3/24/2024 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Unexpectedly gorgeous and flavourful wine, with white flowers from the countryside, some lemon and honey. Nice acidity and tension in an elegant wine. Loved it!

2/10/2024 - rsazima wrote:

Red and black cherries, some floral (violets), herbs / medicinal, ash. Well balanced and bright with nice acidity on a medium body. At first I really enjoyed for its perfume, but towards the end some bitterness started to become too noticeable (perhaps the wine wasn’t cold enough?). Let’s see how the rest looks like tomorrow…

2/1/2024 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Refined and flavourful, classic Cab aromas of black fruit, cedar, dark chocolate and bay leaf.
Great balance makes this a delight!

1/11/2024 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Lovely varietal intensity in the wild strawberry and cherry, lightly savoury spectrum, vibrant and juicy, with gentle French oak influence.

Excellent companion for mid-week dinner.

12/4/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Energetic & lively.
Fresh aromas of apple, stone fruit & pineapple, with caramel accents and maybe some florals.
Medium high acidity makes for a well balanced wine.

11/1/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Beautiful colour; gorgeous aromas of cassis, redcurrants, dark chocolate and herbs; delightful palate with assertive but smooth tannins; great acidity ensures a perfect balance. Long years ahead!

11/19/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Still going strong with wonderful cherry, chocolate and cola aromas. Mid-full bodied, acidity and alcohol are in check. Does need some meat, as there’s quite a bit of tannins. Lovely drinking!

11/27/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Singing after a good decant.

Mineral, citrus notes, some oak, later evolving to ripe apricot, dried nuts too.

Well balanced, with great acidity.

11/26/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

This beauty left us all speechless when paired with a tender rack of lamb — just momentarily — the table soon erupted in praise! Commentary started with the bewitching aromas of berries and cream, some chocolate, spices, earth/mushrooms, further complexed by Provençal herbs. Also noteworthy are the creamy mouthfeel and silky tannins, the excellent balance achieved by a full bodied and powerful wine. All in all, a night to remember!

10/8/2023 - rsazima wrote:

Flavourful , but overly extracted and too heavy on oak. Still presents those lovely aromas and flavours typical of Portuguese wine.

10/8/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Prototypical NZ Sauvignon Blanc, but elevated to a new level due to its potent aromatics, balance and refinement. Absolutely delicious!

10/8/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

No precise notes, but worth noting that it has Improved over previous bottles.

10/5/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Sophisticated wine with aromas of black cherry, parafin and spices. Very smooth and balanced, it was a pleasure to drink.

9/8/2023 - rsazima Does not like this wine:

Muted and tannic, hopes were way higher. Did not improve with aeration .

8/31/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

A short decant before Sunday lunch was definitely not enough — the wine was muted and tannic.

Four days (!) on, the leftovers in the bottle are singing! Beautiful aromas and flavours of black fruits, dark chocolate, violet, camphor and savoury accents precede a balanced — if full bodied — wine that is a pleasure to drink.

7/30/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

This is a beautiful wine: deep, complex - and above all - balanced. It caresses the palate and keeps you going for more. Definitely some gas left in the tank still.

7/30/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

While I don't recall olphatory characteristics, I vividly remember how well it paired with food - as Geoff put it: it's a food wine.

7/30/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Very nice Pinot, drank over a number of days and it evolved well. Dark fruit and some earth / leather.

7/2/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Wonderful chardy as always, fresh, flavourful with notes of white fruits, some vanilla and spices, and good acidity delivering a great balanced wine.

5/16/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Loved it, flavourful, balanced and long lasting. Will take more detailed notes next time, but just wanted to reassure fellow wine lovers this is a wonderful drop.

Note: just like Muz on the previous note, I also found quite a bit of sediment.

3/25/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Absolutely singing right now with a good mushroom risotto!

Beautiful aromas of red cherries, florals, vanilla and spices.

Medium body, very balanced in tannins and acidity.

What a pleasure!

3/25/2023 - rsazima Does not like this wine:

Mere glimpses of it once might have been, tired, flat, oxidised. Don’t think it was poor storage, more likely the wine is way beyond its peak.

2/27/2023 - rsazima wrote:

Big, intense wine, but manages to stay balanced. Aromas and flavours of black berries, smoky oak, dark chocolate, spices, raisins. A touch alcoholic and overly extracted. Decent wine for a steak, just not my kind lately.

2/25/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

No precise notes, but was lovely, the table favorite by far!

2/25/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Wow, sooo good!!

Sweet cherry and red berries upfront, complemented by forest floor / mushrooms and light vanilla.

This drinks exceptionally well and is so moreish - hard to believe in the QPR even at full price - grab a case if you can!

2/12/2023 - rsazima Does not like this wine:

Simple and actually unpleasant on the next day

2/12/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

No notes, but very nice wine.

2/12/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

It beggars belief this wine is almost 20 years old!

Intense aromas of blackberries, black pepper, leather, mushrooms, wild herbs, bacon fat, caramel, milk chocolate and cassis pastille fill your nostrils as a prelude to what’s coming when you drink it.

A medium rare well marbled steak with salt and pepper is a perfect companion, enhancing the flavours and lifting this beautiful wine to a new level.

Wonderfully balanced, it keeps evolving in the glass. Despite full bodied and intense, it manages to bring you back for another sip, especially after chewing a generous bite of that steak!

1/25/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Delicious aromas of cherry, well balanced with great acidity.

Not a complex wine, but worked extremely well with a light chicken cacciatore and creamy polenta!!

1/17/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Liked, but also found the acidity and salinity to be a bit too high…

I think this is too young, as it showed good evolution across a few days and opened up a bit.

Won’t provide a veredict at this point, but my guess is it will improve with bottle age.

1/10/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Being a 1/2 bottle, I thought it was about time to drink it up — what a fool, this could easily have gone for another 10 years or so!

Great intensity to the aromas of dark berries, chocolate and leather. Perfect balance between full body, smooth tannins and perfect acidity. Wonderful!

1/1/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Easily the best wine of our Christmas trip - and it competed against top 2nd growth Bordeaux (La Dame), NZ Pinot (Clayvin) and Porto.

Powerful black fruit aromas are complemented by savoury bacon, forest floor and leather. Medium to full bodied — perfectly balanced by smooth tannins and fine acidity.

I usually consider 10 years the perfect age for Australian and South American top Cabernet, but this one can easily go for another few years. So glad I still have another bottle left!

1/1/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Can’t get bored of this wine! Wonderful aromas of stone fruits and vanilla, nice mineral accent. So balanced with medium body and great acidity that begs for another sip. Delicious!!

1/1/2023 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Fresh aromas of apple, stone fruit,spices. Beautifully balanced, medium bodied and great acidity.

12/21/2022 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Delicious as always, beautiful aromas of white stone fruits, faint caramel, nice mineral notes. Palate is refreshing and smooth, with good acidity and balance. A step up from the base offering.

12/21/2022 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Delicious, refined. Dark fruit aromas, some forest floor, notions of leather. Velvety smooth palate, excellent acidity.

12/1/2022 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Silky and seductive, the dark fruit is complemented by spices and light cedar notes. Wonderful in the mouth, retains great balance throughout. A joy to drink!

10/23/2022 - rsazima wrote:

Sadly oxidised likely due to poor storage. Even so one could see the shadows of what would have been a great wine…

10/18/2022 - rsazima wrote:

Quite fruity, good quality, but heavy and somewhat uni-dimensional. Certainly not good QPR at full price.

10/18/2022 - rsazima wrote:

No detailed notes, but can attest it was thoroughly enjoyable, great quality. Wouldn’t pay the full RRP, but around $25-30 is good value.

9/26/2022 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Beautiful aromas of plums, blackberries and milk chocolate. Lush mouthfeel, a big wine that somehow keeps its balance, despite the slightly pronounced oak influence. Overall a very nice wine, especially with hearty food.

9/19/2022 - rsazima wrote:

Decent simpl Pinot at a fair price

9/19/2022 - rsazima wrote:

Initially overpowering due to tannins and alcohol, this got much better after a few days. Good fruit aromas, balance improved and paired well with heavier dishes.

9/18/2022 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Beautiful white fruit aromas complemented by delicate dry flowers, beeswax and great minerality. Excellent balance, no noticeable alcohol and great acidity makes food pairing a breeze.

Try next to a NZ Sauvignon Blanc for an interesting comparison.

8/13/2022 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Sweet dark fruit, plums, some red berries perfume. Very flavourful, nicely balanced. A favourite around the table. Wasn’t expecting much, but it surely over delivered!

8/13/2022 - rsazima wrote:

Good wine but slightly disappointing — expected more of it. Dark fruits and round, but nothing much else.

7/25/2022 - rsazima wrote:

Pleasant trattoria-style wine, went well with various pasta last Sunday. Started a bit muted, but displayed nice cherry aromas after opening up.

7/23/2022 - rsazima Likes this wine:

Elegant and balanced, great tannins and acidity. Alcohol slightly noticeable. Aromas and palate of dark berries, some dusty oak. Overall very good quality. Seems at its peak.

7/18/2022 - rsazima wrote:

Nice, even if a bit sweet.

Note: gets a thumbs up due to very low alcohol level.

7/18/2022 - rsazima Does not like this wine:

Shallow, unremarkable, plonk juice.