January 7, 2022 - 4/6, excellent cork.
Medium garnet core, pale garnet rim. Quite sweet dark fruit profile, soil, spice, touch of sesame seed. Medium/full bodied, rich and dark fruited, tannins a touch sandy but attractive, vibrant acidity, decent length finish. Now and for at least another 5 years, but difficult to see much in the way of upside.
January 17, 2020 - 3/6, very good cork.
Medium/deep ruby core, pale garnet rim. Quite markedly corked.
October 11, 2015 - Good cork. Deep garnet core, pale garnet rim. Smoky, slightly closed nose at first. opening as it warms to sweeten and show more purity, mainly damson, black cherry, notes of vanilla and liquorice. Medium/full bodied on the palate, damsons, black cherry, touch of liquorice, quite generous but with perceptible, underlying firm tannins which become increasingly grainy on the medium/good length finish. A touch burly and inelegant, although better than the previous bottle.
June 3, 2013 - DRC Tasting Group (Cafe Veloce): Tasted blind. Reduced. A bit more fruit than the 1996 Lamarche, but still a darker, denser wine. Rich, round body and fine tannins with great balance. Well integrated.
April 30, 2012 - Ray Walker visits London (Chez Bruce, Wandsworth, London): Fabulous start with a fine exotic red fruit and earth nose, frsh and tannic on the palate, but it tightened up considerably in the glass
June 25, 2011 - A bit tougher than the bottle we had last month, though the flavour profile of earth and red fruits was similar, the flavour was more restrained, which made the tannins more obvious - still damn good though.
May 15, 2011 - 1/6. Pale/medium garnet core, medium pale ruby rim. Rich, earthy, liqourice nose, plenty of oak still in evidence, some smoky red cherry fruit. Medium/full bodied on the palate, rich, intense and powerful, liquorice, smoky red cherries, crisp acidity contrasts well and finish is quite long but tannins are still very firm and this is very oak dominated at present. Not sure how this is going to end up but it isn't in a good place right now - leave next bottle at least 3-4 years. 84???
May 14, 2011 - Similar to the 2000 a week earlier, but denser, with more bite and grip, this is still compelling with its earth, sap and red fruits, the oak nicely integrated - exciting wine. [Just seen Paul D's note and given how I nearly always agree with him, I think some fairly major bottle variation must have been at work here]
October 4, 2010 - Heavy on the oak, which overwhelmed other decent characteristics
September 13, 2010 - Similar to last note. This is a modern style wine, but is attractive. Purple, dense and heavy for a burg (at least for those who favor a more traditional style). Very dry finish and not a whiff of complexity, it shuts down after about an hour in the glass. Hard to say what will happen with age, but the oak influence might be too much for it in the long run. Good as a pop and pour, it is a nice, powerful if not complex drink now.