TN: A random BYOB blind set (PYCM, Griesel, Raffault, Chassorney, Gini, Cavallotto etc.)

A small lineup from a blind tasting a friend of mine organized last summer. He asked around whether there were any people around during the summer holidays and if they were interested in having a blind tasting with BYOB bottles. Sure enough, we managed to get a small bunch of wine geeks and enthusiasts with some terrific bottles. Some were very easy to guess (a couple of wines I managed to nail with the first or second guess) and others were rather difficult. All in all, a terrific evening.

We also had a bottle of Springfield Estate Chardonnay, but unfortunately it was left out from the lineup photo.

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  • 2017 Griesel & Compagnie Blanc de Noirs Brut - Germany, Hessische BergstraĂźe (16.7.2021)
    A blend of mainly Pinot Noir with some Pinot Meunier. Aged for 10 months in stainless steel (52%), large stĂĽck casks (32%) and oak barriques (16%). Tirage on July 26th, 2018. Aged for two years on the lees before disgorgement. 12,5% alcohol, dosage 4 g/l. Tasted blind.

Medium-deep lemon-yellow color. Fragrant and quite characterful nose with aromas of slivered almonds, some apple compote, light sappy green herbal notes, a little bit of hay, autolytic hints of creaminess and yeasty bread and a touch of floral spice. Creamy, silky and gentle mousse. The wine is crisp, slightly steely and medium-bodied on the palate with nuanced flavors of ripe lemony citrus fruits, juicy Golden Delicious apple, some sappy herbal tones, a little bit of hay, light nutty notes of almond, a hint of unripe white fruits and a touch of steely minerality. The racy acidity lends great freshness and verve to the wine. The finish is crisp, clean and mouth-cleansing with medium-long flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some tangy notes of tart green apples, light steely mineral notes, a little bit of almond-driven nuttiness, a hint of hay and a touch of salinity.

A refreshing, nuanced and quite brisk Blanc de Noirs that really didn’t exhibit any classic Blanc de Noirs characteristics like red-toned fruit, richness or pronounced toasty notes. Some people thought this was a Champagne, based on its quite complex overall character and quite pronounced mineral notes, but I was going in the direction of a high-quality Cava, based on the notes of hay and sappy herbal nuances that intermingled with the more nutty, almond notes of autolysis. This was a very positive surprise for a German Sekt - not really identical to a Blanc de Noirs Champagne in style, but very much so in terms of quality. At approximately 20€ this is a bargain. Need to keep these Griesel wines in my radar. (91 pts.)

  • 2015 Gini Soave Classico Superiore Contrada Salvarenza Vecchie Vigne - Italy, Veneto, Soave Classico (16.7.2021)
    100% Garganega from the very old Salvarenza Cru, where the vines are over 100 yo and the oldest third of the vines are still ungrafted. Fermented in large oak casks and 228-liter French oak pièces. No SO2 added during the vinification process. Aged for 12 months on the lees in large oak casks and 228-liter pièces. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.

Intense and moderately deep neon yellow-green color. Ripe, sweet-toned and somewhat waxy nose with quite concentrated aromas of cantaloupe, chopped almonds, some honeyed tones, a little bit of marzipan, light creamy notes of oak, a sweet, candied hint of gummi bears and a touch of ripe apricot. Although the wine is technically dry, it feels noticeably ripe, sweet-toned and slightly viscous on the palate with a full body and rich flavors of honeydew melon and honeyed sweetness, some peach, light notes of exotic spice, a little bit of chopped almonds, oaky hints of creaminess and savory woody spice and a touch of fresh red apples. The wine seems to be quite high in dry extract, but it retains good sense of balance, thanks to the moderately high acidity. The finish is big, juicy and very long with noticeably ripe flavors of honey and cantaloupe, chopped almonds, some creamy oak notes, a little bit of dry, woody oak spice, light crunchy notes of fresh and spicy red apple and a hint of almost overripe apricot.

A very substantial, concentrated and impressive Soave Classico. At first I was baffled away by the wine’s size and power, but it didn’t take me long to realize that despite its size, many of the aromatics seemed to point towards Italy. My first guess was a Verdicchio from Marche, based on the notes of almond, apple and cantaloupe. After I was told my guess was incorrect, I was still convinced that the wine must be from somewhere nearby, so I went with Soave Classico. Bingo! Not particularly typical for the appellation, though - this is a very big and ripe wine, which is probably only exacerbated by the warm 2015 vintage. I guess I’d enjoy the wine more if it were from a cooler vintage. Nevertheless, a big, eminently impressive and remarkably balanced single-vineyard Garganega from one of the masters of Soave Classico. Not particularly affordable here at 39,84€, but manages to deliver for the price, at least to some degree. Probably will continue to improve from here, at least for a handful of years. Nice! (90 pts.)

  • 2018 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bourgogne Hautes-CĂ´tes de Beaune Au Bout du Monde - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Hautes-CĂ´tes de Beaune (16.7.2021)
    Chardonnay from the 20-yo lieu-dit En Creuzilly, located in one of the coolest spots in Burgundy. Harvested about a week later than the vineyards around Chassagne. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in 350-liter oak barrels. Aged on the lees for 14 months in 350-liter oak barrels (10% new), then blended together and aged for another 3 months in stainless steel. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol.

Youthful pale green color. Youthful, a bit reductive and slightly restrained nose with nuanced, light aromas of gunpowder smoke or struck flint, some red apple, a little bit of fresh pineapple and tangy citrus fruits, light smoky notes of toasty wood, a hint of salty ocean air and a touch of green apple peel. There’s also a distinctive - but not unpleasant - whiff of canned tuna. The aromas are not flashy, but attractive and very true to the place. The wine is remarkably fresh and crisp for the vintage with remarkable freshness, a medium body and ripe yet quite zippy flavors of fresh pineapple, lemony citrus fruits, some smoky notes of gunpowder, light creamy notes of oak along with a little bit of toasty wood spice, a hint of chopped nuts and a touch of ripe Granny Smith apple. At first there was a touch of rubbery reduction, but that disappeared quite quickly with air. Structurally the wine is impressively balanced with its bright, high acidity lending an almost electric feel to the wine. There’s some obvious dry extract here, too, lending a subtly tannic-like grip to the wine. The finish is crisp, lively and very long with mouth-cleansing flavors of ripe citrus fruits, tangy salinity, some fresh pineapple, a little bit of nutty oak spice, light steely mineral notes, a sweet hint of white peach and a smoky touch of reduction.

A beautiful, remarkably fresh and precise effort for a 2018 white Burgundy - most likely the cool micro-climate of the lieu-dit must’ve helped a lot here. The acidity is so much higher than anything I would’ve expected from the vintage, lending so much verve and almost electric energy to the wine. The overall feel is still extremely youthful - although not particularly primary, fortunately - and based on the slightly reductive edge of the wine, this will keep wonderfully for many, many more years. A very impressive effort for the lowly appellation - enormously rewarding already now, but will get so much better if given enough age. Outstanding value at 29,90€. (93 pts.)

  • 2012 Springfield Estate Chardonnay MĂ©thode Ancienne - South Africa, Breede River Valley, Robertson (16.7.2021)
    The MĂ©thode Ancienne here means that the wine is made in the old, Burgundian way: the must is first hyperoxidized i.e. browned, then fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in new 600-liter demi-muids and 2nd use 300-liter puncheons. Aged on the lees for 12 months in the same barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 14% alcohol, 3 g/l residual sugar, 6,1 g/l acidity, pH 3,3 and 16 mg/l free SO2. Tasted blind.

Concentrated neon yellow color with faint lime-green highlights. Big, concentrated and quite sweet-toned nose with lush, fruit-forward aromas of brown banana, honey, some overripe pineapple, light fruit cocktail notes, a little bit of caramel oak spice, a hint of mango and a Beerenauslese-like hint of fruit marmalade. The wine is bold, concentrated and full-bodied on the palate, but also surprisingly fresh and structured at the same time. Intense flavors of ripe pineapple and spicy red apple, some creamy notes of panna cotta, light oaky notes of savory wood spice, a little bit of honeyed richness, tropical hints of mango and brown banana and a touch of vanilla. The overall feel is noticeably ripe, concentrated and sweet-toned, yet the wine retains good sense of balance and structure, all thanks to its high acidity. The finish is ripe, powerful and juicy with a lengthy and surprisingly fresh aftertaste of overripe pineapple and bruised apple, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light tropical notes of mango, a hint of vanilla and a touch of toasty caramel oak.

From the first sniff I thought this wine is definitely not in my wheelhouse, but it managed to surprise me big time on the palate, coming across as remarkably fresh, balanced and precise despite its noticeably ripe and rather oaky overall character. It’s fun, though, how the producer says this “Méthode Ancienne” bottling is made in a very old world style, being markedly different from their other, more “new world” style of wines, but in our blind tasting almost everybody exclaimed that this is wine is all about new world, most likely is Chardonnay, and the only question is “where from”? Although South Africa wasn’t the first guess, it didn’t take us that long to end up there. Nevertheless, I must admit that even though the wine is made in a style that is not really my cup of tea, this is a remarkably well-made, balanced and even quite complex wine. Even if I’m not the biggest fan of the style, I found the wine quite enjoyable for what it is. If you like big, bold and oaky Chardonnays, this is actually a wine definitely worth checking out (and you can add a few points to my score). Drinking really well right now, but most likely will continue to improve for at least a handful of years more, if not longer. Nice! (92 pts.)

Pale straw yellow color. Ripe, lively and juicy nose with aromas of sweet yellow fruits and greengage, hay, some tropical notes, a little bit of pineapple juice, light honeyed tones, a floral or herbal hint reminiscent of Northern RhĂ´ne whites and a touch of petrol. The wine feels broad, full-bodied and quite round on the palate with somewhat off-dry flavors of ripe white peach, some greengage, a little bit of apple jam, light perfumed floral notes, a hint of apricot and a touch of stony minerality. The acidity feels medium-to-moderately high, which is enough to keep the wine well in balance and lend some freshness to the mouthfeel. The finish is ripe, juicy and slightly off-dry with rich flavors of white peach and honey, some floral notes, a little bit of apple jam, light spicy mineral nuances, a hint of greengage and a touch of petrol.

A rich, juicy and quite broad but also very balanced and harmonious wine. Everybody else seemed to be completely lost with this wine, but the aromas brought Alsace to my mind in an instant. There was a hint of petrol in the nose which made me think of Riesling, but as the wine seemed to be fuller in body and sweeter in taste than a typical Alsace Riesling, I took a safe bet and guessed Alsace Pinot Gris, approximately 5 years old. Bullseye with the first shot! The overall style is pure and very balanced, true to the Kreydenweiss style, combining effortlessly the body and richness typical of an Alsatian Pinot Gris with good sense of freshness, balance and modest alcohol. Terrific stuff. Drinking really well right now, but will continue to improve for at least a handful of years more, if not longer. Recommended. (92 pts.)

  • 2017 Pujanza Rioja S. J. Anteportalatina - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (16.7.2021)
    A single-vineyard Viura from Finca San Juan de Anteportalatina, a vineyard planted in 1989 in Laguardia, La Rioja. The wines are first fermented in stainless steel, then moved into 225-liter French oak barriques and 500-liter demi-muids to finish fermentation. Aged for 12 months in barriques and demi-muids. 13% alcohol. Bottle #1184 of total 1810 bottles. Tasted blind.

Pale lemon-yellow color. Sweet, waxy nose with juicy aromas of varnish, ripe yellow apples, some butterscotch, a little bit of cantaloupe, light creamy oak tones and a hint of savory wood spice. The wine is broad, full-bodied and slightly evolved with juicy, nuanced flavors of cantaloupe and fresh golden apple, some nutty tones, a little bit of smoky, toasty character, light creamy notes of oak, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of oatmeal. There seems to be a hint of mineral bitterness, getting slightly boosted by the nuances of woody spice. The medium-to-moderately high acidity keeps the wine somewhat balanced, but the overall feel is nevertheless a bit on the soft and sweetish side. The long finish is ripe and slightly spicy with intense flavors of creamy oak tones, some nutty notes, a little bit of spicy red apple, light fruity nuances of cantaloupe, a tangy hint of saline minerality and a touch of toasty oak spice.

A quite big and ripe but also pretty harmonious and tasty single-vineyard Rioja Blanco. Shows a bit evolution, but is nevertheless on the youthful, vibrant side still, so I could imagine the wine could improve for some years more - if the somewhat modest acidity only permits. Although the wine showed quite obvious oak influence, it wasn’t particularly oaky at any point - the oakier nuances coming across as creamy and vaguely spicy. However, pinpointing this wine to Rioja was still almost impossible, as it really didn’t remind me of any of the styles of Rioja Blanco I know: it wasn’t as complex and oxidative as Heredia’s whites or Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva; it wasn’t a light, mineral and zippy steel-tank aged Viura; and it wasn’t a toasty, modern, boldly oaked Rioja white either. Guesses ranged from South African Chenin Blancs to Portuguese whites, but nobody really thought of Rioja. Catalan whites were probably the closest call. All in all, a good wine, but not perhaps the most representative of the region, slightly lacking in acidity and quite pricey for the style at 55€. (89 pts.)

  • 2018 Yannick Amirault Bourgueil RosĂ© d’Equinoxe - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Bourgueil (16.7.2021)
    100% Cabernet Franc from multiple vineyards. Direct press, fermented spontaneously in oak until fully dry. Aged 6-12 months in used oak barrels. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.

Pale, clear and rather neutral peachy-pink color with a straw-yellow rim. Ripe, sweet-toned nose with aromas of peach, some bruised apple, light nutty notes, a little bit of sweet mirabelle plum, a hint of wax and a touch of marzipan. The wine is broad, balanced and juicy on the palate with a full body and slightly sweet-toned flavors of apricots, some leesy creaminess, a little bit of marzipan, light hints of nutty oak, a hint of strawberry cream and a touch of ripe raspberry. Moderately high in acidity. The finish is dry, slightly evolved and somewhat chewy with ripe and juicy flavors of golden apple, some nutty tones, a little bit of marzipan, light honeyed nuances, a peachy hint of stone fruits and a developed touch of bruised apple.

A rich and juicy rosé that was at first very difficult to even identify as a rosé wine. Shows a bit of evolution, but the wine is still far from being tertiary. Good depth and complexity, but is definitely on the ripe side of things, so the warm vintage seems to show here - this felt even fuller and sweeter-toned than the 2015 vintage I tasted a few years ago. All in all, a pleasant and quite distinctive wine, but isn’t particularly “rosé” in style, nor does it show much (or any) Cabernet Franc character. Good. (88 pts.)

  • 2019 Domaine de Chassorney Volnay 1er Cru Les Lurets - France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru (16.7.2021)
    Pinot Noir from a 40-yo parcel in Volnay. Vinified and bottled completely without SO2. Fermented and macerated in whole bunches for 5-6 weeks in open-top fermentors. Aged for 10 months in oak barrels (1/3 new). 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.

Youthful, moderately translucent and very slightly murky purplish-red color. Very wild, crunchy and lively nose with aromas of ripe cranberries, some smoky reduction and even skunky sulfurous character, a little bit of tart lingonberry, light licorice notes, a fragrant hint of bergamot or orange zest and a touch of floral lift. Overall the nose has a rather natural overall feel to it. The wine is ripe, lively and juicy on the palate with flavors of ripe cranberries and sweet black raspberries, some floral notes of violets, a little bit of sauvage bretty funk, light boysenberry tones, an acetic hint of VA and a touch of reductive smoke. The structure is pretty balanced, thanks to the moderately high acidity and gently grippy medium-minus tannins. The finish is juicy, moderately wild and quite long with vivid flavors of black raspberries and sweet black cherries, some strawberry marmalade notes, a little bit of bretty funk, light balsamic notes of VA, a hint of leather and a touch of tart lingonberry.

An interesting Volnay in the sense that it showed very little if any Burgundian character: the producer is trying to make a wine with minimal input, but the end result is a wine that tastes of the process, not of the place. Although the wine isn’t overtly “natty” or excessively funky, it sits very firmly within the natural wine spectrum, coming across as surprisingly little Burgundian. My first guess was a Jura Poulsard from some of the natural extremists, many other guessed different red varieties from Loire. So there you have it: this wine feels more like a 20€ natural wine from Loire or Jura than a 70€ 1er Cru Volnay. It’s an enjoyable wine - and light years better than any of the Frederic Cossard’s non-Domaine de Chassorney wines I’ve tasted - but I really don’t get what’s the hype. If I buy Burgundy, I want Burgundy, not a natural wine where you can’t even taste the Pinosity. (87 pts.)

Hazy and dark, almost fully opaque maroon color. Sweet, rich and somewhat tertiary nose with subtly oxidative aromas of wizened figs and raisins, some toasty notes of mocha oak, a little bit of cherry marmalade, light soy sauce notes, a hint of beef jerky and a touch of chocolate chips. The wine is ripe, broad and very evolved on the palate with a full body, silky texture and moderately tertiary flavors of raisins and dried dates, some bittersweet dark chocolate, a little bit of juicy black cherry, light toasty notes of savory oak spice, a hint of salty liquorice and a rich touch of balsamic VA. The overall feel is still quite firm and broad-shouldered with the high acidity and still enjoyably grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, complex and moderately grippy with rich, sweet-toned flavors of dried dates and raisins, some oxidative notes of beef jerky and soy sauce, a little bit of cherry marmalade, light toasty notes of mocha oak and a hint of balsamic VA.

One sniff from this wine and I said immediately that this must be from Italy. Another sniff and a small taste, and I added that it doesn’t seem to be from Piedmont, I’d say Tuscany. I guessed 30-yo Super Tuscan, probably from the mid-to-late 1980’s. Not a bullseye, but close enough. All in all, this is a very good effort - especially considering it’s a Merlot aged in new barriques, and I’m not a fan of either. The wine might be a bit too toasty for my wheelhouse, but the flavors have nevertheless melded wonderfully with the tertiary flavors and the overall impression is very harmonious with a still surprisingly firm and muscular structure. I’d say the wine is peaking now - and has been on its peak for some time - but I can imagine this will continue to stay good for at least some years more. Another solid case that Tuscany is surprisingly good terroir for prime Merlot. Great value at 39,80€. (91 pts.)

  • 2018 Olga Raffault Chinon Les BarnabĂ©s - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (16.7.2021)
    100% organically farmed Cabernet Franc. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts and aged in stainless steel tanks. 12,5% alcohol.

Youthful, slightly translucent raspberry red color. Youthful, primary and very slightly reductive nose with aromas of pink peppercorn, ripe boysenberries and black raspberries, some inky tones, a little bit of gunpowder smoke, light notes of blueberries, a hint of fresh blackcurrant and a sweet touch of cooked bell pepper. Very fruity overall impression without any leafy green notes typical of Cab Franc. The wine is youthful, juicy and still quite primary on the palate with a medium body and moderately crunchy flavors of ripe, blueberry-driven forest fruits, some savory notes of meaty umami, a little bit of tart lingonberry, light inky notes, a hint of sweet plummy fruit and a touch of stony minerality. The overall feel is quite smooth and friendly, yet enjoyably bright, firm and balanced, thanks to the moderately high acidity and ripe, textural medium tannins. The youthful primary fruit lends a rather sweet edge to the fruit. The rather long finish is fruity, supple and quite primary with flavors of sweet blueberries and plums, some tart lingonberries, a little bit of fresh and crunchy blackcurrant, light spicy notes of pink peppercorn, a hint of stony minerality and a savory touch of meaty umami.

A tasty, fruity and supple Chinon that carries the mark of a warm vintage in its very fruit-forward taste and acidity that is a bit on the softer side. However, the wine is still wonderfully bright, fresh and balanced as a whole. The overall feel is still noticeably youthful, obvious in both the subtly reductive notes in the nose and the still very primary fruit flavors that lend the wine a somewhat sweet, even slightly marmaladey character. Although this wine is supposed to be the simple early drinker in the Raffault range, I’d say this wine isn’t ready yet, but would benefit noticeably if left to age at least a few years more. This entry-level cuvée isn’t really a vin de garde, so it doesn’t call for many years of aging - just a bit more to lose its baby fat. Enjoyable and promising stuff, excellent value at 12€. (89 pts.)

  • 2007 Alves de Sousa Douro Reserva Pessoal - Portugal, Douro (16.7.2021)
    A blend of +20 different varieties (mainly Tinta Amarela, Touriga Franca, Tinto CĂŁo and Touriga Nacional) from a 80-yo plot within Quinta da Gaivosa vineyard. This is a special Garrafeira version of Quinta da Gaivosa wine, released only from exceptional vintages and only with minimum 7 years of aging. Minuscule production. 14,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.

Dense, fully opaque and still very youthful plummy red color. Ripe, concentrated and moderately sweetish nose with brooding aromas of dark plums and boysenberries, some coffee oak and vanilla, a little bit of Bourbon caramel, light blueberry tones, a floral hint of violets and a spicy touch of woody oak. The wine is dense, ripe and juicy on the palate with a very full body and concentrated flavors of plums and sweet bilberries, some mocha oak, light savory notes of meat, a little bit of boysenberry jam, oaky hints of milk chocolate and vanilla and a developed touch of wizened figs. The overall feel is quite extracted and even somewhat chewy, with an impressive structure to keep the balance in check: the wine is quite moderately high in acidity with ample and still moderately grippy tannins. The ripe finish is bold and very concentrated with some tannic grip and lengthy, extracted flavors of sweet dark fruits and boysenberries, some raisiny tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light toasty notes of caramel and mocha, a sweet hint of dried dates and a perfumed touch of violets.

A big and powerful blockbuster with lots of concentrated, sunny fruit, extraction and oak. The overall feel is impressively balanced for such a huge wine - thanks to its enjoyably tightly-knit structure - but the wine isn’t really up my alley, due to its quite pronounced oak influence. Fortunately the wine is still relatively youthful for its age, and despite its slightly evolved nuances I can see it improving easily for another decade or so. I really hope the oakier nuances integrate better with the fruit - at least there is still good cellaring potential left here. (88 pts.)

  • 2016 Cavallotto Langhe Freisa - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (16.7.2021)
    100% Freisa from the Barolo cru Bricco Boschis. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, macerated with the skins for 3-5 days using submerged cap technique. Aged for 12-15 months in old, 2000 to 3000-liter Slavonian oak bottis. Bottled 15th November, 2017. 14,1% alcohol, 2,2 g/l residual sugar, 6,42 g/l acidity, pH 3,31 and 28,3 g/l total dry extract. Tasted blind.

Somewhat translucent cherry red color with a somewhat plummy hue. Quite ripe and dark-toned but also subtly green nose with aromas of sweet black cherries, some floral notes of roses, a little bit of pickle juice, light boysenberry notes, a savory hint of baked spices and a green touch of raw beet or tilled soil - perhaps a bit of geosmin here? Or reduction? The wine is lively, fresh and medium-bodied on the palate with intense, ripe flavors of tart lingonberries and fresh forest fruits, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of meaty umami, light licorice notes, a subtly vegetal hint of pickle juice and a touch of geosmin. The wine is intensely structured - yet not aggressive - thanks to its high acidity and medium tannins that lend a healthy grip to the gums. The finish is quite long, somewhat grippy and slightly warming with ripe yet savory flavors of dark forest fruits, some licorice, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light savory notes of gamey meat, a floral hint of roses and a subtly vegetal touch of raw beet.

A very nice, firm and tasty Freisa that is still very youthful in character. However, there is a weird, slightly green streak running through the ripe and relatively dark-toned fruit, reminding me of freshly tilled soil or raw, still unwashed beets, making me wonder if the wine has a slightest touch of geosmin? Or if the wine is slightly reductive, resulting in these subtly green off notes? They are fortunately not prominent at all and thus the wine is still fully enjoyable, but they do distract a bit from the pleasure - every sip I take, I just think how I’d enjoy the wine more if it weren’t for these off notes. Pinpointing this wine didn’t take that much time - the bitter notes of sour cherry and moderate tannins took us quite quickly to Piemonte - but nailing the variety correctly took a bit more time. (88 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Thanks for the note on the pycm wine. Sounds like I should keep mine for a while yet! Just fyi, this wine was released at <€19 all inclusive in the UK.

Lol not bad

And yes, definitely no hurries whatsoever with it!

Yeah I also have a case buried in the offsite after I drank the first 6 last year. Thanks for the check in. Sadly I paid $35.

Well, now the average price in W-S is around $60 and one of our go-to shops had the wine for 49,90€ but they’re all out.

So I’d say the wine is still terrific value at $35.

I’d be hopeful for the Alves de Sousa. The 2000 is very harmonious at the moment, with the oak being well integrated.

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