This is gonna be a very short tasting note. In fact, this Crozes-Hermitage by acclaimed winemaker Alain Graillot , who also holds an important role in the rebirth of this AOC, clearly appears over the top. It’s a shame since the wine shows a beautiful structure and weight with lots of backbone and fine-grained tannins. But the fruit just seems too cooked and a little muted and takes away all the pleasure.
The 2003 I had a few weeks ago wasn’t too bad, but I was hoping that the 1997 would crush it. Fail! Still, I won’t be giving up on this producer. I just wasn’t very lucky!

Oops! Gerade habe ich bemerkt, dass ein paar unveröffentlichte Blogposts in der Warteschleife versauern. Dieser hier stammt von einem Besuch im Restaurant Iimori ende Februar dieses Jahres. Tja, das ist wirklich schon eine Weile her aber denke das ist noch im Rahmen und bevor das jetzt in den virtuellen Archiven verstaubt, dann doch lieber veröffentlichen. Read the rest of this entry »

This is my first taste of this Château and at a very young stage of its development. Indeed, the 2008 Bordeaux’ just came into stores with the so-called “arrivage” during springtime of this year. Langoa-Barton is the sister-estate of Léoville-Barton which represents certainly the more glamorous name of the 2 and both are logically owned by the Barton family. Read the rest of this entry »

2009 war ein super Jahrgang für die Kühns – das war bei den Jahrgangsproben und diversen Besuchen im Weingut schnell klar. Nun hab ich die erste Flasche vom 2009er Jakobus, dem Einstiegs-Riesling des Guts, aufgemacht und bin wieder mal alles Andere als enttäuscht. Read the rest of this entry »

We are still in Belgium, one day after our dinner at Pastorale, again in a small village. This time in Noville-sur-Mehaigne; you probably won’t know it, but your GPS will. It lies probably half an hour outside of Brussels, not far from Namur. From the German border, you should be there after one hour on the Belgian highway.

Lunchtime is near and we are awaited at l’Air Du Temps, the 2 star restaurant of chef Sang Hoon Degeimbre.  Again, I am glad to join my friends of Gastros on Tour for this meal. I am especially excited because it’s my first time at this restaurant I have already heard and read so much about. Read the rest of this entry »

Reet is a small and quiet village not far from the highway that links Brussels to Antwerpen. When driving through it, one wouldn’t expect a Michelin-starred restaurant nested here, but the proximity and nearly equal distance to 2 big cities naturally justifies its location, and I wouldn’t say that this village with its elegant brick houses is lacking charm.

It is within a former rectory which rather resembles a château-like mansion that Bart de Pooter and his wife Marie-Claire have found a home for their restaurant De Pastorale. This sounds very conservative at first, but one realizes quickly that this classic building is actually an elegant container for modernism. A first indicator of this dualism is given by a modern bronze statue at the entrance which emits a laughing sound once you pass by. Read the rest of this entry »