2019 Chianti Classico, Fontodi

2019 Chianti Classico, Fontodi

A high, broad nose with notes of dried cherries, damsons, forest floor, rosemary and some fine balsamic notes. A classic Sangiovese nose.

The taste is tight and fine with a fine acidity, sour/sweet cherries, tobacco and Tuscan gravel. Very fine.

92p   (tasted 2025/07)

A Visit To Stora Boråkra Winery

I was passing Karlskrona in the south of Sweden and Stora Boråkra caught my eye. The winery started in 2009 and by now is planted with 4000 vines of Solaris. They make four wines - Solaris, Solaris Berså, a Rosé and a sparkling wine.

I contacted Staffan Ottosson, who is the owner and winemaker, and he kindly arranged a tasting for me.

2019 Solaris

Staffan was ever so kind, so he opened four vintages of his Solaris. The 2019 offers up a grassy, fine nose with notes of steel and candied lemons. A hint of maturity.

The taste is fresh and balanced with crisp yellow fruit and fine acidity. A tad short though.

85p   (tasted 2025/07)

2021 Solaris

The -21 is very, very good, with a upfront, snappy nose with notes of cement, white pepper and ripe lemons.

The taste is nicely structured around ripe lemons, a hint of melon and a long, juicy finish. A very fine acidity.

90p   (tasted 2025/07)

2022 Solaris Berså

The Berså variant has a bit more sweetness to it, with notes of oranges, warm grass and pears.

The taste is tight and fine with a dry sweetness, a fine acidity and notes of tangerines and pears.

86p   (tasted 2025/07)

2024 Solaris

The -24 Solaris displays a young, fresh nose with notes of candied lemons, gravel, birch leaves and a hint of dry fudge.

The taste is crisp and fine with a cleansing acidity and lots of candied lemons and lemon peel. Needs a couple of years.

89p   (tasted 2025/07)

NV Brut

As with the Solaris, Staffan kindly opened three bottles of their Brut. This is a blend of the 2018 and 2019 vintages. The nose is deep and mature with notes of autumn apples, gravel and fennel seeds.

The taste is open and direct with a very fine acidity and mature lemon notes. 

All the Brut´s have 6,5 gr dosage.

88p   (tasted 2025/07)

2020 Brut

A delicate, fresh nose with notes of red apples, tangerines and moist earth. Very fine.

The taste is pure and seedy with gorgeous fruit, a fresh acidity and a long, silky finish. 

90p   (tasted 2025/07)

2021 Brut

Just one year younger that the -20 but very locked up on the nose with notes of green apples, ripening pears and chrushed rocks.

The taste is tight and highly strung with a high acidity and notes of green apple peel, gravel and herbs. Needs time.

87p   (tasted 2025/07)

2022 Langhe Nascetta, Umberto Fracassi

2022 Langhe Nascetta, Umberto Fracassi

A delicate nose with notes of peach, lemon peel and herbs. Lots of tangerines on day two.

The taste is fresh and pure with a cleansing acidity and notes of chives, lemon peel and peach.

Last tasted in January with the Gentleman of Cherasco - Umberto Fracassi - Barolista: The Barolo Boys In Piemont - Visit To Umberto Fracassi.

87p   (tasted 2025/07)

2016 Dolcetto d´Alba, Luigi Pira

2016 Dolcetto d´Alba, Luigi Pira

A still tight, slightly peppery nose with notes of damsons, violets, dark cookie dough and minerals. Very, very good.

The taste is nicely structured and still on the young side of things with notes of dried blueberries, salmiak and salt minerals. Last tasted four years ago - Barolista: A 19 Bottle Dolcetto Tasting With Dolcetto Boys & Girls.  This Serralunga Dolcetto will go on for 8+ years.

91p   (tasted 2025/07)

2019 Chianti Classico, Isole e Olena

2019 Chianti Classico, Isole e Olena

I tasted the 2021 recently - Barolista: 2021 Chianti Classico, Isole e Olena - and now it was time for the 2019. The nose is elegant and fine with notes of sour cherries, licorice, tomato plants and gravel.

The taste is medium bodied and nicely structured with silky tannins, lots of dried cherries and herbs. Best on day two.

90p   (tasted 2025/07)

I Found Some Pictures - A Premier Cru Dinner

Those were the days. My birthday dinner in 2002. We also had some other bottles, see below, but I found no pics of those.

1982 Château Haut-Brion

A very deep, focused nose with notes of sun warm tiles, coffe powder, ripe black currants and earth. Very fine.

The taste is tight yet somewhat mature with silky tannins, ripe red and black currants and a long, warm finish. 

94p   (tasted 2002/12)

1982 Château Lafite-Rothschild

A warm, concentrated nose with notes of cherries, black currants, bell pepper and some chocolate notes. Deep and fine.

The taste is elegant and layered with gorgeous fruit, polished tannins and a minute long finish. Aristocratic. 

94p   (tasted 2002/12)

1982 Château Latour

Just awesome. The nose is bottomless deep, hedonistic and gorgeous, with notes of expensive leather, sugared coffee, ripe black currants and fresh stables. Brilliant.

The taste is massive and concentrated with every knot and bolt in its perfect place. Still young. This is a 50 year wine. Wine doesn´t get better than this.

100p   (tasted 2002/12)

1982 Château Margaux

An outgoing, ripe nose with notes of tobacco, leather, dark fudge and ripe black currants. Very deep and juicy.

The taste is powerful and intense with gorgeous black fruit, taut tannnins and a long, long finish. Great wine.

96p   (tasted 2002/12)

1982 Château Mouton-Rothschild

A very deep, restrained nose with notes of moist earth, mocha, fried herbs and leather. Refined and just stunning.

The taste is even more restrained that the nose leads you to believe, with sweet dark fruit, broadshouldered tannins and a minute long finish. Very young still, gonna need at least another decade in the cellar.

98p   (tasted 2002/12)

The rest of the bottles:

1989 Krug (96p)

1996 Chevalier-Montrachet Clos des Chevaliers, Chartron & Trebuchet (93p)

1985 Chevalier-Montrachet, Jean Chartron (95p)

1955 Dow´s Vintage Port (94p)

1954 Bual, Blandy´s (91p)

A Very Nice Tasting Dinner - Léclapart, Kongsgaard, L´Evangile, SQN & More

P invited to a tasting dinner, great company and really fine wines - thanks! All wines tasted double blind.

Flight I

2015 Millesimé, Henriot

A fresh, handsome nose with notes of tangerines, chalk and toasted bread. Very, very good.

The taste is cool and elegant with a high acidity, fine fruit and a long, balanced finish. 6+ years.

90p   (tasted 2025/06)

2006 L´Apôtre Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, David Léclapart

A very deep, mature and gorgeous nose with notes of nougat, smoke, dried yellow fruit and warm sand. 

The taste is velvety and focused with notes of red apple skin, dark bread and chrushed rocks. Very long and lovely.

94p   (tasted 2025/06)

Flight II

2018 Pouilly-Fuissé Vignes Blanches, Jules Desjourneys

A finely tuned, buttery nose with additional notes of candied lemons, soap and sun warm rocks. 

The taste is young and tight with notes of lemon peel, sweet minerals and smoke. A fresh, high acidity. 

91p   (tasted 2025/06)

2009 Chardonnay Block 2, Felton Road

A tight, spicy nose with notes of ripe peach, cap gun smoke and dried up vanilla ice cream. Very fine.

The taste is rich and concentrated with notes of lemon cream, smoke and yellow flowers. Feels very young for a 16 year old wine, that´s screwcap for you. Mature in 30 years?

93p   (tasted 2025/06)

2013 Chardonnay, Kongsgaard

A deep, laid back nose with a fine maturity and notes of lemon spunge cake, salt caramel and minerals. Very fine.

The taste is layered and complex with brilliant fruit, a supporting acidity and a long, long finish. Perfectly mature.

96p   (tasted 2025/06)

Flight III

2005 Roc de Cambes

A cool, finely mature nose with notes of tobacco, dried meat, dried flowers and violets. Very, very good.

The taste is structured, seedy and younger than the nose leads you to believe. Fine black fruit, silky tannins and a long finish. 5+ years.

92p   (tasted 2025/06)

2005 Château Branaire-Ducru

A laid back, earthy nose with notes of black currants, stables and fir wood. Opens up nicely in the glass.

The taste is dry and warm, with firm fruit, notes of spices, leather and graphite. Very long. 7+ years.

92p   (tasted 2025/06)

2012 Château L´Evangile

A lovely, balanced and layered nose with notes of red currants, plums, garrigue and dog fur (in a very positive way).

The taste is structured and handsome with gorgeous fruit, silky tannins and a long, warm finish. Great wine. 

95p   (tasted 2025/06)

2012 Le Dôme

A high, intense nose with notes of violets, iron, fir wood and lots of ripe red plums. Very fine.

The taste is tight and concentrated with taut tannins, massive fruit and a long, juicy finish. 10+ years.

93p   (tasted 2025/06)

2012 Châteauneuf-de-Pape Deus Ex Machina, Clos Saint Jean

Corked! #¤%&%¤#&!!

xxp   (tasted 2025/06)

2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Safres, Le Clos du Caillou

This was a replacement for the bottle above. It display a cool, somewhat mature nose with notes of cooked cherries, undergrowth, herbs and bakelite.

The taste is upfront and rich with notes of cooked fruit, moist earth and garrigue. A very fine dried up warmth in the finish. Almost fully mature. Long and fine.

90p   (tasted 2025/06)

2008 The Line Grenache, SQN

A very deep, focused nose with notes of sweet violets, dark flowers, meat stock and oodles of ripe blackberries. Intense and very fine.

The taste is big, bald and juicy with lots of concentration but also balance and some finesse. Gorgeous fruit. The finish goes on and on and on. Could go on for 20+ years.

96p   (tasted 2025/06)

2014 Poeira, Jorge M. Nobre Moreira

P thought that we hadn´t had enough, so he went to the cellar and came back with two bottles. A fine, cool nose with notes of blueberries, earth and ink. Very good.

The taste is medium bodied and fresh with notes of blueberries, iron and chrushed rock. Ends on a dry note.

87p   (tasted 2025/06)

1985 Château Siran

A mature, lovely nose with notes of sweet tobacco, stables, vintage leather and autumn leaves. Very fine.

The taste is perfectly mature with soft, sweet fruit, still some nibbling tannins and a long, lingering finish.

92p   (tasted 2025/06)

And to finish the night of:

20 Year Old Tawny, Vallado

A intense, sweet nose with notes of iodine, cinnamon, warm tiles and damsons. Very, very good.

The taste is rich and concentrated with notes of chocolate wafers, damsons, nuts and detergent. Long and warm.

90p   (tasted 2025/06)

2015 Assemblage Extra Brut, Bruno Paillard

2015 Assemblage Extra Brut, Bruno Paillard

60% Pinot Noir & 40% Chardonnay. 4,5 gr dosage. The nose is deep and spicy with notes of hazelnuts, smoke, candied peach and some flowery notes. Very, very good.

The taste is crisp and precise with a very good acidity, notes of red currants, smoke and fried nuts. Better on day two. 4+ years.

92p   (tasted 2025/06)

Some Reds From Bodegas Valdelana

These wines were tasted at Divine´s office a couple of weeks ago. 

2023 Vino de Autor Tempranillo, Bodegas Valdelana

An open, direct nose with notes of plums, blackberries, chocolate and some new wood. Lovely fruit.

The taste is tight and structured with notes of chocolate covered cherries, asphalt and bonfire smoke. Very long and juicy. A bargain at 21 Euro.

92p   (tasted 2025/05)

2022 Crianza Tempranillo, Bodegas Valdelana

A deep, earthy, tight nose with denser, darker fruit than the wine above. Smoky notes. Very intense.

The taste is rich, concentrated and restrained with black fruit, silky tannins and a long, long finish. Needs 5+ years. 

93p   (tasted 2025/05)

2021 Viñedos Singulares Red Juan Valdelana, Bodegas Valdelana

A blend of Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo, Tempranillo and Viura from vines planted between 1920 and 1940. The nose is massive and intense yet gorgeously balanced and pure with notes of new leather, plums, warm tiles and dusty earth. Very complex. 

The taste is taut and handsome with steady tannins, rich black fruit and a finish that goes on for a minute. A very fine acidity. 8+ years. Great wine, and a real bargain at 39 Euro.

95p   (tasted 2025/05)

2000 Gigondas, Domaine Raspail-Ay

2000 Gigondas, Domaine Raspail-Ay

A deep, layered nose with notes of fried herbs, bonfire smoke, warm tiles and dried strawberries. A very fine warmth.

The taste is round and pretty with a fine mature structure, warm rich fruit and a long finish that ends on a dry note. Perfectly mature.

91p   (tasted 2025/06)

Then & Now - 1981 & 2019 Château La Tour de By

1981 Château La Tour de By

A soft, mature nose with notes of stables, moist earth, vintage leather and red currants. Hanging in there.

The taste is mature and velvety with notes of dried red fruit, cold coffee and earth. A tad short but a nice drink.

82p   (tasted 2025/06)

2019 Château La Tour de By

From a half bottle. A young, perky nose with notes of black currants, graphite and tobacco leaves. Very good.

The taste is tight and somewhat anonymous, but with some heavy swirling there are notes of black currants, cigarette ashes and pencil shavings. Needs 5+ years.

86p   (tasted 2025/06)

Other vintages of La Tour de By tasted:

Barolista: Then & Now - Château La Tour de By - 1983 & 2007

Barolista: Then & Now - 1989 & 2015 Chateau La Tour de By

Barolista: 2014 Château La Tour De By

Barolista: 2016 Château La Tour de By