From the Journal
Tasting reports, event write-ups, the occasional digression. 205 posts so far.
20 Jun 2025
Mineral, Funk, and Play
Celebrating Wine Wine's Frankivsk arrival with seven liquid ambassadors.
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12 Jun 2025
Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Vertical
If you want to experience Burgundy-like aromatic elegance, Barolo structure, and intellectual complexity, this is your producer. Few others match this stylistic tension between fragrance and structure, between ancient methods and modern clarity. Burlotto is not about power. It's about grace - but the kind of grace that quietly tears you apart.
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10 Jun 2025
Flesh and Stone: DRC Edition
A quiet encounter with wine's most intimidating names.
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3 Jun 2025
Oh My Syrah
Five Syrahs from five (actually, four) places - one grape, different answers.
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31 May 2025
Vinul Moldovei Vol. 3
An unpretentious dive into Moldovan wines.
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30 May 2025
Roses de Jeanne by Ivan Omelchenko
Finally made it to a Roses de Jeanne tasting - somewhat chaotic, not quite cathartic, but absolutely worth it.
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28 May 2025
White Loire by Svitlana Serhiivna
A Dionysian detour through white Loire @Garage.
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27 May 2025
Mixed Bag Vol. 17
A tasting where logic took the backseat to generosity, impulse, and the quiet satisfaction of doing something that matters.
charityreport
26 May 2025
Borgogno Barolo Cannubi Vertical
A quiet riot of vintages from Cannubi - where clay and sand, tradition and temperament, all found a glass to speak through.
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19 May 2025
Bottle Royale Vol. 1: Oak Infusion
A chaotic, oak-driven BYOB tasting that pushed us to the edges of flavour and reason - yet somehow brought us closer. Beautifully strange, and exactly what it needed to be.
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17 May 2025
City 17: Chapter Matassa
A spontaneous tasting in Ivano-Frankivsk that grew from a photo, a chat message, and a shared love for wine - bringing together people, bottles, and honest conversation in the cosy space of café Misto. Chapter Matassa, as it happened.
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13 May 2025
One Round Battle: New Zealand
A playful blind tasting turned into an exploration of bias, marketing, and genuine character in wine. We put Sarah Jessica Parker's Marlborough red up against a cult Garnacha and a serious Central Otago Pinot - and let the glasses speak for themselves. Turns out, labels can confuse, but flavour always tells the truth.
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29 Apr 2025
Canary Islands Vol. 2
Volcanic soils, ungrafted vines, and wines that hum with smoke, salt, and sun. With fewer bottles reaching Ukraine, each Canary Islands tasting feels more precious - and more necessary. This one was a quiet celebration of what makes them unforgettable.
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24 Apr 2025
The place where the Rosemary grows
What started as a casual blind tasting turned into a quiet obsession. A rare chance to line up five vintages of Tom Lubbe's Cuvée Romanissa - from the fresh 2023 all the way back to the brooding 2006. Sun, rosemary, iron, and the wild heart of Roussillon, bottled. A night to remember.
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22 Apr 2025
Champagne Bag Vol. 5
A springtime Champagne tasting that spiralled (as these things do) into something quietly unforgettable. From a Moldovan Brut Nature as welcome drink to rare grower cuvées from Larmandier-Bernier, Bérêche, Léclapart, and others - this was less about bubbles and more about depth, place, and memory.
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1 Apr 2025
Domaine Labet Uncorked Vol. 2
An exploration of Jura terroir through the diverse, nuanced expressions of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and traditional sweet wines by Domaine Labet. And a bit of Buronfosse.
charityreport
14 Feb 2025
Site Updates Vol. 7
A deep dive into the latest redesign of Barberry Garden, covering structural improvements, new features, and upcoming plans.
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6 Feb 2025
Cellar Raider Vol. 1
A journey that stuns and sparks endless curiosity, from unearthing ancient bottles to sampling relic wines that share tales of bygone eras. Spellbinding and undeniably personal, it proves that wine can serve as a living time capsule for those willing to explore. Turns out time machines do exist - and sometimes, they're hidden in our glasses.
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