Stephan Les Binardes

Drinking at home.

2018 Maison Stephan Côte-Rôtie Les Binardes - lovely nose of leather, fragrant wood, and very ripe fruit. Love the after palate with that bacon fat. The alcohol was still sharp on the nose, and the wine was hot going down the back of the throat. The wine also showed plenty of floral notes like lavender, and I enjoyed how ripe and sweet this was. But in reality the wine was just too young and still rough around the edges.

Meunier tu dors

Drinking at home.

Romain Henin Meunier tu dors, dégorgée 8 Decembre 2025 - with a heady mousse, this was very young and fresh. The palate was interesting in that it almost tasted like salmon, with a slight bitterness on the palate.

2003 Fortia

Drinking at home.

2003 Château Fortia Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Baron - started drinking some 20 minutes after decanting. Got the fruit here, but also very woodsy and some vanilla. Still kinda grippy and tannic more than 20 years later. This opened up very nicely after 45 minutes, and the nose was showing fragrant cedar.

Gobelsburg Zweigelt

Drinks at The Baker and the Bottleman.

2021 Domæne Gobelsburg Zweigelt - nose was initially not very open and just showing a bit of spices, kinda similar to amarone in that the grapes felt like they were dried and more concentrated. Some herbs and some leather on the nose.