10/10/2007 - rooview wrote:

Big, ripe and full. Needs time to settle down.

9/27/2007 - rooview wrote:

2006 Shaw and Smith M3 Vineyard Chardonnay (Adelaide Hills, South Australia) - pale colour, fruit is pure for a relatively worked style. Tasted blind my drinking companion suggested it may be a good Bourgogne Blanc - a compliment indeed. A little difficult to reach for another glass at this age but should settle with another twelve months in bottle. Why do S+S release this so young? Worth a try if you're seeking something different.

9/21/2007 - rooview wrote:

Nutty and complex if a little broad. Not outstanding but certainly very good and captures the essence of 'Goutte's d'Or'.

9/3/2007 - rooview wrote:

Forward fruit aromas, noticeable oak. Lacking depth and complexity.

6/21/2007 - rooview wrote:

Explosive nose of dark cherries, spice and a lick of brandy. Full, rich flavour of dark chocolate, dark cherries and a peculiar distinct saltiness. Good length of flavour. It's hard to describe a wine of this gigantic proportions as balanced - but nothing is poking out. An impressive effort if not entirely my style.

5/27/2007 - rooview wrote:

A high dosage attempts to hide the bitterness and low quality fruit. Past bottles seemed better - perhaps the latest batch isn't up to scratch? Seemed over oaked and simple. Redeeming quality was good mousse and mouthfeel.

5/24/2007 - rooview wrote:

Still youthful in appearance - dark, dense and brooding. Slight wild nose reminiscent of a northern Rhone but with a unique mint/pepper undertone (despite this it is definitely not green). Ready to go now but may improve over the next couple of years. Have found it a touch hard to match with food less subtle than a rare steak - perhaps this is best drunk in a salon with good company? Good-Very good.

5/5/2007 - rooview wrote:

Young, acidic but full of body and structure. Drink the 1998 vintage now if you need to drink a recent release. Great potential but not for drinking today.

4/30/2007 - rooview wrote:

Amber but bright, glowing colour. Nose of apricots and tropical fruits. Good balance of fruit and acid, rich mouthfeel. Good length.A real delight!

4/18/2007 - rooview wrote:

Outstanding even at this young age. Harmonious, depth of flavour and intestity beyond what is expected. Far beyond expectations.

2/11/2007 - rooview wrote:

A nose of plums and cherries mixed with meaty herbs and smoke. Drinking wonderfully at present. Hint of brett which may be a concern for some but doesn't detract for my tastes.

2/3/2007 - rooview wrote:

Wonderful drinking now. A red wine but lighter in style... Outstanding! 1996 is still tannic and needs time but this is great.

12/14/2006 - rooview wrote:

Fine mousse, pale straw colour. Nose typical of lemon and sherbet but with an unusual touch of white chocolate and almonds - delicious but a tad unusual. Wonderful now but would hold up for several years (maybe 10?). I apologise for the aroma and taste descriptors but they are especially of note. A fine and balanced champagne worth more than it is valued at. If you can find it, worth trying one and perhaps buying a few.

11/2/2006 - rooview wrote:

Developed, tokaki-like colour. Nose of marmalade and apricots. Sweetness apparent but balanced with strong acidity. Great length of flavour. Entirely unique. Would be outstanding if not for slightly noticeable oak.

11/2/2006 - rooview wrote:

Excellent balance, structure and harmony. Great length of flavour. Will develop well. Try again in 2008. Very focussed. Outstanding.

9/24/2006 - rooview wrote:

Nose of pears, honeysuckle with strange undertones of cocoa (chocolate) and acetone. Plenty of fruit but far too much oak. Almost astringent and bitter - far too toasty. Long, unpleasant, slightly burning finish. I just don't get the style at all. I served this to my partner who said it tasted like a really over oaked Macon. Drink well chilled and it's bearable. Big disappointment.In it's favour it looked incredibly young and youthful. Perhaps time might be its saviour?

9/21/2006 - rooview wrote:

Clearly fruity nose but not giving up much when first opened. However, the next couple of hours it blossomed. A nose full of red fruits, blackberry and pine. Medium bodied with moderate tannin and good acidity. Surprisingly deep and complex for its level. Wonderful long perfumed finish. My partner commented 'This wine is great, just like a very good, expensive Burgundy'. I guess that's a glowing recommendation! A delight now but will imrpove. Look forward to the rest over the next five years.

9/20/2006 - rooview wrote:

Second time tasting - again, strangely labelled as 'red burgundy wine'. This time however it was magnificent. Nose of honeysucky, brioche and white fruits. Well balanced. Long finish.

9/4/2006 - rooview wrote:

Third bottle of this. I did not enjoy the first bottle - it seemed much like the note by 'cwheeler'. This was however much better, still full on pear juice but with balance and harmony - almost chablis-esque. Good value at the price.

8/28/2006 - rooview wrote:

Medicinal nose, VA and generally unpleasant. Sitting in a decanter and wine glass for over an hour didn't help. Struggled through half a glass. Rest went to meet the fishies...

8/28/2006 - rooview wrote:

Drinking wonderfully at present. Delicious red fruits, spice. Finish is a little short but otherwise excellent for what it is. Very Good.

8/24/2006 - rooview wrote:

Served in larger glass (chardonnay style) - this seems ready to go. Would be better in a few more years if you can hold. Apple, celery, fresh... Little oak dominant perhaps? Delicious.

8/16/2006 - rooview wrote:

Developed ruby colour. A medium bodied classic 'claret'. Tannins completely integrated. Fully mature - drink now. Very good for the vintage. Worked beautifully with dry aged scotch fillet with garlic butter.

8/8/2006 - rooview wrote:

Last two bottles have been border on flawed and barely related to bottles previously consumed. Colour is still surprisingly pale. Has developed unpleasant stink which doesn't disppate for a good hour or two in glass. A little acidic. Not TCA affected as still has fruit - just jagged and a bit confusing. Anyone else out there still enjoying these bottles?

8/8/2006 - rooview wrote:

Youthful, showing grenache dominance on nose and palate. More fruity than Guigal's CdR but a bit less spicy. Light weight and pleasant with simple grilled meats. Worked surprisingly well with aged cheddar.

8/2/2006 - rooview wrote:

Tighly wound nose of slate, honey and kiwifruit. Extremely minerally in the mouth with white stone fruits, grapefruit and searing acidity. Improves in the glass over time - this really needs a bit of time for utmost enjoyment. Try again in a year. Delicious.

7/29/2006 - rooview wrote:

Inviting nose of bacon, olives, provencal herbs, coffee and currants. Spicy, rich and unctuous initially but soon cut through with redeeming acidity and supportive tannins. Full bodied. Really requires a good slab of meat for utmost enjoyment. Delicious now but will hold for 5+years.

7/29/2006 - rooview wrote:

At it's peak now. Impcable balance. Drink now and over the next few years...

7/26/2006 - rooview wrote:

Drinking beautifully at present. Last bottle was slightly oxidised but this was fresh and lively. Mature, drink up.

7/16/2006 - rooview wrote:

Good balance - fruit, acid and tannin. Great texture and length. Impressive. Lots of life ahead but don't hesitate to drink now.

5/14/2006 - rooview wrote:

Compeltely different than prior bottle. Exhibited much less smokey, tobacco aromas. Much more primary. Still firm tannins which require a bit of proteint to balance. Red and dark fruits. Not green at all. Enjoyable nut not outstanding. Feel comfortable leaving for five more years without any chance of drying out.

5/9/2006 - rooview wrote:

Delicious, generous fruit, clean acidity, and well structured. Much better than six months ago when last tried. If you have a few in the cellar it might be worth re-trying. I'm wondering if it's worth keeping 'em if they are this delicious!

5/8/2006 - rooview wrote:

Drinking well now... It should develop well for a couple of years. Suggest drinking with food to help smooth out drying tannins.

5/5/2006 - rooview wrote:

Fresh, racy and full of spice and fruit. Drink now.

5/3/2006 - rooview wrote:

An enjoyable drop now with forward berry fruits, noticable sweetness and hint of dried provencal herbs in the background. If opening now, it's worth letting it breathe a little in the decanter. If served blind I would have picked it as Clare Valley, South Australia!

5/2/2006 - rooview wrote:

Oddly, the label on this wine reads "Red Burgundy Wine" - otherwise, the label is identical to as pictured above. Cork was dated correctly and marked as Chevalier. Tasted younger than I expected and a little ho-humm. Not sure what to make of this...

4/30/2006 - rooview wrote:

Magnificent! Not sure how well it would age, so drink up. Mmm...

4/30/2006 - rooview wrote:

Dark cherries and forest fruits intermingle with spice and roasted meat. Supple tannins and great acidity. Worth decanting briefly before serving at this age - it really needed a bit of time in the glass to show well. Look forward to enjoying these in a few years (if I can resist now!).

4/30/2006 - rooview wrote:

Delightfully minerally and tangy. Well balanced. Delicious now!

4/30/2006 - rooview wrote:

Showed much better on this opening than six months ago. Black fruits, white pepper, licorice and cigarbox. Lovely.

4/30/2006 - rooview wrote:

Enjoyable but a little simple - very high acidity. Might be better in a few more years.

4/16/2006 - rooview wrote:

Particularly light, youthful in apparence. Meaty, yeasty and savoury nose. Other bottles had more marmalade/citrus aromas. A little simple overall. Strong acidity means it might be better in a year or two...

4/16/2006 - rooview wrote:

Delicious old tawny. Nutty with slight blue cheese aroma. Deeply complex with great length of flavour. Drink within a few days of opening before it comes a little tired. Perfect during these rainy autumn nights...

4/11/2006 - rooview wrote:

Level was just below the neck. Cork extracted relatively easily (just two pieces). Colour of garnet. Nose of roast meats, red berries and earth (not a trace of bottle stink). Profound sweet earth, fruits, minerals and smokey herbs supported by surprisingly moderate tannins and good acid. Not by any means on the decline but I'd suggest drinking now.

Enjoyed with roast rack of lamb, baby spinach and new potatoes tossed in herb butter. A damn good way to make an ordinary week bloomin' fantastic.

4/10/2006 - rooview wrote:

Great potential but needs more time to develop. Leave for several years before trying again.

12/25/2005 - rooview wrote:

Dark cherry liquer chocolate in a port. Spicy with a lot of alcoholic heat. Not sure if I liked it...

11/26/2005 - rooview wrote:

Peppery perfume with red and black fruits. Spicy, floral and delicious. Try and stay away from these for a few years - it's got a good ten years in front of it. Classy!

12/3/2005 - rooview wrote:

Ample fruit and life ahead of this. Delicious. Don't share with anyone else! ;)

11/5/2005 - rooview wrote:

Restrained, understated but full of finesse. Will leave the others for at least a year.

11/4/2005 - rooview wrote:

Sweeter than I recall, but wonderfully delicious. It's a heady, rich and full bodied style ideal to stand up to food or with canapes. Great length of flavour and complexity.