:

I should probably put this bottle up as broke, but managed to save two small glasses. I love the style, light, fleeting but still intense and with a real sense of place. Fruit very much there, nice tannins in a state of still there but melting, lovely acidity giving brightness to compete with the darker minerality. Too effing bad I broke the bottle. But good to know that there is no rush with younger vintages.

4/22/2020 - Billy Swan wrote:

I'm sure this will hold and develop for years. But I love where this wine is now, and I might even have loved it more 15 months ago. Still very intense yet light on it's feat, still very much of the red fruit there, but it's also getting more medicinal and developing it's dark side. Tannins are lovely, acidity perfect (orange), minerality crunchy and has everything I could ask for in a Barolo. For those of you who demand your Barolo to be mature, I would buy something else. To me, this is meant to be enjoyed on the young side - and I will.

4/22/2020 - Billy Swan wrote:

Seriously lovely old school Chianti Classico. In great shape right now and some time ahead, I believe. You put your nose to the glass and it's like being put in a stream of consciousness. You take a huge sip and cherries mingle with lovely herbs, a meaty touch, licorice, chalky stone, ripe and lovely tannins, perfect (and high) acidity. Best to food but also really worth drinking on it's own as it puts you in a reflective mode.

4/22/2020 - Billy Swan wrote:

Very nice wine and very high QPR for a wine from Burgundy. Great vintage, obviously skilled winemaker/farmer and a "lesser" name probably the explanation. Everything is in balance, and the use of oak is discreet and enhancing rather than overwhelming. Tells you what it is with nice citrus marinating yellow apples and cantaloupe, fine chalky minerality and high but integrated acidity. Will probably hold for a short time, but I recommend drinking now - it's that good.

3/17/2020 - Billy Swan wrote:

Lovely, fruit-driven wine. As I understand the first vintage where the new owners have had control over everything after taking over from Diego and Nora Molinari in late 2015. Fruit is sculpted with precision and very clean, a mix of cherries and red berries with a tad darker tones from minerality and herbs lurking. Lovely acidity, perfectly ripe tannin and just a smidgen spice from what has to be new oak barrels. Not very complex at this stage, but certainly has structure to develop with a few years in the cellar.

3/17/2020 - Billy Swan wrote:

Ethereal wine, but does not lack intensity or staying power. Red fruits (cranberries, red currants), striking and balanced acidity with a touch of orange zest, fresh herbs, cleansing feeling of minerality. To keep the alcohol down to 13,5% abv in a year like 2015 is a sign of early harvest. There still is nothing unripe here, nothing cloying and a fine and already manageable tannin structure. Probably not one for the long haul, but who cares when it’s brilliant already.

12/22/2019 - Billy Swan wrote:

So, according to CT this should have been dead on arrival. But no, it’s very much alive and quite nice, thank you. Yes, it does have that Old Testament-style that’s true to Trimbach, but it suits me better with gewurz than with Riesling. Nice fruit, still fresh and sweet, obviously low on acidity, but high on charm and perfume of lychée and strawberries. Sweetness is there, but mellowed after all these years. Pleasant surprise, while still reminding me why I don’t buy any Gewurztraminer or Trimbach these days.

12/22/2019 - Billy Swan wrote:

Fabulous old school Barolo. Lovely fruit (guessing that a warm year does less harm in a cool site handled by a true veteran), fine acidity, well rounded tannins that together with the minerality give nice staying power. To me, this basically has it all: Depth, precision, complexity and origin.

12/22/2019 - Billy Swan wrote:

Just a lovely Chardonnay. Eight years after harvest, the acidity is still singing, there is a bunch of chalky minerality, a shade of ox and sweet lemon meringue. Difficult to find after Ganevat (not surprising) developed a cult following and prices going up, but still very much worth finding and drinking.

12/22/2019 - Billy Swan wrote:

Lovely Barbera. Darkish fruit with hints of red cherries meets acidity bringing light to create perfect balance. A pure joy to a pasta carbonara, but just as good for after. Day 2 after a night in the cool it becomes a shade more complex and elegant, but still just as zzzingy as I want it. Power from Castiglione Falletto, 14% alcohol, but still a wine quite light on it’s feet. Drink or hold, depending on your preferences.

12/22/2019 - Billy Swan wrote:

Quite a few shades of citrus here, chalky minerality and a tone of reduction/matchbox, a mellow feeling of used oak barrels. Lovely acidity. Really nice, and will develop for several years.

12/18/2019 - Billy Swan wrote:

Very elegant Brunello with a rather dark fruit and just a whiff of new oak. Tannins are perfectly ripe, the oak is subtle and just gives a feeling of graphite, nice acid towards orange and nice herbs and a touch of sotto bosco. Fine balance, nice intensity and power under control. A pleasure right now, but will age well for at least five more years.

9/5/2019 - Billy Swan wrote:

I'm sure you can find a Sangiovese out there "worth" more Parker points. But I'm not sure you can find one this lovely, this transparent, this ethereal, this pure or this seductive. Drinking this, only my good manners stopped me from getting up from my seat at the dinner table to perform a war dance.

9/5/2019 - Billy Swan wrote:

So yeah, it's early days for this wine but still very rewarding. Runs clear like a mountain stream, yellow apples draped in the finest lemon meringue possible, acidity comes at you meaning business, slate and limestone together finishes the whole thing leaving you with an open mouth just longing for the next sip. I've seen corks in better shape, so this might have developed quicker than normal. For those who don't like serious and young acidity the way I do, hold for 3-5 years.

9/5/2019 - Billy Swan wrote:

Fantastic showing. Fruit intensity is still off the charts, you can't say that the acidity is high, but good enough to team up with the minerality to balance the fruit. Nori, seaweed, raspberries, plum, sloe, wonderfully fresh garrigue. I do not find it hot, this is balanced. Tannins not quite melted all the way down, which makes me think that this wine is on a plateau it's not moving from for quite some years. Very enjoyable now, but a good bottle stored properly will live another ten years.

9/5/2019 - Billy Swan wrote:

Disgorged in August 2013. Sadly, probably the last Selosse I’ll buy unless I win the lottery. Almost six years after disgorging it is still vital if not outright youthful. Fruit is still fresh, acidity comes at you like a lazily shot arrow (a wee bit rounded but still very perky), slightly nutty tones of oxidation, like Anselme has splashed some good Sherry in a Puligny, and flowery sensations covered in chalk. Sad to see it go, but thankful to having been able to drink a few.

9/5/2019 - Billy Swan wrote:

Superb producer and a superb vintage that has been worth waiting for. Everything sits together seamlessly, fruit is alive and complex, Serralunga minerals drawing you towards the dark side, the acidity putting up a fight to keep you in the light, tannins are rounded and add to a serious length. Wonderful with a risotto full of autumn chanterelles and just as good for after. Powerful but still easy to drink. Consider me seduced.

9/5/2019 - Billy Swan wrote:

Has power, but is still very easy to drink and love. Lemony meringue, huge amounts of chalk and a small but noticeable and typical dose of Jura-oxidation. Will probably hold a couple of years if maturity is your thing, but for me no need to let it get any older.

9/5/2019 - Billy Swan wrote:

Seriously lovely wine. Very typical with raspberries, leather, and a discreetly tarred jetty. Perfect acidity with a feel of orange peel, serious depth and focus like a laser beam. Tannins very much there, but covered up by everything else going on, just giving good structure and length. Will of course develop for quite a few years, but completely open and very rewarding right now. Drink now or hold +10 years. One of the best young Barbarescos I've had the pleasure of drinking.

9/5/2019 - Billy Swan wrote:

Nice wine where the use of whole clusters shine through. Nice fruit, fine balance and greenish notes that to me are a positive. Not a bad wine at all - and I may be selling this a little bit short - but I think it's a tad too easygoing to be really interesting. Could be that it needs a few years in the cellar, but I'm happy that I for once bought just one bottle.

9/5/2019 - Billy Swan wrote:

Powerful wine, but doesn't feel as it's pumped up from a warm year, more methods doing work here with cold soak, pumping over and a touch of new wood. Good fruit, nice acidity, seriously mineral and all in all very good. However, I can live with a bit of make-up tastewise from new wood, but would be very happy to get away from slightly woody tannins. Balance would've been better without it.

1/19/2019 - Billy Swan wrote:

You guys either drink much better wines than I do or don’t understand how to properly rate a beautiful Sangiovese. Average 90,4 points? Come on. This is a sincerely pure Rosso (not a mini Brunello) in wonderful balance. Cherry fruit in a bunch of different shapes and forms, a just wonderful acidity that intertwines with the limestoney minerality, fresh sage, maybe a whiff of jazz tobacco. Pure, but enough of maturity to make it complex. I don’t do points any more, but if I did, I would be sailing over a bar set on 90,4.

1/19/2019 - Billy Swan wrote:

My last bottle just hits the bulls eye. Creamy lemon sorbet with shades of Cantaloupe and a chalky acidity that is to die for. You can certainly keep this for a while, but to me, this is basically as good as it will get. A certain maturity giving complexity, but a fruit that’s still fresh enough to cope with this wonderful acidity. Drink and love.

12/30/2018 - Billy Swan wrote:

A bit surprised by this, in a good way. Producers that did well have clearly made good wines, but the warm vintage 2007 is not a five-star vintage for me and I have had a feeling that you might as well drink up. But this is in fine shape, quite powerful, but it doesn’t lack complexity and nuance. Tannins are fine, ripe and well integrated. There’s tobacco, herbs and the feeling of that chalky, gravelly road. If I were to nitpick, the cherries are a bit towards the dark side and the acidity doesn’t sparkle. Still works like a a charm to lamb filet with a sauce based on marsala, fresh sage and butter.

2/26/2017 - Billy Swan wrote:

I read a couple of things about Quentin Bourse that made me want to try some of his wines, primarily Chenin Blanc. And this is really good. The meters go really high on acidity and nice lemon-drenched fruit, but the minerality is the real stand-out feature here. Man ... Seriously good wine that also has the balance that makes me think this will develop well. I will need serious character to see if I'm right though. But in the meantime, I'll definitely continue to check out what Quentin Bourse is doing with his range of le Sot de l'Ange.

4/17/2016 - Billy Swan wrote:

So, yet another confirmation that a bunch of new oak and Sangiovese is not for me. And, another reminder that style is much more important than points when searching for wine you like. I love Sangiovese, but to me the oak taints this otherwise high quality fruit (that I would prefer with a gentler extraction). Above all it adds a bunch of woody tannins that only makes you feel like you're licking on an ice cream-spatel. This has loads of time to develop, there's fruit, fine acidity and nice minerality. Will probably keep and develop for another decade. I'm happy this is my last bottle, though.

12/6/2015 - Billy Swan wrote:

Lovely Champagne that has benefitted from a year in the cellar. Now the apples that were greenish have turned more reddish (to me a sign of the 100% Pinot Noir), minerality/chalk is lovely, dosage is 9 grams but feels like less (a good thing). Mousse is creamy and there's a shade of citrus fruit helping to keep the wine very fresh. Good length too. Obviously not a Comtes or so, but lovely Champagne with personality.

12/6/2015 - Billy Swan wrote:

Good showing from this. On the young side still and needed some time to open up, last glass actually best. Had with entrecôte, bearnaise, zucchini and bell pepper, with cheese and the last glass on it's own. Good with food, but actually best on it's own. Fruit is still very much alive and on the huge side; raspberries, cherries and maybe a wee touch of apricot puré. Classical notes for a Chateauneuf-du-pape come rolling; seaweed, garrigue, a meaty touch and serious mineral. Acidity is surprisingly good for a 100% grenache. Although obviously a huge wine with 15% alcohol i think it has balance. I still like this very much. 93-ish for me, have no problem seeing it rated a lot higher or a lot lower, as this style is divisive. No need to hurry, if you open now, let it breath.

11/7/2015 - Billy Swan wrote:

Lovely, just lovely wine. Second time I have it, but the first time it wound up in the shadows of Cerbaiona, Biondi-Santi, Salvioni and Talenti. When there is no crowd, no fighting, Lisini shows wonderful. Beautiful fruit, ripe and sweet but no jam. Cherries lead the way but the acidity makes you think cranberries too. There's a touch of asian spice, a bunch of gravel/mineral, black thè, a floral lift. Acidity is lovely, tannins are perfectly ripe, they are very much there but just too hold things together, to give all this lovely fruit somewhere to hang the coat. Acidity is perfect and there's a ton of lovely Tuscan gravel giving length and keeping everything on it's toes. A charmer.

11/7/2015 - Billy Swan wrote:

2009 was warm in Montalcino and apparently many wines are either cooked, have low acidity, harsh tannins or high ABV. Salicutti chose to make one blend of Brunello, made from the three lots Piaggione, Teatro and Sorgente. When tasting the wine, signore Salicutti seems to have made a wise choice. None of the negative things you could fear from the vintage come through here. It's rather light-weight, with cherry candy, earth, gravel, a hint of tobacco and herbs. The structure is fine with ripe tannins that have a youthful bite, but it's playful not violent. Acidity is just fine, the cherry fruit has depth, there is complexity with leather, herbs and tobacco and the minerals are very nice, cleaning your mouth and making you want to have another sip immediately. Splendid wine.

5/1/2015 - Billy Swan wrote:

Young but still very good. To me, the chalk-like minerality is the most high-lighted feature. It works very well with the fine caliber mousse and the fruit, which is apples mixed with wild strawberries. Fine acidity, goes well with and without food. Will develop and probably get more creamy, and more complex. Excellent-outstanding.

2/22/2015 - Billy Swan wrote:

Very traditional with dark reddish fruit (strawberries, cherries) getting support from seaweed, nori and garrigue. It gets a bit darker with food, as if the Mourvedre takes command but the reddishness makes a comeback in the game later. Acidity is fine, tannins are ripe and losing their edge. I'd wait a couple of years or give it a longer decant than the 30 minutes I gave it. 91-ish.