3/10/2024 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

Dee red colour with a little fading at the rim.
Ripe strawberry and plum with menthol and aromatic tobacco notes,
Smells very ripe and even a little medicinal.
Very soft tannins, fruit opulent and a little stewed, warming alcohol, walnut and tobacco. Very long.
Not sure if it’s the storage , I bought this as bankrupt stock, but this seems more developed than I expected. Definitely not a legendary Ardanza like the 2010, it’s a bit fat and boozy, but as usual lots of pleasure for the money. Not sure how this will age.

3/6/2024 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

Red core with some orange and browning at the rim.
Woody nose, aromatic camphor wood with some orange peel.
Delicate red cherry fruit, firm tannins which quickly relax to reveal heady spicy, cinnamon and baking spice, notes. Great freshness here. Definitely mature but by no means past it. Really enjoyed this, would love to spend an evening with a bottle rather than just have a little glass.

11/7/2023 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

I'm not sure if this was an older bottle, it was bought as a bin-end, but this tasted wonderfully mature - it was all cooked apple, yeast and all nutty on the finish. Everything was so harmonious and rich. An absolute treat. I see the Wine Society have it for around £35 a bottle which sound like a bargain. Seriously this is one of the best NV champagnes I've had in ages.

11/29/2022 - henrygjeffreys wrote:

Red colour with a very pale rim though no bricking yet.
Heady nose, maraschino cherries, spicy, even a bit medicinal.
Soft and spicy on the palate, some cooked fruit, just a little tannin here, leather, then a sort of chestnut texture like you get in a mature southern Rhone wine.
I don’t have a lot of experience with Californian Pinot but this is excellent- rich, alcoholic, but elegant too. Ageing gracefully too.
Had this bottle open for three days now and it's still superb. Not fading at all. Very impressed by this.

11/22/2019 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

Big meaty nose, smoked meat and salami.
Big wine on the palate, olives, rosemary, dark fruit and a lick of vanilla. Dark chocolate on the finish. Very powerful but not overblown despite 15.5% ABV. Needs the right food.

11/6/2021 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

Nice bittersweet ripe fruit and leathery tannins. Tasty chianti though doesn’t have t he structure or majesty you’d hope from a riserva from Frescobaldi. It’s more easy drinking. Not a problem but expected something a bit more distinguished.

10/29/2020 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

Lovely ripe autumn fruit in the nose, brambles, there’s a little spice here, perhaps nutmeg.
Quite structured, a little tannic grip and some earthy leather notes and more spice. I think there must be some oak ageing here. Nice ripe fruit with a refreshing edge.
Nice wine, especially at £15 a bottle from The Wine Society.

6/30/2020 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

Red cherries on the nose plus some savoury leathery notes
Firm, rocky, mineral and then there's some pure raspberry fruit. Really lovely. This is much more like it!

10/19/2019 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

Very different to the guimaraens 2012 I had. Lots of red fruit, graceful and feminine. Really rather nice now.

11/1/2019 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

Complex nose, brown apples and yeast,
9g of residual sugar which you can really taste, off dry almost tastes a bit like prosecco.
A bit disappointing.

4/24/2016 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

Dark malty nose
Chewy acidity, intense, long and nutty
Serious stuff, might need a bit of cheese

3/19/2017 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

floral nose, ripe red fruit - really fresh and gorgeous smelling
So vibrant on the palate. Lovely. Pure and long with a little nuttiness on the finish.
Gosh this is good. Around £23 retails at BBR so not bad value at all

4/7/2014 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

from Aldi
clean nose, some brown cooked apples
gentle fizz, sharp, lemony
dry
really ok
amazing really when you look at the price £12.99

11/2/2017 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

Made by La Rioja Alta
Drunk over lunch hence short note but I was so impressed, lots of mature tobacco notes, strawberry fruit and melty tannins. Tastes like an old school reserva in a good way. And it's £10.99 which is total bargain.
Going to be my wine for Xmas entertaining

6/16/2017 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

only 15% Frappato but it really comes through on the nose - smoky blueberry smell and strawberries
Very light body, made in a frappato style, refreshing, juicy and some floral notes
Lots of character. This is great fun
14% alcohol

6/10/2017 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

what a nose! rocky notes with herbs and floral notes. So good.
Rich on the palate, ripe sloe berries, but plenty of freshness, tannins still quite prominent.
Very impressive. Needs food but already showing so well.

5/5/2017 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

Super premium wine made from first pressing and aged in oak
Bruised apples and pastry on the nose
Rich creamy texture, marzipan, concentrated and powerful
Needs time but potentially very good indeed
Savoury finish
Don't serve too cold

5/22/2016 - henrygjeffreys wrote:

Blanc de Noirs
Some meatiness on the nose and hint of marmite but a bit restrained generally
Lovely light bubbles, very fine
Lemony, clean and fresh
Lots of acidity
Not long
Not sure if this will develop, seems very primary at the moment
Well made but there are better English sparklers for £26

4/13/2015 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

nose - leather, stalky, some green notes
Good fragrance, lovely restrained ripe fruit
Leather, good stuff
So good to have a wine like this in a good vintage. Feels like it's just opening up so no hurry to drink this.
£14.25 Yapp Bros great value

9/23/2016 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

bright purple
great nose stalky nose, slatey and ripe
Firm and full. Needs food
Earthy with some length

12/15/2016 - mike410 Likes this wine:

For a wine from a region not known to have wines that age very well, this 1960 has done so beyond expectations. There was a little mustiness on the nose when first opened but that quickly blew away to reveal a nose of caramel, cassis and black fruit. There was a slight bricking to the color but no where what I expected from a 56 year old bottle. There was very little tannins on the taste but has some acidity, and the fruit was still there. Very impressive wine given the age. I have posted a picture on this page to show the color of the wine.

11/21/2016 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

very perfumed nose
Juicy fruit on the palate, herbal notes with a green edge
Fresh and clean, mineral notes with a long finish
This is good. Not always a fan of graciano on its own but I like this
Around £13

12/27/2015 - henrygjeffreys wrote:

Deep red colour pale at rim
Red fruit on nose, touch earthy
Fresh red fruit, clean
Seems very simple, not much depth or development. Maybe going through a difficult phase.
I'd keep in the hope it blossoms
Tried again a bit later, it does feel very concentrated. It barely seems to have aged at all. I'd keep for 5 years at least.

11/15/2016 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

Red colour, dark core, some fading but still looks quite youthful
Stewed strawberries on the nose, leather and some funky notes but generally very clean and fresh smelling.
Fresh theme continues on the palate, nice fruit, supple tannins - both fading but still present. Then warm spicy tertiary notes and a little menthol. Long finish
Great stuff. If you found an old medoc like this you'd be delighted.

4/7/2016 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

Fruity nose, strawberry, creamy, caramel
Full texture, sweet, so rich, leather smooth elegant and long
Touch pepper, some tannin
Superb

2/10/2016 - henrygjeffreys wrote:

bright red/ purple
VEry lively nose, smells like crunchy red fruit with distinct note of violets
LIght body, lots of summer pudding type fruit, very dry, some tannin and a slatey sort of quality. More violets and a little leather on the finish.
Quite concentrated, ideally needs food
Variety is MONDEUSE
Tastes a bit like a cross between syrah and gamay with a bit of loire cab franc thrown in.

12/24/2015 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

Red, pale rim, touch orange
Very roasty nose, leather, coffee, a touch animal
More leather, dark fruit,
Touch of VA, some tannin,
Think this needs decanting
Will try again tomorrow

10/3/2015 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

very pale colour
herbs and strawberries, clean and intense
Really pretty, quite gentle, ripe fruit and leather
like a feminine XInomavro

9/18/2015 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

Grassy nose
GRassy lean style, ripe fruit but light
Elegant, a wine which becomes more interesting with each sip
Good stuff, not cheap £16.95

3/12/2015 - henrygjeffreys wrote:

Cherries on the nose, just a touch of caramel
very light, juicy
Some raspberries, a hint of confection
Slightly hard acidic finish
Alcohol feels prominent at the end though only 13.5% so not excessive
Was nice with pizza.
This is decent enough.

6/11/2015 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

purple opaque colour
Raw fresh blue fruit on the nose, clean
Mmmm very nice, big, meaty and savoury
COuld almost be something densely, French, Cornas perhaps, but then this lovely ripe fruit kicks in to let you know where it's from. SOme herbs here too.,
This has huge potential.

9/22/2014 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

leather on the nose, plums and some raw fruit
lots of grip, ripe fruit
meaty, leather and some length
a good wine though perhaps not very rioja

6/9/2014 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

toasty nose, green peppers
very light body
silky texture
mellow
toasty finish
actually rather nice
LOts of pleasure here though wouldn't pay £24 as it's not that complex
drinking well now

5/31/2014 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

very opulent nose, initially quite a bit of vanilla which soon dissipates
Then tobacco and lots of fruit - plums and strawbs. WOnderful smell, just jumps out of the glass
In the mouth, great balance, not heavy, gentle but very ripe fruit - plums, red cherries, pencil shavings and some grip at the end, leathery finish
very very long
layers of fruit and tertiary notes, savoury
great acidity, drunk with roast pork and went so well together
really perfect, just the right balance of fruit and mature notes, tannins yielding beautifully. Just entering a great stage.
Drank this far too quickly. I wish I had more.

5/13/2014 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

spicy nose, dark fruit and leather
great perfume, has something of a bordeaux about it
leathery finish
very elegant
Will age

2/20/2014 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

very floral, very very floral, very Touriga
grippy
tannic
really needs time

11/5/2013 - henrygjeffreys wrote:

citric nose, smoky
super dry
light
modern