Mixed Bag Vol. 15

Despite being somewhat one-dimensional, this wine impresses with a rich nose featuring coconut, butter, stones, yellow fruits, lemon, and a hint of wool. The palate is round and slightly fatty, with green notes reminiscent of lime, leading to a quirky finish that hints at sour milk. While it may lack depth, this is still a well-crafted and intriguing wine.

The nose of this wine is distinctly Jerez-driven, an unexpected quality for a relatively young Defaix Chablis. While some might debate premox or other factors, I savored every drop. With time and air, it revealed an increasing complexity. Aromas of Jerez, propolis, honey, bruised apples, and pastilla create an intriguing bouquet. On the palate, it boasts excellent acidity and a neat mineral backbone with a complex, rounded texture. However, it's somewhat short on the finish, leading to further speculation about the condition of this particular bottle.

This wine is truly incredible, offering complexity and depth both on the nose and palate. It greets you with fresh fruity aromas alongside freshly baked brioche, lemon candy, and chalk. As it opens, delightful hints of honey and sunflower seeds emerge. The palate is vibrant and lively, perfectly balanced with a firm, slightly fatty structure complemented by good minerality. It boasts a long, nuanced aftertaste that leaves a lasting impression. Still too young to drink.

Served blind, I guessed the region and suspected it as a blend from either Radikon or Prinčič. I was convinced it couldn't be Ribolla, but here we are. This wine is truly great and possesses a lovely style---intense yet detailed and charming. It features a hint of VA, complemented by notes of pickles, apricot jam, dried herbs, persimmon, and peach-flavored tea. The structure is remarkable, with nicely integrated tannins, offering a generous, fresh, and round experience with a very long aftertaste.

Tasting this wine blind, I managed to identify it, aided slightly by recalling the wine collection of the person who brought it. The bouquet suggested Spanish grapes in a natty execution, and the delicate palate with lower alcohol content pointed towards Matassa. From there, it was a mix of luck and memory to pick the correct name.

This beautiful bottle exemplifies why aging red Matassa is essential. While Les Myrs was once one of my least favorites, this bottle is extraordinary. Young Matassa is certainly fun and easy to drink, but with time, it develops remarkable depth and complexity, all while retaining its enjoyable qualities---subtle natural notes coupled with vibrant juiciness.

The nose is captivating, with aromas of tapenade, barnyard, plums, pickles, old socks, black pepper, and sour cherry. The wine's texture and balance are outstanding---silky, juicy, and incredibly easygoing. It's both quaffable and nuanced, with an impressively long finish.

This is likely the least typical Stella I've tasted to date. It showcases a richer profile of dark fruits and a slightly more syrupy palate. Yet, it retains remarkable qualities---seductiveness, balance, complexity, seamlessness, and precision. Despite the 15% ABV, it's surprisingly quaffable. However, it's still too youthful and not ready to reveal its potential.

This wine presents a charming bouquet of caramel, dried fruits, nuts, and a hint of mold. While the palate seems slightly tired, it maintains a pleasant level of acidity. The overall impression is one of delicacy, sophistication and ease, with a rounded texture and a long, simply delicious finish.

This wine offers a truly fascinating experience. Initially, I suspected it was corked due to its distinct moldy aroma. However, with time, this characteristic faded and allowed the palate to shine. At 52 years old, its finesse is simply mind-blowing. The moldy bouquet is complex, featuring fruits, nuts, a hint of volatile acidity, chocolate, fig, menthol, dried herbs, amaro, and toffee. On the palate, it impresses with its freshness, length, and intricate nuances, delivering charming flavors of apricot, nuts, chocolate, and a touch of VA. The only downside is the strong moldy nose, but given its age, there's little room for complaint.