3/31/2024 - bmagic wrote:

This was good but I do not think worth the price premium vs a good non-Champagne sparkling wine. Crunchy apples and brioche on the nose. Fruity, yeast, lemons on the palate. Acidity could be more in balance. Enjoyable to drink.

1/16/2024 - bmagic wrote:

2 hour decant. Very dark, deep red to look at. Ripe raspberries and chocolate on the nose. Cherries, oak, cream on the palate; well balanced between fruity and dry. Somehow both thick and smooth. Long long finish. Very classy wine indeed.

1/12/2024 - bmagic wrote:

Ripe dark red fruits. Very smooth. Lovely.

12/14/2023 - bmagic wrote:

This was quite thin with a lot of fresh red fruit. Wait 5 years!

11/27/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Delicious. Popped and poured. Bubblegum and cigar boxes on the nose. Rich, vibrant ripe red fruit on the palate; cherries dominate in a pleasant way. Good balance. Medium weight. Very moreish.

11/19/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Apples, lemons, melon and peaches on the nose. Very inviting. Strong primary flavours of green apples and rose petals. Biscuity too, but there is strong acidity overpowering it. Dry. Medium length. Quite moreish and excellent value. Fresh, refreshing, not very complex. The mousse could be softer. I like this and would buy again.

11/9/2023 - bmagic wrote:

This was a struggle to drink. If it is typical of a particular style, I regret I am not a fan of that style. Quite pleasant on the nose with pomegranate and mango, but tart and very acidic on the palate with flavour of crushed unripe green apples and dishwater. It is raw and sour. Not one for me.

10/29/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Very spicy almost like chilli on opening. Settled down after 3 hours. Very dark brown with only a red tint. Nose of sweet red fruits and leather. Blackberries, redcurrants, some menthol and eucalyptus on the palate. Warm, strong and very long. A good port. Stunning of course that something this old can still be so delicious.

10/15/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Quinces and kumquats on the nose. Dry, fresh and quite sharp on the palate with green orchard fruit. Easy to drink. Might benefit from another year of bottle age.

10/13/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Lovely vibrant nose of green fruits. Very very dry on the palate; tangy, clean, refreshing, green apples and lemon.

10/11/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Easy to drink. Dark, golden yellow. Green (especially Granny Smith) and red apples. Some pastry, some sweetness but the typical acidity in a sparkling wine from this region. Overall, decent for the price.

10/7/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Peaches and apricot, with a pleasant mineral undertone. Long finish. Characteristic heavier notes of the Rhône and best with food. A nice Viognier!

10/3/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Clearly over the hill. Grapefruit on the nose, quite muted, with a strong undertone of nuts like in fox urine. Heavily oaked. Rotting melon and apricot on the palate. Some pleasant dry sherry flavours. Slight tingling sensation on the tongue. It is drinkable but you wouldn’t choose to if there were alternatives.

9/30/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Gorgeous Rioja smell of vanilla spice, cedar, cream and redcurrants. Strong and fruity on the palate, with more red fruits and vanilla. This is enjoyable to drink but it is quite acidic - there’s unripe fruit and some sharpness which stops this wine from scoring higher.

9/25/2023 - bmagic wrote:

PnP. Black fruit, hints of vanilla and cedar on the nose, with some spice. On the palate, strawberry and red berries flavours, still quite tannic and dry, but it resolves into something quite creamy. Long, long finish - it keeps on going. Still strong at 14 years' old. Excellent QPR.

9/24/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Quite muted on the nose; fresh green fruits. Refreshing notes of nectarine and honey on the palate. Long finish. Moreish and great with a creamy roast chicken.

7/23/2023 - bmagic wrote:

This is a lovely unoaked French Chardonnay and excellent value for the taste and quality. Strong notes of melon, guava, crushed tropical fruits. Dry melon on the palate, with green fruits and apples for balance. Medium finish. Really very good.

7/15/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Sweet honeysuckle flowers on the nose. Tart, mineraly, refreshing on the palate. Some buttery, creamy notes on the finish. A nice unoaked Chardonnay. Bold, strong. Somewhat gamey on opening but that mellowed out after 30 mins.

5/26/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Strong, deep, very dark red. Powerful fruit to stand up to spiced / strong flavours. We thought we could taste the alcohol. Better on day 2 but this is not an elegant wine and lacks charm.

5/13/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Warm, inviting strawberries, rosemary and pepper on the nose. On the palate, strong plum and redcurrant fruits with sweet vanilla pods and caramel, though a bite of spice then hits. Sangiovese coming through well. Good acidity. Very pleasant. Suited our Italian meatballs. Best with less air it seems - after 3 hours, the wine felt less complicated.

5/9/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Lovely pale red colour with beautiful pink legs. Vanilla, sweet cherries and candy canes on the nose - very inviting. Exceptionally smooth in the mouth - lovely balance. Flavours of blackcurrant sweets, toffee, caramel, vanilla custard, mocha. Moreish! Long, long finish of Ribena and cassis. Fine albeit a bit spirity when first opened but masterful after 4 hours in the decanter. A beautiful wine to drink and what a truly stunning wine at 53 years old.

5/7/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Melon and green apples on the nose, with pleasing acidity. Grapes, lemons, green grass on the palate. Short finish - rather tart with fermenting apple tones and not totally appealing. Typical NZ Sauvignon Blanc. Fine for the price.

5/4/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Vibrant green apple and almond croissant on the nose, with a slight hint of toffee. Plainer on the palate; good acidity; clean apple notes with lots of lemon. Very dry finish. Not hugely moreish but decent for entry level label from Majestic. £15 pb on offer.

4/26/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Lacks definition. Pleasant on the nose but the palate is bland, flabby and undistinctive.

4/24/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Quaffable, dark-fruited and enjoyable wine. Great QPR. Not hugely complex but still moreish. Some definite jammy tones.

4/21/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Fresh, strong, unripe redcurrant fruits on the nose. Hint of vanilla jelly beans. A strong, dark red fruits wine on the palate. Some spirit attributes - too young still? Great structure - lots of powerful tannins and red fruit. Very dry finish.

4/19/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Quite lovely on the noise with bramble fruit, cassis and some a hint of graphite. Rather disappointing on the palate - one-dimensional, a bit flat, some clean red fruit with a dose of spice and cedar. Chewy. Medium finish. Rhones can deliver so much more than this. Maybe 2018 too challenged a vintage.

2/11/2023 - bmagic wrote:

A wonderful wine for this young age. 2 hour decant. Nose of bramble fruits and cedar wood; inviting and not alcoholic. Lovely fruit-forward palette - stewed plums, cherries - and integrated tannins. Medium finish with dark fruit and graphite notes. First bottle of the case opened for curiosity but this would be surprisingly easy to drink from now.

2/5/2023 - bmagic wrote:

Closed and one dimensional on opening. 3 hours in a decanter and it has blossomed. Nose of wet oak, leather, bramble fruits and a hint of citrus. Strong red fruits on the palette, dry but with resolved tannins. Vanilla and cedar also. Long finish. A class act of a wine. I would not wait much longer to drink this up.

1/31/2021 - bmagic wrote:

This felt like a 91 with food or an 89 without. Lemons, vanilla, butter, flaxseed, baked apples. Good balance. Some minerality.

11/7/2020 - bmagic wrote:

Very closed at first but opened up with time. Dark fruits - blackcurrant, redcurrant, blackberries. Plenty of fruit. Butter. Spice / aniseed on the finish, which lasts a long long time, but also a bit spirity still.

8/4/2019 - bmagic wrote:

An acquired taste.

10/18/2013 - bmagic wrote:

Too late to drink - the fizz was muted.

7/30/2013 - bmagic wrote:

Raw red berries on the nose; quite tart. Dry but comfortable on the palate. Strong tannins. Redcurrants and cranberries. Did not improve as much as expected with air.

6/23/2013 - bmagic wrote:

This really started to sing after 3-4 hours. Lovely nose of warm summer fruits and dry flower blossom. Fresh red berries and plums on the palate, with a hint of lavender and smoke. Oak and vanilla there but not dominant. Smooth and silky. Longish finish. A very nice, accomplished wine.

5/26/2013 - bmagic wrote:

Fruity and light. Good acidity. Gooseberries are dominant. Quite tart - some sourness in the green fruits but still pleasant. No big flavours here.

3/21/2013 - bmagic wrote:

This is a 90 pts wine, just. I think. Nose of crushed blueberries, blackberries and hawthorn. A little hot. Palate is strong and fruity, with again some heat; dark red summer fruits and not too sweet. Long finish. Very pleasant to drink a real crowd pleaser. 14.5pc alcohol and you can feel it... Nice wine and excellent for the price.

3/15/2013 - bmagic wrote:

Wet fruit and cardboard. A shame. Cork had shrunk and wet throughout.

1/28/2013 - bmagic wrote:

Very dark. Strong, powerful nose of concentrated tart red fruits. Blackcurrants and early season raspberries on the palate; also some black cherry. Quite tart and tannic. Very spicy - a lot of pepper. Long finish. I suspect this will improve a bit but the 07 and the 09 were better. 88+ pts.

1/23/2013 - bmagic wrote:

Nose of blackcurrants, violets and apples, though not hugely expressive. A hint of leather and cigar boxes. Rather tannic on the palate, but lots and lots of fruit present. Peppery finish. Might be more integrated in a year. Very good value.

7/5/2011 - bmagic wrote:

N - Sweet and fruity, candy floss, lovely. P - Soft (really nice), quite tannic still but not unpleasant at all. "Bloody" is my instinctive description.

7/5/2011 - bmagic wrote:

N - Vibrant, raspberries, caramel, cream. Delightful. P - Beautiful! Glorious! Like adult Ribena. Drink now! Easily my WOTN.

7/5/2011 - bmagic wrote:

N - Redcurrants and raspberries; nice. P - Fruity but astringent. Fruit fighting to get out of the structure! Needs at least 15 years I suspect.

7/5/2011 - bmagic wrote:

N - Brambles and blackcurrants. P - Pleasant and fruity. "Lunchtime claret." Quaffable in a couple of years.

7/5/2011 - bmagic wrote:

Nose reminded me of blue cheese somehow. Palate had texture of squid ink. Vibrant. Quite Burgundian. Like it!

7/5/2011 - bmagic wrote:

N - Strawberries, cream, Earl Grey tea. P - Soft and voluptuous, expressive vibrant red fruits. Interesting. Complex. The owner said: "Our best wine in L25Y".

7/5/2011 - bmagic wrote:

N - Fungus from the forest. Raspberries. Quite rigid, relatively one dimensional. P - Simple, austere, classic claret.

7/5/2011 - bmagic wrote:

N - Spirity, rotten apples but not unpleasant, cigar boxes. P - Really nice structure; strong without being overpowering. Red fruits, very (too) tangy to finish. Suspect it would pair very well with steak!

7/5/2011 - bmagic wrote:

N - Dark forest fruits, redcurrants. P - Soft, mouth-filling, really nice. Creamy. Happy with this but wants more time; also not sure there is a huge amount of fruit to show off. Best with food?

7/5/2011 - bmagic wrote:

N - Ribena on acid!. P - Soft red fruits, good texture. Forest floor. GREEN; too green. Shut down today; on this showing, I would not buy.