4/26/2024 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Store SmageDag (Wine in Vein): Our host thought this was past its peak, and that the champignons took over. I only half-agree - there's definitely a lot of signs of aging (which feels early for this wine?), but it's nicely layered, and the primary fruit is still noticeable. I quite enjoyed this wine, but it's probably time to drink up.

4/26/2024 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Store SmageDag (Wine in Vein): Served blind. My first guess - only by the nose - brought me towards a serious Gamay, but the taste didn't support that thought. Clean, fresh, light; like this a lot.

4/26/2024 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Store SmageDag (Wine in Vein): Served blind, no one was even close to guessing this was Rioja (although in hindsight, the mint-y freshness in the aftertaste should really have given it away) .. Energetic, long, and serious, without ever being overpowering. I don't think I've ever had a Rioja like this before.

4/26/2024 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Store SmageDag (Wine in Vein): This is still incredibly young, of course, but surprisingly open and approachable. Flowers, roses, spice, and just a lot of depth. Would love to try this again in ten years time.

4/26/2024 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Store SmageDag (Wine in Vein): Interesting to try next to the 2021 - this is slightly heavier (thought very elegant and clean), well-integrated; some sort of pepper in there too.

4/26/2024 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Store SmageDag (Wine in Vein): Loved this wine! Intense, clean, etheric, and still packing a lot of flavour. Will likely keep developing for another ten years.

4/26/2024 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Store SmageDag (Wine in Vein): Dense, dark, and intense, almost heavy, with dark fruit. Good nose, if a bit muted. Good tannins, lots of potential.

4/26/2024 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Store SmageDag (Wine in Vein): A very big wine, in the best possible way! Rich yet precise, and very well integrated. Almost hard to pick out individual components of the wine. I can see this continuing to develop nicely over the next five years.

4/26/2024 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Store SmageDag (Wine in Vein): Very very young at this stage - initially all over the place, but came together into something drinkable after 15-20 minutes in the glass. This will be a great wine, but it needs another four-five years.

4/26/2024 - bagelcat wrote:

Store SmageDag (Wine in Vein): Slight whiff of gun powder, which went away quite quickly. High viscosity, at least compared to the 2021. The warm vintage is definitely noticeable, but doesn't retract from the quality of the wine. Extremely clean and precise.

4/26/2024 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Store SmageDag (Wine in Vein): Gun powder on the nose initially, which is rather intense. Served double-blind, I was guessing in the direction of aligoté rather than chardonnay. High minerality, lemon, white peach, yellow fruit. Great length, good mouthfeel.

4/26/2024 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Store SmageDag (Wine in Vein): (Degorged 2021 if I recall correctly). Greater depth and more development than the BdB tasted alongside. Clean, long, stable. Red apples, lemon. A beautiful wine.

4/26/2024 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Store SmageDag (Wine in Vein): Degorged in 2021 (if I recall correctly). Zippy, primary with lots of depth. Lemon, green apples, slightly caramelly, great balance and cleanliness, good length. Slight bitterness towards the end, but not in any bad way.

Whiff of barnyard initially, which went away after ten minutes in the glass.

1/13/2023 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Showing signs of maturing, but in no way fading. This has many years to go still, but is in a great spot right now.

Glad I have more.

12/30/2022 - bagelcat wrote:

Similar notes as previous taster, though no VA. Agree about the depth - still an enjoyable bottle.

11/27/2022 - bagelcat wrote:

Very nice - well-developed, good depth and length; probably right in the middle of its drinking window, without any risk of tipping over anytime soon. Could easily keep for another 10.

10/30/2022 - bagelcat wrote:

NR.

If this bottle is anything to go by, I would say this wine is heading downhill. Great colour, lovely beads, a minerally and bruised/candied apple nose, but a short and thin taste, where it feels like the core of the wine has vanished. Improved slightly over the course of three days, but didn’t really reach any real heights.

Not at all unpleasant, but I had higher expectations.

9/25/2022 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Second and final bottle - unfortunately, because this is still lovely and lively, albeit unmistakably on its way down. Good length and complexity, still fruit and balanced acidity in there, and a fine nose once given a bit of air. Darkening golden hue, but no sign of oxidisation. Kept reasonably well over three days, but lost a bit of punch on the last day.

7/1/2022 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

My experience doesn’t correlate with previous comments about the fruit fading - I found this to be rather balanced, typical chenin blanc with a “natural wine” undertone, good fruit and length. To me, there’s no obvious stress to drink up.

6/27/2022 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Probably peaking right now, but I don't think there's any real hurry. Will keep my last bottle for a few more years.

6/22/2022 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Good value for money - but give it a few years, acid levels are slightly too high right now.

6/6/2022 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Drank over four nights, still very much a lovely (and lively) wine. Good length, good balance, nice notes of spice and dark fruits.

Unlike other notes on CT, I haven’t found the acidity overbearing in either of the bottles I have had, but rather well-balanced and lifting the wine.

6/5/2022 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Good acidity and length, notable body without being heavy. All of which matched perfectly with the baked salmon we had - really enjoyed this.

2/27/2022 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Still vibrant! Fine bubbles, depth, sweetness and acidity in balance, and an impressive length. This felt like a privilege to be able to drink.

2/25/2022 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Still going strong! Good fruit and acidity, shows it age through a hint of nuttiness but it's in balance with the more youthful tones. Long finish. Really enjoyed this wine.

3/8/2022 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Varm-climate pinot, without the jam - good fruit, in balance. Somehow unmistakably Spanish, but in a fun way.

12/1/2021 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

No serious notes, but this was a very good bottle of wine, if a bit young/sharp at this point. Would recommend laying it down for a few years year, as it hadn't quite developed the depth or integration I would have liked. Not at all oxidative in style.

1/1/2022 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

NR, but 90's NV bottling that had developed into a VERY nice bottle of champagne. Plenty of bubbles left, deep golden colour, fruit and caramel in nose and mouth - I could drink this all day.

Very rarely disappointed by older NV bottles of Moët, despite not caring for them at all when they're young.

12/31/2021 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Very well-made wine, if perhaps a tad simple. Fruit-focused, balanced acidity, still youthful in nose and mouth. More than a few notches above the 2004 we had a week before, which - while still being a pretty good wine - was much sweeter and nowhere near as balanced. Superb length.

Glad I have a few more to follow over the next 5-10 years.

12/10/2021 - bagelcat wrote:

This never quite opened up, despite being given three nights to do so. Nose was good enough, with darkish fruits and berries as well as a hint of something herbal. Mouth was muted, and while the acidity was nice, there was a chewiness/coarseness to the tannins that I didn't enjoy.

Unsure if this bottle was defective, but that could be the reason for it not blossoming as I'd hoped. A bit of a disappointment in any case.

12/7/2021 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

This is seriously good - nicely oxidised without those tones being overbearing; a delicate balance between sweetness and acidity. Initially had this with dessert, as it worked well with crème brûlée on a previous occasion, but with the more pronounced oxidation now, mature cheese worked a lot better.

Wish I knew how/where to get more!

11/26/2021 - bagelcat wrote:

This was good! Still energy and life left in this wine - even some fruit, though the tertiary notes were of course at the front. Good length, and in general a really nice bottle of aged barolo.

11/26/2021 - bagelcat wrote:

Very much still alive - cork in good condition. Not the most exciting bottle of old barolo I have had, but all the parts were there, so still rather enjoyable.

11/26/2021 - bagelcat wrote:

DOA - completely see-through, smelled and tasted like a vinegary sherry. Shame!

10/18/2021 - bagelcat wrote:

Perfectly acceptable wine, a bit too boisterous for my liking. Heavy, grippy tannins that over-power the fruit and acidity, a whiff of alcohol on the nose. Definitely needs food, and potentially more age.

9/19/2021 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

This wine blew me away both when I opened it and when I tried it again the day after - clean, dark fruits and berries (wild forest raspberries, blackberries, dark cherries), with a floral hint and a touch of charcuteries. Well-integrated tannins, acidity that’s on point .. and it could probably spend ten more years in a cellar and develop even further.

For me, this had an incredible nerve - couldn't stop coming back to the glass to smell and taste, and to follow the development over the course of the meal.

9/19/2021 - bagelcat wrote:

Slightly disappointed by this wine, was expecting more. Fruit and acidity in check, clean minerality, oakiness in the background, but it feels a bit disjointed. Even after decanting, it didn’t really open up. Could be that it’s just tightly wound or too young, as it was slightly better on day two.

1/22/2021 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Fresh, but with typical darker notes of aged champagne. Went very well with comté, and was excellent on its own. Quite long, with a tinge of bitterness in the aftertaste.

Don’t think there’s much of a hurry to drink this, to be honest, but there’s also no shame in enjoying it now :-)

12/9/2020 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Surprisingly developed, clear tertiary notes in both smell and taste. Balanced, long, with soft tannins.

If my bottle was anything to go by, it’s time to drink up.

7/21/2020 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Bottle in excellent condition, as was the wine! Decanted an hour or so, and the nose developed into a serious aged barolo - still some fruit, but also mushroom, forest floor, tobacco, leather. Tannins still present, in balance with the acidity.

A really lovely wine.

7/16/2020 - bagelcat wrote:

This was fantastic. The balance between sweetness and acidity was perfect, and the cantaloup and grapefruit tones really hit the spot. Blew a really good 1978 Chateau Rabaud-Promis right out of the water. Could drink this all day.

7/17/2020 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Not exactly the most complex, but damn if it isn't a great thirst quencher! High acidity (as in, my mouth is watering just remembering how this tastes), fruit-forward, and just rather lovely.

7/14/2020 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

From magnum. Still going strong, and rather youthful in its expression - almost as though it could use another five years.

7/18/2020 - bagelcat wrote:

Over the hill (and not made for the long-haul regardless).

7/18/2020 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Very impressed by this wine! Expressive, energetic (if not youthful), balanced. Complex nose, hints of something meaty, liquorice, and spice. Could have spent all night just sniffing.

No mention of 1er cru on the bottle, which makes me guess Les Angles was given the designation later than 1976 ..

8/13/2020 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Noticeably high quality for this level, and very well-kept. Still some dark-ish fruits, but mainly tertiary notes of earthiness, forest floor, leather. Integrated, smooth tannins and pleasant acidity.

8/13/2020 - bagelcat Does not like this wine:

Was left rather unimpressed with this - thin, edgy, felt more like a prosecco than a serious champagne contender ..

7/16/2020 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Fruit-driven, buttery goodness. Balanced acidity, integrated oak, feels like it packs a punch that’s higher than its price-point. Glad I have more.

7/14/2020 - bagelcat wrote:

Agree with previous notes - zippy, light-bodied, not particularly complex. Makes for easy drinking, but is also rather easy to forget.

6/19/2020 - bagelcat Likes this wine:

Had with dessert of strawberries, cream, and meringue (a sort of deconstructed pavlova), worked very well. Nose of honey, apricots, bitter almonds; similar taste with an added orange peel:y tone and an integrated alcohol level. Silky texture.