5/25/2014 - Average Wine Guy (MH) wrote:

The 2006 Bouchard Père et Fils Corton-Le Corton is medium ruby in colour with a nose of sweet juicy red currants, red berries, cranberry juice and a noticeable slight volatile acidity.

Soft and sweet red fruits enters the palate with a palate cleansing freshness. There's some stalkiness coming from the mid palate with an acidity that follows. Very clean in style though one may argue that a slight earthiness that follows after. The earthiness comes up particularly a little stronger towards the end. Medium finish, pretty enjoyable thought it might be a little tart.

Enjoyable 06 vintage wine. The wine though, transforms to a strange shut-down stage after 2 hours in the bottle. I'm certain it was just taking a quick nap.

1/13/2014 - Average Wine Guy (MH) wrote:

2008 Cabernet / Merlot Blends - New vs Old World: The 2008 Domaine de Chevalier is dark purple in colour with a nose of slight leather, plums and prunes. An entry on the palate of prunes, pluminess, sweet & fresh dark currants before progressing to underlying green capsicums. There's an excellent concentration in this wine that makes it stand out among the flight.

Beautifully structured with a good weight as flavours rest firmly (but not overwhelmingly) on the palate. Super fresh mid -palate and round indeed. Layered and soft in style, very well-balanced definitely. A refined, clean finish of medium (+) length. Brilliant and lovely characters for a 2008 vintage left-bank. Great value stuff.

9/5/2013 - Average Wine Guy (MH) wrote:

The 2009 Château Fleur Cardinale is made with 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium plus purple in colour, the wine opens a bouquet of black berries, dark currants, plums, cedar, almost bronze-like and underlying vanilla.

On the palate, an initial entry of sweet vanilla and fruitiness of dark riped currants, dark cherries overwhelms before progressing to cedar woodiness and some serious grippy tannins alongside medium+ acidity. Powerful and driven with a medium+ alcohol after the medium finish. A definite bold structure with the '09 vintage characteristics of a robust, big wine. (88-92) for now, packs quite a punch - maybe more years in the bottle might help tone it down a little.

11/3/2013 - Average Wine Guy (MH) wrote:

The 1983 Château Léoville Barton is medium (-) garnet in colour with a surprisingly fresh nose of very slight remaining fruit flavours but distinctive, sweet dusty rosewood characteristics. Pretty linear but still refined on the palate. Tannins have broken down quite a bit but there's a little surprisingly fresh fruit flavours of red currants and raspberries upon entry, accompanied with dusty rosewood, rosemary and thyme as the wine progresses to the mid palate.

Acidity is very soft and alcohol is well tucked under (perhaps from the age of the wine). Nonetheless, factors of the wine are still pretty controlled and in its place. Well-managed for that vintage. A medium (-) finish of back end woodiness and herbs that reminds one of the wine's good years that have passed. Pleasant and drinking well now, haven't got many years to go with the wine beginning to take it's fall only after 1+ hour in the bottle from uncorking.

9/24/2013 - Average Wine Guy (MH) wrote:

Uncorked for 4 to 5 hours before pouring.

The 2001 Grant Burge Shiraz Meshach is medium garnet in colour with a slightly tawny rim. The almost sweet, developed nose boasts of ripe cranberries, dusty but sweet rosewood, sour prunes, sweet plums underlying cherry chocolate. Almost candy-like but with a lot more depth on the expressive nose.

On the palate, an entry of sour prunes begins the pleasurable start before progressing to a sweeter, slightly salted dried prunes and cranberries before bursting to cedar with a weak underlying mint. Well-aged with resolved tannins. Rather long finish of sweetness. Definitely new-world, contemporary styled but displays a charming character indeed.

At a good drinking window now, not too many years before it steps off the peak. Wine didn't have too much strength about 8-9 hours later, displaying pungent roasted vegetative notes and chinese medicine.