Allowed to breathe 30mins in bottle and drank over 1 hour. Appearance is clear, pale intensity, lemon colour. Thin legs. Fine bubbles. Nose is clean, medium intensity, with aromas of stony minerality, light brioche, citrus lemon-lime, green apple. Youthful. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium- alcohol (12%), medium- body. Medium flavour intensity, with flavours of citrus lemon-lime, green apple, light brioche, stony chalky minerality. Medium+ finish. Good quality. Easy drink with a linear character, but rather uninteresting I would say. No information on disgorgement date on the bottle. Would be a waste of space trying to age this in the cellar. Drink up.
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Tasted blind. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour with slight garnet on the rim. Legs. Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of sweet licorice, milk chocolate, blackberry, black cherries, smoked leather. Developed. On the palatye, dry, medium+ acidity, high alcohol (14.5%), integrated high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of sweet licorice, milk chocolate, smoky leather, blackberries, black cherries. Some earth with more air. Long finish. Good quality. Lots of oak and effort evidently put into this wine. Very New World-like on the nose! Already quite mature and not for further ageing. Totally agree with Walter Speller on this wine. As he said: "not very Brunello. Very modern and very ripe." I would have marked this down even further if judging it purely as a Brunello.
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Tasted blind. Appearance is opaque deep blackish red colour. Thick legs. Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of dark milky chocolate, coconut, black cassis, licorice, sweet concentrated candy, black fruits. Developed. On the palate, off-dry!, medium+ acidity, high alcohol (15.5%), smooth fine medium+ tannins, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of dark milky chocolate, mocha, silky yet concentrated sweet black cherries, blackberries, black cassis, licorice. Medium+ finish. Very good quality. Rich and silky drink, too easy to drink for a 15.5% alc! Drink up. I think exclusive Old World drinkers would vomit this wine up though, if you force it down their throats.
Tasted blind. Pop and poured. Appearance is clear, medium intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose medium+ intensity, with rather unclean smells of rubber band, funky earth, slight barnyard, acetone and volatile acidity. Some of these blew away after a while to reveal underlying plums and black cherry. Developed. On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, high alcohol (14.5%), integrated high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of prunes, dark red plums, black cherries, tea leaves, earth, and some oxidative caramel notes. Long finish. Good quality. Probably much better 5+ years ago. Drink up. Going very much downhill.
NV Delamotte Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 88 Points
France, Champagne
Allowed to breathe 30mins in bottle and drank over 1 hour.
Appearance is clear, pale intensity, lemon colour. Thin legs. Fine bubbles.
Nose is clean, medium intensity, with aromas of stony minerality, light brioche, citrus lemon-lime, green apple. Youthful.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium- alcohol (12%), medium- body. Medium flavour intensity, with flavours of citrus lemon-lime, green apple, light brioche, stony chalky minerality. Medium+ finish.
Good quality. Easy drink with a linear character, but rather uninteresting I would say. No information on disgorgement date on the bottle. Would be a waste of space trying to age this in the cellar. Drink up.
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2008 La Serena Brunello di Montalcino 90 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Tasted blind.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour with slight garnet on the rim. Legs.
Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of sweet licorice, milk chocolate, blackberry, black cherries, smoked leather. Developed.
On the palatye, dry, medium+ acidity, high alcohol (14.5%), integrated high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of sweet licorice, milk chocolate, smoky leather, blackberries, black cherries. Some earth with more air. Long finish.
Good quality. Lots of oak and effort evidently put into this wine. Very New World-like on the nose! Already quite mature and not for further ageing. Totally agree with Walter Speller on this wine. As he said: "not very Brunello. Very modern and very ripe." I would have marked this down even further if judging it purely as a Brunello.
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2002 The Colonial Estate Shiraz Exile 91 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Tasted blind.
Appearance is opaque deep blackish red colour. Thick legs.
Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of dark milky chocolate, coconut, black cassis, licorice, sweet concentrated candy, black fruits. Developed.
On the palate, off-dry!, medium+ acidity, high alcohol (15.5%), smooth fine medium+ tannins, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of dark milky chocolate, mocha, silky yet concentrated sweet black cherries, blackberries, black cassis, licorice. Medium+ finish.
Very good quality. Rich and silky drink, too easy to drink for a 15.5% alc! Drink up. I think exclusive Old World drinkers would vomit this wine up though, if you force it down their throats.
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1998 Baptista Shiraz The Graytown 88 Points
Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Heathcote
Tasted blind. Pop and poured.
Appearance is clear, medium intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose medium+ intensity, with rather unclean smells of rubber band, funky earth, slight barnyard, acetone and volatile acidity. Some of these blew away after a while to reveal underlying plums and black cherry. Developed.
On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, high alcohol (14.5%), integrated high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of prunes, dark red plums, black cherries, tea leaves, earth, and some oxidative caramel notes. Long finish.
Good quality. Probably much better 5+ years ago. Drink up. Going very much downhill.
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