8/11/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Decanted for 1 hour - cork crumbling and showing some mold, but thank goodness bottle was sound. Deep crimson robe, brick disk. Outstanding - literal goosebumps with the first sip. Not youthful but still fresh, layer after layer of fruits and secondary flavors. Capsicum, cassis, leather, mushrooms, graphite. Served with a 60 day dry aged striploin. Perhaps the best bottle of Bordeaux I've consumed to date.

4/23/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Decanted and followed over 2 hours. Deep ruby. Rich blackberries, capsicum, pepper and leather. Surprisingly young and vital, not much game or musk. Very correct on the palette, with leather and spices more pronouned. Serious tannins, but not unbalanced, if not very refined. At the young end of middle aged - where will it be in another decade? Real claret. Full body, long + finish.

4/18/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Pale ruby with subtle garnet. Tremendous nose - red fruits, cherries, currant, giving way to earth, mushroom, game. Potent and vital. On the palette, wonderful freshness and energy with a fine balance. Delicate but with substance. Served with duck breast, blood sauce and foie gras. Medium body, long finish. Superb.

3/31/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Subdued nose, but warms across the palette, with black fruits, wine lees, vanilla and just a hint of leather. Fresh and energetic, if not overly complex. Very pleasant with pork ragu.

3/23/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Popped and poured, but consumed over two nights. Medium garnet color. Balanced and long, red fruit with some vanilla and spices in the end. Nothing wrong with this wine...but honestly expected more fireworks given the reputation, ratings and cost. Better on day 2.

3/16/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Popped and poured. A lovely deep gold color. Immediately on the nose, distinctive but balanced matchstick, with lemon, buttered toast, maybe a hint of pineapple. Rich but lively in the mouth, stays with you all the way down. Still counting the finish...what a wine.

3/11/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Ruby to deep tawny. Was concerned this would be over the hill, but to my surprise very much alive. Expressive nose with cherry, red current, white pepper, strong earth and musk. Lots of energy - good structure and backbone, balanced tannins which are just a little coarse. A hint of something green as it goes down - but plenty of muscle. Medium + body, long finish. Excellent, especially relative to price!

3/4/2020 - rob.boothe wrote:

Good food wine but not nearly as nice as the Taurus

3/3/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Decanted and followed for 2 hours. Medium ruby. Surprisingly complex for its age - balanced red and black fruit, blueberry, cherry, liquorice. Leather and something unctuous - aged beef fat? Muscular but not overly powerful - balanced and poised for all its youth. Medium body, long finish. Excellent.

3/3/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Lovely. Elegant, powerful, seductive. Black fruits and spice.

2/15/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Briefly decanted due to a cork pulling mishap at the restaurant. Inky ruby, just a touch of bricking on the rim. Very interesting nose - fruit subdued, strong secondary and tertiary aromas. Heaps of mushroom, earth, bacon fat - just a hint of toasty pizza crust. More muscular than expected for a volnay, but still elegant - and very much alive in the glass, despite my fears about the age. The smallest suggestion of something bitter at the very end which keeps it from being truly outstanding, but fine drinking nonetheless!

1/29/2020 - rob.boothe wrote:

Double decanted for 2 hours. Honestly, had higher expectations for this wine. The "pre-phylloxera" pitch had me excited, but I found the whole thing a bit unrefined - robust nose with black fruits and spice but a bit simple and heavy, tannins a bit rough, and surprisingly, did not hold up very well in the glass. By no means unpleasant, but rather less than I'd hoped for.

1/26/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Decanted for 2 hours, followed for another 2. Deep ruby. A powerful nose, monolithic at first, but giving way to a more complex bouquet of dark fruits, damson, cedar and spice. A hint of something fatty and unctuous. On the palette, youthful but muscular, fine tannins which still exert real grip. Structure to age another 10+ years without batting an eye. Full body, long+ finish. Excellent stuff!

1/21/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Decanted for 2 hours. Deep ruby - no bricking. An excellent showing tonight, with lovely green vegetal notes and heaps of capsicum against a backbone of blackberries, just a hint of blueberry, pepper and a touch of anise. Plenty of life left in this bottle, which was in excellent shape - tannins still firm, fruit remained fresh, and no sign of faltering even 4 hours on when we finished the bottle.

1/19/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Outstanding. Many layered, body and verve, humming with energy. Perfect for so many dishes!

1/17/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Another fantastic showing. Lovely dark fruit, cassis, graphite, leather and game. Beautiful structure and balance, with well-toned muscle underneath. Mature power.

1/13/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Both excellent and interesting - unusual combo. Pale to medium amber, punchy nose with stone fruit, citrus, caramel and tennis ball - reductive style, with great results. Medium body, medium plus finish - robust enough to stand up to fennel rubbed pork chops. Might not be for everyone, but thoroughly enjoyed by our table!

1/11/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

2 hour double decant. Beautifully complex, elegant, lively , with berries, leather and rose - all instuments playing in harmony!

1/8/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Juicy, fresh, fun!

1/4/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Quick and gentle decant before serving. Medium ruby. On the nose, leather, dried cherries, soil, pepper. On the tongue, reasonable balance, light + body, medium finish - just a hint of bitterness that throws off the package. Could use a bit more freshness, maybe just past its peak.

1/2/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Medium purple edging to garnet. Decanted for 3 hours prior to serving. Honestly, perhaps a bit too long - lovely nose after an hour, by the time we got to the appropriate dinner course, it was a bit subdued. Balanced but not rich or commanding - was looking for an elder statesman, but instead got a retiring civil servant. Solid and with some notable achievements, but lacking the power to really wow us.

1/1/2020 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Opened 30 minutes before serving. Pale ruby with some bricking. Very complex nose - fruits mostly overtaken by earth, mushroom, smokiness. Tannins almost completely subsumed - pleasant acidity, but didn't quite have the grip necessary to be a strong performer, and I found myself wishing for a bit more freshness. Interesting without being outstanding.

12/28/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Decanted 2 hours, followed for 2 more. A brilliant showing - deep black fruits, leather, earth, musk, just a hint of hot spices. Everything on balance but tannins and acid working harmoniously, more than the sum of its parts. Medium + body, long finish. Served with fennel crusted pork chops, paired beautiful.

12/26/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Garnet with brown tones. When first opened, slight brett which gave way to a complex, mushroomy, savory melange. Dark, dried cherries just present, but dominated by lovely secondary and tertiary flavors. In the glass, surprising energy and grip - although unfortunately it's lifespan was relatively short, perhaps unsurprising for the year and age. But still a lovely experience. If it had held up in the glass, an easy 94-95.

12/22/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Medium purple - splash decanted and consumed immediately. Fresh, dark fruits, balanced heat, lots of energy. Good structure but clearly young - would likely benefit from another 5-10 years of bottle aging, which would likely bring it from "quite good" to "great!" Medium body, medium finish.

12/16/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

PnP. Pale to medium purple. Fruit-dominant on the nose - red berries, slightly unripe dark cherries without being unpleasant, hints of white pepper. Just a hint of oak underneath, with the slightest sweetness - walnuts, maybe. Not getting any real savory or earthy tones. In the mouth, well-balanced, lively acidity, nice freshness. Light tannins are nonetheless well integrated, nothing pokey. Light + body, medium finish. Nice juice!

12/6/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Super value for money. Lovely citrus and stone fruit with just the right splash of tropical fruit. Bright with great acidity and verve, lots of zip!

11/24/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Decanted for 2 hours. Classic St Julien, masses of dark fruit, some toasty notes, a beautiful round approach and a strong, grippy finish. Somewhat fewer savory notes than when I last drank, giving the impression of a slightly simpler wine - but one with years ahead for the personality to evolve and deepen.

11/20/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Pale ruby, almost shading to garnet. Beautiful gevrey nose - solid mix of red and black fruits backed by a touch of vanilla, hot spices, green notes and an enticing funk. Strong attack although doesn't quite reach the crescendo you'd expect - but lovely long finish. Super today, likely outstanding in another 5-15 years.

11/18/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Medium purple. Red fruits dominate with blackberries, menthol and white pepper in the background. Light and refreshing on the palette, with just a hint of CO2 sparkle - high acidity, low tannins. No oak to be seen. Light body but medium finish. Very pleasant, likely better with food.

11/16/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Medium straw. Floral but slightly restrained nose. Green apple, muscat, a hint of tropical fruits, pineapple. Burst of juice, lovely acidity, with lots of energy and a long finish. Not a showstopper, but sings in an understated way - a world-class alto rather than a diva soprano.

11/14/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Medium ruby. Refined fruit, blackberry, bit of dark plum, capsicum and vegetal tones with some herbs. Seriously ripe on the palette, a hair on the sweet side but lots of vitality. Medium body, medium plus finish. Still a lovely expression of cab franc, albeit slightly simple. And for the price...

11/13/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Pale ruby with brick dust. Was very much hoping this would hold up against the outstanding 1996 I had recently; alas, this vintage did not perform as well. Nose is still powerful and fascinating with lovely gamey notes, but the wine is thinner on the pallet, more acidic and with a shorter finish. Still pleasant, but not at the level I was hoping for.

11/12/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

medium straw. Juicy and sweet on the nose - honeysuckle, pear, pineapple, something floral - rose? Oily mouthfeel, nice sharp bite, surprisingly long finish - but can't quite make up its mind whether sweet or not. Interesting and enjoyable.

11/10/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Medium garnet with tawny notes. Superb nose - red berries just present, but bursting with complex earth, mushroom, musk, roasted game. Surprisingly fresh in the mouth, but oh so refined - silky tannins, beautiful balance, 60+ second finish. Sincerely moving.

11/9/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Pale to medium amber. Citrus, a bit of orange, green apple, pineapple, whiff of petrol, some toasted notes. Generous but not rich on the palette, acid very prominent. Crisp with a lasting finish, tail of something floral - linden? Very pleasant, better than expected.

11/3/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Second bottle from my store - still excellent. Bold, juicy, masculine with enough going on behind the berries to command your attention. Must restock!

11/3/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Lovely Riesling. Consumed with oysters, scallops and lobster - deep yellow bordering on gold. Bold nose with pear, nectarine, juicy lemon, just a hint of petrol and some toasted notes - brioche?. Lovely acidity, very refreshing, perfect with most any food. Punches above its weight.

10/30/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

From 375. Deep ruby with hints of tawny. Followed over 3 hours in the decanter. When first opened, an intensely ripe nose, almost tomato-preserve character. Profound black and red fruits - blackberry, plum, capsicum, musk and pencil lead. Coats the mouth, beautiful acidity and tannins linger for a long finish. Powerful stuff.

After 90 minutes, tomato preserve has dissipated leaving beautiful, beautiful claret. Fruits still present, cassis, capsicum, herbal notes, graphite, some pleasant musk. Seriously ripe, but not sweet or sickly. Terribly curious to see where this goes in another 5 or 10 years - but good luck keeping it around that long.

10/26/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Pale straw. Big nose out of the gate - classic mersault, oak is present but not dominating, lemon, white peach and hawthorne blossom with a healthy dose of tennis ball. In the mouth, rich but not sluggish - lots of freshness and vitality, beautiful acidity with a long finish. A keeper!

10/25/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Pale ruby to pale purple. Nicely perfumed nose, if a little simple. Juicy black currant, billberry, cherries, just a hint of cedar. Fresh after 10 years in the bottle. On the palette, slightly more complex than the nose suggests - pleasant balance, maybe just a bit short on tannins. Pleasingly dry, no new world sweetness - but a bit flat on the finish.

10/23/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Medium ruby with just a hint of brick dust. Exciting on the nose - more powerful than the prieure roch ladoix tasted that night. More complex fruit feel, with berries, currents, a touch of Gevrey fur and some herb de Provence. Rich mouth feel with nice acidity and refined tannin. Definitely a keeper, punches above it's weight for a village level wine, and reasonable price point for Gevrey! Has convinced me to try the premier cru!

10/23/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Pale ruby, pale rim. Restrained nose of fresh red fruit - cherries, red, current, hint of sweet granache, whiff of the forest. Fresh and well balanced on the palette, pleasantly refreshing without much refinement or sparkle. Better than expected.

9/24/2019 - rob.boothe wrote:

Honestly unsure about this - high expectations not borne out. Did I catch it at the wrong time? Was it paired with the wrong food? Was the bottle off? Fairly simple res fruits, body felt thin rethst than delicate, no fireworks on the nose or tongue. Perhaps will try another bottle to compare...

9/24/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Beautiful syrah. Double decanted for 2 hours. Deep purple, beautiful ripe black current with lighter red berries, leather and musk. Powerful structure, well balanced - young but already delicious. Better in 5-10 years!

9/24/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Excellent. Some strong animal odours that blew off after 1 hour in the decanter. Progressed from there over the following two hours. Dark berries, cedar, wet stone, some mushrooms and light herbs. Slightly austere. Medium length finish. Would not leave any longer before drinking.

7/28/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Rated the following day, but a memorable wine - everything vintage left bank should be. Medium ruby with tawny notes. Muscular but refined nose, dark currents, old earth, slight gamey funk. Rich mouthfeel with a medium finish, beautifully resolved tannins. Doesn't get much better than this.

7/23/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Decanted for 30 minutes. A truly resonant burgundy. Beautiful, complex nose - dark red berries give way to leather, mushrooms and an earthy character. Medium body, medium finish, elegant but masculine. Would stand up to heavier protiens easily. Plenty of structure, but refined tannins. A home run.

7/21/2019 - rob.boothe wrote:

Tasted at the vineyard with winemaker Joao. Superb at a young age - very fine tanins, bold fruits, freshness with beautiful complexity and savory notes.

6/6/2019 - rob.boothe Likes this wine:

Decanted for 2.5 hours. Medium ruby color with hints of brown. Very nice if slightly understated nose - red cherries and a hint of vanilla somewhat overtaken by more savory elements, oak, game and truffle. Silky in the mouth, red fruit becomes more prominent, tannins fully integrated - just slightly less acid than might be expected, nudging the balance and structure outside of perfect. Medium finish. Excellent without being profound.