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Wine Type Vintage Name Variety Locale Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More...
Red

2009 Poliziano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Vigna Asinone

 Sangiovese more
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4/18/2021 - richardhod Likes this wine: 94 points

I never expected this out of a sangiovese, but wow, this is a revelation. I bought 4 bottles in 2012 because they were on accidental 75% discount in Tesco, and it looked like great wine. Every time I take it I go wow this is good but I bet it opens up in time. And still it's not immediately open on the first day which means it's got years left, maybe two decades even.

This is still dark and closed and tannic on day 1 but after 24-hours of being open it has opened up into leather and Cassis and briar fruits with still strong acidity and some floral notes on the middle and end of the palate. It is long and deep and subtle and beautiful. This could last another 10 years. I hope I haven't just drunk my last bottle! Highly recommended this is a really really good wine, and structured to last.

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Red

2010 Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Gran Reserva Serie Riberas Palo Santo

 Colchagua Valley more
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6/23/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 89 points

For the money a steal! Lovely lovely lovely, I'm going to try to get more. Tesco getting rid of the rest of their stocks. I think made in a new world fruit forward style, but with a lot of tannins, and off the go HUUGE and green bitter tannins, but with good soft dark red and blue fruits and some blackcurrant on the palate. Big, fruity, a little too much tannin (think it's more skins than wood), but pretty decent!
Softens with time, and an hour in the tannins are still big but more manageable (And I don't like huge young tannins). I think this will age, even though it's not really an ageing style, as it has enough acidity (guess pH3.6-7) to hold for a bit and let it integrate more and get some secondaries. .
Drink now with decanting, or hold.

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Red

2007 M. Chapoutier Gigondas

 Red Rhone Blend more
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6/11/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 88 points

Drink without decanting. This is at the end of its life, but the good bottles are still drinking well out of the bottle.
The nose still shows a divine dustiness, with some of the fruits also showing through. if it drank as it smells It'd get a 94.

Out of the bottle the palate is tightly acidic, which good red fruits. Big bodied wine, and kept up with the tagine I'd made.

Not a great wine in depth and complexity, but still shows that it has good fruit and decent character. Second day the tannins come out as sharp black and bitter, which isn't so good, and the fruits are just rowdily hanging around, rather than playing together in a well-mannered group. nonetheless, it's obviously a quality wine which just isn't quite working now. I'm not sure that these are made to last, so I'd drink up instead.

Drink up, and within the hour after opening.

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Red

2007 M. Chapoutier Gigondas

 Red Rhone Blend more
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5/31/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 85 points

Highly disappointing. I wonder if it's past its best. Better out of the bottle with no decanting. Keeps its glorious dusty nose, and has some good zing, but it fades after a couple of hours and ends up just big and floppy big red fruits.
Second day the tannins come out, but no finesse. Definitely has uality, but it doesn't hang together now.

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Red

2011 Via Di Cavallo Chianti Via Di Cavallo

 Sangiovese Blend, Sangiovese more
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5/22/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 88 points

For a young, cheap Chianti this is really good. It tastes like a simply decent chianti. Tesco says it's 100% Sangiovese, from SAbino Russo, at 12.5% alcohol. Very decent, light-medium red wine.
Good acidity, good fruit, although not a very long flavour. Very worthwhile simple drinker, but won't set the world on fire
It was allegedly on offer got 6 pounds, but at that price it's very good. Not sure I'd buy it at its full price but it's worth getting a bunch at this price for high quality ordinary use.

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Red

2006 Marques de Chive Valdepeñas Gran Reserva

 Tempranillo more
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5/6/2013 - richardhod Does not like this wine: 75 points

Six quid at Tesco and I wouldn't even give it to a sick squid.
Tastes of burned rubber, so it's way over sulphurised. Fail.

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Red

NV Piccini Memoro Rosso

 Italy Red Blend more
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4/30/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 84 points

A fine cheap table wine. No special flavour or finess and a very busy, mixed red palate, as it's a blend of all sorts of grapes, but as a nice, deep fruity everyday table wine it's very good indeed, especially for a £5 offer at the old Horsemeat supermarket.

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Red

2007 Bodegas Navalon Tempranillo Valdepeñas Clasica Gran Familia

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4/30/2013 - richardhod wrote: 82 points

Meant to be a halfprice deal from £12 to 6, but not really worth it: other £5 tesco deals are better.

Thin and acidic on first taste. After an hour or so it opens up to more Tempranillo red fruit, but a bitterness on the palate too which spoils it somewhat. Not balanced, and no significant soft integrated wood tannins to help. Not really a good drink.

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Red

2011 Pasquier Desvignes Côtes du Rhône Villages

 Red Rhone Blend more
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4/14/2013 - richardhod wrote: 81 points

Pretty basic. Sharp, bitter tannins, thin-ish palate, no nose to speak of. Has dark, tarry fruit, but not very distinctive fruit. Dry, which is at least a bonus, but perhaps a little bell peppery. Definitely the iferior end of someone's vineyards. £5 on offer and at that price I won't buy it again. I've had worse, but it's really not worth drinking. Gluwein time.

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Red

2011 Cooperativa Jesús del Perdón Castillo de Andaluz

 Vino de la Tierra de Castilla Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo more
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4/13/2013 - richardhod wrote: 78 points

Bottom-end quaffing red, but better than some. Far too young at a year and a half but this is the cheap and of the market. Allegedly at half-price £5 in Sainsburys, it's made for the "make young sell cheap mass market for idiots " UK market.
Purple colour and pretty dense-looking. Not much nose. It's like the cheap Australian end of the market, but with some Tempranillo to calm it down. Pretty industrial palate, with some purple fruits and some tarry and bitter strong young tannins. As it opens up, the tannins come out and bite you. This is on for the vodka-and-excitement lovers. rather than anyone looking for a sensual taste experience. Only 13% though, so it's not that it's hot, just strong. bitter and tarry. There is fruit on the palate, and quite an amount of it, alternativin gbetween a bit sweet and somewhat chemicl. It's a vague purple-fruit flavour, and definitely sharp, chemical-like. I can sense both the Syrah and the Tempranillo as I put my mind to it, but really, this isn't about the more subtle aspects of these fine grapes. Hmmm, drying tannins on the end.
It's not entirely unpleasant, and if you like alcopops you will probaly love this. Which makes sense: it's aimed at the UK mass-market WKD drinkers. It's just not wine as you'd usually expect to drink it. It's not quite as bad as the McGuigan stuff I once accidentally tasted, but I wouldn't recommend it very much at all.
Take it to a wild party, or eat it with well-charred barbecue!

Edit: Day 2. Disjointed, slightly sweet, still chemical if strong fruit. Tannins still biting like a rabid ferret.

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Red

2007 Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva

 Tempranillo more
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4/11/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 87 points

Day 2 is worth a whole new tasting note, it's that different!

Worth two of more more points... it's Much much better. Nose has opened up a bit, some violets and other cherry and smoke aromas (thank you other reviewer for identifying those). On the palate the acidity is still there but not too keen, just nice and zingy. Red fruits have come out more and the palate sings a little. More depth, more spring to the palate. Dark tars have lightened a bit, opening up depth rather than darkening the flavour. Now it's nicely balanced and the Wood tannins have come out a little and complement nicely. Cedar, says one below, so I'll remember that. Medium-long length too, gently passing into the night.

This is definitely a step up from the other Tesco-sourced offer Riojas under £10 so far, but it is the most expensive yet, not that any are at all dear. On day 2, maybe worth the £10 retail. It's not complex, but it is for £8 on offer, very good indeed. Just aerate decant and wait....or cellar it a while!

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Red

2011 Barberis HNOS S.A. Malbec Casa Juanita

 Mendoza more
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4/10/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 89 points

Fantastic fruity quaffer. Has no pretensions to being anything but a young, lively fruit-forward red, and it's really good at that. Tasty blackberry fruit on the palate, some depth, decent acidity and balance. This was a selection at the Trout at Wolvercote, on the river just outside Oxford. Imported by milton sandford wines (no room in the spec to put it in the official CT)
Higly recommended for what it is!

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Red

2007 Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva

 Tempranillo more
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4/10/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 86 points

Really keen acidity and dark fruit on the palate. Not particuarly multidimensional but beats the cheaper 5 quid Riojas, and with a bit of tar on the palate, a little much, but not horribly unpleasantly so. medium-fruit, made heavier by the tar or tannins. Some oak, more than other bottom end ones but not overly much, and some integrated tannins on the finish. Excellent mainstream cheap stuff, but I'd only pay the 8 quid offer price. I won't seek it out, but it's vry drinkable, and has quite a strong presence.

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Red

2007 Castillo San Lorenzo Rioja Reserva

 Tempranillo more
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4/10/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 85 points

Faint nose of dark red Tempranillo fruits. Colour towards the brick colour: Good zing of acid on the front,with a medium heavy palate althought he fruits aren't as vibrant as they will ahve been when it was younger. Soft hints of tannins on the end. Probably drink up time, but still pretty decent.

For six quid on offer not a bad deal at all. not going to turn your world upside down but it's a good smooth drink with good zippy acidty and some fruit. A contender when on offer. No bad end notes or nasty surprises.

EDIT: Day 2: still about the same. More tannins, but still integrated and soft, but the acidity and tannins last longer. Length has improved at the end of the palate: some drying softtannins and nice acidity. It's a little sort of a "cloudy dark red fruits" flavour, but still very decent.
Not a patch on the Campo Viejo Reserva on day 2.

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Red

2011 Torretta di Mondelli Sicilia

 Nero d'Avola more
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4/9/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 84 points

Decent budget wine.
Nothing special, but god acidity, good dark red ight-medium fruit with some dark Nero flavours and hints of some soft tannins on the end. No great complexity, but well-made mass market everyday wine. Decent value for a fiver. Beats a lot of the sub-£10 market. Could have more varietal oomph, but for the price you can't really complain.

I was going to review it ont eh second day, but somebody stole the rest of the bottle. I think the cleaner thought it was a present for her! ? !

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Red

2011 Mondelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

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4/4/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 87 points

Good acidity up front, a good zing. Light, red and mid-red fruits and given some apparent weight by a hint of darkness maybe tar or liquorice. There are also some light sweet tannins on the mid-late palate. Not long, but the zip of the acidity stays with you. Very pleasant. Again, not thin or green at all, nor any hints of the sourness or other faults in some cheap wine.

A little more zing than the Palastri Sangiovese di Romagna at the same price, more dimensions, a more open palate, but with a some dark tar or liquorice, rather than the fuller re-purple "front" palate fruit of the Palastri. It's a bit more subtle than the Palastri, but they're both great value

Very good indeed for the price. A fine everyday drinking wine. At 4 quid. usually at twice that, and decent value for 8.

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Red

2011 Palastri Sangiovese Romagna

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4/4/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 86 points

Decent, especially for 4 quid. Decent acidity, mouthwatering middle with good fruits, not thin or green at all, light red fruits, some medium length due to the good acidity. Even some soft tannins on the end. No hints of the sourness or other faults in some cheap wine. Very good indeed for the price. A fine everyday drinking wine and perfect for cooking good food with.

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Red

2009 Sainsbury's Priorat Taste the Difference

 Red Blend more
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3/26/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 87 points

Pretty decent, and if it were 5 years older, it would rate a lot higher too. Surprised by the own-brand. It's not complex complex but it's certainly a decent drink and way more than one-dimensional. Not really had Priorat before but I can see why people enjoy it. Crowd-pleasing style.

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Red

2007 Marques de Montino Rioja Reserva

 Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo more
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3/9/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 86 points

Pretty good, great nose. Tannins a little bitter o the front, but this resolves into biting acidity with Good length too, with some dark-red-purple fruit, nice sharp acidity. Drying dusty tannins on the end. Not deeply complex but Very good wine indeed when on offer! Light-medium body.
Maybe a bit of a dark hint of something on the back end you don't particuarly want, or I'd have given it a higher score.

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Red

2005 Grandes Vinos y Viñedos Cariñena Gran Reserva Marquès de Caranó

 Red Blend more
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3/5/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 87 points

Tasty tasty tasty. Opens up immediately on vinturiing. Second day it's still good, possibly better. Light nose, but strong palate. Good acidity, biting red and dark red fruits, with a little of that blackness on the palate you get from some southern Italian wines too. good long finish also. Not much noticeable in wood tannins at first compared with the 02 so it seems lighter, a little more subtle, but with less heft. Perhaps on the second day there's a hint of some lingering tannins on the late palate, which is quite nice. Ideally I'd have the tannin levels somewhere between the two vintages.
Not the world's most complex wine, but it has a lot off zip and flavour on the palate. Very good value still when on offer at a fiver.

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Red

2008 Schug Pinot Noir Carneros

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3/2/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 90 points

Straight out of the bottle through a Vinturi it's a rose-dusty nose, sharp fruity body, very pure Pinoty. Simple start, with excellent outhwatering acidity and red-dark cherry (the PN taste!), with a long finish. Not layers of depth, no dirt, no barnyward, but just a very good, biting tasty PN. Really realy good, and at the knockdown half price offer amazing value. Really good stuff, and my goto low-end American PN if I Can get again at that price, as it's medium-level stuff, Clean, well-made, and good like Villages or better!

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Red

2000 Giuseppe Contratto Barolo Tenuta Secolo Cerequio

 Nebbiolo more
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2/22/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 91 points

Pretty hefty Barolo, as expected, with big oak. Dusty, dark cherry violets on the nose, and sharp, dark fruits with stringent acidity on the palate. Mouth-puckeringly intense, and long palate, with red roses and sharp dark red cherry. After 3 hours opening the oak's a lot less intrusive, having been too much within the first hour. nicely integrated and well-done. , Although the intensity is high, the body is only medium, so it's not really as hefty as it might be, and I'd prefer a little more body to go with the hefty oak, even when it's integrated after a few hours.

I drank with a homemade Bolognese, but that wasn't hefty enough to go with it really. Needs maybe deeper meats, cheese or mushroom dishes to counterpoint this big, keenly acidic, traditional Barolo. Very good, if not quite the body to be sumptuous.

Probably best in 5-10 years.

Edit: Day 2, softened and has some nice violet on the palate too. Very good-cabernet-like in its complexity and subtlety. Excellent wine! up a point!

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Red

2007 Kent Rasmussen Cabernet Franc Esoterica

 Mt. Veeder more
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2/10/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 93 points

Really good CF, but to me this bottle sings after 48 hours open! Nose of deep red-purple fruits, with some dust. Palate, those deep red fruits come bursting through, sharp redcurrant, cranberries, loganberries, maybe a hint of red cherry. Keen acidity quickly kicks in and adds to the sparkling flavours, staying sharp and alive through a long moutwatering finish with violets and raspberries, with a long aftertaste of the red / dark red fruits. Tannins pretty integrated by now.
Two days ago, an hour after opening, there was a lot more tannin, and stronger flavour, b ut not as subtle or integrated. I recommend cellaring this beauty for 5 years minimum, and maybe 10-20 depending on taste.

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Red

1996 Château De Brens St. Émilion Grand Cru

 Red Bordeaux Blend more
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1/10/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 90 points

Same as I said before. Great for a 16-year old wine that's not fromthe top drawer. A little light on the fruit, but then a St Emilion of this age isn't going to be huge. Still crisp ad red fruits are there. See my last note.

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Red

2003 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon

 Napa Valley more
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1/9/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 94 points

Divine, with good acidity, violets, red-purple fruits and length! That wonderful zingy acidity but with smooth, well-weighted body.
This needs a fair amount of (aeration) decanting, as well as sedimentary decanting!

Straight out of bottle it's nice, but a little empty, meh, OK, like a good 10-15-year-old 3rd growth claret, but with an overnight in the bottle (not decanted) it's amazingly transformed, with aromas, more body, depth and complexity, now able to hold against the beautifully keen acidity. It may still be coming out of the dumb period, so needed that extra time because of it, but I think this is just such a tightly-drawn and beautifully supple wine that it just needs it.

Given the time it took to open up, I think peak will be in 5-10 years, ,especially since I just also had a 1989 which still had many years of possibility ahead of it!
I really look forward to trying one of the even better Kronos one of these days soon!

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  • Tasting notes: 449 notes on 307 wines

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