4/20/2024 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Very good. Delicious balance between sweetness and freshness and depth. Will keep for decades

4/20/2024 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Classic Pessac-Léognan. Beautiful with distinct mineral notes. Shows a freshness that indicates a much younger wine than this 2006. Extremely elegant and long.

4/20/2024 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Great classic California Bordeaux blend (80% Cabernet, 17% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot). Dense and intense, balanced. Clear notes of mint and a hint of eucalyptus. Very appealing and delicious, but a little short if looking at the finer nuances.

4/20/2024 - KristianT wrote:

Pira Cannubi is normally one of my favourite Barolos, but this bottle was undrinkable. Unusually light colour. Very bad nose. Not corked, but just off. When I poured it out it there was not just sediments but a load of "sludge" at the bottom of the bottle. Wierd and sad.

3/2/2024 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Exceptionally healthy cork. Nice deep garnet colour and nice notes of graphite, Cassis and slight hint of mint. Very restrained at first sip, but opened up very nicely in the glass over the next hour to reveal a very elegant and well structured classic Pessac. Drinks beautifully now, but certainly no rush to drink my remaining bottles.

1/13/2024 - KristianT Likes this wine:

In a perfect place right now. Exceptionally classic and pretty much all you can wish for in a classified Bordeaux. Very dark given its age. Classic notes. No rush to drink up, but if you have several bottles left then do enjoy one now.

12/24/2023 - KristianT Likes this wine:

From magnum. In a very nice place now. Extremely healthy cork (looks brand new). Quite dark colour with only a slight watery rim. Classic garrigue notes despite the warm vintage. A little less fresh than the Pegaus from better vintages, but still a very good and well made wine. No rush to drink up, but this will probably not be as long-lived as the better vintages.

12/22/2023 - KristianT wrote:

The cork was fine, but the wine was fizzy and very acidic... Had to open another bottle which fortunately was fine.

11/10/2023 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Last bottle of the 12 I bought in 2008, and that is probably a good thing as this bottle came across a bit tired. Very healthy cork and good colour with slight teal hue along the rim. Very rustic on the nose at first, but with a bit of air the wine came very nicely together. It drinks well and offers traditional notes of garrigue and thyme but also more meaty notes, which breaks the balance a bit. I normally adore the style of Vieux Donjon and still have 1998s in the cellar. But if this bottle is representative of the 2005s,I would say drink up now.

11/3/2023 - KristianT Likes this wine:

First bottle of the reserva. Brilliant glass of wine. Dark and dense, but in no way over the top. Fabulous balance and depth. I wish I had more of this.

11/3/2023 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Wonderful mature Rioja from a classical vintage. Light and bright colours, charming nose and delicate balanced taste. Tertiary notes but still fruit to balance. Always a joy to drink great old wines.

10/22/2023 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Popped and pured. Extremely healthy cork. Dark colour and immediate notes of eucalyptus and mint that immediately brings you to Californian cabernet. Quite astringent at first sip, but showed great promise. After about thirty minutes and a lot of swirling in the glass it starts to reveal layer upon layer of taste.

While clearly Californian, it is not the overly opulent style but rather the more elegant and balanced style that Ridge and other classic wineries are known for.

7/15/2023 - KristianT wrote:

Crumbled cork and completely oxidized.

7/16/2023 - KristianT Likes this wine:

This is the kind of wine experience that shows what old wines can do. Having a near perfect wine from your birth year and sharing it with a dear friend from the same year is just about the best thing that can happen to wine lovers.

This 1975 Brunello showed beautifully from when the (very healthy) cork was popped. It did let it slow-ox for six hours. When poured, it showed wonderful secondary and tertiary notes of leather, pepper and mushrooms. The first sip was a little astringent but after ten minutes in the glass everything came together for an absolutely stunning wine. Beautiful colours and even fruity notes despite its tender age. Wow! What a treat.

6/16/2023 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Drinking Vieux Donjon is visiting an old friend - one of my favourites. Classic Chateauneuf that really needs time to shine. The 2007 is in a great place now - 15 years old but still shows a very nice level of freshness combined with a mature elegance. Healthy colour. Notes of garrigue, hints of smoke, leather and dark fruits. Well-balanced and full-bodied with a long and lingering aftertaste. (93 points)

2/19/2023 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Quite dark colored. Surprisingly rustic on the bosez bit softens up with air. Mature notes of leather and mushroom. A good mature smaller Bordeaux. Drink up if you have any left (the cork was pristine, so that is not something to worry about it you rather experiment with even longer cellaring)

1/13/2023 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Everything with this wine appears so much younger than you'd think for an '06. Extremely healthy cork, dark colour and very restained. I should have read the tasting notes on Cellartracker first, as everybody writes that this should wait. And I couldn't agree more. Very nice bouquet - classic Barolo, but way too young. I'll (try to) wait at least 4-5 years before opening my next bottle.

11/26/2022 - KristianT Likes this wine:

While not quite on par with the Carlisle Vineyard 2013 I had recently, this is still a fabulous Zinfandel. Almost more Syrah-like with dark blackberry and spice notes. Perfectly mature and I doubt it will improve further - but no signs of decline.

11/4/2022 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Very healthy cork and colour with only slight teal notes on the rim. Quite unusual nose at first - somewhat burned or even whisky-like. First sips didn't show much. After about 45 minuttes the wine luckily changes significantly - still a bit rustic on the nose, but much more elegant. A very nice glass of mature Pessac (although not very typical for the appellation), but surely not a wine that will improve further.

10/1/2022 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Fantastic Zinfandel from one of the oldest and most iconic vineyards in Sonoma. Quintessential Carlisle style - the perfect balance between power and elegance. A great bottle that shows that good Zinfandel can age.

8/27/2022 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Lovely bottle of mature Bordeaux. Very healthy cork and colour. Very subtle at first but opened up ever so nicely over the coming hours. Elegant and fully mature.

8/27/2022 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Absolutely delicious - quite forthcoming from the offset. The spiciness on the nose had us thinking Nebbiolo before we tasted it. Extremely elegant wine. Difficult to see it getting better, but no signs of it being tired either. Will probably be at this pleateu for years if not decades to come. Stunning wine.
PS: the cork was unbelievably fresh.

7/1/2022 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Last of the batch. I have liked this wine since the first bottle, but this last bottle is by fra the best so far. Still dark and dense, but it shows a maturity and elegsnce that surpasses the quality of the previous bottles. I wish I had more.

5/1/2022 - KristianT Likes this wine:

I was worried when opening as the cork completely crumpled. But luckily the wine did not show any signs of problems. Still very dark in colour. Very classic Bordeaux notes of graphite and white pepper combined with Cassis flavour. As it opens up in the glass you have a quintessential classic elegant and well-balanced Bordeaux from a somewhat overlooked vintage. Perfectly mature now, but no rush to drink up.

4/11/2022 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Last of my 12 bottles bought en primeur. It has been such an interesting journey to follow this wine that was one of the "big, small wines" of 2005 in Bordeaux. In many ways it ended on a high note - perfectly mature now. Still very dark and dense, but more in balance now than previously.

3/26/2022 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Nice and juicy Bourgogne. Not overly complex, but fairly elegant and very drinkable. More depth than the 2015.

3/25/2022 - KristianT Likes this wine:

In a very good place right now. Very appealing from the cork is popped. Perfectly classic yet elegant Châteauneuf. Cassis and garrigue combined with some delicate earthy notes that I haven't picked up before. Perfectly mature now at 15 years of age, but will surely keep for another decade.

2/20/2022 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Bright ruby colour. Very charming from the offset with nice violet notes with a hint of pepper. Nice chewy texture and mouthfeel. Good balance and harmony - very easy to drink. Nothing to fault but it does come across as a bit of a crowd pleaser. More a drinking than a thinking wine.

1/22/2022 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Drinking absolutely beautifully now. Incredible nose from the offset. Fruit-packed, yet fresh and elegant. A real treat! This was my last bottle and I think this wine is peaking now, but with no signs of decline in the immediate future.

12/24/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

From magnum. Luckily much better than anticipated as I have had some mixed experiences with the 2000 Vieux Donjon. This bottle performed absolutely great with the Christmas dinner. Dark colour with teal rim. Spice and garrigue notes on the nose. Balanced and long taste with a slight tannic grip that complimented the duck confit very nicely

10/3/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Neither cork nor the colour shows any signs of age. Lovely nose but quite muted upon opening. After decanting the wine starts opening and classic Bordeaux and Pessac-Léognan notes starts to show. More spice and minerality than fruit, but quite elegant and balanced for a difficult vintage. Should keep but will likely not improve. A very nice bottle for a Sunday dinner.

8/31/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Fresh acidity and nice citrus grip combined with some pineapple and butterscotch notes. Great structure and mouth feel. Very nice Chardonnay at a very reasonable price.

8/29/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

From memory: Popped and poured. Time travel in a bottle. This type of wine is so deliciously and shamelessly old-fashioned. Dark fruit and earthy aromas combined with some smoke and even tar. Not what I would drink everyday, but a wonderful bottle to remind ourselves of the history and tradition iconic appellations like Rioja comes with. Drinks well now but will surely last for decades.

8/29/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

From memory. Ultra classic - wonderful nose from the cork was pulled. Opened up ever so good with some air. Really in a perfect place right now. All tannins are well integrated and the fruit is still fresh and charming. Wonderful bottle of mature Pauillac.

7/17/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Wow, what a pleasant surprise. I love the wines from Raul Perez I have had so far, but this was the first time I tried the Godello. Really well made wine with crisp acidity and great texture. Needed a bit of air to reveal all of its charms. Drinks great now, but has clearly potential for further aging.

7/17/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

My old tasting notes (last one from 2010) has been put to shame. Dead Arm doesn't just "keep", it evolves, but you need to wait at least 15 years! This beautiful 1998 is (finally) at a mature state. Still quintessential d'Arenberg in style - very dark and concentrated, but new showing some very interesting secondary notes. Great depth and balance.

7/3/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Quite Burgundy-like, but a little more pebbery and dark. Actually more Baden-like than Sonoma-like on the nose. Very smooth and elegant. Fully mature now. Great bottle.

7/3/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Haven't had this since visiting the winery some six years ago. What a treat. Clearly California Cabernet, but with the elegance of a Bordeaux. Wonderfully old-school Napa. Amazing bottle. Still great freshness and plenty of years left and likely room for even more improvement.

6/12/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

A crumbling cork had me worried for a minute, but luckily the bottle was great. This is really at a great spot right now. Very classic and old-school wine - characterised by structure rather than fruit. I doubt it will improve much, but I will not be in a rush to drink my remaining few bottles.

4/25/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Very healthy bottle. The cork hardly shows any signs of age. Quite dark colour and hardly any nose at first. Decanted it and over the next hour the wine started to open up ever so slowly. Classic Pauillac notes. Good structure. Quite firm tannins. A little more fruit would have been nice, but a very nice glass of mature Bordeaux. I'm a bit on the fence about recommending to drink up or hold for a more "pure play" tertiary phase that it surely starting now.

4/18/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Very dark colour. The initial notes when opening were more rustic than I remembered from previous bottles, but after a bit of air the more elegant notes started to emerge. A really nice glass of wine with a charming elegance and fine structure, although the lesser vintage shows. It should keep for a few more years but I doubt that it will improve much.

3/26/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

The superlatives line up... I have had this in the cellar for more than 15 years. What a great wine. Dark fruit - meaty and with dense spiciness. Perfectly mature but the right bottles would be able to age for a decade or even two.

3/26/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Oh. What a night! Our host spoils us. Extremely elegant! So classic and elegant. Served blind but we guessed Pauillac pretty quickly. Ever so long aftertaste. Marvelous taste - not even close to peak bit what a treat!!!

3/26/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Lovely surprise. Bought when we visited Scribe in 2013. This rather spicy - has evolved to be much more German (Baden) in style than Californian.

3/26/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Wonderfully nerdy wine. First impression was a little mutes (should have been decanted). Opens up with a lot of air. Not a crowd pleasers but a very interesting wine. Would probably age well for decades.

3/26/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Oh joy. Looks so young. Lively mousse and ever so creamy texture. Wonderful nose with brioche, coffee and a slight oxidative note (but not in a bad way). Perfectly mature but surely a long life ahead of it (if you like mature Champagne).

3/13/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Last bottle of my 1997 Ironstone. Such a treat. Clear ageing signs on the colour, bit still a very very enjoyable wine. Fully mature and likely no further development in sight but a true testement to the potential of d'Arenbergs top wines. I have followed and enjoyed the Ironstones since 1994 and except for one single corked bottle they have never failed to impress.

3/13/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Served blind. Exceptional aroma - very elegant. First instinct was a Bordeaux as the structure and elegance took me in that direction. Perfectly mature and balanced. After a bit of air it does show more spice and peppery notes. A truly great bottle of wine 🍷

3/13/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

Very healthy cork. Really dark colour. Didn't really show its ten years age. The nose and taste didn't really match as it came across much more meaty and rustic on the nose but more balanced when you drink it. A very good glass of Californian Cabernet but less elegant than l remember the Caymus wines.

2/12/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine:

First time I try this. Bought it last summer in Tarragona. Very dark colour. Syrah-like nose with pepper and spice. Really charming complexity - a wine you keep "sniffing" as it reveals more and more as it gets more air. A refreshing contrast to the more fruit-driven Priorat wines and exceptionally more complex than most of its peers. Great length and despite its 10 years of age it is certainly far from at is peak. I should get more of these for the cellar.