4/25/2023 - chatters wrote:

En Primeur campaign for the 2022 vintage Day Four (Bordeaux): Short note - For me this was over-extracted and over-worked to the point of undrinkability. Read the below if you want a more detailed diatribe/rant

Longer note - Medium plus intensity aromas of concentrated (to the point of bitter savouriness) black fruits; blackcurrant especially but touches of plums, oaky spices, dried woody notes and a little baked earth on the nose. Ripe concentrated black fruits and woody, though smoothy textured, tannins smash around the mouth like two cars trying to squeeze into the same tiny parking spot. With time the fruit appears to win the fight by beating the tannins into submission with an alcohol based nightstick. the tannins then park their ugly wooden vehicle on top of the fruit. Pretty awful over-extracted stuff. One for the masochists and I'm no masochist. Pontet Canet appears to be striving to be the Pavie of the Left Bank.

1/18/2023 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Ch. de Beaucastel (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Raspberry and strawberry compote, a little freshly tilled earth, cedar, fresh herbs in the background, cream, sweet spice, a little BBQ smoke. Juicy, fleshy fresh, red berry complete explodes on the palate, tannins are grapy and woody, drying coarsely textured, persistent but very much in support of the pretty fruit which is joined by a pinch of slightly bitter herbs on the finish. Very long and very lovely.

4/14/2023 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Domaine de Chevalier (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Jubey, blackcurrant, plum, a little cream, sweet spice, touches of black cherry, a little violet, the fruit gets more compote with time. Juicy with medium plus intensity acidity, black fruit compote goes hand in hand with talc textured tannic grip, a little cedar, joins the fruit on the long finish. Harmonious. very nice indeed.

8/12/2020 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Domaine de Chevalier rouge; 8/4/2020-8/12/2020 (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Pretty, soft berried and blackcurrant, sweet spice, a sense of roundness on the nose. With time biscuit, crunchy fruitiness, sweet spice and cedar join in a supporting role on the nose which proves to be rather charming. Everything that is so pleasing on the nose is present on the palate with grainy tannins in support. It's fleshy and juicy and utterly lovely. Balanced. Elegant. Long.

3/7/2020 - chatters wrote:

Langtons Chateaux of Bordeaux (Luna Park, Milsons Point): Polished oak, ripe black fruit that is big, boisterous, cream, slight vanilla, plum. Juicy medium plus intensity acidity, massive tannins, huge fruit but all, mercifully, in balance. Time...10-15 years for me based on previous experiences...

4/1/2014 - chatters wrote:

Working with wine 2014 seminar 1 - Rhone varieties (Sofitel, Sydney): ripe red berry bruit, rich, perfumed, some spice and ripe garrigue notes, sandalwood and touches of cedar, slight creamy notes. A complex and welcoming nose. In the mouth the wine has rich red and black berry fruit flavours that are more savoury than sweet, then spice with touches of bitter coffee. The spice begins to take a more peppery turn. There is discernable, mouth filling tannin that adds to the overall textured complexity but the whole wine is in such balance of fruit, spice, acidity and tannin. Very long and very, very nice. Difficult to spit.

9/14/2018 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Ready to drink (Kennards, Waterloo): "From Coravin. Slightly mute blackcurrant, biscuit and plum…with time (and agitation) a little cassis starts peeking out. On the palate it's juicy, fleshy with medium plus intensity flavours of blackcurrant, cassis and plum compote with a dollop of buttery cream over softly textured and persistent tannins. Wow. This is lovely. Really quite wonderful. And, oddly, it rather puts me in mind of a Grand Cru Burgundy than a sturdy Left Bank Bordeaux. I know I'm meant to wait for Bordeaux to mature for a few more yeas but when it's as balanced as this why wait? This ones coming home with me tonight.

Follow up - took it home, double decanted and consumed this with lamb chops. It was as lovely as it had been earlier."

7/18/2014 - chatters wrote:

Medium plus intensity aromas of cherry, black berry, thick and rambunctious nose, leather, farmyard (but not dirty) and herbaceous notes. In the mouth the wine has flavours of red berry , black pepper, slight herbaceous notes, chewy, thick, rich and the alcohol feels quite high lending a cooling note on the back of the palate but not particularly jarring or dominant. It needs so much more time.

10/4/2017 - chatters wrote:

The Grand Tour - day three (Bordeaux): Very slightly dusty blackcurrant over cassis, more serious and closed thatn the 2014 Cream, sweet spice and vanilla with perfumed top notes. In the mouth it's blackcurrant compote, more structured than the 2014, broader on the palate and tending to the savoury on the finish with shows some clove notes. The tannins are bigger but smoother and lend more breadth. Yum.

12/6/2021 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Grand Puy Lacoste (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. A closed and more brooding version of the 2015; perhaps more ripeness here as well. Toasted oak underpins, slight alcohol warmth to the nose. With time and agitation shows black fruit compote with a little red berry underpin. In the mouth it has medium plus intensity acidity and flavours (as per the nose), the oak and tannins both play a supporting role; the former offering a little sweet spice, caramel and vanilla, the latter some floury textured grip that travels and persists on the long finish which also shows some alcohol warmth. Very good with plenty of promise.

3/11/2021 - chatters wrote:

Even from a half bottle and with a double decant for 2 hours this was still too young. Lovely, mind you, but still too young. Vinfanticide. Shame on me.

6/17/2018 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Beaucastel review (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Earthy, baked herbs, savoury spices over ripe berries, a little black tea. Juicy, fleshy, red berries and peppery spice, soft tannins, Young. At this stage in its life its a little simple, for me.

3/6/2022 - chatters Likes this wine:

Coravin fun - Domaine de Chevalier; 2/23/2022-3/6/2022 (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Ripe (but not concentrated or overripe) pretty red and black cherry and berry, a little blackcurrant, sweet spice, cream, polished oak. Very pretty nose. Wow, balanced, elegant, a melange of bright red and black fruit, tannins are silky textured but persistent, all travel long, primary, stunningly good.

12/12/2022 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Randoms (My place, Kent Street): Medium minus intensity aromas of blackcurrant, toast, a little cassis, smidge of cream of cassis, sweet spice. Juicy, slightly savoury, chalky tannins, cassis, a little polished oak, nice.

2/10/2018 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - New Arrivals and Woollongong choices (Kennards, Waterloo): From Coravin. Juicy red and black cherry and currant. Cedar and spice and slight cocoa powder. More of the same on the palate. Still la little austere with talc textured, slightly drying tannins backs the juicy, creamy textured fruit and oak flavours. Long. Time.

6/17/2018 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Beaucastel review (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Oof, still very primary, baked berries, slightly dirty cedar, sweet spice, cream slight caramel…And so it proves on the palate…Just about approachable now. I'd suggest. Moving away, finally, from it's monolithic youth. A little bitter on the finish, slightly drying silky tannins. Nice.

10/20/2023 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Domaine de Chevalier rouge (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Perfumed black hued fruits, plenty of sweet spice, very slight alcohol prickle, pretty, there is still a little jubey underpin to the generous fruit. Juicy, fleshy, equally fruit generous on the palate, tannins are woody drying and saturated with fruit. Long, a tiny red fruit notes keeps things fresh. Lovely.

12/13/2016 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Ch. de Beaucastel (Kennards, Waterloo): From Coravin. Red and black berry and cherry fruits, tobacco leaf, herbs, slightly creamy notes. Quite a youthful nose underpinned by peppery spice. With time some barnyard and the pepperiness increases as well as a Garrigue note coming through. Lordy. on the palate it's juicy and, at last, the aggressive, boisterous nature is beginning to calm. Still dense and rich with a cornucopia of berry fruits, herbs and spices. Pretty damn good.

3/2/2022 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Domaine de Chevalier; 2/23/2022-3/6/2022 (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Slight baked black fruits, sweet spice, a little savoury underpin. with time a smidge of almost rhubarb and the fruit gets a bit of a lozenge quality. Nice nose. And this shows quite primary on the palate; black fruits baked by red berries (a little touch of strawberry here) with drying, persistent but fine textured tannins. All in balance. Really rather pleasant. Yum.

5/28/2019 - chatters wrote:

Bordeaux 2018 - En Primeur in Australia (pyrmont wharf, sydney): Pretty much a facsimile of the 2015 with the fruit more vibrant and there is a chocolate note, cream, again plenty of oak. Having said that it's oddly more approachable than the 2015. This is rather good…

12/23/2023 - chatters wrote:

A little wood glue, slightly almost hoppy notes, creme brulee, muted jammy fruit. Juicy, quite concentrated and sweet on the palate, jammy orange and apricot, a little overwrought for me.

1/11/2022 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Senejac mini-vertical (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. A little closed/reticent on the nose, muted, savoury plums over blackcurrant and pyrazine with agitation and alcoholic prickle and wild blackcurrant jam on toast. On the palate it is, unsurprisingly, still very young but not awkward or ungainly. Black fruit, juicy acid and drying tannins, persist long hand in hand, very nice indeed but time required.

11/5/2022 - chatters wrote:

Decanter Fine Wine Encounter (The Landmark, London): blackcurrant, brambles, cedar, very very slight chocolate and caramel. Juicy, fruit sweet initially then more savoury with persistent tannic tug, all travel long, slight non-intrusive alcohol warmth on the finish. Balanced. Rather charming. difficult to spit.

8/4/2018 - chatters wrote:

Rhone Valley Super Saturday (Prince Sydney, 40 Hansard Street): Slightly funky, jubey, red berry fruit, plenty of spice, earthy, slight garrigue. Juicy, fleshy berried fruits with plenty of chalky tannins. Yummo.

11/10/2019 - chatters wrote:

From Coravin. Leather, blackcurrant, sour plum, pencil shavings, slight pyrazine, smells 'crunchy', slight meat/blood notes. in the mouth it's juicily wet, tannins are slightly drying, talc textured, medium minus intensity flavours of blackcurrant, cedar and leather. Medium plus length. Drink now or in 3-5 years for me...

11/8/2022 - chatters wrote:

Cellartracker in the flesh with Pjaines (Paul), Porkandsalmon (Richard) and Vintomas (Tomas) (Various venues, London): blackcurrant, cream, cassis, sweet spice, polished oak, slight cedar. Medium plus intensity acidity, crunchy blackcurrant, tight persistent tannins plenty of oaky notes on the palate, cream, slight cassis, well made, polished, nice but quite woody. Time.

3/15/2022 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Leoville Barton; 3/8/2022-3/15/2022 (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Initially this is quite closed showing dense dark hued fruits, sweet spice, cream and polished oak. With time (and agitation) the fruit grows but without really revealing it's underlying components - think a black fruit compote where blackcurrant is the main constituent. There is also an almost toasted coffee note here. In the mouth it's juicy, fleshy and generous, black fruit compote again with blackcurrant the most obvious component but also a little blackberry and plum. Tannins are drying with plenty of gum grip but work with, rather than against, the fruit. All travel long. Still young but drinkable now (with a decant) and showing great promise. Lovely.

5/10/2024 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Bordeaux (My place, Burwood): From Coravin. Quite closed, even after 30 minutes in the glass, alcohol prickle lenes a peppery quality, black hued fruits are non-delineated, polished oak, a little creamy quality. With agitation a touch of crème du cassis, black cherry, cedar. Juicy, medium plus intensity acidity, black fruits are closed down by plentiful drying tannins which are quite chalky and woody, there is a lick of alcohol warmth here that feels a little cumbersome though does help to carry the fruit joined by a little rhubarb compote. Long but today, for me, it's a bit hmm

6/30/2023 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Bordeaux (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Like the 2015 this starts a little reticent and opens to reveal dark hued fruits; currant, cherry, backed by plum, sweet splice, very slightly meaty underpin and a touch of toast and cedar. Again like the 2015 this is fruit forward but more generous with the tannins also playing a supporting role, broad on the palate, very long, very nice.

11/29/2019 - chatters wrote:

From Coravin. Closed, tight, brooding nose, warm fruit, oak, aniseed. the palate is a reflection of the the nose, tight tannins are unforgiving, really closed down from my earlier tastings of this. into the cellar for a few years.

3/7/2020 - chatters wrote:

Langtons Chateaux of Bordeaux (Luna Park, Milsons Point): Polished oak, plums, sweet spice, very slightly lifted, a little meaty and savoury with time. More of the same on the palate with huge tannins. Bit of a beast! Time!!

2/27/2024 - chatters wrote:

Chateau Montrose Tasting (Bentley Bar & Restaurant, Sydney): Polished, rich and generous nose shows good quality oak, sweet spice, bacon fat, blackcurrant, plums a little violet, smells younger than the 2011, touch of clay. Juicy and generous here on the palate as well, a little savoury, almost salted liquorice notes joins the black hued fruits, tannins are woody, talc textured and super persistent, a little sous bois joins on the finish with the liquorice slightly more pronounced. Pretty clever

6/19/2023 - chatters wrote:

Supper with Daniel (and the girls) (E & M's in the rocks, Sydney): Biscuit, blackcurrant, cream, sweet spice, a little plum, quite puppy fat. Juicy, savoury, black hued fruits, talc textured tannins are present, slightly drying, fruit persists, long, still very primary. Nice.

12/6/2021 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Grand Puy Lacoste (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Ripe non-delineated black fruits lay over a bed of good quality oak (baking spice, caramel, a little vanilla). With time and agitation I'm getting black cherry, blackcurrant, blackberry and plums; a positive jubey melange on the nose with a little marzipan note. This is beginning to settle down on the nose. Medium plus intensity acidity with chalky, slightly oaky, tannins provide the structure to support the primary fruit and oak flavours, all travel very long. Time still required but approachable now with a decant and food. Shows promise

9/14/2018 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Ready to drink (Kennards, Waterloo): From Coravin. Fresh , cream, graphite, pencil shavings, freshly tilled earth and cedar. On the palate it's juicy and tending to Cassis with a little cocoa powder that is closed down by tannins that are gritty, drying and tight. Contrary to the Dom de Chev this defo needs years...

11/5/2022 - chatters wrote:

Decanter Fine Wine Encounter (The Landmark, London): Oh hello classic Claret! Wild blackcurrant, cedar, slight Autumn leaves, fresh earth, saddle leather…Equally wonderfully yummy on the palate - fresh acidity, tooled but drying tannins with a leathery note, wild dark fruits, a sense of coolness and balance, tertiary characteristics lend complexity. Glorious.

1/8/2023 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Grand Puy Lacoste (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Black fruit compote; blackcurrant, blackberry, plums over cream and sweet spice, a little woody and caramel notes in support. Juicy, black fruit compote, sweet spice, grape and oak tannins are talc textured but bold and present, all travel long helped by non-intrusive alcohol warmth. Balanced, primary, lovely and approachable now.

7/30/2021 - chatters wrote:

splash decant...leather, earth, black berry, savoury & meaty notes, a touch of tomato leaf as well, possibly slight reductive, an odd cream cheese note as well as some red hued fruit. In the mouth it's softly juicy, dark fruits, touch of earthiness and cedar, tannins are chalky but controlled. It's a bit out of whack at the mo' with that red fruit note intruding on the finish. hmm.

9/8/2018 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Ready to drink (Kennards, Waterloo): From Coravin. Sweaty horse, leather, liquorice, sweet spice, slightly smoky baked herbs and red and black fruit. On the plate the fruit is sweeter but with still that baked smoky note. Its got leathery, meaty tannins that are grippy though the fruit persist. Big and bold and yum. Has aging potential but very nice (in a big bold way) right now.

2/25/2018 - chatters wrote:

Domaine de Chevalier Birthday lunch (McLeay Street Bistro, Potts Point): Polished cedar, blackcurrant and plums, cream and vanilla, still very tannic. Vinfanticide. Too young.

9/30/2017 - chatters wrote:

Day and night in London (London): Rd berry, vanilla, touch of coconut and very slight fresh tobacco leaf and sweet spice. More of the same on the palate, creamily smooth, bloody marvellous but still very primary after 10 years.

3/19/2022 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Rioja and lunch selection (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Sweet spice, generous red berry (especially strawberry) fruit, a little baked, slightly oxidised, touch of vanilla. Sourly juicy, tiny vanilla, then there is a more generous almost red cherry note, tannins are chalky, slight alcohol warmth on the finish with some creamier elements. Okay.

10/7/2020 - chatters wrote:

First Wednesday Wine Club (Napoli in Bocca, Haberfield): Served blind.
Blackcurrant tends to cassis, plums, sweet spice, quite rich, a little vanilla. And a little chocolate joins the vanilla and plummy, blackcurrant fruit on the palate with chalky tannins that are integrated and persistent.
I recognised this as mine.

1/16/2020 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Ridge range; 1/15/2020-1/17/2020 (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Blackcurrant, blackberry, slight toasted plums, sweet spice, cedar, smells like a young left bank Bordeaux from a good vintage. Still quite primary nose. Juicy, medium plus acid, blackcurrant compote with a touch of vanilla and sweet baking spice. Tannins are firm, flour textured and carry the fruit long on the finish. Harmonious and balanced. Very good for me.

4/8/2018 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Ridge range (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Slightly dusty notes, peppery spice, umami over cherry, vanilla and herbaceous notes. Almost tart compared to the other wines and a little hard. Spice is plentiful, cherry fruit but finishes a little bitter. Almost like stalks though I'm sure that isn't the case.

1/26/2017 - chatters wrote:

Coravin fun - Senejac mini-vertical (Kennards, Waterloo): From Coravin. Lovely ripe blackcurrant with the beginnings of some leather but also some almost confected cherry notes here as well. Touches of dusty spice. More fleshy than juicy with black tea notes joining the blackcurrant fruit and surprisingly fine grained tannins. Little alcohol warmth on the finish as well but not too obtrusive. Yum.

1/31/2019 - chatters wrote:

Annual Coravin blitz - day one (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Truffles and game, forest in spring, tomato leaf, a little cedar. On the palate, juicy acidity, obvious age; a little leather and volatility and hints of red fruit married to long, chamois soft tannins. Yum but needs a decant to open up.

12/19/2023 - chatters wrote:

Cellartracker in the flesh with Bandreas (Bernd and Bea) (Bistro Rex, Potts Point): Double splash decanted about 90 minutes before consumption.

Stale air in the glass meant that a fairly vigorous shake was required to dispel but then bold aromas of blackcurrant, mint and eucalyptus leapt from the glass, red currant underpin, touches of cedar and sweet spice here as well. In the mouth it has medium plus intensity acidity, that red currant note also freshens the palate, coarse flour textured tannins persist with the black hued fruits. Return to form after the last bottle I tried. Very good.

5/10/2022 - chatters wrote:

Cru Wines Trade Tasting (Bentley Bar & Restaurant, Sydney): An impression of brooding concentration, red berried fruit, good quality oak, vanilla. In the mouth it’s juicy with medium plus intensity acidity, slight raisins join the red fruits, that vanilla in support, talc textured tannins, long, silky, and supple, very good indeed.

6/27/2018 - chatters wrote:

Beaucastel Birthday dinner (Bistro Moncur, Sydney): Woof. If that piece of black rock in 2001 had a scent it would be this. Positively monolithic. Palate is similarly dense. What a beast. After an hour or two it begins to show baked berries and earth, a little cedar, Garrigue and spice but...time...still