While the name Wine Disruptors sounds like I will be calling out bad wines (I will of course) the majority of my mission is to promote the best wines in the world. Here are my top 5 wines of quarter 1.
- 2018 Maison Bleue Syrah Gravière Stone Valley Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (1/4/2025)
Day 1: Diam 30. Off the charts amazing. Had this at the Syrah Grand Tasting in 2022 in Walla Walla. This is why you do tasting notes so you can capture great purchases. Bacon, smoke, roasted meats, cassis, blueberries, minerals, dust and floral notes. Super complex and one of the better Syrah’s in the past year. 95 points
Day 2: Holding strong and super concentration. Smoked bacon, black pepper, cassis, blueberries, rose petals, stone and dust. Long finish. More please. 95+
Day 3: Amazing. Soy, black pepper, stone, smoke meats, black olives, rose petals, earth, dust and floral notes. Picks up a little charcoal on the finish. I drink a lot of Rocks Syrah’s and this one is one of the best to date. 96 points
Recommendation: One of the better values out there in the Syrah category. (96 points)
- 2019 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos – France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru (3/22/2025)
High Low Blind Tasting at Amy and Scott’s (Eagan, MN): Day 1: Well this was singing tonight and will only get better. Clearly a much better wine than the 2019 Michel Butteaux. More intense and beautiful minerality. Shells, orange peel, spice, dust, lemon, grapefruit and stone. Medium plus finish and could drink this every week. Love Les Clos. 94+
5 of 9 liked better (4 liked the Michel Butteaux 19 better)
3 out of 9 thought less expensive (6 thought more expensive than the Michel Butteaux)
Day 2: Had to save some for a proper review and this is amazing as well on day 2. Shells, minerals, white flowers, grapefruit, lemon, dust, mild spice and sour apple. Very elegant wine but still powerful. Medium to long finish and the minerality is the star of this show. 95 points (95 points)
- 2009 Château Lascombes – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (2/8/2025)
Day 1: A bold wine with roasted chestnuts, gravel, earth, dark currants, coffee beans, rose petals, mild funk and tar. Medium plus finish and nice concentrated wine. 94 points
Day 2: Big and powerful on day 2. A bit more intensity even than day 1. Gravel, earth, coffee beans, dark fruits, rose petals, pepper, spices and baking chocolate. Medium to long finish. This has another 20 years of enjoyment. 94+
Day 3: Super concentrated wine with gravel, minerals, spice, coffee beans, dark currants, pepper, rose petals, graphite and baking chocolate. Drinking well now but could easily go 20 more years. 95 points
Recommendation: Easy buy and solid pricing at WTSO for $119.99 with free shipping. Ignore Iceman’s note. This is way better than 90 points. (95 points)
- 2018 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Spätlese – Germany, Nahe (1/25/2025)
Day 1: This is off the charts good. Better than all the Cabs that were $75 or more at the tasting earlier tonight. Laser focused acidity with lime, slate, orange marmalade, spice, lemon, tangerine and ripe peaches. This is easily a top 10 wine of the year candidate for 2025. 95+
Day 2: Spritzy in nature with lime, green apple, peaches, tangerine, slate, subtle spice, orange marmalade and dust. Medium plus finish and so balanced. Amazing wine. 95+
Day 3: For sure a riper style on this wine than some other Spatlese’s but I like that. Nothing has faded on day 3 as these great wines hold up nicely.
Recommendation: Germany always produces worldclass wine without worldclass pricing. This quality would be $150 in Bordeaux, $250 in Burgundy. (95 points)
- 2017 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Syrah In the Rocks – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (3/28/2025)
Day 1: Another stellar bottle. Roasted meats, cherry, black olives, tar, white pepper, saline, stone and earth. Medium plus finish. Super complex. 94 points
Day 2: Excellent a little better with roasted meats, black olives, tar, white pepper, minerals, rose petals, stone and earth. Medium plus and super balanced wine. 94.5 points
Day 3: The best of the 3 days and has a really nice fruit being featured: boysenberries, cherry and blueberries. Nice acidity and complex offering. Rivals anything out of Washington. 95 points
Recommendation: No brainer buy and a steal for under $80. (95 points)
