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Wine Type
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Vintage
Name
Variety
Locale
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Date
Posted
Score
Helpful
Comments
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Red
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2014 Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT
Sangiovese more
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Beautiful red fruits on the nose, with earthy & leather notes coming through.
Palate was similar to the nose. Tannins were soft & had good balance. Med body, med.- tannins, med. acidity.
Enjoyed it over an Italian dinner. Overall very good quality. Drink now with potential to age further.
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White
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2021 Gotas de Mar Rías Baixas
Albariño more
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Clear golden.
Very clean on the nose, light intensity. Immediate aromas of citrus, pineapple, and salt.
On the palate it was dry, medium acidity, light bodied. Flavour was similar to the nose, with lots of minerality. Clean and medium finish.
Overall well balanced, good complexity. Very good quality, drink now.
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Red
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2019 Château de Chamirey Mercurey 1er Cru Les Ruelles
Pinot Noir more
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Clear, medium ruby
On the nose - clean, med. intensity, still developing. Raspberry, red cherry, red fruits, slight smoky notes.
On the palate - dry, med.+ acidity, med. tannins, med.- body, med. intensity. Notes of cherry, cranberry. Med.+ finish.
Overall very good quality, drink now and potential to age. Good bottle of 1er cru at its price point.
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Rosé - Sparkling
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NV Tosti Moscato Rosa Pink
Italy
more
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Clear pale salmon.
Nose was clean, med. - intensity. Noted of sweet peaches, nectarine, honey, sweet floral notes.
Palate was med. + sweetness, med. to med. + acidity, light bodied, med. finish, low alcohol. Similar to the nose with hints of grapefruits.
Good quality, drink now.
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Red
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2017 Grosset Gaia
Clare Valley
Red Bordeaux Blend more
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2nd bottle tasted after almost a year in the wine fridge.
Clear pale ruby, maybe a bit of garnet (?), showing a little sign of aging.
Nose was clean. Med. + intensity of blackcurrant, plum, smoke, leather & peppery notes.
Palate was off dry, med. acidity, med. tannins,full bodied. Palate was similar to the nose, with hints of red fruits. Long finish.
Overall quality very good. Drink now with potential to age.
I preferred it more the first time round though.
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White - Sparkling
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NV Ployez-Jacquemart Champagne Extra Quality Brut
Champagne Blend more
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Nice golden.
Nose: med. intensity, notes of citrus, toast, brioche
Palate: high acidity, med. bodied, med. + finish. Citrus & creamy finish. Love the refreshing and crispy acidity.
Very good quality. Drink now. Prices more affordable than NV Grande Marques and offers similar to better quality 👍🏻
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Red
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2017 Antinori Chianti Classico Marchese Antinori Riserva Tenuta Tignanello
Chianti Classico DOCG
Sangiovese Blend, Sangiovese more
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Deep ruby.
Nose was med. + intensity. Notes of blackcurrant, cherry, leather & mint.
Dry, med. to med. + acidity, med. tannins, high alcohol, med. + body, long finish. Palate of cherry, red currant, dark chocolate, tobacco.
Very good quality. Can drink now & potential to age. Overall balance & showing complexity.
If this is a baby Tignanello, I can’t imagine what a Tignanello would taste.
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Red
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2018 Anthonij Rupert Optima
Franschhoek Valley
Red Bordeaux Blend more
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Opaque, dark ruby
Nose was immediately full of cassis, plums, smoky tobacco, leather, oak
On the palate was black cherries, blackcurrant, hints of dark chocolate notes, slightly minty finish
Long finish, med. acidity, smooth & well integrated med. tannins. Very balanced. Showing signs of complexity and could very well further develop in the next few years.
Bordeaux quality, at a fraction of a Bordeaux’s price. At this price range it’s almost unrivalled.
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White
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2020 Springfield Estate Chardonnay Wild Yeast
Robertson
more
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Clear golden.
On the nose, ripe peaches, pineapple, stone fruit.
Palate was full of peaches, apple, citrus, grapefruits. Finish was creamy and buttery.
Med. finish, med. acidity, med. bodied. Balanced but doesn’t show too much complexity. For the price it’s a thumbs up 👍🏻
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Red
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2016 Giovanni Manzone Barolo Castelletto
Nebbiolo more
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Cherry, red fruits, leather, herbaceous on the nose.
On the palate, it was notes of red fruits, sour cherries, some raspberries. Finish was rather earthy.
Very powerful tannins, high acidity, with medium finish. Tannins were a bit too overpowering at this stage. Overall, well-made, but lacks the complexity.
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Rosé
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2020 Caves d'Esclans Whispering Angel
Côtes de Provence
Rosé Blend more
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Clean & flawless. Fresh acidity and lovely mouthfeel. Good minerality & subtly tart.
Stone fruit, peaches, grapefruit, strawberries.
Loved the 2019, love the 2020 too.
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White - Sparkling
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NV Ployez-Jacquemart Champagne Extra Brut Passion
Champagne Blend more
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Stone fruits, apples, yeast, toast.
Clean mouthfeel, fresh acidity.
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Red
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2018 Stags' Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 125th Anniversary
Napa Valley
more
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Dark cherries, blackcurrant, vanilla, dark chocolate, leather, earthy on the nose.
On the palate it was loads of blackcurrant, jammy, some hints of mint, slightly medicinal, and chocolatey finish.
Med. + tannins, yet slightly rough, med. acidity, dry, full bodied. Long finish, complex, balanced but needs more time. Opened a little too early but good!
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Red
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2017 Grosset Gaia
Clare Valley
Red Bordeaux Blend more
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Medium garnet, slight clearing at the rim.
Smoky, earthy notes, followed by vanilla, blackcurrant, plum, leather and mint.
On the palate it was full of berries, forest fruits, blackcurrant, plum, some green mint notes. Also quite jammy on the palate.
Med-full bodied, med+ tannins, med acidity, good finish. Tannins were smooth, quite integrated.
Overall very well balanced & complex. Will be interesting to see how it opens up in the next few years.
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Red
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2018 Castellare di Castellina Chianti Classico Riserva
Chianti Classico DOCG
Sangiovese Blend, Sangiovese more
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Medium ruby in colour.
On the nose, it was cherry, currants, floral perfume notes, vanilla, pepper, leather, oak, and slight tobacco notes.
On the palate, notes of unripe strawberries, cherry, raspberry, plum. Also had notes of mint, herbs, and slight tomatoes.
Med. bodied. Med. tannins, but soft, round, and integrated. Acidity was med., and fresh.
Tannins and acidity was well balanced and elegant. Subtle and not pushy. Love it, even more so at such a great price!
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Red
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2016 Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon
Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
more
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Dark ruby in colour with clearings at the rim
Immediately smoky, leather, oak, pencil shavings on the nose. Followed by plum, blackcurrant & dark cherries.
On the palate was vanilla essence, dark chocolate, green minty notes, blackcurrant, plum.
Med.+ bodied, med. acidity, med. tannins, decent finish. Tannins were powdery at first, but became round and smooth overtime.
Overall there are signs of complexity and it’s very well balanced. Potential to age a few more years.
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Red
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2018 Beaumont Wines Pinotage
Walker Bay
more
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Blackcurrant, plum, burnt rubber, leather, buttery notes on the nose. Got a hint of smoky notes too.
Spicy pepper notes on the palate, followed by plums & a cranberry juice & tart finish. Quite juicy as well.
Medium tannins, medium-low acidity, medium bodied. Not very complex, but overall quite balanced.
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Red
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2006 Château Lagrange (St. Julien)
Red Bordeaux Blend more
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Medium ruby, still looking young.
On the nose, immediate notes of tobacco, leather, forest floor. Then came the vanilla, coffee, dried plum, and cassis.
Blackcurrant, herbaceous, mint, minerals on the palate. Tannins are smooth, silky, sexy, and well integrated.
Medium high tannins, high acidity, still very fresh. Long finish. Overall complex and potential to age even further.
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Rosé
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2019 Caves d'Esclans Whispering Angel
Côtes de Provence
Rosé Blend more
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Beautiful bottle befitting the beautiful wine in it.
On the nose peaches, grapefruits, strawberries & sweet floral notes.
Immediately lots of minerals notes on the palate, followed by canned peaches, citrus and a grapefruit like finish.
Very nice & refreshing acidity, clean mouthfeel, medium + acidity, fairly long finish. Much more complexity and fuller bodied than expected. Overall a very good rosé!
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Red
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1996 Château Malescot St. Exupéry
Margaux
Red Bordeaux Blend more
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Birth year wine on the birthday, so definitely a significant wine for me.
Medium garnet in colour.
Black cherry, cassis, forest floor, earthy, leather, vanilla, tobacco, smokey and nice floral notes on the nose.
Strawberries, red fruit. Silky and velvety tannins. Tart, but in a good way, although slightly losing the freshness. Still displaying good length & good acidity.
Overall still drinking well & still showing signs of complexity.
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Red
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2017 Clos Apalta Le Petit Clos
Red Bordeaux Blend more
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Dark ruby, almost purple
On the nose, notes of mint, eucalyptus, blackcurrant, cassis, leather, vanilla, slight chocolate & forest floor. It was really lovely on the nose
On the palate, got some mild spices, minty notes, blackcurrant, plum, and slightly herbaceous finish. Tannins were well integrated
Dry, medium tannins & acidity. Fairly good length
Absolute good value for its price for such a delicious bottle of a good label!
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White
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2019 Catherine Marshall Chenin Blanc Fermented in Clay
Elgin
more
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First time with a Chenin Blanc, thought it felt a bit Chardonnay like…
Clear golden yellow in colour.
On the nose, citrus notes, tropical fruits, pineapple, peaches, sweet floral notes.
On the palate, lots of tropical and stone fruits, citrus, pineapple, some peaches, honey lemon, creamy and buttery finish. Slightly sweet, med-high acidity.
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Red
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2017 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
more
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Initial powerful, “in your face” fruity notes of black fruits, blackcurrant, green notes, mint, menthol. Typical Napa. Overtime, the flavours softens and becomes more elegant on the nose.
Rough and powerful tannins, but softens overtime. Slightly sweet on the entry, but slightly medicinal at the end. Overall complex, good length, but a bit too pushy
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