Two Bordeaux varieties wines served side-by-side double blind by Rose (Hataitai, Wellington): Served double bind as a pair by Rose. Small pour, brief note. I thought the wines were a pair of Left Bank Bordeaux, but guessed this wine could have been the Right Bank of the two. One taster suggested this wine might even have been Australian, which seemed possible. Under cork. Deeper, darker colour. Riper, richer bouquet, more blackberries and other dark fruit, some methol and cedar. In the mouth, similar, very dark fruited, flirting with overripeness. Lower acid. The product of a very warm 'Californian vintage' in the Hawke's Bay. It'll also go another 6-8+ years, I'd think.
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Quality cork. Initial whiffs of VA suggesting the bottle had past it. Disappointing at first but after an hour open the VA smell had lifted and revealed complex aged characteristics, with cedar, tobacco leather with underlying cassis. Aged port like palate with marzipan, cassis and fine tannins
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One hour decant. berries and briar on the nose, light mouthfeel, lacked complexity slight fruit leading to a rather vegetal back palate. Wine faded over the course of the meal.
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Deep red. Nose is all blackcurrant, mainly fruit but with a touch of leaf too. Surprisingly round and ripe, even slightly lush on the attack to the-mid palate, but this is a blackcurrant fruit one-trick pony. The finish is more refreshing than the entry would have one expect, a slightly green, vegetal note to it that starts to become wearing raather than refreshing. Nice enough and a good match with lamb but nothing sppecial. **1/2
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3/18/2024 - briangenius wrote: 91 Points
Decant for sediments only. Elastoplast note, but pleasant. Still got some length to this wine.
May have peaked, but not far off!
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11/5/2019 - HowardNZ Likes this wine: 91 Points
Two Bordeaux varieties wines served side-by-side double blind by Rose (Hataitai, Wellington): Served double bind as a pair by Rose. Small pour, brief note. I thought the wines were a pair of Left Bank Bordeaux, but guessed this wine could have been the Right Bank of the two. One taster suggested this wine might even have been Australian, which seemed possible. Under cork. Deeper, darker colour. Riper, richer bouquet, more blackberries and other dark fruit, some methol and cedar. In the mouth, similar, very dark fruited, flirting with overripeness. Lower acid. The product of a very warm 'Californian vintage' in the Hawke's Bay. It'll also go another 6-8+ years, I'd think.
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9/13/2011 - Majp wrote: 91 Points
Quality cork. Initial whiffs of VA suggesting the bottle had past it. Disappointing at first but after an hour open the VA smell had lifted and revealed complex aged characteristics, with cedar, tobacco leather with underlying cassis. Aged port like palate with marzipan, cassis and fine tannins
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5/22/2011 - neiljh wrote: 79 Points
One hour decant. berries and briar on the nose, light mouthfeel, lacked complexity slight fruit leading to a rather vegetal back palate. Wine faded over the course of the meal.
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3/7/2010 - SimonG wrote:
Deep red. Nose is all blackcurrant, mainly fruit but with a touch of leaf too. Surprisingly round and ripe, even slightly lush on the attack to the-mid palate, but this is a blackcurrant fruit one-trick pony. The finish is more refreshing than the entry would have one expect, a slightly green, vegetal note to it that starts to become wearing raather than refreshing. Nice enough and a good match with lamb but nothing sppecial. **1/2
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