Community Tasting Note

derekjohn Likes this wine:

Friday, September 5, 2014 - This is one of those wines which you've left in a quiet corner of the cellar and forgotten about, only to dust it off and drink it expecting it to have 'gone over' and be a dry, wizened, survivor of a better time, only to curse yourself for not having bought a case when you had the chance. How on earth can the drink dates be 2007 to 2012? This is fantastic now, if you like blousy New World PNs. Even the advice on the bottle says 7 to 10 years, and they meant it; the Stelvin cap ensured it.
OK, let's talk about the wine. A dark PN with just a hint of that paraffin pink colour at the edges to let you know its pedigree, but also letting you know that 'age has not withered it'. The nose is a lusciously over-perfumed experience, smooth very sweet leather, boiled red-fruit sweets (candies) edging towards raspberries, but at the back there lurks a hint of the midden to stop it being an alcopop. In the mouth the fruit has a pleasant acidic edge that enables it to stand up to food, and enough of a tannic backbone remains to keep it upright for another two years, decent cellaring permitting. The fruit is raspberry leaves, white pepper and violets; it lingers, a good minute at leisurely breathing pace.
In short a perfumed New World PN giving instantly accessible pleasure, but lacking the layers and nuances that top-flight wines provide eg Felton Road; but it's half the price.
What it isn't is Burgundy PN; it's far too fruity, sweet and curvaceous for France, which seems to produce size 0 beauties with nerves and temperament but lacking up-front charm or flirtaceousness. I gave a glass to our haut-bourgeoisie Parisian neighbour, who was not seduced, preferring the leaner, sparer charms of the native product.

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