3/30/2024 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Pristine cork, not much sediment, 90 minute decant to wake it up. Better at 30 years than it was at 25, some mint and cedar on nose, medium length, softened tannins, good balance with remaining fruit. 13% ABV, old-school St Estephe which doesn't have to scream and shout for attention. Good drinking now, will certainly keep if needed.

1/13/2024 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

One glass from Coravin....still very young but perfect balance, oak is in harmony rather than dominant, dark fruit..another couple of years should be even better, drinking through the remainder of this decade. Love it!

12/27/2023 - johnnyrichardson wrote:

The two bottles we opened were absolute tannic monsters...a wine that takes no prisoners. I've never been convinced by this vintage, it might be worth hanging on to a couple of bottles to see what they are like in a decade or so, but otherwise find some high-fat meaty dish to go with it and let it rip..

12/27/2023 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Down to my last couple of bottles (375ml), still a top sauternes drinking beautifully but I wouldn't hold half-bottles much longer..full bottles probably have a longer future.

12/27/2023 - johnnyrichardson wrote:

Not a great year. I think, fairly light but pleasant none the less. Drink up!

12/27/2023 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

32 years old and still going strong! My last bottle unfortunately (of 12) but no need to hurry if you have any left. Still some red fruit left after all this time, good length, everything in the right place, probably the best VT I've tasted.

12/27/2023 - johnnyrichardson wrote:

Totally oxidised - unfit to drink

7/23/2023 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Drink now, with food. Very good expression of a good, mature red Bandol.

7/23/2023 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Tempier…’nuff said! Tannins well integrated but though it could last much longer, now is a good time to drink it. No decanter in our rental location (two miles from Bandol) but I enjoyed the evolution in the glass. These are wines to drink with food.

7/23/2023 - johnnyrichardson wrote:

Hard as nails, a real tannic beast. Opened up just enough to reveal nothing of any interest behind its inpenetrable facade. Reminded me of a mediocre calicab from the nineties or noughties..

4/29/2023 - johnnyrichardson wrote:

Very firm, well balanced still closed. Next bottle in five years.

3/6/2023 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Double-decanted for sediment a couple of hours before drinking..a very small hint of brett this time (previous bottles were clean as a whistle) but nothing overbearing…plenty of fruit left plus a green note which may be the basil other tasters have noted. All in all still a very nice bottle, if slightly less body than previous bottles. One bottle remaining before moving on to 2012…full steam ahead!

2/26/2023 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

in its secondary stage, dry tannins, still some fruit but I don't think this will improve. Good now, so drink up!

11/27/2022 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Double-decanted to clear sediment, served 15-16C. Well balanced, the Cayron "rusticity" is there as is some fruit. A really good Gigondas, wears its alcohol content well, is drinking well now and probably won't change much for several years at least..excellent

11/4/2022 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

As good as it's going to get, no need to hold. Didn't decant, (i). I don't think it needs it if you pour carefully (ii). this needs to be drunk on the cooler side to reduce the "jam" and "heat", I always struggle to get the right temperature after decanting. Otherwise a nice drink..good example of a mature CNDP.

10/9/2022 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

drink up!

7/23/2022 - johnnyrichardson wrote:

Corked

4/19/2022 - johnnyrichardson wrote:

Wonderful nose on opening which promised much but didn't really deliver for me..still a very powerful St Julien but totally lacking in charm. Lucky I only have one bottle left, I think 2003 is a vintage to forget.

5/15/2021 - johnnyrichardson wrote:

Nothing wrong with it, just a little tired and lacking in much interest..these are now too old IMO - my best bottle of '89 GPL was drunk in 2007..

4/25/2021 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Nice acidity, some red fruit, a nice light-drinking summer Chinon, uncomplicated..I buy these quite often.

4/25/2021 - johnnyrichardson Does not like this wine:

Alcohol very apparent, in spite of being chilled - a bit of a brute, really, not my style, certainly not the al-fresco summer red I was looking for. Others may like it though, hence 85 score. I'd leave it a couple of years before drinking it though..

12/26/2020 - johnnyrichardson wrote:

Fairly typical regional nose on opening, if a little less precise than grander Pauillacs. Good body and length, some fruit, but further along on the aging timeline than I would have expected. Some will like this older (it will keep) but personally I don't think I would gain any increased enjoyment by leaving these much longer. All in all, enjoyable, met my expectations..

9/13/2020 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

6 months on from my last note in Mar-20. Has evolved into a minty, slightly fruity early drinker....I don't think this has the structure to make old bones and will drink my remaining bottles over the next couple of years..enjoyable, but I think there are more interesting Medocs around at about the same price point..

6/6/2020 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

At the beginning of its drinking window IMO, good to go and will improve though it would be a shame not to try it at this age if you have several bottles. Still quite grippy so food choice matters - very typically St Estephe though less austere and more open than I would have expected. 2014 must have been a great year for St Estephe...delightful.

4/26/2020 - johnnyrichardson wrote:

Corked

4/19/2020 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

First of a 6-pack...these are good to go now, I like them at 16C

4/6/2020 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Tasty, don't drink it too warm. Would buy again, v. good at this price point. Simple, uncomplicated, honest..

3/31/2020 - johnnyrichardson wrote:

First of a 6-pack, what everyone else said, good lunchtime claret..I think another few months might do it some good, and will drink the rest from Sep-20..

12/28/2019 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

From magnum...ready to drink, great VFM, probably not for keeping much longer.

12/9/2019 - johnnyrichardson wrote:

Corked..

12/1/2019 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Opened a 2017 by mistake (thought it was a '15), but this is drinkable now..great VFM as always.

6/22/2019 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Contrary to previous notes, I liked it! Very typically Medoc, drink now but no hurry, quite grippy still, not bad for a 2006 but to be honest I think it slightly under-delivers for a classed growth, at least this year. Still nice, though..drink now but no hurry at all..

5/25/2019 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

did not decant...right at the beginning of my preferred drinking window, still quite grippy and most enjoyable with steack frites..well done TWS.

4/22/2019 - johnnyrichardson wrote:

From a magnum - last tasted from magnum 5 years ago when it was fairly closed, it has now opened up nicely, v. good but not exceptional.

2/23/2019 - johnnyrichardson wrote:

Fine if you like brett...to avoid if you don't. I quite like this style from time to time though the brett makes this a fairly one-dimensional drink IMO...2016 and 2015 were similar but less pronounced.

2/21/2019 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

A little bit tired (provenance?) but enjoyable none the less. Still quite powerful, but best with something bland, maybe roast beef or lamb. Drink up!

2/19/2019 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Ready now, smokey garriguey fruity chateauneuf stuff going on, good for a few more years at least but I'm not sure it will improve. This one had none of the usual '07 jammyness, very nice..

1/26/2019 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Still some blackcurrant on the nose, tannins have softened this is ready to go. A great wine for the vintage, drink now or hold..

1/20/2019 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

I was pleasantly surprised by this bottle, given recent reviews I was expecting it to be on the way downhill but there was still a fair amount of fruit left and nothing very tertiary about it. I would think more than a few years life left in this. Very good now though..

12/25/2018 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Gorgeous..based on this showing I wouldn't keep these much longer than a year or two..

12/25/2018 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Top...to drink now, but will keep. Haut Brion rocks!

12/24/2018 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Ready to drink...wonderful bottle, did not even decant..

10/30/2018 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

À point now and the next few years based on this bottle..did not disappoint.

8/14/2018 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

3-hour decant followed by double decant...fairly closed initially, the last third of the bottle finally opened out to what I hope will happen naturally in another five years or so. Oak is there but unobtrusive, everything perfectly in balance, puts most other Reservas to shame!

7/23/2018 - johnnyrichardson wrote:

I expected this to be slightly more evolved, but, from my cellar at least, still plenty of unresolved tannins, I think it's a 20 year claret not 15. I'll leave my remaining bottles another five years at least..

7/2/2018 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Only recently bottled, fruit and acidity nicely balanced with a hint of lees. Very clean and fresh, textbook muscadet sur lie..difficult to find a better example than this.

6/17/2018 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Nice crunchy fruit, drunk cellar cool. Very pleasant uncomplicated summertime red

6/10/2018 - johnnyrichardson wrote:

My first taste of this since a family wedding 8 years ago, but instantly recognisable as Drappier. Pleasant, fairly light and approachable with no need for further cellaring (dosage?) good value aperitif champagne, but lacks complexity IMO

6/10/2018 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Simple, uncomplicated village cru Beaujolais. Served cellar-cool, uncomplicated, floral, typical Fleurie, nice with summer food..exactly what you'd expect..

6/2/2018 - johnnyrichardson Likes this wine:

Bottled just a few weeks ago, a perfect example of young Muscadet sur lie. Fruit and acidity well in balance, very well made, which is why I give it a 90. About 9 bucks at the cellar door, bargain-ous or what? [great with scallops]