Samuel Smith & Sons and Negociants 2012 Imported Tasting

Huge tasting of the most recent imports that Sam Smiths and Negotiants are bringing in to Australia from all over the world. Packed, elbow to elbow, fight to get to the tables tasting which is why the notes are a bit shabby. The Bordeaux's were on a separate table so a little easier to get to.

• 2007 Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  Nose: graphite, pencil shavings over cream and slight black fruit
  Mouth: creamy black fruit, herbaceous notes, coffee and medium plus tannins.
  Good.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2009 Domaine de L'Arlot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos des Forêts St. Georges

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

  Nose: earth, slight toast, clove, slight red berry
  Mouth: phenolic grip and savoury red fruit, a little subdued...not sure when this was opened or how it was treated at the tasting.
  Meh

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2009 Bernard Dugat-Py Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin

  Nose: Meaty and toasty, slight marzipan (oddly enough) and spice. Perfumed notes.
  Mouth: meaty, yeast extract dominates...also touches of brett...very slight red fruit...
  Nah.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2008 L'Hospitalet de Gazin

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Nose: slight jammy plum and black fruit, spice over slight toasted oak and vanilla
  Mouth: medium acid, tannin, alcohol, medium minus flavour intensity with flavours of red currant, slightly astringent on the medium plus length finish.
  Nah

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2008 Château Bourgneuf

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Nose: biscuit, Subdued red and black fruit
  Mouth: medium plus acid, medium plus tannin, warm alcohol, juicy fruit...very young and very nice.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2008 Château Certan de May

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Nose: red fruit with slight clove. tiny nutmeg as well as cigar box. There is oak here but it is not intrusive.
  Mouth: medium plus acid, medium grippy tannin, especially on the front of the mouth. The fruit is rich, almost cakey but this diminishes a little too rapidly.
  Meh.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Château du Tertre

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Nose: Farmyard over subdued blackcurrant and red berry fruit, cream and cassis. cedar
  Mouth: Medium plus acid, cream, yeast extract - savoury. medium tannin that is on the front of the mouth, subdued fruit that is juicy but not intense...this does carry on the medium plus finish.
  good.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1999 Clos du Marquis

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Nose: Aged bordeaux...slight black and red fruit, tobacco, toast, cedar, clove...
  Mouth: medium acid, medium tannin, savoury red fruit, almost juniper, and meaty. Tannin is silky and integrated and the finish is long.
  Mmm

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2001 Château Pontet-Canet

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Nose: Cedar, oak, slight minty note, herbaceous, black fruit and cream
  Mouth: medium acid, medium plus tannin, juicy but subdued fruit, cedar, cigar box, pencil shavings...long finish
  Very good.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2008 Château Belair-Monange

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Nose: Jammy red fruit, slight herbaceousness over cream, vanilla and toasted oak
  Mouth: medium plus acid, medium tannin, warm alcohol, spicy, dry red fruit, very long finish.
  Very good.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2009 Château de Beaucastel Côtes du Rhône Coudoulet de Beaucastel

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  Nose: Farmyard and brett, perfumed notes over red fruit and herbs
  Mouth: Slightly jammy red fruit compote with medium plus acid and tannin that are in balance. As the fruit drops out some mint notes come through on the medium plus finish.
  Hmm

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2007 Famille Perrin / Perrin & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Sinards Flawed

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Nose: heady, lifted alcohol over red fruit with some citric top notes
  Mouth: thin and weedy, disappointing...perhaps it is flawed?

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2009 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Nose: red fruit, spice
  Mouth: red fruit, medium plus tannin, medium acid, the wine finishes with spicy notes.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2007 E. Guigal St. Joseph Vignes de L'Hospice

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  Nose: slight green and black peppercorn, fishy notes (?), cedar and oak
  Mouth: green and black peppercorn, meaty and savoury, Medium plus tannin and acid that are balanced and a medium plus finish that carries generous alcohol warmth.
  Good.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva Badia a Passignano

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Nose: Spice and slight cherry, slight herbaceous top notes and hints of oak
  Mouth: Medium plus acid and tannin, sour cherry, cream...the tannin is still a little weighty for the fruit but this is good.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2007 Argiano Brunello di Montalcino

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Nose: Farmyard funk, slight rubber, meaty red fruit, toasted oak
  Mouth: Juicy cherry and meat.
  Meh

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Pieve Santa Restituta (Gaja) Brunello di Montalcino

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Nose: cherry menthol, herbaceous and rubbery notes
  Mouth: juicy cherry, meat, medium plus acid and tannin.
  Hmm.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2007 Masi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Costasera

  Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

  Nose: concentrated cherry, chocolate, cream and slight menthol and, oddly, mint
  Mouth: Dry, cherry and chocolate...the fruit carries on the long finish.
  Lovely

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2008 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Le Volte Toscana IGT

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Nose: Jammy red fruit, biscuit and toasted oak.
  Mouth: Medium minus tannin, some wet generic red fruit.
  Meh

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2008 Poderi Aldo Conterno Langhe Nebbiolo Il Favot

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Nose: Medium minus intensity with plum and rose
  Mouth: Plum, medium plus tannin...not massively complex but has lovely structure and is well balanced.
  Nice enough.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Gaja Barbaresco

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Nose: Almost like Port...herbaceous, cherry and black fruit, plums and spice
  Mouth: A bit like dry, savoury Port in the mouth as well. Medium plus tannin

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

I enjoyed the Thelema Cab Sav and Guigal St. Joseph. I have a soft spot, in general, for Amarone Valpolicella so it was not really surprising that the Masi appealed. Of the Bordeaux the Pontet-Canet was v.nice and the Belair Monange nice as well. The Gaja Barbaresco was disappointing.