3/21/2015 - Rockoroberts Likes this wine:

Wonderfully complex and elegant. Fruit core still present, but complimented by forest floor, cedar, toast, cigar box....you name it, it had it.
In all honesty, I think that another year or 3 might improve it further, as the fruit dies away a bit....but this is subject to taste. The tannin is perfectly integrated and barely noticeable.
This wine is suave, classy, and above all; top, top quality. A proper Bordeaux in a mature classic style (no Parker super fruit here).
A pure delight in every sense of the word.

6/22/2014 - Rockoroberts Likes this wine:

A fantastic, classic Pauillac. Brilliant value considering I bought it for £20 a bottle in 2008!
Wonderfully intense nose, with dark blackcurrant fruit, graphite and a touch of prunes. To be honest the aroma reminded me of a good 5-7 year old Barolo. Quite Earthy you might say.
On the palate it was surprisingly full bodied, however this richness was perfectly balanced with the integrated tannins and the wines intensity.
Lovely length, and complexity - the only thing slightly spoiling the picture was the rather bright acidity. A bit on the 'fresh' side.
Lovely now, but will grow and develop further, however if you like a little primary fruit with your mature claret - drink a bottle now!

3/19/2014 - Rockoroberts wrote:

I was expecting this wine to be quite closed (as it is still so young) but there was plenty of dark plum, blackcurrant and pencil shaving on the nose & palate. The body was quite medium, with surprisingly ripe (although certainly present) tannins.

Very modern style and obviously a classy wine - however a touch 'new world-y' dare I say? Maybe this is what modern Bordeaux is all about now, but fingers crossed all the classic savoury, smoky, brambly flavours will develop over the next 5-6 years. It definitely has the acidity and fruit to carry it.

As a side note the ABV for this wine is up at 15%, but almost completely undetectable. Testament to good wine making no doubt.

3/19/2014 - Rockoroberts Likes this wine:

I tried this Auslese at a tasting with Ernie Loosen himself the other day. Of course having the producer there does tend to 'enhance' the wine somewhat, but there was no mistaking that this was a seriously good Riesling.

Incredible balance of sweetness and acidity - vibrant flavours of melon, peach and apricot (definitely some botrytis notes in there as well). The body was textured and rich and the length just went on and on!

So good I had to buy some! Straight into storage though as the wine will certainly age brilliantly and....if I have it's in the house it'll all be gone in a week.

4/10/2013 - Rockoroberts Likes this wine:

This was my second bottle of this wine - I have to be honest - the first one I drank was totally out classed by a Reserva Rioja at Christmas, so I wasn't expecting too much from it....
however - I was pleasently surprised. The wine seemed riper than I remember with Cherry and red plum characters, making me think that it could actually go for a few more years. Having said that the body was on the lighter side of medium and the tannins are soft and developed - so much so, my flat mate thought it might be a Pinot when he tried it blind.

I would probably suggest drinking up in the next few years - but it may be very interesting (or completely past it) in another 5.
Generally speaking - I thought it was a solid developing and drinking Claret. Not fantastic - but good. Just lacking that classic brambly, smoky flavours of an old BDX.

3/1/2013 - Rockoroberts Likes this wine:

Quite light in body for a Shiraz - but its elegance and juicy fruit made up for the lack of dense structure.
Certainly on the cherry, plummy side of fruit, but with good complexity which developed as the wine sat in the decanter.
The most striking thing about this wine was its acidity. This gave the wine great vitality, but maybe stood out a little too much.
Tasty and delicious...... but not what I was expecting.

2/20/2013 - Rockoroberts Likes this wine:

A great value little wine.
Juicy and ripe, but with good tannin and structure.
The primary plummy fruit was nicely integrated into the oaky vanilla in the mid palate. Followed by a soft ripe finish.
Full and tasty.

2/14/2013 - Rockoroberts wrote:

A good Demi-sec, however a little uninspiring.
Nice balance of acidity and sweetness - but it just seemed to lack some complexity and depth - in other words some 'personality'.
Some melon and hints of tropical fruit with a fine, rather reserved fizz.
Drunk with a goats cheese salad - which actually matched rather well.

2/17/2013 - Rockoroberts Likes this wine:

A great value Semillon - like a plum, I served this way too cold and it was very lean and a little boring to begin with - giving the impression that it was past it.

However after an hour or so, the Margan opened up with a delicate floral, lime character. Supported by fresh acidity and a solid Melon background throughout the palate.

Surprising long fruit finish, with a hint of honeysuckle.

I would suggest drinking this now whilst it is still holds onto its primary fruit - however, it could develop that classic waxy edge with in a few more years.

2/13/2013 - Rockoroberts Likes this wine:

What a wine!
Intense blackberry on the nose with a savoury/herbaceous background. From the first whiff it immediately struck me as one of those bottles which is going to bring a smile to your face, no matter what.
On the palate it was rich and full as you might expect from an Aussie red, but it was accompanied by deep complexity and a soft, ripe, velvety texture - giving way to a juicy long finish. Delicious.
Maybe not the best Barossa in the world - but a darn good one for a reasonable price.
The only thing holding it back was the slightly overt and out of balance primary fruit - but nothing a good few years in the cellar won't fix! Probably doesn't have the tannin for super long term ageing (and I found the '06 of the same wine to be quite faded recently), but it should improve nicely over the next 3 years or so - not that I'll be able to resist it for that long.

2/8/2013 - Rockoroberts Likes this wine:

Good solid wine.
Cherry and blackberry primary fruit, with a very slight herbaceous background.
Medium bodied with relatively high acidity.
All this gave a fruity, yet elegant wine which reminded me of a good young (but not too tannic) Italian Sangiovese.
Lacking a little complexity maybe - but for the price it's a safe bet with a few more years left in it yet.

2/5/2013 - Rockoroberts Likes this wine:

Quite closed on the nose to begin with, took a couple of hours to open up in the Decanter/Glass.
Primary fruit still there...just - dark brambles with a sort of dried prune character.
Full bodied with deep toasty mid palate. Fine, but gripy tannins, giving great texture and structure.
Most of the flavour and complexity was on the finish - as you might expect from a good Barolo.
Really bright acidity throughout as well - particularly noticeable right at the end.
Lovely wine and great value - wish I could find more - drinking now, but has got plenty of room left to evolve.

2/3/2013 - Rockoroberts Likes this wine:

A great value mature BDX. Drinking lovely now, but maybe just that little too old for me.
Cedar and smoke, with that distinctive bramble (although somewhat faded) primary fruit. Classic medium body - good grip and length on finish.
Should be good for maybe another year or two - but I will be drinking the rest of mine up pronto.