This is such an exciting wine already - remarkably intense, complex, and balanced. Quite a broad spectrum on the nose with ripe darker berry fruit, bell pepper, some baked earth, roasted chilli pepper, florals, and a slightly dirtier barnyard note. Clearly young and structured on the palate, with lots of acidity and tannic chew, but very enjoyable already. Lots of fresh, just ripe fruit flavours on the palate with a greener, leafy element too. I opened this quite casually expecting to land on ‘solid but too young’, but I’m really impressed by how good this is already and there’s no doubt it will age positively for 5-10 years or more.
Edit: peculiarly, on day two this had shut down quite a lot. Still good, but not firing in the same as on day one.
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Not sure. Feels a bit too polite and well mannered. Picking early to avoid jamminess and over ripeness seems to have resulted in something lacking a bit of oomph. I think I’m being a bit mean and this will come good but I’m not convinced. 3
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Now to be fair l, my wife really likes this. I only thought it was ok. It had a bloody iron note through the middle that I found a bit unbalanced and a little off putting. Tannin was dry and chewy. I think mostly it needed time but alas, it is now gone.
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Lay & Wheeler South Africa tasting (Glazier's Hall): Lovely expressive Cab Franc character: really a 'best of both worlds' expression that South Africa can do so well. Herbal, green pepper, graphite character with just a touch of New World opulence adding a luxurious slant. Heady perfume and rich concentration on the palate. It's a bit of a tannin monster at the moment, lots of acid: conservatively this'll need 10 years. Incredible value.
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This is a great wine and a notch above the 2018 vintage. Powerful with fine but grippy tannins. Red but also black cherries, red and black currants, cassis, cedar wood. On day two it was much softer and showed what to expect in a couple of years. And if you like the 1995 Cordoba Crescendo, you should make space in your cellar for this vintage. This wine has a great future and will become something even greater. Give it 10 years to come to full blossom. I will open the next bottle in 5 years.
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Bramble, dark black fruit with a touch of minty vanilla on the nose - new world Bordeaux. Fruit fading on the palate and actually surprisingly smooth at this stage with slightly drying tannins. Going down very easily…
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4/29/2024 - dcbell Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is such an exciting wine already - remarkably intense, complex, and balanced. Quite a broad spectrum on the nose with ripe darker berry fruit, bell pepper, some baked earth, roasted chilli pepper, florals, and a slightly dirtier barnyard note. Clearly young and structured on the palate, with lots of acidity and tannic chew, but very enjoyable already. Lots of fresh, just ripe fruit flavours on the palate with a greener, leafy element too. I opened this quite casually expecting to land on ‘solid but too young’, but I’m really impressed by how good this is already and there’s no doubt it will age positively for 5-10 years or more.
Edit: peculiarly, on day two this had shut down quite a lot. Still good, but not firing in the same as on day one.
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3/3/2024 - OldHick95 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fresh, ripe, black cherry, bell pepper, some spiciness and moderate tannins. Mellow coffee on the finish, but mostly upper register flavors.
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2/19/2024 - Peter Spijker Likes this wine: 90 Points
Graphite, dark cherry, blackberry, some oak, a pleasant green note (herb, bell pepper). Good wine.
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2/2/2024 - mcflytfc Likes this wine: 91 Points
Quality natural cork, medium ruby in the glass, fruity spice on the nose. Lighter body, light red fruit, medium tannins, mild acidity. A nice wine.
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1/28/2024 - Chris Davies wrote: 88 Points
Not sure. Feels a bit too polite and well mannered. Picking early to avoid jamminess and over ripeness seems to have resulted in something lacking a bit of oomph. I think I’m being a bit mean and this will come good but I’m not convinced. 3
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12/2/2023 - Mountster27 wrote: 89 Points
Now to be fair l, my wife really likes this. I only thought it was ok. It had a bloody iron note through the middle that I found a bit unbalanced and a little off putting. Tannin was dry and chewy. I think mostly it needed time but alas, it is now gone.
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10/25/2023 - Jmac56 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lovely fruity leathery nose. Plum fruit and tannins. Either I should have cellared longer or a bit too acidic, I am guessing the former.
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9/18/2023 - Joshvoulters Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lay & Wheeler South Africa tasting (Glazier's Hall): Lovely expressive Cab Franc character: really a 'best of both worlds' expression that South Africa can do so well. Herbal, green pepper, graphite character with just a touch of New World opulence adding a luxurious slant. Heady perfume and rich concentration on the palate. It's a bit of a tannin monster at the moment, lots of acid: conservatively this'll need 10 years. Incredible value.
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6/11/2023 - Guido L. wrote: 94 Points
This is a great wine and a notch above the 2018 vintage. Powerful with fine but grippy tannins. Red but also black cherries, red and black currants, cassis, cedar wood. On day two it was much softer and showed what to expect in a couple of years. And if you like the 1995 Cordoba Crescendo, you should make space in your cellar for this vintage. This wine has a great future and will become something even greater. Give it 10 years to come to full blossom. I will open the next bottle in 5 years.
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1/27/2023 - Gone with the wine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bramble, dark black fruit with a touch of minty vanilla on the nose - new world Bordeaux. Fruit fading on the palate and actually surprisingly smooth at this stage with slightly drying tannins. Going down very easily…
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