4/13/2024 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Fully orangey, heading toward browning. Quite light, elegant. A lovely, giving, nose of sweet tobacco, leather and soil. That sweetness and acidity of aged traditional Rioja though nicely in balance here. Hangs in there through the bottle very well. Just a touch dusty, unclean with no obvious fault. I don't regard it as flawed. 12.5%. JR glass.

4/10/2024 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Pale garnet. Cherry (I would have had it down as a Sangiovese at this point). A little raciness. With time no discernible fruit. All about the tertiary, leather, tobacco, hint of sweet tobacco. The sweetness and acidity in balance. Both present and correct (as one would hope for a traditional Rioja) but neither shouting. A touch of tannin. 91-92 for this bottle at this time. With the move from fruit, whilst the sense of a little richness drops, the wines ages over a few hours and you can imagine its arc waining beyond the last sips. 12.5%. JR glass.

4/8/2024 - Cofxc wrote:

Deep, dark garnet. Black cherry, kirsch, a hint of kernel. A sense of graininess on the nose. The black cherry follow through. Clean, quite smooth and elegant in a dry frame. Balanced. No particular appeal for me at the moment but time in hand to improve. Halve. 13.5%. JR glass.

Note taken towards the end on PnP was all char, rubber, furniture polish. The latter stayed a bit.

3/5/2023 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Coconut, sweet tobacco, leather, savoury, touch of soy. Wears traditional Rioja on its sleeve. Ready on a PnP but improves over a few hours. 90-91.

3/29/2024 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Light, bright, transparent, crimson. A real handful of fresh pomegranate (no thoughts of VA), strawberry, green olive, minerality. 14%. Zalto BDX. 89-90.

3/28/2024 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Coffee, cherry, graphite. A warm fruit, plum. Racy but generally nicely dry. Gentle tannins on the finish. A charmer that begs another sip. But Becomes a little soft and sweet as it resolves. Just mid-weight. 13.5%. Zalto BDX. I end with a perhaps slightly generous 91 when I was looked at significantly higher earlier. First of a case. On watch to see if it falls between two stools of a top SHL and a classic Graves.

3/27/2024 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Beautiful clear garnet. Red fruit, a touch barnyard. Sweet tobacco, leather. Sweet fruit, touch of bacon. Fresh. Good to high acidity (started out spikey). Long leather laden finish. 14%. Zalto BDX.

That sweetness and acidity of an aged Rioja.

3/26/2024 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

mid-garnet, bright & clear, some bricking. Cherryade, kernel, touch of orange rind, a touch of black fruit, christmas spices, a sense of the acidity to follow. Leather, a bit of savour, good acidity. Mid-weight with depth. Gaining elegance. Zalto BDX.

Has become a good traditionally styled Rioja with (to my surprise) a few years left in the tank.

7/23/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Sweet fruit, green, forest floor. Good acidity. Mature. Complex and interesting. Consistent with the 3, good, previous notes from 2016 and 2017.

7/27/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Floral and salty. A bit of weight (lees I assume) but with good energy and structure. A winning summer wine. 12%

8/9/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

A spritz. Aromatic. Some citrus and florals, salty. A revelation for me for Vinho Verde, richer and more aromatic, but had not come across Loureiro before. 12%. A summer buyer and check out more Loureiro.

8/12/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Red berries, lightly savoury. The soft, aged, character is the varietal. PM does not have much structure. A fair bit of interest for the role intended for the wine. My favourite new summer red this year.

4/11/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Lemon, lemon balm, floral. Petrol (or at least that flavour in Riesling that we describe as petrol). Full flavoured. The acidity bobs about. It seems low mid-palette but it finishes with a zip. 89-91.

3/6/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Blackcurrant. Soft entry but plenty of acidity on the palette. Spicy. Long blackcurrant finish. Elegant. Lacks some interest at the moment. But maybe unfair opening this now, deserves more time.

4/3/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Graphite and liquorice. Touch of low level, interest adding, farmyard. Clove, spice, touch of grapefruit. Still vibrant with perky acidity. Softening tannins. Long. 7th from a case. All good. Perhaps the best. PnP.

4/1/2020 - Cofxc Does not like this wine:

Quite dark. The nose is green, austere. So I wasn't expecting in the palette. Sleek and easy, spice, brown sugar.

3/31/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

When this got going*, chalky, lots of lovely liquorice and very appetising acidity.

*It woke up with a start on the penultimate glass (2nd night). Throughout the first night and the first glass the next night, this was mute, uninteresting. I hadn't had the Chateau before and just thought it was no good. Treat the next bottle with more respect.

3/28/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Lemon, floral, white peach. Bit of minerality. Intense florals on the palette. Intense, nose and palette. Low acidity. Very cool from the fridge brings it out. Warmer, it is a touch milky - perhaps more in the acidity of milk (like sake). Not a repeat buy for me. Only a small amount of Garnacha Blanca but this tastes a lot like the Garnacha Blanca's that I've had - mainly from Roussillon and Catalunya.

3/27/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Wild strawberry, coffee, caramel. Beautiful, smooth, delivery. Clean, red fruit with some fruit intensity. So appetising - basically far too drinkable, the bottle disappears. 90-91.

3/25/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Blackcurrant but I'm not thinking of fruit here, graphite, fresh, appetising. The mouthwatering acidity keeps bringing me back.

I was still expecting the deep, intense wine that I had 5 years back but as others have noted this is light - and no less for it.

3/23/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Rhubarb, strawberry. Lightly savoury, but fresh, salty. Nice acidity.

3/18/2020 - Cofxc wrote:

Rich red fruit, raspberry, liquorice. More developed on the palette. Fine tannins. Lacking some interest at the moment. Don't know the wine to say there is more to come but, as a minimum, will hold for 5 years +.

3/16/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Grapey, smoke, waxy, honey. Touch savoury and bitter. Low acidity.

3/7/2020 - Cofxc wrote:

Herbs, medicinal and dark chocolate on the nose. Grapey, prune, mineral, black fruits.

Checked in and it was very dark and powerful. Gave it a 5 hour decant. It remained fresh for the next 5 hours of drinking.

3/5/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Much green in the appearance. Very fresh. Chalky minerality. Richly fruited, pineapple. Chocolate, lime, chocolate ice cream. Almond, reminiscent of plum wine (from the kernel), spice. Citrussy finish.

4/12/2020 - Cofxc wrote:

Looks well, transparent, and smells clean. Ripe cherry, leather, touch of autumnal fruit, forest floor. Spice, liquorice. A hint of metallic - but on the right side of old winey. Far more aged than a bottle a year of so back which was more opaque and deeper.

2/26/2020 - Cofxc Does not like this wine:

Lovely bright and clear, still ruby with just some bricking at the, pale, rim. Clean, dark fruited, nose. Tar, florals, cinnamon, coffee. More than a touch drying with raised acidity on the finish. Some nice elements but not much fun overall. 3rd of 3. All similar. I erred on the side of flawed for the first two. I could have down the same here. This is perhaps, just, the best of the 3.

2/24/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Rich and round for a Chablis (vintage, producer or both) but distinctively Chardonnay and thoroughly dry. Bit of green and mint. Touch of mushroom. Most enjoyable with a good looking bottle, with orange wax capsule, to boot. 90+

2/22/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Coconut yoghurt (distinct and discrete bang on the brand I've had, CoYo), bovril, oxo cube - but the look and these aromas are clean and fresh. Blackcurrant. Galexy chocolate. Saline - quite the salty hit. Silky, ripe, good intensity. A drying finish detracts. A very interesting bottle. I find it unusually easy to pick out a host of flavours. A bunch of brands in a bottle! Would be great to help less experienced tasters describe.

3/21/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

This remains a deep red, slightly ripe looking, and not the brick expected. On the nose, orange peel, kumquat, coffee, a light brown rice molasses. Surprise on the mid-palate, with a gush of youthful fruit that is open and fresh with some intensity and richness. Sweetness balanced by lots of acidity. Becomes softer, a little sweeter with a touch of brown sugar. Complex with much interest whilst easy to like and drink.

2/11/2020 - Cofxc wrote:

Intense liquid chocolate - like a thick hot chocolate. Malt syrup - almost stick. Touch of Worcester sauce. Hot. Entertaining.

2/8/2020 - Cofxc wrote:

Very pale, pinky. Some, wild, interest on the nose and palette. Strawberry, strawberry ripple ice cream. Structured with good acidity. Drying tannins throughout the drinking period and slightly bitter finish.

Like much about this. Interesting to see this when it is resolved. But, ultimately, I feel unsatisfied by it. On both nights I had it, I wanted a something else after. 13.5%

2/5/2020 - Cofxc wrote:

Bright and clear, dark, ripe, looking. Black cherry, saffron - a pungency that I'm not keen on. Fairly integrated, fine, tannins. Whilst, unexciting, it is well balanced, sleek and appetising.

Long decant. About 5hours. Probably didn't need that but could take it and more, suggesting a wide drinking window.

2/3/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

On the nose, black fruits, plum, coffee, a little vanilla. Dark fruit attack, savoury, saline, touch of spice. Moderate, fine tannins.

Long decant - drunk between 4-6hours.

2/1/2020 - Cofxc wrote:

A youthful smell of nail varnish, paint. More aged aromas support. Touch drying and the acidity is rising. The paint aroma continues. Faulty? If it is, I don't know what it is. Not awful and not corked. 84pts

1/30/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Long decant. Smoke, blackcurrant, cocoa powder, chocolate. Ripe. Firm. Not giving a lot away. Needs more time.

2/14/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Light, transparent (more Pinot Noir) colour. Initially, balsam, smoke, tobacco, a hint of worcester sauce. The palate more youthful, quite rich, red fruited, strawberry, still with some structure. A touch of VA, pomegranite, doesn't detract. Gaining some sweetness as it opens. Good acidity. On the second day this seems, leaner, more classic, graphite to the fore, cedar, more St Julien. I bob about a lot for the score on this. Should I be harsh on technicalities? But the pleasure and interest is 95. An easy 93.

2/18/2020 - Cofxc wrote:

Toast, sesame. Floral (stemen), ripe pomegranate. Dry and a little sour. Though indications that this may fall into place as some smooth dark fruits began to show. 14.5%

I was sure it was corked but it started to clear up initially to burnt toast.

2/18/2020 - Cofxc wrote:

Creamy, rich, ripe, dark fruit. Marshmallow. Smoke, vanilla, good acidity. Tannins yield to the fruit. 13.5%

2/18/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Creamy, bright red fruits and cassis, liquorice, bacon, white pepper. Dense. Harsh finish. Plenty of time ahead of this and may relax and soften well.

2/10/2020 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Cassis, a little jam, graphite, wet stone, ash, oats. News of a warm Bordeaux vintage but well balanced. Good acidity. There’s more complexity lurking. Balance that against what this will lose. I enjoyed this a lot now. 90+

6/1/2006 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Traditional Rioja flavours. Oak, coconut and upfront red fruit. High acidity.

5/1/2006 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

No note from the time other than very good.

2/22/2006 - Cofxc Does not like this wine:

At the time I only noted "dull".

2/20/2006 - Cofxc wrote:

historical record. No significant note from the time but I can see I don't think much of it. I'm now more familiar with our unyielding these can be for some years or forever.

2/16/2006 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Blackcurrant, liquorice, spice, tobacco. Very good.

6/11/2008 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

Full and fruity. Smooth, racy, but dry, no excess sweetness. With Coq au Vin.

2/3/2006 - Cofxc wrote:

No significant commensurate note. Just ok. I recall liking to more but seems that may have been the 99. Restaurant in Alberobello, Puglia.

1/1/2006 - Cofxc wrote:

no note other than decent. £17 L&S.

12/30/2005 - Cofxc Likes this wine:

no note other than it was good and also liked the Reserva