Michael Quentel

9.4

2015 Meursault Les Chevalières, Dom. Boisson-Vadot - Like a little child, I was happy yesterday about the development of this wine. Even as a baby one could assume that there is a lot of potential in the bottle, but now - at the tender age of 5 years - the class of this wine is already very clear - with further potential upwards. Away from a rather technical description, the inner strength and calmness, combined with perfect balance and harmony, are absolutely remarkable. The nose offers a wonderful scent of verbena, orange oil - and blossom, delicate mint and a little cake cream. On the palate it also offers a wonderful complexity, silkiness and aromatic depth. Medium body with a medium + acidity. Aromatically, the fine fruit notes play with notes of cake cream and a delicate smokiness, which expresses very nicely the chalky - mineral vein. Here everything sits in its place, is perfectly dimensioned and combines in the best balance to a great, very great wine from a special non-cru location. — 4 years ago

Michael Quentel

9.4

"On 16 October 1989, Giacomo Bologna carried out a late harvest of Barbera, contrary to the advice given to him by everyone. "Ai Suma!", "We did it", he exclaimed as he tasted the wine: a new Braida Barbera was born from his foresight and stubbornness. Since 1989, it's only produced in the best vintages." (copied from Braida webpage). Today, for example, one can marvel at how lasting his legacy has been in the 97 Ai Suma. In its 23rd year this wine still smells and tastes great. Especially the shares of tertiary aromas like espresso, leather or warm, moist forest soil are wonderfully interwoven with the remains of an expressive fruit of dark berry fruits, plums, liquorice as well as balsamic notes. Dense on the palate, with a nice melting, remains of round, grainy tannins and a moderate acidity. The acidity is rather moderate, yet the wine is drinkable, because the "fat" of its youth has integrated and the wine shows today - at the age of 23 years a nice balance and ends long. Even a certain grandeur may be attested to it. 93 points 2020-2025 — 4 years ago

Michael Quentel

9.3

Deep, clear garnet red. Ethereal, balsamic nose with a delicate vanilla touch; red meat. A little warmer, the alcohol of 14.5% is noticeable. Fine sandy, smooth tannins combined with a medium plus acidity and a medium body give a wonderful structure. The wood is almost perfectly integrated. Aromatic a melange of cherry marzipan, balsamic notes, laurel, dark berry fruits, plums, milk coffee and a nice extract sweetness. In the rear part of the palate and in the finish with delicate bitter notes, reminiscent of cherry pits and supporting the structure - until the beautiful long finish. This Gran Reserva has all the qualities for a long life - structure, density, juiciness and balance. — 4 years ago

Michael Quentel

9.3

Expressive, noble nose with good aromatic depth and complexity. Many tart herbal spice aromas, peppery notes. Bottled in flacons, I like to apply this as a perfume as well. Fresh on the palate, with a nice acidity. Shows a good depth and complexity, reminds in its aroma of a 20-30 years old Syrah from the northern Rhone, remains of a red fruit, tertiary aromas, noble woods, again black pepper and wet stones. Medium weight, the tannins are fine sandy. The wine is well balanced and has a nice energy. Now perfect to drink, but without any hurry. 93 2020-2030 — 4 years ago

Michael Quentel

Also a member of Edition Z (the winery's top quality wine) is the 2015 Grüner Veltliner Radikal, whose grapes, however, are harvested late and with high maturity. Actually, I love this wine, as it combines power and fullness with high aroma and wonderful melodiousness. But in the heat year 2015 the result is not on a par with the elemental. This wine is aromatically dense and diverse, of baroque stature, but at the same time it lacks the freshness and acidity to bring everything into a good balance. Those who have the opportunity should prefer the excellent 2017, for example. 87 2020-2023 — 4 years ago

Michael Quentel

9.4

1990 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep dark ruby red with smaller edge lightening. Dark fruit, plum toasted, balsamic notes, black olive tapenade, lots of laurel. Medium acidity, with a slightly sweet spice, super nice density, blackberries, plum, juicy extra sweetness, sweet cassis, figs, melted, rolling round tannins, very juicy, also on the palate fine ethereal - garrique and leather. All in all very balanced, with nice viscosity - a sexy, great matured CS from the Napa Valley. No hurry yet 94 points 2020 - 2028 — 4 years ago

Michael Quentel

9.0

This Trousseau of Ganevat (negotiant) is now in a great shape. This is really fun on a summer evening. A mixture of red fruits (raspberries, strawberries), roses and a light spice. On the palate it is also redberried, with lots of freshly ground black pepper. With its 12.5% alcohol rather light to medium weight, medium+ acidity, and little tannin. Nevertheless the wine has a nice definition and is incredibly drinkable and animating. This is not a great wine, but very lively and multi-faceted. A pleasure! — 4 years ago

Michael Quentel

9.3

Over '82 Chateau L'Evangile one reads heterogeneous evaluations. In May this year we certainly had a good bottle. The nose is quite cool, with fine roasted aromas, tertiary aromas - of medium density and intensity. On the nose it appears - different from the palate - quite masculine, rather dark berry -- somewhat restrained fruit, forest soil and rusty iron. On the palate a Bordeaux of the old school, the tannins were never perfect - nevertheless they are now melted off and the wine has charm and class. Aromatic with notes of sour cherries, plums and pumpernickel, some cedar wood. The medium+ acidity suits him well, the wine is balanced and enjoyable to drink - especially for those who do not prefer an exuberant fruit with round rolling tannins, but rather classic Bordeaux with coolness and a certain elegance. 93 points. Should be drunk. 2020 - 2025 — 4 years ago

Michael Quentel

The Grüner Veltliner Elementar 2015 comes from the 'Vogelsang' vineyard with poor sand-lime soils. The astonishingly low 11.5% alcohol content contrasts with its energy, purity and density, which emphasizes the extract. Brilliant golden yellow, expressive on the nose and palate, herbaceous-spicy, good body, delicate tannins and medium acidity. The wine radiates the famous "Zillinger calm" for me, but at the same time it is diverse and highly interesting. In contrast to its brother "Radikal" it has perfectly processed the hot vintage and convinces with its balance, herbal, earthy and stony aromas and a fruit of white berries and white tea. 92 2020-2030 — 4 years ago

Michael Quentel

The 2015 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is of a quality that I have had in 25 years of conscious wine-drinking with a Chianti Classico at most two or three times in a glass. It is a new league, into which this Chianti is advancing, a league which until now has been closed to Chianti: the great wines of the world. This wine combines an aromatic richness and substance with a maximum of freshness, energy, sensuality and balance. Brilliant, gran-red colour with violet reflections of medium+ intensity. The nose is expansive, complex, animating and seductive.The aromas are perfectly woven, dark fruit, heart-cherry, plum, sweet balsamic, a little clove, tobacco box and espresso. On the palate full and thanks to the perfect acidity at the same time mouth watering, of perfect stature, rolling tannins, perfectly interwoven fruit and spice aromas. In its structure not unlike a wonderfully mature Californian, but the heart beats clearly Italian - typical Sangiovese aromas and the acidity I love so much is simply perfect. Great length. Truly a great Chianti Classico from 100% Sangiovese! The only flaw - virtually disappeared from the market. 97/100 - 2020-2035 - about 55 Euro — 4 years ago