4/21/2024 - Ianjaig Does not like this wine:

Enjoyed this at an Italian Restaurant so picked up a couple of bottles via the wholesaler. This didn't show as well at home however, with this last bottle being particularly sweet and simple.

4/20/2024 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Had at Sanders and whilst this must have been my 6th or 7th bottle of this now, this was unusually very different from the others. You would never have picked it as being 15 years old. Deep colour, very fruit driven, almost a touch modern (compared to the traditional style it normally presents). Enjoyed this but surprised at how different it was.

4/20/2024 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Decanted for 5 hours but not sure if it evolved much as a result. Medium bodied, displaying typical TSB traits. Good but not excellent.

4/2/2024 - Ianjaig wrote:

A little more one dimensional than I remember it being at the restaurant but still a nice, easy to drink mid-week wine. Very red fruit driven, raspberries, cherries and pomegranate.

3/29/2024 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Excellent again.

3/29/2024 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Just cutting and pasting my note from 2022 as this showed up beautifully again.
This is beautiful and so Margaux. Stunning nose of violets, crushed red berries. Medium bodied with a long finish. Delicious.
Of the 3 wines, had this was my WOTN.

3/29/2024 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

My last bottle of this bought EP. Perhaps the most complex of the three wines had - full bodied, tannic and earthy with a long finish. It did change quite a bit during the night with some 'dustiness' coming through as well. An interesting wine.

3/27/2024 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Had this at Baduzzi Italian Restuarant (2 glasses). Lovely nose of red fruits, very smooth, elegant and luscious. Have ordered 2 from wholesaler ($27NZ).

3/24/2024 - Ianjaig wrote:

Unoffensive, but also pretty bland and ho hum. Wouldn't buy again.

3/22/2024 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Dusty nose and was concerned it may have been corked (as another taster noted). This evolved into more leather and vanilla notes. Tad short on the finish. Classic in style though, and good value.

3/4/2024 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

At MV wine tasting. Elegant and beautiful.

3/4/2024 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

At MV wine tasting. My WOTN and bought Mark a bottle for his birthday. Beautiful nose, leather, plums, cherries. Lovely. Must buy more.

3/4/2024 - Ianjaig Does not like this wine:

At MV tasting. Nose closed, palate simple. 100% Chenin Blanc. Not for me.

3/4/2024 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

At MV tasting - I actually enjoyed this more than NZ SB. More restrained, peach and pineapple but less fruit driven than most SBs. Would buy more.

2/29/2024 - Ianjaig Does not like this wine:

Bland and simple.

2/29/2024 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Very dry and sharp as opposed to the creamier style I normally prefer. That said, I enjoyed this and would buy more at $30 (NZ).

2/27/2024 - Ianjaig wrote:

Young, but surprisingly green. Give it time.

2/15/2024 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Lighter in style (which I like) with lime and peach on the palate. Nice long finish. Just lacks any wow factor. For the same price I would buy more of the Rays.

2/14/2024 - Ianjaig wrote:

Hint of leather on the nose. Palate was quite thin and bland, however. Not great.

2/9/2024 - Ianjaig wrote:

Nice but a tad too oaky for me.

2/8/2024 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Beerzebub sums it up nicely. Lime, peach dominant, dry with a nice long finish. Great value.

2/3/2024 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Really enjoyed this. Great red, summer wine. Lovely hints of leather and raspberries. Must buy more.

1/29/2024 - Ianjaig wrote:

Quite modern in style and not for me.

1/29/2024 - Ianjaig Does not like this wine:

Perhaps tainted at this was nothing like the first bottle.

1/13/2024 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

No detailed notes as had this a few days ago. Whilst modern and lush, this didn't tip into the syrupy or overripe sphere and was in fact quite enjoyable. Would benefit from more time.

1/3/2024 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Didn't hit the heights of previous bottles as never really opened up.

12/30/2023 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

This is stunning. Beautiful nose of leather, red currants and a healthy dose of liquorice and pepper. Soft, yet earthly. Very Northern Rhone like. Drank with Sander Nee Years Eve.

12/29/2023 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

This is finally open for business and is quite beautiful. Lovely savoury notes, black olives, truffles with a nice long finish. My last and best bottle. Wish I had more. Plenty of life in this and excellent value.

12/20/2023 - Ianjaig wrote:

Another Hawkes Bay Chardonnay, but not a patch on the Kumeau River Rays or Te Mata Elston IMO. Its lighter in style and a little too "zesty" or sharp for my liking.

12/18/2023 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Exquisite and will benefit from more time.

12/13/2023 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Surprisingly good. White pepper, red berries, smooth with decent tannic grip. Medium to full bodied. A great mid-week wine. Must buy more.

12/2/2023 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Enjoyed this. Medium to light bodied, strawberries and red berries. Longish finish. Very nice. Tad better on day 2.

11/29/2023 - Ianjaig wrote:

PNP once at the end of a Bordeaux tasting and this again disappointed. Seemed devoid of anything noteworthy. Finished the bottle (2 glasses) on day 3 of opening and this had improved significantly demonstrating some typical Margaux traits. This has either closed down temporarily or needs a lot of air before trying.

11/24/2023 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Overshadowed by a 97 La Lagune and an 85 Gruaud Larose during a tasting but this was still a treat. Sweet blackcurrant, elegant, beautifully balanced and in a great drinking window.

11/23/2023 - Ianjaig wrote:

Too young at the moment and never really opened up despite a 5 hour decant. Maybe it is in bit of a "dumb phase" but there is plenty of potential here and it could evolve and open up to be quite special in time. I have one more bottle and will give that 10 years +

11/23/2023 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Very generously bought by Ian via London. This was beautiful and my wine of the night. Vanilla, black truffles, tobacco all beautifully balanced and integrated. A hint of the Cordier funk going on. Quite complex and intriguing.

11/23/2023 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Cigar box and violets. Refined, elegant and incredibly smooth. Beautiful wine with a long, long finish. Wine of the night with some steep competition.

11/23/2023 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Bought on release after selling a case of Cloudy Bay SB in London, early 2000s. Decanted for 5 hours and this opened with a beautiful nose of chocolate and berries. Raspberries dominated the palate, and I was pleasantly pleased with how resolved the wine was and not overly fruit driven or syrupy as I had feared. In a good drinking window but if I had more of this, i would hold for another few years (if not more) as there is plenty of life in this.

11/17/2023 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

I really enjoyed this. Blueberries, almost bubble gum like with a soft velvety mouth feel. Great mid week wine. Good value. Likely to age well.

11/15/2023 - Ianjaig Does not like this wine:

Last bottle was disappointing, this bottle was modern, goopy and unpleasant in that I could well have been drinking a Coonawara Cab Sav. Gave the rest of the bottle away to a friend.

11/10/2023 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Not corked like previous bottle thankfully. Enjoyed this but drank alongside the 2016 which had more going on and liked more.

11/10/2023 - Ianjaig wrote:

Corked unfortunately

11/5/2023 - Ianjaig wrote:

Didn't impress as much as previous bottles had. Seemed devoid of anything noteworthy.

10/30/2023 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

As per note in June. Lovely with time on its side.

10/25/2023 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Had found this to be a tad "thin" in the past, but this opened up beautifully straight away. Chocolate, black fruits and nice tannic grip - medium bodied +. In a great drinking window and am disappointed that this is my last bottle as there is plenty of life left in this. Edit: Bonus - as just discovered I have one more in the cellar. Will hold for a few years.

10/20/2023 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Bought back from Bordeaux by Mark. Was the wine of night and a real surprise. Medium + bodied, nice tannic grip, earth, blackcurrants. Good finish. Lovely surprise.

10/20/2023 - Ianjaig wrote:

Elegant, medium to light bodied. Could possibly benefit from more time in the cellar.

10/20/2023 - Ianjaig wrote:

Double decanted 2 hours before. Lovely barnyard nose, smooth, elegant, medium bodied. Lacked tannic grip and was bordering on being too modern for me. Somewhat disappointed.

9/29/2023 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

DJHAMMOND sums it up nicely with his description. PNP and the first glass was as described. Leather, red fruits with a long, long finish. For me though this dropped away somewhat quickly. Good but not great.

9/6/2023 - Ianjaig Likes this wine:

Good quaffer this. Initially started out a tad thin but opened up to be an old school claret with black fruits and grippy tannins. Must buy more.