Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1982

The colour is deep ruby, intense and bright. Despite the 40 years of age, it is only slightly turning into garnet. On the nose surprisingly fruity, mainly red cherries. After some time, the bouquet turns more towards cigar box kind of aromas. In the mouth very smooth. The tannins are ultra-fine. The aftertaste is very pleasant and very long. Continue reading “Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1982”

La Turque 2006

The colour is medium garnet. On the nose spices, smoke, meat, leather, wet ground, dark fruits, cocoa, black olives. A nose that is constantly changing and that is fun to keep revisiting. In the mouth smooth and powerful, with a good acidity. The tannins come through on the finish. There is only one thing holding this wine back from greatness: a mild vegetative note mild palate. The aftertaste is long.

La Turque is made by Guigal with 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier grapes under the Côte-Rôtie appellation of the northern Rhône. Continue reading “La Turque 2006”

Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1989

The colour is deep ruby and bright, only slightly turning into garnet. On the nose cigar box, pencil shavings, spices. After some time, the bouquet turns fruitier, with blueberries, black cherries and black berries coming on stage. In the mouth very elegant, almost light. The tannins are silky. Despite the 37 years of age, this wine is still very fresh. The aftertaste is pleasantly fruity and, although subtle, it lasts for a long time. Continue reading “Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1989”

Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde de Guigal 2009

The colour is deep garnet. Complex nose of raw meat, plumbs, rosemary, burned wood, baking spices. In the mouth fresh, fine tannins, well balanced and savoury. The aftertaste last for quite a while.

It is a wine that with time keeps evolving: a delight to drink!

This wine is made by Guigal, a domain founded in 1946 by Etienne Guigal. Continue reading “Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde de Guigal 2009”

Don PX Selection Toro Albala 1965

The colour is deep brown. On the nose mainly spices, a lot of them! It is like walking in a bazar in the Middle East, and at the same time in a cigar factory in Cuba. In the mouth very thick, velvety and savoury. On the finish coffee and chocolate that last for a very, very long aftertaste.

This sweet wine is made with 100% Pedro Ximénez, a white wine grape variety best known for its role in the sweet sherries of Jerez. Continue reading “Don PX Selection Toro Albala 1965”

Bersót 2020

The colour is medium gold. The bubbles very subtle. On the nose vinous and nutty notes. In the mouth refreshing, with an aftertaste that last quite a while.

What impressed me most about this wine when I first tasted it with the producer at the Gradizzolo winery in Monteveglio on the hills close to Bologna, has been the purity of aroma and taste for a wine that is 100% natural. Continue reading “Bersót 2020”

Domain de Thalabert 2017

The colour is deep purple. On the nose blueberries, black olives, meat and liquorice. In the mouth it is full-bodied and rich, with fruit and ripe tannins on the lingering finish.

Produced entirely from Syrah grapes, Thalabert’s Crozes-Hermitage is vinified from 40-60-year-old vines. It is made by Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné, which in 2006 was bought by the Frey Group, which also owns vineyards in Champagne and Bordeaux (Château la Lagune). Continue reading “Domain de Thalabert 2017”

Imperial Reserva 2016

The colour is deep ruby. On the nose attractive and complex, combining the fruit driven notes from the blend of varieties with those from the ageing in French and American oak barrels. Black cherries, plums, vanilla, cocoa powder, and some rosemary, among others. In the mouth well rounded, with depth and structure. Opulent and elegant, warm and fresh at the same time. A pleasantly sweet finish and a long and savoury aftertaste. Continue reading “Imperial Reserva 2016”

Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva 2007

The colour is deep garnet. The nose is very intense, with a mix of red and dark berries, tomato sauce, leather and roasted meat. In the mouth very filling, elegant and balanced. The aftertaste is tasty and last for a long while.

Vega Sicilia Unico has been one of my favourite wines since I first tasted it a few years ago. This bottle confirms my enthusiasm. Continue reading “Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva 2007”