1/20/2024 - tmagsmaken Likes this wine:

This is a very nice cabernet sauvignon in a classical style, offering great value for money. It pairs excellently with steak, bringing out the rich flavours of both. On the nose, it displays aromas of dark fruit, mostly blackcurrant and blackberry, along with notes of graphite and cedar. On the palate, it is full-bodied, with a medium acidity that leaves a juicy finish. The tannins are high, but not fully integrated yet, giving the wine some grip and structure. This wine is ready and delicious if you like it younger and juicy, but you can also keep it easily for a few more years. I only have one bottle left, but I will seek out more of this winemaker's products.

1/14/2024 - tmagsmaken Likes this wine:

It was a pleasant surprise as I had not known this wine before. It is enjoyable, rich and fatty on the palate, with a nice balance of acidity. I would not have thought this was a Santenay. Ready to drink but will keep.

12/30/2023 - tmagsmaken Likes this wine:

I recently discovered a very pleasant surprise in the form of a very good quality chardonnay from Essex. This wine is already drinking well but will benefit from keeping. On the nose, it has an inviting chardonnay aroma with only a touch of oak, not particularly buttery, rather straight in style. Also on the palate, it is straighter than buttery with good acidity and balance. I would expect this wine to become more complex over time. It has a good length in the finish and is certainly one of the better chardonnays from England. At 30 GBP per bottle, it is not cheap but worth it. I will buy a few more and age them.

5/13/2023 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Delicious. Excellent companion to a pork belly and pear dish. Despite its age, the nose is fresh and inviting, not evolved waxy or petroleum like. Off dry, balanced in the mouth. Good acidity without too much of it. Medium bodied. Long finish. Happy with this. Drinking well now but can clearly rest longer.

12/3/2022 - tmagsmaken Likes this wine:

Concentrated and powerful nose with pencil shavings, dark fruit (cherry), liquorice, smoke and leather notes.
A medium-bodied wine that is juicy with the alcohol and acidity nicely balanced. Tannins are medium-high and still noticeable. Long and persistent finish. This is very good and ready but still early. I will wait a bit before opening the next bottle.

1/25/2023 - tmagsmaken Does not like this wine:

Attractive nose with Appel, Apricot and Honeydew. On the palate, less impressive. Medium-bodied, high acidity, high alcohol and dry. The finish is thin. Did not live up to my expectations. Maybe bottle-variation?

1/12/2023 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Inviting expressive nose with ripe strawberry, game and menthol notes. On the palate, overwhelmingly juicy with fresh acidity. Tannins are fully integrated. Good finish with decent length but a slight alcohol touch at the end. Ready to drink and much better than many.

10/22/2022 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Pleasant nose with stewed red fruit, plum and leather. On the palate, pure and medium-bodied. High in alcohol, medium in tannins and acidity. Good finish. Not complex or layered but well-made and enjoyable.

10/13/2022 - tmagsmaken Likes this wine:

Drinking very well now. The fruit has ripened, some mental and liquorice, notes forest floor and green olive. A delight on the palate, medium to full-bodied with medium acidity. Very balanced despite its relatively high alcohol. Very long finish

10/13/2022 - tmagsmaken Likes this wine:

First time tasting this wine that is made in small quantities. The best way I can describe this is like a fine Bordeaux with a new world fruit boost on the nose. It is medium-bodied, maybe a bit lighter than aged Bordeaux, and more subtle and elegant than the nose would suggest. It is fresh with medium-high acidity and low alcohol for a new world wine (12.5%). At 10 years old, the tannins are fully integrated. Overall, lovely on the palate and juicy with a mouth-watering finish. Well made and has aged well. Drinking excellently right now.
Got it from the Wine Society and would certainly rebuy it because this is undoubtedly reasonably priced at 37.5 GBP in bond.

5/17/2019 - tmagsmaken wrote:

The classical nose of NZ chardonnay: vanilla, butter and yellow apple.
On the palate, relatively light bodied, without great concentration. The tell-tale high acidity gives the wine a pleasant freshness. The modest length finish and limited complexity make this a good entry level Chardonnay that represents excellent value for money.

3/21/2022 - tmagsmaken wrote:

The first bottle of my case. Decanted for 1 hour.
Striking concentration in the nose; blackberry, some cassis, vanilla. The wine feels juicy and well balanced on the palate. Tannins are fully integrated. Long finish. Maybe just a step below the excellent 2005 but drinking very well now. Very happy with this.

3/13/2022 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Without a doubt a pleasant nose, fruit-forward with strawberry and cherry and an appealing freshness. The concentration of the flavours makes this wine punch above its price class. Nicely balanced with a decent length finish. Probably a contradiction in terms but seems like a good value burgundy. Drinking very nicely now. It is so fruit based that I don't know how this will age. It might develop a more balanced complexity or just lose its power. I have 1 bottle left and will try in a few years.

3/13/2022 - tmagsmaken Likes this wine:

I am clearly a long way away from what I normally drink with this wine. First Australian Pinot Blanc and a very positive surprise. Beautifully complex nose with pear and apple and a mineral touch. On the palate, more full-bodied than you would expect due to its 13.3% alcohol but overall balanced between the fruit, minerality and a saline mouth-watering finish. I find it difficult to judge if this should age further, it was certainly a pleasure to drink now. Quality wine, glad I tried it.

1/27/2022 - tmagsmaken wrote:

suggestion by the sommelier at Oswald's. Wine has aged very well. Still has a real freshness to it.

1/23/2022 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Amazing nose, intensity and complexity of a high-end burgundy. An appealing creaminess but with some tropical fruit notes. Fewer saline notes than in typical burgundy and well-restrained oak.
On the palate, less creamy than I expected from the nose, more refinement and elegance driven by fresh acidity but lacks a bit in intensity. Long world-class finish. Great nose and finish but dips a bit in the middle. Never the less a very good chardonnay. Fairly priced.

1/15/2022 - tmagsmaken Likes this wine:

Suggested by the sommelier of La Loma.
Beautiful nose with green and herbaceous elements like grass and nettle, fruit as in sweet strawberry candy and a lovely flintiness and minerality. On the palate, dry, medium-plus bodied, crisp acidity, medium-high alcohol. Mouth filling and refreshing. Very nice finish.
This has ageing potential but this is very good already. Delicious really. I will lookout for this and buy some.

1/11/2022 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Initially, the nose was dominated by eucalyptus that really jumped out of the glass. As it opened up over the next 2-3 hours, it became more balanced with stewed fruit and leather.
On the palate, more balanced, juicy, medium-bodied with a present acidity. Tannins are integrated so this wine is ready to drink. Good finish.
Overall, the nose is a bit unbalanced, the palate is fine and the finish is good without being great. Certainly ready and enjoyable but not the greatest La Nerthe at this point.

1/11/2022 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Appealing nose with tropical fruit smells sweeter than it is. No tertiary notes like wax or kerosine.
Dry wine despite the sweet smell, high acidity, and high CO2 content given a little spritz. Nice finish. An excellent companion to sushi.
Delicious as it is now or wait a good 4-5 years to catch it in its tertiary phase. Excellent value for money.

1/9/2022 - tmagsmaken wrote:

The first bottle of my case. It needed some time to open up but then it was there in full glory: creaminess with a saline touch!
On the palate, medium to full-bodied, balanced and delicious
Good finish without being amazing.
The score could be higher if the nose was more expressive and the finish was longer. I am not saying that I was disappointed, this is good to very good but I have had it delight me in the past and this one fell short of that. 2014 is a great vintage and this wine has ways to go so curious how it will develop.

1/9/2022 - tmagsmaken wrote:

The wine looks surprisingly young for its age with a deep garnet colour. Great bouquet with cassis, graphene, cedar and softer touches for smokiness, undergrowth and mushroom.
On the palate, it is smooth, elegant and above all juicy. Lighter in the body than I would have imagined, with average acidity and tannins well integrated. Delicious long lasting finish

Should be good and it was. Ready but strong enough to last for a decade more I think

1/2/2022 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Kirschgarten means cherry garden and there is certainly plenty of that in the nose. Nice touches of cinnamon and some more earthy and herbal notes. The acidity structures the wine without being omnipresent. Very creamy and therfore rather medium than light-bodied. Gives the impression to be ready. Certainly enjoyable and while not cheap, better than many pinot alternatives at this price point.

1/2/2022 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Tasted with Coravin.

This marks the first time that I taste this wine and I am glad that I did. I was expecting a New World power version of a Rhone wine but rather than being a "bomb" this was rather restrained, almost delicate. Lovely honeydew and stone fruits in the nose complemented with floral notes.

On the palate, same story, not overly powerful (relative to expectations) but an effortless medium to full-bodied wine but with fresh acidity. and high in alcohol. A good finish, just a continuation of balance and elegance.

Overall, interesting, weird, surprising but very good indeed.

1/1/2022 - tmagsmaken Likes this wine:

Drinking my penultimate bottle of this case and it is an absolute joy. The nose is still dominated by lovely ripe fruit despite its age and subtle tertiary notes are developing. As throughout its life the nose is more restrained than Beaucastel but therefore not less interesting.
On the palate, this wine is getting juicier as it ages (?). It feels less full-bodied and less alcoholic than a few years ago. The acidity is crisp, highlights the fruit and produces a lovely mouthwatering finish. The tannins are still drying your mouth so this needs to be accompanied by something substantial. A bone-in ribeye did the trick.
I have enjoyed this wine throughout the years but this is my best experience. Only one bottle left...

1/1/2022 - tmagsmaken Likes this wine:

Despite having a few bottle issues with previous vintages, I persevered because when it is good, it is really good. I am glad that I did because this is absolutely on point—a creamy, buttery nose with a saline finish. Medium to full-bodied with medium acidity and a long clean, mouthwatering finish.
Less luscious in style than 2009 but better than 2012. It is already drinking well but still young.

1/1/2022 - tmagsmaken wrote:

This pale to medium gold coloured wine need a bit of time to warm up before opening up. Great nose of honey, wax, green apple and a hint of apricot.

It is high in acidity, almost off-dry and light to medium-bodied. Balanced with a long finish.

Overall, a well-made Chenin that will certainly please already. I can't wait to see how this develops. Not cheap for SA Chenin but absolutely worth it.

1/1/2022 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Very fruit-forward nose filled with dark cherry and plum, eucalyptus, a hint of pepper and the sweetness of chocolate and vanilla.
Definitely full-bodied, with medium-high acidity and tannins and high in alcohol.

Overall, this is a winemakers wine. Bold and powerful with a soothing sweetness in the palate and a long finish of dark chocolate (a hint of bitterness). Tannins are still present so maybe this needs a bit more time?
Not sure if this is for everyone (or for me) but if you can handle the boldness, certainly well made and enjoyable.

12/31/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Nice hot climate shiraz. The wine is now fully developed and lacks complexity for a high score. The acidity is now quite pronounced and more noticeable than alcohol. Overall acceptable for the price point but not much more.

12/31/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

A pale yellow wine with tropical fruit in the nose (kiwi?).
Medium-bodied and almost off-dry with high acidity medium and alcohol. Pleasant finish.

Overall, a pleasant wine without great complexity. Mouthwatering acidity, almost a little spritz. Excellent value for money. Drink now.

12/31/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Tasted from half bottle.

Clear, pale gold colour. Tight nose with lemon, a hint of butter and salinity. Medium to full-bodied, medium in alcohol and crisp acidity. Balanced with a mouth-watering finish.

Overall, a well-made Chablis with an appealing freshness in the nose, that is easy to like (and drink) because of its balance between creaminess and acidity/salinity.

Good value for money in my view. Will probable develop further but certainly ready to drink now.

12/26/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Well-made pinot noir. Modest nose with fruitiness making way for more gamey tones. On the palate, very good freshness, well balanced and very drinkable. I paid 26.5 GBP retail when the wine was 8 years old. I really can't complain about this. Very good developed pinot for the price. Would buy it again.

11/22/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Coravin tasting - first glass

Strikes you immediately as a quality wine because of the concentration and power in the nose: very strong blackcurrant aroma (Ribena) with some pepper and a fresh eucalyptus/mint edge that makes you think this is a cold climate wine. Smells powerful but young.

On the palate, medium-bodied, medium-high acidity, dry, integrated tannins. Lots of fruit and fresh acidity makes for a mouth-watering finish. Despite the bottle age, this wine is young, indicating a further potential to age and gain complexity. However, its souple, easy-drinking style makes it ready to be enjoyed now.

Good value for money at 35 GBP IB per bottle

11/16/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Beautiful bouquet with cherry, game, smoked bacon, and forest floor. The palate is less outspoken, light-bodied with modest alcohol, low integrated tannins, and present acidity. Nice long finish.
Overall, the palate does not live up to the very promising nose but is enjoyable regardless. Ready to drink. As often with red burgundy, I am struggling with value for money but I am delighted that I have a few bottles to enjoy.

11/15/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

I never tasted this wine or house or style, so apologies if I misunderstood it. Certainly not a burgundy style chardonnay, but very enjoyable. Not your classical fatty buttery nose, but something more interesting, nuanced with lime, litchee and even smoked bacon. On the palate, a surprising freshness. So is the fact that it is light to medium-bodied and has relatively low alcohol (12%). Not at all what I expected, but intriguing. I wonder how this will age. I only bought one bottle to try but will buy another one to cellar.

11/15/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Good combination of butter and vanilla with a saline touch and some hints of tropical fruit. On the palate, creamy medium-bodied wine with refreshing acidity (higher than burgundy) and a decent finish. Well-made and good value for money. Maybe slightly too young, will it gain complexity with a bit more age?

11/15/2021 - tmagsmaken Likes this wine:

A delicious wine with a fragrant nose of orange jam, peach and pear. Perfect balance on the palate of sweetness and acidity. Very long finish. An almost perfect wine. This is very good and incredible value for money.

11/13/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

What a bouquet: black plum, chocolate, white pepper, oak and sage.
On the palate, your mouth fills with stewed fruit, raisin, cedar and an earthiness. High in tannins and alcohol yet drinking effortlessly. My drinking partner described it as the wine version of gravy, not fresh and crisp but rich, warm and comforting. Maybe not my favourite expression of cabernet sauvignon but well made and enjoyable. Acceptable value for money at 30 GBP retail.

11/13/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Clean sharp nose with floral notes and an appealing sweet edge to it (melon/honeydew). On the palate refreshing thanks to its crisp acidity. Dry, medium alcohol and light-bodied. Well made, quality wine that is a refreshing aperitive or a great compliment to Asian food. For me, it is a solid 90 points because it lacks the complexity for higher scores. Maybe I am missing something given the high praise by critics? I paid 30 GBP retail for this bottle which is on the high side as alternatives are available around the 20 GBP mark.

11/13/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Suggestion by the sommelier at Alliance, Paris
100% Chenin Blanc.
A pleasantly fresh nose with green apple, pear and honey. Medium to full-bodied, medium-high alcohol and dry. Well made, refreshing wine that can be drunk as an aperitive or to combine with a seafood starter or with a dish where the freshness is required to balance out creaminess. Good value for money at 17 GBP retail.

11/13/2021 - tmagsmaken Likes this wine:

Suggestion by the sommelier at Alliance, Paris.
My first experience with this type of wine and a very pleasurable one. A nice bouquet with ripe stewed fruit and raisins. A medium-bodied dry wine with high acidity and integrated tannins. On the palate, the stewed sweet fruit is balanced by the acidity. Great elegance and souplesse for a wine with 15% alcohol. A long finish structured by tannins and alcohol.
The wine is ready to drink. Enjoyed it greatly with a selection of cheeses. Good value money at 50 GBP retail.

11/13/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Nose filled with red fruit, mushroom, black pepper, and earthy and herbaceous notes. On the palate, high acidity, medium-bodied, dry, medium-high alcohol and integrated medium tannins. Nice balanced finish.
A well-made wine, drinking very nicely now. It did benefit from decanting and needed some time to open up. Good value for money at roughly 20 GBP retail.

11/13/2021 - tmagsmaken Likes this wine:

Concentrated nose with ripe cherry, pepper and a herbaceous note. Clearly a new world pinot but more the fresh and smooth style rather than overly ripe. It is medium-bodied, medium acidity, dry, with low silky integrated tannins. Very good length. Overall, a balanced wine, effortless to drink now. However, it is young and you get the feeling that the best is yet to come as it develops with age. At 35 GBP in retail is not cheap but probably fair.

10/31/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Coravin Tasting - left open for 1.5 hours.
Very dark in colour, almost black
Ripe blackberry and raspberry, chocolate, liquorice and tobacco on the nose. The pureness of the fruit is striking. On the palate, full-bodied, present tannins, medium to high alcohol and acidity. Surprisingly elegant and drinkable at this stage but much too young for my liking. This wine has enormous longevity and will hopefully develop into something almost magical. I can see how this will get higher scores over time but I will tuck it away for at least another 5 years.

10/29/2021 - tmagsmaken Likes this wine:

Appealing nose with hints of lime, tropical fruit like peach and melon and a touch of honey.

On the palate, refreshing but not thin, rather medium-bodied. Medium acidity and alcohol and dry - almost with a little spritz. Mostly tropical fruit that continues in the finish.

A well-made quality wine that makes for a refreshing aperitif or could easily accompany a goat cheese salad. Not cheap at 27 GBP retail but fair given its quality

10/25/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Great nose with undergrowth, roast bacon, and leather. On the palate, not as opulent as the nose, rather light and soft. The tannins are silky and the acidity is comes through. Enjoyable but not spectacular.

10/24/2021 - tmagsmaken Likes this wine:

The wine appears to be young in its evolution with a pale ruby colour on the brink of developing a brick hue.

Powerful and concentrated nose for a pinot, which makes you place this outside Burgundy. Very fruity with sour cherry and an herbaciuos tint (mint). No tertiary notes yet, no undergrowth or gamey elements.

On the palate, rather than expected power and alcohol, one is greeted by an elegant and even delicate wine. For a wine that normally gets its structure from its acidity, this is surprisingly balanced without losing its freshness. It has more body than a burgundy but is no less elegant. Long mouth-filling fruity finish with a nice freshness to it.

Searching for good Pinot is frustrating but this one is on target: Absolutely delicious! Given that it is early in its evolution, this could quite possibly get even better ! Not cheap at almost 60 GBP IB but certainly much better than Burgundy of that price level.

10/24/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Pale yellow colour. Interesting nose with stone fruit (peach?), wax and a saline note. On the palate, medium-bodied, with medium-high acidity, dry, medium-high alcohol. Good finish.
Tried this wine because it was recommended by Decanter as a "must-try" with 97 points. It did not live up to that expectation but it is certainly a very interesting and enjoyable wine at a very decent price point. I wonder if it will develop more complexity with another 2-3 years of age.

10/23/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

This wine is powerful and flexes its muscles immediately with an expansive nose of candied fruit (Haribo), sweet spice, tobacco and leather. It also has an initial hint of dust or ash that I often find in Zinfandel. (Thank you Kustjagr for pointing out Primitivo is actually the same grape as Zinfandel)
After this intro, you are bracing yourself for a bombastic and alcoholic taste. However, while it is seriously full-bodied, it is remarkably balanced and refined. Low to medium acidity, off-dry with medium but integrated tannins, high in alcohol but that does not stand out. Good finish.
Overall, this type of wine is not my personal favorite but I can only be impressed by the combination of power and balance this wine has to offer. Fair value for money given its quality (20 GBP in bond)

10/19/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

Decanted for 2 hours.
The nose is not complex but pleasant with dark fruit and pencil shaving coming through. Unfortunately, it goes downhill from there: on the palate, the wine is a bit austere, with still gripping tannins and not a lot of depth. The finish is ok but the bitterness of the alcohol cannot be masked. Certainly an acceptable wine but for the price point, I expected more.

7/12/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote:

What a delight! It needed some time to open up (3 hours decant) but lovely fragrant nose with blackberry and cassis, pencil shavings, liquorice, plum and some eucalyptus which makes for a pleasant freshness. On the palate, luscious ! Tannins fully integrated, balanced with a juicy, mouth-watering finish that lingers. This is really good.