1/8/2015 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Stunningly complex and layered Pinot Gris that nears perfection. Tasted with a group of friends it was the clear winner of our evening. The nose is generous, initially spicy, but with green almonds, dried apricots and then softer spices. The texture is full bodied and well off dry, with plenty of fruit and plentiful acidity that leaves it tasting young right now. It's a matter of preference as to how long one would keep this, but I'd have thought it's still approaching its peak and will leave it for another 2-3 years before trying another bottle of this precious Alsatian nectar.

12/31/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

Rather disappointing. Pleasant enough bright plummy aromas but all rather linear and smooth from there on.

12/31/2014 - JustNathan Does not like this wine:

Thin, uninspiring, pretty poor at any price

12/31/2014 - JustNathan Does not like this wine:

Poor, thin, metallic

12/21/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Absolutely delicious. There's been plenty of bottle variation in this case, so I was somewhat trepidatious to open this bottle, but it rewarded aplenty with copious aromas of Margaux pencil shavings, cigar box and forest fruits - hardly dusty at all. The taste was similarly a point, with fine tannins, complex layers of fruit and vegetables, with a lasting finish. Only one more bottle to go now.

12/25/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Superb - perfect and complex aromas of forest floor with some fruit remaining. Dry, quite powerful and complex flavours which evolved in the glass. A perfect accompaniment to duck on Christmas Day.

12/1/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

Pruneaux

12/1/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

A point. Beautiful elegance and complexity

10/13/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

Attractive bright purple red hue, with profuse blueberry and blackcurrant aroma. This follows into a pleasant but rather linear black plum / blackberry juice taste. Fresh acidity and nicely balanced if not hugely profound or exciting. Short / mid fruity finish.

10/10/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

You can really get a better Provencal rose at this price. It's decent enough, with a very attractive pale salmon hue and lovely strawberry aromas. The taste however is rather flat and lacking intensity, with a short, green finish. Avoid.

9/26/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

This is a pretty flawless Pinot Gris at this level. Dry deliciously long, perfectly poised and elegant.

9/26/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Brilliant pale gold hue with attractive spicy and honeysuckle notes. The racy acidity balances the residual sugar perfectly to leave a wine that barely tastes sweet at all. Long finish with further spiciness makes this a wonderful experience.

9/4/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Big Bourgueil, rich and with bags of fruit on a savoury core. Wonderful.

9/13/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

Weird and wonderful, huge and funky, still young and needed two hours to breathe. Big, rich, bone dry but very very wild. Not your standard Vouvray.

8/21/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

Beautiful brilliant lemon colour and surprisingly reticent nose, showing rose floral notes. Rich body, very pleasant taste, nearly dry, long finish.

8/21/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

Unusual! deep purple red , quite opaque and with a definite fizz when poured. Quite a funky, offputting smell followed by intense morello cherries. The taste follows through with those profuse cherries on a dry base with quite notable acidity and fine tannins. The wine threw quite a sediment so don't pour to the end of the bottle. I wouldn't drink this often, and the smell was quite awful, but definitely a curio and the antithesis of one's expectation of Lambrusco.

8/17/2014 - JustNathan Does not like this wine:

Lacks character. Deep brick red with solid core. Restrained nose of dark forest fruits. Mid weight palate with some of those forest fruits continuing, with fine rounded tannins and a shortish finish.

7/24/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Heavenly Baden (Kaiserstuehl) Spaetburgunder that benefited from being consumed on a very warm summer's day. Intense bouquet of red and black cherries, with pronounced gaminess for a young wine. The body was voluptuous, dry and silky, with sweet strawberry and cherry fruit on a rich savoury core, which culminated in a very long, slightly herbaceous finish. Delicious, and ready to drink now, although I'll definitely keep my remaining bottles for a little while yet.

7/24/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

Pale crimson with a blueish hue, pretty red cherry notes with already an attractive hint of savouriness. The taste is however less exciting - straight down the line Baden Spaetburgunder, dry, fruity with fine tannins and mid length. A pleasant example but overshadowed by the Dr Heger Spaetburgunder that followed it.

7/24/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

Mid ruby / brick red, showing blackberries and morello cherries on the nose and through to the taste, with some body and light, fine grained tannins. Well balanced, fruity and short-mid finish. Not remarkable, but I prefer this to the 100% Lemberger (this one is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Lemberger)

8/9/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

Lemberger (Blaufraenkisch) aged for a little while in second year French barrels. Light, dry, soft tannins, fresh, shortish finish. It's a decent treatment of a lowly grape.

7/24/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Classy pinot gris showing warmly spicy and floral notes, with a rich, clean but unctuous slightly oily body. Very long finish.

7/24/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Another stunning Riesling from Clemens Busch. Unlike the 'von roten Schiefer', this one is fresher, tasting very nearly dry, and driven by its minerality and fruit rather than acidity. Long length. A delicious contrast and pleasure to drink.

7/24/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Stunning Riesling with laser precision from the archetypal Mosel organic wine fanatic (but one with a clean winery). Pale-mid lemon, with a slightly honeyed lime nose with hints of smoke. The body is rich and noticeably off-dry, but incredibly well balanced with the searing acidity and minerality. Near-infinite length gives endless pleasure. Drinking rather young now and definitely one to let settle for a few years.

7/24/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Young, pretty, vivacious, white flowers and lime notes followed by a light bodied, very dry, elegant wine with racy acidity and a shortish finish. An excellent entry level Rheingau Riesling.

8/4/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

Characterful and savoury or mucky? It's a moot point. The good bits first - attractive deep velvet hue, with some raspberry and forest notes showing before a bit of barnyard. The taste is initially appealing, with intense raspberry / redcurrant fruit, crisp acidity and fine grained tannins keeping it light (and served somewhat cool), with a very savoury / herbal flavour. The aftertaste is however muddled, with the barnyard elements strengthening.

7/26/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Very good indeed - the last one must have been the result of bottle variation. Very Viognier like in character, with slightly honeyed orange blossom and apricot notes. The taste is delicious with plenty of crispness on a fruity core. Mid finish but very pleasant.

8/1/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

Somewhat floral, decent acidity and weight, with some crispness and minerality, but lacks complexity and thus only moderate value for money

7/5/2014 - JustNathan Does not like this wine:

Maybe in a dumb phase, at least drinkable after an hour in decanter, but not what I'd hoped for. Intense crimson core with some paling to the edge, dull notes of herbs and spices opened up after a while. The taste is solid and fleshy, but not very giving, with little red fruit and medium + acidity - all rather disappointing as this wasn't showing any tertiary aromas or tastes of ages, but little fruit either. Maybe an odd bottle, but I can't see it going anywhere.

6/29/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

What a change from the previous bottle! Bright pale lemon/gold with a very petrolly and honeysuckle note on the nose. Rich, mid bodied and slightly off dry, with high lime acidity and great underlying minerality. This is an unusual Riesling as its provenance suggests, but a pleasure to drink.

6/29/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

I was composing my own review, but agree precisely with Man In Black's review of 31.1.14!

6/29/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Now a deeper golden yellow, with copious red apple, lemon, honey and nutty, mushroom aromas, this wine shows that perfect combination of acidity, sweetness and alcohol to accompany a saffron creme brulee. It's not at all cloy or heavy on the palate, and lingers beautifully in the mouth.

6/29/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

I'd expected that this Coudoulet would now be too old, but it was absolutely 'a point'. I'd still say drink up, but this was delicious. Complex bouquet of pot pourri dried roses and violets, with tar, sweet spices and very little residual stewed plums. The taste is elegant and long, with lots of rounded fine tannins still evident, red fruit and great body and poise. Super.

6/29/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Brilliant pale lemon shimmering with white gold and very pale to the edge. After decanting, this wine showed intense red apple and floral notes with distinct notes of oak. The taste was deft, mid bodied and with good acidity to carry it through and match the asparagus, poached duck egg and hollandaise sauce with which it was served. Good but not exceptional finish. Fresh now but will benefit from a couple more years cellaring.

6/4/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

I had the opportunity to open 6 bottles of this at once for a charity wine tasting. Plenty of bottle variation from quite fruity to barnyard to mud. Some of the bottles showed a terrific combination of rustic complexity and powerful Syrah fruit. Others were just muddy and unpleasant. Even at the price, this is too variable a wine to buy two bottles for every one I want to drink.

6/4/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

Romaric makes 8,000 bottles from old (c. 1935) vines on a small plot 'La Taupe', formerly classified as Pommard, and the appellation characteristic 'lick' and rusticity is evident. The wine pleases without excelling, offering a rich velvet robe, profuse red berry aromas with some cinnamon but still rather young. The taste is all pure cherry with lots of young fine tannins. This will never be a great wine, but worth leaving a year or two to see how it evolves.

6/4/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Quite pale lemon, noticeably viscous, with immediate spicy notes on the nose. Steely dry, rich body with spice, acidity and elegant earthiness. Quite long on the finish. Excellent at this level.

6/4/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

50% Sauvignon Blanc, 50% Semillon, fully fermented in barrels and stored for 9 months on lees with regular batonage. Shows its plush woodiness a little too boldly on the palate but otherwise good. Crisp citrus and white flower notes with tropical fruit and slight honey showing the Semillon. Rich body and medium finish.

6/4/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Off-dry (dosage a little high for my liking) but classy Chardonnay / Chenin Blanc cremant with a dash of Pinot Noir and cabernet Franc thrown in for added richness and complexity. A decent aperitif wine and good value for money.

5/31/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

What a wine! Deep ruby with an inky velvet core. Pronounced cedar and tobacco smoke overlying complex dark blackcurrant and leather notes. Huge structure with complex tannins still in their youth. Plump morello cherries, blackcurrants, warm sweet spices, packed with juice. Long but somewhat chewy (too youthful) finish. Best to keep this for 3-5 years before trying another bottle (if I'm still strong enough to pick it up by then, it's heavy).

6/6/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

Lightly 'frizzante' sparkling, grapey muscat with intensely floral perfume. Rather to simple and sweet for my taste, but fitted the occasion and was a good crowd-pleaser.

5/31/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

Pretty good balance of raisined sweetness on the nose, with that great coctail mix of alcohol, fruit acidity, rounded port-like tannins and not over the top sweetness. A good example of a well executed red sweet wine.

5/31/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Mid/deep ruby with a bluish tint definitely showing its syrah heritage (this is 92% Syrah, 8% Viognier). It offers a clean nose, with plenty of dark fruit, with some sweet and woody spice, definitely Rhonish in nature although more perfumed. The taste is however less Old World, being dry, good acidity, velvety tannins, quite herbaceous and spicy and good length. Satisfying.

5/31/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Pale, bright carmine, salmon / brown edges, rich warming cherry, strawberry and savoury nose. Dry, high acidity, bright, very complex taste and lovely length. It's showing some age, but tasting very elegant and with bags of energy, drinking well now and for a few more years.

5/31/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

Mid ruby, slight browning at the edge, slightly stale fruit nose - showing a bit past its prime. Dry, mid acidity, quite robust stewed blackberries and raspberries. Shortish finish

5/31/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Pale rose, thinning and browning at the edge. Delicate, fragrant and intense nose, showing more gamey and sous bois this time, with the cherry cola less pronounced. Great acidity and rounded fine tannins underneath that dark cherry and ripe raspberry taste. Very long and satisfying finish. Now fully mature - drink up.

5/31/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Pale-mid lemon, rich nose with ripe pears, vanilla and citrus, clean and well integrated. Dry, full-bodied, complex and delicious burgundian taste with minerality and good acidity. Very long finish. Drink up.

5/31/2014 - JustNathan wrote:

Pale lemon, noticably unintegrated oak floating above an apple and ripe tropical melon nose. Much cleaner taste, dry, mid acidity, appley and melon, well balanced, long finish.

5/31/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Pale lemon, with distinct orange blossom and apricot honeyed notes on the nose. Clean, good fruity acidity which holds this wine up nicely, quite rich bodied but very well balanced, although a very short finish.

5/31/2014 - JustNathan Likes this wine:

Intense mousse with medium/fine bubbles showing moderate persistence. Pale yellow/gold with a toasty, yeasty autolytic nose with satisfying layers of honey, toast, hazelnuts and citrus. The body is slightly off dry, with plenty of body, richness and a good balance of 70% Chardonnay / 30% Pinot Noir. Perhaps a little high in acidity and dosage, leaving it just a little too plump. Great finish and length, with the fruit acidity and sweetness lingering pleasingly.