5/9/2017 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

A very decent and lovely village wine. Best in its first 30 minutes then falls slightly apart as it loses the complexity. I would not hold this for too long as 2009 seems to be very ripe.
I don´t understand some of the previous notes. Yes, this is a lovely village and one of the best at that. I paid 180 Euros in the restaurant and would not do it again. The price hype is insane and nowhere near justified in my view. Label drinking... As wonderful a drink this is, it is nowehere near Grand Cru quality. It proves, that you may not go wrong with Coche-Dury and has class, but at the same price there are many wines that are even better (speaking about market prices, from the winery this is a very good QPR!).

3/24/2017 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Baoslutely lovely. We had this around new year´s eve with Japanese food and just could not stop drinking. We cleared the stock of 5 remaining bottles at the restaurant... ;-)

3/19/2017 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

The "Le Pin" of Italy ;-) With low sulfur, this wine is sheer beauty. Somewaht reserved at the start it might be underestimated. It is classically woven without anything in excess. Similar to a first growth or grand cru, the balance is more important than individual elements. The sangiovese shines through with continued aeration. It puts on weight as well with air and is easily the best Reimitz so far. A little different in style than his Pergole Torte which features more tannin and is built for the long haul. This will come together earlier, but due to its balance should be long lived as well. Lots of fun, I would not say it is the best Sangiovese available, but it is the most beautiful.

3/19/2017 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

I thought, after tasting the Collio Bianco, that this is more open. Whereas the Bianco presented a lot of Sauvignon fruit, this one is still pretty much reserved. To sum it up: stones, stones, stones. I rarely ever had such an elegant Sauvignon with such a minerality. It has nothing to do with the screaming new world fruit explosions, that could get a little boring with the second glass. It is a very quiet wine, very laid back and aristocratic. I wonder where this will be going in the next years. Great stuff.

3/19/2017 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Maybe the best standard Friulano so far? Was it picked a little earlier or very gently pressed? Anyway, it manages to preserve some freshness which is rare for this grape in warm years. With this, it is a great white wine, that could be served with oysters or anything salty or "olived". Really great saline finish and wonderful texture. Can´t wait to open the next one. Surprisingly open at this stage. Much more so than the French grapes.

3/19/2017 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Still very much an infant and pretty closed. Sometimes, it is describe a wine by analogies or what it is not: It is nowhere near new world, more like an Austrian Smaragd or German Großes Gewächs. It is not a complex Burgundy, but a creamy Nothern Italian wine. It has all the elements, is packed with fruit and carries and excellent weight without anything in access. The alcohol is well integrated. It simply is too young, so let´s see how it develops over time. I woul say it is a safe bet from a great vintage, that needs 3-4 years at least.

3/19/2017 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Spectacular! The most open of the 2015s. The Sauvignon simply delivers! I am not sure if it was the Riesling that supports the Sauvignon to shine here, but this is the best Collio Bianco I had so far regardless of producer and vintage. Very open, but also mineral driven and dry. No sense of weight or alcohol, it flows and flows. You don´t sense the Friulano at this moment due to its expressive aromatics. But it is not overblown or Clody Bay-like in your face. Still complex and elegant. Brilliant!

3/5/2017 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

One of the best Burgundies of my life! A solid and very concentrated inner core of fruit that is supported by framing acidity and a lovely saline spiciness. It is extremely long, but demands some patience. I would not say that you can´t drink this now after an hour in the decanter, but the complexity is just starting to evolve. So, as the wine is so rare, it might be better to keep it another five years. Also, because when you taste it now, you will never have the patience to let it sleep.... I want more of this!

3/5/2017 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Starting business right now after about 30 minutes of air. Very nice Bourgogne that is closer to a good Meursault than a Generic. Little citrus fruits, some minerals, just a small hint of smoke and a very positive finish. Unfortunately that was my last bottle, although it starts to be drinking quite easily.

4/17/2016 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

It was worth the wait! While it closed down last year and seemed kind of heady, it shows that you have to be patioent with BdT SB. It is not an easy drinker as Cloudy Bay or other fruity Sauvignons. It has such a driving acidity and mineral spine that it takes about 4-5 years before it hits his stride. But when it does, it is simply brilliant! After 20 minutes upon opening, the wine soars a character out of the glass that all those hyped Austrian, New Zealandian or otherian Sauvignons seem like kids. Strong personality, stone fruits, little red cassis, fresh, long and with a great bite. One of the best Sauvignons of this world, that does not carry the name Dagueneau.

4/17/2016 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

This is the best QPR we had so far. What a great fruit and body for an entry level Languedoc wine. It shows the greatness of the Pic terroir in combination with biodynamic approach. At once balanced, elegant and wonerfully fruity. But not simple at all. We loved the wine and finished the bottle within 30 minutes, so it is hard to predict the development. I assume we will never learn that as it is simply to georgeous right now. Hope it does not close down and continues to sing.

4/17/2016 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

I would give this a little time. Even though fresh Rosé is best enjoyed young, the yeasty back flowers indicate some patience. Otherwise there is a lovely interplay between exotic fruits and some noble bitterness (blood orange maybe).

4/17/2016 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

As you could expect, far less open than the 2012 today. It has all the elements to become a great wine, but the Ste. Agnès 2014 is singing more at the moment. Complex wine with Griotte, plums, herbs and some mocha (very little), mineral stream and very sound acidity. It finishes long and improves over two hours. I would leave this in the cellar for at least 5 years as it is not going to be a blockbuster, but a very elegant wine rivalling the best 2013 Southern reds.

4/17/2016 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

We had this as a pirate wine in a Rhône tasting at it was very clear that this was the hermitage... well, even if it was coonfused with the stony and dark Northern Rhône, I would say, that it has a character of its own. The wine was endlessly mineral and had a lovely dark fruit interplay. We decanted about 4 hours in advance, which might be the minimum at this point of time. Far greater than anything except for some grand Rhône maybe. Have to do it again...

4/17/2016 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

This was maybe the very best Languedoc red that I had! Not in terms of greatness, but in terms of fun, authenticity and QPR. The fruits is simply overwhelming at the moment. You should drink this at the end of a tasting if you do not have more bottles of this to follow... after some air, the smoky cigar, spices and licorice add to the complexity and elegance, but I rarely had such overpowering, great fruit maturity. Not a sign of too much extraction, just lovely.

4/17/2016 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Gorgeous Languedoc white. Not heavy at all. It needs some time to come around as you could still taste a little bit of the yeasty flavors. But the fruit is sound, alive and kicking. Wonderful wine, but I would prefer it to fried fish rather than creamy sauces.

3/29/2016 - Long Louis Does not like this wine:

Could you imagine a wine that does everything right, but does not sing? It has some power, some freshness and is very sweet, the bouquet integrates coconut, more red than black fruits (Margaux!) and the bright wood into a good melange. In the mouth it has enough stuffing and concentration to justify a higher price than everything a supermarket would offer. But where is the terroir? Where is typicity? Where is the signature of the maker? An almost perfectly made wine, not overdone for sure, but lacking soul, personality and somehow truth. Far too expensive, there are so many alternatives across entire Italy. Birdeaux, where do you go from here?

9/19/2015 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

One of the best Italian reds I have had for long time. Charming and open for business, the wine kept everybody happy. I guess that is exactly what is was made for... It had the advantage of magnum bottles, keeping a rare fluidity and elegance without ever losing its open charme. It might keep for one or two decades but why wait? Absolutely perfect with the beef filet, mushrooms and pasta.

9/19/2015 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Absolutely fresh bouquet full of stony Riesling fruit underlined by the Sauvignon richness. The palate is a mid-weight mixture of creamy Friulano with some acidic spine coming from the other two grapes. The wine is harmonious and overall very fresh. Absolutely stunning for an entry-level wine with 20 years of ageing! One of the rare Italian whites that keeps for ages. We were positively surprised and simply loved this juice. Sadly, old vintages of Borgo del Tiglio are even harder to find than new ones. I would love to taste the Studio di Bianco from the same vintage.

6/7/2015 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Very lovely indeed; served at 12°C the wine did not show any signs of oxidation and was extremely harmonious. Not as powerful as some, but still a life assuring back bone. Maybe in its sweet spot now and worth being drunk. It might still age well over a couple of years, but why wait? Excellent showing and would merit a higher recognition.

6/6/2015 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

For myself personally, the 1985 Haut-Brion is far better and more typical than the famed 1989. It is less exotic and Californian, but has much more finesse and balance to offer. If speaking in numbers, this would deserve the "100" more than almost any other vintage of the 1980s.... Lovely!

4/17/2015 - Long Louis wrote:

This wine is oh-so silky in the best sense. At first it smells a little smoky and fleshy, but oak and flesh do well integrate after sipping it for an hour (we had other bottles joining, so the thirst was tamed). In the mouth the wine is the Queen of smoothness and brings it all together what one expects from Cote Rotie. It seems like a light-bodied version of a good but not great vintage of La Turque. More feminine in character than some and definitely my style. It gets better glass by glass and in the end it is great fun almost already. Good that I laid down some magnums ;-) Sadly, almost unknown over here. Or maybe gladly ;-)

4/17/2015 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Sorry for the German: "Ist das geil!!!" This purple coloured wine does bring it all together: the fabulous terroir for Syrah without any overmaturity on one hand being a classic on the other being straight forward fruity. It has the violets, black berries and spices so typical for Cornas, a mineral backbone and perfect mid weight feel. A great wine at reasonable price. Sadly, Cornas is not well known inside Germany, although Clape who might be the appelation leader such as Chave in Hermitage brings more attention to this AOC. This is one off the best french wines I had in a long, long time. Of course, considering its price range.

1/15/2015 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Surprisingly complex and tertiary, we followed the wine over two days with no signs of breaking up. Very well balanced and a joy to taste. It seems that most of Nicola Manferrari´s wines are enjoyed at a too early stage.

1/4/2015 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Had this on Xmas with several other wines. It is extremely well balanced. Of course, 1993 does lack the density and power of the great vintages, but it does have that trademark margaux perfume full of violets, fruit and all is in harmony. The palate and aftertaste are also showing this wine on the spot and it may keep another few years, but I do not think it could get any better than it is now. From a perfect bottle, my rating might be a little high, but the sheer fun of this wine stands out. It is so much better to drink mature wines from smaller vintages than killing the great bottles all too soon. And this should be part of the rating. Would like to have some magnums for lonely evenings...

11/27/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

We had this gorgeous wine in a Eurpean mix session with old and great burgundy, German Pinot Noir and Barolo. This wine was really singing and marvellously complex but still fresh due its healthy acidity. The initial mushroom nose cleared very fast and let the dark fruits, plums and piedmont flavors (if garrigue is typical Provence, I think there is a similar taste in Piedmont, but I am missing the word, mayb tartufiato? ;-). Great showing of a well aged high class Nebbiolo on the fine side of life.

11/16/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

The Marche are often called tuscany for the poor. I would say that at below 20 Euros this is rather like a tuscany for the clever. Very enjoyable with some airation, it boasts all the little red fruits, has a very nice structure with mature tannins and excellent length given the price tag. I do not think, there are many Chiantis out there that can rival this wine, but it may be a good competition against the sangiovese-based super tuscanies. But it has an own personality and should not be characterised just by comparison. Let´s see how this develops over the next years. Maybe close do Dezi in style.

11/2/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Still very primary and dark Serralunga Barolo. I would cellar it at least for 10 years. It may be fun forexperienced winelovers before, but when it is mature, it should be great stuff and we will cry bitter tears if we drank these too yyoung or did not buy at excellent current prce tag. Great Barolo, maybe not in same league as Conterno or Mascarello, but a classic 2010 great.

8/5/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Can´t remember any Pinot in 2014 that was that balanced and harmonious. What a world-class, elegant and complex wine. We were all completely surprised and stunned by the quality of the material and how balanced this wines is now. Everything in its place, could drink doublemagnums of this one every day...

8/5/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Very nice Spätbuirgunder that is just starting its drinking window. Had lots of fun and preferred it over a Beaune 1er Cru that was simply too heavy. Here, very balanced and good length. Good with ENtrecote with Pinot sauce.

8/5/2014 - Long Louis Does not like this wine:

A wine that that seems to me as being "made" rather than gotten from nature. Very concentrated. Had this along a German Spätburgunder and the heaviness seems too exagerated for me. Good for California Pinot but not typical Cote de Beaune (and that was what I was looking for). But I do assume, that not everybody shares my taste, so if you love power, you may rate it far higher. Not for me and not again please.

6/28/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Not as heavy as the 2011. Although it may well improve over the next 5-8 years, it already has that "Dagueneau-styled" deepness. Not as "worldly" and fruity as the Miani, it has mor backbone and takes much longer to come around. I think it is one of the most serious SB around. Not an everyday wine, but when it will reacxh cruising speed, it is one of the very few SB who develop over time significantly and have that extra special finesse that famous SB do lack.

6/23/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

More freshness than the 2011, but quite as salty as the great 2010. I assume, this will mature great. We loved the fruit so much, that we could not follow the ageing process. Simply too good...

6/23/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Drank in Muri close to Venice in a great Osteria (Nalin). What a treat to have this great wine with the best shrimp risotto and carpaccio I have had so far. Almost Burgundy complexity, lush, needs a few minutes to hit its stride and then comes, again, one of the best whites from Italy.

5/30/2014 - Long Louis wrote:

Very precise, focused with laser-like precision and very much fun to drink. For fat and oak lovers this is not recommended. However, to accompany great seefood or enjoy on its own, this wine is a marvel. Monolithic as it did not change over two hours. Very strong effort and that´s the essence of Chablis. I think this bottle would be a good teacher if anybody asks you how a Chablis would taste?

5/2/2012 - Long Louis wrote:

This is the stuff that goes through walls and your soul. Marvellous mature Burgundy that could not be better. (bottle was perfectly stored and very fresh)

5/4/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

What a marvellous wine. I followed it for 2 hours and it gained and gained... I may not give this wine full justice in calling it the Montrachet of Italy! The blend of Friulano, Riesling and Sauvignon is magic and the stony, salty flavors do remind me of a great Burgundy. However, due to the missing Chardonnay and calming down the Friulano with more spicy varietals, the complexity, longevity and elegance are comparable. What a great winemaking. Galloni gave 95 points... I think, when tasted in five years again, this will be too conservative!

4/27/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

The least complicated wine of Borgo del Tiglio. Here pop and pour works very well as the Riesling Renano and Sauvignon add some acid to the more fatty and low acid Friulano. Nice overall balance yields a very good food wine that is easy to match with numerous dishes. Given the fact that this only the entry level wine into the portfolio of Borgo del Tiglio proves the highest demand for quality from this winery by reducing the yield below economic levels and selling much of the grapes in bulk in order to increase the quality of their signature wines. A good approach, but very limited production hence.

4/27/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Magical what Nicola Manferrari makes out of Friuli Chardonnay. He has studied the different cites of the Collio and what grape matches what soil and what exposition. Here, he found back in the eighties an excellent terroir for Chardonnay which resembles the coolness of Burgundy with the local microclimate of Friuli. The nose is all about Chardonnay with a prefectly integrated wood and the typical butter, banana and other tropical fruit set. Still, in its own style it manages the balance between power and freshness and while ageworthy already shows immediate charm and appeal. A great vintage for the base wine that makes us forget the Selezione bottles for a few years. Great style from a world grape that explains why the grape is so popular.

4/27/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Still very young and in need of some years of bottle age or at least some hours of airation. On day #2 the fruit was well integrated into a nice but powerful wine. Manages to balance power with elegance and comes across like a lighter version of Pavie or a bigger version of Conseillante from a good vintage. I expect the score to be too conservative, but at the moment it does not yet have the balance to rival the Rosso della Centa and the immediate charm of the Selezione. But time will tell....

4/27/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

A definite step up in elegance over the Rosso 2008m this displyas an already wonderful balance of mature Merlot spiced up by some lovely cabernet sauvignon. Very silky texture and long finish, this wine should be able to stand its own in tastings along some of the best of bolgheri´s famous wines (not to be compared with Sassicaia or Ornellaia, as these are bigger wines needing much more cellar time, more like Tua Rita, Tassinaia, Campo al fico etc. style). Already very approachable and fun to drink, but oh so rare and hard to find.

4/27/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Compared to the Borgo del Tiglio Selezione, this was far more expressive and already delectable. Very good and typical Sauvignon Blanc.

4/27/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Had this along the Tement Zieregg. Although both wines were great, the difference was very pronounced. While the Zieregg is typical Sauvignon and already drinkable, this wines is definitely in need to harmonise over the next 3-5 years. Far too young for me at this dense and bold style, but I am sure it will turn out to be a stunner in several years. If you taste it today, a double-decant the day before is absolutely mandatory and some decanting prior to drinking gives some extra harmony to this tight, great wine.

4/27/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

So many wine choices to go with white or green asparagus. Having some homemade Gnocchi with both colours asparagus, cheese and salmon, the choice of the day was this young wine. When served cold from the fridge, the wine seemed heady and the alcohol stood out. However, after warming up to say 11°C as well as some airation, the wine blossomed, gained in harmony and really stood out as a wonderful character wine with complexity and depth. Not a terrassee kind of wine like many friulanos, but more a big wines with world class appeal to be compared to bigger wines than usual for this region. I really loved the almond blended with some souther fruit and the creamy long finish. Not the depth and minerality of the ROnco della Chiesa, but there is always something better somewhere... At the given price tag, we were very happy.

4/27/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Tasted alongside 2008 Rosso from Borgo del Tiglio. Some similarity could be observed, but the Mas seemed to be little more austere with the Borgo being a little bit more sweet regarding the floral aromatics. This may be due to the different blend, where there is more Merlot in the Rosso compared to the Mas. Although the quality of both was really superb given their price ranges, the Borgo was slightly rated higher by all tasters. Both wines should last and drink well for another five years. Please note, that the style of the Mas is different to pre-2000 vintages as being a little bit more rounded and forward, rather modern than before, so that it was already very smooth and approachable. Both would be great competitors to 3ème Crus in Bordeaux (which sell at least for twice as much).

4/27/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Tasted alongside 2008 Mas de Daumas. Some similarity could be observed, but the Mas seemed to be little more austere withthe Borgo being a little bit more sweet regarding the floral aromatics. This may be due to the different blend, where there is more Merlot in the Rosso compared to the Mas. Although the quality of both was really superb given their price ranges, the Borgo was slightly rated higher by all tasters. Both wines should last and drink well for another five years. Please note, that the style of the Mas is different to pre-2000 vintages as being a little bit more rounded and forward, rather modern than before, so that it was already very smooth and approachable. Both would be great competitors to 3ème Crus in Bordeaux (which sell at least for twice as much).

3/11/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Great wine! Much fun to enjoy right now out of the bottle or with little decant. The style of Daumas Gassac is not yet that closed anymore as in the 80s and early 90s. However, this is a great terroir showing in the 3ème Grand Cru league if you would like to put it into context. But the fun is worth the search. Very deep enad elegant, but expressive without being too ripe.

4/11/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

So creamy... like the 1982 just a fun wine that does no harm to anyone. Should be everybody´s darling. It may lack a little acid and complexity for an even higher score. But it is so much fun to drink right now, that it is also not possible to rate lower. High fun factor, but may not necessarily get any better than it is now after 24 years (oh my gosh, is it really 24 years since 1990???).

4/11/2014 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

After so many non-Bordeaux, this tought me that Bordeaux is never out of style if made in a traditional way in a classical year. The 96s are a great joy at the moment and fully deserve their initial high praise.

12/15/2013 - Long Louis Likes this wine:

Still a decent, mature Kabinett that proves the longevity of great Saar wines. Very nice, very balanced and some tertiary aromatics. Was fun.