PierrePoupon

Tasting Notes

• 2004 Schiavenza Barolo Bricco Cerretta

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  7/1/2021 - PierrePoupon Likes this wine: 91 Points

  I've been studying (mostly drinking!) wine intently for about four years now, but this is just second tasting note on here. I wanted to write a note about this one because it is special. It was given to me to drink on my 30th birthday, and I loved it. I'm still obviously a beginner when it comes to tasting notes, but I'll give it a shot...
  
  The first thing I noticed upon pouring the wine was the color. I've had maybe a handful of wines of this age and quality, and the brownish color around the edges and faded brickish color in the center is unmistakeable.
  
  And then - the smell. I'm getting to the point where I can somewhat identify the nose of a great wine, but I'm really bad at describing why I know it's great. This wine has that scent. Leather, cherry, and forrest floor were three descriptors me and my girlfriend Roxanne (aka BeaujolaisJolie on here!) could come up with. Bottom line - we knew we were in for a treat.
  
  As for the taste - rich, smooth, incredibly complex. Again, I'm working on my language here, but it was just clear in drinking this that we were working with a different level wine than we're used to.
  
  If anyone is considering purchasing, I highly recommend. And if any CellarTracker'ins out there have also enjoyed this wine, I'd love to hear another point of view!

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• 2016 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese

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  6/22/2020 - PierrePoupon Likes this wine: 94 Points

  For those who stumble upon upon this note, be forewarned: I am a novice. An enthusiastic novice, but a novice none the less.
  
  I've been studying and thoroughly enjoying wine for two years now. My studies have consisted of reading Michael Schuster's "Essential Winetasting," following along with his course tastings, personal tutoring sessions with CellarTracker legend @Bevetroppo, and rapturously drinking and researching everything I can get my hands on with friends and family. It's been fun.
  
  I know how important note-taking is in the learning process, but I've been hesitant to post here. I have too much respect for this forum to offer yet my trivial musings on the expansive world of wine. You don't just buy golf clubs, show up at Augusta, and start doling out your take on the perfect backswing.
  
  That said, this past week I had what I think is my first real wine moment. I've had good Bordeauxs. I've had good Burgundys. I've had good California Chardonnays. I have some ideas about what I like and what I don't like, and why. I'm getting there. But for the first time in my young career, I tasted a wine and thought to myself "wow, this is a wine I will drink for the rest of my life. If I'm lucky, one day I'll have a cellar or fridge, and I'd like to always have one of these within arms length."
  
  Last week I moved to Chapter 8 of Schuster's tastings on medium-dry and sweet white wines. He broke down the Pradikat designations and suggested a 3-6 year old Auslese as a representation of a classic sweet white wine. I traveled down to Chambers St Wines in the financial district of New York City and consulted with a vibrant and extremely helpful fellow named Evan about whether or not they had anything that fit the bill. Did they ever.
  
  Evan immediately lit up describing the 2016 Willi Schaefer. His exact words - "when it hits your lips you just go - 'YES." I knew I was talking to someone who truly knew a lot about wine, but I couldn't have imagined how accurate that statement was until I actually did have my first sip.
  
  This is, in my opinion, the perfect sweet white wine. It has delicious hints of candy apple, peach, honey, and grapefruit. It's stringent and elegant. You can't down glass after glass due to its sweetness, but this is the perfect after dinner treat or mid-summer afternoon companion. I've had a fair amount of white wine at this point. If I could have just one glass with, no food considerations, as I sat down on a balcony and watched the sun set - this is my choice.
  
  Perhaps one day I'll look back in this review and think it's hyperbolic. That's fine - it's all a part of the journey. But the fact that I feel this strongly about this particular bottle tells me there's something here. I've had my first wow moment. And I can't wait for my next.

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