1/28/2024 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Champagne and Burgundy evening (Private home in Arlington, Virginia): Among the three Pinot Noirs enjoyed this evening, this seemed to be almost Pauillac in nature, with evident lead pencil/graphite reflecting power and depth. There is a distinct dark cherry note, indeed, rather the pit of a juicy black cherry that beguiles the senses, especially as it also exudes floral notes. But unlike the Volnay tasted before, this wine includes an almost fiery mid palate, as if graced with a dollop of port: 1999 was a ripe vintage. And so pleasingly framed by nuanced structure that exudes both grip and polish, making me think "pristine balance." While the Volnay was far more floral, this was more dark fruit and graphite, with more impressive palate depth, essentially layer upon layer unfolding that rather amazes the senses. I realize that experts say that Clos St Jacques is not Grand Cru, but this producer crafts the best Clos St Jacques I have ever had, and 1999 is superb. Long, magical finish. And it has the concentration to last at least another 20 years if not more. Thanks to Chris Bublitz for this generous offering. 13% alcohol

1/28/2024 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Champagne and Burgundy evening (Private home in Arlington, Virginia): When I first tried it, it begged air, so I double decanted and served after the 2009. The 2010 vintage can be more structured as was the case with this wine, but over time in glass, it was so hard to resist. Aromatically very floral, from rose petal to peony, with red cherry. The palate combines structure with vivaciousness, very lively but reigned in, and an increasingly silky attire over the structure, a textural finesse for the palate! The tannin is still rather prominent, and the wine begs food. It was an excellent match for the pasticio, whose richer aspects, from the meat sauce and the buttery pasta and bechamel coating proved a fine foil to the structured tannin and acidity in the wine. Long finish, with freshness and lift. While the food exuded spice, the wine exuded floral aromatics, both complementing one another, so I give this experience a rather high score. With thanks to Randy for bringing this bottle.

1/28/2024 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Champagne and Burgundy evening (Private home in Arlington, Virginia): While double decanting, I could not help but notice the beguilingly floral and refined red cherry aromas so prominently emanating from the carafe. But there is greater complexity on the palate, with espresso bean, wet earth (but not old leaves!), juicy (rather marinated) cherry, and wet stone "minerality" delivered with smooth tannin coupled by balancing acidity that excites the palate and beckons further drinking. There is a somewhat wild Nuits-Saint-Georges aspect that is not as polished as the Volnay that followed, and which probably would have gone better with, say, venison, but we wanted to have homemade pasticio and it paired well enough!

1/28/2024 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Champagne and Burgundy evening (Private home in Arlington, Virginia): Coming after the 1996, I could not help but notice some hazelnut aspects that made the wine taste older than its vintage, but what retains a high score is the sheer energy on the palate. Given a small amount of leftover wine, I am sipping this again the morning after, and it is delicious. The color is dark straw, as compared to the light straw of the 1996, so noticeably more evolved, as is the nose, but the palate packs both richness and quite exciting energy, it lingers through to a long finish albeit still with toffee and hazelnut, again betraying its evolution. But I really liked its ample palate coating texture, honey nut, and baked apple - and lemon - pie. The bubbles are still smoothly present. Not going higher than the 95 rating, just because of an over evolution. And yet, I could see this match linguini and mushrooms with truffle shavings in a cream sauce, because its evolved nature did not go as well with the lobster. Many thanks to Randy for this bottle.

1/28/2024 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Champagne and Burgundy evening (Private home in Arlington, Virginia): I have had this wine for several years now, having acquired a case of 12 bottles in a black wooden box shortly after its release, and by Golly, this was rather perfect. Notes from memory, but you have such youth for a wine that seems to resist aging. The color was light straw, and from the get-go, it seems very young. The aromatics of cool citrus, lime and lemon, subtle apple and still youthful brioche without any hazelnut or nutty oxidations aspects proved promising, and the promise is fulfilled on the palate, which reflected sheer balance: between subtle and noble opulence to textural finesse, to liveliness and energy to a caressing and very long finish. Among seven people, this bottle was rather quickly gone. It was the best bottle from my stash so far, and if you have any of this wine, there is no need to rush, especially if stored properly. We continued with the lobster...

1/28/2024 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Champagne and Burgundy evening (Private home in Arlington, Virginia): Served with a lobster salad, whose colors matched the rosé Champagne (these are important considerations!), the Dom Ruinart proved both vivacious and smooth, a bubbly with a refined bead. Composed of 80% Grand Cru Chardonnays from the Côte des Blancs (Avize, Chouilly, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, and Oger), the Montagne de Reims (Sillery and Verzenay), and 20% Aÿ Grand Cru Pinot Noirs. It had undergone malolactic fermentation with some 10 years aging on the lees. On the palate, ripe citrus, red apple and orange rind, but above all perfumed forest strawberry, with subtle brioche that reflected its creamy texture but still very vibrant on the palate, with a long finish: a very good pairing for the lobster. Dosage at 5 g/L, clocking in at 12.5% alcohol. Thanks to Chris Bublitz for this wine, which I think has the depth and concentration to age gracefully, such as a 1979 that we had enjoyed some 15 years ago.

1/16/2024 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

An evening of fine wine and food (Black Salt Restaurant, Washington D.C.): A close to 98-pointer, but still a bit too reserved for that high a score. LLC is notorious for opening up (cue the 1986) and this blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Franc is no exception. But what breeding and class to the palate! I kept thinking "gorgeous finesse" which this wine has in spades. A very polished wine. Am I repeating myself with synonyms? Yes. With the most pristine balance and refinement among the three Bordeaux we enjoyed over dinner, but over time, I could not help but noting an almost fiery single malt power within the wine, not as evidently "wild" as the Cos tasted alongside, but more subtle. This wine has the depth and density and structure to gain in complexity and to get a higher score in about 5 to 10 years, so no rush. I had opened this bottle the morning of the dinner, then double decanted to remove some deposits two hours before the dinner. And, yes, ripe but not overripe fruit, with cool blueberry, tobacco leaf and cassis. Long, long finish. 12.5% alcohol.

1/16/2024 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

An evening of fine wine and food (Black Salt Restaurant, Washington D.C.): This blend of Cos 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, which had aged in 65% new oak was the "wildest" of the three Médocs we had over dinner, which included GPL and LLC. Above all, a powerfully tannic wine, whose tannins had a somewhat caged animal aspect but not unripe, notwithstanding hints of grilled paprika that for me added complexity to the more evident ripe cassis, truffle and tar. Fuller bodied than the Grand Puy Lacoste of the same vintage, and a longer finish, infused with peppery spice and a cooler blue-fruit aspect. In any case, at least this bottle - thanks Keith - could easily be cellared for the longer term.

1/16/2024 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

An evening of fine wine and food (Black Salt Restaurant, Washington D.C.): Some initial brett aromatics (slight bandaid) blew off with time in glass to reveal a rather broad palate with that gorgeous cedar and graphite that one expects from top flight Pauillac like GPL. Although one senses an initial medium-bodied palate, the powerful tannins make it more full bodied with time in glass, with balancing acidity that makes the wine exciting. Lovely expression of plum and cassis fruit, medium finish. 13% alcohol. A very good match for the wood grilled ribeye steak that came with mushrooms, au gratin potatoes and haricots verts in a foie gras sauce.

1/16/2024 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

An evening of fine wine and food (Black Salt Restaurant, Washington D.C.): At first quite a bit reduced, with a somewhat dark hue but not at all premoxed. Indeed, the opposite, which was a good sign. We poured in glass at the beginning of the dinner and waited while enjoying the Cristal. About 30 minutes later, it started to open up with subtle butter, wet slate, and red apple. And that typical Burgundy acidity that lends so much freshness even from a hot vintage like 2009. Indeed, the balancing energy made this a super pleasure to drink, given the impressive palate density and structure. I do not drink enough white Burgundy, with many thanks to David Ehrlich for opening this bottle. Paired very well with the Atlantic Day Boat Scallops with roasted cauliflower puree, wild mushrooms, romanesco, crispy kale, verjus and of course butter...

1/16/2024 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

An evening of fine wine and food (Black Salt Restaurant, Washington D.C.): At first it seemed a bit "merely" citrus, especially when one considers the price of this wine, and the vintage. But do not be quick to judge. Over time, the wine showed off subtle depth and body, with structure to last, although I prefer Cristal when youthful. Over time the brightness also increased in excitement, with vivid notions of white pear, lime/lemon and gorgeously savory blood red orange. The finish was especially long and tonic. A superb wine that paired very well with briny raw oysters, which we had ordered to start.

12/2/2023 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

This bottle I had sampled using a Coravin over a year ago, so I was worried how it would taste.
Well, perhaps just a slight hint of rustiness could be detected.
But actually utterly gorgeous opening up overtime in glass, as enjoyed with two friends yesterday evening : at first lots of black and blue fruit, combining ripeness, and cool refinement, then the appreciation for smooth tannin as well as excellent if subtle structure, built for aging - and indeed this was perhaps “infanticide”, but it became sumptuous in a subtle way as coming from the limestone plateau, this famous terrroir of Saint Emilion, which makes Canon so well loved by fans like me. Overtime, it developed floral aspects: I got violet also white spring flower.
The oak component is beautifully integrated, but present in a harmonious manner, not at all obstructive, but rather adding to youthful complexity - and a very long finish. The acidity was ideal for balance, as the wine communicates verve as well as richness.
Château Canon 2010 is, of course, a young Wine and it will gain in complexity with more tertiary aspects (like truffle) in maybe 10 years time, so no need to open it now! But because I had sampled it with the Coravin over year ago I wanted to see how it tasted and it actually proves that Coravin even over one year later does not obviously negatively affect one’s experience of a wine as fine as this. 🙂
“Only” 96 because of an ever so slight rusticity perhaps due to the Coravin use over one year ago.

The wine is a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, cropped at 35 hectoliters per hectare, hitting 15% natural alcohol, but given the wine’s freshness, the balance is astonishing. Was aged in 60% new oak.

7/10/2022 - PanosKakaviatos wrote:

An evening with Kevin Shin (Virginia): After nearly 20 years (in bottle), truly fun to drink, with eucalyptus, mint and herbal aspects. About as far and away from a ripe blockbuster Cab as you can get, and although lacking the complexity of a superior wine, it was vibrant on the palate, with freshness, delivered in smooth tannin. I recall the alcohol being 12.3%

7/10/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

An evening with Kevin Shin (Virginia): This is drinking wonderfully. Many thanks to Kevin Shin. His peerless stocking conditions, the wine tasted almost as upon release, this vintage being broader, more evidently creamy than, say, the 2008 vintage. But as other professional tasters have noted, this is an exemplary effort for the warmer vintage that can sometimes exude tropical notes. Not so, here. What pleased me most was the impressive weight and palate feel, finely textured, with bright notes of citrus, subtle in expression with some brioche, albeit not really tertiary quite yet. I was focusing a bit more on our conversation so did not take careful notes, but we both loved it! Kevin served some excellent cheeses with crackers - and an addictive duck mousse, all of which paired very well with the Champagne, which showed a very fine bead, still rather youthful, again due at to the provenance.

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: My highest score of the vintage goes to this amazing wine, 100% Sémillon ageing in 50% new oak. It gives off such distinct notes of ginger and white pepper, with a sensually dense palate texture, evoking peach and pear. Very low yields, low production, but magical. A long finish. (96-98)

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: Tasted on three occasions with similar notes, this is terrific! The wine exhibits tropical fruit, quince and pineapple (but not from a can). A gorgeous palate, smooth and bright, furthermore with a light color that reflects that brightness visually. Along with Raymond-Lafon, a top flight Sauternes that will not hurt your wallet. (95-97)

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: A gorgeous wine on the level of Tour Blanche, showing off superb energy and focus, exuding ginger, pepper, apricot, nectarine and smoky aspects. An estate near and dear to me, as I had worked there back in 2001, and I know the family, but no bias is factored here. The 2021 is a wine to buy without hesitation! (95-97)

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: Another candidate for top 2021 red, as tasted from barrel: This blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot transcends 2021 with vivid cool blue fruit, tobacco leaf, spice, artisanal chocolate, pepper and spice and excellent freshness on the finish, backed up by palate density and underlying power. Aging in 55% new oak and clocking in at 12.7% alcohol, it reflects superb lower alcohol balance. (95-97)

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: You have something special when your second wine, Le Marquis, already conveys red cherry and blackberry notes. “As if we are in a different vintage”, quipped director Vincent Millet. Indeed, Château Calon Ségur comes across legitimately noble in its expression of tobacco leaf, cool blueberry fruit, with mid-palate juiciness, leading to a fine, long finish! The blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot and 1% of Petit Verdot excites. Could Millet have anticipated the sunless summer? He explained how workers de-leafed both sides of the vines at the end of June to aerate the grapes against possible mildew, even if not much came. Indeed, this exposed grapes to more possible sunlight for natural concentration (along with a drier late August). Aging in 100% new oak, the wine clocks in at just under 13% alcohol. (94-96)

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: With perfumed aromas of faded rose, white pepper, black tea leaf, and nutmeg spice, this blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and bits of Carmènere, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc mightily impresses for its robust mid palate. Overall refined tannins albeit a touch drying on the finish, but barrel aging should resolve this. (94-96)

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: The best among the Listrac wines that I tasted. With a lovely nose, bright attack albeit tannins a bit hard. But successful wine for the vintage. There is some tartness on the finish. (91-92)

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: Tannic finesse, rather sumptuous ripeness and impressive acidity/tannin balance (so important in this vintage) make the cut. The success in this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc is testimony to the excellent team and to the new cellars inaugurated for this vintage. Warmer, gravel soils in the cooler summer worked well, as pickers waited through to 12 October to get optimal ripeness. Alcohol is 13% and aging in 50% new oak. Let’s see how it tastes from bottle. (94-96)

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: Crisp red autumnal ripeness and wet stone (three hectares on the limestone plateau) transcend the vintage, which co-owner Emilie Faniest called one of “endurance” as it required “human investment and vigilance from the beginning to the harvest.” The estate lived up to the task as the 80% new oak is well integrated, and the wine clocks in at 13.8% alcohol without added sugar. I also love the mid-palate juiciness as experienced too at the negociant Joanne. Cropped at 30 hectoliters per hectare, an impressive showing indeed. (93-95)

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: A top wine of 2021! Using only grapes grown from vines on the slope, which drained late spring and summer rainfall well, this blend of 86% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc exudes fruit purity, palate refinement and excellent, vivid wet stone “minerality”. It clocks in at 13.5% alcohol and is ageing in 50% new oak. Tasted three times (at Pavie Macquin, at the UGCB and at Joanne) with consistent notes: darn good stuff, with tannic ripeness and spicy fruit that pleases. 94-96+

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: Another candidate for wine of the vintage. Can you spell t-r-a-n-s-c-e-n-d? It has more juicy fruit than expected from the vintage, which director Frédéric Faye referred to as “of determination”. He and his team were determined to get optimal ripeness, and Figeac succeeds with flying colors. Rather predictably, the blend counts “the most Cabernet percentage ever,” Faye says, with 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Cabernet Franc and the rest Merlot, which had a tougher time. A decision taken to “ignore alarming weather forecasts for the weekend of 2 October” proved correct: two weeks of Indian summer ensued, which helped the Cabernets. While I would not compare the ripeness here to 2018, 2019 and 2020, the 2021 comes much closer than most, reflecting bright red and black fruit and remarkable tannic finesse rather rare for the vintage. Part of the success is due to the estate’s new winery, used for the first time for this vintage and through which the number of lots for blending was 40% higher than for the 2020 harvest, allowing greater precision after the painstaking harvest. Any fan of Figeac should get 2021 in their cellar. As ever, 100% new oak. And alcohol at 13% with a pH of 3.65. (95-97)

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: Candidate for wine of the vintage: sheer nobility in its cool, blueberry fruit, evoking expensive Havana cigars. I like the Merlot richness/sweetness to balance high-toned airy elegance from the Cabernet Franc (Bouchet). This blend of 52% Bouchet and 48% Merlot, is a high-wire act of excellence, with more ripe fruit than most other estates in 2021. No added sugar, clocking in at 13.5% alcohol. (95-97)

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: Lovely nose of violets, white flower and blueberry precedes a palate recalling the refined 2001, if not the opulence and density of 1998, 2005 or 2018. Another wine that transcends the vintage, this blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc evokes juiciness and drinkability delivered with suave tannins in a subtle palate that should age nicely. Along with crispy, autumnal aspects comes palate creaminess difficult to find in 2021. With 13.3% alcohol and 3.6 pH, the wine is ageing in 70% new oak. Bravo! (94-96)

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: Tasted with Jane Anson, and we agreed that the estate transcends the vintage. With excellent mid-palate density, this blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, aging in 50% new oak, counts among top 2021 successes, with impressive “contained energy” power. If you want an inside purchase, go here. 93-95

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: This blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot gives off lovely floral lead pencil and juicy mid palate blackberry aspects: quite special in 2021. The finish has slightly strict tannin, which should be resolved with barrel aging. The IPT index of 75 is the same as in 2019, but the difference is greater luminosity from the 2019 vintage. Still, a very strong effort here! Solid job as well from the second wine, Pavilion Rouge. (95-96)

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: What vivid focus! An exemplary wine of elegance and depth, the 100% Sauvignon Blanc stands up to the best white vintages from this esteemed First Growth, including 2014 and 2017. Picked between 7 and 13 September, the wine conveys quince, white stone fruit (juicy pear), subtle lemon peel and intriguing smoky aspects that season the wine. A very long finish, to boot. “We have density and power, and I am wondering if it is better than the 2017”, said director Philippe Bascaules. I would love to compare both in a vertical. (95-97)

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: With the most Cabernet Sauvignon at the estate since 1984, this blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and just 10% Merlot (with 5% each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc) exudes intensity, power and tannic edge. With barrel ageing, it should turn very appealing. How did the estate get the juicy tannins? Owner Olivier Bernard was at pains to explain how in recent, solar vintages, there was a need to not press the pedal for ripeness, and that 2021 was the opposite: “We needed more time for the Cabernets to ripen,” he explained. Very few Merlots, because mildew and rain had bloated the grapes. The result is a wine that exceeds vintage expectations. Tasted twice with consistent notes. (93-95) The white gets an even higher score!

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: Not as drying as some other wines and indeed rather supple – even if the wine reflects he challenge of the vintage for sunny ripeness, or lack thereof. Pretty good, in context. (91-93)

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: While not initially expressive, exciting quince and ripe yellow Kiwi, red apple and subtle herbal tones and spice emerge, accentuated on the well structured and fresh palate. The white vineyard of Château Couhins-Lurton was severely affected by frost: 60% losses to white wine volume. Such conditions led to “strong heterogeneity” in ripeness, so kudos to the team here to have successfully adapted by spreading pickings between 10 and 27 September. The sanitary state was monitored more closely during the summer, due to botrytis. In the end, the Sauvignons harvested (this is 100% Sauvignon Blanc) are of high quality indeed. Lovely! (94-96)

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: While I love the white at this estate, the red seems more dominated by some edgy tannin. On the other hand, this blend of 47% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Malbec, clocking in at 13.3% alcohol, emits pleasing red and black fruit aromas and flavors, so let’s see how it evolves after the barrel ageing. (89-91)

5/31/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Selections of Bordeaux 2021 from barrel: Clocking in at 13.3% alcohol and blending 70% Sémillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc, this estate delivers smooth, ripe white stone fruit and clementine orange with juicy pear on the finish. A top white! With freshness and Sémillon fleshiness, it comes across just lovely. (94-96)

1/8/2022 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Such delicate floral aromas, black cherry skin and spice with refined palate texture, impressive mid palate density, brightness on smooth finish, easily rivals premiers crus from other producers. Purchased at domain after release, prices have long since been scraping ever higher skies, as with other Burgundies. But this is truly lovely. 🙂

12/13/2021 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Friends over for dinner and wine (Strasbourg, France): Purchased at the estate for under €90, this vintage now sells for at least €300 a bottle. Would I pay that much today for this wine? No. But it is excellent wine. The pure cherry notes combine floral and alluring rose stem, showing exquisite refinement and elegance. Sour cherry and detractors may think it is a bit thin, as one of my guests thought, but I love the overall delicate nature. However, compared with the Jadot Clos Saint Jacques of the same vintage, tasted as well yesterday evening, I prefer the Jadot, which costs about half the price.

12/13/2021 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Friends over for dinner and wine (Strasbourg, France): Earthy nose, some sour cherry. The palate delivers the goods: high acidity but ripe fruit and makes you want to eat some food. Isn't that a valid point? While I do not see any grandeur or amazing depth or length, this is a tasty Chianti.

12/13/2021 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Friends over for dinner and wine (Strasbourg, France): A friendly, crowd pleasing nose of slightly jammy plum and hints of floral. Nice! The palate is not sweet but ripe and quite smooth, although my score is on the lower side because I feel that it dries out just a bit on a somewhat attenuated finish. On the plus side, the wine is better on Day 2, so maybe it just needs a bit of time for the elements to come together as the vintage is young. Blending Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

12/13/2021 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Friends over for dinner and wine (Strasbourg, France): In notes to be published later on my website, I liked this blind in Bordeaux and again last night - to compare with a more basic Bordeaux. And the breed of the classified growth was more obvious when I served it blind to my guests, who recognized Bordeaux and cool blueberry as well as ripe cassis fruit. Purchased at a supermarket here in Alsace for about €20, a steal. Of course too young, but the vintage character of both density and freshness shines here, with a long finish. Bravo to Belgrave!

12/13/2021 - PanosKakaviatos wrote:

Friends over for dinner and wine (Strasbourg, France): Coming after a fine Burgundy, this was hard to appreciate. Served blind, participants thought "New World" given the obvious oak char and the high alcohol (15%). I had a better tasting experience when rated among other Bordeaux and Bordeaux AOC wines. In any case, yes, there is a New World feel but the acidity gives this away as a Bordeaux and not an Oz Syrah, as one person guessed. Still, it comes on strong with grip, but the finish is marked by too much charred oak and there is an alcoholic aspect that annoys. For lovers of big wines, this could be your ticket!

12/13/2021 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Friends over for dinner and wine (Strasbourg, France): Medium ruby color and what intensity on the palate! I have been going through a 6 bottle case slowly but surely and it showed nicely yesterday evening for a fun get together and dinner. At over 10 years in bottle, there is still lots of tension here, with rip red and black cherry fruit, and excellent mid palate density. I served roast chicken (we had a wide variety of wines, red and white), but this should be paired best with fine quality beef filet mignon and sautéed mushroom, although the wine itself merely hints at some tertiary at this stage. Day 2 and just about one or two glasses of wine left and still vibrant and utterly delicious. Long finish.

12/13/2021 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Friends over for dinner and wine (Strasbourg, France): This was amusing to serve blind after the Oregon Pinot, because two wine pros thought it was New World. They emphasized the taste of oak, and the sweeter and darker fruit. After a while, one of them changed her mind and said that it was indeed Burgundy. Indeed, committing a bit of infanticide, the wine showed quite a bit of tannin underneath the ripe fruit and oak derivation that needs to be integrated better (serve in about three years, and it will shine more). Indeed, there is some whole cluster fermentation that lends energy to the package, but it just needs more time to come together. Having written all this, the bottle was empty by the end of our get together: action speaks louder than words. Long finish.

12/13/2021 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Friends over for dinner and wine (Strasbourg, France): The guessing game began, and one friend thought that this was Old World Gamay, probably from a high quality Village in Beaujolais. Another correctly guessed Pinot Noir, again Old Word, because no obvious vanilla oak derived notes, not so sweet and also somewhat stem like. The more I taste this - now the day after - the more I like it. Pale ruby color, the nose indeed exudes Pinot Noir in an Old World sense. Made from organically certified vineyards, at 700 feet elevation of the Dundee Hills, this is darn good wine, exuding forest strawberry and touches of sweet red cherry. The back label indicates that the wine has been aged in "neutral" oak (I guess that means not new?), and the oak component is very nicely integrated. Medium bodied, medium finish.

12/13/2021 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Friends over for dinner and wine (Strasbourg, France): A go to vintage bubbly, if only because I find it easily here in Strasbourg, and I have been enjoying it over the past year. For our cozy get together, quite popular: green and red apple aromatics, along with touches of lemon and some brioche notes, delivered in a fine bead, with rather crisp yet creamy texture leading to a medium and relaxing finish. Not very profound, but certainly very enjoyable for, say, oysters and shrimp - or to serve as guests arrive.

12/13/2021 - PanosKakaviatos wrote:

Friends over for dinner and wine (Strasbourg, France): Not too long ago, 86 was a decent score, but what can a wine critic do and adopt to the times? As such, this score denotes a somewhat boring wine, but not without merit. It suffered coming on the heels of the excellent Soave, enjoyed just before - a bottle that is empty this morning. But this Arneis is half full. Giving it another chance today: pleasing aromas of white stone fruit, certainly. The attack is broad. And the wine supple, with lowish acidity, as compared to the Soave. And a creamy texture pleases. But the finish just drops off too quickly, yielding a less than exciting score. Furthermore, the relative low acidity means that you should serve it rather chilled...

12/13/2021 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Friends over for dinner and wine (Strasbourg, France): We began the evening with this lovely Garganega based (of course) Soave, crafted from grapes on vines grown on a ridge between two extinct volcanos. The site must be very good because this counts among the best Soave wines I have enjoyed: at once crisp, iodine fresh and with density on the mid palate, leading to a long finish. Here the designation "Soave Superiore" is well merited - and I am buying more of this.

11/12/2021 - PanosKakaviatos wrote:

Popped and poured but let it sit in glass for about 30 minutes. I do not understand all the fuss. It has alcohol and ripe fruit, but I was expecting higher acidity and verve, given some positive reflections from friends about Taurasi in general and the 2010 vintage in particular. Is this a prototype for the Aglianico grape? I am not really loving it, but it can be OK with grilled steak. Will revisit tonight.

10/30/2021 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

At 25 years of age, still rather primary, with red and black berry fruit, aniseed and balsamic but also tertiary aspects like crushed tobacco and graphite and red grilled pepper. Not “over anything”, not over ripe, not over intense, but spherical and balanced … with fine tannin and an impression of grace. The majority Cabernet Sauvignon lends structure, the Merlot sumptuousness. Long, lifting finish. Purchased from an online auction. An overly moldy label made it less expensive. Could it have come from a very humid underground cellar? Or a malfunctioning wine fridge? I would know, as I have had that experience... What counts is what’s inside and a cork in excellent shape, zero seepage, very moist yet firm, and, most important, wine in top form.

3/14/2021 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:

Ooh la la : how sexy can jammy blackberry and dark cherry fruit be? It’s not heavy handed, but deep and oh so vivid in expression.
This is a superb vintage.
And Clos des Papes a great estate of Châteauneuf du Pape, which I have visited on several occasions.
I love Clos des Papes, but especially from more classical vintages with freshness, like 1999 and 2001.
2016 reminds me of classicism because all that opulence is reined in by surprisingly vibrant freshness (for the appellation).
Indeed, the wine (a typical Clos des Papes blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre and the rest Syrah) benefitted in 2016 from cooler summer nights.
So, yes, the grapes ripened (fully), as they often do in Châteauneuf du Pape, but cooler-than-average summer nights helped to retain more acidity so as to perfectly balance this sense of opulence one often gets from this appellation.
Thus the taster is left not only with an impression of jammy fruit (as high quality jammy as one can get in this case), but also with wet stone like freshness, a touch of licorice and black pepper.
The palate texture also pleases: Beyond merely smooth, with interesting contours, depth and veritable sap.
A (non wine geek) friend who was tasting it thought it was 13.5% in alcohol.
But no, it’s 15,5% ... 
It goes to show that it’s not the degree, but the balance, and in this case it’s marvelous. For fans of this appellation, this is the real deal.
Overall, a wine of richness and polish, and I’m sorry I only have one more bottle remaining.
I’ll buy more and you should, too, especially if you don’t have any Clos des Papes 2016.