April 17, 2024 - Only short notes. At the first day with food mature notes in the taste, even already a bit tired. A bit more complexity than in 2022. At the fourt day ramarkably different: more lively, more fruit, rather domninant and a bit burning alcohol. More four-square. What to hink of this wine? 88-89.
March 30, 2024 - Bouteille sur son plateau mais qui peut-être attendue encore 5 ans sans problème (voir plus), cela certainement corrélé avec son assemblage de 72% de Cabernet Sauvignon et 28 % Merlot.
Arômes de boite à cigares, tanins nobles, belle allonge… que du plaisir !
91+
November 15, 2023 - From 375ml btl. Nicely evolving as it moves along its maturity plateau. Robust and spicy bouquet that belongs to a smarter label. Tannins have blended in nicely. Just a touch of alcohol on the finish. I have a dozen halves left; no hurry to enjoy them.
October 19, 2023 - A St Estephe that is drinking nicely at the moment. It shows perhaps a touch of alcohol or overripeness on the palate, but this is more in comparison to the classic Bordeaux years of old, and people accustomed to new world wines should not have a problem with this. Black olives, graphite, cassis flavours, and some cheeky midbodied tannins still remain. Really enjoyed this, especially for its price.
September 2, 2023 - Wine with confit de canard part two and after last week’s disappointment with Burgundy, this worked much much better. Classic nose and palate for the appellation with dry cedar, graphite and tar. Only a modicum of black fruit but sufficient and matched the duck really well. Some browning on the edge but still well within its drinking plateau. By no means a fruitbomb being sightly dusty but represents a “classic” vintage.
July 27, 2023 - Coravin fun - St Estephe and randoms (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Baking spice, black hued fruits; currants; plums, cedar, cream, slight pyrazine and savoury underpin, sense of concentration, biscuit. Juicy, savoury black hued; brambly fruit, pyrazine, baking spice, savoury almost liquorice notes, slightly chalky tannic grip in support, non-intrusive alcohol warmth helps carry the finish. Okay
June 11, 2023 - Blackcurrant, slight cream, plain chocolate, sweet spice, touch of savoury underpin. Juicy on the palate, savoury with a black fruit core, not overtly primary but also not really showing tertiary notes.
May 29, 2023 - My last bottle, which is sad, as this has been one of the best value clarets I have ever had, but I think it is time to drink up. This wine continues to impress, but the nose had less fruit than my earlier bottles, being dominated by an earthy spiciness. Similarly, on the palate, it's still very full and rich but a touch of dryness is creeping in. I'd still grab half a case if available at the amazing €13 I paid for it a few years ago, but I'm now looking forward to trying my bottles of more recent vintages of this.
May 9, 2023 - Very decent indeed. Lovely bright mid ruby. very fresh and finessed, great balance. Plenty of dark fruits, some plum, some red currant. Tannins fairly resolved and smoothed out. Slightly smoky. Medium length. Was outstanding value, recent vintages still very good. Drinking well now but no rush at all.
April 26, 2023 - Concentrated, very dark purple. At the first day red berries and blackberry in the nose, at the fifth also a note of leather. In the taste blackberry and sweet cherry, came to the front in this quite big wine. Since my last bottle this wine has slowly developped further, but despite quite a lot of deposit, the tannins still were not fully resolved. Quite a big, bold wine, also because of the considerable amount of alcohol (14%). No complexity now and it's questionable whether that ever will appear. Still this wine has a kind of class. For now 89, in the future maybe more. Best to keep for one or two more years before it will be fully mature, I guess.