2/2/2024 - igaf wrote:

Opens up almost primary, on a bright cassis note, then shows some development and complexity. Some brandied cherry in chocolate. Good fresh coffee. Nice and pleasant, if a bit simple stil. Very fresh, attractive palate, quite fruity with red berries mostly, some almonds and coffee. Good structure. Med to med+ body. Bittersweet tones reminding of rowanberry. Bitterish aftertaste too, pleasantly so. Very good, could take some more time. Oak is almost integrated but shows in the end. Tannins fully resolved.

2/2/2024 - igaf wrote:

Corked

2/2/2024 - igaf wrote:

The nose opens a bit messy, complex but not too harmonious with herbaceous notes, crushed black and red fruit, cheries, some caramel. Eventually it gets a bit cleaner and more elegant, but still here and there somewhat. Feels rather full bodied and again making wish for a better structure. Quite fruity with some red cherry, raspberry and herbal, almost minty notes. Bit spicy, metallic aftertaste with lingering cherry jam notes. It's not bad at all, but somehow awkward and a bit disappointing.

2/2/2024 - igaf Likes this wine:

This has aged beautifully and is really classy now. Intriguing, complex nose of cassis, spice, herbs and minerals.
Med+ body, good intensity, very nicely structured and tasty. Dark and red fruit, quite a bit of it still, but also spice and savoury elements. Velvety and fresh. Oak is almost completely integrated.
Very good length, just a bit of heat on the finish. Fruity and mineral aftertaste.

2/2/2024 - igaf wrote:

Plummy sweetish fruit and saddle leather on the nose, a touch of spice, tobacco and earth, slightest hints of smokiness. Good intensity. Quite harmonious. Obviously aged but not over the hill.
Slightly dried, dusty dark cherry on the palate. A bit tired but still very pleasant and with some tannins remaining, but softened. Balanced. Med length. Nice. Very gentle for St. estephe.

2/2/2024 - igaf wrote:

The nose starts as slightly oxidized with notes of nuts and baked apples dominating. The oxidation is never excessive and just adds complexity, then becomes even less noticeable, with the aromas getting fresher and sweeter. Floral notes, gooseberry jam and slightly spicy lemon custard. Rather ligh to medium body, mellow, very nicely balanced. Strong but rounded acidity. Touch of yellow citrus bitterness, sightly oily texture. Very long citric aftertaste. Probably at peak.

12/23/2023 - igaf wrote:

Quite good inexpensive Madeira. Very nice acidity despite it being just TN. Perhaps around Verdelho sweetness level. Raisins and dates, not too much complexity, but quite decent.

12/23/2023 - igaf wrote:

The nose is dominated by tar, smoked meat and some prunes. Thick and tannic. Interesting, but probably too young.

12/23/2023 - igaf wrote:

Quite typical very good Amarone, Christmas cake nose, full, softly textured yet well structured on the palate. Feels a touch sweetish, yet nicely balanced and holding the high alcohol very well.

12/23/2023 - igaf wrote:

Really good wine, but somewhat underwhelming. Smelled more like a Cab. initially, but then got a bit more recognizable. Good or even very good intensity and interest/length, but still felt a bit shy and not too impressive. Considering the price, a disappointment. Also quite youthful, perhaps deserves a longer wait. Anyway, the drinking window on the CT seems strange, to put it mildly.

12/23/2023 - igaf Likes this wine:

Just lovely, perfectly mature, super intense and aromatic with beautiful ripe dark cherry and a lot of tertiary notes including truffle and balsamic. Very long.

12/23/2023 - igaf Likes this wine:

Nice, complex, balanced. Stylistically somewhere in the middle between classic and modern. Cherry, tobacco, floral notes, dark chocolate. Used to be a good value, not sure about now. Should keep nicely for at least another 5 years, I think.

12/23/2023 - igaf Likes this wine:

Very nicely matured, ready, but will keep. Complex, very interesting, swaying between ripe fruit - quince, pear - floral, lightly honeyed and mineral, savoury notes. Very nice balance and length. Great value.

12/23/2023 - igaf wrote:

Youthful. Very fruity, flinty. Off dry, decently balanced. A bit wild and awkward.

12/23/2023 - igaf Likes this wine:

Intense, toasty, mellow, with no sharp edges. Very good. Quite ready, but no rush.

10/13/2023 - igaf wrote:

Nowhere near decline, best on the second day. The first day oak was a bit overpowering, then it integrated somewhat and the wine was bright and fresh enough with some tertiary notes and complexity.

6/10/2023 - igaf Likes this wine:

Still going strong. Lots of dried cherries, maraschino, some tar, dark chocolate and hint of truffles. Quite tannic and somewhat spicy. Long.

4/9/2023 - igaf wrote:

corked

2/19/2022 - igaf Likes this wine:

Very perfumed, seductive, somewhat mellow yet fresh. Good concentration, nice fruit, remarkable acidity for a PG. Very impressive, a crowd pleaser yet a serious wine. At peak or in the beginning of a gentle decline.

1/23/2022 - igaf wrote:

Corked

5/21/2021 - igaf wrote:

Somewhat disappointing. Slightly muted earthy nose with a touch of dark fruit. Sweetish palate with alcohol feeling higher than it is. Not bad really, but definitely not my preferred style of PN.

3/26/2021 - igaf Likes this wine:

Good 1er cru. On a riper and darker-tone side, but balanced, elegant, fragrant and tasty with no excessive oak. Probably at peak but no big hurry.

11/6/2020 - igaf Likes this wine:

Ready, but no hurry. Good, classic, mid-age Pauillac, a bit on austere side. Best on day 3, so should keep quite well.

5/16/2020 - igaf Likes this wine:

Intense nose of ripe yellow fruit (apples, peaches, plums), light tropical and floral notes, very pleasant and convincing. Concentrated and dense palate with very high yet rounded acidity, notes of apples and hay, very intense, but maybe one-dimensional now. Long citrus aftertaste. Would be interesting to see how it develops.

5/16/2020 - igaf Likes this wine:

Needs time to breath. Then very complex and tangy yet mellowing nose, with some varnish, coffee, walnuts, sun-dried fruit, caramel and a touch of citrus zest and cinnamon, indeed reminding more of boal, rather dark-toned for verdelho. Off-dry to medium sweet with lovely acidity, spicy first, but smooth and lush given time, notes of light roasted coffee, citrus, canned tropical fruit. Wish I had more.

5/16/2020 - igaf Likes this wine:

Dense, aromatic, zesty, with concentrated fruit, mostly red, a delicate touch of leather and spice. Medium-full and very elegant. Velvety tannins, still very young, some oiliness on the palate, very complex. Really impressive.

5/16/2020 - igaf wrote:

Rather developed golden colour. Slightly oxidized on the nose, with some nuts, light honey, wax, lemon and bit of sherry character. Not faulty, but definitely with a bit of oxidation, but then it got somewhat cleaner with air.
Very good acidity, especially for the grape. Complex, bitter apple, lemon cake on the palate. Bitter lemon aftertaste, quite long.

5/16/2020 - igaf wrote:

Slightly chemical (chlorine) nose on opening, but cleaned up quickly. Then intense, a touch green, with pear, grass, fresh apple, getting prettier with air. Very concentrated, rather full-bodied, spicy, salty, soft, with medium+ acidity and a touch of bitterness. Long. Slightly smoky aftertaste with citrus notes. Impressive, but rather a wine for a substantial evening meal, not a warm sunny day. Hard to see how it'd develop, but can certainly keep.

5/16/2020 - igaf wrote:

Slightly grassy, minty and sweet smell of pears (Duchesse d’Angoulême), simple yet strong. Soft, very light, mineral, bit herbal and fresh, if rather simple. Gentle acidity. Stronger aftertaste with some green apple and grapefruit. Resembling lighter versions of Grüner Veltliner. Nice summer wine.

5/16/2020 - igaf wrote:

Quite youthful and fresh nose with cherries, some leather, and occasional notes of prunes and citrus rind. A touch wild and rustic, but nice. Spicy, juicy, rustic palate with sweetish and sour red berries and a touch of peppery spice. Spicy finish and similar med. length aftertaste. Could maybe take a few years to harmonise.

5/16/2020 - igaf Likes this wine:

Quite fruity, ripe, yet with greenish herbal tone: black and red currants, dried cherries, currant leaf. Med. body, feels surprisingly light. Red berries on the palate, some darker and herbal tones too. Lightly tannic, fresh, balanced. Good length. Very interesting.

5/16/2020 - igaf wrote:

Ripe, fruity nose with black cherry, spice, a touch of chocolate, hints of tar and matchbox. Med+ body. Very tannic and spicy. Dried cherry on the palate and a bit hot finish. The highish alcohol shows, but not horribly so. In fact it is rather balanced though obviously very sunny and big. Not bad and rather interesting for the price. Ridiculously heavy bottle like were fashionable over a decade ago.

4/11/2020 - igaf wrote:

Not bad at all, good freshness and some complexity. Could improve with some more time.

4/11/2020 - igaf wrote:

Chocolaty, silky, complex yet with barely any secondary notes, no rush.

4/11/2020 - igaf Likes this wine:

Lovely, ready, but will keep. Nicely balsamic, beautifully balanced.

4/11/2020 - igaf wrote:

Impressive at first, pruny yet with decent freshness, but turning into tobacco ashes rather shortly.

4/11/2020 - igaf Likes this wine:

Didn't know what to expect, but it turned a positive surprise, even if rather simple, nice, aromatic and fresh.

4/11/2020 - igaf Likes this wine:

Very traditional, red-toned, elegant, tasty. Surprisingly and a bit worryingly rather evolved for its age.

4/22/2020 - igaf wrote:

Mildly corked.

4/28/2020 - igaf wrote:

Kept closed for some time, then currant jam, dusty wood, resin, prunes, leather. Relatively light, med to med+ body, well textured, dark. Quite balanced, with a touch of prunes and bitterness, young, long. Not overly complex, but interesting. Abrupt, slightly bitter finish. Good, not great. Bit overoaked?

4/30/2020 - igaf wrote:

Plummy, tannic, bit spicy nose - dark berries, baking spice. Full-bodied yet compact, well structured. Balancing acidity. Quite powerful without losing elegance, young, bit spicy, notes of dry pine forest. More power than charm now, but very good indeed. Long. Oak almost integrated.

4/28/2020 - igaf Likes this wine:

Mature nose with ripe red and black fruit, aromatic wood, herbs, warm undergrowth, getting softer and more charming with air. Very tasty, soft, juicy and elegant, classy, very fruity palate with blackmberry, blackcurrants, remaining tannins, spicy minerality. Beautiful but young. Very long, mouth-coating aftertaste. Strong yet harmonious.

4/28/2020 - igaf Likes this wine:

Nose of dark fruit, cedar, cassis with good intensity, clean, fresh, lovely.
Extremely concentrated on the palate, velvety yet with great structure. Very young, tannic, inky dark, but has so much potential. Ornellaia'04 tasted next to it was readier to drink. Very impressive, nearly impeccable, but needs time.

4/28/2020 - igaf wrote:

Closed initially, then some cassis, prunes, tea. Med+ body, balanced, good acidity, still very tannic, bit of spice, nicely fruity, slowly gaining strength. Somewhat hot finish. Good length. Nice fruity aftertaste with black and red berries. Very good though a bit rustic and not entirely harmonious, could take some more time.

4/28/2020 - igaf wrote:

Starting rather weak, a bit lifted, then opening a bit, showing undergrowth and farmyard notes, not unpleasant though. Med. body, slightly cool, minty, metallic, fresh palate with a touch of red fruit and spice underneath. Spicy red berries aftertaste. Quite tannic, a bit dusty. Strange, some lovely aspects there, but a bit disjointed.

4/28/2020 - igaf wrote:

Cedar, plums, red berries, cinnamon, eucalyptus on the nose, some pharmacy notes. Med+ to full body, sweet attack with a good acidity, but pronounced sweetness. Long and complex, mostly fruity palate with, dark berries and savoury notes, some cloves. Tasting blind I'd guess Syrah.

4/28/2020 - igaf wrote:

Rich and complex nose of black fruit, aromatic spice, olives and matchbox.
Very elegant mouthfeel, thick, slightly bitterish, almost inky, very youthful. Impressive, though might be lacking freshness a bit to my taste. Prunes in the aftertaste. Classy.

4/27/2020 - igaf wrote:

Perfumed, heady. Roses and plum jam with some nail polish. But eventually, some wet cardboard starts getting through and dominate. Pity! Bit heavy, spicy and bitterish on the palate. Slightly off, could be quite nice but clearly somewhat faulty. Not obviously corked, but surely off. Seems warmer vintage than 1993.

4/27/2020 - igaf wrote:

Very perfumed, lifted nose with quite a bit of volatility initially, slightly harsh even, but very intense. Getting cleaner with air, but still perfumed, floral. Roses and tobacco. Soft, sweet with intense acidity and great concentration. Slowly gaining strength and starting to blossom, then just amazing. Weird but beautiful. If it is disintegrating then it's doing it wonderfully. Fruity, then more metallic. Very old school. Touch of spice in the finish. Good length.

4/27/2020 - igaf wrote:

Sweet and fruity on opening, notes of red caramel and raspberry jam, bitter honey, dry herbs, cassis, earth, but then closing a bit too fast, slightly disappointingly. Med+ body, good freshness, still rather tannic. Not bad at all, but less impressive than the rest of the tasting. Tobacco, cherry, earth on the palate, but feels a bit diluted or rather having too much of bitter oak for the remaining fruit. Tobacco aftertaste. Good length.