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Tasting Notes for NickBurwood

(3,168 notes on 1,658 wines)

1 - 50 of 3,168 Sort order
Red
2/4/2024 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
A favourite Cab Franc of mine over the years - I still have the '76 in my cellar!
2 bottles 90min aerated decant together. Dry spice, some green bell pepper and a core of ripe red hedge fruits and black cherry. The fruit became more prominent as time passed reaching perfect balance after 3 hours (excellent late night sipping!). Good length.
Will hold my remaining bottles till '26. Window 2026-2031?+. 91+pts
White
2/2/2024 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
As per my July '23 note.
Perfect accompaniment for our spicy stuffed squid.
Now till 2025
White
Tightly coiled with citrus core and hints of viscosity. Powerful acidity a tad unintegrated at present. Infanticide in my view - needs at least another couple of years in cellar to start displaying all its elements followed by a long evolutionary period in the stratosphere.
2026 (at least) onwards and then for 20+yrs from vintage. Potential 91+?+
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
11/3/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
89 points
My last and drunk at the right time while acidity continues to give balance.
Full ripe cherry/blackcurrant, dry spice and suffused with dusky tannins. Typical Barossa Grenache in a moreish style. Will search out another case of a more recent vintage in due course for my mid-week suppers.
Drink up over the coming months and move on.
Red
2016 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Riserva Chianti Classico DOCG Sangiovese Blend, Sangiovese (view label images)
11/2/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
90 points
My last in this format.
Excellent CC Riserva with brulé dark cherry core, mellowing tannins, some earth and dry spice nuances. Decent acidity provides balance. Drinks very well now with an aerated decant of an hour or so - but in my opinion has at least another five years in it. I have kept back my three magnums till 2026 and would hope they will give pleasure for at least 20yrs from vintage.
In magnum format 2026-36, bottle: now-2028. 90+
(Incidentally I first came across this wine in 1981 in Florence - the vintage was 1961 and from memory was excellent - so there is no doubt in my mind of its aging potential!)
1 person found this helpful Comment
White
2006 Château Laville Haut-Brion Blanc Pessac-Léognan Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend (view label images)
10/31/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
92 points
I suspect this is starting to go into decline as the herbal and asparagus elements noted earlier are threatening to dominate as the acidity and grip start to fade. Still more than OK (if pricey for the quality) but for drinking soon.
Till 2024. 92-
Red
2008 Chateau Musar Bekaa Valley Red Blend (view label images)
10/29/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
First time I've broached this Musar vintage and was impressed even if it is scheduled for the relatively short term.
Core fruit of dark ripe blackberry and glacé black cherry with contrasting austere pomegranate and dry spice nuances. Smoke and earth starting to show which with good acidity provide interest and balance. Already mellow and moreish. Excellent accompaniment for our spiced rolled shoulder of lamb.
In my view a 20yr from vintage Musar. Now till 2028.
3 people found this helpful Comment
White - Sweet/Dessert
10/27/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
93 points
Dinner at friends - my contribution. 10 years since my previous note. Old fashioned style of Tokay which I prefer for high Aszú examples rather than the anaemic "pure" trendy styles of recent years. Deep ruddy brown colour. Marmalade and dark honey, smoke, Zanzibar spice and core of pectic acidity bringing the wine together and lingering on the palate forever. Easily enough for eight guests even in 50cl format.
Has evolved in the last decade but, based on this bottle should be fine for (at least) another 15yrs. Till 2035?+.
Red
10/27/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
89 points
Dinner at friends - this CNP had all the characteristics you would expect: dark à point hedge fruits, dry spice and firm, rounded and integrated tannins. While not a profound example of CNP - more than fitted the bill accompanying their rib of beef (second time in week!). Very moreish.
Ready now and for another couple of years.
Red
10/26/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
As per my September '23 note. At its peak.
Red
10/24/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
92 points
My last and drinking beautifully now. Has been approachable (and too tempting!) for a number of years and should hold up for a few more.
Till 20yrs from vintage.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
10/22/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
My last two and drank in the perfect place accompanying our Sunday rib of beef.
Would hold up for another couple of years but doubt there would be any benefit to be gained.
Red
10/18/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
89 points
A junior Chryseia in style but representing really good value at a quarter the price (bonus point).
Forward, for drinking over the next year or so.
Red
9/25/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
This case has been so variable both in quality (flawed - to 93pts) as well as in character that I can only mark it based on enjoyment rather than any other criteria. So this was an enjoyable enough 91pt bottle which nevertheless has to be disappointing given the vintage!
The best bottles in this case would suggest a life till 2030.
White - Sparkling
9/24/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
94 points
Celebrating other half's reurn after success at the x-country riding Nationals in Derbyshire.
Gentle but persistant mousse. Crisp apple core with aromatic fruit nuances. Buttery. Steely minerality and citrussy (lime) acidity for balance. Held up well under champagne stopper overnight for second bite of the cherry!
Excellent indeed and good for up to 25yrs from vintage based on this bottle. Now till 2029.
2 people found this helpful Comment
Red
9/24/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
Has integrated and developed well since its first scored opening in '21.
Dark ripe berries and damson, suffused with dry spice (esp liquorice) and charred smokey nuances. Dusty tannins. Excellent.
Plenty of time to enjoy - now (with a decent aerated decant) till 2028 at least. 91+
1 person found this helpful Comment
White - Sparkling
9/23/2023 - NickBurwood wrote:
88 points
Fellow opera buff's 95th (stet) birthday buffet.
A Loire Chenin fizz ideal for the unseasonably warm weather buffet lunch. Loire Chenin sparklers are the perfect (and economic!) partners for large gatherings and good with food.
For drinking on release.
Red
9/21/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
89 points
Just starting on a downward spiral. Drink up and move on (in my case the 2020 vintage).
White
9/19/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
As per my July note.
Classic Gewürz in the dry style that Beyer leads the way with.
White
9/18/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
88 points
Ivy India (Guildford).
Ideal accompaniment for their wide range of (often) spicy SE Asian cuisine.
For drinking young. Till 2024
Red
9/17/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
Two bottles decanted together for two hours.
Now fully ready, the intense ripe cherry and pinotage-florals on the nose are also very much to the fore on the palate giving a focussed almost sweet impression. Then the desert spices, earth and smoke cut in which, with the still decent core acidity, bringing a fine balance. Moreish.
Now till 2026.
Red
9/16/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
92 points
Now fully mature with broadening meniscus and slight browning at the edges. Dark, mellow, brulé hedge fruits with earthy and leathery nuances and some dry spice. Dusty tannins and a hint of viscosity. Just enough acidity to hold the elements together.
Off its 93pt peak and for drinking over the next year.
2 people found this helpful Comment
White
9/14/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
90 points
Forward. Broad palate of lightly baked apples and aromatic pears with lots of floral/meadow nuances and even a hint of diesel. Works well with food. Drunk over two days (home alone) and held up well.
Not for the long haul, now till 2026. 90?+
Red
9/13/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
As per my August note. No rush.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Rosé
2022 Chilworth Manor Rosé Surrey Hills Pinot Blend, Pinot Noir (view label images)
9/12/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
90 points
Another excellent Pinot Meunier/Noir still rosé from my most local vineyard (half a mile as the crow flies).
Crunchy, racy pomegranate, redcurrant with cherry sour acidity for balance. Vibrant but with the weight for food - swordfish in this case.
For drinking over the next year.
Red
9/11/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
My last and drank at its peak.
Mellowed cherry and red berry fruit with dry spice and velvety mouth feel. Decent acid for balance.
For drinking over the next year.
Red
9/10/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
90 points
More forward than my recently drunk-up '11 with a tad less concentration but still very enjoyable. Fully integrated and ready to go. These quality middle-eastern wines show real variation vintage to vintage and are the better for it.
Now and over the next year or so.
White
9/9/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
92 points
Orangy tint but no hint of oxidation.
Ripe aromatic fruit melange and floral (esp.honeysuckle) nuances on the nose. Viscosity, gunflint minerality and integrated vanilla oak (lots of!) add interest and weight to the palate. Citrus acidity for balance. This has improved further since my last November '22 note. A big love-or-hate wine strictly for food - confit duck in this case.
Probably at its best. Now and through 2024 while grip maintained.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
9/8/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
Has filled out markedly since my '21 note. Dark ripe fruit, maquis herb are still dominant but with additional chalky minerality and a distinct cherry-sour finish for balance.
Probably at its peak. Now-2025
White
9/6/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
88 points
My last.
This has served well enough over the past couple of years, but to my taste now losing the tight minerally focus and grip that differentiates PFumé from Sancerre next door over the Loire.
Drink up.
Red
9/8/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
2 bottles decanted together.
Barely hitting its plateau with à point dark berry core, developing strap, smoke and integrating vanilla oak. Capsid finish/acidity holds all together. A fine wine in its early phase but would benefit from another couple of years in cellar.
Drink 2025-2036.
3 people found this helpful Comment
Rosé
9/1/2023 - NickBurwood wrote:
86 points
A gift that while pleasant enough in our hot Indian summer lacks any middle palette interest. Hollow.
For drinking young.
Rosé
8/28/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
Outstanding rosé with real depth of flavour - pomegranate, à point strawberry fruit and hints of cherry sour in the finish. Manages nevertheless to retain the freshness that one hopes for from rosé wine. Throws a fine but unobtrusive sediment (organic). A serious wine for food.
Made to last (by rosé standards). Now till 2025.
White
8/27/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
92 points
My March '23 note still applies. Outstanding middle kingdoms' wine that accompanied our roast chicken perfectly.
Now till 2026.
Red
8/25/2023 - NickBurwood wrote:
Glyndebourne (Rakes Progress - Stravinsky). Long Interval dinner in Middle & Over Wallop restaurant.
Inky, very extracted feel to the fruit. Muddled palate. I have always liked Wynn's wines so I hope that this is just an aberration of youth. If (and I mean if) its going to come round it needs a couple of years in cellar to convince.
2025 onwards (or the pot).
White - Off-dry
8/24/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
Roasted pineapple and aromatic citrus, minerality - even a touch of diesel. Off-dry as it should be with citric acidity preventing any cloying. Wonderful style.
Drink up to 8yrs from vintage. 91?+
Red
1999 Chateau Musar Bekaa Valley Red Blend (view label images)
8/23/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
93 points
While Musar produces freak great wines in "difficult" years (ie 1984) this is a classic archetypical vintage Musar that will age for a good time yet. Wonderful. Managed to acquire another case direct from Musar in 2018 and looking forward to breaking into it over the decade.
Now-2029 (at least).
4 people found this helpful Comments (3)
White
8/22/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
90 points
De facto field blend of high altitude pre-phylloxera (stet!) bush vines.
Citrus core with ripe pear nuances and suffused with steel/flinty minerality. Drinks well but with potential to show even better in the short term.
Now-2026. 90+
Rosé
8/21/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
90 points
My last. Have obtained a case of Lauzeta's top '21 rosé (Mezura St Chinian Roquebrun) for comparison.
Drunk up at the right time.
Red
8/20/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
2 bottles with identical profile decanted (aerated) together for 90 minutes.
Dark ripe berries, smooth dusty tannins and dry pepper spice. Marked minerality, green pepper finish. Still all somewhat tightly coiled. Drank well but suspect much more to offer in due course.
Drink 2024-2028 (at least). 91+?+
1 person found this helpful Comment
White
8/19/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
Coming into its own. Field herb frame for the apple and dried exotic fruit core. Fullish mouth feel with crisp citric finish keeping this wine firmly in the dry stable.
Could evolve further over the next few years and perhaps gain a further point. Now to 2027. 91?+
Red
8/17/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
89 points
Pure ripe black berries with hints of dry spice. Touch of flint/chalkiness from the cement maturation but all in all a very good mid-week Grenache.
A moreish, simple but very well made wine for drinking young. Now till 2025.
White
7/5/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
93 points
05/07/2023 My last. Full white cherry and exotic fruit core, pebbly/granitic minerality and citrus balances its notable viscosity. Floral nuances. Full and just off-dry. A fine wine for spiced oriental cuisine.
Till 2026.
White
8/16/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
Romorantin from the Loire purchased on spec based on a distant memory from when I ran my own wine business.
Well remembered! Precise white stoned fruit core with mellowing field herb nuances. Minerality pronounced (steely/fresh), citrus acidity. All integrated yet tightly coiled. Some evolutionary prospects here for the mid palate.
Will hold until next year. 91+
1 person found this helpful Comment
Rosé
8/2/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
90 points
Next vintage in stock but the '21 still holding its own - sediment and all!
Drink up this year and move on. 2 more to go.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
8/1/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
91 points
Starting to really show. My type of Zin with plush dark fruit, dry spice with some smoke and charred oak nuances. Gutsy! Drinking well now with a decent decant but no rush.
Now till 2027.
3 people found this helpful Comment
White
7/30/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine:
90 points
My last (magnum) and drunk at the right time.
Drink over the next year or so.
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