5/16/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

12.5% ABV. Filled very to shoulder, cork intact. Medium garnet core, orange towards the rim. Dark fruit, plum, leather, tobacco, some cedar, sous-bois, some milk chocolate, light espresso, spices, and light balsamic notes, with medium-level acidity, fine tannin, and very good length. Medium-bodied, and smoothly textured. I initially though the wine had reached the end of its drinking window, but it fleshed out with aeration and showed best after three hours in a small decanter. Still, I would drink now and over the next three to five years, with careful aeration.

5/15/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Filled bottom neck, cork soaked. Medium yellow gold. Quince, nectarine, peach pit, dried herbs, honey, nuts, almond, and intense stony and slate-like minerality, with high-pitched acidity, pleasant bitterness on the finish, and good persistence. Full, waxy texture. Benefited from moderate aeration. Very fresh, and still going strong. I kept going back to the bottle. Consistent on day two. Impressive! Drink now.

5/14/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

13.8% ABV. Dark ruby colour. Black currant, cherry, bitter chocolate, light leather, light tobacco, spices, a hint of mint, and balsamic notes, with good acidity, chocolaty tannin, and very good length of the lightly cocoa-bitter finish. Medium- to full-bodied, smoothly textured, and incredibly balanced. The wine kept developing as time passed and started to show best after three hours of aeration. The balance really stood out. A great Cabernet that drinks well. Still, you can get an equally satisfying experience with a good Pauillac at half the price.

5/13/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Half-bottle. 14% ABV. Decanted for three hours in the morning, poured over dinner, and the wine was still tightly wound but continued to open up slowly as time passed. Dark ruby colour. Black currant, blackberry, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, boysenberry, herbaceous notes, chocolate, cocoa, espresso, nuts, spices, and underlying mineral notes, with good acidity, firm, well-integrated tannin, and superb length. More high-class chocolate, cocoa, espresso, and tobacco with further breathing. Medium-bodied, with a creamy texture, great concentration and great complexity. Tightly wound, but already quite impressive after extended aeration. Still, not ready yet. Tremendous potential. Hold. 95(+)

5/13/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Half-bottle. 14.5% ABV. Decanted for three hours in a small decanter. Dark ruby colour, some sediment. Dark fruit, black currant, dark cherry, some vegetal notes, milk chocolate, some cedar, some tobacco, and spices, with medium-level acidity, ripe, well-integrated tannin, and very good length. Good concentration. Benefited from extended aeration, and only started to show best after about four hours. Worked well with food, in my case Angus beef Tagliata. Should age well over the medium to long term. Drink (with extended aeration), or hold.

5/12/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

From magnum, with my parents-in-law. Light yellow gold. Pear, melon, leesy notes, and subtle oak spice, with good, medium-level acidity, a touch of residual sugar, and very good length. Medium-bodied and well-balanced, with a lightly creamy texture. Very food-friendly. Paired well with sushi. In a good place.

5/12/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

100 months on the lees before it was disgorged in April 2022. Medium straw golden colour. Mixed berries, apple, ripe citrus, almond, bread crust, light smoke, and underlying minerality, with fresh acidity an very good persistence. Good concentration and freshness. Pleasant light bitterness on the finish. Intense autolysis character. The mousse is smooth if still a little aggressive (but tames with aeration). Overall, a very respectable sparkling wine that should continue to develop and drink well for eight to ten years.

5/11/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Medium yellow gold. Pear, white peach, melon, almond, and well-integrated oak, with fresh, medium-level acidity and very good length. Medium-bodied and well balanced, with a lightly creamy texture. Much more accessible than six months ago. Drink or hold.

5/11/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

A blend of the 2020 and 2021 vintages, supposedly. Screw cap. 13.5% ABV. Ripe gooseberry, tropical notes, guava, papaya, nuts, and light oak spice. Medium-bodied, with a creamy texture, and very good persistence. Good balance and concentration. The acidity is toned down by the extended lees contact and well-integrate oak, but still provides freshness. A very good SB!

5/9/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Bottle in perfect condition, filled into the neck, cork only half soaked. 12.5% ABV. Medium brick-ish colour, some sediment. Crunchy red fruit, fresh and dried cherry, blueberry, earth, some chocolate, and spices, with good acidity, fully resolved tannin, and very good length. Medium-bodied, balanced, and smooth, with good fruit, good concentration, and great freshness. Shows best in small glasses, in our case Riedel Sommeliers Riesling Grand Cru glasses. In a good place, and I would drink now, but the wine is not going down anytime soon either in case you hold.

5/9/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Bottle in very good condition, filled into the neck, cork intact. Medium garnet colour. Classic profile of cherry, earth, some chocolate, some tobacco, some coffee, and spices, with good acidity, well-integrated tannin, and very good length. Medium-bodied, with average to good concentration, and average depth. Lightly drying from day two. Solid, and holding up well, but nothing to write home about. Drink now, and over the next six to eight years.

5/8/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

8% ABV. Amber gold. Lemon, apricot, lemon peel, orange peel, Earl Grey tea, honey, toffee, caramel, beeswax, honey, earth, and more Earl Grey tea, and more earth, with good acidity, and very good length of the lightly smoky finish. Light botrytis character. Oily texture. Earthier than most. This may sound awkward, but the earthiness is quite intriguing. Very caramelly after being open for a week. Drink or hold.

5/8/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Crown cap. 12.5% ABV. Deep yellow gold. Ripe apple, apricot, ripe citrus, beeswax, and signs of bottle age are joined by spice notes on the finish, with good acidity that is balance by some residual sugar. Medium-bodied, with great concentration, a smooth texture, and good length. In a good place. Drink now. VGV.

5/7/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

A blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. 12.5% ABV. Bottle and cork in pristine condition. The wine was very tight upon opening, so I chose to decant for three hours in the morning, and poured the wine over dinner. Dark garnet colour. Red and dark fruit, red cherry, blackberry, black currant, tobacco, some chocolate, some coffee, graphite, spices, light smoke, and pebbly minerality, with good, fresh acidity, mostly resolved tannin, and superb length. Medium-bodied, with a smooth, creamy texture. Well balanced and very harmonious. A great Bordeaux! Drink now with extended aeration and enjoy, or hold for ten years.

5/6/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Half-bottle. Decanted for three hours, and still reserved. Good concentration, with creamy oak, a smooth texture, and great persistence. Well-structured. Classic St. Julien in the hiding. Built to last. Will try to find more!

5/5/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Screw cap. 13% ABV. Decanted for two hours. Medium-bodied and loosely structured. The wine is sweet and savory, well balanced, and very smooth, with well integrated oak, and highly drinkable. It just lacks the structure to age. Drink now and enjoy!

5/5/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

The wine showed extremely well in a tasting a few months ago and I was unable to resist the temptation of opening one of my bottles. Screw cap. 13% ABV. Medium ruby colour. Good red and dark fruit, cherry, forest notes, espresso, and intense spice, with medium-level acidity, well-integrated tannin, and very good length. Medium-bodied, with a creamy texture, and well-integrated oak. Riedel Sommelier Burgundy and Riedel Winewings Burgundy glasses worked well, better than the Zalto Denk‘Art Burgundy glasses which emphasized the tannin. The wine kept improving as time passed, developed an intriguing combination of sweet, spicy and savory notes, and became balanced and harmonious after about two hours of aeration. Drink or hold.

5/4/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Grand Siècle Iteration 26 is a blend of the 2012 (65%), 2008 (25%), and 2007 (10%) vintages. Light yellow gold. White flowers, fresh citrus, green apple, tobacco, bitter almond, biscuit, pastry, brioche, and chalk are joined by light smoke on the finish, with high, fresh acidity, and great persistence. The high-class mousse is ultra-fine. Elegant, smooth, and very long. Keeps developing as time passes. A beautiful champagne! Still young and tight, with great potential, yet enjoyable already. 93(++)

5/2/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Decanted for two hours in the morning, poured over dinner. The filling-level of the bottle was very top shoulder, the mushroomy cork was mostly soaked, with some seepage. Medium brick colour, some sediment. Dried red fruit, dried black fruit, strawberry, earth, tobacco, gamy notes, spices, balsamic notes, and ethereal notes, with good acidity, mostly resolved tannin, and impressive length of the balsamic and ethereal finish. A notable amount of VA. Some old age sweetness. Well balanced (if you are not sensitive to VA), with great intensity. Even more integrated on day two. Quite intriguing. Drink now and enjoy! But then, the wine will keep for decades and would sell for sky-high prices in 10 and in 20 years, so what‘s the call?

5/1/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Medium gold. Apple, citrus, floral notes, fudge, almond paste, bread crust, brioche, some smoke, and flinty and stony minerality, with good acidity and great persistence. Smoothly textured and very harmonious, with good concentration. Pleasant light bitterness on the finish. In a great place! Drink now.

4/30/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Good dark and red fruit, dark cherry, leafy black currant, some bell pepper, vegetal notes, chocolate, espresso, tobacco, intense spice notes, smoke, and mint, with medium-level acidity, mostly resolved and well-integrated tannin, and good length. Medium-bodied, with a lightly creamy texture, average concentration, and good balance. A little rustic on the finish, but somewhat intriguing overall. Very South African! And full of character. In a good place. I suggest drinking now and over the next four or five years.

4/30/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

The back label of this wine says "Drink now or keep for up to three years from vintage". Hartenberg should have more faith in the quality of their wines! Youthful-looking bright medium yellow. Lemon, ripe grapefruit, apple, quince, tropical notes, toast, oak spice, and light smoke, with good acidity, and very good length. Medium- to full-bodied, with good concentration and complexity, a lightly creamy texture, and very good persistence. Equally good on day two. Very youthful. Drink now, and for at least another five years.

4/30/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

A blend of the 2021 and 2022 vintages, the 2021 spent 16 months, on the lees, the 2022 6 months, no oak. Screw cap. 13.5% ABV. Light lemon colour. Ripe gooseberry, tropical notes, nuts, and yeasty notes, with smooth, medium-plus acidity, and average to good length. Medium-bodied and well-balanced. Food-friendly. Good value. Would buy again.

4/29/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Popped & poured, consumed over a period of two days. Dark and red fruit, red currant, ripe blackberry, dark plum, leafy black currant, herbaceous notes, chocolate, espresso, tobacco, coconut, spices, vanilla, and bitter oak, with medium-level acidity, well-integrated tannin, and good length of the espresso-infused, oak-bitter finish. Consistent on day two. Medium-bodied, ripe, and loosely structured, with average fruit concentration but generous oak. Too much oak for my liking. I would usually recommend holding for six to eight years to give the wine time to better integrate the oak, but in this case, I am not convinced that the limited fruit concentration would support the approach.

4/28/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

12.5% ABV. Decanted for three hours in the afternoon, poured over dinner. Medium garnet colour. Good fruit. Red currant, red cherry, blueberry, blackberry, black currant, iron, chlorine, and some smoke, with good acidity, well-integrated tannin, and very good length. Good concentration. Still young, and a little rustic and not quite in sync yet, but enjoyable already, and very promising. I would hold for three years. 92+

4/28/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Burggarten‘s Spätburgunder wines typically show notable oak, and too much for my liking, and the 2020 Sonnenberg is no different. Still, in the 2020 Sonnenberg the oak and fruit are better balanced than in most of Burggarten‘s other 2020 Spätburgunder bottlings:

13.5% ABV. Medium ruby colour. Good, ripe red and dark berry fruit, cherry, spices, and chocolaty oak, with medium-level acidity, a creamy texture, and good length. A little simple, but well balanced. Even more integrated and harmonious on day two. Drink now with aeration, and over the next seven or eight years.

4/27/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Disgorged in July 2021. Pale straw golden colour. Lime, green apple, nuts, almond, some marzipan, toast, brioche, and salty minerality, with great, fresh acidity, and very good length. Pleasant light Aspirin-like bitterness on the finish. Light- to medium-bodied and well-balanced. Good, but still tight, only unfolding slowly. I would hold.

4/25/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Bottle and cork in good condition. Medium amber golden colour. Apple, apricot, wild honey, beeswax, light sous-bois, light spice, light black tea, and a mineral aspect, with good, fresh acidity, a touch of sweetness, and good length. Pleasant light bitterness on the finish. Medium-bodied, with a smooth, waxy texture. Pairs well with food; in our case it became very smooth, honeyed and harmonious in combination with white asparagus and sauce hollandaise. Drink now.

4/24/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Bottle in perfect condition, filled into the neck, cork intact. I poured the wine into a small decanter and followed its development for about four hours. Medium garnet colour, light orange towards the rim, some sediment. The wine was tight upon opening, but opened up with aeration and showed best after about 90 minutes in the small decanter: Red fruit, red cherry, mixed berries, blood, gamy notes, spices, tobacco, balsamic notes, light tea, and some VA, with fresh acidity, round, well-integrated tannin, and very good length. Medium-bodied, smooth, balanced, and harmonious, with good energy and good concentration. Fresher, tighter, more structured than the sweet, broad inviting 2000. After two hours, the wine started to develop a more mature, even smoother, very integrated profile. A glass I kept for day two was consistent with my last glass on day one. Drink or hold.

4/23/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Decanted for three hours in the morning, poured over dinner. Red fruit, blueberry, cherry, rose petal, truffle, tar, earth, iodine, marzipan, spices, and balsamic notes, with good acidity, partly resolved tannin, and great length of the balsamic and ethereal finish. Some VA. Good complexity, and great intensity. Ripe, and lightly alcoholic, but still makes you take sip after sip. Will not improve from here, but will not fall apart anytime soon either. Drink or hold.

4/22/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Crown cap. Medium yellow gold. Apricot, ripe apple, ripe citrus, orange marmalade, honey, spice, earth/sous-bois, chamomile, and signs of bottle age are joined by stony and lightly salty minerality on the finish, with a few grams of residual sugar, good, medium-plus acidity, and good length. Querbach did not produce the cleanest crop in 2006 as it seems, and some botrytis is evident. While not the purest and cleanest Riesling, the resulting wine is very drinkable nonetheless. The medium-bodied wine lacked focus and seems tired at first, but pulled itself together and became smoothly textured and harmonious after half an hour. Drink now.

4/21/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Crusted bottle. Decanted for one hour. Dark ruby colour. Jammy dark fruit, dark cherry, blueberry, blackberry, dark chocolate, espresso, pastille, herbal notes, spices, black tea, and a hint of mint, with medium-level acidity, ripe, well-integrated tannin, and very good length. Medium-bodied, and tightly wound, with good complexity and great concentration. The alcohol is warming and out of balance, and the wine still is holding back, but it holds promise. Drink or hold. 90(+)

4/20/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Popped and poured. Medium garnet colour. Good red fruit, red cherry, blueberry, roses, iron, tar, black tea, and spices, with fresh acidity, round, firm, tannin, and good length. Medium-bodied and well balanced. Even more floral on day two. A beautiful Nebbiolo! Drink young.

4/19/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

On a Lufthansa BC Flight from Singapore to Frankfurt. Light to medium yellow golden colour. Tropical notes, pineapple, oranges, toast, light smoke, and oak spices, with medium-level acidity and average length. Lightly bitter finish. Medium-bodied, with average concentration and complexity. Solid, but really not much to talk about.

4/19/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

At Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge, Changi Airport, Singapore. No formal notes. Light straw golden colour. Apple and lemon notes, some almond, light biscuit, light nuts, and light brioche. Feels broad and a little sugary, suggesting a warmer, weaker base vintage and generous dosage. Crowd-pleasing, but not memorable. I have had better bottles in the past.

4/18/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Poured at our office opening in Singapore. No formal notes. Medium garnet colour. Red and black fruit, leather, tobacco, espresso, some chocolate, autumn leaves, vegetal and herbaceous notes, and spices, with medium-plus acidity and very good length. The tannin is round and fine if dry and lightly chewy, and the acidity is slightly pronounced, making the wine feel just a little angular. But it drinks quite well overall. Drink now.

4/18/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Poured at our office opening in Singapore. No formal notes. Bright light lemon. Apple, citrus, and well integrated oak. Medium-bodied, with good concentration, great acidity, and very good length. Good. Still young. Drink or hold.

4/18/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Poured at our office opening in Singapore. No formal notes. Medium-bodied. Very nutty, in a very positive way. Becomes smoothly textured and very balanced after breathing and warming up in the glass for a few minutes. Very good. I need to find some.

4/17/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Team dinner at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore. A single bottle I ordered from the club's wine list towards the end of the evening (S$130). No formal notes. Popped & poured, served lightly chilled. I was concerned that the wine might not show well since the Musars typically need a lot of aeration, but this bottle drank well right from the start. Very gamy, with great fruit, notable old-age sweetness, round tannin, and very good length. A great wine to finish an enjoyable evening with the team.

4/17/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Team dinner at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore. A single bottle brought by a colleague. No formal notes. Popped & poured, I let the wine sit in the glass for a few minutes. Medium to dark ruby colour. Red and dark fruit, black currant, dark cherry, blackberry, leafy notes, light chocolate, earth, graphite, spices, and gravelly minerality, with good acidity, plenty of polished, dry but not drying tannin, and impressive length. Medium-bodied, well-structured, and well balanced, and very true to its place. Very Margaux! A beautiful wine. Still young.

4/17/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Team dinner at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore. Two bottles brought by a colleague. No formal notes. Brief decant. Medium ruby colour. Good black and some red fruit, cherry, smoke, and spice, with medium-level acidity, well integrated tannin, and superb length. Good structure, impressive quality of tannin, and great persistence. The wine drinks well already, but is still holding back and driven by its structure. Should age very well.

4/16/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

At the Fairmont Hotel, Singapore. 500ml bottle. 13.5% ABV. Dark fruit, dark cherry, Jaffa orange/chocolate cake, cocoa, coconut, and spices, with medium-level acidity, ripe, well-integrated tannin, and good length. The medium-bodied wine was well-balanced, with average concentration, and drank well. Very good value.

4/15/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

On a Lufthansa BC flight from Frankfurt to Singapore. Dark ruby colour. Ripe dark and some red berry fruit, ripe blackberry, ripe strawberry, ripe black cherry, plum, light vegetal notes, earth, some chocolate, and spices, with medium-level acidity, round tannin, and good to very good length. Medium-bodied, ripe and round. Good, sweet and fruity attack, a little thinner in the middle and on the end. The sweet fruit is kept in check by the light dryness of the tannin that lend some grip. Easy to like. Drink now.

4/15/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

At Lufthansa Senator Lounge, Frankfurt Airport. Brighter, less reductive than the 2020 in its youth. Orchard fruit, apple, light citrus, light biscuit, and some toast, with medium-level acidity and average length of the broad, lightly sugary finish. Loosely structured, with limited complexity, but the medium-fine mousse if quite soft, and overall the Saphir 2021 is easy to drink. Drink now.

4/14/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Decanted for two hours in the afternoon, poured over dinner. 13% ABV. Medium to dark garnet red. Violets, red and dark fruit, cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant, plum, red pepper, earth, light chocolate, light espresso, and spices, with medium-level acidity, and good length of the woody finish. Medium-bodied and light on its feet, only the woodiness and the light roughness of the tannin are off at this point. I would allow the wine another three years in the cellar to better digest the oak and further soften the tannin, and then drink it over the medium-term. 89(+)(?)

4/13/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

15% ABV. Evolved looking medium to dark garnet/brown colour. Ripe red and dark fruit, ripe red cherry, ripe strawberry, ripe raspberry, prune, bitter cocoa, and oak spice, with medium-level acidity, dry but round tannin, and very good length. Ripe and oaky, with notable oak bitterness. Then pruny and raisiny after extended aeration, literally falling apart. Stylistically, this is a relic of yesteryear‘s St. Émilions. Not a fan.

4/12/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

First bottle of a new case. 13.5% ABV. Ripe yellow fruit, ripe peach, tropical notes, guava, grapefruit, orange peel, nuts, oak spice, a light smoky firestone note, green tea, ethereal notes, and salty minerality, with good, medium-level acidity, and very good length. Full-bodied, with a full, smooth, oily texture, and well-integrated oak. Good concentration and intensity. The high-class texture stands out. Even better on day two. This impressive Chenin Blanc has entered into its prime drinking window. Drink now, and over the next five or six years.

4/11/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Bought on auction recently. Bottle filled top shoulder, cork completely soaked, some seepage. Medium garnet colour. Ripe red and blue fruit, dill, earth, tobacco, cocoa, complex spice notes, balsamic notes, and mint, with medium-level acidity, mostly resolved tannin, and good length. Medium-bodied, with a creamy texture, and a minty finish. Mature, yet still a little rustic, with a metallic aftertaste. Did not win me over. Drink now.

4/10/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Bottle in perfect condition, cork pristine. Decanted for three hours. Medium garnet colour, very little sediment. Cherry, black currant, plum, cedar, tobacco, light coffee, light chocolate, spices, graphite, gravelly minerality, and a high-end balsamic vinegar note after further breathing, with fresh acidity, well-integrated tannin, and great persistence. Medium-bodied, balanced, and fresh, with impressive structure. Still firm and restrained, reminding me of many Bordeaux of the 1995 vintage. Holds a lot of promise, but for now the value for money is off. I would love to try this again in ten years! 92(++)

4/9/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Disgorged in January 2022. Light lemon colour. Citrus, green apple, lime, grapefruit, peach, light berry notes, bergamot, almond, light bread crust, intense chalky minerality, and light smoke, with high, fresh acidity, fine mousse, and great persistence. There is a light vanilla apple tart aspect that caught me off guard. Pleasant bitterness on the finish. Clean, mineral, and very fresh. Benefited from aeration. Still young.