Tb monthly 50 Wines tasting/ Burgundy: Domaine Ponsot – Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru 2019. A strikingly expressive Chapelle-Chambertin, the 2019 from Domaine Ponsot shows both depth and finesse in equal measure. Aromas of dark cherry, black raspberry, and plum are layered with rose petal, exotic spice, and subtle earthy notes. The palate is expansive and seamless, with ripe fruit concentration, silky yet persistent tannins, and vibrant acidity that brings lift and balance. The finish is long, resonant, and gently mineral.

Drinking Window: 2028–2055+

Score: 97 points

DRC tasting with some real rarities like 1945 La Tâche: This is a legendary vintage for DRC, Burgundy and the world, and this bottle delivered more freshness than its previous two counterparts. There were lots of red cranberry fruits and citrus smack to its nose. I wondered whether it was possibly reconditioned at some point, as it had that edge to it. There was a subtle, smoky edge to it and great minerality, but it had a hint of ‘simpler’ to it despite the freshness. It got creamier and fleshier in the glass, becoming lip-smacking. It opened up quite nicely in the glass (96). 

Just what the Doctor ordered – inside the top vineyard - The Doctor vineyard only covers around 3.22 hectares and has an average slope of around 70 per cent and, in accordance with the German Wine Act of 1971, is exceptionally allowed to bear a vineyard designation, even though it does not meet the minimum size requirement of five hectares. The soil, which is heavily influenced by blue and grey slate, lies at an average of 160 meters above sea level and directly above the small town of Bernkastel-Kues. The vineyard faces south-southwest. In the past, there have been several attempts to expand it. The last attempt to integrate the ‘Graben’ and “Badstube” sites into the Doctor was made in 1973. However, the following 15-year legal battle led to the restoration of the status quo ante, as ‘the adjacent sites do not have the quality of the Doctor’.

Another long Tb tasting day/ Sine Qua Non – Grenache Distenta IV 2022

A powerful yet hauntingly refined Grenache, the 2022 Distenta IV from Sine Qua Non combines intensity with remarkable precision. Aromas of ripe raspberry, wild strawberry, red cherry, and pomegranate are layered with rose petal, exotic spice, and subtle herbal notes. The palate is rich and expansive, yet lifted by vibrant acidity and framed by silky, fine-grained tannins. The finish is long, complex, and resonant, with both energy and depth.

Tb's Monthly Riesling tasting: Weingut Robert Weil – Kiedrich Gräfenberg Riesling Trocken GG 2023

A classic, finely sculpted Gräfenberg, powerful yet poised, combining depth, precision, and unmistakable Rheingau elegance. The nose is beautifully layered, revealing white peach, ripe pear, and yellow apple, lifted by notes of lemon zest, lime blossom, and chamomile. Beneath the fruit lies a distinct mineral core of crushed slate, wet stone, and subtle smoky notes, reflecting the steep, historic Gräfenberg slope.

On the palate, the wine is taut, linear, and impressively concentrated, offering flavors of stone fruit, citrus oil, and grapefruit pith carried by a firm spine of saline minerality. The texture is dense yet refined, with a fine phenolic grip that adds structure without weight. Vibrant, perfectly integrated acidity drives the wine forward, giving it energy, lift, and exceptional length.

As it opens, nuances of white pepper, fresh herbs, and flint emerge, adding complexity and depth. The finish is long, precise, and mineral-driven, echoing with citrus freshness, stone fruit purity, and a lingering stony salinity.

A superb Kiedrich Gräfenberg GG , serious, elegant, and terroir-expressive, built to evolve beautifully over 25–35 years. 97 points

Henschke Hill of Grace 2021 /Medium deep crimson. Expressive raspberry, blackberry, cassis, hint elderberry/violet/ sage aromas with mocha, marzipan notes. Elegant yet powerful, dense but buoyant palate with ample blackberry pastille, blackcurrant, raspberry fruits, fine supple/ grainy tannins, lovely mid palate volume/ richness and superbly balanced grilled almond, roasted chestnut notes. Finishes claret firm with a featherweight plume of bittersweet tannins. A beguiling and lasting landmark Hill of Grace vintage with wonderful definition, vinosity and torque."

Penfolds Collection 2025 with perfect Grange: The expectations for the 2021 Grange, were simply that this had to be a great Grange. Anything short of that might even be deemed a failure and this is indeed an extraordinary Grange. Quite simply, a wow wine. As always, a variety of regions contributed – the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley. As is usual, though not inevitable, there is a dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, 6% for 2021, and the wine spent a year and a half maturing in new American hogsheads. No wonder Peter Gago’s response was a face-splitting smile and to confirm he was “very, very pleased”. 

Maroon/black in hue, one simply gets lost in the nose, just endlessly sniffing the most glorious cassis notes, along with black fruits, blueberries, coffee beans, aniseed, mulberries, delicatessen meats, tobacco leaves, plums and graphite. The wine is seamless, intense and immaculate with knife-edge balance. It simply dances with joy. There oak is there, undeniably, but it is so well handled that you almost have to think twice. So complex already, and yet so harmonious and decadent. Silky tannins, bright acidity, the intensity never wavers for an instant and there is incredible length – Rutherglen muscat length. This is as close to a perfect Grange as I can imagine. Fifty years, if you think you can last that long (or want very grateful grandkids). A Lord-take-me-now wine, if ever there was one. 100.

BWW2025 tasting Day III

Dom Ruinart Rosé 1988 / “Onionskin-hued cherry red colour. Really powerful toast, spice, meat, and gunflint nose that comes with a charming coffee and cream note. A wild one. Ripe and massive, yet vibrant and super silky. Impressive in 75cl bottle and out-of-this-world in magnum. ”

Brunello di Montalcino vintage 2020 Part II / Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli 2020

CANALICCHIO DI SOPRA. Vineyard Filari Lunghi, soils predominantly of Galestro, an imposing wine,intense and juicy. Pomegranate on the nose, hints of chinotto, touches of

eucalyptus and wild iris. The drink has a citrus and balsamic appeal, with red

fruits and balsamic notes. Great length. 98+

BWW2025 Day III Red Wines: Harlan Estate 2021/

A wine of precision, grandeur, and quiet power. The 2021 Harlan Estate opens with an exquisitely layered bouquet — blackcurrant, wild blueberry, graphite, violets, and warm crushed stone, all delivered with a cool, elegant restraint that speaks to the vintage. With air, hints of cedar, cocoa nib, tobacco leaf, and a subtle minty lift weave themselves into the aromatic tapestry.

On the palate, the wine is silky yet commanding, perfectly balanced between richness and tension. The fruit is pure and vibrant, framed by ultra-fine tannins that feel both weightless and architectural. Notes of black cherry, cassis, blueberry compote, and ripe plum glide through the mid-palate, supported by undertones of smoked herbs, pencil shavings, dark chocolate, and sweet earth.

The structure is remarkable: precision acidity, seamless integration, and a sense of inner energy that propels the wine forward. The finish is exceptionally long, echoing with dark fruit, crushed rock minerality, and a lingering violet perfume. 98 points

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey 1929 / An absolutely sensational bottle—youthful, highly elegant, and perfectly balanced between acidity and sweetness. Delicate, slightly salty caramel, malt, dried figs, and molasses weave together in a masterpiece of flavor. Simply brilliant—off the charts! 20+ points