Stefan Dolhain

9.3

2023 vintage. The blends can vary dramatically at this estate. In this vintage it is 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Refined and elegant, with impeccable balance and refined tannins. Another winner from this extremely reliable estate. Incredible value too. Abv. 13%. — a day ago

Stefan Dolhain

8.0

2022 vintage. Château Ordonnat, Graves. Cheap, light "petit Bordeaux". Decent, but unexciting. Abv . 12,5,%. — 2 days ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.0

2024 vintage. Château Cavalier is a Castel family estate. This is just the entry level, but you could only wish that all Provence rosés would be this good. Grapefruit, strawberry and flowers, fresh and mineral. Very dry ( 0,2 g/l residual sugar), while having a round mouthfeel. Very good value. — 4 days ago

Stefan Dolhain

8.8

2016 vintage. Better and more concentrated than the 2015, but still has some rustic edges. Good value, if not very refined. — 12 days ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.0

2022 vintage. The back label sends you to the website of Producta Vignobles, a huge coopérative négociant company, the owners seem to be Marie Guyonnaud et Cyril Frémy. 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Lead pencil and cassis. Medium-bodied, with a pronounced minerality, somewhat hiding the fruit. Good value Saint-Estèphe ( 13 euros in a supermarket ), if a little lean at this stage. Abv. 13,5%. Suffers from the comparison with the 2023 Lilian Ladouys tasted alongside. Better the next day. — 2 days ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.0

2022 vintage. I tasted this 8 months ago, and today it is even better. Another incredible Bordeaux value in a great vintage. 100% Merlot, from the excellent Château de la Dauphine. They don't mention this on their website, so I am not sure how it relates to their other wines. Normally about 10 euros a bottle ( which is a steal), and today I found this delicious organic wine in a local supermarket for 7,95 euro! Hard to beat for that price. Ripe and juicy, uncomplicated pleasure. Abv. 14%. — 3 days ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.0

2022 vintage. Just another good, well-balanced Haut-Médoc in this excellent vintage.Good fruit, ripe tannin, uncomplicated pleasure. Ready to go, but will keep also. Incredibly cheap too, at least over here. Abv. 14%. — 5 days ago

Stefan Dolhain

6.1

2022 vintage. WTF (excuse my French)?? This smells and tastes totally burned, impossible to swallow. The cork says " Brio Diam", I've never heard of this, and it's not mentioned on the Diam website. Disgusting, drying bitter finish. What the hell is this? And the label mentions 2 gold medals ( Lyon and Challenge International du Vin). Awful, I have no words... — 2 days ago

Stefan Dolhain

7.0

2019 vintage. 15 hectares in the South of the Saint- Émilion appellation. 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc planted. No oak ageing, 9 months in tanks before bottling. Lauriane Bouladou is the fourth generation and I hope she will turn things around. Dumped in a supermarket for 6,50 euro, and unfortunately for good reason. Transparent red with orange rim. Discreet nose with sour cherries and a bit of strawberry. Seriously diluted, quaffable at best (but that's unfortunately not good enough, so down the drain it will go, as a wine professional, you have to be picky). Not up to standard for such a famous appellation, there are tons of nice Bordeaux wines in more humble appellations that outperform this. Abv. 13%. — 3 days ago

Stefan Dolhain

8.9

2021 vintage. A good value blend from 8 grape varieties ( Barbera, Freisa, Bonarda, Dolcetto, Albarossa, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah), made by the huge Piemontese Dezzani estate (1000 hectares). Uncomplicated,soft, fruity wine, with a little sweetness. Abv. 13,5%. — 11 days ago