Third bottle from a half case purchased from the Dutch importer in 2014, second bottle of the night. This bottle has no clear flaws, although it feels a bit uneasy. Decanted two hours in advance. Fragrant, lifted, nervosité bordering on nervousness, dried red berries, white nuts, firm and dry tannins with a fine grain, hints of earth and spice, very good persistence. Difficult phase or just not making good on its promise? Cautious score.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not correct. Not sure what the taint is. It's a bit chocolaty and raw. Hint of cocoa powder. Could be low level TCA, or acrolein taint. Probably the latter.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
After the 2014 tasting at which I first encountered this wine (and David Croix), I purchased a half case of this wine and this is the first bottle. Not decanted, but opened four hours in advance. It is really singing today, with a lovely interplay of primary and subtle tertiary flavours, ripe but fresh fruit, notes of flowers and earth and a hint of stalky energy, a silky texture and a flowing style, refined tannins, and a gently sweet but precise and long finish. Sensitive wine making aimed at elegance and finesse, but not at the expense of power and intensity. This is now on its plateau of maturity, and it should stay there for 5-8 years. I rate this very highly for its balance and panache.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very similar notes to the bottle I had two weeks ago, but no signs of TCA this time. Nice bright cherry notes. If served this blind, I might guess a high quality Central Coast California wine, but there’s definitely some Burgundy earth there.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bright cherry and wet earth on the nose. The palate shows similar notes, finishing with good acidity and a nice tannic bite. (This bottle showed just the slightest hint of TCA. It blew off after an hour or so. I hope my other two aren’t flawed.)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium ruby, restrained nose of ripe red berry fruit, spicy red fruit on the attack followed by menthol and mint notes, medium finish with more berry fruit and hints of mushroom and forest floor
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
there's some autumnal character and a hint of lifted herb (in the thyme spectrum), but there's a lot of sweetness on the nose too, sweet fruit and some sweet oak too, actually there's quite a lot of oak on the palate - too much. More about fruit and oak than anything else - the Aussie paradigm in Burg, oh dear. Whilst not what I look for in Burg, it is OK. The palate is nicely balanced -
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
12/6/2022 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
Third bottle from a half case purchased from the Dutch importer in 2014, second bottle of the night. This bottle has no clear flaws, although it feels a bit uneasy. Decanted two hours in advance. Fragrant, lifted, nervosité bordering on nervousness, dried red berries, white nuts, firm and dry tannins with a fine grain, hints of earth and spice, very good persistence. Difficult phase or just not making good on its promise? Cautious score.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2022 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: flawed
Not correct. Not sure what the taint is. It's a bit chocolaty and raw. Hint of cocoa powder. Could be low level TCA, or acrolein taint. Probably the latter.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/12/2020 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 93 Points
After the 2014 tasting at which I first encountered this wine (and David Croix), I purchased a half case of this wine and this is the first bottle. Not decanted, but opened four hours in advance. It is really singing today, with a lovely interplay of primary and subtle tertiary flavours, ripe but fresh fruit, notes of flowers and earth and a hint of stalky energy, a silky texture and a flowing style, refined tannins, and a gently sweet but precise and long finish. Sensitive wine making aimed at elegance and finesse, but not at the expense of power and intensity. This is now on its plateau of maturity, and it should stay there for 5-8 years. I rate this very highly for its balance and panache.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2019 - kkleg Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very similar notes to the bottle I had two weeks ago, but no signs of TCA this time. Nice bright cherry notes. If served this blind, I might guess a high quality Central Coast California wine, but there’s definitely some Burgundy earth there.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/2/2019 - kkleg wrote: 91 Points
Bright cherry and wet earth on the nose. The palate shows similar notes, finishing with good acidity and a nice tannic bite. (This bottle showed just the slightest hint of TCA. It blew off after an hour or so. I hope my other two aren’t flawed.)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/23/2018 - Kriz wrote: 90 Points
Sweet nose. Palate lives up with some air. Great long fresh finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/2/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
La Paulée de San Francisco - The Verticals (The Fairmont - San Francisco CA): Tasting, brief note. In 11/10/09 vertical. Pretty red fruit throughout with good+ weight and length, some meaty spice and very good balance. Charming now, with upside.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/27/2017 - Kriz Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is Pinot Noir from Burgundy. Great example of what Burgundy is. Warm, spicy, sweet. Lovely
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2016 - Kriz wrote: 90 Points
Good example of pinot noir from Burgundy from a great year. Fruity with a hint of oak, keeping the typicity of Burgundy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2014 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 93 Points
Wijnkoperij Okhuysen Annual Tasting (Haarlem, NL): Has all the purity, energy and drive of 2010, great style and longevity, depth and balance. A real star.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (2)
3/8/2014 - duchamp wrote: 89 Points
Medium ruby, restrained nose of ripe red berry fruit, spicy red fruit on the attack followed by menthol and mint notes, medium finish with more berry fruit and hints of mushroom and forest floor
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2013 - Bearbus wrote:
some sweetness of fruit and oak on the pal/fin, a quite firm acidity, but otherwise nice
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/8/2013 - Michael Davidson wrote:
Nose is a little restrained, but this is really delicious. Pure, sappy fruit. Polished, but not over ripe. Really enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2013 - Bearbus wrote:
there's some autumnal character and a hint of lifted herb (in the thyme spectrum), but there's a lot of sweetness on the nose too, sweet fruit and some sweet oak too, actually there's quite a lot of oak on the palate - too much. More about fruit and oak than anything else - the Aussie paradigm in Burg, oh dear. Whilst not what I look for in Burg, it is OK. The palate is nicely balanced -
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/15/2013 - Federsin Likes this wine:
Lighter bodied, bright and airy with pure sweet red fruit, would probably benefit from some age, but really enjoyable now
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/2/2013 - Bearbus wrote:
very good, cherry and a touch of briar, some dry leaves, great silken-like texture, good acidity not sharp, nice length, great balance, very good
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment