"Potlach" with the tasting group

Once a year, a member goes to the depth of its cellar to share some of its finest bottles.

Bubbles cannot be missing in a potlach !

• 2015 Dönnhoff Sekt Pinot Brut 90 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  Disgorged in 04/20. 51 months on the lees.
  
  Clear with golden hue.
  
  Aromatic nose with a great impression of freshness that takes the lead. High acidity and raciness getting the better part of vinosity (marmelade, grapefruit).
  Nice body and concentration with good length.
  The colleagues are unsettled by the very high acidity but find it fine.

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To pair with some Haddock quenelles, green apple and poutargue.

• 2021 Julian Haart Wintricher Ohligsberg Riesling Kabinett "1925 wurzelecht" 96 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Tasted in September 2025 with my tasting group opposite the JH Schubertslay Reserve 2016.
  
  Unanimous victory for the Kabinett. It is fresh, fine, racy with the very old vines feature of understated power with depth.
  
  So easy to drink with its 7,5°.
  
  I didn't need to "sell" the unicorn aspect of that wine, my fellows spotted the quality of the wine by themselve.
  
  96+

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• 2016 Julian Haart Piesporter Schubertslay Riesling Reserve Große Lage 93 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Released in 2018 after 2 years on the lees.
  
  Yellow/green hue.
  
  A bit of perlage. Transparent, crystal clear, herbal, with really nice and fine mineral bitterness increasing persistance.
  
  Savory and noble in the aftertaste. Not a dense as the Keller's rendition for the Auction.

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• 2014 Georg Breuer Rüdesheimer Berg Schloßberg Riesling 94 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  A bit of evolution with a yellow/orange hue.
  
  Mango, flowers, grapefuit, orange, petrol with intensity. It is an iron fist slighlty smoothen with velvet under the palate with more cannon powder and noble bitters spreading behind the cheeks.
  
  A good showing but not the very best that the producer can do.

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• 2022 Peter Michael Chardonnay La Carrière 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley

  Opposite a 2014 Breuer Berg Schlossberg Riesling
  
  Transparent hue, non-filtered.
  
  Despite 4h of decanting, the whole group is hindered by its European habits and cannot go beyond the élevage.
  
  But there is a lot of sun and heat into the juice, while still holding freshness (15° AbV are imperceptible).
  
  It is technically a very good burgundy-like Chardonnay but once you learn it is American, the wood becomes ever so more present. It is obviously too young as well.

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• 2015 Friedrich Becker Heydenreich Pinot Noir 92 Points

  Germany, Pfalz

  To pair with chinese eggplant with oyster sauce and spices.
  
  4h of decanting, not enough but developped further in the glass.
  
  Dense and dark hue, especially for a PN. Elevage is forward at the beginning, hence too much for my colleagues but behind it, the concentration, focus and power are there.
  
  With time, it becomes more complex (red fruit, humus, blood), sleek and velvety and a very good lenght.
  
  Once again, a bit young but very surprising for French people to learn that you can produce such PN in northern Alsace !

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• 2013 San Leonardo San Leonardo 96 Points

  Italy, Trentino Alto-Adige / Veneto, Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT

  Opposite Chateau Figeac 2011 with a beautiful Aubrac cut.
  
  Typical great cabernet blend nose. Under the palate, the freshness and kick are enhanced by the touch of carmenere and it provides a very unique profil to that lovely wine that has a cult following.
  
  Long aftertaste, perfect sapidity.

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• 2011 Château Figeac 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Opposite Tenuta San Leonardo 2013 with an Aubrac cut.
  
  Quite classical cabernet blend that is not a fruit bomb with some raciness. Still needed time in the glass to unfurl.
  
  No more astringency but not yet smooth and velvety to my taste that night.

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• 2003 Domaine Macle Château-Chalon 98 Points

  France, Jura, Château-Chalon

  Perfect match with a Vieux Comté and... a Blue Stilton.
  
  A Vin Jaune, for sure. A Chateau-Châlon as well with its fine lemon aftertaste. But this time, the green nut and strong flavors that are so off-putting to beginners were not there. To the contrary, the wine had a lot of finesse, almost sweet in its delicacy while still conveying the power and specific oxydative touch.
  
  Best Château-Chalon I had and world-class to me.

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• 2015 Egon Müller/Le Gallais Wiltinger Braune Kupp Riesling Auslese 95 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Opposite a Macle macvin NM with a chocolate cake with passion fruit inserts.
  
  Opened 6h in advance. It needed it. Bright and yellow/orange synesthesic fruits with intensity and also some reduction to me. Some fellows also found celery and safran.
  
  Then it is dense, focus and explosive of mango puree, good acidity that lifts everything easily with a long aftertaste enhanced by the blended residual sugar.
  
  Basically Egon has been Egon and set himself apart : that is a great quality wine before being a legend or a marketing stunt.
  
  Lovely pairing with the dessert.

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• NV Domaine Macle Macvin du Jura 92 Points

  France, Jura, Macvin du Jura

  Opposite an Egon Müller/Le Gallais Braune Kupp Auslese 2015 with a chocolate cake including passion fruit.
  
  Denser orange hue. Very aromatic bouquet of exotic fruit underlined by alchohol (17,5°). It is very finely balanced macvin in which the alcohol recedes versus the fruit.
  
  It is not as balanced and palatable as the Egon Müller due to its structure but it also realizes a good pairing of power with the cake.

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My main stars showed well. The Julian Haart Kabinett caught everyone attention.