Aaron Tan

9.9

One of the best evenings of wine I’ve had this year, and it was just focused on this duo. Opened as inspiration for this year’s red pick at Miao Lu (a name to remember for those reading. I’ll say it here first - some of the best Pinot’s and Chard’s in the world will be coming out of this project high up in Yunnan!), and they both gave great context to the task.

When I harvested with Klaus-Peter in 2017, the vineyards bore the scars of hail, every last one of them. The damage was manifest in what we came to call "hail berries" (misshapen berries). To my untrained palate, they tasted perfectly fine. Naturally, I asked KP why we were discarding them, and his response, while not entirely unexpected, was still astonishing (paraphrasing of course): "I don't need to know precisely what they do," he said, "but if there's even a chance they might diminish the wine by 1%, they're gone. And these? They look capable of much worse."

That unyielding spirit of his was, I must admit, my torment at Abtserde, the vineyard hit hardest by the hail. We spent an entire day sorting and picking a single row - granted, the rows were long, but the pace was glacial. The true enemy, though, wasn’t the relentless sorting, but the wasps. Those little demons made an already grueling task even more daunting, dodging their stings as we plucked berries one by one, like selecting pearls from a troubled sea. What we ended up with were, quite literally, tiny gems - "caviar" berries of purity. By day’s end, the sight was something to behold. Despite the torment, the hard work was unquestionably worth it. The 17’ Abtserde is my wine of the vintage.

I’ve had the 17’ Abtserde on numerous occasions but this takes the cake as the best (note to self: best to decant a young Abtserde hard). It is a marvel of purity and depth, with its nose evoking Meyer lemon, iodine, chalk, and flint. These aromas reappear on the palate with a nearly overwhelming intensity, blending piquant brightness and mineral-rich concentration. With more air, a floral, bittersweet herbal note very typical of the vineyard appears (smells like the place even). As the evening unfolded, the wine seemed to grow younger, each glass more lively than the last. The final sip was almost painfully austere, like drinking pure limestone, its explosive palate held together by sharp acidity and a palpable, phenolic grip. The finish seemed endless. One of my best Keller experiences this year. — a month ago

Willie Carter

9.2

Sex in a bottle. The good kind. Everyone has their own favorite California winery, but for me there’s no doubt. It’s Robert Craig. Deep purple with cherry red undertones in the glass. How about this nose? It starts with ripe red fruit up top. Cherries and raspberries and fresh strawberries oh my! Warm spices and créme de cassis follow that up. The barest hint of vanilla tops it all off.

I love the funk. I live for the funk, I die for the funk. But that’s not the water that Robert Craig swims in. Completely eschewing dirty funk, this is a profoundly clean and immediate wine. Full bodied but with none of the seemingly innate flabbiness of other Cabernet dominated blends. Pure sexy sleekness instead here. — 4 years ago

Willie Carter

9.0

What can you even say about a wine like this? You see Loire Valley Cabernet Franc and you get an idea of what’s coming. But this is a little different and it definitely ain’t for everyone. Right out of the gate, noting but straight up funk. I often say that I like my wines a bit funky but good gracious, this baby exceeds that. Moist earth, green peppers, sweaty undergarments, olive tapenade, and smoke on the absolutely insane nose. It’s so beautiful. In the mouth, slightly bitter fruit immediately reinforces the nose. Really nice cherry streak throughout the mid palate. As expected, this is medium bodied and dry. Elegant, it ain’t. It’s just not that kind of wine. She chose the dirty funk life a long time ago and is going to ride it out. Newports, smoked meat, black pepper, and herbs on the palate.
This is a terrific wine, one of the best representations of the varietal that I’ve ever had. And most people are going to hate it. It’s just too much for them. But you and I are different, aren’t we? Nothing fancy here. Nothing too deep. This is simple, stunning, dirty, and pure beauty in a bottle. — 4 years ago

Willie Carter

8.9

Whoa! Why did no one tell me about this one? The side project of Mathieu Deiss of the family behind Domaine Marcel Deiss. Beautiful pure copper color with pretty green flecks. One of the prettiest noses I’ve had in quite some time. Delicious honey and orange peel up front. The floral notes are ridiculously fun and exciting. Plenty of herbs and mango, as well.

All Pinot, all day here. 50% Pinot Blanc and 25% each of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. This is so unfamiliar to me but so welcoming and engrossing at the same time. Biodynamic Orange wine that really blows you away from the first sip. Distinctively Alsatian, there’s more than enough to love here. Fresh, lively acid with a kick of spice. The palate is expansive and round with a really nice amalgamation of pretty, rustic fruits. Medium long finish that honestly makes you want just one more glass. Don’t like Orange wine? Don’t like Biodynamic wine? Try this and correct yourself. — 3 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.3

This is the best Chorey. I will fight you over that. Unreal nose. Just the cleanest and most expansive cherry fruit ever. Massive earth tones, massive mineral and so so expansive. Utterly classic as well as Ledy is as classic as it gets but also is such a clean and skilled winemaker that it’s not a dirty classicism. Juicy, young, sappy and so so pure. Amazing depth and so so clean. Just ultra clean. Pure and the best balance. He is the master of under $40 red burgs. And under $30 when tariffs actually go away. Amazingly compact fruit and such length, suavity and a hidden structure for this to age so well. — 4 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.2

Fresh off the FedEx...laser focused, pure pleasure... imagine forgetting to sugar your fresh squeezed lemon/lime juice...then adding 50% of your usual. Pucker up and embrace the vibrant acidity, the lip-smacking medium weight, the 12% ABV, and the long 30 second finish. Not a great wine, but so much pure fun... and it “tastes so frigging good.” Bravo Hardy et al! — 4 years ago

Marcus Weber

9.0

Sparkling Cidre like Chenin Blanc from the Natural wine project Testalonga... Pear, floral and mineral. Exciting, surprising and very pure and direct Chenin Blanc!
Dazu: Mangold/Spinat - grüne Oliven - Zitrone / Bissara / Kichererbsen - Salzzitrone - Fenchel — 3 years ago

Shay A

9.2

This has got to be one of my first 2018s to open, and while I’d normally refrain even if for only a bit longer, this producer has piqued my interest too much. Accolades are great and all, but many fellow winemakers have spoken highly of Dan’s project, which is enough reason to open and see how this is showing.

Normally for my palate, Hyde Chardonnay’s show a lot of bright stone fruit with high acidity (ex: Aubert’s Larry Hyde & Sons...plenty of acidity, lighter style, big fruit up front). Dan has taken Hyde’s fruit and put it front and center. Everything about this wine is about the vineyard. Crystalline and pure. On the nose, it is very ripe without being boozy...grilled lemon, lemon-lime tart, even some kiwi, with floral honeysuckle and sea salt. The palate reveals such an intense expression of the fruit with hardly any notice of oak. This has a strong mineral core and high acidity type backbone, but the mid palate and finish show plenty of ripe lemon, powdered lemon bar tart type flavors. 12.7ABV! Nothing sweet, rich or flabby about this wine. Not sure how it ages, but very enjoyable. — 4 years ago

A. R.

8.9

Pretty little Beaujolais. Slightly dirty nose (in a good way), red fruit, rose petals. Pomegranate and rose hips in the mouth. Light and high acid. Nice finish.

A rather pure example of a young natural Beaujolais. — 4 years ago

Arden Barnett

9.2

Rock n Roll Star by Oasis in a bottle. What a beautiful, pure taste of what real wine making is all about. Regret not buying more. — 4 years ago