06 Bergström

2006 Bergström, Bergström Vineyard Pinot Noir;
Ruby, berries, rich, but not sweet Pinot, the barrel notes that was a bit too evident a few years back have lost it's grip, morellos and dark chocolate. Fresh acidity, some wood tannins left, but they have the passport ready in they're hand and will soon depart. This is tighter and fresher now than it was, will last further, but will it get more exciting? 90

Wow, 50.000 visitors so far!

50.000 visitors to this page. I'm very surprised, and humbled by this. I just have some views on some wines, writing boring notes, and now so many vistits.... Inspiring.

04 Clape Cornas

2004 August Clape Cornas;
Ruby. Peppery nose with blackberries and plums, fresh feel. Refreshing acidity, ripe tannins, elegant texture and structure, lovely balance, a bit too young now, a very elegant Rhône. 91

06 Armand Rousseau Clos de la Roche

2006 Armand Rousseau Clos de la Roche;
Bright ruby, towards watery rim. What a boring wine! No, I don't mean boring, do I? The nose is closed, the nose is very closed, the palate as well. Closed. Out of business. Redcurrant lemonade at best. What a waste... After 3 hours, something started to happen. Well, the nose still boring to be honest. Redcurrant's mixed with some cassis, and a really tiny bit of leather....tiny bit. But the palate! Lean and angle at this stage, not that intense either. Some floral notes, strawberries, needed four hours, even pepper, spices, violets, like a very elegant Lafite, but much more tender, transparent and secretive. So refreshing, that kick of flavours that I love in Rousseau's, that subdued yet intense feel on the palate, that aftertaste for minutes, that.... I don't know. I just know that I love it. It's long! 95

Madeira of the week 15: 1875 D'Oliveiras Moscatel

1875 D'Oliveiras Moscatel;
A rare grape, hardly been used in wine (only as eating grapes) since 1907 according to Noel Cossart. Almost brown, amber hue. Rich, very mature nose. Feels it's age, grapey aromas, nuts, vanilla, smoke, raisins, sultanas, and a hint of apricots. Also rich palate, on the verge of cloying, but acidity saves it in a playful manner just as one starts to notice the massive feel. More oxidized style than most Madeiras, but I have noticed this on other Moscatel's, maybe caused by less acidity from the grapes? A very rare wine (grape). Long. 94

98 Réserve de la Comtesse

1998 Réserve de la Comtesse;
(2ns Pichon Comtesse de Lalande) Bright ruby, gorgeous and light nose of violets, cassis, leather, cigars, almost perfumed and fleeting, like a summers night breeze, carrying scents from distant shores or gardens. Fresh acidity, ripe and elegant tannins, beautiful balance, always on the light side, good length.88

94 Castillo Ygay

1994 Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay;
Slightly cloudy ruby, broad garnet rim. Cork dry and smouldering to pieces! This bottle has layd still in the same cellar since release. Prunes, leather, figs, some dust behind. Fresh acidity, tannins gone, full body compared to many other bottles I've tried (from many different sorces), but lacks excitement, liveliness and vigour. Almost as old as a 1981 Montecillo two days back. What on earth are you doing at Murrieta these days? The wines are not even close to what they used to be.... 83

03 Lafaurie-Peyraguey

2003 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey;
Golden, apricots, botrytis, quite heavy, peach, honey, vanilla, orange zest. Feels fresher than expected, towards playful, elegant and balanced, sweet but manages to be refreshing. An unusual 03. 92

99 S.A.Prüm WS Auslese Fass 12

1999 S.A.Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Fass 12;
Pale golden. Nose of very ripe apples, apricots and some more indistinguishable fruits. Palate is balanced, but boring. Acidity feels to flat, making the rest feel bland and somewhat boring. 85

1981 Montecillo Grand Reserva

1981 Montecillo Grand Reserva;
Garnet with brick rim. Nose of tobacco, prunes, plums, figs, leather, mature, fruity and fine. Fresh acidity, tannins gone, elegant, nice balance and length, the fruit carries on througout, and the barrels can't be seen. This is the best bottle (of many, and two magnums) I've had of this, over several years. Lovely. 92

08 Smith Haut Lafitte blanc

2008 Château Smith Haut Lafitte blanc;
Golden, some apricots, honey-melon, citrus, vanilla. More subdued than it used to be. Fresh acidity, the crisp lemon freshness and flint seems to be leaving, getting more humble, but I think I liked it more up front. Long. 92

05 Batard-Montrachet

2005 Lequin-Colin Batard-Montrachet;
Premox? Not premox? Is it supposed to taste like this? Towards golden, flat nose of butter and barrels. Lacks acidity, lacks concentration, again barrel notes, feels high in alcohol, slightly burning finish, some buttery texture, to be honest, for a Batard, lacks everything. I've never been a big fan of Lequin-Colin, but this must be the lowest so far, but it might be faulty, it might have that starting premox, striping it of everything fascinating. This bottle.... 75

Madeira of the week 14: Barbeito 30 Yrs

Barbeito 30 years old Malvazia;
Golden, amber hue. Rich nose, complex of dried fruits, nuts and flowers. Fresh acidity, more nuanced and rounded, very intense, layered, complex and long. 92

Madeira of the week 13: 1978 Barbeito Sercial

1978 Barbeito Sercial Frasqueira;
Golden with amber tints. Intense of flowers, some nuts, elegant and layered nose. Fresh and high acidity, leaner, focused, almost sharp, refreshing and long. 91

1993 DRC La Tâche

1993 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche;
Ruby, garnet rim. Maturing nicely, almost citrus minerality, red berries, red currant's. Fresh acidity, ripe, soon at peak it seems, confusing texture, feels lean, and still almost chewy, focused, narrow, long. 93-94

02 DRC La Tâche

2002 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche;
Bright ruby. Tight, and tighter than the 04 one week before. Perfumed, spicy and strawberries. Fresh acidity, mouthwatering, elegant, somewhat hollow mid palate before rushing in for the aftertaste. Fantastic length, needs time. 95

02 DRC Richebourg

2002 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg;
Ruby, tight nose, strawberries, pepper, light of exotic spices. Holds back, and never seemed to open fully. Still seductive nose. Fresh acidity, surprisingly narrow, but manages to fill the mouth with flavours, a bit short. 93 for now.

03 DRC Richebourg

2003 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg;
Ruby, strawberry jam, herbs, perfumed nose. Fresh palate, but bland, easy going, lacks nuance, finesse and complexity, to short. 82

92 DRC RSV

1992 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-St-Vivant;
Ruby with garnet rim. Raspberries, light, lika a ballet dancer tiptoeing over the tongue. Fresh acidity, leaner, lacks something mid palate, then rushes in to quite a nice finish. 90

02 DRC RSV

2002 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-St-Vivant;
Ruby with pink rim, floral, strawberries and perfumed, spicy with air, getting more and more typical. Needed fourty-five minutes to open. Tight palate, fresh acidity, few tannins, long, 91 for now.

03 DRC RSV

2003 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-St-Vivant;
Ruby. Herbs, light nose of red berries, tight. Even after a few hours, tight. Fresh acidity, but feels hollow, lacks the playfullness and nuances, somewhat too short. 88

92 DRC Grands Échézeaux

1992 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands Échézeaux;
Bright ruby, watery rim. Floral, elegant and perfumed, roses, strawberries, a faint hint of spices and vanilla, refined and stunning nose. Towards high acidity, playful, lively, pure, fresh, long and very elegant. 93

05 DRC Échézeaux

2005 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Échézeaux;
Ruby, pink brick rim. Superb nose, strawberries, spices, nose is gorgeous and pure. Slightly riper style, but not as ripe as expected. Fresh acidity, lively and superbly balanced, tannins feels few and ripe, long, young and delicious. 94

04 DRC La Tâche

2004 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche;
Bright ruby. The purity on the nose of this wine is beyond description. Linear, not very complex, not that layered, but intense fruit, focused. Fresh acidity, nothing of the greeness of the vintage, lasting and lasting, extremelly long, minutes. It's Zen garden simplicity, a Miro of a wine. 96