Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Welcome to Pebble Beach Food & Wine 2025.

2012 in Bordeaux is a great memory as Sofia & I had a great 5 year anniversary trip to Italy where we were married, ending in Bordeaux. Picking Mouton Merlot for a day, lunch with the Baroness, having steak and sipping 82 Mouton. Pinch me is what I said to Sofia.

Saint Julien is the elegant region on the Left Bank. While 2012 was an ok to good vintage it will always be packed with great memories.

Branaire-Ducru in grand vintages is still a great value. Always elegant with this kind of bottle age and more.

Hour decant starting notes.

Tonight smooth, ripe, round, juicy; brambly blackberries/black raspberries, dark cherries, cherries, black plum, some strawberries, raspberries with blueberry tones. Dry tobacco with ash, leather, spice box with some heat, lightly grilled meats, volcanics, moist clay, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, light vanillin, mid berry cola, dark chocolate bar, forest floor with leaves, sandalwood, steeped black tea, bay leaf, dry thyme, mocha powder, dry caramel, crush, dry rock/limestone, dry river stone, bright red flowers mixed with dark withering flowers, nice round acidity and a balanced, smartly tensioned, elegant finish that lasts 90 seconds & lands on herbs & earth. — a month ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.6

Stunning nose. Huge apricot and peach. Love the fruit driven aspect of the aromas here. But beyond that is the most unreal and clean minerals. Pear juice as well. So inviting. Some honey and cantelope as well. A very well rounded nose. Palate is gorgeous. So elegant, round and ripe. Amazingly clean. Love these 12.5% trockens! Juicy as juicy can be and nice, serene and caressing acidity. Great depth and concentration but oh so nimble, sappy and pure. Lovely finish that has all the apricot and sweet peaches one desires. Stunning wine. So balanced and perfect. Amazing complexity and so accessible. As Paradies always is. Mineral drive of a finish with lovely piquant citrus and amazing, engaging fruit. So good.

As this airs the minerality and structure come out more. As does the finesse. What a finish. The density yet how nimble. So pure. — 3 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.1

Brooding and inky as can be on the nose—it channels my cat’s perturbed-at-any-noise ears. But it has earth and red cherries. The palate is bright and brilliant, and the tannins are medium plus but so silky you’d hardly notice them. Except you do. The acid and alcohol are bracing, with more florals coming through, tempering all the brash leather and earth notes with a touch of femininity. You can drink it alone, but it desires food and the nearby purr/bark/whatever-noise-spders-make sound of your pet. — a year ago

k

9.5

Rich dark fruit with smooth tannic full body. — 3 years ago

Walter Klincewicz

9.0

Apparently this particular vintage rates better than any other of this wine...well, this one is affordable and can match any desires. — 4 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

Love this cuvee. Darker nose than the Les Vergelesses. Tree bark, moss, mid season cherries. Huge minerals. Almost a limestone feeling. Wild apples. Wet earth. Savory. Sweet. Feral and wild. Just stunning. Even some black cherry after some air. Just awesome. Big huge red and black cherry fruit. Lovely electric almost Rieslingesque limestone minerality. Explosive and deep with awesome purity and earthy sweetness. Terrific delineation of flavor and so much material yet so light and delicate even. Only in Burgundy. Super complex and ripe and big tannins suggest even more aging if one desires. — 6 years ago

Severn Goodwin

9.1

2018 | Red Blend
(85% Nebbiolo & 15% Uva Rara)
Podere Ai Valloni; Gratus
Piedmont (Alto); Colline Novaresi, Italy

Desires 1.5-2H decant to smooth out rough, young cherry notes, then delicious. Mild tannins diminish. — 2 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.4

Absolutely brilliant! Over and over Dehu’s Meunière proves that it desires to be my house pour. The nose of almost tropical fruit nearly took my head…sweet, pure, complex. Then the acidity sweeps the palate with a brush of brioche, sweet straw, and a hint of ripe green stem. Long, lingering finish. As the wine opens and warms, it eases it way. I’m a huge fan! — 2 years ago

Benjamin Cadmus

9.2

Wonderful wine with dark cherry, leather and current. 1990 year. There’s another bottle If someone desires and wants to purchase it. 😊 — 5 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.0

For some reason I had been craving this for weeks so today I had to satisfy my desires. Chalky, lots of minerality, and a slight synthetic nuance 🤔 Good nonetheless. — 6 years ago

with Krystal