5/5/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Medium ruby; much darker than your usual Pinot and the nose is distinct with black fruit, cinnamon and vanilla spice. Blackcurrant, black cherry, vanilla, baking spice and cedar all feature and all the sweetness of American oak. Fantastic length. Really drinking well. Potentially controversial for a Burgundian purist but really enjoyed this.

4/30/2024 - GrumpyGilly wrote:

Stewed plums and prunes on the nose with sweet licorice and bruised red apples. Tannins and silky but ever present with med + acidity. Still going strong with smoked blackcurrants, dried figs, thyme and coffee. An excellent wine but best paired with cheesy Italian dishes I think; very intense on its own.

4/6/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Intense lemon butter and honeysuckle with citrus and and touch of cream. Long finish. Drink now or hold. Fantastic!

4/4/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Coravin and drunk almost immediately. Elegant with pretty red fruits, a touch of strawberry menthol and light earth. I have yet to find a bottle of Vosne that isn’t excellent. Vanilla and cherry tobacco also present. Silky tannins and long finish. Great for a village wine and could drink the whole bottle in one go.

3/26/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Straight out the bottle: Braai smoke, olive tapenade, blackberries, licorice, blackcurrant. Added pepper and spice on the palate. Entry is spicy but not as full bodied as expected. Rustic tannins and medium finish.

3/26/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Lemon and grapefruit with a mineral core. White peach and floral blossom. Very fresh and lively on the palate with minimal oak influence. Good note below.

3/22/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

The first sniff yields the classic South African rubber/asphalt smell which needs a little time to blow off. Still very fruit with some browning on the edges. Strawberries, raspberries and red cherry with a little earthiness and vanilla baking spice. Delicious wine and still youthful!

3/20/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Big on stone and even tropical fruits. A core of minerality on the palate with a little oak/vanilla and minimal malo creaminess. More happening than a village wine but just not quite coming together.

3/9/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

10 years in and nose of beeswax, honeysuckle and stone fruit. The palate is well rounded with waxed lemon, vanilla, butterscotch, cream and white peach with minerality. Not heavy on the malo or too much barrel flavour. Long finish and well made Chardonnay.

3/9/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Reductive on the nose and fresh lime and lemon with a real flint/minerality to it. A lovely wine but think it would benefit from a couple more years to fully round out!

3/6/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Mushrooms, earth and subtle berries of dark cherry and strawberries. On the palate is balance with a velvet fruit profile somewhere between red and black with some vanilla/ripe sweetness; this gives way to a baking spice and strawberry long finish. Excellent wine and drinking well now.

2/29/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

After having the 15 and 16 this feels higher acidity and lighter mineral body. Very floral with cherry and tomato leaf green notes. 16 was stellar in comparison to this one. Would drink up as can’t see it getting better with such a light red fruit body.

2/23/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Lovely perfumed red fruits but needs a little time in the glass to unfurl its secrets. Not overly complicated but a lighter elegant Bourgogne rouge with enough wood spice and structure to hold a few more years. Lovely drop….the 2017 Chambolle is leagues above for elegance and complexity.

2/14/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

8 years old and offering smoke, cranberry and earthy tones. Red fruit dominates with a tomato leaf spice. Wonderful balance and like all of the Hamilton Russell pinots they need 5 years + to show their full potential.

1/27/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Light ruby with soft red fruits, vanilla and a floral nose. On the palate the red fruits zip across the palate with high acidity and med - tannins. Showing well now with a long juicy finish. Give me more!

1/16/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Agree with other comment regarding the pyrazine notes that go with the black fruit, licorice and plum. Tannins are present but not overly rustic. Decent wine for a casual evening!

1/7/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Rich blackberries and blackcurrants with licorice and cedar. Still plenty on tannins present which throws it off balance slightly. Leather and earthy notes with vanilla also on the nose. Long finish.

1/7/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Perfectly stored bottle (1/6) and fully integrated tannins. Red and black fruits, not overly intense, with all the expected flavours of an aged Bordeaux; forest floor, tobacco box, old leather and cedar casks. Lovely wine and picked up for £40 a bottle!

1/5/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Green apples, pears, oyster shell salinity with toasted notes with a fine mousse. Very balanced even with zero dosage with some vanilla/cream giving a sense of sweetness. Lovely champagne and bottle went quickly!

1/4/2024 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Dodgy looking bottle from auction for £160 and boy was it worth it. The wine is just perfectly balanced across the red fruits, earth and tobacco box flavours and acidity. Beautiful wine and really struggled to share!

12/30/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Deep ruby with a pronounced nose of blackberries, blackcurrant, scorched earth, leather, tobacco box, herbs and pencil lead. Long finish with a great balance of intense black fruits and tertiary flavours. Really wears the high alcohol well without noticing it. Still plenty of life left in this!

12/24/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Deep ruby ink with black plum, sweet vanilla, baking spices and leather. This is dense with silky tannins and a long finish. Dark chocolate, licorice also come through with the black fruits. Decant or hold.

12/22/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Sweet vanilla, strawberries, blackcurrant and menthol on the nose. Very approachable cab and could be aged another 5 years.

12/22/2023 - GrumpyGilly wrote:

Black plum and cassis, with cloves, tobacco, licorice and cedar. Slight green note with med + tannins. A little austere in my opinion and doesn’t quite come together yet. Medium finish.

12/21/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Sour cherry, wet earth and plummy fruits with acidity still holding this together. Negligible tannins and agree with the review below about being akin to a grand cru burg. Drink up.

12/3/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Deep ruby. Sweet smoked cedar, cassis, menthol, scorched earth and fresh leather. Rich black fruit on the palate and supple tannins. Very savoury and will be good for another 5-10 years; in its peak drinking already. Solid grand cru.

11/24/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Light ruby and a delicate nose of red apple, vanilla and tomato leaf. A high acidity lifts the wine and keeps it fresh with red fruits dominating and little in the way of tannins. Everything is light including a soft earthy note and tomato leaves alongside the ripe red fruits. Lovely drop and enjoyable Oregon pinot on its own or with food.

11/21/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Deep ruby with blackberries, blackcurrant and menthol on the nose. The purity of fruit dances on the tongue in balance with the acidity and smooth tannins. White pepper, fresh leather and smoked lardons wrapped by rich black fruit. Excellent wine and still plenty of years left ahead, but drinking well now.

11/21/2023 - GrumpyGilly Does not like this wine:

There was nothing to suggest this was corked but the wine fell flat and I’ve had better bourgogne rouges than this so very disappointing. Simple red fruit with no significant notes to mention; a little watery really. Stick to the Vosne-romanee or Chambolle village wines here.

11/10/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Elegant cherry and raspberry fruits with a touch of sweet vanilla and light leather tones. Vosne Romanee never disappoints. drink or hold.

11/7/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Blackberries, black cherry and licorice with leather and medium + course tannins giving structure. 2013 at 10 years, drink up now as won’t get any better.

11/3/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

What a nose - wet cedar, black fruit and green bell peppers sat in fresh tobacco. Elegant tannins and powerful fruit on the palatte….long finish. Earth, blackcurrants, blackberries and must. Singing as it enters its 20th year.

10/26/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Blackberries, smoke and peppered beef on the nose. Structure abs tannins still there balanced with the acidity. Liquorice, rosemary and cedar in the mixer as well. Drinking well now and for 5 years.

10/24/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Showing very well… Dried cranberry, blackberry leaf , leather, blueberry perfume and moss. Fine tannins and freshness with some white pepper tones. Quality burgundy bought directly at the Drouhin cellars and driven back to London.

10/7/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Quintessential South African barnyard and green bell pepper on the nose with earth and blackcurrant. The palate is rich with tobacco box and licorice underpinning the black fruits. Rustic tannins still hold up the structure and this is at peak drinking albeit not as elegant as a pessac-leognan or st Julian.

10/1/2023 - GrumpyGilly wrote:

At 22 years old this is still holding it together. Medium garnet with aromas of sweet tobacco and light red fruits. Palate is similar with some white pepper spice and the tannins have all but integrated. Was probably peaking 5-10 years ago so drink up!

9/20/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

White peaches and melon with honeysuckle and slight orange citrus notes. Fresh on the palate but very young right. Would wait a couple of years for the next bottle.

9/15/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Big blueberries and black fruit with scorched earth on the nose. Blackcurrants and juicy blackberries in the mouth with vanilla and everything you’d expect from a solid napa cab. Can’t wait to see how this one develops over the next 5-10 years!

8/26/2023 - GrumpyGilly wrote:

Nose of sweet tobacco, licorice, cassis and vanilla. None of the “stinky”-ness noted by certain critics. Finish is medium but the palate is pleasant with integrated tannins and good red and black fruits. Classic Bordeaux.

8/18/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Soft and elegant red fruits and sour cherries. Earth and tomato leaves with supple tannins. Long finish and generally a juicy village wine. Nothing overly complex and in a good spot.

8/12/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Candied lemon and butter cream with a front end freshness of apples and minerals with and rounded finish that lasts a decent length of time. Never go wrong with Sanford and Benedict vineyards.

8/4/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Medium body and light ruby in colour. Nose of earthy cherry and dried meats. Red fruit and blueberry on the palate with fine tannic structure and long finish, pepper and spice on the end. Good wine but doesn’t touch La Landonne 2010 which is phenomenal.

8/3/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Lots of black fruit and structured tannins. Really solid cabernet with good balance albeit a little hot on alcohol (only a touch) in the finish. Medium finish. Good wine but wouldn’t pay more than £40-£50 a bottle and would drink within next 5 years.

7/23/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Pronounced nose with blackberry, blackcurrant and pine trees. Leather, musk and bruised apples also in there. Tannins are med + but smooth with med + acidity. Long finish. Big bodied cab from this bordelaise owned sonoma producer. Bought on sale a while ago c.£35 and not sure it commands the current prices it’s being sold at today.

7/22/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Light gold. Peach, apricots and butter on the nose. Quince, honey and ripe pears with a fair amount of oak on the palatte. Vanilla and ripe stone fruit gives an impression of sweetness although the wine is dry. Great drop at 12 years old. Med + acidity. Intense flavour and good length.

7/6/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Deep ruby with a heavy perfume of violets, candied strawberry and black plums. Tannins are medium (+) but very smooth and acidity is high which lifts this above being a heavy wine and creates excellent balance. Slight trace of green bell peppers and fresh leather and vanilla. Not too many tertiary notes at this stage so would love to revisit in 5 years.

6/22/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Rich blackberry and earthy notes, dark chocolate and fresh leather. Scorched earth. Tannic frame still very much in place with a long finish and think the intensity of the black fruit leads this to improve still over 5 years. Deep ruby in colour.

6/16/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

One of those wines that shouts classic aged left bank claret and could be identified by the nose alone. Earth, musk and sweet tobacco with black fruits all in balance. Not the most elegant but fantastic price to quality here.

6/16/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

Intriguing nose of smoked cedar and rosemary herbs, very savoury. Still has good structure and will continue to age well for 5-10 years. Dark red fruits underpinning this one with a long finish.

6/2/2023 - GrumpyGilly Likes this wine:

What a pleasure at 24 years old. Must and barnyard on the nose with blackberries and leather hiding under the surface. The palatte gives black fruits, tea and spices with tannins still giving this backbone. Still some life but time to drink up!