The brilliance of Deiss 😊

 

https://cluboenologique.com/story/wine-photographer-of-the-year-2026-shortlist/

Jean-Michel Deiss Foot-Treading his Pinot Noir in Bergheim, Alsace



Please, oh lord, let him be wearing a speedo or something under there! 😲

2007 Produttori del Barbaresco Ovello Riserva

 This showed just flat out elegant and delicious. Probably the most refined Ovello I've ever had... lighter in color, clear ruby translucence in the glass.. a joy to drink.... still good to cellar for another few years but I think it's at peak now. I love these wines. 

2004 Calera Pinot Noir Jensen Vineyard (Mt. Harlan)

 Interesting,  but a ponderous (not uplifting fruit) finish for this particular bottle... glad I had a chance to try it... pretty good paired with BBQ sandwich and greens... 

It's just not elegant, really... 

2021 and 2022 Terlano Vorberg Riserva

 I suppose I discovered Vorberg Riserva through @"Mark Scudiery" and @"Ian D'Agata" .

The 2021 is beautiful now. Seriously. Pop one. 

The 2022 is leaner and more acidic, not as full and round.

I enjoy fuller and rounder pinot bianco. 

I'm also a fan of what Marcel Deiss does in Alsace with pinot bianco as part of his field blend wines. Big fan. 

So Krankl does truly inspired white blends,  but they're not field blends I don't think and not motivated to look that up at this moment. But I'd like to know. 

2018 Dragonette Cellars Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard (Sta. Rita Hills)

 Popped and decanted to get some air. Unfolded graciously, but clearly young.... structured red fruit, suave tannins and a tight savoriness that loosens up over a few hours that, to me, speaks of some whole cluster inclusion. This my first experience with this Santa Barbara producer. Two thumbs up. Enjoyed with chicken and sausage jambalaya. 

Sonoma Coast GC vs Corton GC

 

Enjoyed the 2009 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard alongside the 2010 Michel Mallard Corton Le Rognet Grand Cru. Aubert was double decanted back into bottle.... some very fine sediment.... really a wow wine.... haven't had one in ages. Mallard was slow-o'd in bottle for a couple of hours. Both wines paired deliciously with Creole BBQ grilled oysters, grilled octopus and charcoal grilled whole branzino. 
I was focused on the Aubert until I tasted the Corton Le Rognet and was riveted to how on point it was.... a beautifully elegant showing. In reality, I've never had a pinot noir from the Hill of Corton that was ready. This was my first encounter with Le Rognet Grand Cru, and oh boy is it good stuff. My favorite of any of the Corton GC reds. Lengthy savory finish... surprisingly approachable for a 2010 ....

We've got a 2010 Michel Mallard Corton Maréchaudes waiting in the wings to compare to the 2010 Corton Le Rognet! Will report back 👍🍷
The 2010 Corton Le Rognet was crazily approachable! I've never had anything like it from Corton before!

I found a bit of background info on Maréchaudes... look forward to trying it... ...

"...The name "Maréchaudes" is derived from the name of a vineyard mentioned in the 13th century as "En Mareschaut", which comes from the Old French "maresche" (marshland). The lower part of Aloxe-Corton was indeed marshy due to its proximity to the source of the Lauve river. Major work was undertaken to drain the soil to make it suitable for viticulture..."

I found some notes on a 2010 Michel Mallard Aloxe-Corton La Toppe Au Vert 1er Cru we enjoyed about a year ago that showed well, with Maréchaudes being located just next door to La Toppe... indeed,  upon closer examination of the maps, a small corner of La Toppe Au Vert may be classed as Grand Cru, with the rest being 1er Cru...

http://lestastevinsdulac.blogspot.com/2025/03/2010-domaine-michel-mallard-aloxe.html

Based on comments by @"Neal Martin", Mallard uses anywhere from 60% to 80% whole cluster in his Grand Cru wines and up to 50% bunches for the 1er Cru wines. 

Barolo and Barbaresco

 2004 Paitin Barbaresco Sorì Paitin

Slow o'd for several hours before dinner.  This bottle showed extremely well ... perhaps exhibiting a bit more refinement than a bottle we enjoyed a couple of weeks ago. Make no mistake, this wine is a fruit forward mouthful of delicious dark berry framed by tannins softened by age. I could forsee delicious tertiary development over the next twenty years. Always a delight to drink one of these wines from any vintage. Paired nicely with blackened catfish filet served over grits and covered with a shrimp and spicy andouille sausage étouffée.

2012 Pecchenino Barolo Bussia
Drinking deliciously now.... a mid-weight wine exhibiting delightfully balanced character with mouthwatering acidity framing the fruit. I think this will age elegantly. Historically,  a producer more known for their Dogliani, they've cracked the code with decent Barolo as well. 

2005 Martinelli Pinot Noir Blue Slide Ridge Vineyard

 Couldn't resist opening my last of these .... what a bottle and what a wine! 👍🍷

2018 Castellare Chianti Classico

 95% Sangioveto, 5% Canaiolo

If I remember correctly,  I swear this was reviewed as a "don't miss it" wine and that opinion is spot on based on this bottle. 
Double decant... no sediment... really a beautiful little wine and a screaming value, especially nowadays... drank superbly with prosciutto and goat cheese pizza... yum! 🍕🍷

2018 Melville Pinot Noir Sandy's Block

 

Semi-awkward young phase. But you can taste the whole cluster pedigree.... slightly distracting jauntiness on the palate when first poured.... it will likely settle down (or just wait five years) ... the savoriness and sappy-ness are reminiscent of a Vosne-Romanee Les Beaux Monts .. I don't drink a lot of Santa Barbara Pinot Noir anymore, so this is quite fascinating...

Although the soils in Les Beaux Monts are shallow, stony, red-brown clay-limestone, often featuring iron-rich clay and chert nodules (chailles) in contrast to the sandy loam soils of Sandy’s Block.

this gets exponentially more elegant after a couple of hours of air in situ .. the savory notes get yummy...

Producer notes:
"... The Sandy’s block is named in honor of Ron Melville’s sister and was deliberately planted on the extremely sandy northwest section of our east vineyard. This block also contains clonal material representative of our new era of plantings and includes selections from Calera (Clone 90) and clones 37, 459 and 114. These four selections, when planted on sand, produce wildly intense and pretty aromatics with a very ethereal and harmonic palate impression. 50% of the fruit was gently de-stemmed, with 50% remaining as whole clusters, and was fermented in small 1.5 ton open top fermenters. Total skin and stem contact averaged 30 days (7-day cold soak, 2+ weeks of fermentation and 1+ week extended maceration). After spending 8 hours in the basket press, the wine was transferred directly to neutral barrels where it remained sur lie without disturbance and with no sulfur ..."

2016 Čotar Metodo Classico Crna

 Producer notes from @"Eric Guido"

"....Čotar is located just over the Italian border in Slovenia in an area known as Kras, which is actually an extension of Friuli’s Carso district, a region that is well known for its production of Refosco. However, here in Kras, Refosco takes on the name Terrano, a variety that father-son team Branko and Vajsa Čotar excel with...."

100% Terrano (Refosco)

Based on the label, it appears the disgorgement may have occurred in 2022.

Only a slight effervescence on the palate. Bone dry. Excellent minerality. Shockingly purple yet fairly deft in the mouth. A food wine with the stoniness.  Paired with grilled shrimp and filet mignon, creamed spinach and sautéed shrooms...

I'm looking forward to trying the 2013 Čotar Crna still red wine. 
This is really my first experience, I think, with Slovenian wine...

Interesting!

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Additional note courtesy Michele Gargani:

Terrano and Refosco are not synonymous or interchangeable. Refosco refers to a family of grapes, often called "refoschi", so it's important to specify which one you're discussing. These aren't just different clones or biotypes; they're distinct varieties altogether, much like Cabernet Franc is separate from Cabernet Sauvignon, and the wines they produce can be quite different. When people mention Refosco, they generally mean Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, which is more prevalent in the Colli Orientali. Within the broader Refosco world, there are also minor varieties like Refosco di Faedis and Refoscone, but remember, these are entirely different grapes. In fact, there's no Terrano in the Colli Orientali, and very little Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso in the Carso (Kras)

2009 Burgundy and 2009 Barolo

 2009 Jadot Beaune Clos des Ursules

This bottle is in a lovely spot for enjoying now. Attractive perfume... delicious balance of classically styled fruit and acidity that is just right. Will continue to develop favorably. This was decanted for aeration for about 90 minutes, then poured back into bottle. No sediment to speak of. 

2009 Brovia Barolo
Importer's notes:
"...Brovia’s formidable Barolo "Brovia" epitomizes their classically built yet elegant house style and expresses the full breadth of their enviable holdings. While its composition varies slightly each year depending on yields, it always comprises the following sources: (1) From their holdings in Castiglione Falletto, Brovia produces but one single cask of each cru-designated wine per vintage, directing any extra volume into the Barolo "Brovia." Accounting for 20-30% of the wine's final blend, this spillover comes from vines exceeding 50 years of age in the crus of Rocche di Castiglione, Villero, and Garblet Sue. (2) 70-80% of the Barolo "Brovia" comes from holdings in Serralunga d’Alba, primarily in the cru of Brea with smaller amounts (beginning in 2020) in Gianetto, an east-facing cru which is a natural extension of Brea and yields a wine of similar character. These vines are 20 to 30 years of age on average, the oldest parcels of Brea being used for the single-cru bottling. The Barolo "Brovia" undergoes spontaneous fermentation in a variety of vessels—cement, open-top wood, and stainless steel—and is raised 24 to 30 months in oak botti between 30 and 100 hectoliters in capacity. Afterward, the wine is assembled in a combination of steel and wood for an additional year, being bottled no sooner than 40 months after harvest. This aging process, which is longer than that of the crus (aged solely in 30- to 40-hectoliter casks and bottled after 30 months), allows for a wine slightly more open-knit upon release by design..."
This bottle showed beautifully. It was slow-o'd for several hours and opened wonderfully over dinner being poured from bottle. 

A word about drinking these wines side by side. My early favorite was the Burgundy. Over the course of several hours, I gravitated more to the Barolo, with the main reason being the lengthy,  very tasty and complex finish. In the end, I even preferred the Barolo with my main course of grilled branzino over the Burgundy... go figure.  I'm not taking anything away from the Burgundy.... it was indeed one of the most elegant 2009 vintage Cote de Beaune wines I've had recently.  I suspect that additional cellar time for the Burgundy will be favorable for tertiary development and increasing complexity on the finish.

These wines were enjoyed at a pre-show dinner for Railroad Earth, which is one of those bands that's best appreciated at a live performance. A joyous concert. 

2005 Martinelli Pinot Noir Blue Slide Ridge Vineyard

 This turned out to be quite delicious after several hours of air in decanter first to deal with the heavy amount of sediment (typical of this bottling in this time period) and then back into bottle to transport to restaurant. I admit that the abv is scary for a pinot noir but whatever Helen Turley was doing back then at Martinelli, it worked, well especially with regard to age-ability of the wine. I tend to enjoy these wines also from a nostalgic perspective. 

Still, of the 2001 - 2005 vintages of Martinelli BSR, the 2005 is the standout for sheer beauty if not balance. 

2007 Mastroberardino Taurasi Riserva Radici

 In a beautiful stage of fulfillment of the pedigree... the richness of the 2007 vintage fruit has aged enough now to permit the wine to show more elegantly with that signature "Taurasi garrique" that is so savory in the 2006 Radici Riserva bottling, so you now get some of that in the 2007.

This is so nicely balanced and will continue to age very gracefully,  IMO. Superb depth and complexity on a long filigreed finish. 

Paired with smoked local pork shoulder, pork ribs, collards and roasted Brussels sprouts, hushpuppies ...

The less than welcome news is that the 2006 Radici Riserva and 2007 Radici Riserva have both shot up in price by 100% and 120% , respectively., on the secondary market. So make what you will of that. 

2019 Falkenstein Krettnacher Eucharuisberg Riesling Kabinett Alte Reben AP8 "Gisela"

 This wine knows what it is compared to the  2019 Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese feinherb we had recently (which was way too young and temperamental).

It's also a very rich Kabinett-level wine, if you like that... superior aging potential... balanced fruit and acidity...

Alte Reben cuvee is dependable year in and year out... I suppose "Gisela" is a specific barrel (?). Albeit, this appears to be a particularly rich vintage, based on my admittedly limited, but very very enjoyable experience with Erich and Johannes Weber's wines courtesy of introduction through @"Marius Fries"...

The fruit here exhibits a very noble tropical finsh after being open a few hours that I think is primed for further cellaring...

17th February follow up notes..

Enjoying the rest of this bottle on Feb 17th, a full siz days under vacuum seal chilled in a wine friIdge... wow! remarkable, clearly beautifully managed in the vineyard ... ... piquant, FULL fruit... so tasty with impressive depth and finish... quite more lush than earlier vintages.... I love the purity of fruit but miss the elegance...

2019 Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese feinherb

 Much more drinkable than a year ago. Still young. It's like the richer and drier components of this wine are fighting each other and the richer side is strong enough to win... this is really not an elegant feinherb like previous vintages I've had (2017 and 2015)... definitely a hold just to enjoy the aging of the fruit, which is really on the lush side...side...a bit of an ill-defined tango with tangerine beating up on peach...

Frankly I like the elegance of previous years and I enjoyed them young because they were so drinkable...

2021 I Custodi delle Vigna dell'Etna Etna Bianco Ante

 100% Carricante 

Nice finish to the evening listening to music. This needs a lot of air. I find Carricante as a varietal to be a bit fleshier than I would expect from a white wine produced from volcanic soils (?) ... but I'll leave it to people with more experience with these wines than me. Lemony goodness with a Sicilian saltiness on the finish... this is a well made wine IMO that will definitely gain additional complexity...

2009 Produttori del Barbaresco Muncagota Riserva

 This is the best 2009 PdB Cru I've had since drinking the 2009 PdB Montestefano in April 2018. This is a good bottle that went the distance tonight being the most food friendly (mainly seafood) of the reds. I've had tastier experiences with the 2008 PdB Crus ... but this '09 is spot on with plenty of go left in the tank based on consumption over several hours.. 👍🍷

2019 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Clos du Bourg

Ideally, hold another five years. The perfume is notably the most beautiful I've experienced from this producer & cru. Read the reviews from Galloni and Reinhardt, they're spot on. Seriously good juice.

Paired with creole BBQ roasted oysters and grilled whole branzino..

Chile, Lebanon and Italy

 

2017 Clos Apalta 20th Anniversary 
48% Carménère, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot
Decanted for aeration..... minimal sediment... a joy to drink since my experience with high end Chilean is limited.... so well balanced as all great wines are ... beautiful blend of varietals.... 

2007 Mastroberadino Taurasi Naturalis Historia
100% Aglianico
A perennial favorite... rich vintage ... aged beautifully...such a classically delicious Taurasi... sourced from the Mirabella vineyard that was planted in 1972.

2001 Chateau Musar Rouge
Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsault
Sort of a cult wine I always love to drink.  This bottle showed well and exhibits a classic savoriness to the medium weight earthy dark fruit palate. 

Paired well with the aforementioned pit-smoked meats... pork butt, pork ribs, beef brisket, turkey... accompanied by collard greens, grilled brussels sprouts and hush puppies.


 

2005 Martinelli Pinot Noir Blue Slide Ridge Vineyard

Spectacular from the get-go, opening up nicely over the course of several hours. Gorgeous perfume spilled forth on opening the bottle .... decanting helped to remove sediment (there was a lot). 

Parker originally commented years ago on this particular 2005 BSR being "Richebourg-like". The fruit is very generous... it's not a shy wine but is balanced for +15% abv. Really long beautiful fruit finish... no heat. 

Paired wonderfully with a range of pit-smoked meats... pork butt, pork ribs, beef brisket, turkey... with collard greens and brussels sprouts and hush puppies.
As good of an aged pinot noir as I've had from anywhere recently ...

2006 Chateau La Croix St. George

 This was a nice surprise because I rarely get to drink Pomerol. I really enjoyed this wine a lot... nicely aged right bank Merlot...actually a pretty big wine fruit and tannin-wise, balanced by a mouthwatering level of acidity... popped and poured and decanted... showed best after a couple of hours or air... interesting to drink a 2006 Barolo and 2006 Pomerol in the same night... paired simply with gouda and some cashew/macadamia mix...post dinner...

2006 Pio Cesare Ornato

 Devilishly tasty from the beginning after 5 hours slow ox reflecting classic, elegant structure.. bright fruit supported by fine filigreed tannins....

....likely one of the more approachable 2006 Barolo's I've had recently... showing best five hours later at the end of the evening.... certainly one of the better Ornato's I've had...

....paired interestingly with blackened catfish filet over locally milled grits served draped with a delicious shrimp étouffée served hot and piping... sort of a variation on low country shrimp and grits but with a blackened catfish filet added...

Getting back to the wine... really delicious... 👍👍👍👍🍷

2009 Côte de Beaune

 

2009 Faiveley Pommard Les Rugiens

2009 Domaine R & P Bouley Volnay Champans

Honestly, if these had been served blind,  I would have mixed up these wines. 

The Les Rugiens was more approachable (but had been slow o'd for hours). The Champans was splash decanted and aerated only an hour. 

The early favorite was the Les Rugiens but the Champans became more attractive as the dinner progressed showing a bit more food friendly acidity...

2018 Pingus Flor de Pingus

 If you hang around with Ken over at Seaboy, you never know what he'll pour!.... 

The truism of a great wine is balance and beautiful fruit, especially in Ribera Del Duero...
This is a young wine that is showing beautifully today.

...and certainly is a reflection of Peter Sisseck's leadership...

....

Producer notes...
All of the estate vineyards are certified organic, and this is pure Tinta del País, the local strain of Tempranillo, from 40 hectares in five different locations (parajes) of the village of La Horra where the Pingus vineyards are also located. It fermented with natural yeasts and also natural malolactic and matured for 18 months in French oak barrels, 25% new.

I suppose one of the big differences is French oak used in Ribera del Duero vs American oak in Rioja?

2017 Vega Sicilia Oremus Tokaji Aszu 3 Puttonyos

 

I don't indulge much in Tokakji dessert wines (Furmint) so this was a treat! Paired with carrot cake a la Joan Dressler..

I wasn't aware that Vega Sicilia has a presence in Hungary...

Producer notes..
"...The production of Aszú wine (teardrop wine) is a meticulous process only possible in exceptional vintages and under particular conditions which promote the development of "Botrytis cinerea" (noble rot). For hundreds of years it has been made in the same manner, adding to a "Gönc" barrel (136 litres) of must, 3 panniers (puttonyos) of 25 kg of noble Aszú berries. Aszú berries are macerated until swollen and later gently pressed. Fermentation takes place in new Hungarian oak barrels; a slow process which can take up to four weeks. The ageing process is completed in 136 and 200 litre barrels for 2 years and bottled for an additional year...."

2006 Monforte d'Alba and 2006 Castiglione Falletto

2006 Elio Grasso Barolo Gavarini Chiniera (Ginestra)
More approachable than the Enrico VI... very tasty...this went right away... 


2006 Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo Enrico VI (Villero)
Young... but showed better after vacuum seal and trying again a few days later ... I must admit having a weakness for this wine in vintages 1996, 1997, 1998... much richer wines...

2014 Produttori del Barbaresco Pora Riserva

 Opened this to preview it for a match with smoked pork butt tomorrow. Yummy stuff. Super vibrant up front fruit with delightfully finessed supportive tannins. Pora is first in the recommended drinking order for 2014 vintage from Signore Vacca. If you're on the @"Philippe Richer" drinking preference age-wise with Cru Barbaresco,  then hold for another 5 years... it's got plenty of gas in the tank. 🍷👍 

Not a crime to open one now. ..




Consumed using the Riedel Veloce Pinot Noir/Nebbiolo stem, which is essentially a more elegant version of the Riedel Extreme Pinot Noir glass (the durable workhorse standard for Piemonte Nebbiolo) . 

------

17th January 2026

Just a follow up....

Several days later under vacuum seal .... this has actually closed down slightly compared to initial uncorking...so, this is an easy hold on the drink/hold spectrum... I'm inclined to pop a 2016 PdB Pora in the coming months just to compare...

The 2014 really isn't giving as much as I would've liked after being open, which indicates it is a quite classical wine that needs maybe 20 years in the bottle to hit peak...which bears out @"Philippe Richer" 's classical palate taste.

Although, TBH, my references are 2008 and 2001 PdB crus, which seem to have a more elegant fruit foundation that's prettier (?)...

.............

A full four days later,  there's a sturdy (semi-tertiary) fruitburst that hints at the aging potential... 

NV Egly-Ouriet Brut Blanc de Noirs Les Crayeres Grand Cru

 

 (deg July 2020, 72 months on the lees)

Wow! Finally, I drink one of these bottles at peak and it's a beauty. I would drink up by the recommended date from the AG review. It's just in a superb zone now as far as palate and aromatics. I have drank these too early. Fortunately, this one is prime time. The whole mirabelle plum thing is spot on as a descriptor. Really one of the most unique bottles of Champagne that I've had in a while. As @"Don Vogt" mentioned,  thanks to @"Marius Fries" for turning us onto Egly-Ouriet. As I recall, Marius makes an annual visit to the winery to pick up his allocation. 

Paired with a creole oysters at Seaboy that reminded of the ones at Commander's Palace and whole charcoal grilled branzino.