October 28, 2020 - Deep, very dark ruby which has lost the flushes of youth, but is hardly looking especially mature.
Big, rich, full, gently perfumed nose with blackberry, raspberry, chocolate, leather and tar.
Massive, full attack. Lots of ripe black fruit, and a leathery velvety texture that doesn't just coat the mouth, but sits there brooding and doing its best to overpower the taste buds. Hugely complex. Hefty tannins still. Very long with cherry and chocolate flavours persisting for ages.
July 25, 2018 - Similar to the 11/17/16 bottle.
May 18, 2017 - A remarkably long cork!
Deep, fairly youtfhul dark blackberry purple.
Rather closed, brooding nose. Sweet, perfumed blackberry and plum, with touches of raspberry, violet, rose and chocolate. On the nose, I don't think I'd have guessed this was from the Douro.
Very rich and lusciously textured. Sweet, yet also very fresh black fruit on the palate. Very, very well balanced, and carries its 14% alcohol well. Big wide, soft tannins fill the mouth, yet there's also a very silky, concentrated mouthfeel. Very plush and rich feeling.
The intense flavours last long after, slowly developing a chocolate and cherry note.
Much less portlike than most Douro reds.
This has at least a decade ahead of it.
November 17, 2016 - Though now in its sweet spot of maturity, similar descriptives as the 9/12/09 bottle.
November 27, 2015 - We visited one of our favourite French restaurants outside of France - Michelin Two Star The Tasting Room - in Macau with rockstar Chef Guillame Galliot. Chef Guillame never allows us to see the menu and designs and perfectly cooks a four course meal for us every time! Exceptional!
We decided to go off the ranch, so to speak, and sip a Portuguese, rather than expensive Bordeaux, wine. Sommelier Mathieu recommended this most excellent drop...thanks!
Dark purple red on the eye...did you say "opaque"? Mysteriously inviting. Mathieu suggested, and we agreed, that decanting was in order given the fairly short time window to sip. Aromas of dark cherries, coffee and chocolate...warm o the nose. Palate of dark fruits, massive tannins and great balance. Long finish that went well with the 30 months Comte. Excellent!
September 28, 2015 - Dark ruby with a garnet rim. Dark fruits, violets, black pepper and cedar wood. Good acidity and tannins, full body, long finish. Quite complex, very fine wine.
August 17, 2012 - Same as the 9/12/09 bottle.
June 18, 2012 - This second bottle was also the same as the 9/12/09 bottle.
June 18, 2012 - Same as the 9/12/09 bottle.
February 6, 2011 - very" rich" - full of flavor , as they say in Spain but me thinks it will get better, much better