Opened and poured. Even at 12 years old the wine still has a deep garnet core fading to a dark pink rim. Viscous legs but a rather closed nose, with no sign of fruit; rather a woody nose with a touch of spice. Rich mouthfeel, a touch of sour cherry, woody, spicey with a slight bitter finish.
At 14.5% you can smell/ feel/ taste the alcohol too, so probably best with an autumnal stew.
After 2 hours the wine and its drinker had mellowed. Still muted on the nose but the woody nose is mellowing into leather and spice.
On the palate the wine tastes sweeter alongside the mellow, woody, spicey notes. The sour cherry note has lost its cherryness but the zip of acidity on the finish remains. All-in-all better balanced wine now and drank well with pasta with sausage.
Definitely decant for a couple of hours.
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I love this wine. At £16, you get more complexity, length and balance than many £25-30 wines from more fashionable regions. I see that the 2007 is now £21 at the WS, but perhaps this partially down to Brexit?!. I'll still buy half a dozen.
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Medium colour and weight. Closed nose; still in its youth but the structure is there with good fruit, acidity and tannin. As always with this wine there is an excellent sense of terroir with fine balance and structure whilst not being over extracted like some Southern France reds. Weighs in at 14.5%, but doesn't feel like it. Elegant and highly recommended although would benefit from another 12 months laying down. Very good Estimated maturity: 2012-2018
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10/16/2018 - ProfAvi wrote: 85 Points
Opened and poured.
Even at 12 years old the wine still has a deep garnet core fading to a dark pink rim. Viscous legs but a rather closed nose, with no sign of fruit; rather a woody nose with a touch of spice. Rich mouthfeel, a touch of sour cherry, woody, spicey with a slight bitter finish.
At 14.5% you can smell/ feel/ taste the alcohol too, so probably best with an autumnal stew.
After 2 hours the wine and its drinker had mellowed. Still muted on the nose but the woody nose is mellowing into leather and spice.
On the palate the wine tastes sweeter alongside the mellow, woody, spicey notes. The sour cherry note has lost its cherryness but the zip of acidity on the finish remains. All-in-all better balanced wine now and drank well with pasta with sausage.
Definitely decant for a couple of hours.
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2/26/2017 - Geoffy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still in love with this wine. See previous notes.
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10/21/2016 - Geoffy Likes this wine:
I love this wine. At £16, you get more complexity, length and balance than many £25-30 wines from more fashionable regions. I see that the 2007 is now £21 at the WS, but perhaps this partially down to Brexit?!. I'll still buy half a dozen.
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8/24/2011 - nskelsey wrote: 90 Points
Medium colour and weight. Closed nose; still in its youth but the structure is there with good fruit, acidity and tannin. As always with this wine there is an excellent sense of terroir with fine balance and structure whilst not being over extracted like some Southern France reds. Weighs in at 14.5%, but doesn't feel like it. Elegant and highly recommended although would benefit from another 12 months laying down. Very good Estimated maturity: 2012-2018
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