This time there are three interesting wines from different regions.

Even if the namesake F.X. Pichler is better known, Rudi Pichler is certainly one of the top producers in the Wachau. The Rudi Pichler 2017 Weissenkirchener Achleiten Grüner Veltliner Smaragd has yellow plum, apricot, tobacco, blossom sweetness, a hint of nutmeg, full body and is very mineral, very precise, very balanced and fresh. Due to the high extract, the 14.5% ABV is not noticeable. 18.8/20 points.

The Schlossgut Diel 2016 Pinot Noir Cuvée Caroline is one of Germany's top red wines. The wine has strawberry, cherry, dark toast, dark fruits, blossoms, full body, medium-long finish and is balanced, elegant and complex. 18.5/20 points.

The Johann Michel 2018 Cornas Mere Michel from the Serene Noire grape variety is one of the longest-lived wines in the Rhone. Due to a car breakdown, we had the previous vintage in the car trunk for weeks in summer temperatures, where it got so warm that even the cork was pushed out a little. Instead of throwing the wine straight away, we tasted it and were surprised that it survived the ordeal perfectly. The 2018 has blackberry, spice, full body, a long finish and is balanced and dense. The wine appears very young and is beginning to show drinking maturity and great potential. Now 18.5/20 points, but certainly more in a few years.