4/8/2023 - wadda wrote:

Heavily oxidised - in the sink

9/17/2015 - wadda wrote:

Stood upright and opened around an hour before drinking, decanted about half an hour before. It's pretty consistent with the last bottle opened perhaps 6 months ago. A little medicinal to taste, and with that slightly burnt rubbery smell. It has got dark fruit, cherries, but it is a little sharp and disjointed, not resolving particularly well. It has a long after taste, and is quite hot still, not wearing it's alcohol content particularly well. It's trying to be a big blockbuster shiraz, but it doesn't work for me. I'm not a huge fan of the style to be honest and rather wish I didn't have another dozen bottles in the cellar.

9/3/2015 - wadda wrote:

I liked this. Turning bricky red on the edges, decanted for an hour before drinking. Good dark fruit flavours, black cherry flavours, still quite good acidity. Nicely balanced wine, very typical Bordeaux. Probably getting to its peak now and will need drinking up over next couple of years.

1/31/2014 - wadda Likes this wine:

This was really excellent; last bottle I had tasted a little oxidised, but this had aged beautifully. Light golden yellow colour, with all the honeyed notes coming through, but with a good bit of acidity left. Honeydew melon flavour and colour. Very nice.

12/13/2013 - wadda Likes this wine:

This was really good. Decanted for about an hour. Colour has faded to dark, brownish red, but its got a lovely tobacco, cedar and dark fruit nose with some black fruit. It's lovely and smooth, black cherry flavours, but still with some bite and acidity. It's held up really well over 18 years. Shame I only had one bottle.

5/29/2013 - wadda wrote:

This was excellent. Honeyed hue and lovely sweet taste, but not at all cloying like some sweeties. Some acidity, but mainly ripe, floral, honeydew flavours.

4/1/2013 - wadda wrote:

It's definitely for drinking up, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well this has held up. Must have been stored pretty cold I think. Still lots of black cherry fruit flavours, a little bit of funk on the nose that cleared up after about an hour in the decanter, and still a little drying tannins evident. Slightly astringent and tart after-taste, but all in all pretty enjoyable.

3/26/2013 - wadda Likes this wine:

Much better than the last bottle opened, which was a little past it. This was elegant after a mild funk had blown off the nose. Decanted for about an hour it was sweet, with violets, some tobacco taste, but sweet like pipe tobacco, good acid, and sour raspberry. Very good for a 15 year old wine.

3/19/2013 - wadda wrote:

This has held up well. Smokey, cedar, tobacco but with some vanilla oakiness and dark fruits. Nice drop.

3/16/2013 - wadda wrote:

A little long in the tooth now, but with some interesting tobacco, cedar box notes. Quite a funky nose. Some dark fruits still evident.

3/12/2013 - wadda wrote:

A little long in the tooth now although I think this bottle must have been stored well as it was not too oxidised. Still some fruit (lemon, lime,peach), with honey, but also a little of that dry sherry flavour.

3/12/2013 - wadda wrote:

Honeyed, very sweet, although with some acidity still. It's held up well.

11/29/2012 - wadda Likes this wine:

Not bad, quite thin and light for an Aussie shiraz, but good acidity and fruit balance. Probably best drunk young.

10/31/2012 - wadda wrote:

It's not your average big, fruity shiraz. There's some tart black cherry, maybe a little liquorice, some shoe polish on the nose, black fruits. Lots of acidity and some tannins. A little hot and slightly disjointed, but perhaps this will round out with age. A really decent, complex wine with lots of character that should age well.

9/2/2012 - wadda wrote:

Pretty good Rioja. Not over oaked but nice and bright, smooth, fresh and fruity.

8/26/2012 - wadda wrote:

No idea how old this was as it was won in a raffle. But it was pretty good. Soft and fruity bright and fresh.

4/8/2012 - wadda wrote:

Fresh and lively wine. Slightly tart red fruits with some oak and vanilla notes rounding it all out. Nicely balanced.

1/29/2012 - wadda wrote:

Tart to the point of sour,black liquorice on the nose, a little hot.

1/15/2012 - wadda wrote:

Nicely balanced wine, sweet lemony taste with some melon, good acidity and a reasonably long finish.

11/13/2011 - wadda wrote:

Inky dark wine, mouth filling, blackcurranty cough sweet taste (sort of like purple spangles), minty. Will hopefully mellow a little with a couple years in the cellar as it is quite forward at the moment.

11/4/2011 - wadda wrote:

Quite tasty. Nose and taste remind me slightly of blackcurrant spangles (if you remember those boiled sweets), in a nice way. Slightly medicinal taste, with some dark cherry flavours, young and fresh, a little tart.

9/13/2011 - wadda wrote:

I really enjoyed this. Smooth and refined; a lovely rounded, grown up tasting claret. Decanted for about an hour before serving. Lovely food wine; no funkiness, smooth tannins and some lovely black fruit flavours.

9/10/2011 - wadda wrote:

Excellent, leafy, blackcurrant flavours.

7/11/2011 - wadda wrote:

First bottle was badly corked. Second bottle opens up a little funky on the nose. Odd aromas, slightly woody? Difficult to pin down. Still quite fruity, dark cherries, some leathery tastes, a little mouth puckering too. Not terrible, not great either.

7/8/2011 - wadda wrote:

Pretty good. Pale, bright and crystal clear in the glass. Nose of peach and citrus. Very fresh, quite zingy, hints of honey, lemon and a little vanilla. Really good length. Will be interesting to see how it develops over a couple of years in the cellar.

7/3/2011 - wadda wrote:

Beautiful deep ruby colour, restrained nose, black cherry flavours, blackcurrants, a little pepper and spice, and some tarry notes and menthol. Has held up well, good acidity still, and a very nice match for food.

6/30/2011 - wadda wrote:

Phewwee - what a nose on this. Can only describe the whiff on opening as a child's nappy full of poop after having a dicky tummy. It does blow off after a quarter of an hour or so, but still has that "farmyard" pong. There is not much fruit left, the wine is garnet turning burnt orange and is showing its age. Having said all that, it's not bad once it has settled down a little. Lots of tobacco notes, tart, toasted cherries, a little mouth puckering.

6/16/2011 - wadda wrote:

Very blackcurranty, quite mouth drying and a little tart. tastes a little like the blackcurrent cough sweets that you buy, although tarter. Not terrible, but not lovely either.

4/15/2011 - wadda wrote:

Dry, but floral, with white flowers, honeysuckle, but decent acidity. A good balanced bottle of wine.

4/15/2011 - wadda wrote:

Rich, fruity and spicy. Black cherry flavours, some floral notes from the viognier. Very moreish.

12/28/2010 - wadda wrote:

Very good. Swirling, spiralling, bubbles in the glass. Lovely balanced taste, slightly nutty, good acidity, elegant. Better than most champagnes.

12/28/2010 - wadda wrote:

Had a bottle on Christmas day with family. Even better than the previous one that I'd opened. Golden, honeyed flavour, but still vibrant, fresh and with good acidity. Really lovely.

12/28/2010 - wadda wrote:

Still very youthful, light greenish tinge, lots of acidity, quite sharp, but some honeyish floral tones starting to emerge. Finely made wine, but could do with another 5 years or so to round out and develop.

12/11/2010 - wadda wrote:

Golden colour, beautiful aroma of honey, tasting of ripe peach, honeydew melon, but still with good acidity making it remarkably fresh for a 28 year old wine. Very enjoyable.

12/5/2010 - wadda wrote:

Bright, and lively. Red fruits, and sweet blackcurrants on the nose, with some bacon. Tasted of blackcurrants, slightly tart blackberries and cherries. Slightly spicy, the tannins are evident in the reasonably long finish.

11/15/2010 - wadda wrote:

Fruity, juicy Shiraz. Quaffable.

7/22/2010 - wadda wrote:

Quite a hot and tangy shiraz, not the smoothest, but not bad. Some tarry leather, lots of red fruit, quite a short finish, and the alcohol is a bit too noticeable for me. Fine with a barbecue or a steak.

5/24/2010 - wadda wrote:

Incredibly sweet. Presumably the fermentation was stopped early as the wine is only 9%. Result tastes like a sweet fruit squash. Marginally better when chilled, but not to my taste at all. Some may like it with puddings.

5/24/2010 - wadda wrote:

Aged nicely, soft tannins, very blackcurrenty to taste. Medium bodied, and nicely balanced.

5/20/2010 - wadda wrote:

Dark, purple, inky wine. Very strong chocolate smell, with cherries, candy and pear drops on the nose. Very sweet and artificial tasting, whilst simultaneously being drying, with harsh tannins - a rather unpleasant combination. Not to my taste - but at £4.00 not entirely surprising.

5/20/2010 - wadda wrote:

I did not enjoy this much, treacle, burnt marmalade, sherry on the nose; very sweet and cloying. Perhaps this bottle was slightly oxidised also. Not great.

5/20/2010 - wadda wrote:

Decent NZ sav blanc. Green tomato plants, peach schnapps, and lemon / grapefruit on the nose. Green apples, citrus and melon to taste. Nice acidity and balance. A very quaffable wine.

5/15/2010 - wadda wrote:

This has held up remarkably well, the nose is a little funky, but mellows a short time after pouring. A lot of tannins have solidified, and the bottle needed standing upright for a good 24 hours before pouring. Black cherries, and leather tastes, nice bright dark colour still.

5/15/2010 - wadda wrote:

Bright, clear wine, lovely raspberry and red berries on the nose, not really showing much sign of its age, lovely wine.

5/9/2010 - wadda wrote:

I think this is now past its best. It has aged pretty well though with honeyed notes, a light golden hue, but still with some fresh acidic citrus notes.

5/7/2010 - wadda wrote:

Light, but elegant pinot noir. Loads of red fruit, a nice balanced, easy to drink wine.

5/6/2010 - wadda wrote:

Full bodies, dark burnt cherries to taste, colour is turning coppery. Bacon fat and smoky wood on the nose. Quite dusty to taste, dry and quite tannic. Good value on sale at £5.

5/6/2010 - wadda wrote:

Fruity, black cherries, blackberries, but with some liquorice and shoe polish. Smooth, quite dry to finish and fairly short. Reasonable value, fruity, quaffable wine.

5/3/2010 - wadda wrote:

Nice, dusty smoky flavours, red cherry fruit and some bacon. Quite dry on the finish, but good value and quite interesting.

4/7/2010 - wadda wrote:

A little manure like on the nose, with some sour black cherry and tarry notes. Sour cherry to taste, a little thin, very acidic and hot for 13.5%. Lingers, but not in a nice way. Tim Atkin reviewed the 2005 vintage of this in the Observer and liked it, but it's really not my cup of tea so to speak.