Hand-carried back from Portugal, this was very nice again. I really liked the nose on this, showing little shades of stone fruit and spiced apples laced with dried flowers and a lovely stony mineral twang. The palate was really polished, with lovely integrated acidity seamlessly woven through open-knit flavours of apple and stone fruit, and then a lovely tail of minerality running into a round, full finish. A really well-made wine, very delicious and food-friendly, and drinking well now.
This took awhile to get going, but after an hour or so, it was a nicely enjoyable drop. The nose smelt a bit like a Beaujolais on steroids, with sweet, slightly candied notes of strawberries and red cherries and sweet floral notes fringed with a bit of damp earth of green bramble. Quite attractive. The palate was enjoyable too. Lots of fresh acidity, with a bit of the fizz that suggested some carbonic maceration, and then bright notes of sour cherries and berries laced with a bit of dried earth and a nice mineral tail at the finish, where a little bit of fine tannins came in. Quite nice, but this does need a bit of time in the bottle - maybe 2-3 years.
Rather too young, but this shows a lot of promise. The nose was big and bold, with deep notes of plums and blackberries, and then wafts of cigarette ash, dried earth and sprigs of dill and menthol around the sides of the bouquet. You could just about feel the 14.5% alcohol in the plush fulness on the palate, but it was still in balance, with velvety tannins and juicy acidity wrapped around ripe notes of black cherries, plums and blackberries laced with spice and smoke as the wine led into a full, dried fruited finish. A rather big bruiser at the moment - this needs time yet, or at least some food, but it will be a really lovely sip in another 5-6 years.
Enjoyable. The nose was really nice, with notes of sultanas, dried figs, savoury almond skins and mahogany wood, maybe a bit of spice. The palate was rather simpler though, with sweet flavours of dried figs and pear William soaked in a bit of syrup, with a little bit of spice running into the finish. Balanced enough, and decent with dessert, but altogether a little simple and sweet.
2017 Quinta da Pellada Dão Primus Branco 92 Points
Portugal, Beiras, Dão
Hand-carried back from Portugal, this was very nice again. I really liked the nose on this, showing little shades of stone fruit and spiced apples laced with dried flowers and a lovely stony mineral twang. The palate was really polished, with lovely integrated acidity seamlessly woven through open-knit flavours of apple and stone fruit, and then a lovely tail of minerality running into a round, full finish. A really well-made wine, very delicious and food-friendly, and drinking well now.
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2019 Arnot-Roberts Gamay Noir El Dorado 90 Points
USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado
This took awhile to get going, but after an hour or so, it was a nicely enjoyable drop. The nose smelt a bit like a Beaujolais on steroids, with sweet, slightly candied notes of strawberries and red cherries and sweet floral notes fringed with a bit of damp earth of green bramble. Quite attractive. The palate was enjoyable too. Lots of fresh acidity, with a bit of the fizz that suggested some carbonic maceration, and then bright notes of sour cherries and berries laced with a bit of dried earth and a nice mineral tail at the finish, where a little bit of fine tannins came in. Quite nice, but this does need a bit of time in the bottle - maybe 2-3 years.
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2012 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva 91 Points
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Rather too young, but this shows a lot of promise. The nose was big and bold, with deep notes of plums and blackberries, and then wafts of cigarette ash, dried earth and sprigs of dill and menthol around the sides of the bouquet. You could just about feel the 14.5% alcohol in the plush fulness on the palate, but it was still in balance, with velvety tannins and juicy acidity wrapped around ripe notes of black cherries, plums and blackberries laced with spice and smoke as the wine led into a full, dried fruited finish. A rather big bruiser at the moment - this needs time yet, or at least some food, but it will be a really lovely sip in another 5-6 years.
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2003 Kopke Porto White Colheita 90 Points
Portugal, Douro, Porto
Enjoyable. The nose was really nice, with notes of sultanas, dried figs, savoury almond skins and mahogany wood, maybe a bit of spice. The palate was rather simpler though, with sweet flavours of dried figs and pear William soaked in a bit of syrup, with a little bit of spice running into the finish. Balanced enough, and decent with dessert, but altogether a little simple and sweet.
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