2013 Pinot Noir Reserve Privee
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Tasting notes
Very savory and smoky, but with quite some power and richness, this is a striking Swiss pinot noir that still has plenty of life in it at almost 10 years of age, thanks to the healthy tannins. Licorice and baking spices at the forthrightly dry finish. Drink or hold.
Critic scores
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James Suckling
Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2013 Pinot Noir Malans "Réserve Privée" is a single-barrel selection that stood out in Martin and Thomas Donatsch's blind tastings of all their Pinot barrels. Bottled for the first time, the Privée is deep, perfectly ripe and intense on the nose but highly refined and elegant at the same time, with spicy notes of cloves and red cabbage. What a noblesse! On the palate, this is a highly refined, fresh and finessed Pinot with peppery flavors on the very delicate finish. The tannins are super fine and elegant and interweave perfectly with the ripe and juicy cherry and black berry fruit. Tasted at the domaine in Malans in November 2018. Only 300 bottles of the Privée were made, and 30 of those will be auctioned in Bad Ragaz in May 2019. The rest are not for sale, but readers who want to try a bottle in Donatsch's Winzerstube "Zum Ochsen" may eventually negotiate with the owners...