This was epic! — 3 years ago
A dense Ruby in colour with a tawny rim starting to develop. A lot happening with the aromatics - black and red berries with minerals, earth, bacon, and dried meat. On the palate - rich and wonderfully balanced in this hot vintage. Medium + intensity, medium minus tannins. After some time notes of high quality kid leather and mild tarry notes. One of the reasons I chose to drink this wine was because of a conversation I had with the importer Ramon of Negociants at the recent Burgundy dinner. He was talking about Brett problems with some Rhone wines from hot vintages. When I said I had a La Mouline from 2003 he suggested I sell it. After 100 points from Parker and 18.5+ from Jancis I was never going to do that. I can report this had not a hint of Brett. This had the fluid tannin structure of a mature Hill of Grace. In summary I loved the restraint, balance and quality of this fine French Syrah given the vintage conditions. Shows great vineyard management and judicious picking decisions were made. — 4 years ago
The 2019 Lynch Bages is every bit as magnificent from bottle as it was from barrel, if not moreso. What a wine! Towering and vertical in its bearing, the 2019 is a total stunner. There is plenty of Lynch Bages charm, but what distinguishes the 2019 most is its spine of tannin and energy. Time in the glass brings out sweet red cherry, plum, blood orange and pomegranate and mint. The 2019 is a great, great, great Lynch Bages. It reminds me of the epic 1989, but with the youthful grip of this vintage. A towering Pauillac, the 2019 Lynch Bages will make a great addition to any cellar. (Antonio Galloi, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago
Served double-blind as a sort of epilogue to an already epic night. This was served alongside another red wine that was also presented double-blind. Immediately, I called this Southern Rhone and the other wine, Sangiovese from Toscano (it ended up being a 2012 Biondi Santi Riserva). This presented a bright ruby color in the glass with a transparent core. This wine…had an OMG nose. The kind of aromatics that could end all wars and bring a century of peace to all mankind. It’s both powerful and elegant. Both ripe and fresh. An androgynous wine that represents both masculine and feminine with a grace that would make Prince or David Bowie envious. Gorgeously layered red and dark fruits, exotic spices, licorice and garrigue wrapped in the most beautifully textured package imaginable. It reminded me of something similar a previous experience; like Fonsalette…but this was different, there was more here. When you taste this, everything becomes clear. You look at everyone at the table differently; for what you have more in common instead of what makes us different. An experience akin to an Odesza show on MDMA. It’s that profound and then you are forever changed. You wake up the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that and weeks go by and your worldview is different. You see love in everything. And then it was revealed to be a 2010 Chateau Rayas. *Insert expletive*. A magnificent wine. An epiphany and, as far as I’m concerned, perfect. This is not merely a great Chateauneuf du Pape. This transcends the appellation. It should be its own AOC. Drink now or whenever you’re reading this note. — 2 years ago
A genius Klingelberger. What a nose. So floral. Flower shop levels. Little shop of insane dry Riesling. Gorgeous Mosel like fruit. Smells ripe and sweet but also bone dry. Green apples. Pear. Apricot. So vivid and detailed. Just wonderful. Lime blossom, sweet lime. Endless aromas. Fresh field level 10. But also rock quarry. Staggering young Klingelberger aromas. Palate is epic like a Norwegian Viking documentary epic. Dense, structured, deep man is this deep with just stunning purity and freshness. So vivid and so detailed. This is god level balance. So long. Never ends. The purity of this wine is just incredible. Amazing finesse and elegance and screamingly mineral and very very complex on the finish. This is a staggering young Klingelberger. 9.7. Yup. Just genius. Amazing concentration and depth. Really I can’t get over how good this is. — 5 years ago
Jason Gelman
absolutely epic. crown jewel of an unbelievable dinner and wine pairing at rekondo in san sebastián. — 2 months ago