4/23/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Not as thrilling as the bottle back in 2020. This wine has minerality and depth, but seems rather closed. Cellared since original release.

4/23/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Still rather closed -- good fruits -- strawberries and dark fruits with a slight jam edge, but plenty more time needed. Cellared since original release.

4/21/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Still quite structured and with substantial tannin on the finish, but classic tar, roses, and cherries and some sensuousness on the palate. Drink or hold. Cellared since original release.

4/21/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Fairly powerful with intense apricot and yellow peach fruit. This may not be what one thinks of as classic Kabinett because of the power, but there is still plenty to enjoy here. Cellared since original release.

4/1/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

A little blocky and simple at first, but really hitting its stride about three hours after opening (no decant) with stoniness in the nose, freshness, berry fruit, good concentration, firmness. These can age forever -- in 2018 I had the 1911 from Lafarge's cave. Cellared since original release.

3/21/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Good expression of dark fruit, fresh, a pleasing bitterness on the finish. 13.5% alcohol, but still fresh.

4/1/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

This wine is a prime example of how so much of one of France's greatest appellations is wasted -- there's Jamet, Barge, Vernay and maybe a couple of others worth drinking and that's it. I once thought Levet was in that group, which is why I cellared this wine, but this bottle proves otherwise. Even after being open a day, the wine is brutally tannic and the fruit has to struggle to get through. That's not old-style -- I know young Côte-Rôtie back in the 1970s and this ain't it. Cellared since original release.

3/31/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Very similar to the bottle from 2015 -- this has barely budged. With its freshness, it makes for a good wine to fool people by serving blind. They'll not guess the vintage. Cellared since original release.

3/31/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Drinking very well -- round, light, pure, red fruits, smooth, tannins resolved. Cellared since original release.

3/31/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Everything I look for in a Blanc de Blancs -- nobly austere, edgy, stony, penetrating, great energy, finesse. Brioche nose, some white fruits on palate. Lot L47052271. Disgorged May 22, 2017.

3/29/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Copper color. Virtually dry now, a big Kabinett (10.0% stated alcohol), typical Herrenberg fern and herbal aromas, firmness, a bit of cut. Cellared since original release.

3/28/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Drinking well with spicy chocolate flavors and a smooth texture in a medium-weight body. Cellared since original release.

3/28/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Opened last night, it was at first like a good Gevrey, nothing more. Later in the evening, it was at 1er cru level with greater density and precision, but no Clos de Bèze terroir showing. Today at noon, it definitely showed Clos de Bèze terroir of dark fruit and musk. Still youthful, my advice is to hold another five years, at least, but if you're opening now, give it a long decant. Cellared since original release.

3/26/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

A nice drink with some slate minerality, but lacks the penetration and energy of Juffer-Sonnenuhr,. Can still age. Cellared since original release.

3/24/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Just another beautiful bottle. Decanted for about an hour before serving. Pure, precise raspberry and red cherry in a light body with a smooth texture. Not it's not a Barolo, and it's not trying to be. Cellared since original release.

3/23/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Cork soaked completely through (horizontally and vertically), so this may not be a fully representative bottle. Good Karthäuserhofberg expression of terroir with stony minerality, but the sugar/acid play lacks sharpness. Cellared since original release.

3/23/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Never really opened; what fruit there was simple. Cellared since original release. This was screwcap; for some markets, Gunderloch bottled with cork.

3/22/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

A simple, light, innocuous wine with some violets. Made in a low/no sulfur style, so I'd suggest decanting.

3/21/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Very good Sonnenuhr with richness to go with the slate fruit and enough acidity to balance the sugar, not always the case with 2005s. Cellared since original release.

3/21/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Typical Sandgrub -- richness, lacking a little incisiveness. Good minerality. Cellared since original release.

3/21/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

.

3/19/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

In same register as the bottle drunk in 2022, but slightly less intense. Cellared since original release.

3/17/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Classic Côte-Rôtie with spicy, floral notes, purity, precision. Will last quite some time. Cellared since original release.

3/17/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Brett-infected (and I have a high tolerance for brett) -- too much band-aid. Cellared since original release.

3/17/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Chalk, salinity, minerality. Still fresh and will last for several more years. A perfect accompaniment to early-season asparagus. Screw cap closure. Cellared since release.

3/17/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Eventually similar to previous bottle, but it took an hour or more after opening to reach that stage.

3/16/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Still good minerality but has lost the acidity necessary to balance the sugar for tension. Screw cap. Cellared since original release.

3/16/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

With a three-hour decant, substantially improved over last summer's bottle. Classic musky Mourvèdre aromas and flavors, smooth tannins, medium-full body, surprising elegance. This wine will still improve over many years. Cellared since original release.

3/16/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Dense, medium-full, saline, light strawberry fruit, Good but could have been still better. Cellared since original release.

3/14/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

In a closed phase; round, smooth, some fruit, but some bitterness on finish. Cellared since original release.

3/7/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Similar to previous but showing less fruit.

3/7/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Sort of grumpy the first night opened, but showing beautifully the next night with roses, a silk texture, and some red cherries. Cellared since original release.

3/5/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Precise, pure, violets, refreshing.

3/3/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Red fruits, some tenderness, but not yet fully open -- potential for further improvement. Cellared since original release.

2/26/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Finesse with power and purity, good length.

2/25/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

This was rather grumpy yesterday, but is showing better today with black pepper, some red fruits, and a little bite.

2/25/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Gorgeous wine with intense, pure, focused apricot aromas and flavors in a medium-weight body with some roundness. Cellared since original release.

2/8/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Too reduced to enjoy or rate.

1/28/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Reduction here again, very slow to clean up (no decant this time). Some roses, smooth mouth, red fruits, some earthy spice. Cellared since original release.

1/5/2024 - cfk49 wrote:

Similar to previous bottle. Very light on the palate.

12/31/2023 - cfk49 wrote:

Quite remarkable for a 40 year-old wine from young vines. Still quite dark with no bricking, very fruity and fresh, full-bodied, balanced, dark fruits, smooth. Cellared since original release.

12/30/2023 - cfk49 wrote:

This wine just keeps getting better, but alas, this was my last bottle. Dark fruits, a wiry body, still some tension. Cellared since original release.

12/30/2023 - cfk49 wrote:

Ripe, round, but relatively neutral in its white fruits, lacks grip. Disappointing for what it should be/is. Cellared since original release.

12/29/2023 - cfk49 wrote:

Still somewhat blocky from very aggressive saigné, but deep, dark fruits typical of Mazis, even if not terribly precise. Should continue at this level for some time, maybe even gain a little finesse. Cellared since original release.

12/28/2023 - cfk49 wrote:

Fruity and relatively undeveloped. Attractive drinking but will still improve for a long time. Cellared since original release.

12/27/2023 - cfk49 wrote:

My final bottle of more than two cases consumed. Not quite as fresh as previous few bottles. Curious that there was so much bottle variation as these were sealed with DIAM 5 corks. Cellared since original release.

12/25/2023 - cfk49 wrote:

Precise, focused, fresh, great sugar/acid balance. Has barely aged -- all that aging has done is make it a bit more focused and racy. An outstanding example of Spätlese from Juffer. Cellared since original release.

12/24/2023 - cfk49 wrote:

A spectacular showing from Méo's most underrated wine. Plenty of umami here with a silk texture, breadth, depth, and almost (not quite) crystallinity, but great precision nonetheless. Intense and plenty of freshness, Cellared since original release.

12/21/2023 - cfk49 wrote:

Mildly corked. One could still see the Chaignots character, especially in the mouth -- probably 93 poiints for a pristine bottle. Cellared since original release.

12/20/2023 - cfk49 wrote:

Much better than the bottle a year ago, but still plenty of upside potential. Good red fruit expressions, density, but still tannins to resolve. Cellared since original release.