Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Quite deep ruby , narrow ruby rim. Deep and more concentrated on the nose , with dark cassis , ripe summer fruits , dark cherry , grafite , oyster shell notes. On the palate this is quite rich and decadent , cassis , ripe blackberry , blueberry a, dark cherry . Sweet but ample tannin , balanced acidity , quite rich but well balanced , good blackcurrant, grafite tinged , length . This is showing well but will continue to do so over the next 10-15 years , perhaps longer . — 8 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Medium intensity , quite small rim , young looking. Quite aromatic , nice spiced blackberry , touch of menthol , blackcurrant . Rounded and deep, quite rich , more body than the 2008. Quite long, slight touch of alcohol , more resolved tannins . Still quite elegant, red fruit tinged . Good now and over the next 5-10 years . — 3 years ago

Daniel M

9.2

Tar, cedar, cigar, toasty notes and black currant on the nose. Wow that's intense. The palate is made of that superb blackcurrant note, a massive acid backbone, some nice width and a grainy, dusty mouthfeel that expands in mid palate with a drying layer of tannins that powers a very long finish with blackcurrant, these consistent toasty notes, that grain and a slightly bitter note that grows in the end. That's aristocratic, that's intense, that's beautiful and that's all that I like in Bordeaux. It was still a bit hard at first but opened up nicely after 2 hours. Could be even better after some more air. Still very young! — 4 years ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.1

Dark rubi robe, nose of blackcurrant, top soil notes and hints of anise, pepper and asian spices. Medium bodied, tamed tanins and really good if not very complex. Great bottle now and no rush. We bought it for a song couple of years after it came out and is one of our best ROI in the cellar :) — 4 years ago

with Adriana

Chris England

9.3

My favourite Cotes De Bourg wine in a top vintage @ £60 😁 will keep improving 👍 If you’ve never tried this tiny region of Bordeaux you should check it out as there are some great value bottles here; this being one of the more expensive as made by the folks behind Tertre Roteboeuf 😎

📍 Chateau Roc De Cambes 2010

🏵 93 points

🍇 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon & 5% Malbec

🍷 Deep opaque ruby

👃 Cracked mineral rock & gravel through blackcurrant, dark plum & raspberry w/ cocoa, soggy earth, black cherry & herbs

👄 Med body of rich creamy plump fruit filled blackcurrant w/ dark plum, cocoa, dark cherry & raspberry liquorice

🎯 Long ripe dark fruit blackcurrant burst w/ a raspberry mocha liquorice cherry smacker of a kiss
— 7 years ago

Chris England

9.3

I picked up this Magnum of Palmer for £200 recently 😱 from a shop closing down RRP £430+ so I was a happy boy 😊 Not as rich in depth as top vintages but a beautiful elegant Margaux nevertheless 😉

📍 Chateau Palmer 2003 Margaux Magnum

🏵 93 points vs the pros who say 89 - really? Did they try the same wine 🤣

🧀 Paired with Iberian cheeses 👍

🍇 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot & 12% Petit verdot

🍷 Deep opaque ruby

👃 Smokey oak through blackcurrant & dark plum w/ minerals, cracked pencil, gravel, tar, soggy earth, herbs, mocha & blackberry liquorice - yumtastic 😍

👄 Med body of smooth earthy mineral infused blackcurrant & blackberry w/ slight butter mocha & red liquorice

🎯 Med+ touch dry minerality bathed in dark berry fruits w/ a stoney mocha finale
— 7 years ago

Chris England

9.3

One of my fav hidden gems from St Emilion as every vintage delivers & @ a bargain €33/£24 this is fab now but will age well in 5-10yrs 😉 Can’t wait to try 2015 😁 09 & 10 are fab today 👍 More pics on Instagram ⏩

🏵 92 points

🍇 68% Merlot & 32% Cab Franc

🍷 Opaque ruby

👃 Blackcurrant & dark plum bathed in minerals w/ chocky sprinkles

👄 Med body of ripe rich blackcurrant & plum w/ blueberry & cocoa then a touch dry mineral kick

🎯 Long blackcurrant driven dark fruit finale w/ dry cocoa & minerality — 7 years ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.2

Dar rubi robe, nose of blackcurrant, anise and limestone. Very cabernet in the mouth with the peppery register, rounded up by the ripe Merlot. Great acidity and balance, an excellent bottle just lacking a bit of complexity which is typical of the 2000 bordeaux. — 10 months ago

with Jose, veronique and 1 other

Alexandre Pagliano

9.3

Dark purplish rubi robe, nose of blackcurrant, flowers and cedar. Very complex and elegant in the mouth, velvety tannins and crushed flowers, oh so good. This is serious stuff and good now but much better in 4 to 5 years. — 3 years ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.4

Monsieur Manoncourt’s 50th vintage. 95 has these wild and non civilized tannins. Here they work well after all these years. Wine is elegant and stylish, complex, good structure, and will always be a bit Cistercian. The acidity gives it quite a good lift. Tell tale Cab notes of Cedar, Tobacco and blackcurrant. Great stuff. — 4 years ago

with Jose and Adriana

Alexandre Pagliano

9.2

Dark garnet robe, nose of blackcurrant and anise, then dark fruits, violettes and spices together with tobacco and tar, pepper. Medium bodied, elegant, long, its opening now but no rush. We liked it a great deal, its a very fine wine. — 4 years ago

with Adriana

Clive McNish

9.2

The Purple Angel lives up to expectations. A great blend of Carmenere and Petit Verdot which actually has a vibrant purple edge in the decanter. It is early days for this one but it can already be enjoyed with some decanting time but I think it is better than the 2016. Deep ruby and purple colour, the nose is a combination of Napa Cabernet and Australian Shiraz, rich, smokey, plenty of dark fruit and some nice burnt rubber and tar. On the palate there is blackcurrant, cherry, smoke and green and black pepper. This has a nice long finish and while it is definitely young, the tannins and acid are not overpowering. Definitely plenty of ageing potential and I think this will get better and better. Rating now is 9.2 but I’m sure it will end up at 9.5 in the future. — 5 years ago

Chris England

9.7

After a tiring day shopping 👠 👜 with Mrs E you gotta love Barcelona that you can pop to the local supermarket next to the hotel, grab some meat, cheeses, hummus & bread as well as a €295 98-100 Point by Vega Sicilia Unico 🤣 & a decanter + some glasses, then sit in your room overlooking the beach & city to chill @ sunset 😎 💗 Barcelona 🇪🇸

⏩ scroll for night pic 🌌 on Instagram

Drinking superb already but will become legendary 😍

📍 Vega Sicilia Unico 2006

🏵 97 points w/ huge potential but I prefer 04 at this crazy price 😁

💥 14% ABV

🍇 94% Tempranillo & 6% Cabernet Sauvignon

🍷 Opaque pitch black ruby

👃 A heady intoxicating nose of date & prune jam, chocolate kinky goo sauce, raspberry & cherry Black Forest gateaux, melted liquorice, smoked dry cured meat, mint infused fresh cut cedar & herbs w/ spiced damson plums & subtle oak 😍

👄 Full bodied rich & ripe raspberry & cherry through creamy cocoa w/ dark plum, prune, blackcurrant, liquorice & parma violets

🎯 Long prune choc cherry & raspberry gateaux cake food fight eruption in your cake hole 💥 Did somebody say food fight 🤣 — 7 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium deep ruby , medium wide ruby rim. Slightly more generously fruited , compared to the 2011 . Blackcurrant , cassis, touches of spice , less austere or mineral . Quite round and ripe , rich on the mid palate , but without a lot of tannic structure , balanced acidity. Decent length , with a touch more tobacco and saline quality on the finish. This is drinking well now and will continue to show well over the next 8-10 years or so — 2 years ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.4

Dark rubi robe with a hint of brick color on the rim, nose of crushed flowers, cigar box, tobacco and blackcurrant, medium bodied, complex, elegant, fresh and balanced, ready to drink but will for sure last a fee decades more. Great bottle and we are happy we bought others :) — 3 years ago

with Adriana

Ruud Verhagen

9.1

not a good vintage 2013, but this is well made. Great nose of stony minerality, fresh black fruits, some woodsmoke, anise, rose petal and licorice. Very pure and fresh juice. Almost no tannins, great acidity. Blackberry, blackcurrant and some cherries/cassis. This wine is beautiful in precision and drinking rapidly. — 4 years ago

Byron Fuller

9.5

No surprise this was wine of the Christmas Europe trip. Initially quite high-tones and acid dominated (even after 90 mins’ decant). Nose of graphite and blackcurrant— and soaringly so. Eventually settled to darker fruit. Not fleshy in any way, just plumes of flavor incredibly well-knit. Always a joy for how seemingly *not* powerful it is— that is until the structure registers like a bass blast. — 4 years ago

Clive McNish

9.2

Loving this, 18 years old, rich and dark in the glass with no real sign of ageing. The nose is great with plenty of blackcurrant, tobacco, cedar, oak, truffle and mushroom. Balanced flavours on the palate with a long fruit, leather and Christmas spice finish. Tannins are present and a little drying but the layers of flavour keep them subdued. There is plenty of life in this wine, probably another 10+ years. Rating tonight and will update if what is left shows higher tomorrow. — 5 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Quite nicely aromatic , cedar , black fruits touch of truffle , leather perhaps . In the mouth nice ripe black fruits , blackcurrant and blackberry , a mineral and earthy note also . Nice acidity and quite suave tannins . Length is alright , not the longest. Overall a nice drinkable claret , drink now but will last quite well over the next 5?years I suppose . — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.4

Lynch Bages is one of my favourite wines & clearly it’s too young to open this 98 pointer 09 but I’ve found a stash @ £120 so wanted to unleash a bottle for the community 😁 oh and me 😉

📍 Chateau Lynch Bages 2009 Pauillac

🏵 94 points now but 96+ potential in 3-5yrs

🍇 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, & a dollop of Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot

🍷 Opaque blackened ruby

👃 Gravel, flint & pencil lead infused soft smoked oak through earthy blackcurrant w/ wet leaves, red liquorice & mocha

👄 Med body of rich ripe blackcurrant infused with minerals, blackberry, blueberry, red liquorice & mocha w/ fine dry tannins

🎯 Long touch dry vibrant earthy blackcurrant & blackberry, red liquorice, blueberry & mocha mouth coating w/ a mineral stone linger — 7 years ago