Recommended by sake guy at Hasr Wine shop. Clearly passionate about the subject and said best all around choice for Omesaki dinner at BYOB Morios. 50% polished rice and indeed had smoothness and complex long finish not experienced in my limited tasting of sake. Finished all 720 ml and glad Willie had no trouble driving. $55. On palate it's got a nutty yet creamy texture with layers. Can see what this is about. But inability to take sniff from small sake cup gives me pause on what he claimed to be superiority over wine. — 6 years ago
720 mL. Narutotai, not Harushika. — 12 years ago
Nose has partially oxidized red apple peel, lightly buttered & toasted brioche, moist limestone gravel and day old lemon zest.
Palate has red apple, lemon, dried cherry, lemon pith, (light) dried strawberry with a rich and long finish. Oak aging is not obtuse, but subdued and complimentary. What a great bottle, still young with years ahead!
Dosage 3.6G/L | Bottled 31 March 2014 | Bottle No. 720/1004
100% Pinot Meunier | 100% Damery fruit | 100% Oak-aged (Damery sourced oak)
(I believe this version to be mostly 2013 vintage harvest.) — 6 years ago
Nice Pinot, well balanced between earth and fruit. Notes of leather and tobacco. — 9 years ago
Wish I could tell you that I tasted the TBA, but silly me (and CW) decided we'd wait until we've tasted all the drier wines before moving on to this... then poof! None left. Sigh. Heard that it's amazing though and the hammer price seems to indicate so - 1020€ 0.375L, 2750€ 0.75L, and 18000€ 1.5L. Insane!
As for the GG, that I did taste. Again, take my notes with a grain of salt given how brief the occasion was. Very fruit driven, ranging from yellow stone fruits to exotic fruits, both on the nose and palate. Nose is beautifully touched by herbal notes. Noticeable sweetness on the palate. Excellent acidity, but I felt the finish was somewhat muted by a touch of warmth in the finish. Needs time to bring more balance. I thought it was a good GG, but trumped by the 18' ADL that it was tasted with on both occasions. 200€ 0.75L
NB: The usual suspects (at least for me) delivered the best dry rieslings at the Nahe VDP auctions. Some brief notes and in order of my favourites:
1) Emrich-Schonleber 18' Auf der Lay: My wine of the auction. Such a beautiful nose - Stone fruits, citrus, just the right amount of greenness (fresh cut herbs and grass), and a real chalky feel. The palate is just so saline, intense, deep, and balanced. Amazing drive. Almost as good as the 17'! 270€ 1.5L and 720€ 3.0L
2) Philipp Kuhn 18' Philippsbrunnen: Wow wow! Surprise of this auction. Precise, elegant, juicy, and so mineral. The nose is airy and cool. Multi-layered palate with sufficient extract. Gentle power comes to mind with this wine. I absolutely adored it and definitely one of the best buys this auction. 105€ 0.75L
3) Keller 18' Pettenthal: What can I say? The terroir is just so strong (taste any producer producing Pettenthal and you'll know) and KP does a great job at turning up the dial to 150%! Admittedly, the doesn't have the electricity of the 17' :( 800€ 0.75L
4) Wagner-Stempel 18' EMT: Better than the 17' I feel, but definitely still on the austere side. Some noticeable phenolics on the palate, but the density and depth is just plain impressive. Excellent value if you ask me. 100€ 0.75L
Lastly, something needs to said about the Wittmann La Borne and Battenfeld-Spanier Zellertal Kreuzberg - I don't get why people are paying so much for these wines (270€ and 210€ respectively). — 6 years ago


720 Casa produced — 11 years ago
DAL 9000
Bouquet of strawberry and watermelon. Taste the same. Tart finish. — 5 years ago