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https://www.instagram.com/konstantinbaum_mw/
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@konstantinbaum_mw
Check out my website:
https://www.cellarclass.com/
https://www.konstantinbaum.com/
https://baumselection.com/
I have used the following glass in this video:
SPIEGELAU Hi-Lite Universal Glass – Get it here: https://www.spiegelau.com/en/shop/hi-lite/universal-glass-1750161?mtm_campaign=2025_cont_ec_baum20&mtm_source=ig&mtm_medium=afp&mtm_content=workshop&mtm_group=bgw&mtm_placement=link
I have tasted the following wines in this Video:
2023 Pieropan La Rocca Soave Classico, Veneto, Italy
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/pieropan+la+rocca+soave+cls+veneto+italy/2023?referring_site=KSB
2021 Lapu Valley Three Parallel Rivers Dry White Southwest High Mountain Area, China
2024 Keller Grüner Sylvaner Rheinhessen, Germany
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/keller+gruner+silvaner+trocken+rheinhessen+germany/2024?referring_site=KSB
2014 Grange des Pères Blanc, Languedoc, France
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/dom+de+la+grange+pere+blanc+igp+pays+d+herault+france/2014?referring_site=KSB
2023 Dr. Burklin-Wolf Forster Kirchenstuck G.C. Riesling, Pfalz, Germany
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/dr+burklin+wolf+forster+kirchenstuck+g+c+riesling+trocken+an+weinstrass+pfalz+germany/2023?referring_site=KSB
1980 Chateau Margaux, Margaux, France
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/margaux+medoc+bordeaux+france/1980?referring_site=KSB
2003 Chateau Pavie, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/pavie+st+emilion+grand+cru+bordeaux+france/2003?referring_site=KSB
2021 Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG’, Piedmont, Italy
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/produttori+docg+barbaresco+piemonte+italy/2021?referring_site=KSB
2023 Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs, Dry Creek Valley, USA
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/ridge+lytton+spring+dry+creek+valley+sonoma+county+north+coast+california+usa/2023?referring_site=KSB
2015 Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG, Veneto, Italy
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/giuseppe+quintarelli+docg+amarone+della+valpolicella+cls+veneto+italy/2015?referring_site=KSB
2001 Penfolds Grange Bin 95, Australia
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/penfolds+grange+bin+95+australia/2001?referring_site=KSB
2024 Jermann ‘Vinnae’ Servus Cella Ribolla Gialla Venezia Giulia IGT, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/jerman+vinnae+servus+cella+ribolla+gialla+friuli+venezia+giulia+igp+italy/2024?referring_site=KSB
I use this wine key: Forge de Laguiole Ebony
The 100 Point Scoring System (from www.robertparker.com):
96-100: An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this caliber are worth a special effort to find, purchase and consume.
90 – 95: An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. In short, these are terrific wines.
80 – 89: A barely above average to very good wine displaying various degrees of finesse and flavor as well as character with no noticeable flaws.
70 – 79: An average wine with little distinction except that it is soundly made. In essence, a straightforward, innocuous wine.
60 – 69: A below-average wine containing noticeable deficiencies, such as excessive acidity and/or tannin, an absence of flavor or possibly dirty aromas or flavors.
50 – 59: A wine deemed to be unacceptable.
The days are getting shorter, the temperatures are dropping, and Christmas is around the corner… which can only mean one thing: Wine Spectator has released its Top 10 Wines of the Year.
And of course, I’m making a video about it.
The end of 2025 is near, and it’s time for me to release my favorite wines of the year.
Reflecting on the past year, I traveled across the globe tasting many great wines, as is my yearly tradition.
2025 was also a strange year for wine, as I talked to many winemakers and merchants who feel gloomy about the future.
It might be a difficult period for people in the wine trade; however, there are a few products that have been around for more than 8000 years, and I don’t think wine is going anywhere.
This year, I tasted many exciting wines from places that I did not have on my radar before, and I am sure that the quality of wine overall has never been higher than it is now.
So let’s talk about my favorite bottles of the year 2025 …
32 Comments
Check out Cellar Class to take your wine knowledge to the next level: https://www.cellarclass.com/ – Learn from a Master of Wine at your pace, wherever you are with Cellar Class!
Keller's Grüner Sylvaner ist grossartig. Keller's Sylvaner insgesamt erreichen für meinen Geschmack ein Niveau, das ich normalerweise nicht erwarte. Auch auf einer Weinprobe bei Keller habe ich sie schon ignoriert… und dann doch probiert… und dann auch bestellt. Freut mich, dass er auch Anerkennung von dir bekommt.
A great resume of favourite wines!
Thanks so much for all your hard work over 2025, I think most of us feel that there have been better years; here's to 2026!
Nice one Konstantin. 🍷🎄✨🌟👍
@Konstantin THANK YOU for all the effort, money, and time that you invest into this channel. I have been a long time fan of your channel.
My favorites from this year.
Visiting Domaine Taittinger in Reims, because we named our son after this winery. Trying Comtes and Prelude and the Demi sec side by side was awesome.
The 2015 Epinette from Force Majore.
And the 2014 Heitz Martha's Vineyard Cabernet.
Thanks again!
I agree with 19 crimes. The Wine Spectator of the year, Shegosi was delicious
I thoroughly enjoyed this video.
Mein Highlight dieses Jahr der 0815 Alberino Landwein bei Sonnenuntergang in einem winzigen Fisch-Restaurant in Galizien. Manchmal braucht's nicht mehr.
Hi Konstantin, thanks for the educating and entertaining year!
This reminds me of a video from the start of the year where you tried some Sauska Furmint saying you wanted to dive deeper into Tokaj dry Furmint. I did a tasting this year and it's amazing quality for the price especially what Szepsy is doing. The 2021 Szepsy Nyulaszlo is next to a 1997 Roberto Voerzio Cerquio Barolo my wine of the year!
I am still hoping you are going to make a video about that topic one day… 🙂
Would be interesting to get your take on Chinese Viti practices??
Thank you🥰
Great video. I hope to be lucky enough one day to try a quintarelli amarone!
Wines of the year for me:
2021 Paolo Giordano Barolo Perno (up-and-coming Barolo producer, $60 or so if you can find it)
2005 Gaja 'Alteni di Brassica' Langhe Bianco (a 20 year old Sauvignon Blanc from Piemonte?! who knew, incredible and surprising, $150)
2023 Amevive GSM Ravie (amazing up-and-coming producer out of Santa Barbara that makes very fresh/vibrant takes on Northern Rhone wines, $38)
2017 Ceritas Trout Gulch Chardonnay (just a great, nervy, fresh Chablis-like chardonnay from Sonoma coast, $80-ish at auction)
2016 Anne Gros Vosne-Romanee Les Barreaux (a fantastic village Vosne Romanee, $160)
2022 Martin Woods Syrah The Rocks (a Northern-Rhone-esque Syrah from close to Cayuse but precise, without the Cayuse funk, incredible value at $50)
1985 Chateau d'Yquem (always a great wine, but especially great on a milestone birthday)
I agree about China and its wines
Awesome list and a great video!👏
Another great video Konstantin! I discovered your channel during the pandemic lockdown and it has lifted my wine tasting experience to another level. Besides following your suggestion, which rarely miss. I believe I've learned some of the basic techniques of wine discovery too. Thank you again and have a great holiday season!
I love Italian red wine, and was shocked to see the 2021 Barbaresco was affordable here, I picked up two bottles!! I really appreciate that your wine selection is diverse. Going to France next year hopefully to stand by the DRC sign and take a picture!! As close as I'm going to get to a bottle!😅
My wine of the year has been Maison Chanzy Bouzeron Clos De La Fortune Monopole for the past two years. Picked it randomly to begin with, but now I pick it up whenever I don’t know what to get.
Never had a better wine at that price point (about 30 euros, but in Norway 😅).
I found a wine this year that's amazing to my tastes. Bodegas Muga Selección Especial. It's a Rioja.
The Hirschmann brothers, one of whom is my direct ancestor, came from Schorndorf to Pennsylvania in 1740. Such a joy to be part German and to be a fan of Konstantin Baum. Prost.
Wine cos not doing themselves any favours.
In the 1990s visiting Melbourne, ordered a bottle of Penfolds Bin 389 for less than $20, in a restaurant. It now retails for $120 at least. Bugger that
This year gave so many memorable wines but my absolute favourites are probably:
2014 Les Enfers
2000 Pol Roger Vinotheque
2008 Cristal
2013 Cristal Rose
2016 Peter Jakob Kühn Schledorn Unikat
2017 Hirtzberger Singerriedel
1996 Margaux
1985 Vega Sicilia Unico
1998 Sassicaia
2006 Monprivato
2001 Lafite
1982 Palmer
2010 Guigal La Mouline
There are so many more great wines but when it comes to those I can still taste when I close my eyes that´s more or less the list. This is also a list based on enjoyment not just quality though so many of them were unbelievably good!
Congrats!!! special wine from France, Italy, Germany, USA…even Chine!!! but no just one from Spain…what a pitty !!!
I really love your honest, fair and accessible analysis – always done with a smile too!
What no Canadian wines?
Read the comments to get more subscribers 😉
Primo! Great video; nice summary of all the good stuff you've tasted throughout the year. Many thanks!
I volunteer to drink your tired rejects! 🙋🏻♀️
Another interesting video, thank you as always. My wine of the year 2025 has not really stood out, but I did drink the Billecart-Salmon Sous Bois a couple of times and found it excellent value, quite interesting and very consistent.
Penfold's has a bigger Marketing department than a winemaking one.
#1 – 2021 Bedrock Wine Co. Bien Nacido Syrah
#2 – 2016 Rivers-Marie Herb Lamb Cabernet Sauvignon
#3 – 2015 Carpazo Brunello di Montalcino La Casa
#4 – 2020 Saxum James Berry Syrah
#5 – 2022 Carlisle Vineyard Zinfandel
#6 – 2022 Ayoub Anonimo Pinot Noir
#7 – 2016 Arcudi Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon
My wines of the year are 2016 Labegorce, 2018 Terrawatta Cabernet Sauvignon Ambervale, and the 2021 Cave B Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. All are around $35 USD and taste as good or better than other wines that cost several times more. The Labegorce in particular tasted pitch perfect to me, just exactly the way it was supposed to.
What about South Africa. Swartland wines , Eben Sadie wines. Look into it. Mullineux is another great producer in that area.