3/6/2021 - Sjontoft wrote:

Nice every day drinking. Sour cherries, forrest floor. Nothing spectacular, but drinking well. Ripe medium tannins.
Will probably benefit with a year or two of cellaring but not more.

1/9/2021 - Sjontoft wrote:

I was afraid it was over the top, but it was excellent. Better than the other bottles. Very well integrated, powerful and with very smooth tannins.

10/13/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Not particularly complex. Stewed Apple on the nose. Palate has red apple and orange peel. A hint of bitterness.
Ok but not great by any measure.

10/3/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Colour is showing some age with bricking on the rim.
Nose has red fruit, hints of white pepper and some hints of cedar and barn yard.
Palate is round and medium bodied. Quite long taste in line with nose. Tannins are well rounded by now but have a slightly dusty feel
I think it has five years left but it is unlikely to get much better.
I dont think it will evolve into a stunning wine, but it is drinking very well now.

9/30/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Good if slightly unremarkable. Classic cabernet driven bordeaux well made and very good vintage. Lacks a bit of intensity and length to be truly exciting. I will drink mine over the next 4 years or so.

9/26/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

OK - not particularly interesting. Well made though.

9/24/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Corked

9/23/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Powerful nose. Red fruit, pepper, forrest floor.
Very ripe. Full bodied. Fairly long, but not particularly complex.
Nice and easy drinking. Not demanding. Difficult to rate. Rating reflects that it is a perfectly well made wine with no flaws and nice to drink, but a bit uninteresting.

8/22/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Pale ruby
Medium intensity with primary (red current, cranberry), secondary (vanilla) and tertiary (meat, Forrest floor) aromas.
It is dry with medium plus acidity and medium ripe tannins. Alcohol is medium and the body is medium. The flavour intensity is medium plus with mainly primary (red currant, cranberry) and secondary (vanilla) flavours. It is a bit austere.
The finish is mediumÏt is very good with no obvious faults, yet it would need more complexity and body to be outstanding.
It is suitable for bottle ageing for 3-5 years given tannins and acidity. It will likely develop a more complex flavour profile with more tertiary notes.

8/22/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Pale Ruby
Medium Plus Nose with primary and secondary characteristics (P: Raspberry, Rose, Strawberry, black pepper S: Charred wood)
Dry with medium plus acidity, medium and somewhat green tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, medium plus flavour intensity, with mainly primary notes (similar to nose, but with more pronounced pepper). It has a long finish.
The quality is very good with no obvious faults, but not outstanding as the flavour profile is not particularly complex)
It is suitable for bottle ageing for ca 5 years given tannins and acidity. It would likely evolve more integrated tannins and tertiary notes of Forrest floor and leather.

8/9/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Medium ruby
Nose of strawberries, black pepper and hints of barnyard.
Medium bodied. Palate is fresh and slightly peppery. Quite primary.
Very good easy drinking Pinot Noir. Nothing amazing, but excellent for the price.
No great cellaring potential. Drink over next 3 years.

8/1/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

High quality. Fruity. Lots of ripe black currant, pepper.
Very ripe tannins.
Not one for the long haul but probably better in a year and then over the next 3-5 years.

7/31/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Real depth. Does not come across with the sharpness of a pure Chardonnay. Lots of bubbles and life. Bread, yeast, lemon, red apple. Has layers and complexity. I really liked it. Probably will develop for some years.

7/30/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Pleasant full body drinking. It does however not have the real depth that I was hoping for. It is fully developed. Tannins are fully integrated. It is powerful, but while the fruit and tannins are there I am not sure there is enough acidity to develop into much more in the long run. Good wine nonetheless.

7/30/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Drinking extremely well now - near peak. Tannins are now fully developed. Black fruit and hints of pepper. Tertiary flavours starting to develop, but it does not have the body of warmer years to really shine int he long run I think.

7/30/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Fabulous wine.
Dark, ripe, black fruit. Lots of complexity. Full bodied. Tannins are super round and ripe. Lots of complexity. Probably near peak - but will last 5 years or more.

7/30/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

On the decline, but still holding up very well - forest, fruity, and surprisingly complex with exotic fruit, honey, and fruit cake.

7/29/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Pale lemon colour.
Medium plus intense nose with notes of lime juice, gooseberries, apple, and pineapple.
Fresh on the palate. Fully dry with High acidity and consistent with the nose but with a hint of lemon peel as well. Medium finish.
Well made Sauvignon Blanc. Excellent young drinking. Could have mistaken it for a very good Marlborough SB.
Would need more flavour depth and complexity to really get me excited though. No need to cellar. Don’t think it will add much.

7/28/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Dark red, almost inky. You would not think this was 12 years old by looking at it. Nose has cassis, toast, and a hint of Forrest floor. Quite intense.
Palate is full bodied. Powerful. Very smooth and ripe tannins. Long after taste. Consistent with nose. Fruit driven. I don’t get the fading fruit I had on another bottle a few weeks ago.
I would not rule out that it will continue to evolve with more layers over the coming years, but it drinks excellently at the moment. To score higher it would need more layers and complexity.

7/27/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Excellent bottle. Quite yellow in the glasss. Very lively with lots of fizz. Not showing much age.
Nose with lemon juice and peel. Yeasty and bread notes apparent.
Long in the mouth and consistent with the nose. Slightly floral.
To be truly superb more complexity would be required, but a very nice bottle.
Drinking well not sure whether it gets better with age or not.

7/27/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Substantially better than my last bottle three weeks ago.
Fruit driven. Quite full bodied. Lots of berries with tertiary notes of Forrest floor and some black pepper.
All my bottles are from the same 12 bottle case which has been stored in perfect conditions. Drinking well now.
Significant bottle variation.

7/26/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Nice. Not showing much age in the glass. Lots of dark fruits. Still quite primary but clearly developing.
Red ruby colour. Tannins still have some development to go through. Medium to full bodied.
I suspect it has a decade left.

7/26/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Does not show a lot of ageing.
Quite classic black currant, cherry and cedar nose. Comes across as fruity. Not particularly intense though.
Palate is medium bodied (medium plus?) with black fruits and charcoal notes.
Not in decline but likely close to peak. I think it will last a while.
Well made Bordeaux but lacks a bit of complexity and intensity to really shine. The mid palate is slightly on the weak side. If tertiary flavours develop then it could get better, but I am not sure it has the body to really shine tannins are well rounded and developed now.

7/14/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Beautiful and ripe brunello. Age does not really show on the Colourbox. Rubber on the nose.
Very complex and layered. Drinks well at this point.

7/14/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Black pepper on the nose with some minut and meatiness.
Smoothie, full bodied and long in the mouth. Ever so slightly one-dimensional.
Drinks Well now.

7/12/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Hits all the spots right now. Ripe and full bodied. Lots of fruit with fully integrated tannins. Excellent Valpolicella. Likely at peak, but I suspect it will hold and develop for at least five years.

7/12/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Still very Dark. Does not show much age in the glass.
Nose is now quite tertiary but with quite some dark fruit as well.
Very smooth. Tannins are fully integrated. Very smooth. Hint of coal coffee and black fruit. Medium/full bodied.
Fruit is clearly fading. Drink up now.

7/12/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Dark ruby in the glass.
Nose is full of prunes, thyme, oregano, black olives, and cedar. Hints of liquorice root as it opens up and gets air.

Medium to full bodied. Fruit less pronounced than the nose would indicate. Tannins are a bit too pronounced and dusty. Good length and after taste though.

It leaves me wondering where the fruit is. Probably as good as it will get. Slightly off balance with the pronounced tannins and mellow fruit.
I don’t think it will improve.

7/12/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Left half a bottle with a champagne closure stopper in the fridge over night. Still very fizzy, but very flat on the palate. Scoring clearly not appropriate

7/11/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Quilte pale in the glass.
Nose of red apple, lemon juice, slight note of bread and candied fruit. Ever so slightly floral. Despite this it does not have a particularly complex nose. Indicates freshness.
Palate is fresh and without much in terms of real depth or complexity.
It is perfectly nice. Nothing odd or bad, but also really not very interesting.

7/10/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

A bit austere. Nose is complex and fruity. Palate though let’s it down. Lacks depth and mid palate.
Not sure whether it will improve. It is in a weird place now.

7/8/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Delicious. In a very good spot. Probably wont improve significantly.
Red fruit and tertiary notes provide good complexity both on the nose and palate. Quite good length. Very smooth on the mid palate. Medium bodied.

7/8/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Quite complex nose with red fruit and tertiary notes.
Palate is less interesting, well made burgundy, decent fruit and ok acidity, but short and without the complexity of the nose.
Less impressive than I would have thought.
I am not sure if it will really improve, but will give it a couple of years to see what happens.

7/5/2020 - Sjontoft Likes this wine:

Quite Dark showing a hint of bricks on the rim.
Nose is quite primary. Lots of dark fruit. Some raisins. Hints of leather but not a lot of tertiary notes on the nose.
Palate is full bodied with sweet black fruit and toast. Hints of cocoa. Tannins are very smooth.
This really surprises on the upside for a cool vintage. Very well made. After taste is long.
Better than I dared hope for and much better than expected.
I will drink most of mine over the next 5 years. It is in a very good spot now. I might keep the last one till 2030 and see how it develops.

6/22/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Corked

6/1/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Medium ruby, but turning towards a slight orange hue.
The nose has lots of tertiary scents. Not particularly powerful.
Surprisingly powerful on the palate. Many layers of dark berries, gunpowder, cedar, smoke. Still a fair bit of fruitiness.
Stays in the mouth long.
I really enjoyed this bottle, but is not likely to get better. Drink up over c. 5 years.

6/1/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Surprisingly dark. Core in the glass is almost like ink. Only the slightest of bricking on the rim.
Nose is powerful with lots of dark fruit, cedar and smokiness.
Palate mirrors the nose, but is ever so slightly weak on the mid palate. Tannins are dusty. Good fruit and quite fresh.
Very nice drink. I think it will be good for at least another 5 years.

6/1/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Surprisingly dark. Core in the glass is almost like ink. Only the slightest of bricking on the rim.
Nose is powerful with lots of dark fruit, cedar and smokiness.
Palate mirrors the nose, but is ever so slightly weak on the mid palate. Tannins are dusty. Good fruit and quite fresh.
Very nice drink. I think it will be good for at least another 5 years.

5/30/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Very nice champagne. Red apple, strawberries, lime, and brioche.

It is very fresh and while not the most complex champagne in the world, it drinks beautifully.

Excellent drink for a summer afternoon.

Very nice wine.

5/19/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Deep ruby with some age showing on the rim.
Nose is surprisingly fruity. Dark Cherries, black currant hint of coffee beans, leather. Quite intense on the nose.
Classic Rioja on the palate. Slightly less powerful than I expected. Very well integrated and layers of mainly red fruits, and hints of Forrest floor. Tannins are still present but round and integrated.
Drinking very well. Unsure of whether the fruit will fade and how long it will live. I would probably drink most now and then see if there is any luck with one or two of my remaining bottles in 5-10 years.

5/13/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Dark ruby red. Almost violet. Showing very little age.
Intense and fruity nose. Black berries. Plum. Slight note of menthol. It smells slightly jammy.
Lots of fruit in the palate. Full bodied. Tannins are clearly there but ripe and well integrated. Medium acidity. Slight hint of leather and tobacco but primary flavours dominate.
After taste is quite long.
It is drinking very well. Fruit driven and fresh.
I think it will become slightly better over the next 5 years but I willl plan on drinking mine within 5-7 years.

5/12/2020 - Sjontoft Likes this wine:

Ruby colour. Little signs of ageing.
Nose has Boysen berries, red cherries, slight earthiness and a hint of orange.
High acidity and medium / high tannins. Feels slightly disintegrated and the aftertaste is relatively short. Not particularly complex. The taste is a bit one dimensional. I would drink over the next couple of years. I don’t think it has the structure and body to improve significantly but there is potential to be surprised on the upside I think.
Good drinking wine without being a stunner.

5/9/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

CNDP in the extreme. Full of ripe fruit and layers of complexity.
While this is clearly a baby it drinks very well.
Will improve for years and will last an eternity.

5/9/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Dark fruit, complexity, ripe tannins galore. This is a wine for the ages.
Next bottle in 2030. It is all in here, but it needs time. Lots of time.

5/7/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Lovely nose of red fruit, cream, hints of tobacco.
Palate is extremely integrated and round. Super soft tannins.
At its peak. Drink the rest over 5 years.

5/7/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Extremely complex and extremely full bodied. The layers in this wine is astonishing. Drinking at its peak now I think, but will likely keep for a few years.

5/7/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Very fresh. Complex. Lots of layers. Has a long life ahead of it.

5/7/2020 - Sjontoft Likes this wine:

Very fresh. Amazing rose champagne. Very complex. Probably has at least 5 year left. Maybe 10. Drinks well now.

5/5/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Drinking beautifully.
Medium-full bodied. Fruity. Ripe. Red and black fruit. Not very complex though.
At this price point what more can you get in Bordeaux? Excellent for the price. At its best now. Drink up in the next year.

5/5/2020 - Sjontoft wrote:

Just really getting into its stride.
Full bodied. Deep dark berries. Ripe tannins.
Guess it has at least 5 years left. Very good showing.