Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Pemberton
Very decent - quite a bit better than the 2005 I last tried. Nice nose showed flinty mineral, some earth and mushroom and sweet yellow fruit. Lots of acidity on the palate, along with more of that nice minerality, ripe ripe yellow and just a touch of heat at finish. Not one I would rush out to buy, but pretty decent overall.
The most unusual of wines - a 1977 Burgundy village. Surprisingly, this was actually still drinking quite decently. I enjoyed it quite a bit. It had evolved into a brown porty colour, with a nose similarly showing lots of age - caramel, sweet dates, stewed fruit tea scents, dried longans, earth, roots, a bit of metal. Very nice actually. The palate was still fresh, lively, very resolved. The fruit may have just started to fade, but it still had a pleasant red fruited sweetness on the attack and dried cherries on the nicely rounded midpalate. The finish was a bit empty, with a bit of spice hanging around and little else, but this otherwise a nice, enjoyable wine. A real surprise.
A modern interpretation of Pauillac, but this was actually pretty good. The nose showed a layer of vanillin oak at the fore, alone with plenty of sweet spices, ripe blackberries and currants, loam and some sweet eucalyptus and mint notes that made me suspect it might be an Aussie Cab blend. With time, rather more Bordelais tobacco scents started peaking out. The palate was surprisingly clean and cool with lots of freshness after the ripeness on the nose. Here, gummy blackcurrant fruit was wed to more minty notes moving into tobacco and spice at the mid-length finish where more oak and a fine layer of teeth coating tannins showed up. It was a bit ripe, clearly modern, but there is focus and precision and a good amount refinement. Still primary, this should improve over the next 5 years.
Australia, Western Australia, Greater Perth, Swan Valley
I was far more impressed with this bottle than the last one we had. Dark viscous brown motor oily colour with an orange rim, this had an amazing nose of treacle, molasses, dried figs and apricot and plenty of chocolatey scents. Lovely stuff. The palate was super rich, thick, creamy, almost oily, with more treacle and molasses, plenty of spice dried figs, dates, and a long, chocolatey finish that reminded me for all the world like Valrohna dark chocolates. For all its richness, it was superbly integrated with amazing balance. Beautiful stuff.
Australia, Western Australia, Greater Perth, Swan Valley
Pretty good. Very similar impressions to the previous bottle on the nose some rancio notes, with dried nuts, savoury earth, salted caramel, and yeasty flors notes. Rather attractive. The palate was markedly different though. This had a funky, slightly brett wet fur and horse hair notes. It took awhile to get beyond that to rather more pleasant flvours of dried figs, chocolate and spice moving into a long, sweet finish buttressed by a nice bit of freshness. Good, interesting, but not fantastic.
2007 John Kosovich Wines Chardonnay 88 Points
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Pemberton
Very decent - quite a bit better than the 2005 I last tried. Nice nose showed flinty mineral, some earth and mushroom and sweet yellow fruit. Lots of acidity on the palate, along with more of that nice minerality, ripe ripe yellow and just a touch of heat at finish. Not one I would rush out to buy, but pretty decent overall.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
1977 Ropiteau Pommard 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard
The most unusual of wines - a 1977 Burgundy village. Surprisingly, this was actually still drinking quite decently. I enjoyed it quite a bit. It had evolved into a brown porty colour, with a nose similarly showing lots of age - caramel, sweet dates, stewed fruit tea scents, dried longans, earth, roots, a bit of metal. Very nice actually. The palate was still fresh, lively, very resolved. The fruit may have just started to fade, but it still had a pleasant red fruited sweetness on the attack and dried cherries on the nicely rounded midpalate. The finish was a bit empty, with a bit of spice hanging around and little else, but this otherwise a nice, enjoyable wine. A real surprise.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2000 Château Haut-Bages Libéral 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
A modern interpretation of Pauillac, but this was actually pretty good. The nose showed a layer of vanillin oak at the fore, alone with plenty of sweet spices, ripe blackberries and currants, loam and some sweet eucalyptus and mint notes that made me suspect it might be an Aussie Cab blend. With time, rather more Bordelais tobacco scents started peaking out. The palate was surprisingly clean and cool with lots of freshness after the ripeness on the nose. Here, gummy blackcurrant fruit was wed to more minty notes moving into tobacco and spice at the mid-length finish where more oak and a fine layer of teeth coating tannins showed up. It was a bit ripe, clearly modern, but there is focus and precision and a good amount refinement. Still primary, this should improve over the next 5 years.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
NV John Kosovich Wines Rare Muscat 94 Points
Australia, Western Australia, Greater Perth, Swan Valley
I was far more impressed with this bottle than the last one we had. Dark viscous brown motor oily colour with an orange rim, this had an amazing nose of treacle, molasses, dried figs and apricot and plenty of chocolatey scents. Lovely stuff. The palate was super rich, thick, creamy, almost oily, with more treacle and molasses, plenty of spice dried figs, dates, and a long, chocolatey finish that reminded me for all the world like Valrohna dark chocolates. For all its richness, it was superbly integrated with amazing balance. Beautiful stuff.
Read 1 Comment / Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
1991 Twin Hill Tokay 90 Points
Australia, Western Australia, Greater Perth, Swan Valley
Pretty good. Very similar impressions to the previous bottle on the nose some rancio notes, with dried nuts, savoury earth, salted caramel, and yeasty flors notes. Rather attractive. The palate was markedly different though. This had a funky, slightly brett wet fur and horse hair notes. It took awhile to get beyond that to rather more pleasant flvours of dried figs, chocolate and spice moving into a long, sweet finish buttressed by a nice bit of freshness. Good, interesting, but not fantastic.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No