4/17/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Nice fruit structure and a good balance. Medium complexity and the finish is a bit short, but overall a good QPR.

4/11/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Nice wine but not really exciting. Very dark berried with some espresso in the background. Very polished style. Missing some more complexity and depth. Why is the empty bottle so ridiculously heavy?

4/6/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Dark cherries, wild strawberries, ripe blueberries, young plum and some nice spices and herbs on the palate. Tannins feel smooth and are nicely integrated. Super complex fruit structure and a great overall complexity. Quite modern and fruit driven style. It was surprisingly open but nevertheless I would suggest to give it a few more years in the cellar. Not the best Echézeaux from DRC I had but a great one. Was reasonably priced at the restaurant. (IG)

4/6/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Red cherries, ripe strawberries, dried spices and some smoky and earthy notes. Feels a bit dirty and wild. A nice fresh acidity in the background. Great depth and a nice overall balance. Nice long and fresh finish. Plenty great years ahead but it’s starting to get into a nice spot. (IG)

4/6/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Apricot, ripe pear, orange zest and creamy wooden notes are dominant here. Maybe a bit too heavy for my palate. Not super complex but nicely balanced. Feels a bit too young now, give it some more years. (IG)

4/6/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Nice fresh green and yellow fruits. I was missing some more mineral notes. Nice refreshing acidity. Good concentration and balance. Feels like it’s getting slowly into a nice spot. A very good Riesling but overpriced and overhyped. (IG)

3/29/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Beautiful pale golden colored. Fresh nose with lots of citrus and wet green grass in the nose. On the palate fresh lemon, grapefruit, ripe pear and lots of amazing mineral notes. A very soft creamy touch in the background. Medium bodied with a high acidity. Great fruit depth and complexity. Fantastic balance. Super fresh style and a precise acidity. Quite elegant for such a young Riesling. The finish is super long and refreshing.
Super young, but I couldn’t resist, I had to try one. It’s absolutely beautiful now if you’re into young Riesling but it will definitely age gracefully and become even more interesting. Drink from 2028-2040.
94 points for now but with a higher future potential. (IG)

3/24/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Nice fruit depth, black berries and some smoky notes are dominant here. Alcohol feels a bit too hot. Missing some more precision. Nice savory finish. Feels a bit too young now, will try again in 3 years. (IG)

3/24/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Really elegant nose. On the palate very dark. Some dried tobacco and interesting mineral notes too. Medium fruit complexity and depth but a great overall balance. Quite polished texture - feels very modern. In a nice spot now, but no need to hurry. (IG)

3/24/2024 - DrZett wrote:

The 2008 vintage is showing dark cherries, ripe blackberries, licorice and some nice herbal notes. Elegant soft tertiary notes like wet forest floor and dried leather in the background. A nice fresh acidity too. Velvety tannins, completely integrated. Great depth, fruit structure and overall complexity. Amazing overall balance. This is a a fantastic spot right now and it will easily hold for at least another 8-10 years without loosing its beauty. (IG)

2/16/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Not the best bottle of 1982 I had, but still an amazing wine. Missing some tension unfortunately.

2/11/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Blackberries, blueberries, dark chocolate, graphite, dried herbs and some sweet tobacco leafs. Full bodied with a nice, mineral and medium intense acidity. Velvety texture with beautiful integrated tannins. Very complex fruit structure an amazing overall complexity. The high alcohol (14.5%) is perfectly integrated. Super long finish, quite elegant.
Powerful and still quite young for a 12 year aged wine. Make sure to decant it for 2-3 hours. At least 15 more great years ahead. 95 points for now but with an even higher potential. (IG)

2/11/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Lots of fresh citrus and white flowers in the nose and on the palate. Some elegant brioche notes in the background. Firm and precise acidity! Great overall complexity and depth. Powerful yet elegant. 2008 is just an amazing vintage for Champagne. No. Red to hurry here, plenty of fantastic years ahead. (IG)

2/11/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Very dense and dark with blackcurrant, jammy blackberries, ripe dark cherries, licorice and green herbs. A lot of vanilla in the background. Feels a bit too polished. Great depth and a beautiful overall complexity. Definitely too young for my palate in the moment. Give it at least 5-6 hours of air or even better, let it rest for some more years in the cellar and start drinking it from 2029 onwards. (IG)

2/10/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Unfortunately completely done.

2/4/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Young but extremely sexy style! Will be fantastic in 6-8 years.

1/29/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Quite perfumed and artificial touch.

1/18/2024 - DrZett wrote:

The estate's origins trace back to the early 18th century. Initially, it was part of a larger estate, which included what is now Château Pavie. In the early 19th century, Raymond de Sèze, a Bordeaux magistrate, acquired a large portion of this estate. It was his heirs who eventually gave the property its current name, combining "Troplong" from one of the previous owners, and "Mondot," a part of the estate that was particularly renowned for its wine. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the estate was expanded and its reputation grew. In 1980, the estate was purchased by Christine Valette and her husband Xavier Pariente. Christine Valette, a member of the Valette family from Château Pavie, played a significant role in modernizing the estate. Under her leadership, Troplong Mondot saw significant improvements in both viticulture and winemaking practices. In 2017 the Château was sold to the French SCOR reinsurance company.
Very dark and ripe nose. Plum, blackberry and dark cherry jam in the nose. Massive dark fruits on the palate. Some licorice and soft smoky notes in the background. Full bodied with a medium acidity. The high alcohol (16%) isn’t really nicely integrated. It feels a bit too hot. Huge and velvety tannins. Fantastic fruit depth but it feels a bit too extracted. Very good overall complexity. It’s missing elegance and more balance in my opinion. Very long finish. Nearly no aging notes, plenty of good years ahead.
Unsure about the wine’s intense style, I opened another bottle and encountered the same characteristics. Although it’s a remarkable wine, it feels somewhat excessive and, in my opinion, slightly overhyped. (IG)

1/5/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Badly corked.

1/1/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Dark fruits, dried spices, soft black pepper notes and beautiful dry earthy notes. Very masculine style but still elegant. A serious Pinot Noir with a great structure and complexity. Not perfectly balanced yet but time will do its job here. Super long finish. Keep it some more years, it will become even better. Drink from 2026 onwards. (IG)

1/1/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Red cherries, cranberries and ripe raspberries are dominant here. Some wet forest floor in the background. Feels fresh but a bit edgy. Good fruit depth but not super complex. Good overall balance. Typical Oregon style in my opinion. Great Pinot Noir, which probably will be better in a few years. (IG)

1/1/2024 - DrZett wrote:

Fantastic nose with elegant and soft red berry and fantastic tertiary notes. Lots of rose hips, dried spices and sweet tobacco leaves. Beautiful balance but it’s missing some more fruit structure. Great overall complexity. Long, dry and elegant finish. A very good bottle but not the best 1986 Mouton I had in the past years. Nevertheless it’s always an enjoyable experience to try this vintage. (IG)

12/31/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Mango, ripe peach, honey, some green spices and burnt lemon zest. In the background some interesting mineral notes. Just soft tertiary notes but all in all still quite young for a 15 year old wine. Lacking a bit in complexity in my opinion. A nice fresh acidity in the background. Good length. A very good sweet Riesling, but I definitely had better and more complex ones in the past. Drink from now until 2050. (IG)

12/31/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Lemon, peach, ripe kumquats and toasty oak notes. A nice soft creamy touch in the background. Great fruit structure, but not lacking of freshness. Feels quite young. Good complexity, but not super complex. A very enjoyable Chardonnay. Nice long finish with a mineral touch. Drink from now until 2032. (IG)

12/30/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Very dark. Black currant, smoky black cherries, sweet tobacco and blackberry jam. This would have been a really great wine if everything wasn’t overshadowed by an incredible massive vanilla aroma. Full bodied with a medium (-) intense acidity. Fruit depth is great but it feels very unbalanced. Too much power and lacking of elegance. Long and savory finish. Feels quite young but I doubt that it will loose its baby fat in the future. Unfortunately my disappointment of the evening. (IG)

12/29/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Dark red cherries, pomegranate and ripe strawberries. Nice earthy tertiary notes and some dried herbs. Medium (+) bodied with a medium acidity. Very harmonious structure, elegant old world style. Nice long finish with lots of earthy notes. This is in a great spot now but definitely has a lot of great years ahead. (IG)

12/20/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Badly corked.

12/12/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Beautiful 100% Pinot Meunier from the small village of Pierry. From 50 years old vines. Aged for 10 years in the lees with a 5 gram dosage per liter.
Fantastic golden color. Mature nose with lots of elegant brioche notes. The palate is super fresh with fresh citrus notes, some honey and roasted notes. Powerful, elegant and quite creamy, acidity feels a bit wild, but I like this style. Great fruit depth and an amazing overall complexity. Great overall balance. The finish is super long and savory.
Young and beautiful. If you have the patience give it a few more years, if you don’t have the patience enjoy this beautiful 100% Pinot Meunier right away.
Around 4,000 bottles of this vintage were produced. (IG)

12/2/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Great Syrah blend from the Barossa Valley. Very dark berried with lots of sweet berry notes and some burned vanilla. Nice savory finish. Just soft aging notes, can easily age another 6-10 years. (IG)

12/2/2023 - DrZett wrote:

2010 Brunellos are drinking beautifully now, I’m so glad that I bought a few dozen bottles of different good producers back then. This one show lots of blackberries, blueberries, dried red cherries, green herbs and elegant earthy notes. Everything is perfectly balanced. Very elegant and sexy. Can easily hold longer if stored well. (IG)

11/30/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Slightly oxidized bottle.

11/30/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Since 2008 was the inaugural vintage of this now well known Bordeaux blend from Tuscany, I couldn’t resist trying it when I saw it on the restaurants wine list.
Nice nose with lots of dark berries and violets. Some soft smoky notes too. Dark cherries, blackberries, dried licorice, black coffee and cigar box on the palate. Some nice tertiary notes like truffle and wet forest floor in the background. A big wine but not overdone. Tannins are super elegant and velvety. Great structure and fruit depth. Not the most complex Super Tuscan I had but everything feels beautifully balanced. The finish is long and smooth.
It’s in an amazing drinking spot now and there’s no need to wait any longer. Drink from now until 2030. (IG)

11/21/2023 - DrZett wrote:

An amazing intense Pinot Noir - the best Charmes-Chambertin I ever had! Very complex, elegant and precise fruit structure, stunning depth and an incredible elegant overall balance. Tannins are velvety and already nicely integrated. It’s fruit forward now, but so sexy! Sure, it’s young but already absolutely gorgeous! Drink now or in 20 years, whatever you prefer, this is fantastic and will age gracefully! (IG)

11/21/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Directly after uncorking this felt quite wild. Stable, wild cherries, young raspberries and sour pomegranate in the nose and on the palate. With some more time it started to soften out and became more round, more elegant and accessible. Great fruit structure and depth. Nice overall balance. Long and seductive finish. A great Pinot which seemed to need a few more years. Start popping bottles around 2026. (IG)

11/21/2023 - DrZett wrote:

It’s already drinking well but it’s definitely still in its primary phase. Ripe red berries, some green herbal notes and soft earthy notes are dominant, not a lot of dark berry notes. Some graphite in the background. The fruit pairs perfectly with a surprisingly fresh acidity. I enjoy drinking Bordeaux young if it’s not too fat or too serious. This really is fun and it’s very well balanced. Good overall complexity and a nice medium long and savory finish.
Beautiful Bordeaux blend with an amazing QPR. This is the best Potensac of the past decade in my opinion. 90 points for now but with a higher potential.
Drink from 2024 onwards. (IG)

11/18/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Interestingly this bottle was completely different to the last bottle I had a few months ago. Unfortunately it wasn’t showing as good. The bottle I had last year was one of the best Rieslings I ever had, this bottle was very good, but far from exciting. It was surprisingly far developed and the petrol character was quite intense. Acidity wasn’t as precise as last time. Fruit structure was complex and beautiful though. An elegant Riesling. I heard that some followers and wine friends experienced the same bottle variations with this vintage, maybe there were some problems with the bottling. Nevertheless an amazing Riesling and worth a try.
I’m looking forward to try my other bottles. (IG)

11/18/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Nice complex fruit structure with lots of white flowers and soft citrus notes in the nose. On the palate more yellow and orange fruits, quite intense but not over extracted, some soft petrol, almond and honey notes in the background. Precise acidity. Great overall complexity and a nice overall balance. The finish is long and dry.
Young, a bit too young now, let it rest for another couple of years and start drinking from 2025 onwards. Will easily last 10-15 years. (IG)

11/1/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Beautiful dark fruits, nice smoky meat and some elegant aging notes. Full bodied. Complex structure and a nice overall balance. The finish is savory and long. In a great drinking spot, no need to wait any longer. (IG)

11/1/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Amazing elegant nose with a great mixture or ripe red and black berries. The palate is super elegant, with a cool freshness. The tannins are silky and beautifully integrated. Incredible complexity and an extraordinary overall balance. A sexy and elegant wine. In an amazing spot but it can easily age another decade. Fantastic. (IG)

11/1/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Lots of ripe yellow and orange citrus notes paired with quite intense petrol notes. It’s missing a more precise acidity and some freshness but beside that it’s a good wine. Drink up within the next few years. (IG)

10/22/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Too sweet, no real structure or complexity. Feels very artificial. Short and sweet finish. Not worth trying.

10/19/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Beautiful nose with lemons and lime. Fresh palate with young lemons, grapefruit, some green apple and a nice mineral touch. Medium bodied with a precise and medium (+) intense acidity. Great fruit depth and a nice complexity. Good balance but it is still a little wild. Very nice medium long to long finish, super refreshing.
Young but already enjoyable if you like young and fresh Riesling. Non need to hurry though, will be beautiful over the next decade. (IG)

10/19/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Very dark purple colored, nearly black. Medium intense and a bit rustic nose with ripe dark berries. Ripe blackberries, black currant, dark cherries, espresso, dried tobacco and dusty earth. Full bodied with a medium intense acidity. Very dense and masculine style. Good fruit depth. Nice overall complexity and a good balance. The finish is dark, dry and long.
This bottle felt a bit more rustic than my last bottle back in 2021. In my opinion this one is already a bit past its prime. Drink up within the next few years. (IG)

10/16/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Nice fresh nose with soft yellow flowers, some white pepper and soft wooden notes. Quite fresh and crisp on the palate with lots of citrus, kumquat, melon and soft peach notes. Some nice mineral notes in the background. Might mistake it for a Chablis if tasted blind. Medium bodied with a medium acidity. The oak is integrated nicely and helps balancing out the fruit and acidity. Nice fruit structure. Medium complexity but a nice overall balance. Great and refreshing medium long finish.
This tastes really nice in this early stage and I don’t think it’s made for the long run but it can easily age a couple of years without loosing its soul. Drink from now until 2028. (IG)

10/4/2023 - DrZett wrote:

This is a single vineyard dry German Riesling Grosses Gewächs (Grand Cru) from the Nahe wine region.
Beautiful medium golden color with some soft greenish notes towards the rim. Fantastic expressive nose with lots of citrus notes. On the palate ripe citrus, gooseberries, young peach, lots of green herbs and an elegant cold saltiness. Medium (+) bodied with a high acidity. Great fruit depth and an amazing overall complexity. It feels a little wild, a little stubborn in the moment. Overall balance is very good but will get even better with more time. The finish is long and savory with lots of sexy mineral notes.
Already drinking beautifully although it will definitely profit from 2-3 years more in the cellar. Drink from now until 2030. (IG)

10/4/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Red fruits are dominant here, strawberries, sour cherries, some fresh raspberries, soft dried earthy notes and some soft cola notes. Medium bodied with a medium acidity. It’s definitely on the lighter side but not really elegant, rather a little wild. Medium fruit complexity. Nice overall balance. Good medium long finish.
This is young but already feels to be in the right spot. Drink from now until 2027.
Not a bad or uninteresting Pinot but it didn’t really kick me either. (IG)

10/2/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Nice soft red fruits and beautiful earthy notes. Medium bodied with a medium acidity. Very feminine style. Good fruit depth and a medium colored. Overall balance is great. Nice and elegant long finish.
In a great spot now, no need to decant. Drink from now until 2026. (IG)

9/24/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Beautifully balanced classic Bordeaux blend. A great vintage from Opus in my opinion. Powerful dark fruits, with some nice and soft tobacco and coffee notes. An elegant structure and an amazing complexity. Tannins are smooth and beautifully integrated. Great overall balance and a sexy long finish.
Even better than my last bottle 3 years ago. It’s in a great spot now but there’s no need to hurry. Drink from now until 2032. (IG)

9/24/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Yalumba is an Australian winery located near the town of Angaston, South Australia in the Barossa Valley wine region. It was founded by a British brewer, Samuel Smith, who emigrated to Australia with his family from Wareham, Dorset in August 1847. Upon arriving in Adelaide in December, Smith built a small house on the banks of the River Torrens. He lived there less than a year before moving north to Angaston where he purchased a 30-acre block of land on the settlement's south eastern boundary. He named his property "Yalumba" after an indigenous Australian word for "all the land around". In 1849 Smith and his son Sidney planted Yalumba's first vineyards, beginning the Yalumba dynasty. Today Yalumba is Australia's oldest family-owned winery.
On the palate a great mixture of dark red berries, some sour cherries, smoky blackberries, black pepper, beautiful cool mineral notes and some soft truffle notes. Medium (+) bodied with a medium and precise acidity.
Beautiful velvety and nicely integrated tannins. Great fruit depth. Complex and powerful body but not overdone, more on the elegant side. Alcohol is nicely integrated too. The finish is long with a nice cool touch.
A beautiful Cabernet blend that’s just started to get in its drinking window. It will easily hold another 15 years.
Around 5,900 bottles of this vintage were produced. (IG)

9/24/2023 - DrZett wrote:

Pale salmon colored with som soft pinkish notes. Beautiful fresh red berries in the nose. On the palate young raspberries, strawberries, lemon zest and some chalky and soft vanilla notes. Cracking acidity, quite high. Beautiful structure and fruit depth. Very good overall balance. Nice long and refreshing finish.
It felt a bit too young and I would recommend to wait a little longer before popping a bottle. This was really enjoyable, however for someone reason I would always prefer the regular Cristal over the Rosé - it’s just a bit cleaner and shows more precision. (IG)