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Minjae
My college classmate. New to wine but full of questions, which keeps me studying every time.
Appearances: 21
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (Napa Valley)
The 2008 vintage from S.L.V. — the very vineyard that beat Bordeaux at the 1976 Judgment of Paris. I drank it at the same table as a Mouton Rothschild, the château it pushed into second place fifty years ago, and logged 4.5 stars without writing a single word.
I know this one: Stag's Leap is the hero of the film Bottle Shock, right?
Zelkova, Premium 2013
A red made from sanmaru — a wild Korean grape — at a small winery in Sangju, Gyeongbuk. It's the first Korean wine featured in this magazine. Winemaker Kang Chang-seok originally planted Chardonnay there, lost the vines to winter frost damage in 2009, and turned to the native wild grape instead. Vivino: 26 ratings averaging 3.7. My score was 4.0.
I know this one: they planted Chardonnay, right?
Seña 2012
Chile's first "icon wine," a 1995 joint venture between Eduardo Chadwick and Robert Mondavi. In 2004, Chadwick's own wines beat France's first growths at the Berlin Tasting and stunned the wine world. Vivino: 1,412 ratings averaging 4.5. I gave it 4.5 while sharing it with my wife — "the finish is still with me."
I know this one: Seña is a Robert Mondavi wine, right?
Masi, Costasera Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2013
A Valpolicella house that traces back to 1772, when the Boscaini and Bonaldi families joined forces. "Costasera" means the west-facing slope that catches the sunset over Lake Garda. Vivino: 9,751 ratings averaging 4.4. My own score was 4.5 — "a heavily made-up, fully ripened woman."
I know this one: Costasera, 'costa', so it's a vineyard by the sea, right?
Patricius, Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos 2016
Louis XIV is said to have called Tokaji "the wine of kings, the king of wines." The region had the world's first vineyard classification in 1720 and a royal charter fixing its borders in 1737. Vivino: 294 ratings averaging 4.5. My own score was 4.0 — "great match with tiramisu."
I know this one: 6 puttonyos means aged six years, right?
San Marzano, Talò Primitivo di Manduria 2017
Cantine San Marzano started in 1962 when 19 Puglian growers pooled their vineyards; today the cooperative has over 1,200 members. Primitivo is the grape that DNA testing at UC Davis proved, in 2001, to be genetically identical to American Zinfandel. Vivino: 5,142 ratings averaging 4.1. My score: 4.0.
I know this one: Zinfandel is native to California, right?
Delamotte, Brut Champagne Grand Cru 'Le Mesnil-sur-Oger' (NV)
Founded in Reims in 1760, the sixth-oldest house in Champagne. Since 1988 it has shared a roof with Salon as the "younger sibling" house — grapes Salon declares not vintage-worthy flow into Delamotte instead. Vivino: 14,308 ratings averaging 3.9. I gave it 4.5 — "the crisp, crackling toast feel in the mouth makes for a really pleasant Champagne."
I know this one: Delamotte is Salon's little-sister brand, made later, right?
Tommasi, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2015
A family winery that Giacomo Tommasi started on the hills of Valpolicella in 1902 bottled its first Amarone in 1959, opening export routes to 85-plus countries. Vivino: 19,112 ratings averaging 4.3. This was my first Amarone ever, and I gave it 4.5 — "like eating thick berry jam."
I know this one: Amarone is a sweet wine, right?
Montes, Alpha M 2015
Montes' icon-tier Bordeaux blend, from the house Aurelio Montes and partners founded in 1988; Alpha M launched in 1996 as Chile's first "icon wine." Vivino: 1,251 ratings averaging 4.3. I gave it 3.5, noting it felt "exactly premium-line, not more." I opened a Château Mont-Pérat 2016 (3 stars) the same night.
I know this one!
Ridge Vineyards, Lytton Springs 2016
An old-vine field-blend vineyard discovered in 1972 and fully acquired in 1991 by Paul Draper — the same winemaker whose Monte Bello beat top Bordeaux at the 1976 Judgment of Paris. Vivino: 2,388 ratings averaging 4.2. I closed out the year with it on 31 December, giving it 4.5 stars — "tastes like someone I love."
I know this one: Ridge is the wine that beat France at the Judgment of Paris…
Natale Verga, Moscato d'Asti (NV)
A non-vintage Moscato d'Asti built on more than 2,000 years of Piedmont Muscat viticulture and the low-temperature tank method Federico Martinotti developed in 1898. Bottled from Asti-grown grapes by Lombardy-based Casa Vinicola Natale Verga. Vivino: 643 ratings averaging 4.0. I drank it twice, giving it 4.5 stars both times.
I know this one: it's Moscato d'Asti, so it's from an Asti winery, right?
Casillero del Diablo, Devil's Collection Red (Reserva) 2017
A Concha y Toro mass-market label named after the legend of Don Melchor Concha y Toro, who — around 1883 — spread a rumor that the devil lived in his cellar to keep thieves out. Vivino: 13,780 ratings averaging 3.9. I gave it 4 stars the same night as a Prunotto Barolo — "like walking through a pool of thick chocolate."
I know this one!
Krug, Grande Cuvée (NV)
A house founded in 1843 in Reims by a butcher's son from Mainz, Germany. Every year it reblends ten-odd vintages and 120-odd individual wines to make not "the taste of that year" but "the taste of Krug." Vivino: 39,670 ratings averaging 4.6. My own score is 5.0 — I've drunk it six times, and never below 4.5.
I know this one: Madame Krug was in the resistance in World War II, right?
Moillard, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 1997
The Corton hill got the name "Charlemagne" from a legend: the emperor's wife hated red wine staining his white beard. This 22-year-old white Burgundy greeted me with a half-stained cork and a texture like butter and mayonnaise. 4.5 stars.
I know this one: Moillard is a winery up on the Corton hill, right?
Château Rieussec, Sauternes 2010
A 1855 first growth separated from Château d'Yquem by a single wall to the west. It began in 1790 as a monk's land sold at auction, and Lafite Rothschild bought it in 1984. I gave it 4.5 — and wrote in my note that I liked it better than d'Yquem.
I know this one: Rieussec is next door to Yquem, so it's like Yquem's little…
Clos du Val, Pinot Noir 2016 (Los Carneros)
The most systematic note from this stretch of my log — color, then nose, then palate, then finish. Checked line by line against the Vivino community's keywords, it matches almost point for point. 4.0 stars.
Hold on, wine went on trial in Paris?
Château d'Yquem 2008
The pinnacle of Sauternes — Parker 96, Vivino 4.7. I gave the 2008 a 4, and a year later gave the 1988 vintage a 5. Same château, two vintages, two scores.
I know this one: mouldy grapes get thrown out, right?
Château Mouton Rothschild 2005
In 2005 Mouton kept only 64% of its crop and raised it for 20 months in new oak. Parker 97, Wine Spectator 98, Decanter 99, Jeb Dunnuck 100, Vivino 4.7 from 3,272 ratings. The label is by Giuseppe Penone of Arte Povera. I have not opened this bottle — so I write it with the scores I have given Mouton's other vintages instead.
Mouton Cadet is the same Mouton, right?
Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label (Carte Jaune) NV
150,000 Vivino ratings, average 4.3. I gave one of the world's best-selling Champagnes 4.5 — six days after giving Dom Pérignon 2008 a 5.
So Veuve Clicquot is the founder's name, right?
Almaviva 2016
Chile's own 'first growth', made jointly by Rothschild and Concha y Toro. James Suckling 97, Wine Spectator 95. I've drunk it three times in six years, and my first note was exactly two words: 'Strong pepper.'
I know this one: Almaviva is named after a Mozart opera, right?
Dom Pérignon Vintage 2008
The vintage Richard Geoffroy called a 'miracle year' — the first 50:50 Chardonnay–Pinot Noir blend since 1990. My first five-star Champagne. Twenty-two critics average 96 points; the world average price is about ₩720,000.
I know this one: Dom Pérignon is the monk who invented Champagne, right?