Liked but didn't love this. Comes across a touch smoky on the nose with candle wax and sulfury notes framing some fig and citrus fruits. Medium weight on the palate with good acidity keeping it nicely balanced, pleasant though not exciting.

Something seems off here, there's a very strange dirty/funky note on the nose overwhelming the fruit, and the flavours seem rather muddled on the palate.

An interesting curio, but not particularly pleasurable. Some petrol and smoke on the nose, but the palate is a bit strange - a bit waxy and creamy, with faintly nutty notes accenting the ripe citrus fruit here, and low-ish acidity for a Riesling.

This had a really small cork that came out far too easily - almost slipped out with very little pressure, and seems to have exposed the wine to more oxygen than was probably good for it. There's some bright dark fruit, earth, and bitter tree bark notes with some higher toned VA, but it seems rather tired and past it. It does freshen up with some air and time in the glass, but it's more interesting than really enjoyable.

Lightly corked.

Liked this a lot. Plenty of ripe red fruit here, and some meaty and leathery funk that makes it pretty recognizable as Syrah. Air brings out some more herbal and spicy elements, and there's bright acidity that gives the flavours plenty of lift.

Way too young. Way way way too young. Lots of oak here, and the fruit's still incredibly primary, with nothing else going on here. Hard to focus on this, with so many older, more resolved/developed wines at the table.

Really loved this. Lots of fresh red and dark fruited flavours framed by tobacco, earth, and cedar, with a high toned spiciness on the nose. So easy to drink with a graceful, polished palate presence, a bit of grainy tannin on the back end but most of the structure here coming from the acidity, which keeps it so fresh and lively.

I remember the last bottle I had of this was amazing, but this didn't show the same level of depth or complexity. Plenty of bright red fruit framed by earthy and cedary accents, light on its feet with bright acids and resolved tannins, but it comes across a bit simple without the savoury depth of the Pesquera or the CVNE.

Spectacular wine, easily my favorite of the non-fortifieds. This is a wow from the first sip, with an incredible aroma combining bright cherry and red berried fruit, apples, earth, old cedar wood and floral notes. The palate is remarkable - an array of fruit, savoury notes, and those sweeter mature wine flavours all coming together very seamlessly, with barely any sense of weight on the palate. Incredible length and intensity, yet so light on its feet. What an experience - thanks Brad.

Liked but didn't love this - lots of ripe red fruits, figs, raisins, and some caramel and clove notes, but also some sharp VA notes on the nose that I found offputting.

What a treat to have this again. Once again it's impossible to put this into words. The complexity is off the charts with an array of smoky, nutty, figgy, caramel, old wood, and other spicy flavours, tremendous intensity and sweetness matched by powerful acidity, and a finish that resonates for minutes after each sip. Spectacular.

Holy crap, the acidity on this one. A really high toned, piercing nose with cardamom, fennel seed, molasses, roasted nuts, and coffee notes, but it comes across almost dry on the palate with tart citrus and figgy fruit and nutty flavours lifted by powerful acidity. Really curious to see how this bottle develops with more time/air, but it's compelling stuff, though not as pleasurable as the Verdelho.

Comes across quite sweet after the Sercial, with rich honeyed, toffee, and molasses flavours framing an array of dried fruits, roasted nuts, and citrus peel. Full bodied on the palate with a very glossy, slightly oily texture, and plenty of sweetness that's very well balanced by the bright acidity here.

Hard to put this into words, beyond wow. This is a monument. So much going on here - the fragrance is a kaleidoscope of dates and other dried fruits, citrus peel, cloves, honey, molasses, and more savoury woody, spicy, and nutty notes. Could have kept smelling this for hours, except that it's just as impressive on the palate with amazing complexity, palate-staining intensity, and an incredibly polished, glossy mouthfeel. The length is ridiculous - each sip lingers for minutes. What an experience.