France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Tasted blind. Aired in decanter for about 1.5hrs before drinking. Appearance is clear, deep ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium intensity, with aromas of earth, minerality, and ripe/baked black cherry and blackberry. Developed. On the palate, dry, medium acidity, medium alcohol, chewy medium+ tannins, medium body. Medium flavour intensity, with flavours of ripe/baked black cherry, blackberry, earth, slight cassis, and leather with more air. Medium finish. Initially rather underwhelming, but improved over the night to reveal more sappy and sweet black fruit. 1 point upgrade. Still, I found the lack of acidity disturbing. Unable to guess this was a Pinot Noir. Felt more like a toned down Mouvedre without the alcohol. Good quality nonetheless, showing the characteristics of the heatwave 2003 vintage. Drink up over next 2 years.
Tasted blind. Aired in decanter for 1 hour before drinking. I must first say that there is so much bottle variation between the 3 bottles of this I have had! Appearance is clear, deep ruby colour with purplish tinges. Legs. Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of vanilla, licorice, blackberry jam, and some black pepper spice. Developing. On the palate, dry, high acidity, high alcohol, fine high tannins, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, exploding out onto the palate with flavours of sweet licorice, vanilla, blueberries, blackberry jam, milk chocolate. Long finish. Very good quality. Very obviously an Aussie full throttle Shiraz. Showing no restraint this time. Deserves a high rating surely, but not really a style I appreciate so much nowadays.
Tasted blind. Aired in decanter for about 1 hour before drinking. Appearance is clear, deep ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of graphite, pencil shavings, tarry earth, blackberries. Developing. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium alcohol, supple fine high tannins, full body yet not losing any gracefulness. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of blackberries, blackcurrant, pencil shavings, graphite, tarry earth. Long finish. Fruit a bit tight at the moment, but the mouth-feel has an undeniable refined elegance and excellent balance to it. I actually thought this was a very good Cabernet. Outstanding quality. Re-explore again in 5 years for more development.
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Tasted blind. Slow-oxed in bottle about 1 hour before drinking. Appearance is clear, deep ruby colour with garnet bricking at the rim. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of tea leaves, cedar, blackcurrant leaf, tobacco. Developed. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium alcohol, very well integrated medium+ tannins, medium+ body. Medium flavour intensity, with flavours of tea leaves, tobacco, cigar, blackcurrant leaf, fading blackberries. Medium+ finish. Good quality. Clearly an aged Bordeaux. Fruit fading/almost faded. Drink up already.
Tasted blind. Aired for 2 hour in decanter then poured back into bottle and slow-oxed in bottle for another 1.5+ hours before drinking. (barnyard and graphite aromas while I was decanting it) Appearance is clear, deep ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of ripe black cherry, blackberry, cedar, touch of green herbs, slight earth and graphite emerging with more air. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol, velvety smooth high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of blackcurrant, blackberry, ripe black cherries, cedar, slight earth. Long finish. Very good quality. Constantly evolving with air. Complex. Teenager at this point. Re-explore again in 8-10 years for tertiary development.
Tasted blind. Aired for 2 hour in decanter then poured back into bottle and slow-oxed in bottle for another 1.5+ hours before drinking. Appearance is clear, deep ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with a complex bouquet of graphite, pencil shavings, minerality, sweet baking spices, cedar, blackberry, black cherry, crayons, and sweet earth. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol, very smooth integrated high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of cassis, ripe black fruits - blackberry, black cherry, sweet spices, graphite. Long finish. Definitely tasted like a Cabernet based wine, but the fruit ripeness wasn't Bordeauxish. Very good quality. Highly complex Cabernet Sauvignon from Piedmont. Still feels like it could easily go another 3-5 years.
Pop and poured. Appearance is clear, medium gold colour. Legs. Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of petroleum, apricots, kumquats, honey, marmalade. Developing. On the palate, sweet, medium+ acidity, medium alcohol, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of apricots, kumquats, honey, marmalade. Medium+ finish. Good quality. Acidity could be better though. I would say drink sooner rather than later.
2003 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes Mares 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Tasted blind. Aired in decanter for about 1.5hrs before drinking.
Appearance is clear, deep ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium intensity, with aromas of earth, minerality, and ripe/baked black cherry and blackberry. Developed.
On the palate, dry, medium acidity, medium alcohol, chewy medium+ tannins, medium body. Medium flavour intensity, with flavours of ripe/baked black cherry, blackberry, earth, slight cassis, and leather with more air. Medium finish.
Initially rather underwhelming, but improved over the night to reveal more sappy and sweet black fruit. 1 point upgrade. Still, I found the lack of acidity disturbing. Unable to guess this was a Pinot Noir. Felt more like a toned down Mouvedre without the alcohol.
Good quality nonetheless, showing the characteristics of the heatwave 2003 vintage. Drink up over next 2 years.
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2003 Clarendon Hills Astralis 95 Points
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon
Tasted blind. Aired in decanter for 1 hour before drinking.
I must first say that there is so much bottle variation between the 3 bottles of this I have had!
Appearance is clear, deep ruby colour with purplish tinges. Legs.
Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of vanilla, licorice, blackberry jam, and some black pepper spice. Developing.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, high alcohol, fine high tannins, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, exploding out onto the palate with flavours of sweet licorice, vanilla, blueberries, blackberry jam, milk chocolate. Long finish.
Very good quality. Very obviously an Aussie full throttle Shiraz. Showing no restraint this time. Deserves a high rating surely, but not really a style I appreciate so much nowadays.
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2005 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon 96 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Tasted blind. Aired in decanter for about 1 hour before drinking.
Appearance is clear, deep ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of graphite, pencil shavings, tarry earth, blackberries. Developing.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium alcohol, supple fine high tannins, full body yet not losing any gracefulness. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of blackberries, blackcurrant, pencil shavings, graphite, tarry earth. Long finish.
Fruit a bit tight at the moment, but the mouth-feel has an undeniable refined elegance and excellent balance to it. I actually thought this was a very good Cabernet.
Outstanding quality. Re-explore again in 5 years for more development.
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1987 Château Angélus 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Tasted blind. Slow-oxed in bottle about 1 hour before drinking.
Appearance is clear, deep ruby colour with garnet bricking at the rim. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of tea leaves, cedar, blackcurrant leaf, tobacco. Developed.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium alcohol, very well integrated medium+ tannins, medium+ body. Medium flavour intensity, with flavours of tea leaves, tobacco, cigar, blackcurrant leaf, fading blackberries. Medium+ finish.
Good quality. Clearly an aged Bordeaux. Fruit fading/almost faded. Drink up already.
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1996 Château Mouton Rothschild 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Tasted blind. Aired for 2 hour in decanter then poured back into bottle and slow-oxed in bottle for another 1.5+ hours before drinking. (barnyard and graphite aromas while I was decanting it)
Appearance is clear, deep ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of ripe black cherry, blackberry, cedar, touch of green herbs, slight earth and graphite emerging with more air.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol, velvety smooth high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of blackcurrant, blackberry, ripe black cherries, cedar, slight earth. Long finish.
Very good quality. Constantly evolving with air. Complex. Teenager at this point. Re-explore again in 8-10 years for tertiary development.
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1997 Gaja Langhe Darmagi 95 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
Tasted blind. Aired for 2 hour in decanter then poured back into bottle and slow-oxed in bottle for another 1.5+ hours before drinking.
Appearance is clear, deep ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with a complex bouquet of graphite, pencil shavings, minerality, sweet baking spices, cedar, blackberry, black cherry, crayons, and sweet earth.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol, very smooth integrated high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of cassis, ripe black fruits - blackberry, black cherry, sweet spices, graphite. Long finish.
Definitely tasted like a Cabernet based wine, but the fruit ripeness wasn't Bordeauxish.
Very good quality. Highly complex Cabernet Sauvignon from Piedmont. Still feels like it could easily go another 3-5 years.
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2001 Château de Malle 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Pop and poured.
Appearance is clear, medium gold colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of petroleum, apricots, kumquats, honey, marmalade. Developing.
On the palate, sweet, medium+ acidity, medium alcohol, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of apricots, kumquats, honey, marmalade. Medium+ finish.
Good quality. Acidity could be better though. I would say drink sooner rather than later.
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