Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

One of the good bottles, and a beautiful reminder of why old Alto Piemonte is magic. Gorgeous mature nose of moss, seaweed, red roses, desiccated cherry, loam, chestnut, dried leaves and bark, with that old Nebbiolo road-tar thing hovering underneath. Palate still has real charge and life, with surprisingly youthful fruit, juicy cherry on the finish, and big 1989 structure, but the tannins are integrated and carrying the wine beautifully. Not refined like great Barolo or Barbaresco, but soulful, wild, alive, and deeply compelling. With air, the wine is getting more integrated and more beautiful. The nose has moved into that old Nebbiolo caramelized/seared register, with the desiccated cherry, roses, loam, moss, bark and chestnut now feeling deeper and more fused. The palate is gaining finesse, but this is not polished or refined in a Barolo/Barbaresco way. It is old Alto Piemonte: high-acid 1989 structure, big but integrated tannins, gorgeous fruit, and that wild, soulful mountain Nebbiolo charge still running through it. Still 9.4, maybe nudging higher if it keeps knitting together. — a day ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

Stunning. Confectionary peach and apricot, tiny petrol note, then saline sea-breeze complexity, almost like the greatest swimming pool in the world. Palate is dry, juicy, concentrated, energetic, with terrific tension and outrageous inner-mouth aromas. Fruit is youthening up as it opens. 9.4 to 9.5 overnight. Much more finesse. — 4 days ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

Terrific sparkling wine and probably the best non-French sparkling wine I have had. Beautiful Pinot Noir character, fine fruit, excellent balance, and real depth. The mousse could be a little finer, especially coming directly off a run of elite Champagne, but that is a very high-class problem. As the wine opened, the purity and precision became more apparent. Outstanding sparkling wine, even if the Swiss tax prevents it from quite reaching the level of the very best Champagnes — 6 days ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

Such a serious Scheuerbe. Gorgeous nose. Wild herbs, sweet lime, sage, blackcurrants. High toned and so wild. Aromas in neon lights. Palate is slamming. Concentrated, elegant and densely structured but oh so nimble and super pure. Unreal class and finesse. So stunning and what a finish. Savory and alive. Cannot wait to see what air does. — a day ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.6

Insane wine. Dried cherry, spice, road tar, dried roses and that haunting alpine Nebbiolo perfume that only Arpepe seems able to deliver. The palate is nimble, precise and unbelievably balanced. Yes, there is tannin, but Arpepe processes tannin through its own lens. Everything feels refined, transparent and perfectly proportioned. The architecture is stunning. There is a slight stretch on the back end right now, but the underlying balance and purity are undeniable. Already 9.6 and just getting started. — 4 days ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.9

One of the great Pinot Noirs I have had in recent years. Massively reduced for the first twenty minutes, then blossomed like a stop-motion flower. High-toned red fruit, flowers, spice, and extraordinary precision, but what separates it is the balance. Patrick Adank walks right to the edge with acidity, low alcohol, and fruit restraint, yet never loses harmony. The wine gained detail, depth, and beauty with every minute in the glass. A wine for decades, not years. 9.9–10.0. I need another day with it before I decide which. — 6 days ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.2

Delicious, bright, tangy, very red-fruited Alto Piemonte wine with that stainless-steel Nebbiolo energy I love when it’s done well. The Nebbiolo is clearly the lead voice, fresh and high-toned, while the supporting grapes just do their job, adding a little darker tannin and grip underneath. Not elegant, and not trying to be, but full of class, freshness, bite, and table-wine pleasure. Perfect with pork chops, leeks, shallots, and wild mushrooms. — 2 days ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.8

Stunningly beautiful wine. Supernatural balance, complete in every direction, glides across the palate with not a hair out of place. So much finesse, so much elegance, and that aristocratic class only the greatest Spätlesen in the world have. In a totally different league. — 3 days ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

Stunning. Nose is white peach, white cherries, apricot juice, caramel and more. So clean. So elegant. Palate is teeming with energy and sapidity. Juicy, rich and super clean. Terrific compact quality and dry foie gras like finish. Superb. Really juicy and dense. Intense and so engaging. Almost 9.5. — 5 days ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.8

Completely absurd. For the first two hours, this was more about Switzerland than Chardonnay, a tight mineral coil of acidity, precision, alpine energy, and unbelievable finesse. Only later did the Chardonnay character emerge, broadening into something that felt almost like a mountain-grown Montrachet. The balance is extraordinary, standing on the cliff edge between tension and opulence without ever falling. A profound wine that rewards patience. — 6 days ago