Miscellaneous tasting notes

Miscellaneous Tasting Notes 2009-2011

(most recently tasted at the top)

Last updated: 24 November 2014

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1996 Domaine Tempier Bandol Cuvée Spéciale La Tourtine - France, Provence, Bandol (31/12/2011)
Mature colour. Attractive nose, with mature black fruit, with a touch of sour cherries, creamy vanilla and bacon fat. Very attractive palate. For the first couple of hours after opening and decanting, it felt a little tired, but with the passage of time, it opened up and recaptured its youth. Good, poised black fruit with nicely integrated tannins. Really good balance. Bit of a chocolate-coated blackberry and rhubarb sweets (if you can imagine such a thing) on the finish. (92 points)
1989 Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch (Müller-Burggraef) Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (27/12/2011)
Mid yellow gold. Petrol, wet slate and kippers on the nose: initially some oxidation too, but that seems to blow off (?). Fully mature palate. Initially, it seemed a little past it, but that impression passes. Lots of up-front minerality and huge acidity. There's nothing particularly wonderful about this: it's just a fully mature Kabinett. (87 points)
NV Gutierrez Colosia Palomino Fino Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Palo Cortado Viejisimo - Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry (25/12/2011)
You have to love that beautiful teak colour with a green rim. Amazing nose: so remarkably complex. Brined anchovies, caramel, orange zest, roast almonds, antique furniture and jamon.
On the palate, it's so deep and complex that it almost hurts. After a few sips you are lifted into an ethereal realm. Essence of umami. Salty, briny, caramelised dried grapefruit peel. Also a flavour that I can only desribe as like licking a French polisher's workshop. But this is such remarkably complex stuff that you could go on forever identifying aromas and flavours.

Amazing.

A wine that makes you close your eyes and sit in the corner swaying and nodding like an inmate of a 19th century lunatic asylum. (95 points)
NV Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único Reserva Especial 1985, 1986, 1990 (2002 Release) - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero (25/12/2011)
Lot 18 is the 2002 release of Vega Sicilia's Unico Reserva Especial: it is a blend of the 1985, 1986 and 1990 vintages. 14,060 bottles were made: this is bottle number 8817.
Immediate good news (compared to my last bottle of Unico Reserva Especial): it's not corked.
Fairly mature colour, but not at all old looking.
The immediate thing you get on the nose are some high tones, which initially rather dominate some sweet red fruit, leather, brambles still with much of the hedgerow attached, a violet and rose perfume and a hint of roast meat.
Mature and ready on the palate, but really feeling much simpler in the mouth that it should. There is a bit of a high toned lift in front of some very elegant, restrained fruit. As it sits in the decanter, it's becoming more and more attractive, though it's not losing a rather curious, sandy, tannic structure that is there across the palate and all the time the wine is in the mouth, giving it a slightly dried out feel, that the shards of really quite fresh fruit completely contradict.
The tannins recede almost completely with food (leg of Herdwick lamb with damson stuffing). This is actually one of the most remarkable voltes faces that I've encountered when a wine is drunk with food after being drunk on its own.
The moral here is that you should not drink or taste this without food. I think it's the fat on the lamb that is neutralising the tannins.
Now, nearly two hours after decanting, it's starting to show its class, but is it enough class to justify the enormous price tag?
There is great depth and complexity here, but it needs food, and more specifically fat, to bring that out. (90 points)
1997 Quinta do Noval Porto Late Bottled Vintage Unfiltered - Portugal, Douro, Porto (18/12/2011)
Massive deposit in the bottle, thankfully not too loose, so decanted easily and this glass is pretty clean. A really, really deep, impenetrable dark purple colour, still with hints of youth. Deep, brooding nose: at this stage, straight from the freshly opened bottle, it's actually feeling a bit tight and closed. Dark black plums, some bitter chocolate and a hint of licorice. The nose at this stage is definitely more reminiscent of a British winter hedgerow than a Douro patamar! With time some more floral notes come along and distinct aromas of chocolate violet and rose creams.
Lovely palate. Quite fresh on the attack with rich floral notes. Then there are much deeper, richer, chocolatey, velvety blackberry fruits. Really poised. This is very far from a mature port, but it's certainly in a good place just now. (93 points)
2010 Cantina del Coppiere Reggiano Rosso - Italy, Emilia-Romagna, Reggiano (8/12/2011)
Opened for cooking.
Apparently a blend of lambrusco lancellota, lambrusco salamino and uve marani.
Vibrant young, glass-staining purple colour. Lots of delicious raspberry and blackberry fruit on the nose. Simple, fresh, very attractive fruit. Very easy, almost slutty. It's 12% abv, but you'd put it at under 10%.
For a sub £4 cheapie on offer, it's not bad at all, but I'm not sure I'd happily pay much more for it. (86 points)

2007 Antonin Rodet Bourgogne Sainsbury's Red Burgundy - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (27/11/2011)
Quite a palish, watery, raspberry red colour. Obvious pinot noir on the nose, with red fruits, lot of sous bois and the merest hint of VA. Good palate: really rather classy and elegant for a £3 wine. Light, but nice, clear, fresh pinot fruit characters. Tannins seem a lot more evident than in previous bottles. The main criticism of this would probably be that it's a bit thin. But I've had a lot more expensive "proper" Burgundies that have by no means been any more impressive than this. (88 points)

2008 Mullineux Family Wines Syrah - South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland (25/11/2011)
Deep dark fruits on the nose - sour plums and mulberries with blood and some Cumberland sausage aromas. Lovely, smooth, cossetting palate. Those sour plums are there again alongside lots of good fresh black fruit. Quite a juicy feel. Still quite youthful, and the tannins still feel fairly young too. Really good drinking. Good length too. (90 points)

2007 Poggio Argentiera Maremma Toscana Fonte_40 - Italy, Tuscany, Maremma, Maremma Toscana (6/11/2011)
Minerally nose with some fresh citrus and something a bit vegetable-like. Good balance on the palate. Enough weight to deal with most non-red-meat food, but a good acidity and freshness too, so that shellfish isn't overpowered. (91 points)

2010 Pierre Chainier Melon de Bourgogne Tour De Pocé - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (11/4/2011)
Good crisp green fruit, gooseberry and hay nose. Fuller on the palate than I was expecting and actually very drinkable. Vastly exceeds my expectations from a sub £3.50 wine. Decent finish, though there's a bit of a metallic, hard edge after. Excellent VFM. (88 points)

1999 Domaine des Rémizières Crozes-Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage (11/2/2011)
Good, even deep garnet, though I don't think you could call it mature. Plummy, perfumed, bloody black fruits on the nose. Very seductive nose with some gamey, roast grouse sort of notes. Class in a glass. Lovely palate. Quite light and delicate for a Crozes. Lovely, open, soft fruit, with a backbone of quite firm black fruit and rather sandy tannins. Huge length, with a nice perfume lingering in the mouth. Clever old me for buying a case of this for well under £6 a bottle from Bibendum in 2003.
Really delicious wine.
But beware: massive sediment (94 points)

2004 La Cave de l’Abbé Rous Collioure Cuvée des Peintres - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Collioure (31/10/2011)
Slightly hazed sandy mid straw. Nose is much less expressive than previous bottles: apricot, butter and some lemon notes. Quite full palate with good weight. Very nutty-creamy flavours, with hints of tropical fruit. Very firm acidity noticeable on the gums at the finish. Very long. (89 points)
2006 Simon Bize Aloxe-Corton Le Suchot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Aloxe-Corton (28/10/2011)
Beautiful, delicate, gently floral, gently minerally nose. Simply delightful, elegant, feminine Burgundy. (94 points)
2004 Château de la Maltroye Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Château de la Maltroye Rouge - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru (28/10/2011)
Gosh, is this only 2004? It looks at least 10 years older than that. Big, meaty, mature nose. Classy fruit. Quite big on the palate with a certain minty masculinity, and feeling very nicely mature. (93 points)
2009 Yealands Estate Pinot Noir - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (28/10/2011)
A good minerally nose, with a rather masculine meatiness. Good red fruit on the palate with some beetroot notes. Magnificent length. Terrific value for money. (92 points)
2006 Domaine Dujac Morey St. Denis - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis (28/10/2011)
Very young and tight. It didn't really open up much over almost four hours. I found this just a little disappointing, at this stage at least, not living up to the reputation. (90 points)
2008 Peter Franus Zinfandel Napa Valley - USA, California, Napa Valley (28/10/2011)
Fresh blackberry and blueberry fruit on the nose. Big, full palate, but very good balance. However, you feel the power of the alcohol after. (89 points)
2008 Domaine Arlaud Bourgogne Roncevie - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (28/10/2011)
Good, very correct nose. This certainly feels rather more than a simple Bourgogne Rouge. There's a good depth and power to this. Good length. (88 points)
2007 Domaine Cyrot Buthiau Volnay - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay (28/10/2011)
Decent, solid Volnay. A touch austere, needing some time, maybe. Or just a bit dull. (87 points)
2007 Peter Franus Red Hills Lake County - USA, California, North Coast, Red Hills Lake County (28/10/2011)
Deep, plummy black fruit with a slightly herbaceous mentholated lift. Big sweet fruit on the palate, with a real feel of mulberry jam on the roof of the mouth after. (87 points)
2008 Undurraga Pinot Noir T.H. - Chile, San Antonio Valley, Leyda Valley (28/10/2011)
Deep black raspberry fruit on the nose. Good attack, but a little spirity in the mouth and on the finish. Great length. But doesn't entirely thrill me. (87 points)
2009 Boutinot Pinot Noir Vin de Pays de la Haute Vallée de l'Aude Les Volets - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Vin de Pays de la Haute Vallée de l'Aude (28/10/2011)
Good clean nose. Bright fresh strawberry fruit on the palate. It would make a good value substitute for Bourgogne Rouge. (87 points)
NV Juvé y Camps Cava Brut Rosé - Spain, Cava (25/10/2011)
Deep colour with some mousse. Forward fruit on the nose - predominantly black fruit aromas. On the nose, it reminds me a bit of dilute Ribena. Notably sweet fruit on the palate. Fairly simple. Does little for me. (84 points)
2002 Domaine des Lambrays Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru (24/10/2011)
Medium gold. Very subtle nose. Some nectarines & a hint of beurre noisette. Quite a creamy feel in the mouth, initially at least. Precise, minerally chardonnay fruit with a good acidity. Quite poised and elegant. Feels like it's going to have good length, but drops off quite quickly. (88 points)
2006 Morgenhof Brut Reserve MCC - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch (16/10/2011)
Really quite a deep, noticeably pinkish straw. Quite a powerful nose with blackcurrant and damson fruit with some herbal notes. Very full-flavoured on the palate with bready crispy black fruit, but a bit of an oxidised feel. That feeling of oxidation isn't particularly negative, if indeed at all, but it does make me question whether this bottle is entirely correct. (85 points)
2004 Bellingham Viognier The Maverick - South Africa, Coastal Region (10/10/2011)
Mid lemon-gold colour. Elevated nose with apricots and candied citrus peel and a hint of lanolin. Interesting to compare with Rupert's note from 2006: while there's still a true viognier character, it's by no means still big nor showy. Full-flavoured with citrus fruit, a certain nuttiness and a pleasing creaminess. Very good balance. (90 points)
2008 McHenry Hohnen Zinfandel Rocky Road - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (9/10/2011)
A notably light appearance on pouring. The nose has brambles, a bit of cocoa dust, some dried figs and a touch of eucalyptus giving it a nice lift. The vines might be from Lodi originally, but that's about all it shares with the type of Lodi Zinfandel found most commonly in the UK. This is light and subtly fragrant with great balance. It carries its 14.5% alcohol very well indeed, as have all the reds now I think about it. Though the Zinfandel particularly so. (92 points)
2010 McHenry Hohnen Shiraz - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (9/10/2011)
Immediately the nose reveals a bright, very attractive shiraz, with a sort of red plum fruit character (if there is such a thing) and hints of a very good milk chocolate. Light and fresh on the palate, with some almost strawberry fruit characters. A lovely mouthfeel; fresh and classy, with the oak treatment very delicately handled. It's far from a typical Australian shiraz, and all the better for that. Some might find it a bit simple and lacking typicity, but I find it utterly delicious. (92 points)
2008 McHenry Hohnen Rolling Stone - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (9/10/2011)
A blend of 28% malbec, 32% cabernet sauvignon, 30% petit verdot and 10% merlot. This has a very attractive nose, that has something about it that I find quite intriguing. There's sweetish dark fruit, along with some lovely floral notes (from the malbec?), a touch of bell pepper and black pepper. Tasting it, it's simply jolly good. It has a nice classy feel and good tannins that don't get in the way. (91 points)
2010 McHenry Hohnen Chardonnay Rocky Road - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (9/10/2011)
There's lots of restraint on the nose here: some lemon and peach and a faint hint of butterscotch. There's nice balance and poise on the palate, but also a rather engaging wildness in the background. (90 points)
2006 McHenry Hohnen Tiger Country - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (9/10/2011)
A blend of tempranillo, petit verdot and cabernet sauvignon. Bottled under cork. Some good, bright fruits and a touch of bitter chocolate on the nose. A lovely, velvety palate with nice savoury notes and fairly forward tannins. For me this is somewhat reminiscent of Abadia Retuerta in the way it lends a Bordeaux-like air to the predominantly tempranillo blend. (89 points)
2008 McHenry Hohnen 3 Amigos - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (9/10/2011)
The three amigos are marsanne (55%), and more or less equal proportions of roussanne and, unusually, chardonnay. There's also a splash of viognier, but not enough to raise it to amigo level.
This has quite a restrained nose with some gently caramelised marzipan notes and peachy fruit. In the mouth, it's fairly big and has a good weight. There's some spice and bite. Tasty and really quite savoury, though there's something about it that doesn't fully satisfy me. (88 points)
2010 McHenry Hohnen Chardonnay Calgardup Brook - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (9/10/2011)
This has a much more tropical fruit nose than the Rocky Road, with hints of guava and something with a subtle lift to it. On the palate, it's much rounder and fatter than the Rocky Road, behaving much more like you might expect of an Ozzie chardonnay. Overall, it seems rather simpler. (88 points)
2007 McHenry Hohnen 3 Amigos Shiraz Grenache Mataro Rocky Road - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (9/10/2011)
Once again, the three amigos are actually four varieties which make up the blend: 43% shiraz, 35% grenache, 19% mataro and 3% marsanne.
There are some deep, dark fruit characters on the nose, but with a real floral lift in the middle. Pretty sweet fruit on the palate. This is a nice, rich blend that is all nicely integrated and, thanks to the sweetness of the fruit, fairly easy drinking. Some good, fine-grained tannins appear on the finish. (87 points)

2010 McHenry Hohnen Sauvignon Blanc/Sémillon - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (9/10/2011)
It has a nice, gentle, fruity nose with fresh peas and a hint of lime. On the palate, it's attractive and nicely balanced, with lime and a clear tropicality to the fruit and good acidity lingering after. About as far removed from the usual antipodean style of sauvignon, with nothing fierce or aggressive about it. A very pleasant drink. (92 points)
2007 Weingut Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Old Vines (Marks & Spencer bottling) - Germany, Rheingau (5/10/2011)
Yellow straw with the merest hint of a green tinge. In the first glass, lots of bubbles lingering round the bottom of the glass, but not present on subsequent pours. Peaches, struck match sulphur, gassy mercaptans and maybe a hint of butterscotch on the nose. On the palate, the immediate impression is of a full-on really quite sweet riesling. I was expecting it to develop from that in the mouth, but it doesn't really. Some minerality and lots of acidity.
This needs locking away for at least 5-10 years. (88 points)
2002 Masi Tupungato Passo Doble Doppia Fermentazione La Arboleda - Argentina, Mendoza (3/10/2011)
Even, very deep ruby colour. Very attractive nose, feeling gently mature. Rich, dark plummy fruit with a hint of chocolate and sweet blackberries. Very rounded and integrated palate. This is in a very good place just now: shame it's my last bottle. Rich, deep dark fruit and bitter chocolate flavours with something of a leathery texture. Big, but not bruising. (93 points)
2003 Ridge Lytton Springs - USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley (25/9/2011)
From a half bottle.
An even ruby red with no noticeable signs of youth remaining. Gorgeous nose. Blackberry, mulberry and damson fruit to the fore. Some tobacco and a slight hint of cedar behind. Very forward fruit on the palate - cherry, strawberry, raspberry. Nice floral, slightly scented lift. Touch of spicy heat. Soft, integrated tannins on the finish, which then give way to the fruit flavours lingering long after. (92 points)
2009 Pierre de Passendale Gaston de Veau Vin de France - France, Vin de Table Français (24/9/2011)
Quite a dark colour, yet with very evident youthful purple. Very non-descript nose. Some black fruit, but really just smells of cheap red wine. Forward, sweet, juicy black fruit. Lots of rough grained tannin too. Very short on the finish. Pretty rubbish. I suppose if you're not much of a wine drinker, you'd be relatively happy with this as part of your Marks & Spencer Dine in for £10 deal, and (as part of that deal) what more can you expect for £2.49?
Bought for cooking and used for cooking (slow braised ox cheeks) (78 points)
2009 Weingut Keller Riesling trocken - Germany, Rheinhessen (22/9/2011)
Not a full note, as this was a restaurant purchase. Trocken usually has me running for for real riesling, but this was not at all austere - at least not until the sommelière left it in the ice bucket too long and super-chilled it. But once it came back to a better temperature, it opened up again. Perhaps the riesling character was a bit muted, with more of a peachy ripeness than the mineral intensity and acid one might more readily associate with riesling, especially with the trocken tag. But overall, a nice, precise, enjoyable wine. (88 points)
1994 Berberana Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Mara - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (19/9/2011)
Deep colour with very definite browning. Lifted nose with some VA and a general prune-y tiredness. Less dead on the palate than the nose. Feels rather older than 1994 - would put it as 1970s. It's old enough that there's really nothing very Rioja-like or noticeably tempranilla about it. Perfectly fine and drinkable - by no means that dead that it's a struggle to drink.
But it's really nothing more than an overaged average wine. (83 points)
2006 Lamoreaux Landing Riesling Semi-Dry - USA, New York, Finger Lakes (15/9/2011)
A fairly deep, greenish-straw appearance. Right now, this is just on the knife edge where riesling turns from fresh appley fruit to petrolly minerality. You get the minerality initially with some nice petrolly notes, but then you notice the green apple notes in the background, and once they're apparent, they come more to the fore and develop some caramelly (think tarte tatin) notes. Hints of honeysuckle and vanilla too. Lovely palate: this is a good place right now. Some sweetness, but it's much more integrated and less obvious than on previous bottles. There's a nice roundness to the fruit and good balance all round. Very nicely drinkable. (92 points)
2010 Miolo Alísios Pinot Grigio-Riesling Fortaleza do Seival Vineyards - Brazil, Campanha (9/9/2011)
Not a proper note, as this was a restaurant purchase, bought to go with the remarkably good Pacific Rim cuisine of Australasia in Manchester. I was not getting on with their i-pad wine list and so, when I stumbled across a Brazilian pinot gris-riesling blend, the wine geek in me saw no reason to go any further. I later spotted that this was one of their by-the-glass house wines. It was a pleasant drink, entirely appropriate to the food, but was a bit lacking in character. Inoffensive and never got in the way. (85 points)
2007 Azienda Agricola Il Carpino Collio Malvasia Bianca Vigna Runc - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio (14/8/2011)
Good minerally nose with some peachy white flowers. Good richly flavoured palate. Very impressive especially at the price (£19 in a restaurant ). Speaks volumes that we ordered a second bottle. (92 points)
1992 Mönchhof Robert Eymael Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (25/7/2011)
Cork crumbled. Very deep gold. Some petrolly notes, but nose is dominated by raisins and oxidation. Badly oxidised.
But I can't really complain - it was reduced for quick sale way back in 1999! (NR/flawed)
2009 Viña Cono Sur Chardonnay Soleado (Marks & Spencer bottling) - Chile, Central Valley (18/7/2011)
Smells like chardonnay, tending to the tropical fruit side, with a hint of confection. Tastes ditto. Inoffensive, cheap Chilean chardonnay. Nothing wrong with it at all. Easily drinkable. Hardly thrilling, but nothing whatsoever to complain about. (86 points)
2007 Antonin Rodet Bourgogne Sainsbury's Red Burgundy - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (17/7/2011)
Earthy red fruit hanging on, with some high tones to the fore. Has a remarkably classy feel in the mouth, especially for a £3 wine. Nice and together with a generally mature Burgundy feel. Certainly feels more together and livelier than the last bottle. It's only simple, but very enjoyable. Exceptional value. (88 points)
2007 Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (13/7/2011)
Lots of minerals on the nose with aromas of wet pebbles of the beach alongside some peach fruit. Fairly sweet on the attack. Lovely attractive, ripe riesling fruit. Excellent balance. Still lots of life ahead of it. Indeed it still feels a bit young. Charming and elegant though. (90 points)
1999 Domaine des Rémizières Crozes-Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage (3/7/2011)
I see this is the first bottle of this that I've opened for nearly seven years.
Initially, on first opening, the nose was really meaty and gamey, like a butcher's waste bucket with some high-toned fruit and hint of brett. With just 30 minutes sat open, it's all calmed down a bit. Still meaty, almost bloody, but with deep, perfumed black fruit and a hint of herbes de provence.
Surprisingly, it feels a bit hot on the attack. Good, deep black fruit with bitter chocolate notes, any some sandy tannins. Just a bit of a spirity heat on the finish that I find a little off-putting. But that too is now beginning to fade with a bit of air. (90 points)
2004 Kees-Kieren Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett * Auction - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (23/6/2011)
Almost more green than gold. Quite a powerful nose with sweet apples and an oily minerality. Big, really open palate - very forward. Quite a bit of sweetness, but beautifully balanced. There's really good riesling fruit, in the archetypal Mosel mode, but very vibrant, with a delicious acidity which results in it finishing with a pretty bone dry feel. Archetypal Mosel Kabinett at its very best.
Utterly amazing that a wine of this class only cost £7.50 in 2005. (93 points)
2009 Mullineux Family Wines White - South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland (9/6/2011)
Very pale straw. Initially, a big, powerful and quite scented nose, which then settles down to reveal some roast almonds, honey and grapefruit with some waxiness. Very full palate - quite an oily, greasy feel with peach and pear fruit and a fresh, zesty lemon note. Nice and neat on the finish, fully resolved. Super length. (91 points)
1996 Château de Cérons - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Cérons (4/6/2011)
Gorgeous mid gold colour. Lovely nose, redolent of honey and mango, with pineapple and apricots behind. I like that it's not heavily botrytised, but remains nice and fresh on the nose. Instantly fresh on the palate, then the richness comes along. Acidity returns on the finish, but possibly just a tad disjointed and rustic. Lovely summer drinking on its own in the garden in the baking sun. (88 points)
1998 Meyer-Fonné Pinot Gris Dorfburg - France, Alsace, Ingersheim, Alsace AOC (4/6/2011)
Rather scarily deep gold. Rich, full nose with some tropical fruit, beurre noisette and salted caramel. Bit of a sea-shore feel to the nose to. Big, full, powerful palate. Deep and rich, and definitely a bit on the sweet side, that it's rather a shame that the label doesn't proclaim. It's not really a great deal less sweet than the Sauternes we had earlier on as a mid-afternoon aperitif. Yet despite the sweetness, there's a touch of a savoury note to this which keeps it on the drinkable side of almost being too much.
This wine embodies the classic Alsace dilemna: how do you know if it will be dry, medium, sweet, light, heavy, or whatever. (88 points)
2003 Peter Howland Chardonnay Maxwell Vineyard - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley (2/6/2011)
Massive, slightly honeyed tropical fruit nose, with mango, banana backed up with beurre noisette. Equally big palate. Massive. Lots of buttery creaminess, with more tropical fruit. Though this bottle seems much finer than the last two. Lots of ripe tropical fruit and an interesting savoury, umami streak. Much more poise than the last two bottles and much closer to the first bottle tasted back in 2005. Very long. (90 points)
2003 Château de Schengen Riesling Fût 702 - Luxembourg, Grevenmacher Fels, Moselle Luxembourgeoise (30/5/2011)
Remarkably green colour. Six years on from my last bottle of this, and the fruit on the nose has almost completely given way to a petroleum based minerality. Cracking palate. Good weight, perfect balance. Nice creamishness, but also a spot-on acidity that even at eight years old keeps it nice and fresh. Enormous length. (95 points)

2004 Damijan Podversic Collio Kaplja - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio (29/5/2011)
Deep, rather hazy orange gold: the archetypal "orange" natural wine. A rich nose, with citrus, candied grapefruit peel and good minerality.
Deeply flavoured, though less oxidised than the appearance would suggest. Some dried fruit character, though less acidity than I recall from previous bottles. Great length. (93 points)

2005 Château Lestage-Simon - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Fairly decent nose. Bit of a clunky, basic feel. But it is right at the end of the bottle. (84 points)

2007 Araldica Vini Piemontesi Barbaresco Corsini - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Light, bright nebbiolo nose. Weedy restraint with notable tannins. Not for me. (86 points)

2009 Altos Las Hormigas Malbec - Argentina, Mendoza (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Lovely deep, rich, black fruit on the nose. Very pleasant palate. A good food wine. (88 points)

2008 Rustenberg John X Merriman - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): If you like fresh sawn oak and black fruit, this is a lovely nose. Impressive palate, with a rather classy feel. (90 points)

2009 Boutinot Côtes du Rhône Les Cerisiers - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Very pale salmon pink, almost vin gris sort of lack intensity. Light, gentle red fruit on palate. Artificial strawberry fruit on finish and a bit hard too. (82 points)

2008 René Bouvier Bourgogne Le Chapitre - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Quite deep red fruits on the nose, that you wouldn't immediately guess was Burgundy if served blind. Quite meaty on the palate. Fine, but it doesn't thrill or interest me. (84 points)
BouvierBourgogneChapitre label image

2009 Domaine de la Porte du Paradis Saint-Amour Le Cru des Amoureux - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Saint-Amour (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Good soft, strawberry and cherry fruit on the nose. Light, slightly chunky gamay. I quite like this. (87 points)

2007 Mountadam Shiraz Patriarch - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Big sweet black fruits dominate the nose, which is slightly sweaty. Good palate, with nice balance. (86 points)

2009 Monte Schiavo Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore, "Pallio di san floriano" - Italy, Marche, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Decent stuff. Straightforward verdicchio. (85 points)

2007 Patrick Lesec Gigondas Les Espalines - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): A nice straightforward Gigondas. A bit too much alcoholic heat maybe. (85 points)

2009 Dureuil-Janthial Rully - France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Rully (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): A lively nose, feeling a little wild. Lovely palate. Nicely balanced with good poise. But also a very good weight with some power behind. Jolly good. (91 points)

2008 Araldica Vini Piemontesi Barbera d'Asti Ceppi Storici - Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Barbera d'Asti (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Simple reddish fruits on the nose. Good, easy palate. The usual straightforward, good value Araldica. (86 points)
Araldica Ceppi Storici label image

2009 Dehesa de Rubiales Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León Alaia - Spain, Castilla y León, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Nicely perfumed, light palate, backed up with good structure. (87 points)

N.V. Ant Moore Sauvignon Blanc Kiki - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Not at all bad. Not a wine you'd cross the road to avoid, but equally you wouldn't want to cross the road especially for it. OK. If you want a sub £10 sparkling sauvignon blanc. (83 points)

2010 Aliança Vinho Regional Beiras Vista TR - Portugal, Beiras, Vinho Regional Beiras (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Pale red colour (very much not pink). Very good nose with lots of good red fruit packed full of character. Nice palate:lots of pleasing fruit with some richness and body. I like this. (89 points)

2010 Stanley Estates Sauvignon Blanc - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough, Awatere Valley (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Intense asparagus nose. This is a fairly powerful, pungent NZ sauvignon blanc. Not a lot more to say about it. (86 points)

2010 Boutinot Mâcon Charnay L'Ancienne - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Mâcon Charnay (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): A light, fresh nose. Light, clean, fresh but a bit lacking in white Burgundy typicity: could be from anywhere. Good for the price. (86 points)

2009 Tabalí Chardonnay Talinay Camachaca Vineyard - Chile, Coquimbo, Limarí Valley (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): A green tinged yellow appearance. Pretty full on chardonnay nose with some toasty notes. Nice palate. Good balance and mouthfeel. Nice touch of acidity on the finish. (87 points)

2009 Boutinot Côtes du Rhône La Fleur Solitaire - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Dullish nose with a slight almondy lift. Decent palate. Would make a good by the glass option for the on-trade. (86 points)

2009 Cave de Turckheim Pinot Blanc Reserve - France, Alsace, Turckheim, Alsace AOC (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Fairly tropical nose. Undemanding palate. On the richer side for a pinot blanc. (85 points)

2009 Cave de Turckheim Pinot Gris Reserve - France, Alsace, Turckheim, Alsace AOC (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Rather slight nose. Decent palate. Clear Alsace PG style. Fairly weighty. (85 points)

2010 Bottega Vinaia Gewürztraminer Trentino - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Trentino (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): A nice subtle perfume: clearly gewurz but not aggressively so. Very good, very soft, open, rounded gewurz. All the good characteristics of gewurz and none of the bad. Really lovely stuff. (91 points)

2008 Bottega Vinaia Lagrein Dunkel - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): A very deep, inky colour. A bit slight onthe nose - some black cherries? Good palate: lots of character. Deep black fruit, yet also very fresh feeling. (88 points)

2009 Tabalí Pinot Noir Talinay Salala Vineyard - Chile, Coquimbo, Limarí Valley (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Quite deep and plush on the nose. A bit bloody on the palate maybe. Rather green, crunchy palate with notable acidity after. (83 points)

2008 Villa Tonino Nero d'Avola Baglio Curatolo - Italy, Sicily (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Smoky, gently herby black fruit on the nose. Gorgeous palate: sweet black fruit; structure; balance. (89 points)

2005 Château Giraudels de Milon - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Attractive nose. Very good palate: very feminine and elegant. (89 points)
Giraudels de Milon St Emilion label image

2009 Boutinot Côtes du Rhône La Chapelle de Marin, Cuvée Patrice Armand - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Very attractive, bright, vibrant nose with a subtle perfume. Gorgeous fresh, clean palate. Superb value at £5.99. (91 points)

2009 Willunga 100 Grenache The Tithing - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): There's classy feeling black fruit on the nose. But in the mouth, I get quite a soft drink feel, with very juice fruit and not a lot else. (86 points)

2008 Bremerton Matilda Plains Cabernet Shiraz - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Langhorne Creek (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Really intense, sweet blackcurrant nose. On the palate, it's a simple, sweet perfumed cabernet. I don't get any shiraz on either the nose or the palate. (83 points)

2007 Château Mayne-Vieil - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Fronsac (28/5/2011)
D. Byrne Summer Wine Tasting (Clitheroe): Quite mushroomy on the nose. A good luncheon claret. (87 points)

N.V. Lucien Crochet Sancerre Rouge La Croix du Roy - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre Rouge (18/5/2011)
Restaurant purchase and didn't give it the attention it probably deserved. But it was a lovely, soft, elegant wine with excellent balance and easy deliciousness.
At £50 in a pub restaurant, however, it was a bit expensive. (90 points)

1999 Peter Franus Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (15/5/2011)
14% abv.
A gorgeous perfumed blackcurrant smell filled the room on opening and decanting this. Curiously, it's somewhat less impressive in the glass: fairly mature, sweet black fruit with a touch of cassis and a touch of sandalwood. With substantial aeration, some minty, almost geranium leaf scents appear alongside the fruit.
Very deep, dark mulberry colour.
There's an immediate feeling of maturity on the palate. Lovely integrated feeling. Fairly rich, but far from jammy or oversweet: really good balance, in fact. There's a very pleasing elegance here with some herbaceous notes alongside the admittedly rather obvious cabernet sauvignon fruit. Absolutely enormous length: it just seems to go on forever.
You don't notice the billed 14% abv at all.
Delicious and very, very drinkable.
My last bottle and naturally I wish I'd pushed the boat out and bought more. (93 points)

2009 Mullineux Family Wines Mullineux White - South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland (4/5/2011)
Pale, lemony straw. Big, powerful nose full of waxiness and with hints of honey and grapefruit. Initially a little spirity on the nose, but that quickly blew off. Big, oily palate. Very mouthfilling, but also with a good precision. Some citrus and peach-pear fruit. (90 points)

2009 Ant Moore Pinot Gris - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (13/4/2011)
Restaurant purchase, and I wasn't at all concentrating on the wine, I'm afraid. Very reticent initially, as it was served very, very cold. But as it came round it showed itself as reasonably creamy but with some decent tropical fruit. Fresher than many Alsace examples, but with much more character than many Italian pinot grigios. Nice, fresh, spring wine. (88 points)

2008 Château Mourgues du Gres Costières-de-Nîmes Les Galets Dorés - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Costières-de-Nîmes (6/4/2011)
Restaurant purchase, so only a brief note.
Quite delicate roussanne marsanne notes on the nose blending hint of marzipan with stony minerality. Nicely balanced palate with a deft richness and unusually noticeable acidity. (88 points)
Mourgues du Gres Galets Dores label image

N.V. Domaines Grassa Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne The Society's Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne - France, Southwest France, Gascony, Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne (1/4/2011)
Screwcap. Fairly unforthcoming on the nose, but a really very pleasant palate. Light (and only 10.5% abv) and reasonably fresh, but with a nice grapey character. Nicely balanced, and works well on its own and with food (very nice with some harissa-spiced roast quail & dauphine potatoes). There's a nice sort of cognac-like aroma on both the nose and the palate - not the aged spirit, the fruity character that lies behind a good cognac.
Still under a fiver, and tremendous value. (88 points)

2007 Antonin Rodet Bourgogne Sainsbury's Red Burgundy - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (31/3/2011)
Not quite high toned on the nose, but a bit elevated. Would guess it was more than 4 years old. Light, still fairly bright flavours in the mouth. Fading from when first bought, but possibly gaining in elegance. Still very light, but clearly a maturing burgundy. Still a bargain at £3. No regrets keeping it, but probably best to drink remaining bottles fairly soon. (87 points)

2007 Poggio Argentiera Guazza Maremma Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Maremma, Maremma Toscana IGT (27/3/2011)
Very attractive fragrant nose with nice buttery overtones. Quite a rich mouthful, especially as it warms up a bit. Good balance with a fine acidity. Good food wine: went well with mixed cuted meat antipasto and veal chop, and far ftom shabby with pasta with gorgonzola, grapes and walnuts. (92 points)

1974 Les Vignerons de Terrats Rivesaltes Ambré Rancio Terrasous Hors d'Age - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Rivesaltes Ambré Rancio (25/3/2011)
Pale orange-tan colour. Fascinating nose that feels somewhere between an old tawny port and a palo cortado sherry. Some citrus - candied grapefruit peel, maybe, and some barley sugar and a hint of Pledge. Definitely some orange notes on the palate too: there's something here that reminds me of the oranges in caramel that used to be a staple of dessert trolleys in the 60s and 70s. But there's a good acidity too, which gives it a winning sense of precision. I have to say that it also carries its 15.5% alcohol very well.

It really started singing with a plate of cheese. On its own the citrus and sweetness feel a bit too dominant. (89 points)

2007 Dr. Loosen Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (23/3/2011)
A restaurant purchase, so not a full note. This seemed to be in a much better place than last time I tasted it back in 2008. Still on the sweetish side of a Kab, but in very good balance. Nicely together, but still plenty of time ahead of it - indeed, there's still a good youthful feel to it. A great wine on a warm spring day in the sun, but also worked well with all the food we had: jerusalem artichoke with preserved lemon; game bird pressing with foie gras; white asparagus withee cauliflower ravioli and truffle; scallops with morel purée , vanilla and a bland pork farce wrapped in savoy cabbage, sea bass with lobster. (89 points)

2003 Château des Annereaux - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol (20/3/2011)
Attractive, fairly fragrant fruit on nose - raspberries and blackberries, with a hint of volatility (or just some lifted citrus notes?). Good texture on the attack with nice fruit. By no means complex - you might even call it a bit simple - but it's really very pleasant. Soft and relatively light feeling, but there are still some fairly firm tannins asserting themselves on the finish.
No 2003 over-ripeness etc here. (88 points)

2008 Domaine Maillard Père & Fils Chorey-les-Beaune - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chorey-les-Beaune (18/3/2011)
A restaurant purchase, so not a proper note. But for £35 in a pricey restaurant, this was a notably good bottle of Burgundy. Nicely balanced with good fruit and a pleasant softness. It seemed pretty much ready to drink. (88 points)

2008 Tasca D'Almerita Regaleali Sicilia IGT - Italy, Sicily, Sicilia IGT (11/3/2011)
Citrus, melons and minerality. Quite bright and light initially with fresh blossomy fruit flavours. But fills out a lot especially as it warms from the deep fridge cold at which it was served. There's an attractive scented note that served blind would make me think there was some viognier in it. Good summer quaffer, but with sufficient depth and interest to stand up to a good range of food. Went particularly well with some tandoori spiced monkfish. (88 points)

2005 Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (9/3/2011)
Pale gold with a faint greenish tinge. Bit of an old fashioned sweet shop on the nose with all sort of confected fruit aromas fighting for prominence, together with a powerful minerality blending wet slate and talcum powder, with a whiff of sulphur. Perfectly acceptable palate, though it's far from thrilling. A bit on the sweet side, with quite peach-flavoured fruit, some sherbet with a bit of a boiled sweet character. Good length. Probably should have kept this longer. (87 points)

2003 Aldo Polencic Collio Tocai Friulano - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio (6/3/2011)
Four different bottles, from two different cases. All oxidised, two really, really badly. (NR/flawed)

N.V. Azienda Agricola Giorgio Zaglia Chardonnay Solis Vino Frizzante Venezia Giulia IGT - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT (6/3/2011)
Very gently sparkling, almost less so than many Moscato d'Astis. Zesty, perfumed nose with some slightly artificial air freshener notes.
A touch sweet on the palate. Lacks elegance and much interest. Bit of a curiosity, but not one to rush to buy again.
Makes a decent aperitif, like a lesser prosecco. (82 points)

2004 Damijan Podversic Collio Kaplja - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio (27/2/2011)
Deep, slightly hazy gold. Rich, slightly raisined nose, citrus, candied grapefruit peel and a stony minerality.
Deeply flavoured with touch of oxidation. Some dried fruit characters and good acidity. Enormous length. (93 points)

2000 Mas de Bicary Gaillac - France, Southwest France, Gaillac (19/2/2011)
Very mature colour. The nose similarly feels past it, with VA notes and a bit of furniture polish. Old and past it on the palate. Nothing wrong with it, just worn out. (82 points)

2002 Kurt Hain Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (14/2/2011)
Markedly green-tinged gold colour. Lots and lots of stoney minerality on the nose, along with some white peach and sweet pea fragrance. Immediately attractive. Bright, pure, textbook Mosel riesling. Initially some sweetness, but that quickly fades as the acidity hits your tastebuds, producing excellent balance. Impressive, and impressive value for a fiver. (92 points)

2008 Domaine Joubert Brouilly Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Brouilly (13/2/2011)
Unfiltered "sans sulfite" according to the back label, which also pronounces it to be a vin de terroir. Lovely rich, creamy strawberry fruit on the nose with a hint of thyme. Very attractive in the mouth - more austere than the double cream and bright strawberry fruit on the nose would suggest. There's some freshness on the palate, and a bit of zingy acidity, but the overall impression is of a nicely knitted, firmly structured wine. More mineral-driven than most gamays in my experience, with fairly firm tannins on the finish. Impressive stuff. My last bottle unfortunately - wish I'd bought more. (92 points)

2008 d'Arenberg The Hermit Crab - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (12/2/2011)
Drunk at a restaurant without taking proper notes. My overall impression was of white Rhône lite. Fairly simple, and easily drunk - a bit too easy as the bottle finished too quickly. But there's nothing in it to make one want to reflect on it to any great degree. Simple, pleasant, unchallenging. (84 points)

2005 Cascina Morassino Barbera d'Alba Vignot - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba (16/1/2011)
Nice mature feel to the nose with restrained black fruits, some tobacco and a perfumed talcy minerality. It's taken a while to open up, but it's now very impressive on the palate with good well imtegrated black fruit and a still fairly sturdy structure that's evident especially when tasted alone but just provides a good backbone with food. (90 points)

2008 Mullineux Family Wines Syrah - South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland (10/1/2011)
Very attractive bright raspberry-blackberry fruit with nice spice and a pleasant cured meat note. Bright, open, deliciously juicy attack. But there's really good structure and elegance too. Notable length. (90 points)

1997 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (5/1/2011)
Pale golden colour. Minerally nose with some raisined grapey/appley fruit, suggesting a bit of oxidation. Also some rather kipper-like smokiness. I think there is a touch of oxidation here, as it certainly feels more mature than I was expecting. There's a richness here, but the lovely, gentle, subtle acidity keeps that in check Excellent length. (87 points)

N.V. Louis Chaurey Champagne Brut (Marks & Spencer bottling) - France, Champagne (1/1/2011)
A fairly pale straw, with a hint of a pinkish hue. Chalky, minerally nose with some peach and lemon fruit. Clean, fresh palate, that's not too crisp, meaning it stands up well drunk on its own as an aperitif or toasting champagne. Pleasant stuff, but a bit simple. Nice, clean finish, but fairly average length. Distinctly peachy fruit after.
Good cocktail champagne too, I think. (85 points)

2007 Weingut Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Old Vines (Marks & Spencer bottling) - Germany, Rheingau (28/12/2010)
A slightly alarming "pop" on opening the screwcap, a concern rather sustained by a lot of bubbles clinging to the glass. But no actual bubble stream or fizz. Quite a muted nose with some light honey, white flowers and a hint of sulphur. Complex palate - quite chalky in its minerality. There's a real zingy note, but the overall impression at the moment is of a rather obvious sweetness. Sherbetty finish with a real tingle lingering after. I wonder if this is in the process of leaving a drinking window, before shutting down. (88 points)

1997 Azienda Agricola Solatione Vin Santo del Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Vin Santo del Chianti Classico (27/12/2010)
A deep, coppery orange colour. There's some very light, very fragrant honey on the nose, blended with some raisiny notes, while some orange and grapefruit zest notes give a suggestion of VA. Good palate: quite citrussy sweetness initially, but unfortunately that gives way to a rather simply raisin flavour that lasts reasonably. Would probably be magnificent after a lengthy flight of chiantis, but taken on its own, it's just a touch on the sweet, immediate-gratification-but-not-persistently-pleasurable side. (88 points)
Solatione vin santo label image

2009 Château de Blaceret-Roy Beaujolais-Villages Confrerie des Canardins - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages (26/12/2010)
Bright, vibrant youthful mauve. A slightly ordinary basic red wine smell (reminding me of the plonk some non-wine-people produce at parties) initially, but with aeration, very attractive, neatly perfumed red fruits. Completely lacking in confection and not a hint of bubblegum. Very attractive palate, with really good balance. Soft red fruits and a very gentle tannic structure just propping it up. Really fresh, clean fruit lingers on the finish and well after.
Much improved since last tasted in February: it really seems to have settled down and integrated. (90 points)

N.V. Alfred Gratien Champagne The Wine Society's Cuvee du Centenaire Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne (25/12/2010)
The first thing I notice on opening this is a powerful nose, then the very straight edged, mature cork. In the glass, the bubble stream is a very lively, but a little uneven, not that that really means much. Big nose with black fruits very much to the fore, and bready, yeasty, miso paste notes behind. Lovely, mature-feeling rich palate. Despite the apparent liveliness, it's notably calm on the palate. I've seen this described as "quite low pressure" which is bang on. I like the deep, rich classy black fruit of this. (90 points)

1997 Albert Mann Riesling Cuvée Cinquantenaire - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (25/12/2010)
A rather too deep gold. Raisiny, too mature nose with some riesling fruit behind. Just a little too oxidised on the palate to be still enjoyable. Shame, as there's still signs of class in there. Worryingly, it's unlikely to be a case of cork failure, as the cork was very tight indeed. (NR/flawed)

2006 Finca y Bodega Carlos Pulenta Corte B Vistalba - Argentina, Mendoza, Lujan de Cuyo, Vistalba (15/12/2010)
A blend (said the wine list - it's not on the bottle) of cabernet sauvignon, malbec, bonarda and merlot.
It's maybe a little dumb on the nose, but what's there is very attractive: sweet black fruit, with a really lovely floral fragrance. Very attractive, enticing rich palate. There's black fruit that's a touch sweet and a luxurious chocolately character. But it's oh so silky and elegant. (91 points)

2009 Rhône Valley Vineyards Côtes du Luberon Blanc La Ferme Julien - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Luberon (9/12/2010)
It's got a nice, fresh, melony-lemony nose somewhat reminiscent of dealcolised Cognace. In the mouth, it's quite crisp and fresh but with some marsanne-roussanne richness more evident on palate. Simple, fresh, clean. But it's not completely without interest there too. It's only a simple wine, that doesn't quite live up to its billing on its own, but with scallops dusted with curry, and with a slightly lemon-scented sauce it really rather sang (87 points)

2009 Anakena Pinot Noir Single Vineyard - Chile, Central Valley, Rapel Valley (9/12/2010)
There are bright red fruits on the nose with some peppery notes, both peppery oak spice and green bell peppers.
Nice, correct palate. A pleasant pinot noir. It improved greatly with time, even a brief time. (87 points)

N.V. D'Yvon Mau Sauternes Chevalier du Pastel - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (9/12/2010)
The nose is full of apricots stuffed with marzipan and some orange notes. It's quite rich and sweet on the palate with a bit of a cloying feel that the rather sour acidity doesn't quite balance out. But it's not at all bad for a (presumably) cheap Sauternes. (85 points)

2007 Quady Winery Black Muscat Elysium - USA, California (9/12/2010)
A very reliable, even predictable choice with a chocolate fondant dessert. The sweet berry fruit works well. (88 points)

2008 Pascual Toso Malbec Reserva - Argentina, Mendoza (9/12/2010)
There are big, syrah-like roasted meaty notes on the nose, with coffee & chocolate torrefaction and some intense, savoury black fruit. Good palate. It's powerful, meaty and fairly densely knitted, apparently with some age, though that could be the result of coming from a bottle that had been open overnight. (88 points)

2009 Pierre de Passendale Gaston de Veau Vin de France - France, Vin de Table Français (29/11/2010)
Opened and mainly used for cooking, but tasted to check it was ok.
Simple nose that almost seems to be trying very hard not to be noticeable in order not to be objectionable to anyone. Maybe some melon fruit and a touch of almost artificial viognier fragrance.
Absolutely fine on the palate. It's wine. It's clean and fresh. Completely unobjectionable. A drink. (80 points)

2007 Poggio Argentiera Alture Maremma Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Maremma, Maremma Toscana IGT (28/11/2010)
Super nose somewhere between a floral sauvignon and a Rhone white - some definite viognier hints in there. Lovely palate. It's clearly sauvignon, but not entirely as we know it, Jim. Quite a weighty mouthfeel with an impression of richness. It manages to combine the freshness and brightness of sauvignon blanc with ... err ... something else. Nice length and balance. Very impressive. (93 points)

2006 Jackson-Triggs Vidal Icewine Proprietors' Reserve - Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Niagara Peninsula VQA (27/11/2010)
Mid-deep golden colour. Big, perfumed, rich nose. Apricots, sweet grapes, freesias, lilies and just a hint of tobacco. Luscious, rich, velvety sweetness initially. Lovely tropical fruits. But there's a delicacy and elegance to it that contradicts the initial impreesion, though the acidity is much less than in a riesling icewine. Very pleasant drinking. (92 points)

2006 Red Tail Ridge Winery Chardonnay Sans Oak - USA, New York, Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake (18/11/2010)
Some tropical fruit with a hint of banana peel and a buttery-creamy feel on the nose. Rather disappointing palate - probably because I've kept this a bit too long. It's lost the freshness of fruit of a young, unoaked chardonnay, but without the oak, it doesn't seem to have had the structure to age even the three or four years. Or maybe it's just in a bit of a dumb phase. A fairly simple chardonnay palate, quite creamy, but a bit dumb and muted overall. Buttery texture rather than flavour lingers in the mouth for a while. (86 points)

1996 Domaine Tempier Bandol Cuvée Spéciale La Tourtine - France, Provence, Bandol (10/11/2010)
On the nose there's fairly mature black fruit, some delicate floral perfume and a hint of smoky bacon. There's a good integrated feel on the palate, again with nicely maturing fruit. Quite poised and precise with a pleasing purity of character. There are still some soft, sandy tannins and some very pleasing acidity on the finish.
A very neatly, precisely, well-made wine, but it seems to me to lack some of the character I'd hope to find from Tempier. Blind, I'd really struggle to identify southern France, let alone Bandol. (89 points)

1997 Reinhold Haart Wintricher Ohligsberg Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (7/11/2010)
This has been a very disappointing purchase - bought direct from the winery in Piesport in 1998. 4 bottles, all the previous three suffering from some degree of oxidation. So I approached this last bottle expecting to be disappointed.
Things didn't start well when the cork fell straight into the bottle the moment the corkscrew touched it. So the cork's had scarcely any effect in 12 years. But riesling is a resilient, tough old girl. The colour is remarkably good - a deepish yellow gold. The nose feels more old than obviously oxidised, but the muting of the riesling fruit and minerality does point to a degree of oxidation. Oddly rather less than previous bottles, despite this being kept rather longer. She's a capricious old girl is riesling sometimes! There's a touch of soap on the nose (which *is* from the wine, not the glass or decanter) that's not entirely attractive. Really quite sweet on the palate. I can taste a touch of oxidation, but the oxidation is most obvious in the scalping of flavours. Drinkable, but with no huge pleasure. (81 points)

Haart Wintricher Ohligsberg Spatlese label image

1999 Irene Alemany Penedès Sot Lefriec - Spain, Catalunya, Penedès (3/11/2010)
I'd noticed this had thrown quite a heavy sediment so stood th bottle upright a couple of days ago, and decanted 20 minutes before serving.

Deep plummy colour with some purple hints. Quite restrained black fruits on the nose with some bacon fat and a touch of garrique. Very smooth, luxurious, integrated feeling on the attack. But the big-ness of the attack gives way to huge restraint and a lovely tart greenness - blackberry leaves to complement the fruit, maybe. But the overall impression is of huge balance and restraint. Very stylish, classy wine.

Bottle No. 42 of 5500. 13.5% abv. (91 points)

2004 Giuseppe Quintarelli Primofiore Veneto IGT - Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT (1/11/2010)
An even, deep ruby colour. Deep, black plummy fruit with some cherries and a touch of woody spice and maybe a hint of licorice. Luscious yet poised and elegant attack. Lovely fruit character, feeling very open. Really wide and open on the palate with quite chewy tannins still. Finishes with a fresh, almost green tannin flavour layered with the black and red fruits and great length. (91 points)

2001 União das Adegas Cooperativas do Dão Dão Adro da Sé Reserva - Portugal, Beiras, Dão (31/10/2010)
A blend of touriga nacional, alfrocheiro, tinta roriz and jaen. 13% abv
A fairly mature burgundy red colour - something about it just looks a bit rustic. Interesting nose: there's some red fruit, that's a little mature and a little subdued. There's a touch of sous bois, and a savoury note combining black olives with just a hint of parmesan.
Very pleasurable palate. Lovely, smooth maturity is the immediate impression. There's some very rounded, balanced red fruit initially, not without a touch of freshness, but it finishes with more black fruit characters and fine-grained tannins. Opened up a bit an hour or so after the bottle had been opened. Drinkable now, but will be fine for a few years yet, I think.
For about £8, this was a bargain. (92 points)

N.V. Le Colture Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Sylvoz - Italy, Veneto, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene (28/10/2010)
Delightful sweet-apple and white peach aromas combine on the nose with delicate, quite charming floral notes, that just tend slightly towards a hint of muscat. The palate doesn't quite have the same charm as the nose, but it's plenty good enough. There's a touch of sweet peach overlaid with a tart greengage cum gooseberry note. Quite full flavoured, and with good length, though it doesn't develop at all in the mouth, which makes it seem a bit too simple and unrewarding. (87 points)

2001 Bodegas Castaño Monastrell Yecla Hécula - Spain, Murcia, Yecla (27/10/2010)
Deep mulberry purple colour. Some slightly herbal notes on the nose, but the fruit has pretty much faded away. Bit dulll and uninteresting on the palate. Fairly mature, but not really much to carry it. As on the nose, the fruit's gone. Some astringent notes, but not unpleasantly so, with some fairly sandy tannins floating around, finishing with some rather green notes. No faults, just not very good. Probably should have been drunk up by now. (82 points)

1999 Abadia Retuerta Vino de la Tierra Castilla y León Selección Especial - Spain, Castilla y León, Sardon de Duero, Vino de la Tierra Castilla y León (17/10/2010)
Very deep dark plum colour. Just the sort of nose we need on a cold autumnal day: black fruit, tobacco, cedar, some bitter chocolate, some woody spices. Very nicely open. Still at cellar temperature, but working very well for me. Very integrated feel with sweet black fruit, a touch of sour cherry notes with sandy tannins running throughout, dipping in and out. Lovely stuff. (93 points)
Abadia Retuerta Sel Esp label image

1998 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (13/10/2010)
AP Nr. 3 561 303 20 99. 8% abv
Now quite a lemony colour, but still very pale. Gorgeous nose, still feeling remarkably youthful. Sherbetty character, very lively. Some apples, some lime, some grapefruit. Lovely palate. Very pure riesling fruit with faint traces of honey, but balanced with nice acidity and a very pleasant tart, sour apple character, almost like a crab apple. Good length with a hint of florality on the finish. Lovely stuff. (92 points)

2000 Schwarz "The Butcher" Zweigelt Rosé trocken - Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee (11/10/2010)
Deep, more red than rosé, though in a very small amount in the glass, there's a slightly orangey, dark onion skin colour, which suggests (not unsurprisingly) that this is now showing a bit of age. Deep, dark red fruits on the nose with a fair bit of sweetness and just a touch of vanilla and rose perfume. Feeling a touch dried out on the palate, with some raisining, this is now starting to feel quite like an aged Rivesaltes ambré vin doux naturel, something which the 16% alcohol does nothing to dispel. This is the first 16% abv, ten year old Zweigelt rosé that I've ever had. Not unpleasant, but certainly a bit bonkers. Somewhere between rosé amarone, Croft Pink and a southern French vin doux naturel. (88 points)

2007 Poggio Argentiera Guazza Maremma Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Maremma, Maremma Toscana IGT (10/10/2010)
Elegant, floral, slightly buttery nose. Lovely palate. Very moreish. So much so that the two of us have just polished off the second bottle for lunch. Quite tropical flavours. Very engaging. Rich full flavoured, but retaining nice elegance. (92 points)

N.V. Ayala Champagne Brut Majeur - France, Champagne (1/10/2010)
Deep, bready nose with lots of ripe pear fruit. Lovely richness and depth on the palate. Yet it also retains a very decent freshness and elegance. Good elegance on the finish too, followed by a very creditable length. (89 points)

2000 Domaine Francois Villard Condrieu Quintessence - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu (22/9/2010)
A slightly bronzed pale tan. Big nose: roast peaches, pine honey, sultanas and some orange zest notes. Very rich and syrupy mouthfeel. Sweet, orangey, possibly feeling just a little tired.There's a decent acidity that keeps it from being cloying. Very persistent citrus and sweet grapes on the finish. (87 points)

1999 Michael Schäfer Laubenheimer Vogelsang Riesling Auslese - Germany, Nahe (20/9/2010)
Very pale straw with a distinct green tinge. Fragrant, young, fresh, riesling nose. Like a 2009 Kabinett!! Very minerally nose with peach fruit. Quite a charming attack. For a ten-year old wine, this is amazingly young. Nicely open, with a bit of sweetness initially. Some honeyed fruit on the middle. Finishes fairly dry. Very persistent in the mouth after. (89 points)

1985 Nicolas Potel Santenay 1er Cru Beaurepaire - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Santenay 1er Cru (19/9/2010)
Fully mature colour - quite pale, with some orangey/brickish hints. On the nose, this is clearly a very advanced bottle, certainly a lot more so than the last bottle. Very high-toned nose with sweet peppery strawberries, furniture polish and a few hints of grapefruit peel. Light, very, very fresh (i.e. read forward acidity). Sweetish red fruit with mushroom notes and some citrus freshness. This bottle is fully mature today, and not even one for keeping till tomorrow. Fortunately there has been a bit of bottle variation - variation in maturity - so I'm hoping that the remaining bottles won't be completely shot when I come to open them. (88 points)

2003 Peter Howland Chardonnay Maxwell Vineyard - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley (13/9/2010)
Mid straw. Very rich, creamy nose. Loads of butter, beurre noisette and tropical fruit, but also with a sort of almost smoked haddock savoury note and a touch of Pledge. Huge, really quite overwhelming palate. Bloody hell, this is a big boy, that you wouldn't want to meet down a dark alley after closing time. Very buttery backed up with rich tropical fruit - papaya, melon, banana, mango lassi. Leaves the tongue well and truly coated with its massiveness, giving a finish that's measured in minutes.
Impressive in a sort of not wanting to annoy a really intimidating built-like-a-brick-shit-house bloke who's had 15 pints and is accusing you of looking at his bird in a funny way. (84 points)

2006 Azienda Agricola Il Carpino Vis Uvae - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT (12/9/2010)
Impressively deep copper pink. Minerally nose with lots of pinot gris spice. From the colour I expect to find red fruits, but I'm pleased that my auto-suggestion sensors are off today, and this is very much a rich pinot gris on the nose. Very good palate. Quite a pleasing mouthfeel with a certain richness and creaminess. Initially there was a touch of spirit on the palate but that blows away. Improves over time and also as it warms up a bit from fridge cold. Good, deep characterful wine. As it's come to room temperature there's a nice spice on finish. (90 points)
CarpinoVisUvaeLabel

1998 Mas de Bicary Gaillac Château de Gouzy 'Fût de Chêne' - France, Southwest France, Gaillac (11/9/2010)
Pretty much a fully mature colour: clear, bright and just starting to brick up. Mature, sweet red fruits with lots of sous bois on the nose. Sweet, red fruits on a pretty simple palate too. Past its best. (85 points)

1997 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (3/9/2010)
Corked (NR/flawed)

1995 Rolly Gassmann Sylvaner Réserve Millésimé - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (3/9/2010)
Surprisingly alive and deliciously fragrant on nose. Just a few hints of beurre noisette. Remarkably rich, full palate. This was a bit of an ageing experiment and it's one that has worked in spades. This is really nice. Quite peachy fruit with some sweet apples. Actually a bit of acidity there too. (90 points)

1983 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côte-Rôtie Les Jumelles - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (3/9/2010)
Hello! Me likee. Fleshy, meaty black fruits. Gorgeous mature palate. Actually fairly simple feeling, but this is fleshy Côte rõtie personified. (92 points)

1993 Yalumba Shiraz The Octavius - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (3/9/2010)
Attractive cigar box and crème de mure nose. Decent attractive palate. But it's quite hollow. Sweetish black fruit. Ultimately a bit unconvincing. (86 points)

1996 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru - France, Champagne (3/9/2010)
Super purity and elegance on nose. Deep & complex palate. Very lively and more than aa bit tight. Needs time. (92 points)

1996 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia - Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore (3/9/2010)
Really good, precise black fruit on nose: very sort of tunneled (i.e. tunnel vision for your nose) sweet black fruit. Initially, it feels nicely open on palate and very attractive, but then it suddenly tightens and reveals a pretty solid tannic structure. And this was decanted about 4 hours ago. (90 points)

2002 Esk Valley The Terraces - New Zealand, North Island, Hawkes Bay (3/9/2010)
Fairly closed nose, but very balanced with a touch of beetroot earthiness and some cedary notes. Lovely vibrant palate. Really quite zingy. Chocolatey, velvety black fruit behind. Crisp, almost crunchy fruit, with a richness behind. (90 points)

1997 Philippe Delesvaux Coteaux du Layon Carbonifera - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon (3/9/2010)
Fresh, honeyed nose. Syrupy without being cloying. Lovely, impressive balance. Truly delicious. (96 points)

1985 Nicolas Potel Santenay 1er Cru Beaurepaire - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Santenay 1er Cru (3/9/2010)
Welcome to mushrooms, truffles, blood and a bit of game. Lovely palate. A gorgeous mature Santenay. Best bottle of this so far. (90 points)

2008 Emilio Bulfon Pecol Ros La Santissima Vino da Tavola - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Vino da Tavola (3/9/2010)
Subtly perfumed red fruits on the nose. Quite a soft open palate. Very interesting flavours and characters. Cherry and acacia.But overall just a bit too much sweet red fruit without the complexity that's really needed. Very long. (88 points)
Bulfon Pecol Ros label image

1998 Lark Hill Cabernet-Merlot - Australia, New South Wales, Southern New South Wales, Canberra District (3/9/2010)
Very medicinal nose with some eucalyptus. Attractive palate initially fresh but then really complex layers of flavours. Some deep black fruit, some leather, good tannic structure.
Very nice wine (93 points)

1993 Château Pajzos Tokaji Esszencia - Hungary, Hegyalja, Tokaji (3/9/2010)
These 100ml bottles are just gorgeous little cuties. A rather curious closure though: underneath the wax, there's just a thin, white plastic cap. Makes me slightly worried about longevity.
Fairly dark colour. Very fresh nose. Honeyed of course, but very fresh, almost swimming pool chloriney. Heavily sweet and with a syrupy texture of course. But bracing acidity and massive depth and complexity. Amazing stuff.
Some concern round the table about whether it's true essencia, or something like an 8 or 9 putt tokaji.
4.5% abv (94 points)

2000 Château Beauregard - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (3/9/2010)
Attractive nose - very integrated. Bit of tobacco.. vry smooth. Nice ripe fruit but clean and ever so slightly astringent. Touch of chocolate on finish. (89 points)

2001 Chateau Musar Blanc - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (3/9/2010)
Quite subdued caramel on nose with citrus and anchovies ,,, and green olives. Palate is a bit oxidised & just full of weird contradictiins. Sweet yet savoury. Shallow yet ultra complex. Fresh & oxidised. Fruity. White chocolate. Olives. Bizarre but wonderful. (93 points)

1996 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut - France, Champagne (3/9/2010)
Drunk this rather too quickly and didn't take a proper note, but very open and round in the mouth. Very easy and works well on its own without food. (89 points)

2004 Azienda Agricola Roncús Collio Bianco Vecchie Vigne - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio (22/8/2010)
Initially a little floral on the nose on first opening. But that didn't last. Deep, concentrated nose: very much phenolic driven layered, with granite minerality and a touch of overripe nectarines. Complex, minerally, really quite heavy palate. Very dry with a fair amount of acidity. There's some peach spirit on the palate too. (91 points)

2000 Graf Hardegg Riesling Steinbügel-Seefeld - Austria, Niederösterreich, Weinviertel (18/8/2010)
Quite a deep golden colour. Gorgeous nose - initially very petrolly, but after a while the petrol recedes just a little, and there's a broader minerality with some somewhat honeyed peachy notes. This is so different to the austere, appley nose last time I opened a bottle of this six years ago. Quite wide and full on the palate. There is a just a hint of oxidation here, but it's not offensive. Ripe, apple and peach fruit on a minerally palate with a few hits of citrus which pop into your flavour-consciousness every now and then. Very long.
Went well with cuttlefish ink linguine with bottarga and lemon.
A real bargain at a fiver. (91 points)

2007 Tardieu-Laurent Côtes du Rhône Cuvée Spéciale - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (15/8/2010)
Fairly youthful colour, though with the first flush knocked off. Quite a light, un-dense purple colour. Really attractive nose: some elegant floral scents overlay a garriquey core of black fruits, and some woody, slightly pepper spice, just finishing with an indication of a bit of alcoholic heat. Though that touch of spirity heat quickly disappeared from the nose, allowing an interesting feel of a plum tarte tatin to come through, with the touch of caramel becoming more evident.
Ripe, though slightly bitter red fruit on the palate. Quite a meaty, flesh feel. Enormous length. Some good tannins already pretty well integrated, though there's easily another 4-5 years of improvement in this, I think. (91 points)

2005 Montenato Griffini Oltrepò Pavese Punto Fermo affinato in legno di rovere - Italy, Lombardia, Oltrepò Pavese (14/8/2010)
From a bottle that had been open overnight. Lots of attractive cherry fruit on the nose, but with a real mature lift, and quite an earthy, mushroomy feel. Really quite a Burgundian feel on the palate. I assume that much of the maturity comes from this having stood open and less than half empty overnight in the restaurant, but it's not at all to its detriment - indeed quite the opposite. There are really lovely layers of fruit, completely integrated oak and a slightly volatile lift. Served this blind, I would be thinking this was a Musar from one of the Burgundian vintages, about 20 years old.
Admittedly, this is likely not to be a typical experience of this wine, but I loved it. (90 points)

2007 Poggio Argentiera Guazza Maremma Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Maremma, Maremma Toscana IGT (8/8/2010)
Gorgeous fragrant nose- floral and lemon balm notes with a touch of nutty complexity and a hint of scented geranium leaf. Lovely minerality on nose and showing on palate too. It's got a lovely freshness on the palate but also has a nice complexity.Very nice wine. (93 points)

2009 Chéreau-Carré Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Chateau l'Oiseliniere de la Ramee - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (4/8/2010)
Gorgeous nose - lots of lovely crisp green fruit with some gooseberry and honeydew melon character.

Crisp, yet really quite full on the palate. Lots of depth and interest here. Huge length. Lovely muscadet. (92 points)

2006 Contrada Tenna Marche Rosso Marche IGT - Italy, Marche, Marche IGT (2/8/2010)
There's some slightly raw oak immediately on the nose. That is then followed up with black fruits and a bit of a bretty feel. Very attractive palate. Big and open, but with some interest stuff going on. Tobacco, black fruit, fine graned tannins. Very fine, attractive fruit. (91 points)

1999 Plantagenet Shiraz - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Mount Barker (1/8/2010)
Lovely dark red colour - lightening and now showing clear maturity, but certainly not fading. Gorgeous nose - sweet perfumed black fruit, which with aeration recedes a little allowing meaty, sweaty horse notes to show through, but the lovely plummy, mulberry fruit still persists. Very impressive attack. Elegant, sweet fruit with clear signs of maturity. Great depth and character. Immense length. Some sandy tannins on finish and after, with just a touch of heat, which isn't off-putting. Certainly not showing it's 14.5% alcohol. Really lovely stuff. Wish I'd bought more. (93 points)

2009 Van Zellers & Co. Douro - Portugal, Douro (31/7/2010)
Deep pink colour. Quite rich red fruits on the nose, but with some white flower notes too. It has a nice weight in the mouth, with very good balance. Some good red fruits are evident on the palate, with some Douro character, which becomes more obvious as the wine warms up a bit. It becomes slightly more red wine like on the middle palate, but finishes with a dry white, almost albarino crispness. (88 points)

2005 Château la Dournie Saint-Chinian - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Saint-Chinian (26/7/2010)
Lovely perfumed nose - violets, plums and chocolate. Great palate - very soft , showing some signs of maturity. Quite delicate, fresh-flavoured ripe fruit. Lovely restraint. Massive length. (92 points)

2009 Palladium Garganega - Italy, Veneto (25/7/2010)
Undistinguished nose - some minerality, also a slight hint of a malty richness, which is a little odd, though not unpleasant. Light and fresh, but (having warmed up somewhat), there's also a nice weight and ripeness with a hint of almondy, very dry melon fruit. This is a much more interesting bottle than the last one. This bottle I really quite like and is very fairly priced at £4.95 (86 points)

1993 Yalumba Shiraz The Octavius - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (17/7/2010)
Lots of dark black fruit and hint of tobacco on the nose, with quite a hit of alcoholic pepperiness. Ripe and open on the palate. On the palate, it's very full on and in your face. Lots of dark, black fruit and a very firm tannic grip. Just a little unsatisfying overall. (85 points)

2005 Union of Winemaking Cooperatives of Samos Muscat Samos Vin Doux, vin de liqueur - Greece, Aegean, Samos (17/7/2010)
Fragrant, attractive nose with a rather interesting edge to it - hint of tobacco? Unctuous syrupy texture. But it's not too sweet either. Quite lovely, very rich muscat palate. It has a cloying texture, but not a cloying sweetness. Fascinating stuff. (91 points)

1975 P. Licht-Bergweiler Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (17/7/2010)
Deep gold colour. Attractive minerally nose with some good, slightly raisined fruit. Remarkably fresh on palate. Slightly honeyed, but it's lost all its obvious sweetness. Really nice weight and balance on palate. Really improved after decanting and with further exposure to air. Really very impressive. (92 points)

1997 Château Léoville Las Cases - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (17/7/2010)
Lovely restraint all round. A bit of a bitter edge. All seems rather green. (88 points)

1996 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Valbuena 5° - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero (17/7/2010)
Rich, warm noe. Very attractive palate. Quite ripe, with new world overtones, but there's a clarity and even a sort of austerity that just pulls it back. Really savoury, complex and layered with quite a firm tannic structure. (93 points)

2000 Quinta do Vale Dona Maria Douro - Portugal, Douro (17/7/2010)
Rather funky nose: violets, cheese, fennel, tobacco, and lots of black fruits. Lots of ripe fuits on the palate, but with quite a prickle of freshness (or is of alcohol?) too. It's less than seven months since my last bottle of this, when I wrote that it had plenty of time ahead of it, but this bottle holds out no future for the wine, and not really a lot of present either.This bottle seems way out of balance: I can't detect any obvious fault, but if I didn't know how good this has been in the past, I'd be giving this a very low score. It's not unpleasant, but not something I want to drink much of.
Faulty? (NR/flawed)

1998 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru (17/7/2010)
Slightly toasty, beurre noisette noise. Some attractive minerality on palate.very nice wine, but just how much more than any really good chardonnay is it? (89 points)

2004 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru (17/7/2010)
Lovely fresh nose. Very pleasant and pleasing palate. Has a nice savoury edge. Lovely interesting layered flavours. Lovely wine. (91 points)

2004 Albert Boxler Pinot Gris Brand - France, Alsace, Turckheim, Alsace Grand Cru AOC (17/7/2010)
Tropical fruit on nose - hints of mango and banana. More than a touch of sweetness on the palate, but nicely balanced and worked well with a roast garlic tart (91 points)

1998 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja (17/7/2010)
Soft open red and black plummy fruits with some vanilla overtones. Nice and open for business. Firm tannins balanced by a restrained fruit that verges between sweet red fruit aromatics and slightly sour plummy fruit. (90 points)

1999 Vilmart Champagne Cuvée Creation - France, Champagne (17/7/2010)
Very clean and crisp, but showing some maturity on nose. Great finesse on palate. Very interesting flavours with a lovely full finish. (93 points)

N.V. Château de Blaceret-Roy I love you Gamay Aromatique - France, Burgundy (17/7/2010)
Deep pink with a very foamy mousse. Fruit salad. Low alcohol Pimms. Sweet and fun on palate. Hints of raspberry-ade and cherry-ade. (88 points)

2006 Château de Blaceret-Roy Chiroubles Pente de Fontenelle Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Chiroubles (17/7/2010)
Sweet raspberry fruit, slightly confected, but it's not bubblegummy. Soft, fresh, fruity. Quite a steely note, almost steely acidity? Really interesting match with a very à point Epoisses - neither adds anything to the other, but neither takes anything away from the other - it's just perfect symbiosis. (89 points)

N.V. Gonzalez-Byass Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Tio Pepe 'En Rama' - Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry (17/7/2010)
Immediate citrus, esp orange on the nose. Very complex nose with quite a savoury edge and some olives in brine. Massive savoury palate. Very intense with fascinating layers of flavour. Quite a saline feel, but also with hints of olives and grapefruit (esp the peel). Fascinating stuff. (95 points)

2009 Palladium Garganega - Italy, Veneto (12/7/2010)
There's a bit of very subtle minerality on an otherwise thin, characterless nose. Very light, crisp palate. Very neat and clean, and it has all the refreshment of a glass of iced water.
It benefitted from being left open in teh fridge for a couple of days when a bit of oxidation has given it a bit of character. (83 points)

N.V. Gonzalez-Byass Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Tio Pepe 'En Rama' - Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry (4/7/2010)
This wasn't as hazy as I thought it might be, given that it's unfined and unfiltered, though it's a distinctly deeper gold than the regular Tio Pepe. The nose is gorgeous, and much more complex than the regular Tio Pepe: nutty, savoury, with almost anchovy and orange peel hints, with a creamy richness too. Lovely palate. Very, very complex, intense and concentrated. This is fino with the depth of flavour of a fine amontillado, but the lightness of fino. Savoury characters, complemented by some dried grapefruit peel and some tart granny smith notes. Why isn't all fino like this? Great value for money for under £12. (95 points)

2009 Domaine des Ratelles (Daniel & Gerard Vinet) Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (2/7/2010)
Served with a rare treat of fish and chips.

The Muscadet seems a bit flabby unfortunately. What was initially quite minerally on the nose has developed some tropical fruit notes now it's warmed up a bit. A bit flat and dull on the palate, and rather flabby, floppy and ill-defined on the finish.

It's getting worse actually. I'm going to stick the cork back in and try it again in the morning. Wouldn't surprise me if I detect some TCA that was somehow masked by the fish & chips. (NR/flawed)

N.V. Georges et Roger Antech Blanquette de Limoux La Méthode Ancestrale - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Blanquette de Limoux (19/6/2010)
6.5%
Much fizzier than I was expecting - full on champagne levels of fizziness with very lively streams of bubbles, which persist impressively. On the nose, there's more than air of moscato d'asti with some sweetness, some grapiness, but not the frivolity. There's some firm, ripe blackberry and almost rotting pear fruit here. Doulce et Fruitée says the label, which more or less sums it up. Though it's more somewhere between off dry and medium. Grapey, Trebor fruit salad flavours, but with just a hint of acidity. As the nose suggests, this is a little more serious than a moscato d'asti, though that's the closest relation that comes to mind. Sort of like a moscato d'asti trying to put on a stern face. (87 points)

N.V. Bodegas Tradición Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Palo Cortado Muy Viejo Superior a 30 Años - Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry (6/6/2010)
Very pure nose with citrus, old furniture, Pledge, green olives, almonds, and a hint of caramel. Light and fresh on attack. Quickly fills out to a very complex mouthful: there are savoury, umami notes, dried orange/grapefruit peel, a touch of sweetness, a touch of salinity - it all just goes on and on developing new characters in the mouth. Incredibly long.

2002 Kurt Hain Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (5/6/2010)
8% abv. AP Nr. 2 596 432 8 03
A very greeny gold. I've got a bit of a cold, but I can tell this has a very integrated nose, reminiscent of walking through an orchard - apples, pears, and the grass crushing below your feet. There's just a hint of a savoury note too. Lovely fresh palate. It's lost the vibrancy of its youth and is now settling down, developing some minerally notes on the palate. There's still a bit of sweetness there, but it's perfectly balanced by the acidity, though you barely notice the acidity of itself. Good length. A very creditable maturing Kabinett. (90 points)

2007 Weingut Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Old Vines (Marks & Spencer bottling) - Germany, Rheingau (24/5/2010)
Fresh apples, nectarines and a hint ofhoneysuckle and another of butterscotch on the nose.Very bright and clear in the mouth. There's some sweetness, that starts to feel a little obvious, but there's just enough acidity to balance. Notable length, with clean crisp riesling fruit flavours. (91 points)

2007 Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch (Erben Müller-Burggraef) Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (20/5/2010)
A superb bottle - textbook Mosel Kab. Great balance. (92 points)

2006 Cristom Pinot Gris Estate - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills (19/5/2010, at the Pipe & Glass, Beverley)
The first bottle of this was oxidised, but this is ok. A slightly pinkish straw colour. Fairly subtle on the nose with some pears and beurre noisette. There's a nice weight in the mouth: rich and buttery, and nicely evolved, even feeling somewhat Burgundian. Though more acidity than you might expect in a pinot gris. (87 points)

2005 J.L. Chave Sélection Hermitage Blanche - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (19/5/2010, at the Pipe & Glass, Beverley)
The immediate impression on the nose was of some delicious freshness. Very good weight, poise and balance. Pretty classy. (92 points)

2008 Emilio Bulfon Cjanorie Vino da Tavola - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Vino da Tavola (5/5/2010)
Deep colour - a quite youthful purple with raspberry tinges. It feels a little simple on the nose. There's some light red fruit and maybe some cherries, and some kernels. Just a touch of orange peel perhaps? Yes, there's a really fresh note to the nose, but perhaps not citrus - I think it's that really fresh raspberry scent from a punnet of raspberries - just the aroma coming off them, not the juice.
Lovely, fresh, red fruits immediately on the attack. There's a sort of minty freshness to it, without it really being obviously minty. Almost a sort of muscatty freshness. This is really delicious, and in such a huge contrast to the majority of Friulan reds that I've had, which tend to be big, and tend to major on international varieties. There's just enough structure there, with gentle tannins on the finish, combining with a slightly tart red fruit character that lingers on and on in the mouth. This is just lovely midweek drinking.
Having tasted it, I was a bit concerned about serving this with chargrilled ribeye and wild garlic pesto, as I thought its lightness might not stand up to the food, but it turned out to be a very good match, with the wine counterpointing and cutting the richness of the food. (93 points)

2003 Castello di Luzzano Oltrepò Pavese Umore Nero - Italy, Lombardia, Oltrepò Pavese (3/5/2010)
Remarkably dark colour, looking plenty mature. Dark cherry fruit on nose along with some sous bois and a hint of high tones. Showing clear maturity on the palate. Quite deep, quite dark fruit. Fairly simple, but not without interest. There's a nice elegance to it, though the most surprising thing is how the pinot fruit has turned into deeper, blacker fruit in the time since the last bottle I opened of this (in 2004). Fascinating evolution. Worked really well with slow roast shoulder of hogget, the acidity remaining helping to cut through the fat. (87 points)

2003 Meßmer Portugieser Weissherbst - Germany, Pfalz (2/5/2010)
This has lurked inthe cellar far too long, largely because it's difficult to find an occasion to open a litre bottle of Portugieser Weissherbst ... I was looking for something light for cooking ...
It's a fairly deep, pinkish copper colour. Oxidised presumably. Odd nose. Some oxidation for sure, but there's also some strawberry and orange scents and a slightly medicinal herbiness. Somewhat dulled by the oxidation, but there's a sweet red berry fruit character still lurking in there. There's some sweetness too, but it's balanced by a bit of acidity. On the palate, the oxidation is very much secondary to the other characters, and sufficiently secondary not to call it as flawed/defective. Would have been interesting to try a fresh bottle of this.
I'm not going to drink more than the one glass of this, but the rest is absolutely fine to go in with pot roast of hogget shoulder, for which I'd opened it. (82 points)
Messmer Portugieser Weissherbst label image

2003 Fattoria Coroncino Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore Gaiospino Fumé - Italy, Marche, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi (2/5/2010)
Mid to deepish, slightly hazy gold. Delicious, complex nose - fresh almost gooseberry fruit combined with rich mango and tropical fruits, plus some butterscotch & caramel notes, and then just a touch of smokiness.
Rich and full flavoured on the palate, perhaps lacking some of the complexity of the nose. But this is so food friendly and then some. There's freshness for plain cooked seafood, and richness for meat. But there's the flavour and interest here not just for drinking on its own, but almost sufficient for a vino di meditazione. Massive length. (92 points)

2005 Mediterra Mirambelo - Greece, Crete, Peza-Iraklion (28/4/2010)
Fairly mature nose. Bright, light, subtly perfumed plummy fruit on the nose. Very atrractive nose. Soft, light red fruits on the palate with an interesting character, but unfortunately marred by a bit of a hard edge on the finish. Though after a while that hard edge seems no longer to present. Odd. Quite a savoury feel in the mouth. Light, interesting and characterful. (86 points)

2005 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Domherr Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (27/4/2010)
I wonder if this in a bit of an awkward phase at the moment. It's rather muted on the nose, initially with just some gassy mercaptans. After a while those seem to blow off leaving a bit of oily peachy riesling fruit with just a hint of mould, like the mould you get on an orange. There's immediate sweetness on the palate, but it's not too unbalanced, though a touch more acidity would really help it. It's very gluggable, but the sweetness is just a little sugary. Very good length with some floral notes persisting.
AP Nr. 2 596 429 7 06 (86 points)

2005 Navarro Vineyards Riesling Cluster Select Late Harvest - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (25/4/2010)
The last couple of glasses left in the bottle, left over from 23rd April. The nose is really gorgeous now. Sweet candied apples and apricots with a touch of honey, and there's also a really nice lime-leaf note there which really lifts it in a very fresh, attractive way. Luscious, yet very, very fresh on the palate. Very, very integrated. So harmonious in the mouth. Nothing in the slightest bit cloying about it. Massive, haunting length with fresh apricot, lime and honeydew melon notes lingering on and on. God, I wish I'd been able to buy a case of this. (95 points)

2005 Château Haut-Monplaisir Cahors - France, Southwest France, Cahors (25/4/2010)
Very deep, very youthful purple that clings to the glass. Slightly curious nose with fairly restrained black fruits, but with a slightly stinky core reminiscent of ripe leather shoes at the end of a long, hot day. Attractive palate. Really quite big. A quite tough, chewy structure overwhelms the fruit somewhat, finishing with plummy black fruit and firm tannins. There's a pleasingly austere feel to this. (88 points)

N.V. Vilmart Champagne Grand Cellier - France, Champagne (23/4/2010)
Classy, restrained shortbread nose. Very good palate. This has a nice weight and depth of flavour. Not the classiest of Vilmarts I've had, but it's lovely stuff. (90 points)

N.V. Estate Brut Reserve, Davenport Vineyards produced for Oatley Vineyard - England, Kent (23/4/2010)
Quite full-flavoured and leesy with a slightly curious sour plum flavour right in the middle of the palate. (88 points)
Oatley Brut Reserve label image

1991 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (23/4/2010)
A remarkably deep golden colour. There's heavy - very heavy petrol on the nose. Plus some raisined, slightly caramelised apple fruit. An evolved, mature riesling. Very pure. Lovely stuff. Cracking match with scallops with a touch of chilli. (91 points)

1996 Domaine Ostertag Riesling Muenchberg - France, Alsace, Nothalten, Alsace Grand Cru AOC (23/4/2010)
A lovely, rich, very honeyed nose with very peachy petrol. A lovely pure palate, but with some sweetness to it. There's something slightly odd about this, but it's not at all unpleasant. (88 points)
Ostertag Riesling Munchberg label image

2005 Navarro Vineyards Riesling Cluster Select Late Harvest - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (23/4/2010)
11.1%
A rich golden colour. Gorgeous nose with honeyed apricots, honeysuckle and tarte tatin. Lovely palate. It's very, very precise in the mouth. Very pure and focussed. It's sweet of course, but you don't buy a wine called sweet late harvest cluster select and expect it to be anything but. But it's not at all cloying, and is pretty perfectly balanced, retaining a really good freshness. The acidity is very nicely integrated, to the extent that you don't really notice it as such, other than in the poise and freshness. This could easily pass itself off as a top Alsace SGN, at (at the cellar door at least) a rather lower price (this was about £30). (94 points)

Navarro late harvest riesling label image

2003 Kurt Hain Riesling Brut - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (23/4/2010)
The nose takes a bit of time to open up, but after a while some minerality starts to overtake the bit of sherbet that was there initially. This seems markedly more advanced than previously, developing a slightly gummy, slightly caramel note in the mouth. Yet it retains a decent riesling character. (88 points)

2005 Grosset Riesling Watervale - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Watervale (23/4/2010)
A lovely riesling nose with an attractive florality, and a bit of chalky minerality. This feels very Germanic on the nose, and it's certainly far more Germanic on the palate than I expected. It's really austere on the palate, witha massive untamed acidity on the finish. If I'd been served this blind, I'd be thinking of a very young Saar Kabinett trocken. (87 points)

1998 Qupé Syrah Reserve Bien Nacido Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley (23/4/2010)
This has a very nice nose, with very attractive black fruits - nicely sweet fruit, but in a quite a Rhoney style. There's very definitely a similarity to the two Cornas wines on the nose. The palate is lovely and precise, but with a great mouthfilling luxuriousness behind. Very enjoyable and approachable, without being in a flabby overfruity style. The Thierry Allemand Cornas was the best wine of the night, but this is by far the most drinkable red of the night. (92 points)

2000 M. Chapoutier Hermitage La Sizeranne - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (23/4/2010)
This has forward sweet red and black fruits on the nose (what are red fruits doing in Hermitage?), with some pepper spice and some tobacco. Fairly tight though. Similarly, on the palate, it's very tight. Really deep and meaty with a real grip from the tannins. (88 points)

2001 Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (23/4/2010)
This has a much, much younger appearance than the Verset. This has a meaty, leathery nose, which is much more closed than the 97 Cornas. Touch of menthol too. This obviously needs more time, but it's already a nice wine. It has a really classy feel, with a lovely purity of fruit on the palate. It's far less rustic than the Verset and clearly a much superior wine. Best red wine of the night. (93 points)

1997 Noël Verset Cornas - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (23/4/2010)
On the nose there are lovely, warm, sweaty saddles, some woody spice, some cheesiness, and just a hint of black fruit. Lovely soft palate. This is nicely matured, but still with plenty of time ahead. Very fine sandy tannins are evident after. This has really nice balance on the palate and a very enticing character. (91 points)

2006 The Winery of Good Hope, Black Rock White Blend - South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland (17/4/2010)
14% abv. This is a blend of 59% chenin, 39% chardonnay and 2% viognier. There's a nice citrussy freshness reflecting the chenin, but it's not at all overtly chenin - indeed the main impression is of a very balanced, very integrated blend. Not one that has had the soul knocked out of it by the winemaking, but that has taken the component parts and created a better whole out of them. There's a nice weight in the mouth, without being heavy, some minerality. Nice, food-friendly wine. (89 points)

2003 Moschioni Colli Orientali del Friuli Refosco - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Colli Orientali del Friuli (5/4/2010)
Deep, glass-staining colour with some vibrancy of youth. Bright, yet deep hedegrow fruits on nose, with hints of damson jam, sour cherry & elderberry. Lots of ripe, bright berry fruits on the palate. Feeling quite tight and too young, an impression confirmed by the very firm, grippy tannic structure and a touch of alcoholic burn on the finish. (89 points)

2006 Azienda Agricola Il Carpino Malvasia - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio (4/4/2010)
Deepish gold, remarkably bright and clear for a natural, unfiltered wine. Rich, very aromatic nose with some rose, some musk, peach flowers. Very good palate. Fairly rich and caressing with full aromatic depths. Works well with charcuterie but could well bully anything especially light. (92 points)

2004 Moschioni Colli Orientali del Friuli Rosso - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Colli Orientali del Friuli (4/4/2010)
The first bottle had started to referment, but the replacement is very good. Nice deep color showing some maturity. Black fruits with a strong cherry streak on the nose. Very smooth and full on attack, followed up by some very interesting fruit flavours. Really enjoyable complexity to the fruit. Good structure with decent tannins. (93 points)

2007 Ernst Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett (Marks & Spencer bottling) - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (29/3/2010)
8%. AP 2 576 162 16 08. Screwcap.
Sour apples and a stony minerality on the nose. Fairly sweet on the palate, but with the acidity to balance it, and keep it feeling fresh. The tingle of acidity walks hand in hand with a perceptible amount of CO2, which also contributes to a nice sherbetty, funky edge to it. (87 points)
Loosen ET Kab for M&S label image

2009 Masi Modello Venezie IGT - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezie IGT (27/3/2010)
100% garganega according to the back label. This was drunk over lunch in a restaurant, and a proper note wasn't taken. It was light and fresh, but with enough weight to help it match to a variety food, from crab to belly pork, morels and bacon to fish pie. Drank equally well on its own too. Nothing complex or particularly interesting about, just a decent, value drink. (87 points)

N.V. Masia Barril Priorat Vino Aromatizado 15 - Spain, Catalunya, Priorat (26/3/2010)
This smells like a combination of tawny port with a Fisherman's Friend dissolved in it, along with the treacly medicinal notes of old-fashioned cough medicines. On the palate, it's vaguely porty, vaguely vermouth-like, but more port than vermouth. But then at times the herbs come through more, and it feels more vermouth like, though overall I'm wondering if the herbs are starting to integrate more as this ages.
I'd be interested to know whether this seemingly mad (if very sippable) mix of white wine, oxidised red wine and loads of herbs has any basis in Priorato tradition, or whether it is just a bonkers creation of the old Masia Barril winery.
This bottle was an attractive, interesting drink, that worked well as an aperitif, and then at the other end of the meal with cheese. (91 points)

2001 Agrícola Falset-Marça Montsant Castell de Falset - Spain, Catalunya, Tarragona, Montsant (26/3/2010)
There's sweet oak initially on the nose, then some black fruit with a certain weediness and a hint of licorice. It has a nicely integrated feel on the palate. There's lots of character here, alongside sweet black fruit. (89 points)
Castell de Falset label image

2003 Bodegas Roda Rioja Roda I Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (26/3/2010)
14.5%
A rather unexception nose in that there's nothing that really stands out. There's some very swet, plummy black fruit. A modern style, and to my taste not especially interesting. (87 points)

2000 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (26/3/2010)
On the nose, sweet integrated oak harmonises with somewhat red fruits. Very elegant palate. There's lovely restraint here, finishing with a knickerflash of sweet fruit. (93 points)

1978 Bodegas Riojanas Rioja Monte Real Gran Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (26/3/2010)
Not terribly forthcoming on the nose. But on the palate, there's lovely sweet fruit. This is a lovely integrated old wine. It knocks spots off the Murrieta. Lovely stuff. (92 points)

2007 Castel de Bouza Albariño Rías Baixas Cosecha Seleccionada - Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas (26/3/2010)
A mid yellow appearance. Very concentrated nose - very concentrated peach and tropical fruit. Rich and creamy on the palate. Not at all a typical Albarino. There are lots of rich, tropical, creamy flavours. Interesting drink. (90 points)

1996 Marqués de Griñón Petit Verdot Vino de Mesa Dominio de Valdepusa - Spain, Vino de Mesa (26/3/2010)
13.5%
This has very attractive sweet black fruit on the nose. Attractive, open palate with some very interesting flavours. Nice balanced, with good character. (90 points)

N.V. Harveys Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Rich Old Oloroso 1796 - Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry (26/3/2010)
20%
An inviting nose with stale furniture polish, raisins and orange zest. Quite an unctuous mouthfeel. Fascinating palate. Decent complexity. Not outstanding, but a lovely drop. (88 points)

2003 Bodegas Vinicola Real Rioja Viña Los Valles 70 & 30 - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (26/3/2010)
13%
A deep mulberry colour. Big, warm black fruits dominate the nose along with marked green (bell) pepper with some pepper spice. Young, forward fruit, followed up by very light, but very spicy tannins. An interesting wine. (88 points)

1991 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Reserva Ygay - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja (26/3/2010)
A gorgeous rich, buttery, evolved nose with a delicate fragrance. Lovely palate with a nice fresh feel. Delicious with the chicken liver paté, but very food friendly all round. (93 points)

1994 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Gran Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (26/3/2010)
There's fairly sweet black fruit on the nose, along with lots of integrated oak. Nicely integrated palate. Works well, but isn't thrilling me I'm afraid. (87 points)

1996 Abadia Retuerta Vino de la Tierra Castilla y León Cuvée El Campanario - Spain, Castilla y León, Sardon de Duero, Vino de la Tierra Castilla y León (26/3/2010)
Very deep, brooding black fruits on the nose. It almost feels like this is still too young. Very smooth and integrated attack, but with some real structure and bite behind. Very classy in a bit of an international sort of way. It is style and class over substance? But is does feel very classy. (90 points)

2003 Molino Real Málaga MR Mountain Wine - Spain, Andalucía, Málaga (26/3/2010)
13%
Gentle perfumed muscat on the nose with a real richness too. Very interesting on the palate. There's some sweet honeydew melon flavours and some honey. Decent complexity. Very lingering in the mouth. (91 points)
MR label image

1998 Bodegas B.G. Gueta-Lupia Priorat - Spain, Catalunya, Priorat (26/3/2010)
13.75%
A very attractive nose, with lots of sweet black fruit, but of a very elegant refined type. Blackberry and hedgerow aromas. Round, open attack, immediately attractive. But then it's rather hollow with nothing but spicy tannins. Some good fruit returns on the finish, after the tannins have receded.
Actually this is an object lesson in over-analysing wines not being too great an idea: it works much, much better when drunk, rather than analytically tasting it. (88 points)

NV Txomin Etxaniz Getariako Txakolina - Spain, País Vasco, Getariako Txakolina (26/3/2010)
11%
A farily subtle nose: crisp with some green and appley fruits. There's a hint of petillance in the mouth. Light, fresh and crisp, with a very good fruit character. (89 points)

2003 Guelbenzu Ribera del Queiles Azul - Spain, Navarra, Ribera del Queiles (26/3/2010)
13%
The nose has smokey bacon fat with some dusty oak behind. There's good restraint on the palate - more so than I was expecting. Ripe fruit, but not wholly forward. Nice balance. (90 points)

2001 Mas d'en Gil Priorat Coma Vella - Spain, Catalunya, Priorat (26/3/2010)
Corked. Only slightly. But still corked.

1964 Bodegas Riojanas Rioja Monte Real Gran Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (26/3/2010)
Corked damn it.

2004 Celler Cal Pla Priorat Blanco Mas d'en Compte - Spain, Catalunya, Priorat (26/3/2010)
A rather odd nose, with a fairly simple feel. Some vegetal notes there too. Full palate, but seems a bit one-dimensional. Possibly a bit too much in the shadow of the other wines. (86 points)
Mas d'en Compte label image

2009 Trivento Shiraz Malbec - Argentina (20/3/2010)
Sweet, jammy black fruit on the nose. Calling this sweet, industrial pap ideal for the pub trade would be very harsh. But also accurate. Drinkable, but without any joy. It's a wine for drinking when the main point is you want to drink. No food required. Highly innocuous. (80 points)

2006 Valter Scarbolo Friuli Grave Pinot Grigio Ramato - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Grave (7/3/2010)
Coppery colour. Interesting nose - clearly pinot gris, but with a musky character and some wild strawberry notes. Good character on the palate, but not as exceptional as the colour would make you think. Curiously, given the colour, it's not as full as some Friulan PGs. But it's nice, clean easy drinking. (88 points)

1999 Chain of Ponds Chardonnay Morning Star - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills (5/3/2010)
This is rather oddly scented on the nose, with some oxidation, some sweetness and a bit of honeyed melon. On the palate, it just feels a touch tired. Not terribly interesting, just a decent, well-made chardonnay that's a little bit past it. (86 points)

2006 Castello della Sala (Antinori) Cervaro della Sala Umbria IGT - Italy, Umbria, Umbria IGT (5/3/2010)
This has a very attractive nose: tropical fruit, and peaches combine with some buttery creaminess, a floral scent and some minerality.
Good attack, though it then slightly tails off a bi. Then it comes back on the finish with a vengeance. I like this, but I'm not entirely sure what to make of it. An interesting wine. (90 points)

2005 Tamar Ridge Pinot Noir Kayena Vineyard - Australia, Tasmania (5/3/2010)
This has jammy sweet fruit on the nose and is very floral. Clearly new world. On the palate, there's sweet red and black fruit. Quite tannic. Australian? (87 points)

2005 Mountford Chardonnay Special Vintage 10th Anniversary - New Zealand, South Island, Canterbury, Waipara (5/3/2010)
A rather ordinary nose: tropical, apples and pear fruit on the nose. A big, sweet palate. Quite hot, especially on the finish.
But it really improves with time, losing much of the heat, though retaining a real bite on the finish. (88 points)

2002 Carré-Courbin Volnay 1er Cru Robardelles - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru (5/3/2010)
There's youngish pinot noir on the nose, with lovely restraint. Very young on the palate. For me, this seems to lack depth and feels a touch simple. Pleasant enough though. (87 points)

2001 Domaine Jean Grivot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (5/3/2010)
A very minerally nose ... really minerally. this is much more attractive than the Ponsot.
Lovely, balanced palate. This is a very classy wine. It's really balanced and elegant with a lovely purity. (91 points)

1998 Willi Opitz Eiswein Rot - Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee (5/3/2010)
The nose has sweet cherries and some dried raspberries. Luscious, syrupy-textured sweet raspberry fruit fill the mouth with quite a TBA feel. Pretty much in a world of its own, but I rather like it. (90 points)

N.V. Moët & Chandon Champagne Grand Cru Les Vignes de Saran - France, Champagne, Chouilly, Champagne (5/3/2010)
A rich nose with some mushrooms and some citrus, feeling very complex, a feeling helped by a hint of oxidation.
It has a a soft, almost subtle mousse.
Really full palate with very complex flavours, verging on a vin de contemplation rather than an aperitif champagne (which is how we served it). Interestingly, it really doesn't feel like a blanc de blancs, as it's just too complex. There are some very deep, almost savoury flavours with a nice citrus and vanilla touch. There's crisp, peary-y acidity on the finish. I wish I'd bought more than the single bottle of this. £38 seems quite a bargain for this. (93 points)

1995 Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay (5/3/2010)
Corked

N.V. Volcano Winery Honey Macadamia Nut Honey - USA, Hawaii (5/3/2010)
Ugh. Uhu. The nose is just full of lots and lots of Uhu glue and similar solvents. It's much nicer on the palate than the nose.

...

But it's still horrible.

Honeyed attack, which falls away into a cloying one-dimensional nastiness. Horrid. 67/100 is generous.

1964 Faiveley Vosne-Romanée - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée (5/3/2010)
This was mid-shoulder when pulled from the cellar.
Oh dear. I double decanted this mid morning as it had thrown a really heavy sediment. The couple of tastes I had then showed a nose dominated by VA, but with some decent red fruit too. Then it certainly wasn't dead on the palate. Definitely old, and tiring, but still very much alive. Very much a slender old lady, who probably wasn't a great beauty in her youth, but who's aged well and still has some attraction.
However, in the evening, the nose had just sweet VA and some mushrooms - all fruit has gone, which pretty much sums up the palate too. Not entirely dead, but there's a priest reading it its last rites.
A good punt for £16, but I need to drink up the rest of the case. (85 points)

1964 Faiveley Vosne-Romanée - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée (5/3/2010)
A quick taste before double decanting for later. It's a pale orangey brick colour. There's sweet red fruit on the nose which rapidly give way to massive VA. But there's also some mushroomy notes in there too. On the palate, there's some sweet fruit which just about fights its way past the huge acidity. This isn't dead, just very old - of course, it probably wasn't great to start with. Interesting curiosity rather than a revelatory experience. (87 points)

1999 Domaine Ponsot Morey St. Denis Cuvée des Grives - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis (5/3/2010)
This has a lovely classic pinot noir nose - redolent of youthful Burgundy - with a very powerful raspberry/blackberry note after a while. On the palate, there's good restraint, and it's starting to mature nicely. Works well for me. (89 points)

1999 Planeta Chardonnay Sicilia IGT - Italy, Sicily, Sicilia IGT (5/3/2010)
A very deep, worrying colour. The nose is nutty, with some honey, but overall very flat. Very oxidised on the palate. Really pretty shot. If this were Burgundy, we'd be calling premox, but I think this is clearly just a wine that, while delicious in youth, was not built to last. Not rated.

1998 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (5/3/2010)
Initially there's sulphur and lots of minerality on the nose. The some smokiness. But minerality above all else.
There's some evident oak on the palate, which balances a notable acidity alongside some nice, ripe fruit. This is very classy stuff. (93 points)

2007 Collin-Bourisset Fleurie Les Vignes Vial - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Fleurie (27/2/2010)
Lovely bright red berry nose, though there's a hint of blackcurrant fleshing it out too. Good palate. Very drinkable and very good with a fair range of food including pigeon, duck and belly pork. Quite a serious style with a good weight and depth on the palate. (90 points)

SITT 2010
The Specialist Importers Trade Tasting, Manchester, 22nd February 2010

2007 Coca i Fitó Montsant Jaspi Negre - Spain, Catalunya, Tarragona, Montsant (22/2/2010)
Mainly grenach and carignan with some cabernet and tempranillo. This has lovely perfumed black fruits on those nose. There's sweet black fruit on the palate with a nice acidity and freshness to balance the fruit. Good structure. (90 points)

2008 Bodegas Eidosela Rías Baixas - Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas (22/2/2010)
This was very ill served by being served at a warm room temperature. A fairly rich nose was evident. Warm albarino is not my thing, though it seems ok. (85 points)

2008 Domingos DAMASCENO de Carvalho Vinho Regional Terras do Sado - Portugal, Terras do Sado, Vinho Regional Terras do Sado (22/2/2010)
Cabernet-merlot-syrah-aragones.
The nose has subtle, fairly sweet black fruits. There's sweet fruit on the palate. It's well made but feels a bit international. (86 points)

2002 Patricius Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos - Hungary, Hegyalja, Tokaji (22/2/2010)
There's a curious astingent note on the nose, which has more fresh apricots than dried apricots. It's much better on the palate than on the nose. There's a good freshness of fruit on the palate, with very good acidity too. (87 points)

2009 Quinta das Arcas Vinho Verde Arca Nova - Portugal, Minho, Vinho Verde (22/2/2010)
11%
A lovely fresh perfumed nose with a touch of minerality. Very fragrant and more than a little grapey on the palate. (89 points)

2009 Lagar de Costa Albariño Rías Baixas - Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas (22/2/2010)
A lovely fresh nose - nice and minerally with green and tropical fruits. There's a lovely maritime feel on the palate. Very crisp and fresh. Like a grown up Gros Plant. (89 points)

2007 James Irvine Merlot Estate - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley (22/2/2010)
A very jammy-sweet nose with some fragrance. The palate follows the nose closely - there's lots of sweet black fruit. Although it's aged for 15 months in Allier oak, the oak doesn't really stand out tham much, being pretty much blotted out by the sweetness of the fruit. (85 points)

2005 Irvine Zinfandel Reserve - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley (22/2/2010)
The nose has lots of sweet, bright black fruit with some fresh leather. Very fruit-forward palate. But it's rather nice fruit. A bit pricey though at £17-£18. (88 points)

2008 James Irvine The Baroness - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley (22/2/2010)
A blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. There's sweet blackcurrant fruit to the fore on the nose. The agents showing the wine might have been pushing it as a Pomerol blend, but it's not a Bordeaux style - it's much more of a modern, international super-premium style with very plush, forward fruit and an opulent feel overall. (87 points)

2007 Adega da Horta de Chaves Roma Pereira - Portugal, Alentejano, Vinho Regional Alentejano (22/2/2010)
A blend of Aragonês, Alfrocheiro Preto, Syrah and Castelão, this has a lightish colour. There are bright, fresh red fruits on the nose, which follow through onto the palate, which has soft and easy red fruit. Then there are some sour cherry flavours. Some spicy tannins knit it together on the finish. (90 points)

2008 Vicente Leite de Faria Alvarinho Vinho Regional Minho Gloria - Portugal, Minho, Vinho Regional Minho (22/2/2010)
A very clean, crisp nose with a nice minerality. Lovely open, fresh, round palate. Very interesting. Very long after. (90 points)

2008 Quinta da Lagoalva Arinto & Chardonnay - Portugal, Estremadura, Vinho Regional Lisboa (22/2/2010)
The nose has fresh honeydew melons and massive minerality. Good palate. The blend does actually work. It's a bit young and not fully resolved on the finish yet. (88 points)

2008 Quinta do Filoco Douro Reserva - Portugal, Douro (22/2/2010)
A fairly reserved nose with notes of nuts and citrus, and also gently floral. There's very good balance on the palate and a nice weight in the mouth. Good finish. A very food-friendly wine. (90 points)

2008 Adega da Horta de Chaves Roma Pereira - Portugal, Alentejano, Vinho Regional Alentejano (22/2/2010)
There's delicate strawberry fruit on the nose. Quite full palate. There's a good depth of flavour in the mouth and a nice clean finish. (88 points)

2007 Quinta da Lagoalva Vinho Regional Ribatejano Reserva - Portugal, Ribatejano, Vinho Regional Ribatejano (22/2/2010)
This is a blend of syrah, cabernet sauvignon and alfrocheira. There are lots of restrained sweet fruit on the nose. It's very silky in the mouth: very even and unchallenging. But not without interest. (89 points)

2008 Ribeira da Ervideira Alentejo Lusitano - Portugal, Alentejano, Alentejo (22/2/2010)
A good nose with very complex red fruits. Sweet ripe fruit and a significant tannic structure characterise the palate. It's very young yet, of course, but it's not thrilling me. (86 points)

2005 Companhia de Vinhos do Alandroal Alentejo Pontual Touriga e Trincadeira - Portugal, Alentejano, Alentejo (22/2/2010)
Lovely, floral black fruit on the nose. Light and nicely fresh on the palate. There is lots of spice from tannins on the finish. (91 points)

2007 Hunter's Riesling Hukapapa Dessert Wine - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (22/2/2010)
There's an attractive honeyed minerality on the nose. Lovely palate. Some slight impression of botrytis? It has a elegant sweetness balanced by a lovely acidity. (91 points)

2009 Caldora Colle dei Venti Terre di Chieti IGT - Italy, Abruzzi, Terre di Chieti IGT (22/2/2010)
A lovely fragrant, floral nose, eventually showing a touch marzipan. Very attractive palate: it's light and fresh, but with very good, interesting flavours, with some dried fruit and nut characters. (88 points)

2007 Tornai Somloi furmint - Hungary, Somló (22/2/2010)
A lovely rich nose. Winning palate. Buttery with great minerality, some citrus, some floral, almost wild strawberry flavours. I could drink lots of this. (90 points)

2007 Borgo San Daniele Friuli Isonzo Tocai Friulano - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Isonzo (22/2/2010)
A very even nose with a very balanced feel, not shouting tocai friulano. Very good palate. Quite buttery, some nice florality with a touch of pear spirit. Lots of minerality, all rounded out by oak. (89 points)

2008 Weninger Kékfrankos - Hungary, Sopron (22/2/2010)
The nose has bright, young black fruits with a hint of crème de framboise. Very good palate: soft, ripe and very pleasing. Supple tannins on the finish. (90 points)

2007 Fattoria Selvanova Vigna antica Terre del Volturno IGT - Italy, Campania, Terre del Volturno IGT (22/2/2010)
Very fleshy, warm black fruits dominate a rather Rhôney nose. Fairly soft palate with good concentration and a nice structure. (89 points)

2007 Zagreus Winery Mavrud Vinica - Bulgaria, Upper Thrace (22/2/2010)
There are rich, almost caramelly notes to the sweet-sour black fruit on the nose. There's good weight on the palate, and there's quiet a spicy feel. With food, this will be great, especially at the price (£12.50?) (90 points)

2004 Quinta do Noval Douro - Portugal, Douro (22/2/2010)
Very deep, almost impenetrable nose. This is classy stuff, though. A lovely, classy palate. A wine out to impress but without straining. (92 points)
Noval Douro 2004 label image

2007 Schiopetto Collio Tocai Friulano - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio (22/2/2010)
There's a lovely, delicate fragrance on the nose with lots of minerality. A good powerful palate has lots of power and fruity weight, but it is also really balanced and working well. (89 points)

2007 Domaine la Soumade Côtes du Rhône Villages Rasteau - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages Rasteau (22/2/2010)
This has some nicely perfumed black fruits on the nose, alongside chocolate, leather and violets. Very good palate. This has a really good character, with a nice structure supporting the elegant fruit. Very long. (90 points)
Soumade Rasteau label image

2007 Domaine la Monardière Vacqueyras Reserve des 2 Monardes - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vacqueyras (22/2/2010)
Bright, lovely plummy black fruit on the nose. Very young at the moment , of course, but there is good, rich, spicy drinking here right now. A good meaty, full palate. Seems to call out for a bit of gamey venison. (89 points)

2005 Germano Ettore Barolo Serralunga - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (22/2/2010)
A very tight nose with some sweet and dried cherries. There's nice restraint on the palate. It's very tight at the moment. Fairly poised, but it still needs time to come together. 89/100 reflecting potential rather than current drinkability. (89 points)

2006 Coca i Fitó Montsant Negre - Spain, Catalunya, Tarragona, Montsant (22/2/2010)
I think this is the first bottle I've come across with a music recommendation on the back label (Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini). The 2006 is the first release of this wine. On the nose, there are lots of sawdusty oak, then some chocolate, some floral notes and some cough medicine. On the palate, it's very big and mouthfilling with lots of black fruit, though the fruit's not oversweet. Some floral notes and good balance. Very firm, grippy tannins on the finish. (89 points)

2006 Quinta do Noval Douro Cedro do Noval - Portugal, Douro (22/2/2010)
There are polished black fruits on the nose, but overall it feels a little international. There are firm black fruits on the palate. There's a nice lift too. Very spicy tannins. (88 points)

2008 Erste & Neue Kellerei Weissburgunder Alto Adige - Südtirol - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol (22/2/2010)
A light, fresh, gently buttery nose with slightly tropical fruit. Very powerful on the palate. but it feels a bit overdone and has a slightly hard edge. (84 points)

2005 Le Salette Amarone della Valpolicella Classico La Marega - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico (22/2/2010)
A very attractive, remarkably fresh nose with fairly subtle sweet, raisined black fruit. There's good restraint on the palate which rather allows some very spicy tannins to dominate. (88 points)

2008 Quinta do Cerrado Dão Cunha Martins - Portugal, Beiras, Dão (22/2/2010)
The nose has some elegant green fruit with hints of nuts and vanilla. It has quite a round, plush feel on the palate. Quite a nice, classy feel. (90 points)

2009 Hunter's Gewürztraminer - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (22/2/2010)
A rather dried, ungiving nose with just a touch of stink. Bit dull on the palate. Faulty? Not rated.

2008 Geyerhof Grüner Veltliner Rosensteig - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kremstal (22/2/2010)
A nice, correct nose. Good clean palate. Good character. Finishes well. A good value GV. (88 points)

2008 Feudi di San Marzano Negroamaro Puglia IGT - Italy, Puglia, Puglia IGT (22/2/2010)
This has bright, pleasing blackberries and cherries on the nose, followed up by lots of sweet fruit on the palate. It's simple stuff though. (84 points)

2008 Cantina Andriano Sauvignon Blanc Alto Adige - Südtirol Andrius - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol (22/2/2010)
Quite a sublte sauvignon nose. Very good palae. This has been very well handled and is a nice non-aggressive style of sauvignon blanc. There's good crisp acidity on the finish. Very nice. (89 points)

2007 Veredas do Douro Douro Corpus - Portugal, Douro (22/2/2010)
A very deep, inky colour. The nose has bright berry fruit with a violet lift. Very young and tight on the palate. Needs time, but promises fairly well. (88 points)

2008 Jurtschitsch/Sonnhof Grüner Veltliner Alte Reben Dechant - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal, Langenlois (22/2/2010)
The nose has rich stone fruit with some white pepper heat. Full, round palate - nice depth. A good food wine. (87 points)

2008 Weingut R & A Pfaffl Grüner Veltliner Weinviertel DAC Haidviertel - Austria, Niederösterreich, Weinviertel (22/2/2010)
A round, fruity, buttery nose with quite tropical fruit. Nice balance on the palate, but it's a bit slight. Doesn't necessarily feel like GV in the mouth. Maybe just a bit of GV character on the finish and after. Very good length. But where's the GV? (85 points)

N.V. Bruno Sorg Crémant d'Alsace - France, Alsace, Crémant d'Alsace (22/2/2010)
Quite a soft, almost grapey perfume. Rather winey palate. Nice balance though. Not over-dry. (88 points)

2008 Forrest Estate Riesling The Doctors' - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (22/2/2010)
Very wet paving stones nose. Nice off-dry Mosel Kabinett feel on the palate. Good stuff. (89 points)

2008 Equipo Navazos Vino de Mesa de Andalucía Navazos-Niepoort - Spain, Andalucía, Vino de Mesa de Andalucía (22/2/2010)
An interesting nose that's half way to fino, but certainly not all the way there. Very nutty, some citrus top notes and a savoury salinity. Very interesting palate. A bit challenging maybe, but actually a rather nice drink. It's expensive though. (89 points)

2007 Carlo Ferragu Valpolicella Superiore - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Valpolicella Superiore (22/2/2010)
There's sweetish cherry fruit on the nose with a bit of a smoky woodburner feel., Very very big for Valpolicella - but apparently the grapes are dried for a couple of weeks, so it is a sort of baby amarone. Weighty and full on the palate, with definite hints of amarone. Impressive. (90 points)

2005 Carlo Ferragu Amarone della Valpolicella - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella (22/2/2010)
A very attractive, quite subtly scented nose. Very agrodolce character on the palate. There's a lot of spicy wood character which doesn't mask the very intense, powerful fruit. This is jolly good, but my oh my, it's a hell of a lot of money. It's hard not to be swayed by the price in coming up with an overall assessment of the wine: at under £50 it would be a good 90+ points, but at £85 its sense of self-worth is a bit too inflated. It's darn good, but isn't quite in the same league as Quintarelli. (90 points)

2007 Edoardo Miroglio Pinot Nero - Bulgaria, Thracian Valley (22/2/2010)
Gorgeous nose - young, but feeling very Burgundian. Very attractive smooth palate. A bit over-exuberant maybe and needs time, though it's possibly not for long keeping. Lovely cherry fruit on the finish (89 points)

2007 Jurtschitsch/Sonnhof Riesling Platin Loiserberg - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal, Langenlois (22/2/2010)
Quite nicely perfumed alongside the stony minerality that dominates the nose. Biig, full, very mineraly riesling with very good acidity. (89 points)

2007 Domaine la Monardière Vacqueyras Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vacqueyras (22/2/2010)
There's some lovely, deep, complex black fruit on the nose, together with a nice herbal lift. Good complex palate. Very deep, yet retaining a really nice balance. (91 points)

2005 Zagreus Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - Bulgaria, Upper Thrace (22/2/2010)
There are warm black fruits on the nose, which overall has a very Italianate feel. Lovely soft palate. There's a touch of obvious oak. Pretty serious stuff. (88 points)

2007 Forrest Estate Riesling Dry Riesling - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (22/2/2010)
There's much more gravelly minerality on the nose than on the Doctors. This is a very stylish dry riesling on the palate. It works much better than many German trocken rieslings - has a much better character than many of those. (91 points)

2008 Forrest Estate Rosé Marlborough - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (22/2/2010)
Lots of red fruit on the nose. Off-dry palate. Works well enough. Plenty of depth of flavour and a decent length. (88 points)

2007 Forrest Estate Pinot Noir John Forrest Collection Bannockburn - New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Bannockburn (22/2/2010)
There are some lovely ripe red fruits on the nose. Initially there's quite sweet fruit on the palate, but there a lot of good character too. Good structure too - rather firm. (89 points)

2005 Domaine Besancenot Beaune 1er Cru Cent-Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru (22/2/2010)
Quite perfumed red fruit on the nose. A very soft, enticing attack. Then it grips your tongue with some pleasant sour notes to the fruit. (90 points)

2000 Domaine Besancenot Beaune 1er Cru Cent-Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru (22/2/2010)
There's lovely restraint on the nose, which has a nice, fairly mature feel. Very good palate. Very long. This is a good old fashioned Burgundy with a nice feel. (90 points)

2008 Domaine Besancenot Bourgogne - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (22/2/2010)
Bright red fruits on the nose. A nice, clean, entry level Burgundy. (87 points)

2006 Domaine Besancenot Beaune Les Marriages - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune (22/2/2010)
The nose has some lovely soft red fruits with some talcy minerality. There are lovely layers of flavours in the mouth. Initially there's some very bright fruit, then deeper red fruit, then some structure, before finishing with sweet tannins. (90 points)

2002 Domaine Besancenot Beaune 1er Cru Bressandes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru (22/2/2010)
Quite a deep character to the palate, almost tending to black fruit and meatiness. Quite masculine. Possibly not for much longer ageing, despite the grippy tannins on the finish. (88 points)

2008 Lagar de Costa Albariño Rías Baixas Barrica - Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas (22/2/2010)
This is partly aged in oak for six months. There's a touch of smokey oak on the nose with green veg behind. Very, very smooth palate. The oak isn't overdone at all, though it does take some of the albarino character out of it. The finish has spicy wood. (86 points)

2005 Celler Burgos-Porta Priorat Mas Sinén Negre - Spain, Catalunya, Priorat (22/2/2010)
Feeling a touch charred on the nose, with sweet black fruits behind. On the palate, it comes across as being rather international , but before you can form much of an opinion, huge, very firm tannins take over entirely. (85 points)

2008 Verus Vineyards Sivi Pinot - Slovenia, Podravje, Ljutomer-Ormož (22/2/2010)
A very attractive, gentle pinot gris nose. Very good crisp palate with remarkable acidity for a pinot gris. Very good. (89 points)

2007 Cuvaison Pinot Noir Estate Selection - USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros (22/2/2010)
Quite bright cherry fruit on the nose - and some raspberry. Sweet fruit, sweet fruit, sweet fruit. Pretty classic, or do I mean caricature?, Californian pinot noir. (88 points)

2007 Fayolle Crozes-Hermitage Les Pontaix - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage (22/2/2010)
A very integrated feel to the nose, which has some restrained, plummy black fruit. Soft and approachable on the palate, but then there are sufficient tannins to hold it up for some time. (88 points)

2009 Bodega Bouza Albariño - Uruguay, Canelones, Las Violetas (22/2/2010)
Quite a big, open nose which is reflected on the palate. Some good character here. (86 points)

2004 Ernst Triebaumer Ruster Ausbruch - Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland, Rust (22/2/2010)
A pretty glorious nose with apricots and caramelised pears. Lovely, elegant palate. A very balanced feel, though it very much all more sweetness than anything else. (89 points)

2007 François Chidaine Touraine - France, Loire Valley, Touraine (22/2/2010)
There's woody spice and greenish black fruit on the nose. Quite forward fruit on the palate. There's a big tannic structure, yet curiously it feels well balanced. (87 points)

2002 Masùt da Rive Friuli Isonzo Pinot Nero - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Isonzo (2/21/2010)
Heavy sous bois on nose initially, with strawberry and blueberry fruit. Earthy notes recede over time.
Very pleasant palate. Nicely integrated. Some good fruit - sweet raspberry & sour cherry. Fairly soft grained tannins, but plenty of them, giving a very drying impression on the finish. (88 points)

French Winegrowers Tasting, Manchester
17th February 2010

N.V. Cheurlin-Dangin Champagne Carte Or - France, Champagne (17/2/2010)
70% pinot noir, 30% chardonnay. This has an attractive fruity nose with black fruits. Good, fairly rich palate. Nice balance. A good aperitif. (90 points)

N.V. Cheurlin-Dangin Champagne Cuvée Spéciale - France, Champagne (17/2/2010)
Quite a pale nose and gently biscuity. Fairly complex palate, but it feels more rustic than the Carte Or. (87 points)

N.V. Cheurlin-Dangin Champagne Cuvée Christiane - France, Champagne (17/2/2010)
100% pinot noir, aged in oak.
This has gentle fruit on the nose. Lovely palate. This has lots of depths and character. Very nice. (92 points)

N.V. Cheurlin-Dangin Champagne Brut - France, Champagne (17/2/2010)
100% pinot noir, rosé de saignée. A pale onion skin colour. This has a lovely, floral strawberry nose. There are lots of sweet red fruits on the palate. Definitely at the sweeter end of Brut. (87 points)

N.V. Cricco Champagne Brut - France, Champagne (17/2/2010)
A blend of pinot noir and pinot meunier. This has a very perfumed nose. On the palate, it's crisp and fairly innocuous. OK as an aperitif or with a splash of cassis. (86 points)

N.V. Cricco Champagne Reserve - France, Champagne (17/2/2010)
A blend of pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay. This has a rather strange nose, reminiscent of flowering hedgerows. Fairly decent on the palate, but overall it feels a touch hard. (86 points)

2006 Château Bourbon La Chapelle - France, Bordeaux, Médoc (17/2/2010)
This is a blend of predominantly merlot (60%) and cabernet sauvignon (35%), with the remainder made up of petit verdot and cabernet franc. There's black fruit and sweet vanilla oak on teh nose. Decent on the palate, though a bit unexceptional. Pleasant enough. Nicely drinkable. Spicy oak is evident on the finish. (86 points)

N.V. Château de Blaceret-Roy I love you Gamay Aromatique - France, Burgundy (17/2/2010)
A gorgeous fruit salad nose, really attractive. Very reminiscent of a fruit laden Pimms on the nose. There's more than a touch of sweetness on the palate. This is just gorgeous fun, and only 8% alcohol. Brilliant! (90 points)

2003 Château Castera - France, Bordeaux, Médoc (17/2/2010)
There are integrated black fruits on the nose, with a bit of a floral lift. Nicely rounded on the palate. Surprisingly attractive for 2003. A much more feminine wine that the 2004. (89 points)

2004 Château Castera - France, Bordeaux, Médoc (17/2/2010)
There are smoky, tarry black fruits on the nose. Very good palate, nicely open. It has a fairly hefty, masculine feel. (89 points)

2005 Château Castera - France, Bordeaux, Médoc (17/2/2010)
A pleasantly serious nose. The oak is obvious, but not dominating the sweet fruit. An interesting palate with decent complexity. This has really good fruit and a nice spicing from the oak. (89 points)

2007 Domaine d'Espérance Vin de Pays des Landes Cuvée d'Automne - France, Southwest France, Gascony, Vin de Pays des Landes (17/2/2010)
This is a late harvest gros manseng. It's got quite a muted nose. Nice palate, though, with some subtle, interesting flavours and very good balance. Just off dry. (88 points)

2007 Château de la Font du Loup Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (17/2/2010)
A very attractive nose with farmyard and roast meat scents alongside fresh black fruit. Definitely very attractive on the palate. Very deep flavours. Jolly good. (89 points)

2008 Château de Blaceret-Roy Fleurie Côteau Grillé Midi - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Fleurie (17/2/2010)
Remarkably Burgundy-like on the nose, with some undergrowth and clipped red fruit. There's an odd sour cherry fruit note that rather dominates the palate. Rather curious. (85 points)

2006 Château de Blaceret-Roy Beaujolais-Villages Confrerie des Canardins - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages (17/2/2010)
The nose has soft, rather minerally red fruits. An attractive palate, showing a nice maturity. Nicely integrated. (88 points)

2006 Château de Blaceret-Roy Brouilly Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Brouilly (17/2/2010)
A decent nose. Good attractive palate. There's some structure here. (88 points)

N.V. Château de Blaceret-Roy Brut de Blaceret-Roy Rouge - France, Burgundy (17/2/2010)
Not at all like Beaujolais on the nose: there are figgy prunes on the nose. Very different palate, with some strawberry fruit flavours. It doesn't smell like Beaujolais, but it tastes like Beaujolais with bubbles. Rather out of my frame of reference. But very drinkable. (88 points)

2009 Château de Blaceret-Roy Beaujolais-Villages Confrerie des Canardins - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages (17/2/2010)
Lovely, bright, floral red fruits on the nose. It feels very, very young. Young even for a Beaujolais Villages. Fairly powerful flavours. Shows some good winemaking. (88 points)

2006 Château de Blaceret-Roy Chiroubles Pente de Fontenelle Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Chiroubles (17/2/2010)
An attractive nose with very integrated red fruits. Quite a light attack, but it very quickly fills. There's a remarkably serious character here, alongside some very delicious fruit. (89 points)

N.V. Château de Blaceret-Roy Brut de Blaceret-Roy Blanc - France, Burgundy (17/2/2010)
The nose has big minerally, slightly peary fruit. Fairly full, yet quite austere on the palate. This doesn't have the same attraction as the red. (85 points)

2008 Château de Blaceret-Roy Beaujolais Cuvée Château - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais (17/2/2010)
A light, fresh nose with some peachy, peary fruit. Light fresh palate with good character. (86 points)

2006 Château de Blaceret-Roy Bourgogne Blanc - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc (17/2/2010)
A muted buttery nose. Nice open, fresh palate. A nice simple white Burgundy. (87 points)

2008 Château de Blaceret-Roy Beaujolais Rosé Tendresse - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais (17/2/2010)
The nose has fresh wild strawberries. A light, very pleasing palate. This works really well. Easy drinking but with great character. Very, very drinkable. (89 points)

2008 Château de la Font du Loup Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (17/2/2010)
A tank sample - the wine will be bottled in March 2010. Grenache-syrah-mourvèdre with a touch of cinsault. It has a very pure nose with soft, young red fruits. Lovely palate. Drinking well now and can only improve. (87 points)

2001 Château de la Font du Loup Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (17/2/2010)
Quite a figgy nose with licorice and some farmyard aromas. Good palate - this is very drinkable. It's not over-complex and very pleasingly has no sense of the premium feel, for which too much Châteauneuf du Pape is aiming. Very elegant and subtle. (91 points)

2009 Château de Tigné Le Voleur de Chardonnay - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Vin de Pays du Jardin (17/2/2010)
Cask sample.
This has quite a spirity, pear-y nose. Good, open palate. Quite wide in the mouth. Nice and easy. It's fairly simple, but works well enough. (86 points)

2009 Château de Tigné Cabernet d'Anjou - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Cabernet d'Anjou (17/2/2010)
A pale-ish salmon pink colour. Light onion skin and red fruit flavours in the mouth. It feels a touch on the sweet side (it has 20g/l R.S.), and could easily get too sweet if drunk in quantity. (84 points)

2006 Château de Tigné Vieilles Vignes - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou (17/2/2010)
A fairly attractive nose with rather green characters and some black fruit. A bit closed at the moment, maybe. A touch perfumed on the palate, this is decent stuff with a fairly simple feel. (86 points)

2009 Domaine d'Espérance Vin de Pays des Landes Vin de Soleil et Colombard - France, Southwest France, Gascony, Vin de Pays des Landes (17/2/2010)
Tank sample. A bright, clean nose with some citrus. A rich, fullish palate. No pretensions here. (84 points)

2009 Domaine d'Espérance Vin de Pays des Landes Cuvée d'Or - France, Southwest France, Gascony, Vin de Pays des Landes (17/2/2010)
55% sauvignon (blanc and gris): 45% gros manseng. This has an attractive, minerally nose. Very clean and crisp palate. This seems to be a nice blend and it works well for me. (88 points)

2009 Domaine d'Espérance Vin de Pays des Landes Vin de Soleil Rosé - France, Southwest France, Gascony, Vin de Pays des Landes (17/2/2010)
Made from unpressed tannat grapes, this is a very, very pale pink colour. There are subtle black fruits on the nose. On the palate, it feels a touch sweet, which seems to lend it very much of a red wine feel in the mouth. (84 points)

2009 Domaine d'Espérance Vin de Pays des Landes Cuvée Rosée - France, Southwest France, Gascony, Vin de Pays des Landes (17/2/2010)
A blend of 55% Tannat and 45% Cabernet-Sauvignon. A deepish red pink. The nose has bright, slightly farmyardy red fruit. There's much more character in the mouth though. This works very well. (88 points)

2009 Domaine de Flines AOC Rosé de Loire - France, Loire Valley (17/2/2010)
A medium pink appearance. There are clean, light red fruits on the nose. A nice, light, clean palate with a very good fruit character. Very attractive. (87 points)

2009 Domaine de Flines Chardonnay Vin de Pays du Val de Loire - France, Loire Valley, Vin de Pays du Val de Loire (17/2/2010)
There is subtle melon and pear fruit on the nose. Very nice palate. This is a good simple chardonnay, comme il faut. (88 points)

2007 Domaine de Rocheville Saumur-Champigny Le Page - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny (17/2/2010)
100% cabernet franc aged for 12 months in stainless steel. this has attractive black fruits on the nose, with a bit of the hedgerow too. Very attractive in the mouth: this has nice, clean, elegant fruit flavours. Good, fault-free cab franc. (89 points)

2006 Domaine de Rocheville Saumur-Champigny Le Roi - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny (17/2/2010)
100% cabernet franc aged for 14 months in oak foudres. A lovely integrated nose with nice deep black fruits. Clearly much more serious on the palate than Le Page. There are deep fruit, plenty of power, but with an attractive cabernet franc weediness. (88 points)

2005 Domaine de Rocheville Saumur-Champigny Le Roi - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny (17/2/2010)
This is somewhat fleshier on the nose than the 2006, but has good, elegant black fruit with a herbal lift. On the palate, it's clearly much more integrated and ready than the 2006, and feels more opulent. Very nice balance. (89 points)

2005 Domaine de Rocheville Saumur-Champigny Le Fou du Roi - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny (17/2/2010)
Aged 16 months in barrels, and that's immediately evident on the nose, which is very oaky; the oak very much dominating any fruit. The same is pretty much true in the mouth, though the oak has evened out the palate a bit. I'm not impressed by this, as it seems to me they've essentially taken the rather nice Le Roi and added oak to sap most of the character away. It needs lengthy decanting, which for some barmy reason it didn't get at this tasting. Why don't producers make more effort to show their wines at their best? (85 points)

2009 Domaine du Moulin Vin de Pays Nantais Gros-Plant du pays Nantais Sur Lie - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Vin de Pays Nantais (17/2/2010)
Crisp green fruits on the nose. Fresh, clean, crisp, simple. Not too high an acidity. Lovely stuff. (88 points)

2009 Domaine du Moulin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (17/2/2010)
An attractive, fresh nose with subtle perfumes. There's lots and lots of character on the palate. Although it's bone dry, this has a very pleasing richness in the mouth. (89 points)

2009 Domaine du Moulin Vin de Pays du Jardin - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Vin de Pays du Jardin (17/2/2010)
A very young, fresh chardonnay nose with almost a hint of a sauvignon blanc character. Very good palate - this is a nice crisp, peachy chardonnay. A very attractive wine. (88 points)

2009 Domaine du Moulin Gamay Vin de Pays du Val de Loire - France, Loire Valley, Vin de Pays du Val de Loire (17/2/2010)
A pale salmon pink colour. On the nose, there's some attractive strawberry and fruit salad aromas, with a hint of bubblegum. Very good palate: light, fresh, crisp. This is very attractive, easy drinking. Very clean throughout and after. Really decent length. (90 points)

2009 Domaine du Moulin Gamay Vin de Pays du Val de Loire La Pierre Blanche - France, Loire Valley, Vin de Pays du Val de Loire (17/2/2010)
There's muted fruit-flavoured bubblegum on the nose. On the palate, it's a nice, light fresh gamay. A touch unresolved as yet on the finish, with some bitter kernels. A bit too simple. (82 points)

2009 Domaine du Moulin Cabernet Sauvignon Vin de Pays du Val de Loire - France, Loire Valley, Vin de Pays du Val de Loire (17/2/2010)
A rather strange nose: cough medicine and a raw wood character. Odd palate, too. I'm not finding this wholley appealing. It feels rather un-integrated and the fruit is very green, with some raw characters. (83 points)

2009 Grand Theatre - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée (17/2/2010)
A fairly ordinary, seemingly sauvignon dominated nose. Decent palate with good character, again with sauvignon blanc apparently to the fore. (86 points)

2009 Grand Theatre Rosé- France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée (17/2/2010)
Tank sample.
A very electric, fluorescent deep pink.
Unfortunately it's corked though and they don't have another bottle to open. Not rated.

2008 Grand Theatre - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée (17/2/2010)
This has nice, bright plummy fruit on the nose. Very pleasant palate. This is a good, soft, merlot-driven basic claret. (87 points)

2009 Château Les Vergnes - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée (17/2/2010)
55% Sauvignon blanc-35% Muscadelle-10% Sémillon
Attractive and pleasant on both the palate and the nose, this has very good balance and notable length. (88 points)

2009 Château Les Vergnes - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée (17/2/2010)
A merlot-cabernet blend, yielding a very vibrant mid pink. The nose is nice and clean and fresh, though a little muted. Decent palate: there's good fruit, but a bit of a hard edge, especially on the finish. (84 points)

2008 Château Les Vergnes - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée (17/2/2010)
55% Merlot-25% Cabernet Sauvignon-20% Cabernet Franc
An attractive, youthful claret nose with a drink me character. Quite a serious palate. Drinking well now. (88 points)

2009 Château Grand Claud Bergerac - France, Southwest France, Dordogne, Bergerac (17/2/2010)
Strawberry/rasberry fruit on the nose. A good, attractive palate with a very sweet fruit note on the finish. Good length. (87 points)

2008 Château Mondesir Bergerac Rouge - France, Southwest France, Dordogne, Bergerac Rouge (17/2/2010)
60% Merlot-30% Cabernet Sauvignon-10% Cabernet Franc
There are fairly meaty black fruits on the nose. Pleasant, attractive, easy drinking. (87 points)

2008 Univitis il est Q - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée (17/2/2010)
On the nose, there are black fruit, mint, licorice and some oak. Very smooth, polished palate. A very international style that could be from anywhere. (86 points)

2006 Château Les Paris - France, Bordeaux, Entre-Deux-Mers, Sainte Foy Bordeaux (17/2/2010)
100% merlot, aged for six months in oak. On the nose, there are black fruits and a touch of stink. On the palate, there's good balance, yet retaining a pleasing austerity. (87 points)

2009 Vignoble Pin Sauvignon Blanc Domaine des Hautes Brosses - France, Loire Valley, Vin de Pays du Val de Loire (17/2/2010)
A very muted nose with some green peas. Nice, savoury palate. Not too aggressive in any direction. Lovely finish, and it hangs around with very good sauvignon aromas in the mouth for ages. (89 points)

2009 Vignoble Pin Chardonnay Domaine des Hautes Brosses - France, Loire Valley, Vin de Pays du Val de Loire (17/2/2010)
The nose has sweet melon, some peach and some minerality. This is a good basic chardonnay with a nice elegant simplicity. (87 points)

2009 Vignoble Pin Domaine des Hautes Brosses Appellation Rosé de Loire Controlée - France, Loire Valley (17/2/2010)
A blend of cabernet, grolleau and gamay, macerated for twenty hours. Quite a pale pink. Perfumed fraises de bois nose. Good, clean palate with soft red fruits. Clean and dry. (86 points)

2009 Vignoble Pin Domaine des Hautes Brosses Ancestra - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou (17/2/2010)
A rather interesting, attractive nose - waves of black fruit overlain with a red fruit lift. There's lots of character on the palate, and also a nice freshness. It's clearly young, but it doesn't feel overly so to the point that you'd want to keep it. (89 points)

2009 Vignoble Pin Cabernet d'Anjou Domaine des Hautes Brosses - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Cabernet d'Anjou (17/2/2010)
A blend of cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon, macerated for 24 hours.
A fresh minerally nose with some strawberry fruit. Unlike the Rosé de Loire, which is fully dry, this retains a bit of sweetness on the palate, which helps it down. but it remains nice and clean. Good length and continuing fruit. (86 points)

2009 Vignoble Pin Coteaux du Layon Domaine des Hautes Brosses Les Roches Fortes - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon (17/2/2010)
A very fresh nose with a hint of Trebor Fruit Salad. Very good, balanced palate. Very easy. Very enjoyable. (89 points)

2009 Vignoble Pin Coteaux du Layon Domaine des Hautes Brosses Vieilles Vignes - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon (17/2/2010)
A really very fresh nose, with gorgeous sweet aromas. Lovely fresh palate. This is a very impressive wine with huge restraint and elegance. (91 points)

2005 Vignoble Pin Coteaux du Layon Domaine des Hautes Brosses Louis de Rochepin, Louis d'Or - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon (17/2/2010)
A much more honeyed nose than the first two Coteaux du Layon wines, with some sweet melon aromas. A rich, honeyed palate. Yet still very clean and balanced. (90 points)

2009 Domaine de Flines Rosé d'Anjou - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Rosé d'Anjou (17/2/2010)
A very, very slight nose. Good, clean palate. There's a bit more sweetness here than on the Flines Rosé de Loire, but not enough to make it tiresome. This would be decent, all-round summer drinking. (87 points)

2009 Domaine de Flines Cabernet d'Anjou - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Cabernet d'Anjou (17/2/2010)
Again, a very, very slight nose. This isn't really much different to the same producer's Rosé d'Anjou, just a touch sweeter on the palate. It doesn't really seem to me to work as well as the Rosé d'Anjou. Unless you're after a sweeter style of course. (84 points)

2005 Domaine de Flines Cabernet Franc Anjou Vieilli Sous Bois - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou (17/2/2010)
Aged in second use oak.
There's some nice black fruit on the nose with a touch sawdusty oak. Quite a precise palate. Fairly green, unripe fruit characters. Overall, it's fairly pleasing. (86 points)

N.V. Domaine de Flines Crémant de Loire - France, Loire Valley, Crémant de Loire (17/2/2010)
A blend of chardonnay, grolleau gris and chenin, this has a gentle, perfumed, slightly lemony nose. Very perfumed palate; very prickly on the tongue. Some unexpected rosewater flavours. It's a bit like drinking perfume. (82 points)

2007 Domaine de Rocheville Saumur La Dame - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur (17/2/2010)
Lemony on the nose, with not quite marzipan, and some vanilla aromas. Interesting paalte. There's that slight marzipanny hint again. There's a touch of sweetness to this. Interesting wine, though I'm not entirely sure where it fits. Would be good with a meaty terrine. (87 points)

2009 Réthoré Davy Vin de Pays du Val de Loire - France, Loire Valley, Vin de Pays du Val de Loire (17/2/2010)
A good, correct sauvignon nose. On the palate, this is a good, pleasant sauvignon blanc. There's nice balance on the palate. Fresh and clean. (86 points)

2009 Réthoré Davy Chardonnay Vin de Pays du Val de Loire - France, Loire Valley, Vin de Pays du Val de Loire (17/2/2010)
There's some slightly spirity apples and pear fruit on the nose. On the palate, it's a fairly simple chardonnay. Quite full in the mouth, but not over-appealing. (82 points)

2009 Réthoré Davy Vin de Pays du Val de Loire Le Pavillon - France, Loire Valley, Vin de Pays du Val de Loire (17/2/2010)
55% chardonnay; 45% sauvignon blanc.
This has an attractive nose with good minerality and a very poised juxtaposition of the two grapes. Interesting palate. There's the fresh, legumey sauvignon blanc, neatly balanced by the chardonnay component. A vey good blend that works very well for me. Ultimately, it's unchallenging, yet it is full of interest. (90 points)

2009 Réthoré Davy Gamay Vin de Pays du Val de Loire - France, Loire Valley, Vin de Pays du Val de Loire (17/2/2010)
A very attractive gamay nose with lots of fruit, and all quite un-bubblegummy. It's immediately attractive on the palate with nice fresh, young fruit and an attractive vibrancy. There's a nice depth of flavour and notable length. (88 points)

2009 Réthoré Davy Pinot Noir Vin de Pays du Val de Loire - France, Loire Valley, Vin de Pays du Val de Loire (17/2/2010)
The nose has earthy sous-bois with a hint of farmyard and some cherry fruit. It has a very nice fruit character on the palate: sweet red fruit with a sour cherry note. The vibrancy of youth is naturally well to the fore, but it's an attractive, drinkable drop. (87 points)

2009 Réthoré Davy Vin de Pays du Val de Loire Le Pavillon - France, Loire Valley, Vin de Pays du Val de Loire (17/2/2010)
This was a tank sample of this blend of 65% cab franc, 25% pinot noir and 10% gamay. It's a remarkably deep colour. There's some attractive fruit on the nose - black fruits with a hint of cherry. There's quite sweet fruit on the palate and nice balance. It's very young, of course, but promises well. (88 points)

1996 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Crozes-Hermitage Domaine Raymond Roure - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage (2/1/2010)
Very long, high quality, very tight cork.
Enormous nose - lots and lots of sweet black fruit - plums and blackcurrants, together with some quince notes. Very intense, sweet fruit. After a while some old furniture notes come along too.
Quite sweet fruit on the attack, then that subsides into a good mature Rhoney-ness. The fruit remains, but it's very, very precise. Slight sandy tannins on the finish. Very long. Maybe feels a bit older than 1996? Perhaps it's reached a plateau? (88 points)

2007 Antonin Rodet Bourgogne Sainsbury's Red Burgundy - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (25/1/2010)
The nose has sweet raspberry and cherry fruit with a bit of fresh tobacco leaf. Light and fresh palate: there are good fruits and a nice balance. It's only simple, though not as simple as the £3.00 price, and it's really pretty good drinking. (87 points)

2008 Domaine Joubert Brouilly Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Brouilly (24/1/2010)
Very attractive strawberry and vanilla ice cream nose. Much more austere on the palate than on the nose. Remarkably firm structure. Really good minerally palate with some red fruits and quite a drying tannic structure. Really good. (92 points)

2004 Knappstein Three - Australia, Clare Valley / Pemberton (23/1/2010)
This was drunk in a restaurant, so I've not a proper TN on it. Initially, quite fresh and floral on the nose and clean and refreshing on the palate, while it was still fridge cold. After we'd persuaded them that we weren't total nutters and we really did want it out of the ice bucket so it could warm up a bit, it revealed a bit more of a vegetal note on the nose and then on the palate, good weight and solid, rounded vaguely tropical fruit character that was very food-friendly. Worked well with marinated salmon, scallops with belly pork, ham hock terrine, Dover Sole and, believe it or not, even a wintry dish of venison haunch and root vegetables. The wine has enough to it to be able to stand up to and complement the food, but is simple enough that it doesn't bully the range of dishes. (88 points)

2004 Signatures du Sud Syrah Vin de Pays d'Oc - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Vin de Pays d'Oc (23/1/2010)
Opened primarily for cooking, but just had a glass to check and taste. This is just a cheap wine, certainly not designed for ageing, so I wouldn't have been surprised if it was a bit past it, and even had a a different bottle lined up. But there's nothing wrong or over the hill about this. It's still just a simple fruity wine, but it's really pretty decent stuff. There's a gentle floral note on the nose, along with some deep, sweet black fruit. The palate still has lots of sweet black fruit, but without any jamminess. Feeling more integrated than previous bottles. (86 points)

1999 Henry Natter Sancerre Rouge Domaine de Montigny - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre Rouge (21/1/2010)
A very pale colour - going from a very mature Burgundy core to an almost clear orangey rim. This could almost be a deep rosé.
A lovely nose - very reminiscent of an old Burgundy. All very secondary aromas - mushroom, sous-bois, some VA, cherry kernels.
Light and bright on the attack. This is fully mature and needs to be drunk up . Fully integrated and very harmonious. A lovely old pinot. (92 points)

2003 Perrin & Fils Vacqueyras Les Christins - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vacqueyras (18/1/2010) 14.5% An even garnet red colour. Gently perfumed, fragrant blackberry fruit on the nose. There's a slight cocoa richness there too. There's just a fleeting glance of some vibrant fruit on the attack, then the fruit completely recedes into the background. Some soft, sandy tannins. some bitterness. This has quite an austere feel, yet lacks elegance and poise. Not sure where the pleasure is here. Is it closed? Will it improve with time? Not sure, but I suspect not. (86 points)
2007 Poggio Argentiera Morellino di Scansano Bellamarsilia - Italy, Tuscany, Maremma, Morellino di Scansano (17/1/2010) 13.5% Quite a young colour, but not vibrantly youthful. There are warm red fruits and cherries on a very integrated nose. The palate has very soft, round fruits - initially quite open, and belying its youth, though there's some exuberant, dusty tannins on the finish and a not fully integrated structure on the finish. It really needs another 3 or 4 years, I think. (89 points)
1999 Chain of Ponds Chardonnay Morning Star - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills (13/1/2010) 13.5% A mid to deep gold. It's feeling quite evolved on the nose. Very rich and buttery - beurre noisette and sauté potatoes. There's a bit of melon and kiwi fruit too. Rich and full on the palate, this is a good toasty-flavoured chardonnay. There's no great complexity, but it has a nice balance. I wonder, though, if there's really much life left ahead of it. (87 points)
1998 Borgo Salcetino Chianti Classico Lucarello Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico (11/1/2010) 13% This has thrown an impressive crust. Initially there are sweet cherries on the nose, but that quickly gives way to lots of secondary notes: leather, tins of biscuits, chocolate cantucci, orange zest. After a few hours open in the decanter, the fruit's back again. On the palate, it starts with quite precise fruit, quickly followed up by lots of nicely mature structure, with soft-grained tannins that help the wine coat the mouth. In the minutes after decanting, there's quite an austere feel to it that is really quite appealing, especially on the finish, when there's a nice sour note. But after a couple of hours, there's now a real rich, lushness, but still finishing with tannins to the fore, and that same austerity. Very enjoyable. Top stuff with a warming lasagne. (90 points)
2005 Teliani Valley Tsolikauri - Georgia, Lechkhumi, Racha-Lechkhumi (1/1/2010) Very pale lemon straw colour. Immediately creamy on the nose, but it also feels very "pretty" with some peach and nectarine fruit, plus a hint of satsuma and a parmesan-like savouriness. As you draw it into your mouth, it feels quite rich and creamy, but there's a lemony-citrus freshness of fruit there too, along with a just-noticeable touch of acidity, that balances the weight wonderfully. There's a nice savoury edge to this too which should make it good and food-friendly. (91 points)

1945 Mas Désirée Rivesaltes - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Rivesaltes (29/12/2009)
16%
A nutty, oxidative nose with some roast plum kernels. Good palate with lovely balance. Worked pretty well with the chocolate fondant. (90 points)

2005 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Laurène - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (29/12/2009)
13.%
The nose is quite peppery, with sweet, oddly black fruits. There's lovely, exquisite balance on the palate. But it's not overly special. Very nice fruit characters though. (89 points)

1983 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côte-Rôtie Les Jumelles - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (29/12/2009)
Oh yes! A quick sniff, and you just know this is going to be good and a half. When I first saw the menu, the first wine that came to mind with the main course was Côte Rôtie, and it's all here: peppery spice, strawberry fruit, and a meaty fleshiness.
Delicious palate. Very clean. Very nicely mature. Lovely balance. (92 points)

1997 Podere Rocche dei Manzoni Langhe Quatr Nas - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (29/12/2009)
Corked

2005 Spinifex Lola - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (29/12/2009)
12.5%
50% marsanne; 27% ugni blanc; 23% grenache gris
A very interesting nose: Formula One racing, says one person, and he's right. There's tarmac, oil and some rubber (but not an unpleasant rubber) on the nose, along with some minerally notes, almonds and some perfume (elderflower?).
Very nice on the palate. Good weight and depth. There's nice Rhôney fruit and a yummy stoniness on the palate. Great length. Lovely wine. (92 points)

2006 Bodega Norton Privada - Argentina, Mendoza (29/12/2009)
Gorgeous sweet strawberry and balsamic nose. But oh dear, the palate doesn't live up to the nose. Confected palate with very sweet fruit. This is big, big, big. Lost in the company. It really need a big chunk of grilled red meat. (88 points)

2007 Dr. Konstantin Frank Gewürztraminer - USA, New York, Finger Lakes (29/12/2009)
12%
A young, bright gewurz nose. In the mouth, it's a vibrant, zingy young gewurz. It feels a little odd in all this Alsatian company, but stands up very well in the company. This actually works better than a number of the Finger Lakes rieslings that I've had. (91 points)

2008 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (29/12/2009)
13.5%
There's crisp, dusky asparagus and tropical fruit on the nose. Quite big and flabby even on the palate. Rather short. It's a decent sauvignon blanc, but nothing special. (86 points)

2001 Philippe Butin Côtes du Jura Cuvée Spéciale - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (29/12/2009)
13%
A lovely amontillado nose - nuts and aromatics. A lovely sherrified palate. Deep and nutty, yet also with a good freshness. (89 points)

2006 Domaine Bachelet-Monnot Maranges 1er Cru La Fussière - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Maranges 1er Cru (29/12/2009)
13.5%
There's sweet raspberry fruit on the nose with some beetroot and a fresh, almost minty lift. It's fairly direct on the attack, but quickly falls away to weediness. (87 points)

1994 Barbeito Madeira Sercial - Portugal, Madeira (29/12/2009)
A blissful nose. Nutty. I find it rather like opening your grandma's oak wardrobe, with some burnt oranges too. The warm, caramelised oranges reappear on the palate. Haunting, and with a length to follow you all the way back home. (93 points)

1992 Cave Vinicole de Kientzheim-Kaysersberg Gewurztraminer Schlossberg - France, Alsace, Kientzheim, Alsace Grand Cru AOC (29/12/2009)
A remarkably light, bright lemon gold appearance. This has very slightly refermented in the bottle and has a bit of spritz on the palate. But the refermentation hasn't served it too badly and there's still a lovely weight on the palate. Better than I'd suspected it might be. (90 points)

1991 Rolly Gassmann Gewurztraminer Oberer Weingarten de Rorschwihr - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (29/12/2009)
A mature gewurztraminer nose. Quite raisiny on the palate. Feels a touch over the hill, but when you drink it with the Munster, it really comes alive and delights. (92 points)

2000 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Hengst - France, Alsace, Wintzenheim, Alsace Grand Cru AOC (29/12/2009)
16%
The nose is heavy, oily, though not overly gewurz-like actually, the gewurz character being somewhat disguised by the massive weight.
Very big in the mouth. Just a bit hot. Power, power, power. This isn't a style of gewurz with which I'm particularly enamoured, and, to me, it just seems to lack finesse. (86 points)

1990 Hugel et Fils Gewurztraminer Jubilee Réserve Personelle - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (29/12/2009)
14.5%
A lightish nose that really only smells of a dishwasher that's just been opened. Feels rather corked on the palate. Not rated.

1999 Bodegas Bilbainas Rioja La Vicalanda de Vina Pomal Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (29/12/2009)
There's lots of sweet fruit on the nose, and what feels initially like a touch of TCA, but which, with some swirling, seems to turn into just a bit of volatile lift. The palate is fairly wide, but with a narrow, well-defined core of sweet black fruit. It feels a bit subdued overall. Old school Rioja. (88 points)

2001 Domaine Bernard Morey et Fils Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Truffière - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru (29/12/2009)
13.5%
Beurre noisette, toffee and melon on the nose. A rich, buttery palate with a slightly bitter edge. Just a hint of oxidation on this, but (and this may be heresy) there really doesn't seem to be anything special about this at all. (86 points)

2004 Bruno Sorg Pinot Gris Alsace Grand Cru AOC Florimont - France, Alsace, Ingersheim, Alsace Grand Cru AOC (29/12/2009)
13.6%
The nose has bananas, pear and lychees with a solid structure behind. Beautiful palate. It's rich, verging on the sweet. Really nice balance. A lovely wine. (92 points)

2002 Clos de Nouys Vouvray Moelleux - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray (29/12/2009)
12%
A rather slight nose with some old lemons and scented geraniums. Very nice palate, with a lovely gentle sweetness. (89 points)

N.V. Vignerons de Caractère Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise Bouquet des Dentelles - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise (29/12/2009)
15.5%
A good, integrated muscat nose with some sawdust and some garrique. A light, fresh muscat, easily hiding that high alcohol. (89 points)

2004 Orovela Saperavi - Georgia, Kakheti (28/12/2009)
Apparently, orovela are traditional Georgian ploughing songs.
8585 bottles of this 12.5% saperavi were produced, and bottled in what is probably the heaviest bottle that I've ever come across.
Fresh black fruits - mulberries and damsons - dominate the nose. This is a big, luscious, mouthfilling red with a notable tannic structure that seems to be more from the oak than the grape. Yet it's also very clean and fresh. Very Good Indeed. (92 points)

2005 Telavi Wine Cellar Marani Khvanchkara - Georgia, West Georgia, Khvanchkara (28/12/2009)
11%
This is a blend of aleksandrouli and mujuretuli grapes, and the back label further explains that this is a "Georgian medium sweet red wine" - I should have read that before opening it, which might have meant it was less of a surprise.
On the nose there's soft cherry and strawberry fruit with a floral lift. There's light, sweetish fruit initially on the palate. There's some definite sweetness in this, but it's actually quite reasonably balanced.. It's not over-complex by any means, but it is a pleasant drink. I just found myself a bit taken aback to find it was a medium sweet red. Think of a Beaujolais with a bit of residual sugar.
Like many sweetish whites, it makes a good aperitif. It also works really well with cheese: it was remarkably versatile with cheese, complementing a range of cheese from a ewes' milk Lancashire to Comté to Stilton. (88 points)

2005 Teliani Valley Saperavi Napareuli - Georgia, Kakheti, Tsinandali (28/12/2009)
13%. This is made from saperavi grapes grown in the Napareuli district of Kakheti.
It has quite a deep colour with just a hint of youth at the rim. On the nose, there's bright, slightly gamey red fruit with dried herbs. Initially, it's very soft and inviting, with lots of subtle fruit to the fore. That's followed up by lots of interesting character. There's a nutty, sour cherry and cherry stone flavour with some hints of nebbiolo. This has a nice balance of easy drinkability and interest. Very good length. (88 points)

1997 Quinta do Noval Porto Late Bottled Vintage Unfiltered - Portugal, Douro, Porto (27/12/2009)
Luscious rich plums, mulberry and leather on the nose. Quite a fresh, fruity feel on the attack. Quite blackberry on the palate with a chocolatey richness. There's an interesting sour note on the finish. Very fine-grained tannins. The fruit on the palate has plenty of time to go, but is there sufficient structure for further long ageing? (90 points)

N.V. Champagne Raymond Boulard Champagne Petraea XCVII - XCIX - France, Champagne (25/12/2009)
Very fine and persistent bead. Lovely evolved nose with pears and baked apples. Gosh, this is really very drinkable indeed. Nicely mature, but retaining a refreshing freshness. Nice bready, almost wheaty flavours. Lacks a bit of depth, I suppose, and length. But it feels very noble. (93 points)

2000 Quinta do Vale Dona Maria Douro - Portugal, Douro (25/12/2009)
A deep, even, thick burgundy red appearance, though still with some sign of youth. Utterly gorgeous, seductive nose with perfumed plum, blackberry and mulberry, and also some very fresh tobacco notes. Wow! Get those black fruits on the palate. Very dry, almost sour fruits. Port-lite. The tannins are now quite sandy, but there's still plenty of life ahead of this. Haunting length. This really is a lovely drop. (95 points)

2007 Michel Guignier Brouilly Domaine des Amethystes - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Brouilly (24/12/2009)
12.5%
A bright, even, gently youthful appearance. Very inviting red-fruit nose - cherry and some elderberries too.
Bright, clean, fresh attack. This is very attractive with lots of character, but with a nice refinement. Think a sort of Michelin star kitchen's take on rusticity. Nicely balanced. Enormous length - surprisingly so. (91 points)

2004 Bodegas Covila Rioja Crianza - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja (21/12/2009)
This was a generic consejo bottling, but the cork reveals the producer to be Bodegas Covila. 12.5%
A bright, youthful colour. On the nose, there's fresh, plummy fruit and some blackberry. There's also a fairly sour fruit note, with some light, sweet oak. Light and fresh on the palate. This is a generic Consejo bottling, and what's in the bottle is nothing more than just a basic generic crianza. Good tipicity, I suppose. There's a slightly sour quality to the fruit which is fairly appealing. Decent structure with a bit of grip from some tannins. (84 points)

2002 Paul Blanck Pinot Gris Furstentum - France, Alsace, Kientzheim & Sigolsheim, Alsace Grand Cru AOC (19/12/2009)
13.5%
Very rich, tropical fruit on the nose, with botrytis and apricots. Lovely weight on the palate. Curiously, it's not as sweet as all the botrytis on the nose would have suggested, is rather counter-intuitive. (91 points)

1994 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): The nose has sweet black fruit and a real Chateauneuf meatiness. Very gamey, funky, wild, meaty palate. Very nice Châteauneuf. (91 points)

1994 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Laurence - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): Quite manurey on the nose, almost smelling of drains. Then there's some licoricey black fruit. Seen more oak than the first, and I rather like the classy feel that that has given to the palate, though perhaps it's a bit tamed too. (94 points)

1999 Château Pradeaux Bandol - France, Provence, Bandol (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): Honeycomb on the nose, then caramel. Actually, it smells a bit like I remember a Curly Wurly smelling in about 1974. On the palate, there's sweet fruit initially, then it becomes really rather savoury. Lovely soft texture. Something a bit odd about it, maybe even wrong, but I quite like it. (91 points)

1996 Domaine de Trévallon Vin de Pays des Bouches-du-Rhône - France, Provence, Vin de Pays des Bouches-du-Rhône (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): The nose is slightly rubbery, with some stale tea and greenish notes. Very interesting fruit character on the palate. Some wine gums there. Good structure and good length. Though it doesn't really go anywhere. (89 points)

2000 Domaine Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): A light, bright colour. Lots of violet perfume on the nose and maybe a bit of tobacco? (I think this might have been one of the points when the smokers' exhausts outside the window sneaked in.) Lovely palate. Direct, buy with plenty behind it. Very silky initially, but then the tannins fill out across the mouth. Lovely stuff. (92 points)

1995 Querciabella Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): A fairly even, not too young appearance. The nose has farmyardy red and black fruit. And cherries, which start to dominate. Good palate. This feels like it's starting to mature and has plenty of life ahead of it. There's some acidity, plenty of tannins and great balance. Very nice. (92 points)

1997 Mastroberardino Taurasi Radici Riserva - Italy, Campania, Taurasi (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): Gently sweetish, uncomplicated fruit on the nose. Lovely palate, with fairly precise, sweetish fruit. Very nicely structured. (90 points)

1999 Marc Sorrel Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): A slightly confected, gently lifted nose. Lovely palate with nice sweet fruit. Fairly direct and lacking any particular complexity, but very enjoyable. (89 points)

2004 Firesteed Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): A light, youthful ruby appearance. There are bright raspberry fruit and pigeon breast on the nose. Much fuller palate, than the appearance and nose would suggest. Though it's quite muted overall. Lots of acidity. Rather sour. Not impressing me. 83/100
I didn't like this when first poured, but a smidge squeezed out of the bottle towards the end of the evening, revealed we'd done it a disservice in not decanting well in advance. (85 points)

2005 Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): Much less petrolly on the nose, and much crisper and fresher and cleaner all round. Lovely light, bright riesling fruit on the palate. Lovely balance, though you don't quite notice it quite as much as on the UrzWurz. (89 points)

2005 Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): Quite petrolly on the nose already, with some very crisp citrus notes. Fairly sweet on the palate, but it has a really very good balance and the fine acidity means it resolves very dry. Lovely proper Kab, though perhaps feeling a bit more mature than it should - notably more mature thanthe Loosen 2005 Erdener Treppchen Kabinett. Both bottles bought at exactly the same time, both stored in the same case in identical conditions, both screwcapped. The difference must be terroir! (90 points)

2000 Château la Dournie Saint-Chinian Élise - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Saint-Chinian (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): A very deep colour. Very concentrated, sweet black fruit on the nose, along with some orangey notes. Very ripe, sweet black fruit on the palate. There's quite a floral life on the palate too. Very soft and easy. (87 points)

2001 Vilmart Champagne Grand Cellier d'Or 1er Cru - France, Champagne (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): Quite sherbetty initially on the nose, with some citrus. Goes flat very quickly. Lemony, sour apples. Good length. But you can get better still white wines than flat champagne. Disappointing bottle. (84 points)

2001 Bodega O. Fournier Alfa Crux Blend - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): Unbelievably, this was 70% tempranillo (20% malbec, 10% merlot). I would never in a 1000 years have guessed tempranillo.
Youthful, glass coating, very dark colour. Big black fruits nose. Rich and in your face on the palate with tight, almost leathery tannins. An interesting drink, and I rather liked its big South American gobby style. (90 points)

2000 Vilmart Champagne Coeur de Cuvée - France, Champagne (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): Crisp and biscuity on the nose with some pear fruit. Good attack. Round and creamy, with persistent bubbles in the mouth. Finishes a bit short. (88 points)

2007 Domaine de Montesquiou Jurançon Sec Cuvade Préciouse - France, Southwest France, Jurançon Sec (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): A pale lemon colour. Apples, pears and some apricot on the nose. Fairly ripe fruit in the mouth, complemented by a massive acidity. Slightly briney and quite savoury. (89 points)

1991 Domaine Maroslavac-Tremeau Meursault-Blagny La Tennelotte - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault-Blagny (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): It has a deep, orangey colour and a fino sherry nose. On the palate, it's just oxidised and dead. (NR/flawed)

1997 Domaine Cady Coteaux du Layon Saint-Aubin de Luigné Les Bruandières Grains Nobles - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon Saint-Aubin de Luigné (4/12/2009)
Nottingham Offline (Harts Restaurant, Nottingham): A fresh, subtle nose with some sweet honeydew melon. Lovely fresh palate: there's lots of lovely acidity to balance a gentle sweetness. Good length. (90 points)

2006 Cline Cellars Viognier - USA, California (1/12/2009)
From a half bottle. A rich, buttery nose with some nuts and apricots, plums and quite a lot of fresh citrus zestiness. Ripe apricot fruit dominates the palate. There is some freshness, but overall it feels a touch unidimensional and blowsy, and showing that 14.5% just a bit too much. (86 points)

2002 Georg Breuer Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland Riesling Auslese - Germany, Rheingau (28/11/2009)
Half bottles for Thai food offline (King's Heath, Birmingham): 8.5% From a half bottle.
A light, delicate riesling nose. Delicious palate. Very, very fresh, yet also with a delicious balanced sweetness. (92 points)

1996 Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (28/11/2009)
Half bottles for Thai food offline (King's Heath, Birmingham): From a half bottle. This is much lighter and fresher than the much younger Breuer, though the nose is rather indeterminate. There's massive acidity - much more prominent than in the Breuer. (91 points)

2000 Velich Chardonnay Tiglat Apetlon - Austria, Burgenland (28/11/2009)
Half bottles for Thai food offline (King's Heath, Birmingham): There's a lot of charry, toasty oak going on here, along with almonds and a curious hint of formaledehyde. On the palate, this is a big, oaky chardonnary, but it works well, and there's nice fruit concentration. (90 points)

2000 Château de Chamboureau Savennières Roche aux Moines Chevalier Buhard Cuvée d'Avant Doux - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières Roche aux Moines (28/11/2009)
Half bottles for Thai food offline (King's Heath, Birmingham): 13.5%. 500ml (1300 bottles produced)
This feels slightly flabby and musty on the nose. Flabby palate. Really rather sweet and syrupy with nothing to back it up. (82 points)

2008 Pieropan Soave Pieropan - Italy, Veneto, Soave (28/11/2009)
Half bottles for Thai food offline (King's Heath, Birmingham): From a half botle. This has a lovely nose - melony, fragrant, with hints of cucumber and green pepper. There is a lot more to this than I had expected. There's nice fruit on the palate, fairly ripe and tropical, yet still delicate and with good acidity. (91 points)

1983 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Mülheimer Helenenkloster Riesling Eiswein - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (28/11/2009)
Half bottles for Thai food offline (King's Heath, Birmingham): A very deep, hazed appearance. Apples and raisins on the nose. This is a rich, yet delicate old riesling. It feels older than it should. Bit of a superannuated feel. (87 points)

1990 Trimbach Gewurztraminer Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (28/11/2009)
Half bottles for Thai food offline (King's Heath, Birmingham): There's a bit of buttery, lychee gewurz nose here, but it's very muted and flat. Good balance on the palate, but it's flat and very ordinary feeling.
Returning to this bottle the next day, it was very clear that this bottle was corked, although it was far from obvious when first opened. (NR/flawed)

2006 Cline Cellars Viognier - USA, California (28/11/2009)
Half bottles for Thai food offline (King's Heath, Birmingham): 14%. A half bottle.
This is powerful stuff. Peaches and pears on the nose. This was served at the wrong point in the meal. But unfortunately, on the palate, it's rather dull, lifeless and flabby. (86 points)

N.V. Champagne Raymond Boulard Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne (28/11/2009)
Half bottles for Thai food offline (King's Heath, Birmingham): Very rich nose with some pear fruit. Very good palate. Worked nicely with Thai chicken cakes. (91 points)

1999 Feiler-Artinger Essenz Ruster Ausbruch - Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland, Rust (28/11/2009)
Half bottles for Thai food offline (King's Heath, Birmingham): 9%
There's botrytis immediately evident on the nose, alongside a slight grapiness. The essence of botrytis. The grape is almost incidental. This isn't quite as interesting as the last bottle (half bottle, that is). But it is absolutely glorious. Left overnight, it's become more complex. (94 points)

1960 Léon Beyer Riesling Reserve - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (28/11/2009)
Half bottles for Thai food offline (King's Heath, Birmingham): From a half. A very riesling nose with petrol and raisin fruit. Odd palate. It's obviously very old, and unfortunately it's now so very tired as to be dead. (81 points)

1999 Lorenzo Begali Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Monte Ca' Bianca - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico (15/11/2009)
Violet perfumed black fruits, feeling much, much tighter than the 1995. Smooth, velvety mouthfeel with lots of dried fruit. Some heat from alcohol. Grainy tannins dominnate the finish. Feels 10 years younger than the 95! (90 points)

1995 Lorenzo Begali Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Monte Ca' Bianca - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico (15/11/2009)
Lovely Christmas pudding aromas - and that was only while it was being decanted. Definitely christmas pudding on the nose: raisins, sultannas, plums, brandy butter. Lots of rich dried fruit on palate. Initially a touch hot, but that blew off quite quickly. Fruit becomes a bit brighter on finish. Nice integrated tannins and good, precise finish and fitting length. It feels nicely mature - possibly just slightly more advanced than I'd expected. (91 points)

N.V. Ayala Champagne Brut Majeur - France, Champagne (14/11/2009)
Plenty of bottle age evident from the cork, possibly less so on the still golden colour. Very rich, very toasty nose with pear & peach fruit and a touch of white pepper. Rich and full-flavoured on the palate, with good concentration of fruit. The overall impression is of good balance, and a nice classic feel. Easily worth the £13.49 I paid. (90 points)

2007 Antonin Rodet Bourgogne Sainsbury's Red Burgundy - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (9/11/2009)
Light colour, that's actually not as immature as I was expecting. Decent nose: soft raspberry and cherry fruit with a touch of sous bois and more than a touch of weediness.
Bright red fruits on the palate. Bright, light, even a bit thin. Good flavours, definitely feeling more Burgundy than cheaper new world pinot noir.
Neat and clean, and a bargain at £3 a bottle. (87 points)

1999 Fratelli de Nicola Piemonte Feyles Barbera e Freisa Costabella - Italy, Piedmont, Piemonte DOC (7/11/2009)
Herbal, fragrant, slightly minty nose with red and cherry fruit. Very elegant palate with nice red fruit. Fairly sweet fruit. It feels quite delicate and has thrown a very fine sediment that required very careful pouring. (92 points)

1996 Château de Cérons - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Cérons (7/11/2009)
A soft gentle nose, revealing delicate, fresh and gentle botrytis. Fairly simple, balanced palate. Reasonably straightforward. Very honest and almost rustic. (88 points)

1999 Domaine de Vallouit Côte-Rôtie Cuvée Special La Voniere - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): There are high tones immediately on the nose. Very powerful high tones. Very scented, reminding me of cheap air freshener.
On the palate, there's sweet fruit initially, and lots of viognier fragrance to it. For my taste, it's very high toned to the detriment of much else.
It would appeal to Burgundy lovers, but if I want Burgundy, I'd open a bottle of Burgundy, not Côte Rôtie.
Others seem to really like this, but I'm left wondering if it's really meant to be like this, and just finding it very hard work. (84 points)

2003 Penfolds Shiraz Magill Estate - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Plains (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): A much more concentrated nose than the St Henri, with bacon-y, gamey, black fruit. A really luscious mouthfeel: velvety and rich initially, giving way to fruit, giving way to a very firm tannic structure on the finish. Very big after. Huge length, though quite medicinal and numbing, like the effect of oil of cloves at the dentist's. (90 points)

2003 The Colonial Estate Sémillon L'expatrie - Australia, South Australia (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): A very elegant nose, with much more poise. Citrus scents, with a touch of vanilla, and a slight hint of wool. Very good palate. Very balanced, with good acidity. Very nice indeed. (93 points)

1996 De Bortoli Rare Dry Botrytis Sémillon - Australia, New South Wales, Big Rivers, Riverina (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): A much deeper colour than the others. Honey, apricots and lemon on the nose. It's rich and full on the palate. It feels like it should be sweet, but it isn't. Nice, complex flavours. But there's a certain bizarreness in the mixed messages it gives you. Very interesting, but it messes with your head. (92 points)

2000 Chain of Ponds Shiraz Ledge - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): Herbes de provence and dried rosemary dominate the nose, along with some lamb fat. There's lots of dried herbal character on the palate too, along with a certain meatiness. In fact, this is quite simply roast lamb in a glass! A very interesting wine, at least in the context of these other syrahs/shirazes. It might be a bit odd on its own in isolation though. (90 points)

1998 Penfolds Shiraz St. Henri - Australia, South Australia (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): A rather subtle nose with very gentle black fruits and some herbal, almost medicinal notes. On the palate, there's a silky, caressing mouthfeel. Very precise. Very classy. (92 points)

1996 St Hallett Shiraz Old Block - Australia, South Australia, Barossa (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): Corked. (NR/flawed)

2001 Brokenwood Shiraz Graveyard - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): A refined nose - really rather minerally; fairly sweet; slightly lifted; slightly confected. A much nicer palate than the nose. Elegant fruit and very poised. Good stuff. (91 points)

1999 Thierry Allemand Cornas Chaillot - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): Woah!!! Good grief. Sweaty armpits with extra cheese! And some furniture polish too.
Fortunately, the palate is as way out. There's sweet fruit, but a nice finesse. This has really good balance and is very fine on the finish, with very good length. (92 points)

2000 Peter Lehmann Shiraz Stonewell - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): A very sweet, very jammy, rather simple nose: sweet plummy fruit with some chocolate. On the palate, it's sweet and jammy with parkeresque fruit gobbiness. Good if you like this sort of thing, but it left me feeling unrewarded. (87 points)

1992 Qupé Syrah Reserve Bien Nacido Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): Yes, only 12.5% alcohol. An attractive nose: fairly meaty, with some bacon fat and some sweet black and red fruit. Lovely palate, with a lovely texture. It's luscious without being heavy. Mmm ... this is a lovely wine. It has a dusty, arid not-quite-garrique feel that speaks so much of the terroir. Superb wine. (94 points)

2002 Casas del Toqui Sémillon Late Harvest - Chile, Central Valley, Rapel Valley, Cachapoal Valley (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): Some wines have front and back labels on the bottles; this has two different front labels.
A dull, rther dried out, nothing-y nose. Musky and foxy with just a hint of TCA? On the palate, you can see some fresh, reasonably elegant fruit, but it is corked. (NR/flawed)

2000 Chateau Musar Blanc - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): Pear spirit, honey, vanilla and lots of volatile acidity on the nose. This isn't right, I think. and it does taste slightly corked, underneath some rich creaminess. This has none of the rich, satisfying savoury feel on a previous bottle. Faulty. (NR/flawed)

2007 Two Hands Shiraz Angels Share - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): An interesting nose with really quite subtle black fruits, bacon fat and dried herbs. In the mouth, this is large rather than big. Muscular and well toned, rather than big and flabby - remarkably so given the high alcohol content, which it carries (and hides) extraordinarily well. Very good balance. I like this more than I thought I was going to. (90 points)

2006 Tenimenti Luigi d'Alessandro (Manzano) Syrah Cortona - Italy, Tuscany, Cortona (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): A youthful, vibrant nose with soft cherry fruit and a very subtle herbal lift. Young palate with lots of grippy tannin, followed up with a bit of raw alcohol on the finish. Rather green, unripe fruit in the mouth. Dull and unimpressive. Tuscany doesn't instantly make you think of syrah, and this bottle sort of explains why. (83 points)

1991 Tyrrell's Sémillon Old Winery - Australia, South Eastern (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): Lemon groves on the nose, along with some hay. There's a nice weight on the palate. Very attractive and nicely balanced with good acidity on the finish. (90 points)

2005 Mount Horrocks Sémillon - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): There's something raw and green on the nose of this. It's also much more buttery on the nose than the Tyrell's. On the palate, it's young and still fairly tight. There's lots of acidity, that's not really feeling particularly integrated. Blimey! Get those burnt match flavours in the mouth after! Woah! Going back to it, there's sulphur on the nose too.
With some time, it improved noticeably, but retaining the massive, searing acidity on the finish. (87 points)

2005 Domaine du Murinais Crozes-Hermitage Cuvée les Amandiers - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): This has an attractive nose - very slightly funky, and with lots of hedgerow fruits. Very nice palate. Very balanced with good poise. This feels to me more elegant than many Crozes. Very good flavours: sweetish fruit and there's a nice savouriness to it. (91 points)

2007 Glazebrook Syrah 040°S 177°E Regional Reserve - New Zealand, North Island, Hawkes Bay (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): An interesting nose with a subtle meatiness. Salami maybe, alongside a touch of bisto and chocolate. In the mouth, it's powerful stuff. Very hot. Really rather simple feeling. There's also an odd, treacly feel at the edge of the palate. Not for me. (82 points)

2006 Château Ramon Monbazillac - France, Southwest France, Dordogne, Monbazillac (6/11/2009)
Manchester Offline (Choice Bar & Restaurant): Stonkingly badly corked. (NR/flawed)

2008 Emilio Bulfon Sciaglìn Venezia Giulia IGT - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT (2/11/2009)
There's butter and beurre noisette immediately on the nose, with a hint of vomit and greengage fruit. Rich attack with lots of butteriness, and fresh green fruit and unripe bananas behind. Really a bit odd, but in a nice way. Nothing unpleasant about this. There's lots and lots of acidity which is noticeable particularly after and on the massive length. (90 points)

2008 Bellbird Spring Home Block White - New Zealand, South Island, Canterbury, Waipara (28/10/2009)
13%
This is a blend of pinot gris, riesling, muscat and gewurztraminer. I think I've had all those grape varieties from New Zealand (not 100% sure about muscat), but I'm pretty sure this is the first Kiwi Edelzwicker I've had.
It has a sweetish, honeyed, perfumed, Edelzwicker nose. You can pick up the weighty gewurz, the minerally riesling and the floral muscat, but they're alll very nicely integrated. On the palate, it's really very ful, with lots of ripe fruit. There's some definite gewurztraminer weight here, but there's more than just that. There's an oily textured flavour and then right on the finish some grapey muscat. This is a good blend and well made. Good finish, with nice length. (89 points)

2001 Lorenzo Begali Tigiolo Veronese IGT - Italy, Veneto, Veronese IGT (18/10/2009)
Quite a deep ruby colour. Very pleasant, aromatic, slightly gamey nose with some dried fruit. Very smooth, and all too easily drinkable on the palate. Good fruit character. Quite slight tannins give it a nicely integrated feel. (93 points)

N.V. Emilio Lustau Pedro Ximénez Solera Reserva San Emilio - Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry (15/10/2009)
Very, very dark - more treacle like than engine oil. There are custard and sultanas on the nose. This is so, so rich and mouthwatering - so much so, you hardly noticed the flavour. On the palate, it is, of course, rich and sweet, but there's also a freshness and an even challenging acidity that really lifts this above the level of some other PXs. (91 points)

2007 Claudy Clavien (La Cave des Champs) Les Tsamps Valais - Switzerland, Valais (15/10/2009)
11.5%
This is fresh, crisp and subtly fragrant on the nose, along with some tropical fruit - papaya and pineapple. Light, fresh and elegant on the attack, this broadens out quite quickly in the mouth. It's really quite full, but retains a freshness and good acidity. Very, very long. (89 points)

1990 Fattoria Selvapiana Chianti Rùfina Riserva Bucerchiale - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Rùfina (15/10/2009)
13.5%
A mature, even old nose - it's all quite secondary, redolent of a cedary cigar box that's had cherries and plums stored in it. Gorgeous palate. This is fully mature and initially feeling very integrated. But then there's a really very firm tannic structure and - on the finish - an almost bracing acidity, especially on the finish, on the tip of the tongue. The fruit is now really fairly secondary, but there's certainly rush to drink this up.
Butter makes everything taste better ... and that includes this wine. The fat really cuts the tannins/ This would have been better with a nice rib eye than with a lean game bird. My mistake. When the mouth's got a bit of a fat coating, this seems much more Chianti-like and actually younger. It's quite remarkable how it changes with some bread and butter. (92 points)

2004 Nikolaihof Riesling Reserve Steiner Hund - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kremstal (14/10/2009)
An interesting nose with very warm, creamy minerality, with some peachy and citrus notes. Quite full on the palate: very vibrant with a ripe richness that's been fermented to dry. Very, very balanced. Really nicely complex layers in the mouth, alongside the richness and good body. The weight in the mouth is followed up by a tongue tingling acidity on the finish. There's real depth and interest here.
This was drunk over the course of a meal, and so about two hours later, the peach fruit on the nose is now tempered by some apples and even a hint of almonds. The acidity is much more prominent now and somewhat overbalances the complexity of earlier. Still an excellent wine by any standard. (94 points)

1996 Château de Cérons - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Cérons (14/10/2009)
The nose has honey - a delicate honey - and lemon thyme notes: there's a very definite, herbal, almost medicinal note on the nose. Imagine a medicine cabinet with an open jar of linden honey in it. On the palate, it's really quite fresh - much more so than I was expecting - and this was from a third-empty half bottle too. There's a very mellow richness on the palate. This is a very non-obvious sweet wine. It's got a good acidity, and an almost appley-pear-y crispness to balance the botrytis that is evident on the attack. Rather interesting. (90 points)

2002 Pravis Niergal Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT (11/10/2009)
Initially there are some slightly weedy red fruits on the nose with a bit of a lift. The VA lift develops for a while before starting to disipate after maybe an hour or hour and a half. Initially, it's quite Musarey. It really starts to come alive on the palate with the citrussy-tomato of an osso-bucco. There's still some of the wild, untamed red fruit: there's a very attractive funky note to this, but it doesn't get in the way of good fruit character and a sort of beefed up pinot noir character. (91 points)

2006 Azienda Agricola Il Carpino Cabernet Sauvignon Venezia Giulia IGT - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT (10/11/2009)
There are some very definite chocolate-dipped blackcurrants on the nose. Very rich, but a touch of blackberry fragrance gives it a bit of a lift. There's lots of ripe fruit on the palate, but no jamminess. It's not especially cabernet like and has quite a nice lift towards the finish. Interesting. (88 points)

N.V. Bodegas Tradición Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Palo Cortado Muy Viejo Superior a 30 Años - Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry (7/10/2009)
Bottle No. 1549/1550. 19.5%
A lightish golden teak colour. The nose is really gorgeous: very bright, yet also very seductive. There are some orangey citrus notes, nuts, some anchovy hints, some green olives, and it's all quite fresh. Lovely palate. Very fresh initially, with some orange notes. Nicely savoury, but retaining a lovely freshness throughout. Interminable finish. (93 points)

2001 Domaine Lucien Boillot et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cherbaudes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (28/9/2009)
13%
An attractive colour: it's lost its youth and is starting to mature. A meaty, musky sous-bois nose: it's all mushrooms, flesh and decay on the nose with virtually no fruit. Bright, clean attack. There's lots of depth and even a bit of power. Some very deep red fruit, accompanied by a good structure, though the integration of the tannins suggests that it may not be for the very long term. (89 points)

2004 La Cave de l’Abbé Rous Collioure Cuvée des Peintres - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Collioure (27/9/2009)
13.5%
A slightly coppery deep straw colour. A very rich, full nose: deep and creamy with almonds, butter and a bit of apricot fruit. Rich and full on the attack, and almost a bit blowsy. There's a weight to it that leads to an impression of some sweetness, but it's bone dry, especially noticeably so on the finish. There's also a bit of a floral perfume on the palate. (89 points)

2006 Azienda Agricola Il Carpino Tocai Friulano Exordium Venezia Giulia IGT - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT (12/9/2009)
A mid gold. The nose is attractively minerally with gently floral notes and some apple and peach aromas. A lovely fresh attack - very clean. It quickly fills out, with lots of complex, mouthfilling layers. Very lingering after - huge, huge length. (92 points)

2004 Azienda Agricola Il Carpino Malvasia - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio (12/9/2009)
14%
A deepish gold. The nose is very floral and delicate with a vanilla background. Much more powerful and deep on the palate: this is rich and full; creamy and creamy textured, with deep aromatic flavours. (91 points)

2007 Weingut Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Old Vines (Marks & Spencer bottling) - Germany, Rheingau (9/9/2009)
A very attractive riesling nose, now starting to lose its vibrancy of early youth and taking on some subtle petrolly notes, with peach fruit knitting it all together. Lovely attack - very fresh and bright. It very quickly widens out in the mouth. This bottle feels a tad sweeter than the last one opened, but with a sherbetty, zingy citrus bite to it also. There's nice ripe fruit and minerality, which both linger on the palate after. Remarkable length. (90 points)

2005 Concha y Toro Chardonnay Amelia - Chile, Aconcagua, Casablanca Valley (4/9/2009)
New Zealand Offline to welcome Mark Henderson to Manchester (Manchester): A very curious nose. Creamy, pungent and like some mad sauvignon-viognier blend initially, but then it seems to reveal more buttery, toasty oak with a bit more chardonnay character. Rather simple palate. (84 points)

2006 Felton Road Pinot Noir Block 3 - New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago (4/9/2009)
New Zealand Offline to welcome Mark Henderson to Manchester (Manchester): From the first whiff as it's poured into the glass, it's obvious this is a bit special. Gloriously integrated nose. Lovely attack. But it's a bit separate and unresolved on the finish, with lots of alcohol (it's 14.5%) showing too clearly. It's an impressive wine, which at the moment is very much let down by the alcoholic heat. Too young. The score reflects current drinking, not potential. (87 points)

2000 Cloudy Bay Pelorus (Brut) - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (4/9/2009)
New Zealand Offline to welcome Mark Henderson to Manchester (Manchester): Quite a deepish colour, matched by a rich and evolved nose. The palate is nice and roundedd with a very good mature feel. Then it really narrows down and focusses in the mouth to a very precise, pin-point, fresh feeling, that's much fresher than the attack. Very interesting. (90 points)

1998 Obsidian Waiheke Island - New Zealand, North Island, Auckland, Waiheke Island (4/9/2009)
New Zealand Offline to welcome Mark Henderson to Manchester (Manchester): A stinky, stinky, stinky nose: rather foul and oxidised, with some rubbery notes. This feels like it's been cooked at some point. The palate is dried out with lots of nebbiolo like tannins and tobacco-soaked leather. (NR/flawed)

1995 Tenimenti Luigi d'Alessandro (Manzano) Syrah Cortona Il Bosco - Italy, Tuscany, Cortona (4/9/2009)
New Zealand Offline to welcome Mark Henderson to Manchester (Manchester): This bottle is labelled as an IGT Syrah de Toscana, produced by the Fattoria di Manzano.
The wine has a meaty, fleshy nose with some tar and sweet black fruit. On the palate, it's sweet and direct, with lots of tannins and some cocoa nibs combined with sweet fruit. (89 points)

2007 Distant Land Pinot Gris - New Zealand, North Island, Hawkes Bay (4/9/2009)
New Zealand Offline to welcome Mark Henderson to Manchester (Manchester): 13.5% This has a very Alsatian feel on the nose. There's gentle spice, stone fruit and a nice lift. In the mouth, it's a good, but unexceptional pinot gris. (85 points)

2008 Bellbird Spring Home Block White - New Zealand, South Island, Canterbury, Waipara (4/9/2009)
New Zealand Offline to welcome Mark Henderson to Manchester (Manchester): A rounded nose with a very Alsatian feel. You can feel the gewurztraminer and pinot gris predominantly. Then you feel the riesling and its minerality. Lovely palate. This is a very nice blend. It's richer and fuller than many edelzwickers. Good weight. Worked well with spicy prawns. (91 points)

2007 Te Mania Sauvignon Blanc Reserve - New Zealand, South Island, Nelson (4/9/2009)
New Zealand Offline to welcome Mark Henderson to Manchester (Manchester): The nose has well defined sauvignon blanc green fruits, peas and asparagus, but with some creamy oak. Nice palate, feeling very much like tamed NZ sauvignon blanc. Very nicely balanced. (89 points)

2007 Folding Hill Pinot Noir - New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago Bendigo (4/9/2009)
New Zealand Offline to welcome Mark Henderson to Manchester (Manchester): There are subtle red fruits on the nose - very gentle and un-obvious. There's fresh fruit on the palate initially, which then resolves itself into a stalky greenness. Ticks some pinot noir boxes, but overall doesn't satisfy me. (86 points)

1989 Goldwater Cabernet-Merlot - New Zealand, North Island, Auckland, Waiheke Island (4/9/2009)
New Zealand Offline to welcome Mark Henderson to Manchester (Manchester): This feels a touch hot on the nose with some torrefaction alongside the sweet black fruit. A lovely mature palate - fully integrated. It has a very generous feel on the palate. (91 points)

1990 Vidal Estate Cabernet-Merlot Reserve - New Zealand, North Island, Hawkes Bay (4/9/2009)
New Zealand Offline to welcome Mark Henderson to Manchester (Manchester): This has a nice, mature, claret-like feel on the nose, with sweet black fruit and tobacco. Very slightly hot, maybe. There are lots of sweet fruit on the palate, which perhaps doesn't fully live up to the promise of the nose. There's good balance, though, and it's very pleasant drinking. (90 points)

2008 Riverby Estate Noble Riesling Single Vineyard Marlborough - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (4/9/2009)
New Zealand Offline to welcome Mark Henderson to Manchester (Manchester): 10% This has a really lovely nose, with fresh nectarines and a muscat grapiness. Gorgeous palate: very sweet and luscious, but with that lovely riesling acidity. Excellent citrussy riesling characters. (92 points)

2008 Forrest Estate The Doctors' Noble Chenin Blanc Marlborough - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (4/9/2009)
New Zealand Offline to welcome Mark Henderson to Manchester (Manchester): A fascinating nose with wet wool and honey to the fore. Lovely palate. Wow! This is good. There's a lovely balance on the palate. Really complex with some lovely lemony-peach flavours. Gorgeous. (94 points)

2008 Alluviale Sauvignon Blanc Anobli - New Zealand, North Island, Hawkes Bay (4/9/2009)
New Zealand Offline to welcome Mark Henderson to Manchester (Manchester): 11%
There's an overwhelming smell of EvoStik on the nose initially, but eventually you can fight past the solvents and find some fresh peas. Very, very sweet on the palate, and I find it lacking in complexity. There's quite a waxy feel in the mouth. (88 points)

1999 Abadia Retuerta Vino de la Tierra Castilla y León Selección Especial - Spain, Castilla y León, Sardon de Duero, Vino de la Tierra Castilla y León (31/8/2009)
13%
Plums, sour cherries and chocolate combine with some subtle high tones on the nose. A rich chocolatey-textured palate with a sour cherry background which then turns into bitter chocolate. This really is very chocolatey. But without being too sweet or heavy. There's actually a nice finesse to it. (91 points)

1985 Nicolas Potel Santenay 1er Cru Beaurepaire - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Santenay 1er Cru (26/8/2009)
13%
A very loose cork that crumbled. A fairly pale and mature appearance. The nose is really stinky and dirty with furniture polish and high-toned notes - i.e. a good, mature burgundy nose. It's immediately attractive on the palate, then it turns quite slutty, with red fruit and decaying pigeon flesh. Theres' a touch of tannins on the finish. Nice. (88 points)

N.V. Louis Chaurey Champagne Brut (Marks & Spencer bottling) - France, Champagne (24/8//2009)
12%
There's a slightly pinkish he to the rich-ish straw colour, and a vigorous bubble stream. The nose is nicely zesty, with overtones of lemon flavour washing up liquid. This is a fresh, crisp fizz. Ultimately it's rather simple, but for a tenner it's pretty decent. But if it cost much more (e.g. when it's not on promotion), then a good cava or prosecco is going to beat it hands down. (85 points)

2008 Poderi Colla Langhe Riesling - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (22/8/2009)
A minerally, talcy nose with lemon hints. Fresh and very clean on the palate. There's good fruit: slightly tropical, slightly green. Very notable acidity. (87 points)

2004 Domaine René et Vincent Fleith Pinot Blanc - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (16/8/2009)
13%
A bright lemon gold. Very big, tropical fruits dominate the nose, with an almost Rhône-like sweetness. On the palate, there are big, ripe, tropical flavours. This is really easy and pretty impressive drinking. There's a nice balance. Dried fruits on the finish. Very good length. (89 points)

2004 Twee Jonge Gezellen Krone Borealis - South Africa, Coastal Region, Tulbagh (12/8/2009)
12%
A deepish straw. A fairly slight nose - gently minerally, with lemon and freshly baked white bread with a hint of peaches. It's really rather big on the palate: very wide and full with some quite deep blackcurrant fruit. The fullness of flavour combined with a very dry, crisp, almost austere note is a bit odd. (87 points)

2004 Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards (TMV) Viktoria - South Africa, Western Cape (10/8/2009)
14.5% abv, but you never would never guess, and you certainly don't notice it.
Still a fairly youthful appearance. Sweetish nose, feeling fairly spicy with meaty vertones and some black olives. Immediately, it's very attractive on the palate. There are ripe red fruits layered with a lovely fleshy meatiness. Superb balance. Great length, with a very classy feel lingering in the mouth long after. Very delicious and a bargain at under a tenner. (91 points)

2007 Dr. Konstantin Frank Johannisberg Riesling Semi-Dry - USA, New York, Finger Lakes (3/8/2009)
On the nose, initially there's a little touch of apple freshness, but then that quickly dissipates and there's much more of an Alsatian feel on the nose with richer notes, some peach, some honeysuckle.
A bit simple on the palate. It has a Spätlese level of sweetness, but without the ripeness and elegance of Mosel fruit to match that. The acidity's just a bit muted too. Pleasant, but not exactly stunning. (86 points)

2007 Trivento Viognier Tribu - Argentina (25/7/2009)
Gently aromatic nose. Light and fresh on the palate. Much fresher, cleaner and drier than many viogniers, and with a nice purity and clarity. A viognier that's not going to scare the chardonnay and sauvignon blanc drinkers. Nice wine, very food friendly, and a good price (c. £15 in a restaurant, so presumably <= £5 retail). (87 points)

2007 Domaine du Colombier Crozes-Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage (18/7/2009)
Very young obviously, though we asked for it to be given a good sloshing between decanters.
Lots of bright, primary black fruit and tea on the nose very inviting. Soft and gentle and youthful palate. Very pleasant drinking now, but a good few years ahead of it too. (91 points)

2008 Vinhos Sogrape Vinho Verde Quinta de Azevedo - Portugal, Minho, Vinho Verde (16/7/2009)
10.5%
A rather slight nose - very gently scented with some chalky minerality. Fresh, crisp and clean on the palate. This is unchallenging and simple, and pretty much what you'd expect from a big producer's vinho verde. There's a slight touch of melon on the palate, maybe. (83 points)

2007 Wagner Riesling Semi-Dry - USA, New York, Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake (9/7/2009)
Looks the business - a green tinged pale gold.
There's peach and a non-petrolly riesling minerality on the nose, with some wet concrete and granite.
On the palate, it's immediately rich and pretty deep. Quite creamy with some peach again, and some tropical fruit flavours and bright, vibrant citrussy acidity. It definitely feels at the sweeter end of the Kabinett range, but without veering into the weight of Spätlese. Maybe sweetness and acidity could be a bit better integrated? There's a roast peach feel on the finish. Very, very long. It's not premier league Mosel riesling, but it's still an enjoyable, well-made drink. (90 points)

2007 Michele Chiarlo Moscato d'Asti Nivole - Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Moscato d'Asti (6/7/2009)
A very floral nose with rose and lots of scented geranium leaf. There's a slight hint of something else too - a bit of ozone? Lovely fresh, off-dry palate with delightful floral flavours. Very delicious. (91 points)

2003 Tocai Friulano, DOC Collio, Aldo Polencic
Quite a deep colour. Nice fragrant, floral nose.
Very nice on the palate, inititially fresh and floral, but gaining depth with time. Lovely with charcuterie from Friuli, and veal chop, but really shone with an arrabiata sauce on pasta, which really brought out both a primary fruit character and a complex depth. 91/100
(5/7/09 at The Italian Orchard, Broughton)

1995 Tazzelenghe Vino da Tavola, Le Vigne di Zamò en magnum
A deep colour, nowhere near as mature as the nose or palate.
Mature, lifted nose with cherry, prunes and tobacco.
Fully mature on the palate. Lots of acidity, but much more integrated than a young tazzelenghe. Still pretty heft tannins especially after time (2 hours after decanting) - aeration brings out the tannins somewhat. Some cherry fruit behind.
It feels very mature, but with the acidity and tannins could well last a few more years. 89/100
(5/7/09 at The Italian Orchard, Broughton)

2007 Bacchus Dry, Brightwell Vineyards, Oxfordshire, 11.5% (Waitrose)
Bright, crisp and clean. This is a particularly light example of English Bacchus, feeling more Muscadet-like than often. Nice, crisp, refreshing wine. Very pleasant. 86/100
(3/7/09)

1985 Santenay 1er Cru Beaurepaire, Nicolas Potel (Berry Brothers & Rudd)
This has a pale, fully mature colour. Quite a light nose, but fully mature: there's sweet raspberry fruit, with a fully integrated feel. There's a touch of cough medicine there too. Good attack. It's rather light on the palate, lacking depth, but it is a fully mature, elegant pinot noir. Though it lacks a bit of a sense of terroir, or even French-ness, and tasted blind, you could easily guess this was South American. It's nothing earth-shattering, but a very pleasant drink. 87/100
(1/7/09)

2007 Sauvignon Gris, Estero Vineyard, Casa Marin, Aconcagua Valley, Chile
Very sauvignon-blanc like on the nose with lots of asparagus character. Creamier on the palate than most Chilean sauvignon blancs, and blind I'd be thinking this was something like Cloudy Bay's Te Koko. Nicely made, but the interest is in the grape variety rather than anything that's happened in the winery. 86/100
(27/6/09 at Cabbage Hall, Tarporley)

2008 Quinta de Azevedo, Vinho Verde, Sogrape (Waitrose), 10.5%
A bright, lemony, floral nose, maybe with hints of air freshener. Very fresh, very zingy palate. Good crispness, but with a feeling of a bit of weight and ripeness behind. A bit simple maybe. 87/100
(24/6/09)

1997 Trittenheimer Apotheke Riesling Kabinett, Weingut Laurentiushof, AP Nr. 2 607 184 4 98, 8%
A very correct, reasonably mature Kab. Probably the best bottle of this, the extra age having helped it. Perhaps a touch on the sweet side? 88/100
(17/6/09)

2007 Bacchus Dry, Brightwell Vineyards, Oxfordshire, 11.5% (Waitrose)
Peaches and elderflower on the nose. Crisp and fresh on the palate. There's good floral fruit, but with a bit of depth and character behind. Remarkable length: seems to go on forever.
It really improves in a Riedel sauvignon blanc glass, which brings more fruit and reduces the acidity a little.
Nice, crisp, refreshing wine. Very pleasant indeed.
(13/6/09)

2004 Cuvée Gwladys, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie, Domaine de la Bazilière
A rather slight nose. There's nice mature fruit on the palate with some depth. This is a pleasant, fairly rounded drink, though it's just a bit slight overall. 86/100
(8/6/09)

2002 Passo Doble Doppia Fermentazione La Arboleda, Masi Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina
A just-matured ruby colour. Rather interesting nose: rich black plums and a bi of crème de mûre, with a savoury umami edge. Very nice palate: it's feeling nicely evolved, but still has good, sweet fruit. Very rounded with a chocolate-prune feel on the finish. Nicely integrated and working very well now. 92/100
(8/6/09)

2001 Corbières Grande Cuvée, Société Cooperative Castelmaure
A very deep, dark colour.
There are very plummy black fruits dominating the nose, with some mint and a hint of garrigue.
The palate has sweet fruit initially, but that fades fairly quickly, revealing quite a restrained tannic structure and some leafy bitterness, turning to a positively sour note on the finish. I think this is fading, or rather already a bit past it. 82/100
(7/6/09)

2004 Roncús Bianco Vecchie Vigne, Azienda Agricola Roncús, DOC Collio, 13.5%
This is a blend of 70% malvasia, 20% tocai friulano, 10% ribolla gialla.
There's a gentle fragrant, minerally nose with white flowers and musk. There's quite a concentrated streak in there too. It's very good on the attack, with lots of fresh, fragrant white fruit. On the palate, it's quite full and deep, perhaps with a slight hint of raisining to the fruit. There is also a touch of hard acidity on the finish and it also feels more than 13.5% abv. Nice wine though. 89/100
(25/5/09 at The Italian Orchard, Broughton)

2004 Vespa Bianco, Bastianich, DOC Colli Orientali del Friuli
This is a blend of 45% Chardonnay, 45% Sauvignon, 10% Picolit (Late Harvest)
There's lots of bright, minerally citrus on the nose with very fresh almonds. Very good palate - quite full, and as it warms up to room temperature, you notice a bit of alcohol on the finish. But even just lightly chilled, it feels very fresh, with a lovely deep flavour, feeling almost slightly like a cross between a gently oaked chardonnay and a white from the southern Rhone. Great food wine - worked well with a range of dishes, from antipasti, to crab and scallop tagliolini, lobster thermidor and veal chop. 90/100
(25/5/09 at The Italian Orchard, Broughton)

1994 Forster Jesuitengarten Riesling Beerenauslese, Reichsrat Von Buhl, Pfalz, Germany
Opened for cooking (a sorbet), so just a quick sniff and slurp to reveal that all seems correct and as per previous bottles. 88/100
(23/5/09)

NV Pétillant de Muscat, Cave de St. Sardos, St. Sardos VDQS, Gascony, 2.5% (DeVigne Wines)
A medium salmon pink. There is sweet, musky, fresh grape juice on the nose. Clean and slightly sweet, grapey palate. A very summery drink. It doesn't taste like it, but it's reminiscent of strawberries in the sunshine and low alcohol Pimms (this is only 2.5% abv). Very clean, with some sweetness lingering after. 89/100
(22/5/09)

2001 Hécula, DO Yecla, Bodegas Castano, 14%
An even garnet colour, with just the merest hint of youth lingering on. The nose is meaty with herby black fruits and a hint of soy sauce.
Open palate. Quite wide. There's good, deep, almost chocolatey fruit initially, then a bit of unresolved alcoholic heat, then sandy tannins and dried fruit on the finish. Good length.
The second half of the bottle on the second day was feeling a bit past it. 88/100
(20/5/09)

1998 Pinot Gris Dorfburg, Meyer Fonné, AC Alsace, 13.5%
Opened for cooking, so only a quick note. A very big style. Big and powerful pinot gris. 85/100
(7/5/09)

2003 Tocai Friulano, Aldo Pollencic, DOC Collio
Big structured nose with floral scents and the volatile aromatics of grappa or brandy. Concentrated, deep flavours, with a bit of a savoury edge. Nice depth and character. Very good food wine. 91/100
(29/3/09 at the Italian Orchard, Broughton)

NV Fine du Jura, Frédéric Lornet (DeVigne Wines)
An unusual (for me) spirit tasting note. This is a brandy made from re-pressing the pulp remaining once the juice for the wine has been run off. Most winemaking regions of the world have a similar fire water, though perhaps the most famous are Italian grappa, and from Burgundy Marc de Bourgogne and Fine de Bourgogne.
This has a salty, nutty, fruity nose - like a turbocharged manzanilla on steroids. There's really very little spirit on the nose. But there's definitely spirit on the palate, along with a black fruit and nutty - almost amaretto - character. Possibly not the best thing to taste at 10am when the delivery man brings it! It has a nice rusticity of fruit that appeals to me in a brandy. 91/100
(19/3/09)

2003 Ferghettina Franciacorta Satèn, Lombardy
A good creamy nose that closed down as the wine chilled. Quite a full palate with creamy fruit and depth. Quite persistent. Just a bit rough round the edges. 88/100
(14/3/09 at The Dining Room, Rawtenstall)

1986 Côte Rôtie La Turque, E. Guigal, Rhône
A fully mature colour, but without turning to browning. A very evolved, fully mature nose - perhaps just a little more than it should be? Good colour - a fairly deep burgundy. After ten minutes in the glass, the more volatile, orangey, nutty notes on the nose have dissipated, leaving a crisp, herbal black fruits nose with some hints of very fine dark chocolate (think Valrhona single estate). The herbal notes seem to comprise a mixture of freshly mown lawns and eucalyptus with some scented geranium leaf. On the palate, it's fully mature. Initially there's fairly sweet, precise, focused black fruit witha freshness that probably comes more from a volatile lift. Wide and savoury as it sits in the mouth with a certain element that focuses itself down and down to a pin prick of spirit on the finish. Very savoury after, but still with a great black fruit character. Some sandy tannins appear on the finish and linger afterwards: there's still time for the remaining tannins to integrate finally, though the rest of it feels sufficiently mature that there's probably not time. Incredible, haunting length. 93/100
(5/3/09 at Knockinaam Lodge, near Portpatrick)

1986 Rosso II, Vino da Tavola, Vinatierra, Tuscany, Italy
Brambles, black olives and espresso on the nose. It clearly feels old on the palate, but not at all over the hill. I wonder what this is? There's some cherry fruit initially on the palate, then a nice integrated, slightly high toned fruit character with good length. Fairly high acidity. Resolved dry leather tannins on the finish. Interesting to try. 88/100
If anybody knows what this is, please get in touch. It's unusual that there's apparently nothing on the producer on the internet.
(4/3/09 at Knockinaam Lodge, near Portpatrick)

2007 Albariño Rías Baixas Don Pedro de Soutomaior, Adegas Galegas, Rias Baixas, Spain
There are fresh, herbaceous, green fruits on the nose. Nice open palate. Fresh, but there's also a nice creamy feel, building to a gently spicy finish. Good length. 88/100
(28/2/09)

2006 Morgon biotradition Bio-Vitis, Michel Guignier, Beaujolais, 13%
There are very bright red - strawberry and blackcurrant? - fruits on the nose, together with some sweatiness and some rose petal floral scents. There are bright, clean red fruits on the attack, which is just a little short. The fruit is backed up by a nice gentle structure with some soft grained tannins on the finish. Very long indeed and with a very pleasant flavour lingering in the mouth. 90/100
(2/2/09)

2003 I Vasi Bianco, Az. Agr. Vigneti le Monde, DOC Friuli Grave, 13%
Obviously unfiltered.
Musky, floral scented nose that starts to blossom as it warms up from fridge temperature to nearer room temperature. A rich, full palate that is very distinctive and unusual. There's definitely a lot of extraction here, but it's nicely handled. As it warms up, it develops a pleasing richness in the mouth.
(31/1/09 at Ramsons, Ramsbottom)

1999 Lazzicante, Fattoria di Rodáno, IGT Toscana, 14.5%
Very ripe black fruits with some oak and a gentle citrus lift. There's forward ripe fruit on the palate, with quite a juicy feel. Grippy tannins make themselves felt towards the finish. Great length. 88/100
(25/1/09 at The Italian Orchard, Broughton)

1977 Grahams Vintage Port
I didn't take a proper note on this, which was served without decanting by a friend in the early hours. There were some lovely floral notes on both the nose and the palate. Initially there were some spirity notes, but these blew off. Drinking now, providing it's decanted, but equally, no rush at all to drink up. 91/100
(25/1/09)

2005 Neige, La Face Cachée de la Pomme, Cidre de Glace
This attractive little bottle comes from Quebec in Canada and contains a sort of apple ice-wine, though of course for sale in the EU, it has to be called ice cider (or it being made in Quebec, cidre de glace). There are sweet fresh apricots and sweet dessert apples on the nose. Lots of malic acidity on the palate which keeps it very fresh, balancing the lovely sweetness. Very dry and crisp, and once you know what it is, really quite cidery on the finish. Just a shame it's so expensive (c. £25 for a 375ml bottle). 91/100
(25/1/09)

2003 Gutturnio Superiore, Castelli del Duca, DOC Colli Piacentini, Emilia-Romagna
There are nicely perfumed black fruits on thenose. Fairly sweet fruit on the palate, but it's not overdone or jammy and has sufficient acidity and structure to keep it in balance. There are sandy tannins on the finish and it's very long after. 89/100
(25/1/09)

2007 Fonte_40, Poggio Argentiera, IGT Maremma Toscana
A mid straw colour. There's crisp lemon minerality and asparagus on the nose of this blend of ansonica and vermentino (with a small percentage of fiano). Wow! This is superb in the mouth, with a really classy feel. It has an extremely nice richness and weight, with a sort of chardonnay-sauvignon feel to it, but with lots of character. Very persistent after. A very fine wine indeed. 94/100
(17/1/09 at The Italian Orchard, Broughton)

2003 Ribolla Gialla, Il Carpino, DOC Collio
A deep gold, slightly shaded with haze. Fairly dull nose with some grapefruit, candied agrumes, a touch of caramel and touches of honey and polish. Much more interesting on the palate. Initially, it's fresh and fairly open, then there's some very deep, minerally pear fruit and a nice rich ripeness. Then it ends nice and dry. Lovely, very interesting wine. 90/100
(3/1/09 at The Italian Orchard, Broughton)

2006 Vis Uvae, Il Carpino, IGT Venezia Giulia
Mid salmon pink - this pinot grigio must have been macerated on its skins for a week or two. I'm not sure this wine quite knows what it is itself. The nose has some strawberries, white pepper and poire william. Very rich palate: there are stone fruit and red fruit flavours with a highly extracted sort of flavour. There's quite a spirity flavour on the palate, which doesn't quite appeal to me. Very long. 88/100
(3/1/09 at The Italian Orchard, Broughton)

2006 Exordium, Il Carpino, IGT Venezia Giulia
Only a quick glass of this rare (only 1500 bottles produced) beauty made from what used to be called tocai friulano, a grape which I don't think yet has a generally accepted name. This was tasted at the end of lunch, stood at the bar, so not a proper note. Rich colour. Floral and minerally. Lovely palate with real depth and character. Nice finesse too. Super length. 94/100
(3/1/09 at The Italian Orchard, Broughton)

NV Veuve Clicquot Brut Champagne
This was a bottle that I'd cellared for about 5 years after purchase - usually a good idea for the basic non-vintage wines from the big champagne houses.
Very rich nose - nutty and creamy with a hint of oxidation and strawberry and tinned peaches fruit. Rich, fairly mature palate. Decent fruit. But lacks any complexity or depth to speak of. Has improved with keeping, but still just a bit ordinary. 83/100
(1/1/09)

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Last updated: 30 May 2011