I am sure no non-Finn here is aware of Mikko Utter but if you ever come to Finland and want to experience hyper local and seasonal, extremely high quality food with some top notch European wines this place is not to be missed. It is an 8-seat restaurant some 40 minutes west of Helsinki in the center of a town you would not likely go to for any other reason. It is a one man show run by a chef of the same name with prior experience in some of the best restaurants in Helsinki and a passion for great French and German wine. There is only one set menu and wine menu to go with it, unless you happen to order additional bottles in advance (the place is tiny without a wine cellar or fridges at the premises).
One of the many interesting things about this place is that wholesale prices are charged for the wines. This means that most wines are cheaper here than anywhere else in the world; we paid 49⏠for the Mont Benoit and 63⏠for the Ruchottes. The wine menu pours are small but the pairings are in my experience impeccable and the value pretty incredible for the aforementioned reason. The cellar list carries many of the best European producers and you could only complain about the wines being on the young side but then the restaurant has not been around for a very long time so itâs quite unsurprising. Having said that there is a catch: the chef has a very strong vision of what kind of an experience he wishes to create and with that goes selling only wines he believes are in a good phase and a good match to the food he is currently serving. This means that I could not hand pick the bottles but rather only give my wishlist. Some might dislike a practice like this, I was happy with the results.
Utter grows many of the ingredients himself and buys the rest from nearby small producers. As such you donât come here for foie gras or white truffles but the food is delicious, surprising and made with great skill and creativity. As is so trendy nowadays all the dishes are named simply by their main ingredient and I didnât quite know what to expect when among the five dishes there were âpumpkinâ and âhorse beanâ. It turned out it doesnât really matter what he is cooking with in the sense that you will enjoy everything no matter what.
The first dish with the pumpkin was unusual without a doubt but the flavors paired very well with the Hubacker. I praised how approachable the wine was, to which the chef most nonchalantly responded: âyes, it will shut down soonâ. The pike perch was the least surprising dish of the evening but clearly very fresh and perfectly cooked and seasoned, so unsurprisingly a great match for the most elegant of dry Rieslings. The dish with broccoli and cauliflower was something less typical again of course the flavors paired really well with Pichlerâs âMâ (for monumental) GrĂźner.
An even better pairing with the GrĂźner was the horse bean which was in the form of a croquette and served with a mint sauce with the mint coming from the chefâs back yard. The wild duck was reminiscent of many dishes Iâve had in France but second to none of them. No surprise that the classically proportioned and savory Rings Spätburgunder formed a tremendous pairing with it. Dessert is rarely the strong suit of Finnish restaurants (often for unnecessary âcreativityâ) but here - as with all the dishes - things were kept very simple: apple in compote and sorbet form with a great contrast of textures, temperatures and flavor (sweet-tangy). It was perhaps the best course of the evening and the pairing with the Dagueneau was flawless.
I didnât take detailed notes so the TNs are what they are but I wanted to post anyway as it was such a great experience and close to the end of the pandemic, I hope (we got rid of most of the restrictions here today).
NV Emmanuel Brochet Champagne Le Mont Benoit Extra Brut- France, Champagne (1.10.2021)
2016 base. More oxidative on the nose than some past iterations with rich bruised apple and very nice autolytic notes. Fine, lasting bubbles. Certainly quite rich with great drive, caressing and intense at the same time. The finish is deliciously tangy and lingering. Very well put together and a crowd-pleaser actually, a great edition of this wine.
2019 Weingut Keller Hubacker Riesling GroĂes Gewächs- Germany, Rheinhessen (1.10.2021)
Ripe and expressive on the nose with considerable complexity. Peach, lime, apple and stone, with a hint of petrol. Jumps out of the glass yet there is great nuance and detail to it. On the palate only moderately rich yet with very little weight and no fat to speak of. There is an excellent acidic lift and very attractive nervousness. A chiselled, highly precise wine with great length.
2017 Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Ruchottes- France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru (1.10.2021)
A bombastic powerhouse on the nose with a level of ripeness that gives you an impression of sweetness. Calms down fortunately with some time in the glass and becomes somewhat more savory and restrained. There are note of spicy oak, ripe lemon and apricot. On the palate very rich and concentrated, quite massive really. The oak and ripe fruit are competing for dominance and neither is pulling any punches. A lot to chew on but clearly with good acidity underneath. Alcohol is on the high side but not overpowering. Very, very early days still of course, but seems almost too much for my palate currently, even if I cannot call it unbalanced necessarily.
2019 F.X. Pichler GrĂźner Veltliner Smaragd âMâ- Austria, NiederĂśsterreich, Wachau (1.10.2021)
Very aromatic on the nose with tons of ripe fruit yet still good freshness. Typical green apple is there along with some more candied tones and a bit of kerosene. On the palate rich and intense, definitely quite ripe. There is some warmth and clearly high alcohol but it comes off as balanced in its own way. Not an acid-driven wine but there is no lack of it. I prefer a more linear, less ripe style of GrĂźner but this style can match various dishes tremendously.
2015 Weingut Rings Felsenberg Spätburgunder- Germany, Pfalz (1.10.2021)
Very detailed attractive on the nose with great detail and bright red cherry fruit. Sligthly tarry with appropriate (albeit obvious) oak that is fortunately in no way overpowering. On the palate medium-bodied, dry and savory with pretty glorious cherry fruit. Sports a great structure and lift, yet comes off very seamless. A delicious drink with a long, long finish. I donât find much complexity at this stage but the proportions and the texture are truly excellent. A very elegant wine without much weight, warmth or oak spice (my pet peeve with Spätburgunders). On the tight side now, bound to get better.
2015 Didier Dagueneau Les Jardins de Babylone- France, Vin de France (1.10.2021)
Markedly vivid and bright on the nose with a proper fruit salad of aromas that swarm from the glass. Sports an intense, sweet and fruity attack on the palte but immediately it is obvious that the acidity will carry all the way through and then some. Truly an electric wine, so vibrant and invigorating. Despite a healthy amount of residual sugar it has absolutely no weight and is very hedonistic with great length. Went very well with an apple desert but the balance here is such that it is by no means âonlyâ a dessert wine.
Had the pleasure to visit Helsinki for business quite frequently between 2009-2016 or so and I found that the Helsinki food scene was surprisingly good with many nice restaurants. with that in reasonable fresh memory, your praise and the write i am sure itâs a terrific place. Definitely a place Iâd love to visit!
The response from the chef - a very Finnish/north Swedish way to deal with praise
We have it pretty good nowadays for sure and I would say that itâs only gotten better since the period you mention. As for the chefâs response, I couldnât agree more with you but this guy really takes it to extremes That said I respect greatly what he does and would love to go there again and again.
Yeah, I know Iâm digging up some old topics here, but now that I finally managed to add my notes on the wines we tasted during our visit to Mikko Utter in last November to Cellartracker, I felt it was better to contribute to this old Ilkkaâs thread instead of creating a new one on the same topic. After all, the more publicity this tiny place gets, the better!
We had booked the whole place (ie. eight seats) to ourselves and negotiated the wines we wanted to taste beforehand. And indeed, in this place you actually negotiate what wines are going to be on the table - there might be some wines in the cellar list that are not available just because mr. Utter thinks these wines are not ready yet or they just donât go that well with the seasonal menu. So itâs always up to him whether the wines are available or not.
But seeing what we ended up with, Iâm not complaining. After all, this is by far the best bunch of wines Iâve ever had in a restaurant -and Iâm quite certain Iâve never rated as many wines that were tasted at one go as highly as these!
NV Ulysse Collin Champagne Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Les Enfers - France, Champagne (17.11.2022)
100% Chardonnay from the 0,62-hectare lieu-dit Les Enfers in Congy. Fermented in predominantly old Burgundy oak pièces, followed by spontaneous MLF. The wine is a blend based on 2016 vintage (the lot number in the back label says "E16") with some older reserve wines. Bottled in summer 2017 and aged sur lattes for approximately four years (the front label says Vieillisement en cave de 48 mois and the back label says "48 M"), disgorged in March 2021. Bottle no. 1087. 12,5% alcohol, dosage typically 1-2 g/l.
Medium-deep lemon-yellow color with a subtly greenish hue. The seductive nose feels somewhat concentrated and shows some obvious oak influence with rather vinous aromas of sweet creamy tones and vanilla custard, some toasty nuances, a little bit of ripe Golden Delicious apple, light peachy notes, a hint of leesy autolysis and a touch of lemon marmalade. The wine feels firm, somewhat concentrated and very focused on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of creamy oak, some vanilla tones, a little bit of leesy autolysis, light nutty notes of savory wood spice, crunchy hints of red apple and ripe Meyer lemon and a touch of browned butter. The overall feel is quite bright and structured with the high, slightly incisive acidity and gentle, quite persistent mousse. The finish is lively, long and harmonious with an acid-driven aftertaste of creamy oak and savory notes of woody oak spice, some ripe citrus fruit notes, a little bit of buttery MLF character, light leesy notes of autolysis, a toasty hint of brioche and a touch of vanilla custard.
A fine, complex and quite vinous Champagne that would be quite a powerhouse if it weren't so focused and sleek at the same time. The oak influence is quite obvious here - and I can imagine it can bother some Champagne purists who prefer their bubblies un-wooded - but to me, this wine came across almost like a classic Puligny-Montrachet or a fine Western Australian Chardonnay that drunk like a Champagne. The style is probably not that of the most traditional Blanc de Blancs Champagne, as the emphasis is on the focused fruit and qualities that oak aging has brought, not on piercing minerality. However, the quality and complexity are undeniably there and this is a darn fine bubbly. Perhaps a bit too young, if anything. I enjoyed it quite immensely already now, but there's still a bit of awkwardness here and the oak impact could use a bit more age to develop into something more subtle and complex. Let the wine wait for another 3-5 years - it is definitely not going to hurt the wine. Not the most affordable wine at 120âŹ, but most likely will deliver for the price if left to age for a bit longer. (94 points)
2012 Savart Champagne Premier Cru La Dame de Coeur - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru (17.11.2022)
100% Chardonnay. Aged in old oak barrels on the lees, no MLF. Bottled unfiltered. Disgorged in autumn 2016. Total production 2000 bottles. 12,5% alcohol, dosage 2 g/l.
Pale and quite intense lime-green color. Bright, crisp nose of ripe citrus fruits, some creamy autolytic notes, a little bit of sappy white fruit, light mineral notes of chalk dust, a hint of ripe Granny Smith apple and a faint touch of nutty wood. The wine is broad, concentrated and quite full-bodied on the palate with clean, well-delineated flavors of ripe white fruits, some mineral notes of chalk dust, a little bit of bready autolysis, light crunchy notes of Granny Smith apple, a hint of incisive steeliness and a touch of salinity. The overall feel is still very youthful and quite mouth-watering with its high, structured acidity. The ample mousse feels silky smooth. The finish is long, brisk and dry with a mouth-watering aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, saline minerality, some crunchy notes of tart green apples, light leesy notes of creaminess, a mineral hint of chalk dust and a touch of apple peel bitterness.
A fresh, focused and attractive Blanc de Blancs that is still remarkably youthful and linear for a wine already 10 years old. It feels the has loosened up slightly, as it doesn't feel as lean and high-strung as younger BdB's often do, but the wine has yet to develop any tertiary complexity. This is most likely a perfect fizz for people who love their BdB's crisp, mineral and zesty, but I love these wines when they start to develop some breadth, toasty qualities, more vinous flavors and creamy or even buttery overtones. I enjoyed the wine quite a lot, but I'd rather let it age for another 10 years - only based on how relatively little the wine seems to have evolved over its first decade. Lovely stuff that seems to be built for aging. Feeling a bit pricey for the quality at 80âŹ. (92 points)
Quite pale but wonderfully luminous lime-green color. Ripe, fragrant and attractive nose of lime marmalade, some Granny Smith apple, some sweeter notes of white peach, light mineral notes of wet rocks and a faint hint of petrolly character. The wine feels quite ripe and concentrated on the palate, yet remarkably airy and light on its feet at the same time with a medium body and quite lean, high-strung overall feel. There are very intense and focused dry flavors of steely minerality and ripe Golden Delicious apple, some grapey primary fruit flavors, a little bit of juicy white fruit, light chalky mineral tones, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of tangy salinity. The bracing acidity makes the wine feels very precise and electric in character, but also very tightly-knit and structure-driven. The finish is crisp, lean and mineral with a persistent, dry aftertaste of stony minerality and tangy salinity, some lemony citrus fruit tones, a little bit of tangy salinity, light crunchy notes of ripe Granny Smith apple, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of white peach.
A noticeably ripe and concentrated and at the same time remarkably tightly-knit, lean and racy Riesling that shows tremendous potential but feels perhaps a bit too high-strung and primary at the moment. The wine has lost most of its primary fermentation qualities, but still some remain. However, the wine is still so young that the fruit department feels like it has been taken hostage by the bracing acidity and cool mineral core of the wine. This is a superb effort by all accounts and with its combination of concentrated, ripe fruit and tremendous acidity it comes across very impressive already this young. However, I'd happily let the wine wait for another 7-10 years, because at the moment the wine is more about future potential than immediate accessibility. This will be an outstanding dry Riesling that will reward any patient bottle owner who can keep their fingers off for a handful of years more. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 55âŹ. (93 points)
Luminous, medium-deep yellow-green color. Ripe, youthful and juicy nose with fine-tuned, layered aromas of red apples and creamy oak character, some smoky notes of gunpowder, a little bit of grilled pineapple, light sweeter notes of white peach, a perfumed hint of apple blossom and a touch of cantaloupe. The wine feels ripe, quite broad and somewhat voluminous on the palate with a moderately full body and quite bold flavors of ripe white peach and apricot, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light flinty nuances of smoke, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of buttery richness. There is certain sense of fatness to the wine here, resulting from the sense of old-vine concentration and almost sweet-toned ripe fruit flavors, but the overall feel is still very balanced and fresh, thanks to the harmonious, structured acidity and underlying minerality. The finish is lively, very long and harmonious with a complex aftertaste of creamy oak and juicy white peach, some toasty notes of savory wood and flinty smoke, a little bit of grilled pineapple, light crunchy notes of fresh cantaloupe, a hint of salty liquorice and a faint touch of buttery richness.
A big, even substantial 1er Cru Burgundy that packs more heft and concentration one would expect from this level of quality and vintage. Despite its burly size, the wine feels remarkably fresh and balanced, showing lovely sense of harmony and complexity. The oak impact is a bit on the conspicuous side, which is why the wine feels a bit too young and slightly awkward at the moment. I'd let the wine age some more, letting it drop some of that baby fat and allowing the oak influence to integrate better with the more savory fruit notes. All in all, this was quite a powerhouse for a 1er Cru Chassagne-Montrachet; it is thoroughly enjoyable and very impressive already now, but I can't help but think how much better this will be in due time. Highly recommended. (94 points)
2020 Weingut Keller Abts EÂŽ Riesling GroĂes Gewächs - Germany, Rheinhessen (17.11.2022)
100% Riesling from Abtserde, an exceptional parcel of a few hectares within the larger, 30-plus hectare, Westhofener Brunnenhäuschen. As Keller wasn't allowed to bottle the wine under Abtserde name, the wine was originally known as Abts EŽ.de, and now only as Abts EŽ. The front label says only "Keller 2020 Abts EŽ", the back label says that the wine is 2020 Westhofen Brunnenhäuschen Riesling Trocken GG. 12,5% alcohol.
Deep, youthful and quite concentrated lime-green color. Cool, mineral and noticeably closed nose with reticent aromas of apple blossom and ripe pear, some almost hoppy herbal tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light crunchy notes of green apples and a hint of pine resin. The wine is crisp, lean and practically bone-dry on the palate with a medium body and youthful, intense flavors of ripe Granny Smith apple, some incisive steely mineral notes, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, light pithy notes of pomelo, hints of chalk and stone dust and a touch of key lime. The bracing acidity lends the wine tremendous sense of energy and structure, but also takes quite a stranglehold on the youthful, still rather linear fruit. The finish is crisp, lean and steely with a lengthy, lively aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some tart green apples, a little bit of almost hoppy herbal character, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a hint of key lime and a touch of tangy salinity.
A very focused and impressive GG Riesling that is just way too painfully young now. There is tremendous sense of potential here, but the fruit department is still very youthful and linear in nature, due to the very young age of the wine, and the emphasis is almost solely on the bracing acidity and lean, cool minerality. The wine didn't feel particularly reductive at any point, but it could be one of the reasons why the wine was so closed at the moment. The wine is just bursting with potential, but it doesn't offer that much enjoyment for now. If you have only one bottle of this, I'd say wait for another ten years. If you have several bottles and you could spare one for academic purposes, I'd say wait still for at least a few years more. This wine really screams for additional aging - but I have no doubts it will get so much better as it ages. At the moment the wine feels rather pricey for the quality at 119âŹ, but this might get different as the wine ages, evolves and opens up. (90 points)
2020 Domaine Ostertag Gewurztraminer Fronholz Ă l'Orient d'Eden - France, Alsace (17.11.2022)
"East of Eden" - a late-harvest Gewurztraminer from the Fronholz vineyard, made with biodynamically farmed grapes harvested in late October to early November. 12,5% alcohol, 53 g/l residual sugar.
Pale, youthful and somewhat neutral whitish-green color. Classically exuberant, sweet and open nose with quite intense Gewurztraminer aromas of pear and grapey fruit, some rosewater, a little bit of apple jam, light raisiny tones and a hint of musky spice. The wine is quite sweet, somewhat viscous and medium-to-moderately full-bodied on the palate, but also surprisingly fresh for the variety with its flavors of grapey fruit and rosewater-flavored Turkish delight, some apple jam tones, a little bit of Sultana raisin, light mineral notes of cool wet rocks, a hint of honeydew melon and a touch of exotic spices. The bright, high acidity lends great sense of structure and freshness to the wine. The finish is bright, juicy and lengthy with a medium-sweet aftertaste of rosewater and grapey fruit, some juicy notes of ripe pear, a little bit of honeyed richness, light apple jam tones, a hint of musky spices and a touch of Sultana raisins.
A remarkably fresh, structured and poised Gewurztraminer in which the residual sugar sweetness and bright acidity play off against each other so remarkably well that neither gets the upper hand. The wine doesn't venture into total dessert wine territory, but it packs more substance and sweetness than your typical, off-dry white, too. This is a delicious, well-crafted and very promising VT that is immensely enjoyable already now, but will continue to improve for years more. Drink or keep. Highly recommended, solid value at 37,50âŹ. (92 points)
2008 Jean-François Ganevat Côtes du Jura Les Vignes de Mon Père - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (17.11.2022)
A naturalist "ouillĂŠ" Savagnin made from biodynamically grown grapes harvested from a vineyard planted in 1930. Vinified with a strict hands-off philosophy. Although Ganevat has a strong preference of "ouillĂŠ" wines over the traditional oxidative wines of Jura, this wine more or less transcends boundaries: it is aged for 130 months (more than 10 years!) in old 600-liter demi-muids, topped off periodically. The wine loses up to 50% of its total volume during the aging. No added sulfites. 13,5% alcohol.
Quite noticeably evolved, deep and somewhat hazy golden yellow color. The nose feels rather evolved, somewhat oxidative and quite Vin Jaune-like with very complex aromas of sorrel and green almonds, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light smoky nuances, a hint of creamy oak, a touch of dried stone fruits and a whiff of pine resin. The wine is powerful, exceptionally concentrated and somewhat viscous on the palate with a medium body and ridiculously intense flavors of steely minerality and sharp Granny Smith apples, some grapefruit notes, a little bit of stony minerality, light aldehydic notes of sorrel and green almonds, an oxidative hint of chopped hazelnuts and a smoky touch of toasty character. The wine is taut and incredibly focused with its bracing acidity, yet it doesn't come across as aggressive or austere due to its concentrated overall feel. The finish is very crisp, lively and electric with a remarkably lengthy aftertaste of saline minerality and lemony citrus fruits, some aldehydic notes of sorrel and green almonds, light oxidative nuances of caramel and bruised apple, a little bit of creamy oak and a hint of evolved smoky toast.
A ridiculously complex, concentrated and exceptionally structured Savagnin. The wine shows such power, depth and length that very few wines in the world can come even close to. However, I was quite surprised by how oxidative this vintage was - 2006 Les Vignes de Mon Père was so extraordinary by being an obviously ouillÊ Savagnin of enormous power and concentration, with somewhat oxidative overtones from the prolonged barrel aging, making it so striking and unique. This vintage, however, is noticeably aldehydic in character (as opposed to the non-aldehydic 2006 vintage), making it feel more like an exceptional Château-Chalon or Vin Jaune, packed with more power and concentration these wines normally attain. I do love vins jaunes and this wine is truly in a class of its own, but I still feel the aldehydic qualities slightly overwhelmed some of the finer nuances here and I would've loved the wine even more had it shown a bit more fruit and slightly less acetaldehyde. Nevertheless, this is still one of the most remarkable wines in the world and at 99⏠it offers an experience very few wines can give even at a price twice or thrice as big. (97 points)
2021 Weingut Keller Abts EÂŽ Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Rheinhessen (17.11.2022)
100% Riesling from Abtserde, an exceptional parcel of a few hectares within the larger, 30-plus hectare, Westhofener Brunnenhäuschen. As Keller hasn't been allowed to bottle the wine under Abtserde name, his wines from this parcel were originally known as Abts EŽ.de, now only as Abts EŽ. The front label says "Keller 2021 Abts EŽ Riesling Kabinett", while the back label says the wine is 2020 Westhofen Brunnenhäuschen Riesling Kabinett. 8% alcohol.
Youthful, pale whitish-green color. Super-youthful and primary nose with aromas of ripe pear, grapey fruit and some pear drops, light perfumed notes of apple blossom, a little bit of apple jam, a flatulent hint of reduction and a touch of grapefruit marmalade. The wine is crisp, youthful and quite primary on the palate with a rather light body and medium-sweet flavors of pear juice, some lemon marmalade, a little bit of freshly pressed farmhouse apple juice, light stony mineral notes, a floral hint of white flowers and a primary touch of grapey fruit. The bracing acidity lends great intensity and sense of structure to the wine, offsetting some of that sweetness. The finish is crisp, lively and youthful with a long, medium-dry aftertaste of lime marmalade and lemony citrus fruits, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of freshly pressed apple juice, light primary notes of pear drops and grapey fruit, a hint of tangy salinity and a floral touch of apple blossom.
A wonderfully crisp, racy and lively Kabinett Riesling that feels focused like a laser beam. The wine is obviously medium-sweet, but thanks to its bracing acidity, most of the sweetness gets nicely offset, making the wine taste somewhat less sweet than it really is. My biggest problem with the wine was its age - the fruit department is pretty much dominated by those sweet, candy-like fermentation esters that muddle the vibrant Riesling fruit, making the wine feel a bit banal with its notes of pear drops and grapey overall character. Furthermore, the wine is also a bit reductive - although this can be rectified by just letting the wine breathe for long enough. Comparing this with the Abts Erde GG 2020, I'd say this was more accessible now than the super high-strung 2020 GG; this wine doesn't really call for aging to become more approachable, just better. While my score might feel like it is on the conservative side, it just represents how the wine is now: great stuff, but expect the score to go up as the wine develops over the years - it is just brimming with aging potential. (91 points)
2019 Domaine Jamet CĂ´te-RĂ´tie - France, RhĂ´ne, Northern RhĂ´ne, CĂ´te-RĂ´tie (17.11.2022)
100% Syrah sourced from 20 parcels in 15 different vineyards. The fruit is vinified in whole bunches and macerated with the skins for three weeks. Aged for 22 months in oak barrels (about 15% new). 14,5% alcohol.
Very deep, almost fully opaque blackish-red color with a very youthful purplish hue. The fragrant, heady and very youthful nose is packed with sweet-toned aromas of ripe blackberries and blackcurrants, some inky tones, a little bit of crisp bacon, light chokeberry jam tones, a woody hint of savory oak spice, a touch of roasted game and a whiff of tapenade. The wine feels dry, dense and quite concentrated on the palate with a full body and quite bold yet complex flavors of juicy blackcurrants and tart chokeberries, some gamey tones, a little bit of balsamic richness, light spicy notes of crushed peppercorns, a hint of olive and a faint funky touch of merde. This is by no means a delicate, Burgundian CĂ´te-RĂ´tie, but instead a muscular, sinewy powerhouse of a wine with its chewy texture and grainy, quite formidable yet not aggressive tannins. However, thanks to its high acidity, the wine shows great sense of freshness as well. The finish is dry, savory and quite tannic with a very long, savory aftertaste of game and peppery spice, some inky tones, a little bit of crunchy and slightly bitter chokeberry, light woody notes of savory oak, juicy hints of ripe blackcurrants and blackberries and a slightly smoky touch of bacon fat.
A big, bold and powerful CĂ´te-RĂ´tie that never once feels monolithic, but instead wonderfully nuanced, complex and fresh for a wine this big and ripe. Sure, there's quite a bit of body and muscle here, but they don't really translate to any sense of weight. I usually prefer Syrah with some age and tertiary complexity, but this wine didn't come across as one bit too primary or reductive despite its young age - no, on the contrary, this was just singing right out of the gate. A fantastic wine that is drinking magnificently now and will continue to do so for the next couple of decades. Jamet really is among the top CĂ´te-RĂ´tie producers for a good reason. This wasn't an affordable wine at 96âŹ, but managed to deliver for the price with remarkable ease. Very highly recommended. (95 points)
2005 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (17.11.2022)
100% Grenache from multiple parcels in three different vineyards, most of which have sandy soils and northern exposure - both atypical for Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Vinified in whole bunches which are first crushed and then fermented spontaneously in concrete tanks. Typically the wines are macerated with the skins for approximately two weeks. Aged for 15-16 months in very old (even the youngest ones are several decades old) foudres and demi-muids ranging from 450 to 600 liters. 14% alcohol.
Deep, somewhat evolved and moderately opaque black cherry color with a developed brick-red hue. The node feels juicy, ripe and quite fragrant with complex aromas of succulent dark plums and strawberries, some floral notes of violets, a little bit of wizened blackberry, light lifted notes of sweet balsamic VA, a hint of ripe figs and a faint funky whiff of merde. The chewy wine feels dry, dense and quite robust yet not particularly extracted on the palate with a full body and intense, somewhat concentrated and slightly evolved flavors of ripe strawberries and earthy spices, some gravelly mineral notes, a little bit of sweet balsamic VA, light blackberry tones, a hint of leathery funk and a touch of floral lift. Despite its ripeness and big size, the wine doesn't feel fat or flabby, thanks to the high acidity and moderately pronounced tannic grip, which lends the wine quite a bit of welcome firmness. The finish is savory, quite concentrated and moderately tannic with a dry, long and powerful aftertaste of old leather and juicy dark berries, some peppery spice, a little bit of balsamic VA, light earthy notes, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and an intermingling touch of sweet exotic spices.
A beautiful, fresh and fascinating Châteauneuf-du-Pape that packs quite a bit of concentration and power, but it all seems to stem from the low yields of the old vines, not from heavily extractive winemaking. The combination is a sort of a conundrum: the wine is big, ripe and even quite tannic, but at the same time showing beautiful freshness, elegance and vibrancy of fruit. Still, the wine is undeniably Châteauneuf-du-Pape - full of ripeness, sweet strawberry-driven fruit and plush, velvety textures - and that is a style I'm not too fond of. But damned I'd be if I didn't admit this is one of the most harmonious, balanced and delicious Papes I've tasted. The wine is starting to show some age and it definitely isn't young anymore, but neither the fruit nor the structure are going to give up anytime soon - this can be drunk now or within the next decade or two. But even after tasting the wine and acknowledging its high quality, I must admit I don't quite understand the hype and I most definitely don't understand the price. This is very good, but still not THAT good. At the price of this bottle (600âŹ) I'd rather have a dozen bottles of 50⏠wine! (95 points)
Luminous, quite deep and slightly evolved yellow-green color. The nose feels sweet, concentrated and very nuanced with intense aromas of lemon marmalade and honeydew melon, some evolved caramel tones, a little bit of grape jelly, light lifted notes of white flowers, a hint of fragrant spices and a touch of stony minerality. The wine is lively, still remarkably youthful and noticeably sweet on the palate with very intense flavors of lemony citrus fruits and ripe grapey fruit, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of honeyed richness, light floral nuances, a hint of key lime marmalade and a subtly developed touch of caramel. The bright, racy acidity lends great intensity to the flavors and makes the wine feel very balanced despite the noticeable sweetness. The finish is sweet, quite acid-driven and slightly oily with a long, intensely-flavored aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and lime marmalade, some floral nuances, a little bit of acacia honey, light steely mineral nuances, a hint of grapey fruit and a balancing touch of apple peel bitterness.
A fantastic Auslese Riesling the combines remarkable ripeness and concentration with the piercing 2010 vintage acidity, making the wine feel impeccably balanced and harmonious. The acidity and considerable sweetness don't really cancel each other out, but instead both feel equally powerful while the acidity lends tremendous intensity to the fruit flavors and makes the wine feel almost electric with its bright, brisk energy. Seeing how very youthful the wine still is, showing very little if any evolved qualities, I can easily say this wine is going to evolve and improve effortlessly for a decade or three. Drink or keep - this is going to be a fantastic wine whenever it is opened. Good value at 50âŹ. (94 points)
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That said I respect greatly what he does and would love to go there again and again.
on the other it is rather pricey compared to that 1998 CĂ´te Brune Utter had listed for sub-200âŹ.