10/5/2011 - winewanderer Likes this wine:

An absolute bargain at £8.50. Cherry, spice, and great perfumed nose. Easy drinking and medium bodied. Snap them up whil ethey are still available!

10/5/2011 - winewanderer Likes this wine:

A beautiful wine. Cherry, spice and smooth tannins. Nicely balanced and very 'moorish'. Highly recommended.

10/4/2011 - winewanderer wrote:

Context is everything. Broaching this wine after a great day touring the Peak District (UK) couldn't have been much better. Dark fruits with a lovely bitter chocolate/coffee edge.

10/20/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

A stunning wine and I'll quite happily have as much of this in my collection as possible! I was enjoying it too much to take any detailed notes so I'm afraid it's just my enthusiastic ramblings as a tasting note :)

9/10/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

One of my perennial favourites. Tasted on day of broaching and three days later (under vacumn seal). Great on both occassions.

9/10/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Very disappointing. Minimal beading. Flat and boring.

8/13/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

A fantastci dark cherry core with subtle and enticing tawny edging. A fragramt nose with hints of cedar box. Undertones of sweet red fruit but with a slight bitter kick. Probably worth drinking now..not sure it has massive legs.

Colour 5/ Aroma 11/ Taste 15/ Ageing 5

8/8/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

A fantastic wine. Great floral and vanilla notes. Fresh and vibrant bt with an impressive elegance. Youth and wisdom combined!

Colour 5/Aroma 13/Taste 17/Ageing 6

8/8/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Not a grape varital I often drink but after this wine I will be looking to drink more of it! For a summer's evening this was an excellent choice. A lovely floral nose, smooth and a nice acidic edge that keeps your taste buds tingling.

Colour 4/ Aroma 11/ Taste 16/Ageing 6

8/7/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

One of my perinnial favourites and never one I rush to finish. A dark brooding wine with depth and flavour to please the most fussy wine lover. Still drinking well and I believe still have a few years left in it yet!

Coulour 5/ Aroma 13/ Taste 18/ Ageing 7

8/7/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

A nice dark liquorice kick. However a distinctive new world young wine smell..not rubber but a sort of checmical residue. Doesn't sound great does it given the score I have given. But the initial aroma disappates leaving nice sweet overtones.

Colour 4/ Aroma 11/ Taste 14/ Ageing 7

7/28/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Still a young wine. Bitter fruits. Dry but soft tannins. Slightly unbalanced with the alcohol showing through. Disappointing for a Grand Cru but still a good wine. Lacks character but easily drinkable.

Colour 4/ Aroma 11/ Taste 14/ Ageing 6

7/19/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Too light, young and fresh for me. Give me the full of tar and blow your socks of meaty Shiraz's any day. Anyway it was the last of my bottles and I just wanted to shift it. Good wine if you like the style.

Colour 4/ Aroma 10/Taste 12/Ageing 6

7/15/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

I've been lucky enough to have tasted a number of bottles of this wie over the past year or so and to be honest I was wondering what everyone else saw in the wine. It's a good wine but it wasn;t great. However this time around it was different. An explosion of flavour and depth that had been previously missing. What had changed? An exceptional good bottle in the batch, my taste buds werein better condition for this partilcuar bottle...I'm afriad I cannot furnish a answer. But what i can say is that when it's good it's VERY good!

Colour 5/ Aroma 12/ Taste 16/ Ageing 7

7/7/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Dark red core. A slight swetness on the nose. Smooth dark berry flavour that lingers. Soft tannins but with maybe a slight after kick of alcohol. A pleasant and well formed wine. My biggest issue is the question whether there is anything special about this wine that would make me choose it above its competitors. Probably not on this tasting. A good wine but lacking uniqueness.

Colour 5/ Aroma 12/ Taste 16/ Ageing 7

7/6/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Heavy, new world, reds are always going to appeal to me and so my tasting notes always feel a bit biased. We cracked open this bottle during a fine wine tasting class and we had already been lucky enough to have tasted some of the best the old world had to offer. How was the new world upstart going to compare? Dark cherry fruit hits your nose on the first whiff, followed by a warm, luscious black fruit and white pepper flavour, wrapped in a hint of a cigar box. Slight sediment in the glass but nothing to be concern about. The only surprising factor was the youthful red ruby colour. I had to do a double take and realise the wine was 10 years old...from the colou I was expecting no more than aa few years at most. Will it ever gain that lovely garnet we all want to see in ageing red wine?

Colour 4/ Aroma 13/ Taste 17/ Ageing 8

7/6/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

When I was given a chance of tasting a collector's piece at a mid-week wine class how do you think I felt? I had to pinch myself a couple of times and then get down to the serious business of enjoying the wine. So much so that I struggled to take many notes. Sweet wines for me are usually LIke/Don't Like...and there are very few that make me take a breath and contemplate. The Eminence is an absolute stunner...probably only beaten by the Vin de Constance. All the usual tasting cliches apply in depth...orange zest, honey layered nectar, smooth as a baby's bum. Some debated whether you would need food with the wine..but I was floating on a golden cloud of sweetness and didn't really pay much attention. One of the best Tuesday nights I have had in a long time!

Colour 5/ Aroma 13/ Taste 19/Ageing 7

7/3/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

This was a sample bottle I was asked to give an opinion on. Impressive from the nose onwards. Not a blockbuster but solid, well balance and with a depth of character to please. A well rounded, smooth taste that easily left you looking forward to the next mouthful. A fantastic everyday drinking wine for every clime.

Colour 5 / Aroma 13 / Taste 15 / Ageing 6

7/1/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

A lovely dark red plum core thinning slightly to a red/pink edge. Soft red fruit in a lovely seasoned balance of flavours. Gentle and persuasive. Plently of life left in the wine for a few more years cellaring but don't leave it too long. A warm red with maybe a touch of excessive alcolhol at the moment. Soft tannins.

Colour 5/ Aroma 12/ Taste 15/ Ageing 8

6/23/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

A dissappointing wine. Drank on a lovely summers afternoon watching the world cup football. Originally purchased on the back of some good press reviews but the wine never matched up to the expectations. Unbalanced and lacking any punch.

Colour 4/Aroma 10/Taste 10/Ageing 4

6/23/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Last of my bottles. A decent wine. Tastes pretty much what you would expect for a merlot. Ripe plums and dark summer fruits.

Colour 5/Aroma 11/Taste 16/Ageing 6

6/19/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

The first vintage of this wine. A lovely wine. A very dark ruby core with a tawny rim. Rich fruity overtones, well balanced and with a subtle sweetness which leaves you wanting another sip.

Colour 5/ aroma 13/ taste 15/ ageing 7

6/17/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Light purple coer rapidly thinning to a pink edge. A very young entry level wine. Soft summer fruits on the nose. Light fruity taste, desiged for easy quaffable drinking. By no imagination a star wine but very apprachable. Probably slighty over priced and would probably grate after a gass or two. But nevertheless for what it is it does reasonable well and for a gastropub on a summers afternoon you wouldn't go far wrong.

Colour 3/ Aroma 6 / Taste 9/ Ageing 3

6/16/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Probably a wine designed for food. This is my third bottle over the last couple of months and this one seemed far more tannic and lac lustre than the previous couple. Still good value and I will prrobably keep a couple of bottles till next yera ust to see what happens.

Colour 5 / Aroma 10 / Taste 10/ Ageing 4

6/12/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Second and last bottle of this wine. A much improved experience on the first with the complexity of the fruit showing through. Not one of my favourites but very enjoyable. Good balance but not a huge amount of depth.

Colour 5/ Aroma 10/ Taste 12/ Ageing 3

6/12/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

This bottle was breached as a companion to the England vs USA football game being held in Rustenberg. Though far too young at the moment the potential of the wine was evident once it was left to breathe for a while. Heavy tannins that overwhelm the underlying fruit flavour.

Colour 4/ Aroma 6/ Taste 12 / Ageing 10

6/11/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Deep dark cherry core with a fantastic tawny edge. Bitter fruit nose but full of promise. Tight tannins with a soft fruit underlay. Slight blackberry/dark fruit bite. Cassis and mild co
chocolate.

colour 5/Aroma 13/ taste 17/ ageing 4

6/9/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Dark cherry core with a faint pink edge. Smooth red berries. Good balance and polished tannins.

Colour 5 / Aroma 11 / Taste 15 / Ageing 7

6/6/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Spicy and great value. Not to everyones taste but bold and full in the mouth.

6/5/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Deep black cherry core with garnet rim. DFaint vanilla and spice. Delicate nose. Soft tannins and faint black cherry layer. Short finish.

Colour 5 / Aroma 10 / Taste 12 / Ageing 6

6/4/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Dark ruby core with a tawny edge. Lovely oak nose with a hint of vanilla. Moderate tannins. Spicy pepper edge.

Colour 5/ Aroma 11/ Taste 13 / Ageing 6

6/3/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Opened on a beautfiul summer's afternoon. It brought a wow factor to an already stunning day. One of a small handful of wines to bring excellent quality vs cost balance. A lovely concetrated ruby colour. A nice touch is the relatively low alcohol content at only 13%. Well blended and the soft blackcurrent flavourhas depth and complexity. Highly recommended.

Colour 4/ Aroma 10 / Taste 15 / Ageing 6

6/2/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Ruby core with a pinkish rim. Cigar box and soft liqourice overtones. Lovely balance. Soft red fruits with a lingering sweetness.

Colour 4.5/ Aroma 11/taste 15/ageing 6

6/1/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Sediment deposits throughout the glass. Solid dark ruby core with a tawny edge beginning to creep in. Cinnamon and vanilla on the nose with a raisen under-current. Medium body and pronounced tannins. Not much complexity and average at best.

Colour 5 / Aroma 10 / Taste 10/ Ageing 2

5/29/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

A lovely earthy nose with a slight raisen overtone. Pepper and soft red fruits. To be drink now (2010) not sure it will last much into 2011. The wine improved measurably with a soft cheese side dish. A lovely wine that has shown massive legs but is nearing the end of its race.

Colour 5 / Aroma 13 / Taste 16 / Ageing 1

5/29/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Brought thsi wine for £12 and it's a great bargain. Needs to be dunk now and will not last much longer in a cellar. So make the most of it while you can. Good colour but with sediment througout the glass so needs to be decantered/filtered for full enjoyment. A lovely structured taste with a hint of red fruit (strawberries?).

Colour 4 / Aroma 11/ Taste 14 / Aging 2

5/26/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Earth nose with a hint of raisen. Dark cherry red with a slight garnet edge. Dark fruits. Sot tannins and great structure. Probably not much cellareing life left the wine. A lovely wine at the moment.

Colour 4.5 / Aroma 13 / Taste 17 / Ageing 3

5/25/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

A dissappointing wine. One of my experiments at low cost, high value. But the value did not materialise. A dark ruby, young wine. Entry level wine in every sense of the word and I couldn't see it developing much in the coming years.
Colour 3 / Aroma 6 / Taste 8 / Ageing 4

5/25/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Wine was well past it's drinkability window. Bottle tipped down the sink.

5/23/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Chardonnay is never my favourite varietal and this was an average exmaple of the grape. Slight buttery overtones. Nothing stood out.
Colour 4 / Aroma 9 / Taste 9 / Ageing 5

5/23/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

I always look forward to any wine from one of my favourite estates. Better than my previous tastings of this wine. Nice and fresh with a slight hint of wine. Still not a great example of a Sav Blanc but if it continues to improve then I will certainly be coming back to it.
Colour 4 / Aroma 8/ Taste 9 / Ageing 5

5/23/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Brief tasting note. Sampled at the recent 2010 LIWF. A great wine and one that is still showing plenty of flavour and potenital cellaring.
Colour 4 / Aroma 12 / Taste 15 / Ageing 7

5/22/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Sweet white wine is not usually my thing. We pulled out this bottle today for a family BBQ in the glorius May weather. A sweet apricot nose and taste with a hint of banana. A lovely priced wine and light and rewarding. Not for every occassion but great when that occassion arises.

Colour 4 / Aroma 11 / Taste 15 / Ageing 7

5/21/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

A lovely dark cherry core that extends to the edge. A calm nose with a hint of cedar. Soft tannins and dark fruit. Apprachable and drinking well now. A nice easy going wine. Doesn't drown you with its weight. Maybe slightly one dimensional. The blending has removed much of the character.

Colour 5 / Aroma 8 / Taste 13 / Ageing 5

5/21/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Tasted at a wine event. Very disappointing. I have just recently started to explore in some depth the wines from Chile and Argentina and was looking forward to this wine. It did not meet expectations. Colour 3/Aroma 5/Taste 8/Ageing 5. It is still young and I may not have done in justice in such a small sample.

5/21/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Tasted at a wine event. Average Cab Sav and did not stand out against it's competitors. At £11 it was priced just above what I would have felt comfortable paying. Colour 3/Aroma 6/Taste 12/Ageing 5.

5/21/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

First tasted on a lovely summer's evening but more recently sampled at a Davey's wine bar event. A stunning wine for all the right reasons: price; texture; drinkability. Colour 4, Aroma 11, Taste 16, Ageing 6. The wine punches above its weight and we should stand up and take notice. Sweet blackberries, and the usual spicy black pepper are wonderful and linger like long lost friends on the palate!

5/21/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Wine tasting event. Brief discription unless the wine was Good or above. Colour 3, Aroma 7, Flavour 10, Ageing 6. Not a bad wine until you realise the price and the competition it is placed against. The usual blackberry and cassis you would expect from a Shiraz. Not a bad wine but out of its price league. Needs to go down a division or two.

5/21/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Wine tasting event. Brief notes unless wine stood out from the crowd. Colour 4, Aroma 7, Flavour 12, Ageing 3. Yet again for a wine pushing the fine wine price range my expectations are set alot higher. A typical new world heavy red without the finesse or difference to make it stand out. There are better wines for the price.

5/21/2010 - winewanderer wrote:

Wine event tasting. A disappointing wine. Colour 3, Aroma 6, Flavour 10, Ageing 5. I expect more from a wine retailing at £12. Would have been fine as an entry level wine.