Surprisingly fresh and bright at age 12 with a full focussed and precise feel albeit not reductive or sharp. Soft richness , lightest kiss of a honey edge and autolytic feel. We always shy away from it on account of longevity but on this occasion it just performed at the super cuvée status it guns for. 93+
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
Glorious wine and really at peak now albeit has another 3-5 years we would wager at this beautiful state. Rich but harmonious , oaky dynamics that add to the wine, soft citrus and honey and albeit a relatively big wine is not heavy or overcrowded by oak. Effortlessly beautiful and shown on the day. 96
The sommelier at The Waterside Inn fought hard for this vs the 1998 Cheval Blanc that we wanted and thought was the obvious choice. And what a glorious wine ! Elegant, silky and invites you in to search for it beauty rather than boasting or overtrying. Beautiful nose , classic and elegant and just shines and a great surprise for a vintage we thought would never do so. We did ask for mouton though after all and mouton delivered. Easily 10 years of life hear at peak and maybe more. 96-97
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
This is now still very young and muscly and dare we say not harmonious. The 15.5% alc coupled with big fruit makes it more an Australian Shiraz in style ( or yet an SQN) rather than the elegant beauty we thought this would deliver. Most likely its age and needs another decade for sure but still the 15.5% punch we are not sure will ever mellow but we do hope so as we own some more of this. Patience here. Too young to rate.
What a magnificent wine and a joyful one for those like us who love well aged and classic beauties from the old country . Granted as the sommelier at The Waterside Inn mentioned we got a top bottle and they have seen their fair share of variability still we will take our luck with the love of this style of wines. Soft richness that only classic claret delivers at age 35 , leather, spice and just an effortless beauty that made us smile all the way. What a wine! 97 but di drink sooner than later.
This is now at optimum and albeit has another 20 years of life at this level still is ever the pretty and elegant one. Bright , energetic but in no way heavy and speaks of fruit and balance in power like all great vintage ports should. Very solid 94
2013 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 93 Points
France, Champagne
Surprisingly fresh and bright at age 12 with a full focussed and precise feel albeit not reductive or sharp. Soft richness , lightest kiss of a honey edge and autolytic feel. We always shy away from it on account of longevity but on this occasion it just performed at the super cuvée status it guns for. 93+
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2016 Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Garenne 96 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
Glorious wine and really at peak now albeit has another 3-5 years we would wager at this beautiful state. Rich but harmonious , oaky dynamics that add to the wine, soft citrus and honey and albeit a relatively big wine is not heavy or overcrowded by oak. Effortlessly beautiful and shown on the day. 96
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1998 Château Mouton Rothschild 97 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
The sommelier at The Waterside Inn fought hard for this vs the 1998 Cheval Blanc that we wanted and thought was the obvious choice.
And what a glorious wine ! Elegant, silky and invites you in to search for it beauty rather than boasting or overtrying. Beautiful nose , classic and elegant and just shines and a great surprise for a vintage we thought would never do so. We did ask for mouton though after all and mouton delivered. Easily 10 years of life hear at peak and maybe more. 96-97
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2012 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
This is now still very young and muscly and dare we say not harmonious. The 15.5% alc coupled with big fruit makes it more an Australian Shiraz in style ( or yet an SQN) rather than the elegant beauty we thought this would deliver. Most likely its age and needs another decade for sure but still the 15.5% punch we are not sure will ever mellow but we do hope so as we own some more of this. Patience here. Too young to rate.
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1990 Château Gruaud Larose 97 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien
What a magnificent wine and a joyful one for those like us who love well aged and classic beauties from the old country . Granted as the sommelier at The Waterside Inn mentioned we got a top bottle and they have seen their fair share of variability still we will take our luck with the love of this style of wines.
Soft richness that only classic claret delivers at age 35 , leather, spice and just an effortless beauty that made us smile all the way. What a wine! 97 but di drink sooner than later.
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2010 Château Suduiraut 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
From half bottle and just worked straight from the get go.
Apricots, honey, soft exotic, light oaky dynamic still and just ever so good. 92
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1994 Dow Porto Vintage 94 Points
Portugal, Douro, Porto
This is now at optimum and albeit has another 20 years of life at this level still is ever the pretty and elegant one. Bright , energetic but in no way heavy and speaks of fruit and balance in power like all great vintage ports should. Very solid 94
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