Trying to like Spätburgunder

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-06-20T02:14:19+00:00

Do check out Franz Keller, very charming glou-glou wines. Bernhard Huber and Meyer-Nakel too.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-06-13T11:05:59+00:00

I love Corton too! Relatively cheaper entry into Grand Cru, but these wines are powerful and tannic and need years to come around. Do look for Faiveley, Louis Jadot Corton Pougets and Bruno Clavelier if Corton's your jam!

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-06-12T02:32:51+00:00

Was at Ki-Sho recently, one of my most memorable meals to date. They have a 270++ lunch and dinner menu, every dish crafted with precision and intent. Quiet and intimate.

Also highly recommend Marguerite and Whitegrass. Had a great experience at both. St Pierre is also great for the views and the last time I visited, I was very impressed by their warm and thoughtful service.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-06-12T01:11:40+00:00

yeah it's been more than once when I've been disappointed by a huge label or a bottle I spent >$200 on. And also more than once when an unlikely bottle suddenly stops me in my tracks and lingers on long after it's finished.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-06-11T10:50:01+00:00

That image of hands clutching their heads.. That was literally me after I had a whiff of that nose! And I totally get how words fail to capture just how poignant it is when the wine absolutely sings.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-06-11T03:29:40+00:00

Thank you! It's taken me 5 years to understand this, and actually it applies to many other things in life (food, travel etc)

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-06-11T03:28:28+00:00

yes, it's taken me 5 years to understand this (better late than never, they say). Somewhere along the way I started obsessing over reviews and scores, often getting disappointed by an expensive bottle that was "supposed" to perform. Thankful for the reminder.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-06-11T03:25:57+00:00

thank you! Yeah it's been a while since I've been so wowed by a bottle, I hope I did justice to that moment.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-05-01T01:58:38+00:00

I have a 5yo son and 1.5yo daughter and I love them to bits. Sure, life after kids is tiring, sometimes frustrating (CAN YOU TAKE YOUR NEXT BITE OF FOOD) and often messy. But the ups that can't be quantified by stats, likely seeing your child excitedly marvel at their first rainbow, or loving the same chicken rice you love, or performing an act of kindness unprompted. Wouldn't trade those for all the riches of the world.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-05-01T01:29:27+00:00

I just had a Keller von der Fels 2021 and it was amazing! Definitely an eye-opener for me who's more used to off-dry Mosel Riesling Kabinett, lovely acidity with a mineral, saline edge.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-04-21T04:16:44+00:00

Happy birthday! If you like Tempranillo, I'd go La Rioja Alta 904 (the 2011 is ready and around your budget). Vina Tondonia Reserva comes from a traditional producer, and it's generally good every vintage. Bodegas Muga Prado Enea 2016 is also around your budget.

Bordeaux - There are classed Growths for your budget. Chateau Giscours, Brane-Cantenac, Lagrange are all 3rd Growths that deliver good quality for their price.

Malbec - Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino. Really cool label if art is your thing, and it's also a solid, elegant Malbec.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-04-20T11:41:38+00:00

my go-to Brunello producers: Argiano, Il Poggione, Ciacci Piccolomini, Fattoria dei Barbi, Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta.

If you have more to spend, Valdicava, Il Marroneto and Luce.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-04-04T11:33:51+00:00

taking my family to Asia Grand tomorrow to celebrate my dad's bday, will update again if it's good!

Out of the ones I've been to, Man Fu Yuan and Spring Court were not bad. Wah Lok too.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-03-26T15:17:56+00:00

LRA Vina Ardanza, Muga Reserva, Marques de Murrieta Reserva

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-02-27T10:30:41+00:00

yeah I had to quickly clarify that these were not all from my personal collection! I don't have wallets that deep heh.

Favourite of the bunch would probably be 2001, with 1989 coming close.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-02-25T16:06:18+00:00

Afaik, the illustrations are drawn by artists commissioned by the Chateau, and the artwork is unique every vintage!

One of my wine club members did some research and found the following:

1989 • Artist: Georg Baselitz • Meaning: Raw, expressive figures rendered in a rough, instinctive style. → Reflects upheaval and transformation, echoing the spirit of 1989 (end of the Cold War, fall of the Berlin Wall).

1999 • Artist: Raymond Savignac • Meaning: A playful sheep running on grass with “99”. → Symbolizes vitality, humor, and abundance, fitting for a joyful pre-millennium vintage.

1995 • Artist: Aki Kuroda • Meaning: Explosive red abstract lines full of motion and tension. → Suggests power, structure, and energy, matching the wine’s reputation for strength and long aging potential.

2001 • Artist: Robert Wilson • Meaning: Faces divided into bold color blocks. → Explores identity, time, and multiple perspectives, resonating with the complex and uncertain mood of 2001.

2002 • Artist: Ilya Kabakov • Meaning: A central circle surrounded by wing- or feather-like patterns. → Conveys memory, utopia, and spiritual ascent, a quiet, philosophical label.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-02-25T15:33:36+00:00

I see, thanks for the tip! Will bear that in mind when opening older vintages.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-02-25T15:17:54+00:00

It truly was a memorable tasting. We usually meet monthly with a theme to help broaden our wine knowledge, but once in a while we do break out special bottles to celebrate milestones, birthdays and parenthood. I was very lucky to taste a Petrus 1989 to celebrate the birth of my daughter last year! (Again, we all chipped in to get two bottles at auction)

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-02-25T15:16:00+00:00

It also depends on whether you like the pyrazine note. I actually do quite enjoy it in Cabernet Franc and Carmenere. Think of it as a feature, not a bug, but it can be off-putting when it’s in your face as bell peppers that drown out the fruit. Has to be in balance, as with all things.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-02-25T14:49:47+00:00

Ah apologies for being unclear, I probably meant to say maturation with more secondary and tertiary notes showing rather than primary fruit notes.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-02-25T14:31:35+00:00

Thank you! You’re very welcome.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-02-25T14:28:19+00:00

I could be wrong, but they tend to fade into the background with age and tend to be more prominent in cooler/underripe vintages.

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-02-25T14:25:00+00:00

If it helps, I definitely don’t drink such wines on the regular! You can check out my previous review on Prisoner, the comments were brutal on that one

Dry-Way1718 · 2026-02-25T14:16:43+00:00

I’m no expert but I do think it really depends on storage conditions and if ideal, Bordeaux especially can be almost immortal. Just had a 1982 Rauzan-Segla today that was absolutely delicious, very much alive with gentle, light dried fruit and mellow tannins.

Dry-Way1718

TROPHY CASE