2024 Barbera d´Alba Superiore Scassa, Bruna Grimaldi

2024 Barbera d´Alba Superiore Scassa, Bruna Grimaldi

An open, attractive nose with notes of asphalt, balsamic vinegar cooked cherries, licorice and model clay. Very, very good. 

The taste is juicy and warm with notes of raspberry chocolate, leather, licorice and asphalt. A great drink today and the coming 8+ years. 

Notes from my first visit to the cantina here - Barolista: A Couple Of Days In Piedmont - Visit To Bruna Grimaldi

91p   (tasted 2026/07)

2022 Côte-Rôtie Les 3 Brunes, Lionel Faury

2022 Côte-Rôtie Les 3 Brunes, Lionel Faury

A young, cool and refined nose with notes of iron, fir wood, new leather and fresh blueberries. Very, very good. 

The taste is fresh and lightly peppery with additional notes of blue ski wax, asphalt and damsons. Stern tannins. Definitely not a charmer but I like this stiff Syrah. 6+ years.

91p   (tasted 2026/07)

2013 Barolo Gabutti, Sordo

2013 Barolo Gabutti, Sordo

Gabutti, the 14,24 ha big MGA in Serralunga, most known by the two stunning wines from Cappellano, Piè Franco and Piè Rupestris. Other than Cappellano its only two producers that makes a Gabutti, Franco Boasso (notes from my visit here - Barolista: A Couple Of Days In Piedmont - A Visit To Franco Boasso) and Sordo (notes from my two visits and some other wines tasted, see below).

The 2013 Gabutti from Sordo offers up a dark, broad nose with notes of cooked cherries, moist Langhe earth, coffee and dark flowers.

The taste is tight and taut with broad shouldered tannins, ripe black cherries, tobacco and asphalt. Still needs a couple of years in the cellar to really open up.

89p   (tasted 2026/07)

Barolista: A Couple Of Days In Piedmont - Visit To Giovanni Corino & Sordo

Barolista: Two Days In Piedmont - A Visit To Giovanni Sordo

Barolista: 2013 Barolo Monprivato, Giovanni Sordo

Barolista: 2013 Barolo Perno, Sordo

Barolista: 2013 Barolo Villero - Eight Bottles Tasted

Two Bottles Of Bordeaux

2006 Château Grandis

A nice, mature nose with notes of autumn leaves, tobacco, graphite and dried black currants.

The taste is medium bodied, dry and low keyed elegant with notes of iron, leather and dried up black currant jam.

87p   (tasted 2026/07)

2005 Château Faizeau Selection Vieilles Vignes

A deep, somewhat mature nose with notes of plums, pipe tobacco, warm tiles and leather. A fine old viney note.

The taste is tight and fine with a peppery note, lots of black fruit and a long, silky finish. Very, very good.

90p   (tasted 2026/07)

2021 Blanc, Podere Il Carnasciale

2021 Blanc, Podere Il Carnasciale

A deep, elegant nose with notes of almond paste, yellow apple, candle grease and summer warm gravel. Very fine.
The taste is tight and refined with notes of tangerines, gravel, white flowers and yellow apples. A fine acidity. 

92p   (tasted 2026/07)

1993 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese, Dr. Loosen

1993 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese, Dr. Loosen

A soft, mature nose with notes of clay, oil cloth, dried mango and smoke. Very good.

The taste is velvety and of dry with a good acidity, dried yellow fruit and a medium long finish.

86p   (tasted 2026/07)

2022 Barolo Albe, G. D. Vajra - 20 Years After Tasting The 2002 Barolo Albe At The Cantina

2022 Barolo Albe, G. D. Vajra

On this day it was 20 years since I made my first visit to Paradise, aka Piedmont. We were staying in Liguria and made a one day trip to Langhe. My first ever visit was to Luciano Sandrone but my second visit was to G. D. Vajra. I got to taste the 2002 Albe and wasn´t that impressed. But 2002 was not a good vintage in any shape or form.

20 years later and a multitude of trips to Piedmont have been made and to this day 121 cantinas visited. 

The 2022 Albe offers up a cool, earthy nose with notes of paint, red tea, hard cherry candy and dry licorice.

The taste is young and tight with notes of red licorice, red currants, cherry pips and earth. A touch bitter on the finish.

87p   (tasted 2026/07)

2021 Barolo, Vietti

2021 Barolo, Vietti

From this great vintage, Vietti has fashioned a beauty, with an upfront, juicy nose with notes of dried up cherry jam, fir wood, dried flowers and paint.

The taste is young and structured with ripe cherry fruit, red licorice, mocha and Langhe earth. Long and fine, 6+ years.

91p   (tasted 2026/07)

2013 Barbaresco, La Ca´Növa

2013 Barbaresco, La Ca´Növa

A low keyed, elegant (after some time in the glass) nose with notes of forest floor, red currants and band aid. Very, very good.

The taste is medium bodied and dry with notes of cherry pips, licorice and earth. A fine salivating finish, craving you to take another sip. On top of its game.

89p   (tasted 2026/07)

2017 Dolcetto d´Alba, Flavio Roddolo

2017 Dolcetto d´Alba, Flavio Roddolo

Opens a touch barnyardy but that blows away, especially on day two its just about bright red fruit and additional notes of licorice, sun warm earth and a hint of cinnanmon. Very fine.

The taste is open, juciy and ripe with gorgeous raspberry fruit, dried flowers, molasses and licorice. A joy to drink but had this been poured blind I would have guessed a Barbera.

92p   (tasted 2026/07)

Two Bottles Of 2013 Barolo Riserva

2013 Barolo Riserva, Sangrato

A deep, old school nose with notes of dried flowers, undergrowth, dried red fruit and licorice. Very good.

The taste is tight and linear with some maturity and notes of dried cherries, asphalt and fir wood. 

88p   (tasted 2026/06)

2013 Barolo Riserva Simposio, Bel Colle

A fine, expressive nose with notes of hard cherry candy, ripe roses, paint and dry licorice. Very, very good.

The taste is still on the young side of things with taut tannins, fine cherry fruit and a long, structured finish. 5+ years.

92p   (tasted 2026/06)

Two Saint Emilion Grand Cru Bottles

2019 Château Millaud-Montlabert

An upfront, plummy nose with notes of stables, pipe tobacco, mint and a tiny metallic note. Very, very good.

The taste is nicely structured with a fine dryness, notes of plums, chocolate biscuits and tobacco.

89p   (tasted 2026/06)

2012 Château La Marzelle

A round, silky nose with notes of worn leather, tobacco, plums and undergrowth. A lovely sweetness to the fruit.

The taste is creamy and smoky with fine black fruit, polished tannins and a long, warm finish. 

91p   (tasted 2026/06)

2016 Crozes-Hermitage Albéric, Gilles Robin

2016 Crozes-Hermitage Albéric, Gilles Robin

A deep, somewhat mature nose with notes of violet licorice, black pepper, smoke and pine fir. Very, very good.

The taste is medium bodied and elegant with lovely black fruit, silky tannins and a iron clad dry finish. 

Info here: AOP Crozes-Hermitage Rouge | Albéric | Gilles Robin

91p   (tasted 2026/06)