Italy, Veneto, Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Superiore
Floral, lemon and musk aromas. Good acidity and the fruit has some depth to it, though it trails off slightly in intensity toward the mid length finish.
Kerosene, lemon, nutty and with some herb notes. There is plenty of interest on the nose. Rich, with the feeling of age to the palate, not especially deep but nicely honeyed and drinking well now.
Steely, with apple, pineapple and herbs. Palate has nice balance between fresh acidity and some richer fruit. Good acid with medium length, not a lot of complexity but perfectly nice.
Spice, lemon, graphite and musky florals. Light bodied, there is some tannin influence but it is faint. Finishes with medium length. Has some interest and challenge to it without being too "out there".
Floral with orange peel, apricot, iodine and pear. Palate has grip to it, with extremely dry fruit enhancing the grippy sensation. I found it challenging and still very enjoyable.
Plum, licorice, charcoal, blackcurrant, some blood and oak as well. Palate is fairly held back, though there is a streak of dark sweet fruit alongside the more earthy savoury elements. Has decent structure to it. Medium length.
Musk, earth, some light herbs and a touch of heady alcohol. The palate is astringent with tannins showing through and holding on. Seems quite strict and a little more fruit would make it a bit more bright and enjoyable.
Leathery, nutty, chocolate and olives with a little bit of brett and nail polish - complex and interesting stuff, though it won't be for everyone. Medium bodied, with quite a bit of tannic influence, though the dark fruit holds up very well. Really very good I thought.
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Musk, meat, brandy and a little bit of green influence. Palate is powerful, there is evident alcohol but the fruit covers most of it up. Should have some more years left to develop.
Toasty oak, meaty notes with cherry and spices, some cinnamon and earth. Nice sweet fruit up front though the tannins come in heavily toward the middle, giving it structure but making it firm. Medium length, this would benefit from another couple of years in bottle.
Dark perfume, some VA and cherry. The palate is fairly lush, with the VA streak still there. The tannins are firm here as well and the wine could do with some more character and interest.
Cloves, graphite, meat, leather and herbs along with a hit of tobacco. Appealing complexity with good balance. Drink now and over the medium term. Much better than a previous bottle.
VA, bright cherry, rhubarb and blackcurrant. Intense fruit on the palate with richness and very good length. Confident and well structured, this didn't show the typical basket of faults you can get with Musar but I still liked it!
Cola and coconut, vanilla and tar with some herbal notes as well. Plenty of spice on the palate, there is crackling acidity here that gives the wine focus and drive. Really good balance and length. Potential to improve as well.
Carbonic florals, stems, spice and cherry. Sprightly palate, bright and long. Love the control and balance, on the surface it is playful but there is plenty of depth to it as well.
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Iron, black cherry, licorice, raspberry and blackcurrant. Good restraint on the palate, it is vibrant but has fine tannins backing it. Not near its apex yet.
Prune, raisin, licorice and resin. Lighter bodied than I expected, the spirit sticks out a little bit but this would be quite nice on a cold, cold night.
2011 Le Vigne di Alice Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Superiore Extra Dry 88 Points
Italy, Veneto, Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Superiore
Floral, lemon and musk aromas. Good acidity and the fruit has some depth to it, though it trails off slightly in intensity toward the mid length finish.
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2010 Luis Pato Beira Atlântico Vinhas Velhas (Branco) 88 Points
Portugal, Beiras, Beira Atlântico
Kerosene, lemon, nutty and with some herb notes. There is plenty of interest on the nose. Rich, with the feeling of age to the palate, not especially deep but nicely honeyed and drinking well now.
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2013 Pizzini Friulano 88 Points
Australia, Victoria, North East, King Valley
Steely, with apple, pineapple and herbs. Palate has nice balance between fresh acidity and some richer fruit. Good acid with medium length, not a lot of complexity but perfectly nice.
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2010 Dromana Estate Arneis I 86 Points
Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Mornington Peninsula
Floral with pears and lemon. Quite rounded with a lick of sweetness and it probably needs a little more lift. Also a little bit bland for my taste.
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2012 Sigalas Assyrtiko Santorini 88 Points
Greece, Aegean, Cyclades, Santorini
Cheesy, with some pineapple and lemon rind. Texturally very good with nice flow and length. Has richness but also good acidity to carry it.
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2011 Pheasant's Tears Chinuri 88 Points
Georgia, Kartli
Spice, lemon, graphite and musky florals. Light bodied, there is some tannin influence but it is faint. Finishes with medium length. Has some interest and challenge to it without being too "out there".
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2011 Pheasant's Tears Kisi Amber 90 Points
Georgia, Kakheti
Floral with orange peel, apricot, iodine and pear. Palate has grip to it, with extremely dry fruit enhancing the grippy sensation. I found it challenging and still very enjoyable.
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2007 Nico Lazaridi Magiko Vouno - Magic Mountain 89 Points
Greece, Macedonia, Drama
Plum, licorice, charcoal, blackcurrant, some blood and oak as well. Palate is fairly held back, though there is a streak of dark sweet fruit alongside the more earthy savoury elements. Has decent structure to it. Medium length.
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2012 Lamoresca Sicilia Rosso 88 Points
Italy, Sicily, Sicilia
Musk, earth, some light herbs and a touch of heady alcohol. The palate is astringent with tannins showing through and holding on. Seems quite strict and a little more fruit would make it a bit more bright and enjoyable.
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2011 Sevilen Bogazkere and Okuzgozu 84 Points
Turkey, Ege Bölgesi
Heavily sulphurous/reductive with some licorice and dark black fruits. Bitter and not especially pleasant, as well as being short.
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2011 Sevilen Kalecik Karası 87 Points
Turkey, Ege Bölgesi
Musk, bright cherry, spice and raspberry. Medium bodied with good acidity. Not a whole lot of character but decent drinking now.
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2009 Marsamena Rizerva 90 Points
Malta, DOK Gozo
Leathery, nutty, chocolate and olives with a little bit of brett and nail polish - complex and interesting stuff, though it won't be for everyone. Medium bodied, with quite a bit of tannic influence, though the dark fruit holds up very well. Really very good I thought.
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2002 Cape Mentelle Zinfandel 88 Points
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Musk, meat, brandy and a little bit of green influence. Palate is powerful, there is evident alcohol but the fruit covers most of it up. Should have some more years left to develop.
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2005 Château Ksara Cuvée 3eme Millenaire 89 Points
Lebanon, Bekaa Valley
Toasty oak, meaty notes with cherry and spices, some cinnamon and earth. Nice sweet fruit up front though the tannins come in heavily toward the middle, giving it structure but making it firm. Medium length, this would benefit from another couple of years in bottle.
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2005 Massaya Gold Reserve 87 Points
Lebanon, Bekaa Valley
Dark perfume, some VA and cherry. The palate is fairly lush, with the VA streak still there. The tannins are firm here as well and the wine could do with some more character and interest.
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2000 Chateau Musar 91 Points
Lebanon, Bekaa Valley
Cloves, graphite, meat, leather and herbs along with a hit of tobacco. Appealing complexity with good balance. Drink now and over the medium term. Much better than a previous bottle.
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2005 Chateau Musar 91 Points
Lebanon, Bekaa Valley
VA, bright cherry, rhubarb and blackcurrant. Intense fruit on the palate with richness and very good length. Confident and well structured, this didn't show the typical basket of faults you can get with Musar but I still liked it!
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2006 Cellers de Scala Dei Priorat Cartoixa 90 Points
Spain, Catalunya, Priorat
Cola and coconut, vanilla and tar with some herbal notes as well. Plenty of spice on the palate, there is crackling acidity here that gives the wine focus and drive. Really good balance and length. Potential to improve as well.
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2009 Alpha Estate Xinomavro Réserve Vieilles Vignes Flawed
Greece, Macedonia, Amyndaio
Heat damaged.
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1992 Rockford Shiraz Basket Press Flawed
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Corked.
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2012 Sami-Odi Shiraz Baby Tui 92 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa
Carbonic florals, stems, spice and cherry. Sprightly palate, bright and long. Love the control and balance, on the surface it is playful but there is plenty of depth to it as well.
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1965 Quelltaler Claret 85 Points
Australia, South Australia
A little tired - leather, earth and flint. Has some carry on the palate, though the fruit has mostly faded. Fine as a curio.
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1996 Penfolds Shiraz Bin 128 89 Points
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Iron, black cherry, licorice, raspberry and blackcurrant. Good restraint on the palate, it is vibrant but has fine tannins backing it. Not near its apex yet.
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NV Morris Muscat Old Premium Rare 95 Points
Australia, Victoria, North East, Rutherglen
Sultana, eucalyptus, charcoal and raisins. Delicious - just delicious with depth, brilliant acidity and superb length. Magic.
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NV KEO St. John Commandaria 88 Points
Cyprus, Commandaria
Prune, raisin, licorice and resin. Lighter bodied than I expected, the spirit sticks out a little bit but this would be quite nice on a cold, cold night.
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