Wasenhaus, Bellen Pinot Noir, Baden

Med light texture. Pepper, fennel seed, red fruit, nutmeg. Lots of skin and stem flavour. Went well with char siu. Will be better with age as it too closed at the moment.

Nose is phenomenal. Beautiful red fruit. Little cough syrup on the finish that felt rough. Probably benefit from a little age.

Probably the best wasenhaus I’ve had. Whole cluster notes, tart berries. Lean palate but complex.

'22 Kilburg Dinner (and Others) (South San Francisco) : The nose is very different from what I typically get from red Burgundy: the aroma is more lifted, reminding me of brambly red and blue fruit tinged with some green and herbal notes. The palate has lightness and finesse, with translucent red fruit woven together with those green notes, inflected with earthy tones. It’s an interesting wine, very complex, not 100% sure whether it’s my thing, but very different from most …

2022 Kilburg Horizontal (San Francisco) : Quite fragrant nose with some spices, cherries, and forest notes. Good acidity on the palate with more cherry flavors, red fruit, and earth. There are a good amount of tannins and a nice, long finish. The palate is perhaps note quite as open and interesting than the nose at the moment, but it has everything to age. This is a very good, interesting, and unique Pinot Noir. It doesn't really taste like Burgundy or …

Brilliant German Pinot. The bouquet comes with chalkiness, pure sour cherries, rose pedals and some Vosne spice. The palate is quite elegant in the beginning with refined tannins but it really develops on day 2 where it is quite powerful and has a lot of grip. I would guess, this exciting Bellen has a long future ahead.