Shay A

9.3

Color me shocked. Up there with one of the more surprising bottles of the year (alongside an old Carlisle Cardiac Syrah). Had very little hope, but was completely and pleasantly surprised.

Cork split in two coming out. Trusty Durand saved the day. First small pour was not encouraging…lots of funk. After leaving alone for 30mins, the faded ruby with tinge of black in the glass had aromatics of sous bois, black tea, and dirty red and black berries. On the palate, this was elegant showing more herbal/earthy notes, dark berry fruit in the background, sweet pipe tobacco and a still-tart finish with both acidity and tannin. I have to admit that if someone said this was older burgundy, I could see it in the realm of possibilities. No sappy, rich, cola type notes here. Open and enjoy! — 10 days ago

Aaron Tan

8.9

Thought this blind was an aged red burg, so colour me surprised when it was revealed to be a young NZ pinot. Clearly a little more developed than it should be (colour and aromas), but credit where credit’s due, this was quite elegant. Even after the reveal I could not detect that marmalade finish I find so often in NZ pinot’s. This was all red cherries and ripe strawberries, with savoury spices and earthy notes. Perhaps the quality of the oak, which left much to be desired, and rich velvety texture were the only indications of it’s origin. Finished a touch short. There were wines with more intrigue on the table so I didn’t drink much of it, but it definitely wasn’t a bad drop. One to revisit. — 2 years ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.1

Surely young, surely delicious !!
I consider the vernatsch, which we call in Italian Schiava gentile, our petit pinot noir.
This is an established label of an old vines version, a rare example of schiava that does age very well.
This is a wine somehow that if you blind taste it you could mistake for a white, absence of tannin and good freshness. With time it builds up a bit of flesh, but it does remains generally a grape to drink when young. Best examples are in the St. Magdalener denomination.
Still i enjoy this label everytime and also the other schiava Girlan produces.
Cheers🍷 — 3 years ago

Kevin Løk

9.1

Runner-up for Wine Of The Night but definitely the pleasant surprise of the night. Little funky nose and not particularly effervescent for a sparkler. Acidity is muted and feels like a “real wine” as opposed to those chemically enhanced science experiments that pass for luxury wine life in some quarters. Definitely would serve this to my most discerning guests like @Sam Shepard @Brendan Devine and if I could be so blessed, the GOATs of the wine world like @Ron R @Mike R @Willie Carter, a little something off the beaten path. — 3 years ago

with Caroline

Aaron Tan

9.4

Another Breuer I got to follow over three days. While it was incredible, I felt the bottle could have been better. The 08’ Schlossberg I had 4 years ago was spectacularly fresh, tight even; and the pair of older 07’ Kellers I had this trip were both fresher; plus this bottle fell off on day 3 while the 09’ Roseneck peaked.

This bottle was best on day 1. It had aromas of smoke, sea spray, nectarines, green apples, lemon rinds, chamomile which kept growing with air, heaps of spices, fresh honey, and a touch of petrol. The palate was super dense and intense, with a screaming acidity and palate-staining stoniness. Huge finish that just seemed endless. Paired with a roasted bone marrow and parsley dish, it was just insane.

Day 2 saw little evolution from day 1. The petrol character totally disappeared, and a mild bitterness appeared. On day 3 the wine just felt tired and not quite at the level of the previous days. All things considered, it was a beautiful riesling, but just didn’t live up to the expectations of its legendary status. — 3 months ago

with Michelle

Jay Kline

9.2

This was presented to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine appeared deep ruby with a nearly opaque core. There’s slight staining of the tears and the viscosity appears medium+. On the nose the wine is intense. It’s slightly funky with an almost cheese rind sort of thing going on. There’s a combination of red and dark fruits with some purple flowers, dried tobacco leaf, something that sort of resembled pyrazines and a little bit of baking spices which suggests there’s some French barrique being used. On the palate, the wine is bone dry and fiercely tannic. Acid is medium ++. It’s definitely on the darker fruit side with some black berries and blue berries, black pepper and baking spices which all but confirms French barrique at this point. Long finish. I’m scratching my head with this one. It’s wild. Clean and fresh…but wild.

I could see this in a few places: Moulin-à-Vent is one possibility considering all the darker fruit and firm structure. However, I find some real Italian sensibilities to this wine. Despite the monumental structure, I cannot place this in northern Italy. Given the presence of French barrique, I could see this being a Cabernet Sauvignon-based Super Tuscan with a little Syrah and Sangiovese for good measure. So that was my call: 2015 Super Tuscan.

Wow…what a lovely surprise. I mistook the Rotundone for pyrazines (a recurring issue for me) which had me thinking Bordeaux varieties instead of Syrah. And to be fair, we don’t see a lot of Côte Rôtie at Tasting Group. This was my first time tasting the 2016 “La Chavaroche” and while it was a real treat (big thanks to the generous member of the group), it was also a reminder as to why I cellar my bottles of “La Chavaroche” for so long. This is a wee babe and frankly, pretty tough for me to love right now. That being said, the quality and character is unquestionable. I say give it until 2030+ and these will light up your right prefrontal cortex like a supernova.
— 3 years ago

Daniel M

9.2

The nose is made of lemon, crushed rocks, chalk and there is little touch of juicy pear that pops up after a while and when the wine is warming up slightly. We could add a tiny touch of vanilla from the barrel but it's very discreet. Lovely. This is everything I'm expecting from a 1er cru chablis. The palate is made of a massive acid backbone, almost overwhelming! There is matter to balance it but it's trodding on a very thin edge. Notes of chalk and lemon, and lemon peel are showing all around the way making for a super dynamic, vivid mouthfeel. The finish lasts for ever with this lemony and chalky notes but that vanilla touch that appeared in the rear on the nose makes a discreet comeback in the end and on the sides and that almost reminds me of white burgundies from way down south around meursault and puligny. Awesome, intellectual wine that delivers! — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

Probably a little more full bodied than the Wrattonbully Shiraz from Bellwether a few nights ago. It’s interesting that Shiraz was initially THE grape In Coonawarra back decades ago but now much better known for Cabernet Sauvignon. A whiff of vanilla oak together with black plum and dried meat/charcuterie notes on nose and palate. Great value at only $30 per bottle. Redman are one of the original producers In Coonawarra established in 1908. Bought at the Cellar door. — 2 years ago

Romain Fitoussi

8.9

Bright light purple dress. Pure explosive nose on fruits (red and black) and flowers, typical of carbonic maceration. In mouth the first is light, airy, confirming the nose; carried by a beautiful necessary freshness balancing the little terroir extraction. A modern, "natural" wine, on the fruits at first fond that does not prevent a certain complexity from expressing itself on a peppery and mineral finish. A very beautiful juice to drink from the aperitif, which blindly could pass for a rosé.

Robe légère violine éclatante. Nez pure explosifs sur les fruits (rouge et noirs) et fleurs, typique des vins en macération carbonique. En bouche l’abord est léger, aérien, confirmant le nez; porté par une belle fraîcheur nécessaire équilibrant le peu de terroir extrait. Un vin moderne, “nature”, sur les fruits á l’abord friand n’empêchant pas une certaine complexité de s’exprimer sur une finale poivrée et minérale. Un très beau jus à boire des l’apéro, qui à l’aveugle c’est pourrait passer pour un rosé. — 2 years ago

Elizabeth Harris

9.9

This is a wine I imagine sipping all summer on the coast, feeling the cool breeze balance out the day heat as I watch the sunset. Its so juicy, naturally sweet, fruity, light, and crisp! Just delicious! It's a wine you'll be sipping on the porch, with a salad, or maybe with a light caprese pizza.

Color: Very light that it almost clear like water.

Aroma: It could be the ambiance, but it smells fresh and sweet like white grape juice on the warm summer afternoons growing up in SoCal. It smells very juicy, like peaches and apricots. It has an aroma that reminds me of white peach tea, a super subtle floral aroma.

Taste: A light, delicate, refreshing flavor that's crisp and juicy in feel. It's very light in body with some lovely sweetness. I find the finish on my back teeth and cheeks and not on the tongue. It tastes like summer. It tastes juicy with very little minerality and just enough acid to provide some balance. — 3 years ago