Bond, The Name Is Bond

I was invited by Divine to a extraordinary tasting of wines from Bond. Max Kast from the estate conducted the tasting with humour, flair and knowledge.

All the cru´s from 2019 had some characteristics in common - perfectly ripe Cabernet Sauvignon fruit, perfectly polished tannins, a suave character and a lovely balance. Below I have written down their individual traits, as I saw them.

2019 Melbury, Bond

Melbury is a 2,8 ha large vineyard which was planted in 1989. The nose shows of notes of cigar smoke and moist earth. A bit more "common people" than the rest.

The taste is generous albeit silky and pure with notes of plums and tobacco. Lovely. 6+ years.

94p   (tasted 2023/04)

2019 Quella, Bond

The warmest of the cru´s with an area of 3.5 ha. Lots of dark flowers on the nose alongside minerals, iron and fir wood. Very, very deep.

The taste is racy and refined with the same dark flowers as on the nose. Stunning. 8+ years.

96p   (tasted 2023/04)

2019 St. Eden, Bond

4,3 ha, pure volcanic rock that shows of the nose with that smoky, volcanic scent. Some fresh herbs. 

The taste is very tight with notes of dark coffee, sun warm cement and damsons. Looong. 10+ years.

96p   (tasted 2023/04)

2019 Vecina, Bond

My favourite in the line up. From a 4,3 ha large, east facing vineyard. A restrained, aristocratic nose with notes of black olives, minerals and violets.

The taste is, for the exception of maturity, perfect. Every knot and bolt are in the perfect place. 8+ years away from perfection.

98p   (tasted 2023/04)

2019 Pluribus, Bond

The most backward on the cru´s. The most intense with the most tannins and structure. Lots of chrushed rocks, minerals and violets. Will require 12+ years in the cellar. Impressive.

97p   (tasted 2023/04)

2014 St. Eden, Bond

We were then privileged to get the opportunity to taste two bottles with some age. The 2014 St. Eden offers up a bottomless deep nose with notes of plums, tapenade, moist earth, wet stone and perfectly ripe black currants. Just stunning.

The taste is still tight and with some broad tannins but the velvety fruit offers a glimpse of maturity. Gorgeous notes of ripe black currants, cold coffee, minerals and plums. Elegance and power. 4+ years.

97p   (tasted 2023/04)

2011 Quella, Bond

I always know that I am in the presence of greatness when I start to write profanity in my tasting book. These kind of wines are hard to describe. Some other scribblings are violets en masse, dried herbs, dried plums, tiles and smoke. The balance is perfect, the maturity is spot on and the lenght is counted in minutes. Almost perfect. Wish I had some...

99p   (tasted 2023/04)

Great vegetarian dish at Rutabaga

2021 Dolcetto d´Alba, Bruno Giacosa

2021 Dolcetto d´Alba, Bruno Giacosa

The nose is young and seedy with notes of iron, bakelite, violets and a fine blueberry fruit. Some plums comes forward with air. Very, very good.

The taste is tight and focused with silky tannins, a good grip and notes of plums, rowan berries and tobacco. A very fine mouthfeel. Needs time, 6+ years.

90p   (tasted 2023/04)

1990 Barolo, Salvano

1990 Barolo, Salvano

Needed some time in the decanter to come around, and then showing of a mature, deep nose with notes of mushrooms, dry leather, sweet violets, dark roses and rosehip powder. Very, very good.

The taste is dry and mature with notes of dried red cherries, canned mushrooms, cold coffee and violets. Fully mature with a soft, fine finish.

88p   (tasted 2023/04)

2021 San Luigi & Papà Celso, Marziana Abbona

2021 Dogliani San Luigi, Marziana Abbona

A fine, open nose with notes of violets, blueberry bushes, iron and some summer asphalt aromas. High and fine.

The taste is cool and elegant with notes of a mix of raspberries and blueberries with additional notes of iron, gravel and violets. 4+ years.

90p   (tasted 2023/04)

Dogliani Papà Celso, Marziana Abbona

More structured than the San Luigi with denser fruit, deeper and with fine notes of ripe blueberries, iron, paint and a touch of tobacco. Very fine.

The taste is tight and concentrated with notes of ripe blueberries, bay leaves, chocolate biscuits and gravel. Best Papà Celso ever tasted. 6+ years.

93p   (tasted 2023/04)

A visit to Marziano Abbona:

Barolista: Long Overdue Notes - The Barolo Boys In Piedmont April 2018 - Part One - Visits To Abbona, Luigi Einaudi & Brovia

An Evening With Great Bottles - Abtserde, Cristal, Montrachet, Ornellaia, LCC, Grange & More

The concept was simple, a BYOB with the added clear and concise instruction - bring a bottle of really good juice. All did.

Tasted double blind.

2018 Abtserde, Keller

A cool, refined, laid back nose with notes of chalk, lemon zest, dry mango and smoke. Very, very fine.

The taste is high and tight with an almost electric nerve, a cleansing acidity and lots of grape and lemon fruit. Very long. Very young, 8+ years.

94p   (tasted 2023/04)

2008 Cristal, Louis Roederer

A deep, intense, layered nose with notes of sweet lime, fudge, strawberries and moist earth. Very complex and fine.

The taste is rich and refined with notes of toasted bread, fudge, chrushed rocks and lime. A finish that goes on and on. Just brilliant. 6+ years.

98p   (tasted 2023/04)

2019 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Champ Gain, Lucien Le Moine

A big and bold nose with notes of melted butter, lemoncello, dark fudge and glue. Deep and intense.

The taste is very focused and rich with notes of white peach, milk chocolate fudge and ripe flowers. Very long. 6+ years. 

94p   (tasted 2023/04)

2007 Montrachet, Moret-Nominé

A very deep, mature nose with notes of dried apricots, matchbox, earth and sweet minerals. Heavy in a positive sense.

The taste is elegant and mature with notes of yellow plums, smoke and dried flowers. An oily, old viney feeling. 

93p   (tasted 2023/04)

1997 Ornellaia

An almost fully mature nose with gorgeous notes of blueberries, cigarr smoke, herbs, ink and dry leather. Very deep and fine with a dried up warmth.

The taste feels younger than the nose with still some juicy tannins alongside notes of dried blackberries, tobacco, fried herbs and warm tiles. Very fine.

95p   (tasted 2023/04)

2000 Château Leoville-Las-Cases

Last tasted in September 2021 and this bottle behaved almost identical, maybe with a slight more adolescent impression. A stunning Bordeaux that will go on for 10+ years.

96p   (tasted 2023/04)

2020 OH, Sami-Ode

Only 815 bottles made of this beauty. Also the first vintage of OH (our hill). The nose is elegant, spicy and open with notes of asphalt, ripe blueberries, grilled meat and bay leaves. Very handsome.

The taste is tight and concentrated with velvet blueberry- and cherry fruit, lots of fresh herbs, some meaty notes and black pepper. Very long. The vines were planted in 2017, a really impressive wine from very young vines. 8+ years.

95p   (tasted 2023/04)

1991 Grange, Penfolds

My offering. The cork crumbled to pieces but the wine poured was stellar. It displays a big and bold nose with gorgeous notes of dark plums, fried herbs, violets, dried tomato and salt licorice. Very, very deep. A touch of maturity.

The taste is massive and structured with notes of soya, plums, pipe tobacco, asphalt and violets. The finish goes on for minutes. Ends very dry and fine. Will go on for another 10+ years. Great wine.

97p   (tasted 2023/04)

2001 Châteaneuf-du-Pape Reserve, Le Clos de Caillou

A large scaled, somewhat mature nose with notes of damsons, sweet lingonberries, coffee powder and cigarr smoke. A very fine sweetness to the fruit.

The taste is tight and rich with lots of ripe black fruit, scorched earth, smoke and sweet herbs. Very, very long. 5+ years.

93p   (tasted 2023/04)

2017 Valbuena 5o, Vega-Sicilia

A young, deep, spicy nose with notes of black cherries, violets, lightly peppered strawberries and rhubarb licorice. Very fine, albeit young.

The taste is taut and broad shouldered with a high intensity, lots of black fruit and a long, long distinct finish. Very promising. Needs 8+ years.

93p   (tasted 2023/04)

1994 Dow´s Vintage Port

A very deep, lifted nose with notes of plums, dark chocolate, quinine, iron, fried nuts and bakelite. Still on the young side of things. 

The taste is intense and focused with notes of salt licorice, plums, iron, damsons and chocolate covered cherries. Very, very long. Still needs 10+ years.

95p   (tasted 2023/04)

2017 Langhe Nebbiolo Bricco Ravera, Pecchenino

2017 Langhe Nebbiolo Bricco Ravera, Pecchenino

In September last year I visited Attilio at the estate - Barolista: A Couple Of Days In Piedmont - A Day In Dogliani - and  tasted the 2019 Bricoo Ravera.

The 2017 offers up a deep, autumn filled nose with notes of dried cherries, pipe tobacco, asphalt, bonfire and Christmas spices. Very, very good.

The taste is tight and seedy with lots of licorice and herbs infused cherry fruit, Langhe earth, tobacco and sweet tannins. 4+ years.

91p   (tasted 2023/04)

2021 Cinsault Blanc, Rall

2021 Cinsault Blanc, Rall

A very rare grape, a white mutation of Cinsault according to Jancis Robinson in her Wine Grapes: "South Africa was also home of two colour mutations of Cinsaut: one with grey berries and one with white berries but these have seem to have disappeared and have been deleted from the official variety designations". Still, here am I, drinking this Cinsault Blanc.

The nose is light and delicate with notes of white flowers, galia melon, birch leaves and granite. Very nice.

The taste is sandy and dry with a fine acidity and notes of dry peach, lemon and gravel. Only 11,5%, you could easily gulp down a bottle of this on your own. Oops, I seem to have done that...

88p   (tasted 2023/04)

2017 Barolo Del Commune di La Morra, Brandini

2017 Barolo Del Commune di La Morra, Brandini

To my recollection I have never tasted anything from this producer. The nose is high and rather elegant with notes of flowers, strawberries, dry licorice and earth. Very, very good.

The taste is cool and seedy with notes of dried strawberries, Lange earth, licorice and sand. A medium long finish which ends on a slight bitter note. 5+ years.

88p   (tasted 2023/03)

New Years Eve

Due to sickness New Years Eve´s celebration was cancelled, but in the spirit of not wasting a chance to meet good friends and eat and drink well, we celebrated New Years Eve on the 25th of March...

1967 Deidesheimer Diedel Riesling Spätlese, Reichrat von Buhl

A deep, lovingly mature, rich nose with notes of dried apricots, birch leaves, dried strawberries, rubber boots, grass and a petrol station. Very complex. 

The taste is very elegant, racy and perfectly mature with notes of diesel oil, dried apricots, chalk and grass. Ends with a semi dry touch. I would have a guessed a mature Auslese. Great wine.

93p   (tasted 2023/03)

2008 Corton Charlemagne, Bonneau de Martray

A very deep and refined nose with notes of almond paste, nuts, yellow flowers and boatloads of ripe lemons. Very fine.

The taste is racy and concentrated with notes of candied lemons, chive, chalk and dry fudge. Very long. Still young, 6+ years.

94p   (tasted 2023/05)

2010 Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses, William Fevre

Feels like a 2 year old wine. The nose is backward and structured with notes of chrushed rocks, lemon peel, steel, smoke and oil cloth. Very composed.

The taste is high, pure and intense with a searing acidity, a stern concentration and a long distinct finish. When will this be ready, 15+ years? Impressive.

93p   (tasted 2023/05)

2020 Puligny-Montrachet La Brelance, Domaine Barolet-Pernot

A new acquaintance for me and a very good one at that. The nose is spicy and fine with notes of grey pears, ripe flowers, vanilla fudge and lemon cream. Open and fine.

The taste is tighter than the nose leads you to believe with notes of lemon peel, dried flowers, gravel and warm grass. A very long finish with a cleansing acidity. 6+ years.

94p   (tasted 2023/05)

2008 Mazis-Chambertin, Faiveley

A very deep, animal scented nose with notes of wild raspberries, smoke, forest floor and Christmas spices. Just lovely.

The taste is racy and refined with notes of dried strawberries, herbs, earth and smoke. A very fine acidity and a very fine mouthfeel. Great wine. 6+ years.

96p   (tasted 2023/05)

2001 Barolo Acclivi, Burlotto

A nice, mature nose with notes of chrushed cherries, violets, licorice and Langhe earth. Very, very good but a tad muted, not the ususal Burlotto lift.

The taste is dry and fine with notes of dried cherries, earth, rosehips and dry licorice. Long and fine. This seems fully mature.

90p   (tasted 2023/05)

2013 Barolo Acclivi, Burlotto

Best on day two. The nose, after a couple of hours in the decanter, shows notes of red cherries, incense, rosehips, violets and a touch of cigarette smoke. Very fine.

The taste is tight and fine with silky tannins and lovely notes of ripe cherries, iron, herbs and rosehips. A gorgeous perfumed note. Long and refined. Needs 7+ years.

94p   (tasted 2023/05)

2006 Barolo Brunate, Marcarini

A cool, somewhat mature nose with notes of tobacco, dried cherries, cinnamon and mushrooms. Very, very good.

The taste shows a fine concentration, some maturity and notes of dried mushrooms, cherries, rosehips and cold coffee. Still some rugged tannins in the finish. 4+ years.

92p   (tasted 2023/05)

2007 Giusto di Notri, Tua Rita

A large scaled, deep, dark nose with notes of dark chocolate, ripe blueberries and black currants, cigar smoke and asphalt. Very fine in a big, brawny way.

The taste is still tight and concentrated with rich, black fruit, polished tannins and a minute long finish. A fine intensity. Great wine. 

95p   (tasted 2023/05)

2017 El Chibirique, Suertes del Marques

100% Listan Negro from 80+ years ungrafted vines - a first from me. This Tenerife wine displays a high, willful nose with notes of rubber, assorted red fruits, glue and lots of minerals. Interesting but not really up my alley.

The taste is better with nice red fruit, chrushed rocks and silky tannins. A fine mouthfeel to it. But overall a tad foursquare. 

87p   (tasted 2023/05)