A spontaneous Evening

Restaurant Holz und Feuer, Kirchheim, Germany
Tasted Friday, March 13, 2026 by NoTrollingerPlease with 42 views

Flight 1 (1 Note)

  • 2015 Dom Pérignon Champagne 91 Points

    France, Champagne

    Glass: Gabriel-Glas Universal
    The wine presents clear, pale to medium intensity with a golden colour, suggesting moderate development for a prestige cuvée of this age.
    On the nose, clean and of medium intensity, the wine offers fresh citrus notes of lime alongside delicate hints of sweetness. Notably absent are the autolytic characters of biscuit or brioche one might expect; the nose reads predominantly primary and youthful.
    On the palate, the wine is off-dry with a characteristic touch of dosage sweetness. Acidity is medium(+), providing freshness and drive. The mousse is powerful yet creamy. Medium(+) body carries medium(+) flavour intensity, revealing yellow stone fruit — apricot and nectarine — alongside fine bitter notes that add definition. The finish is medium.
    A very good Dom Pérignon that delivers immediate pleasure with its creamy mousse, freshness, and approachable fruit profile. The wine is uncomplicated for the cuvée, favouring easy-drinking charm over layered complexity. It can be drunk now with pleasure, but the youthful nose and firm acidity suggest clear potential for further ageing and development of secondary character. 91+ points.

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Flight 2 (2 Notes)

  • 1998 Dr. Bürklin-Wolf Forster Jesuitengarten Riesling Spätlese trocken 97 Points

    Germany, Pfalz

    Glass: Gabriel-Glas Universal
    A perfect bottle in excellent condition, popped and poured without decanting.
    The wine is clear with medium intensity and a golden colour that appears remarkably youthful for its twenty-seven years of age.
    On the nose, clean and of pronounced intensity, the wine is wonderfully complex and multi-layered. Fresh lime zest and citrus (primary) lead, supported by delicate spice notes of ginger and cinnamon (tertiary, bottle age) and a striking chalky minerality. Despite its age, the nose retains extraordinary freshness and vibrancy. The wine is developing, yet shows no sign of fatigue.
    On the palate, the wine is dry with high acidity that delivers remarkable tension and energy. Full body supports pronounced flavour intensity with exceptional density and depth. Stone fruit — peach and apricot — interweaves with fresh lime and persistent chalky mineral notes. The texture is polished and the structure impeccable, carrying the wine through a very long, lingering finish.
    An outstanding Jesuitengarten that demonstrates the extraordinary ageing capacity of great Pfalz Riesling. The balance between razor-sharp acidity, mineral depth, and concentrated fruit is exceptional, with a complexity and precision that few wines achieve. Despite nearly three decades in bottle, the wine reads astonishingly young and appears to be at full peak, though its structural integrity suggests no urgency to drink. 97–98 points.

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  • 2001 Dr. Bürklin-Wolf Forster Pechstein Riesling 94 Points

    Germany, Pfalz

    Glass: Gabriel-Glas Universal
    A perfect bottle in excellent condition, popped and poured without decanting.
    The wine is hazy — likely unfiltered — with pale intensity and a golden colour, appearing youthful for a wine of over two decades.
    On the nose, clean but initially shy and of light to medium intensity, the wine required considerable time in the glass to reveal itself. As it opened, subtle notes emerged, though it remained restrained and youthful throughout. The nose is youthful, suggesting the wine is still unwinding.
    On the palate, the wine is dry with high acidity and a fresh, youthful profile. Medium(+) to full body supports medium(+) flavour intensity. The opening impression lacked the tension and energy one might hope for, particularly alongside the 1998 Jesuitengarten, reading somewhat one-dimensional at first pour. With extended air time, the wine transformed considerably — developing greater tension, energy, and definition. The texture is round and polished, with stone fruit and a pleasing mineral core. The finish is long and lingering, revealing the wine's true depth and quality as it unfolded.
    A very good to outstanding Pechstein that demands patience and rewards it generously. The initial reticence and the dramatic evolution with air suggest a wine still firmly in its development arc. Tasted in isolation, this would impress more readily; beside the extraordinary 1998 Jesuitengarten, it inevitably suffered in comparison. A beautiful bottle with clear potential for further ageing. 93–94 points.

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Flight 3 (1 Note)

  • 2016 Bernhard Huber Malterdinger Bienenberg Chardonnay Großes Gewächs 92 Points

    Germany, Baden

    Glass: Gabriel-Glas Universal
    Tasted fully blind from Magnum.
    On the nose, clean and of medium(+) intensity, the wine presents a distinctly oak-driven profile with pronounced smoky, reductive, and spicy characters. Secondary notes of charred wood, smoke, and clove dominate, leaving little room for primary fruit expression at this stage.
    On the palate, the wine is dry with high acidity that lends a racy, driving character, though it sits slightly unbalanced at present. Medium(+) body supports medium(+) flavour intensity. The wine shows clear precision and good energy, with a firm underlying structure. The reductive and smoky notes carry through from the nose, complementing rather than masking the palate's definition. The finish is medium(+).
    An outstanding Bienenberg that currently presents in a rather closed, oak-dominated phase — not uncommon for serious Baden Chardonnay from magnum at this age. The racy acidity and slight imbalance point to a wine that has not yet knitted together, while the precision, energy, and structural backbone suggest the components for a more harmonious and expressive future are firmly in place. Needs time. 92+ points.

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Flight 4 (1 Note)

  • 2007 Domaine Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles 92 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru

    Glass: Gabriel-Glas Universal
    Tasted fully blind.
    The wine is clear with deep intensity and a golden colour, consistent with a fully mature white Burgundy approaching two decades of age.
    On the nose, possibly unclean with a suspicion of low-level TCA, and of medium intensity. The wine presents a fully developed profile of caramel and toffee (tertiary) alongside a chalky mineral underpinning. The overall impression is round and balanced, though restrained in its expressiveness.
    On the palate, the wine is dry with medium(+) acidity delivering precision and focus. Medium(+) body supports medium(+) flavour intensity. A wonderful mineral core defines the palate, complemented by fine bitter notes that lend definition and length. Fruit has largely receded, giving way to structure and savoury, tertiary character. The texture is precise and the architecture impressive. The finish is long.
    A very good to outstanding Les Pucelles that shows the hallmarks of a great Puligny vineyard — mineral precision, structural elegance, and a savoury, non-fruit-driven complexity. The suspected trace of TCA is regrettable, as it likely suppresses both aromatic intensity and fruit expression; without it, this bottle may well have scored higher. Still a compelling wine that speaks eloquently of site and maturity. 92–93 points.

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Flight 5 (1 Note)

  • 2004 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault 1er Cru Charmes 94 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru

    Glass: Gabriel-Glas Universal
    Tasted fully blind.
    The wine is clear with medium to deep intensity and a golden colour, indicating full maturity for this twenty-year-old Meursault.
    On the nose, clean but muted and of medium(-) intensity, the wine offers little expressiveness. The aromas remain frustratingly reserved, suggesting a nose that has begun to fade even as the palate retains its composure.
    On the palate, the wine is dry with medium(+) acidity providing fine tension and drive. Medium(+) body supports medium(+) flavour intensity. The wine is fully mature, with subtle hints of caramel (tertiary) woven into a wonderful mineral core. Oak is perfectly integrated, contributing a creamy, seamless texture without any overt wood character. The structure is beautiful — elegant and fine rather than broad — with delicate bitter notes adding precision and definition. The finish is very long and lingering, carrying the wine's mineral and savoury complexity with remarkable persistence.
    An outstanding Charmes that demonstrates the pedigree of Comtes Lafon at its finest. The palate is truly exceptional — a masterful balance of mineral depth, structural elegance, creamy texture, and tension that few Meursaults achieve. The muted nose and fading aromatics betray a wine that has slipped just past its absolute peak; at its zenith, this would have been a truly great bottle. Even so, a deeply impressive and memorable wine. 94 points.

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Flight 6 (1 Note)

  • 2021 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne 92 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

    Glass: Gabriel-Glas Universal
    Tasted fully blind.
    The wine is clear with pale intensity and a golden colour, presenting a youthful appearance consistent with its age.
    On the nose, clean and of medium intensity, the wine offers a fresh, youthful bouquet of stone fruit — peach and nectarine — alongside citrus notes of lemon and grapefruit (primary). The nose is straightforward and appealing, firmly in its youthful phase.
    On the palate, the wine is dry with medium(+) acidity providing freshness and precision. Medium(+) body supports medium(+) flavour intensity with noticeable density and depth. The character is unmistakably Burgundian — elegant and mineral-driven, with fine stone fruit and citrus notes echoing the nose. The wine shows good definition and a focused, precise core, though it stops short of true multi-layered complexity. The finish is medium(+), elegant and refined in its persistence.
    An excellent Corton-Charlemagne that delivers the hallmarks of the appellation — mineral precision, elegance, and restrained power — in an approachable, well-crafted package. The wine drinks nicely now, with enough freshness, density, and structural integrity to suggest meaningful upside potential with further bottle age. Not yet a wine of Grand Cru complexity, but one that may well develop it. 92+ points.

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Flight 7 (1 Note)

  • NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 170ème 93 Points

    France, Champagne

    Glass: Gabriel-Glas Universal
    The wine is clear with medium intensity and a golden colour, presenting a composed yet youthful appearance.
    On the nose, clean and of medium(+) intensity, the wine offers a fresh, youthful, and elegant bouquet — classic Grande Cuvée in character. The aromatics are poised and refined without revealing every detail, suggesting a blend still very much in its early stages of development.
    On the palate, the wine is off-dry with high acidity that provides lively tension and impressive energy. Medium(+) to full body supports pronounced flavour intensity. The mousse is powerful yet fine, lending a sense of drive and lift. Youthful citrus notes — lemon and grapefruit — remain prominent, complemented by a finesse and balance that elevate the wine well beyond the 2015 Dom Pérignon tasted alongside it. The structure is precise and harmonious, every element in its place. The finish is long and persistent.
    An outstanding Grande Cuvée that represents a clear step up from the Dom Pérignon in depth, tension, and complexity. The wine combines power with finesse in a way that is distinctly Krug — lively, structured, and utterly self-assured. The pronounced youthful character and vibrant acidity point to a very long life ahead, with considerable development still to come. 93+ points.

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Flight 8 (1 Note)

  • 1952 Château Ausone Vandermeulen Bottling 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

    Glass: Gabriel-Glas Universal
    A bottle with low fill level, suggesting some ullage over its seven decades of life.
    The wine is clear with medium depth and a ruby-garnet colour that appears remarkably youthful and beautiful for a wine of this extraordinary age — a genuine surprise upon pouring.
    On the nose, clean and of medium intensity, the wine is clearly mature yet far from spent. Fine fruit persists alongside tertiary notes of leather, earth, and subtle savoury complexity. The overall impression is one of elegance and refinement — a nose that has aged with grace rather than fatigue. The wine is fully developed.
    On the palate, the wine is dry with fully integrated acidity that no longer announces itself but provides quiet, supportive freshness. Medium(+) body carries medium flavour intensity with impressive density and depth for its age. Smoky notes interweave with the wine's fine, elegant structure. Despite the decades, the wine retains a surprising degree of freshness and composure. The finish is medium.
    Yes, the wine is past its absolute peak — yet what remains is a joy to drink and a beautiful experience. For a seventy-three-year-old Ausone from a Belgian bottling to still deliver this level of elegance, depth, and structural integrity is nothing short of remarkable. A privilege to taste and a testament to the enduring greatness of this estate. 89–90 points.

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Flight 9 (1 Note)

  • 1947 Dominique Laurent Vosne-Romanée Vieilles Vignes 91 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée

    Glass: Gabriel-Glas Universal
    Popped and poured. The initial smell directly from the bottle was alarming — cork and mould notes suggesting a potentially compromised wine.
    The wine is clear with deep intensity and a ruby-garnet colour, appearing surprisingly youthful for a wine approaching eighty years of age.
    On the nose, and in stark contrast to the off-putting bottle smell, the wine is clean and of medium intensity, presenting fresh, unmistakable Pinot Noir character with no trace of the mould detected at first pour. A welcome and reassuring surprise.
    On the palate, the wine is dry with lively acidity that provides energy and freshness well beyond what one might expect. Medium body supports medium(+) flavour intensity. Beautiful red fruit — red cherry and raspberry — leads, complemented by herbal notes and a deep, well-defined structure. The balance between fruit, acidity, and savoury complexity is impressive and harmonious. The finish is medium.
    A genuinely surprising bottle that defied its unpromising first impression entirely. That a 1947 Vosne-Romanée can still deliver fresh Pinot fruit, lively acidity, and this level of structural integrity is remarkable. What began with concern ended with real pleasure — a beautiful reminder that great Burgundy can transcend the decades. 90–91 points.

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Flight 10 (1 Note)

  • 1997 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #12 94 Points

    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

    Glass: Gabriel-Glas Universal
    Popped and poured.
    The wine is clear with medium intensity and a golden colour that reads youthful for a wine approaching three decades of age.
    On the nose, clean and of medium(+) intensity, the wine is beautifully refreshing and elegant. Fine, sweet stone fruit — peach and apricot — mingles with slate minerality and fresh lime zest (primary), creating a nose of clarity and poise. The wine is developing, though its freshness suggests considerable life still ahead.
    On the palate, the wine is medium-sweet with high acidity providing wonderful tension, energy, and a juicy, refreshing core. Medium body supports medium(+) flavour intensity. The fruit is clear and precise — fine and elegantly stated rather than opulent — with the hallmark Domprobst interplay of sweetness and mineral definition. The wine is remarkably youthful, showing no sign of age-related fatigue. The finish is long, lingering, and utterly delicious.
    An outstanding Spätlese that exemplifies the magic of Willi Schaefer and the Graacher Domprobst vineyard. The balance between sweetness, acidity, and slate minerality is near-perfect, delivering a wine of effortless elegance and precision. Almost thirty years old and still brimming with youthful energy — a testament to the extraordinary ageing potential of great Mosel Spätlese. 94 points.

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