These notes are from an evening we spent at a friend, everybody bringing a bottle (or two - I brought the Tscheppe and Gouye bottles) with them. There were no suggestions, recommendations or restrictions concerning the wines that were to be brought; everything was permitted. All wines poured blind, too, as is usual with this bunch of winos.
From the perspectives of both countries and varieties, we ended up having quite a bit of coverage! Consequently, guessing the wines correctly wasn’t particularly easy… 
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2019 Azienda Agricola Quintodecimo Greco di Tufo Giallo d'Arles - Italy, Campania, Greco di Tufo DOCG (16.4.2022)
A single-vineyard Greco. Fermented and aged in a combination of stainless steel (70%) and new oak (30%). 13,5% alcohol. Total production 29,400 bottles and 220 magnums. Tasted blind.
Luminous golden yellow color. Very sweet and noticeably ripe nose with aromas of ripe peach and pineapple, some apple jam, light floral notes, a little bit of creamy oak and a hint of hay. The wine feels rich, juicy and quite substantial on the palate with a full body and rich flavors of peach and Golden Delicious apple, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of hay, light extracted waxy notes, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of sorrel. The overall impression is quite weighty and round, thanks to the somewhat soft medium-plus acidity. The finish is rich, round and juicy with medium-long flavors of peach, some hay, a little bit of waxy richness, some sweet notes of apple jam, a little bit of creamy oak and a hint of hay.
A very big and weighty yet still moderately balanced Greco di Tufo from the very ripe end. However, this should be a sort of crème de la crème Greco, yet the overall feel is like a combination of a generic ripe white wine and a polished, super-concentrated blockbuster wine - although it's not particularly true to the variety, my guesses went almost immediately to Italy and not soon after I suggested Greco di Tufo. It's obvious this wine is made in a style that results in a very impactful wine, but I prefer my Grecos with more freshness and finesse. It's very hard to assess whether this wine will drop its baby fat and pick up some elegance as it matures, or if it just loses its rich fruit and turns dull with age. Feels somewhat overpriced for its quality at approx. 40€.
(85 points) -
2009 Wittmann Westhofener Kirchspiel Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Rheinhessen (16.4.2022)
13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Luminous, medium-deep yellow-green color. Sweet, honeyed nose that screams RIESLING from the first sniff. Aromas of lemon marmalade, some ripe nectarine, a little bit of acacia honey, light floral notes of apple blossom and honeysuckle, a mineral hint of wet stones and a touch of fresh red apple. The wine feels ripe, concentrated and quite substantial on the palate with intense, dry flavors of ripe peaches, some lemon marmalade, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of honeyed richness, tropical hints of pineapple and mango and a floral touch of orchard flowers. The overall impression is rather big and even slightly viscous for a Riesling, but the rather high acidity manages to keep the wine in balance and lend it some sense of structure as well. The lengthy finish is ripe, broad and juicy with concentrated, dry-ish flavors of honey and lemon marmalade, some apricot tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light tropical notes of ripe pineapple, a hint of perfumed floral character and a touch of almost overripe apple.
A very big, ripe and impactful GG Riesling that was immediately recognized as a German Riesling. However, even though the wine was technically dry, the noticeable ripeness, substantial body and slightly oily mouthfeel made people wonder whether it was off-dry or not. While I ultimately judged the wine to be technically dry, I was almost fooled by the richness into thinking the wine was sweeter than it actually was. The first guesses were Auslese Trocken from Pfalz or Rheingau, followed by a GG from Mosel or Nahe. Even Alsace and Austria were suggested before we managed to home into Rheinhessen. While these Wittmann wines can be quite great, I really don't understand why they've gotten so expensive lately - despite their high quality, I don't really find them worth the extra tariff.
(91 points) -
2015 Jean Moreau Pere et Fils Champagne Dames de Trépail - France, Champagne (16.4.2022)
100% Chardonnay from Trépail, a Chardonnay-dominated commune in the Pinot Noir-heavy region of Montagne de Reims. 12% alcohol, dosage 6 g/l.
Pale, almost colorless whitish-yellow appearance. Fresh, slightly toasty and subtly greenish nose with aromas of freshly cut Granny Smith apple, some sappy notes of birch leaves, light yeasty notes of autolysis, a hint of chopped peanuts and a touch of sweeter white fruit. The wine is dry, round and clean on the palate with bright yet slightly neutral flavors of ripe yellow apples, some mouth-cleansing notes of mineral water, a little bit of birch leaf, light sappy notes of herby greenness, a hint of yeasty autolysis and a touch of stony minerality. The mousse feels soft and silky, whereas the moderately high acidity keeps the wine quite nicely in balance. The finish is clean, dry and medium in length with somewhat neutral flavors of ripe white peach, some sappy notes of birch leaves, a little bit of yeasty autolysis, light mineral notes of wet stones and a hint of fresh Golden Delicious apple.
A nice and clean but also slightly underwhelming Blanc de Blancs. I normally don't like that much young Blanc de Blancs Champagnes, because they often can be aggressively incisive and mineral with very little in the way of fruit, coming across just crisp and mouth-cleansing without much substance - I prefer these wines after some aging, when they've developed some depth, toasty complexity and sense of weight. However, this wine didn't come across as particularly lean, aggressive or high-strung in character - just rather mineral but also somewhat neutral, linear and even a bit understated in character. Structurally the wine was balanced, but more soft than lean. While the wine was pretty OK, I found it a bit ho-hum. I thought this was either a Crémant made in a style of Champagne (ie. Pinot Noir-Chardonnay blend) or a regular NV Champagne. I never got any obvious Blanc de Blancs impressions here, which is why I never guessed to be such. Feels a bit expensive for the quality at 42€.
(88 points) -
2011 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (16.4.2022)
A blend of Garnacha (60%), Tempranillo (30%) and Viura (10%). Aged for 4 years in oak barriques and for further 6 years in bottles before release. 12.5% alcohol. Total production 12,000 bottles. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine. Tasted blind.
Deep, fully translucent brick-orange color. Sweet, subtly oak-kissed nose with aromas of caramel indicative both of oak and age, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of ripe strawberry, light vanilla tones, a hint of fresh red cherry and a faint touch of browned butter. The wine is bright, fresh and very complex on the palate with a medium body and layered flavors of strawberries, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of ripe cranberry, light oaky nuances of browned butter and caramel, a hint of stony minerality and a sweeter touch of dried stone fruits. The overall feel is very harmonious, lively and precise, thanks to the high acidity and a subtle touch of tannic grip. The finish is long, juicy and complex with vibrant, slightly evolved flavors of strawberries and fresh apples, some browned butter, a little bit of caramel, light cherry tones, oaky hints of creaminess and savory wood spice and a touch of stony minerality.
A beautiful, fresh and complex Rioja Clarete that was instantly recognizable for a Tondonia Rosado. I already had a strong hunch which wine it was just upon seeing it in a decanter and only the first sniff confirmed my suspicion. I had not tasted vintages 2010 and 2011 yet, just 2008 and 2009, so guessing the vintage correctly was pretty difficult. The wine showed ripeness similar to the vintage 2009, so I went with that one - but it turned out to be 2011. All in all, another terrific vintage of this idiosyncratic wine that is drinking mighty well right now, but will continue to do so for years - perhaps even decades - to come. Not particularly affordable for a rosé at 50€, but delivers for the price.
(94 points) -
2020 Zarate Albariño Rías Baixas Balado - Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas (16.4.2022)
A top-of-the-line single-vineyard Albariño, made with the grapes harvested from a vineyard replanted with ungrafted vines in 1950. Aged for 9 months on the lees in stainless steel. 13% alcohol, 8,2 g/l acidity, pH 3,1. Total production 6090 bottles. Tasted blind.
Medium-deep and somewhat concentrated yellow-green color. Fresh, lively and slightly sappy-herby nose with bright aromas of zesty lemon and crunchy green apples, some pomelo tones, a little bit of hay, light candied primary tones and a floral hint of perfumed orchard flowers. The wine is ripe yet fresh, lively and zippy on the palate with a medium body and youthful. bright and almost electric flavors of lemony citrus fruits and crunchy red apples, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of ripe white fruit, a sappy hint of fresh white fruits and a touch of tangy salinity. The bracing acidity lend great intensity and sense of structure to the wine. The finish is lively, crisp and acid-driven with dry flavors of Granny Smith apple and ripe lemony citrus fruits, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of tangy salinity, a hint of wet stones and a touch of leesy creaminess.
A tasty but also very lean and high-strung Albariño that is very impressive and promising, but also painfully young at the moment. You can easily taste the class and potential here, but the combination of pronounced minerality and almost primary fruit notes, incisive acidity and youthful energy makes this wine quite in-your-face and almost aggressive. It really feels this wine could use several more years of cellaring just to tone down a little bit. If opened now, the wine could use some food to cut down some of that racy acidity. All in all a terrific wine that needs some additional aging. Recommended.
(92 points) -
2018 Ewald Tscheppe (Weingut Werlitsch) Ex Vero II - Austria, Styria, Südsteiermark (16.4.2022)
A blend of Sauvignon Blanc (~90%) and Chardonnay (~10%). The grapes are sourced from the steep mid-slope (Ex Vero I comes from the lower parts of the slope, Ex Vero III from the top part of the vineyard). The grapes are crushed and left to macerate for a few days until the spontaneous fermentation is in full speed. Aged on the lees in old, large oak barrels for 2 years, then bottled unfined and unfiltered. Vinified and bottles without any sulfites. 12,5% alcohol.
Youthful, slightly hazy yellow-green color. Rich, sweet and rather lifted nose with aromas of juicy apricots, some ripe Golden Delicious apple, a little bit of nail polish VA, light honeyed tones, a hint of green tea, a bretty touch of leathery funk and a vinegary whiff of pickle juice. The wine is wild, ripe and lively on the palate with a medium body and somewhat concentrated flavors of ripe yellow stone fruits, some passion fruit, a little bit of honeydew melon, light volatile notes of nail polish remover, a hint of apple jam and a vinegary touch of pickle juice. The wine is pretty structured with its high acidity, yet the mouthfeel is quite concentrated and oily due to the ripeness and extraction. The finish is wild, long and somewhat lifted with flavors of honeyed richness, some acetic VA, a little bit of ripe peach, light sweet nuances of apple jam, a hint of cantaloupe and a touch of papaya. The elevated levels of VA lend a bit of acetic roughness in the throat.
A big, concentrated and characterful Sauvignon Blanc (blend) that is quite idiosyncratic in style and quite different from that typically clean and focused style of Südsteiermark Sauvignon Blanc. Overall the wine showed great sense of depth, complexity and power, but unfortunately the level of VA was a bit higher than I'd prefer, making the wine feel a bit too lifted and natty for my preference. If there weren't that heavy nail polish notes in the nose and the aftertaste hadn't that acetic touch of vinegary roughness, this would've been a very lovely wine indeed. This was still quite an enjoyable effort, but, ultimately, not a bullseye. Perhaps a bit on the pricey side at 28€.
(89 points) -
2015 Morgan Chardonnay Highland Santa Lucia Highlands - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (16.4.2022)
100% Chardonnay from Santa Lucia Highlands - about 2/3 of the fruit came from organically farmed estate vineyards, 1/3 was purchased fruit from other farmers in SLH. Fermented and aged for 8 months in oak barrels (32% new, 68% once and twice used barrels + some older casks). 90% of the barrels underwent MLF. 14,2% alcohol, 6,6 g/l acidity and pH 3,24. Tasted blind.
Luminous, quite concentrated and moderately deep neon yellow-green color. Sweet, aromatic and quite complex nose with open aromas of grilled pineapple, some apple jam, light honeyed tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light exotic notes of cantaloupe and ripe nectarine, a hint of woody oak spice and a touch of powdered salty liquorice. The wine is juicy, rich and somewhat oily on the palate with a moderately full body and quite complex flavors of ripe golden apples and nectarine, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of salty liquorice, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a hint of grilled pineapple and a touch of lemony citrus fruit. The focused high acidity lends great sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is juicy, slightly oily and subtly warm with complex flavors of pineapple, some woody oak notes, a little bit of apple jam, light creamy tones, a hint of salty liquorice powder and a touch of fresh nectarine.
Right from the first sniff I thought "new world Chardonnay", but I expected the wine to be softer, creamier and weightier on the palate than it turned out to be - instead of being a big, soft and buttery Chardonnay, this turned out to be a surprisingly fresh, precise and intense effort with great sense of complexity and depth of flavor. I first guessed this was Western Australia, then I went to South Africa, but at this point somebody else suggested California - which was a bullseye. The wine is starting to show a little bit of age, but the overall feel is still very youthful and will most likely continue to improve for years more. Although this wine shows a bit more weight and ripeness than your typical white Burgundy, I'd still describe this wine stylistically quite "Burgundian", especially for a California Chardonnay. Great stuff, highly recommended. Great value at 25,90€.
(93 points) -
1998 Viña Mayor Ribera del Duero Reserva - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero (16.4.2022)
100% Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero. Fermented and macerated with the skins for 25-30 days. Aged for at least 15 months in French oak barriques. Tasted blind.
Moderately evolved cherry-red color with a slightly brownish maroon hue. The nose feels savory and evolved with aromas of gamey meat, some wizened blackcurrants, a little bit of raisiny dark fruit, light smoky tones, a sweet hint of dried red fruits and a touch of earth. The wine is evolved and subtly oxidative on the palate with a medium body and savory flavors of raisiny dark fruits and meaty umami, some wild strawberry notes, a little bit of earth, light pruney nuances, a hint of roasted game and a salty touch of soy sauce. Despite its aged overall character, the wine still retains quite good structure, thanks to its moderately high acidity and firm, somewhat resolved medium tannins. The finish is long, savory and slightly grippy with a somewhat oxidative aftertaste of game and wizened forest fruits, some pruney dark fruits, a little bit of raisins, a hint of dried blackcurrants and a touch of soy sauce.
A tasty and quite evolved Tempranillo that had an air of an aged Bordeaux red - probably thanks to the combination of blackcurrant-drive tertiary fruit and French oak aging. It didn't take us long to end up in Ribera del Duero, but since the wine was somewhat restrained an example for the region, everybody either thought Bordeaux or a Bordeaux blend from somewhere else. Nice stuff all the same, but I'd say the wine had seen better days and is currently in a slight decline. Better to drink sooner rather than later.
(90 points) -
2015 La Visciola Cesanese del Piglio Priore Ju Quarto - Italy, Latium, Cesanese del Piglio (16.4.2022)
A single-vineyard Cesanese from the 60-yo Ju Quarto vineyard. Fermented spontaneously in concrete tanks, aged for a year in old, neutral tonneaux. Bottled with minimal sulfites. 13,5% alcohol. Annual production approximately 1000 bottles. Tasted blind.
Somewhat evolved and moderately translucent ruby-red color with a maroon hue. The nose feels savory and somewhat developed with subtly sauvage aromas of cherries, tobacco, some crunchy cranberry tones, a little bit of grated carrot, light bretty notes of leathery funk, a hint of wild strawberry and a phenolic touch of smoke. The wine feels nuanced and slightly rustic on the palate with a medium body and layered, dry flavors of crunchy cranberries and tobacco, some funky notes of old leather, a little bit of wild strawberry, light earthy notes, a hint of fresh redcurrant and a touch of dried herbs. The structure relies mostly on the high acidity, but the medium tannins lend some grip and firmness to the palate as well. The finish is long and savory with subtly evolved flavors of cherries, some meaty umami, light tart notes of red forest fruits, a little bit of leathery funk, a hint of crunchy cranberry and a touch of pouch tobacco.
A nice, nuanced and sophisticated Cesanese del Piglio that doesn't come across as either underwhelming or overdone - both qualities one often finds in contemporary Cesaneses. This is just a classic, well-made farmhouse red that is so much better than your run-of-the-mill Cesanese, yet very old-school in style. The only thing that really surprised me here was its age - the wine felt more evolved and mature than I anticipated, so I guessed that this is an Italian red from early-to-mid 00's. I have no idea how top Cesaneses age, but I would've expected a Cesanese not even 7 years old to feel somewhat younger. However, the wine is not falling apart, but it doesn't feel like it would be improving much from here either - although it is always possible our bottle wasn't showing its best. Nevertheless, based on this bottle I'd say drink now or in the near future. At the moment this is a very lovely example of high-class Cesanese.
(91 points) -
2015 Roeno Enantio Valdadige Terra dei Forti Riserva 1865 Pre-Fillossera - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Trentino, Valdadige Terra dei Forti (16.4.2022)
100% Enantio, an indigenous variety from Trentino grown primarily in Terra dei Forti, sourced from ungrafted pre-phylloxeric vineyards, estimated to be around 150 years of age. The destemmed grapes are fermented and macerated with the skins for approximately three weeks followed by 24 months of aging in large oak casks. Finally the casks are blended together and the wine is left to marry in stainless steel tanks for another 8 months. 14% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Dark, youthful and completely opaque black cherry color. The nose feels sweet, open and very expressive with characterful aromas of ripe cherries and elderflowers, some fragrant notes of pipe tobacco, a little bit of strawberry, light sappy notes of sweet herbs, a hint of inky character and a touch of alcohol. The wine is ripe, juicy and quite rich on the palate with a rather full body and dark-toned flavors of black cherries, tobacco, some earthy tones, a little bit of fresh plummy fruit, light ferrous notes of blood, a floral hint of elderflower and a touch of wild strawberry. The wine feels somewhat soft yet surprisingly firm and structured at the same time with a tightly-knit, slightly rough texture, medium-plus acidity and quite ample tannins that feel rather gentle at first, but they slowly pile up on the gums, turning the wine quite tannic. The finish is rich, savory and quite grippy with a long, textural aftertaste of dark forest fruits, some pipe tobacco, a little bit of old leather, light strawberry notes, a hint of earthiness and a touch of ripe bilberry. The high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the finish.
A rich, tasty and enjoyably rough Italian red made from a variety I hadn't tasted ever before - which was why it was pretty impossible to guess the wine correctly. Quite quickly we agreed that the wine was from Italy, but getting beyond that proved to be quite impossible - we must've guessed half of the Italian regions before somebody suggested Trentino. Nevertheless, this was a very enjoyable and characterful effort with quite distinctive flavor profile. Although I might've preferred the wine to show a bit more acidity, this was nevertheless a balanced and enjoyably structured effort all the same. The overall impression was still very youthful and still a bit tightly-knit, so most likely this wine will continue to evolve and improve for many years more. Solid stuff, recommended!
(92 points) -
2018 Domaine de Gouye St. Joseph Vieilles vignes 24 mois de fûts - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (16.4.2022)
100% organically farmed old-vine (avg. 50 yo) Syrah from St. Joseph. The grapes are crushed by foot in open-top fermentors and fermented spontaneously. This is the special bottling of Gouye's St. Joseph in which Philippe Desbos selects a few special barrels that seem to hold most promise for prolonged aging, and lets the wine age for 24 months (instead of the typical 15-16 months) in old oak casks. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13,5% alcohol.
Youthful, deep and slightly translucent ruby color with faint purplish highlights. The nose feels very expressive and fragrant with seductive aromas of strawberries and brambly blackberries, some inky tones, a little bit of raw meat, light earthy notes, floral hints of violets and a faint sweet touch of balsamic lift. Wonderfully pure and thoroughly textbook Northern Rhône Syrah nose here. The wine feels bright, inky and fruit-driven on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and quite intense flavors of brambly blackberries and ripe dark berries, some meaty notes of umami, a little bit of floral lift, light earthy tones, a hint of tobacco and a touch of game. Although the medium-plus acidity keeps the wine effortlessly in balance, the structure seems to rely more on the firm and quite ample tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is juicy, savory and quite grippy with a long, focused aftertaste of fresh forest fruits, some game, light inky tones, a little bit of tobacco, a hint of leathery funk and a touch of floral lift.
A beautiful, classically styled old-school Northern Rhône Syrah. The wine is obviously from a warmer vintage, as the fruit department leans on the ripe side of things and the acidity is slightly on the modest side, yet the wine still manages to retain exceptional sense of freshness, structure and vibrancy. The fruit never gets sweet or soft but remains dry and crunchy, and the alcohol stays well out of sight. The overall feel is still very, very youthful, but it isn't too primary anymore, meaning that the wine is pretty much ready to go already now. However, the wine is obviously full of unrealized potential and I can see this wine improving for many years more - I'd wait for another 10 years or so, because I'm pretty sure this will be even better then. A terrific purchase at 30€.
(93 points) -
2007 Kir-Yianni Yianakohori - Greece, Macedonia, Imathia (16.4.2022)
A blend of Merlot (60%) and Xinomavro (40%) sourced from estate vineyards near the village of Yianakohori. The wine is macerated with the skins for approximately 2 weeks, after which it is transferred to new oak barriques for MLF. Once MLF is finished, the wine is racked into 2nd and 3rd use barriques, in which it is aged for a year. 14% alcohol, 4 g/l residual sugar and 6,3 g/l acidity. Tasted blind.
Quite deep, dark and moderately opaque blackish-red with an evolved pomegranate hue. The nose is sweet-toned, somewhat evolved and subtly lifted with layered aromas of ripe blackcurrants and dark plums, some evolved meaty notes, a little bit of old leather, light toasty notes of sweet smoke, a hint of wizened dark berries and a lifted touch of sweet, liqueur-ish VA. The wine is dense, ripe and quite chewy on the palate with a full body and rather complex flavors of wizened forest fruits and ripe sour cherries, some meaty umami, a little bit of old dry leather, light pruney nuances, a hint of licorice and an evolved touch of salty soy sauce. The overall texture is still pretty tightly-knit and structure-driven, thanks to the rather high acidity and still quite grippy tannins. The finish is savory, long and rather tannic with somewhat evolved flavors of ripe dark fruits, some old leather, light licorice tones, a little bit of ripe red plums, light pruney nuances, a hint of tobacco and an oaky touch of bittersweet dark chocolate.
A somewhat modern yet still very pleasant and enjoyably structure-driven Greek red. The first guesses hovered around modernist Piedmontese Nebbiolo with some age, but quite quickly focus moved to Xinomavro. All in all the wine is a bit more evolved than I anticipated, although it still isn't fully tertiary or on the verge of downhill yet. However, based on the developed, slightly oxidative nuances, I wouldn't expect the wine to improve much further from here. most likely it will keep for another 5 years, maybe even longer - or then we just had a prematurely aged bottle. Nevertheless, this was an enjoyable effort, all the same. I prefer the leaner and slightly less modern Xinomavros of Kir-Yianni, but this was still a fine example of Greek winemaking. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 37,50€.
(92 points)
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