Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Quite light garnet , wide terracotta rim . Quite a lot of smoky sous bois, with some light red fruits, sweet dry spices , touch of hickory . On the palate this is pretty evolved and has started to dry out slightly , with some some sweet red currant , dried spices, salty acidity and resolved tannin . Ok , slate tinged finish . Drink now , and probably would have been better a few years ago . — 7 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Pretty deep ruby garnet with garnet , terracotta . Quite sweet , spiced , dried fruit nose , slightly volatile nose . On the palate this is better , meaty and rich spiced dried dark fruits, plum , fig. Quite grippy tannins and balanced acidity . Good density and rich meaty finish , a little porty, pretty good length . Dense and rich , much more than expected . Still dense and really quite young, held up well in the glass , this would probably continue at this level for a further 5-10 years . — 10 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium ruby garnet , garnet terracotta rim. Slightly sweet , roasted nose, with chestnut some sous bois , grafite , slight seaside hints. After a while a touch more herbal. On the palate quite stern dark fruits , mineral , grafite notes , quite dry tannin and ok balanced acidity . Reasonable length and sous bois , grafite tinged finish . This is still quite young though its appearance is slightly more advanced than the 1988 . Needs a decant and held up well over the 5 hours we had it open . Drink now and over the next 5-10 years. A little pedestrian overall and is outclassed by the superior 1988. — a year ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium ruby , wide garnet / terracotta rim . Quite floral, violet and iris , red cherry, strawberry, cranberry and red currant . On the palate quite light and aromatic , sweet red fruits dominating, red cherry , red currant , raspberry with a slightly mineral stained chalky finish of medium length. Quite light tannins and refreshing acidity. This is showing well , very elegant and precise . Now and over the next 5-8 years — a year ago

Beth Hamilton

9.3

This is actually the pino blanc and it was wonderful. — 2 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Quite deep ruby , garnet , terracotta rim . Quite a lot of spice , red cherry , balsamic touch with orange rind and , touch of porcini mushroom , dark tea . Quite big and bold with , menthol , dark fruit , quite extracted , drying tannin. Ok finish , with some roasted chestnut character coming through. Needs time, better in 5-10 years and last well a further 7-10. — 2 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium garnet core with garnet terracotta rim . Slightly more dry spice on the nose , porcini , dark tea , and dried rose . This is more tertiary on the palate too with dried mushroom , black tea , sweet dried red cherry and rose . This has quite fresh acidity and medium gritty tannins . Less body and structure than the 2012 but well balanced. This is showing well and will continue well for the next 5-8 years — 7 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium ruby , terracotta , garnet rim . Quite aromatic , with cedar , tobacco , leafy redcurrant , blackcurrant , wet earth. Slightly rounded and red fruit focused sous bois on the palate , quite high acidity , but refined and red fruit focused. Slightly green tannins , but overall reasonable mineral tinged length . This is at peak , leafy but charming — 10 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Brief , informal notes . Medium deep ruby garnet , quite narrow terracotta garnet rim . This was quite exuberant and fruit driven at first, with blackberry jam , cassis , touch of spice and wood smoke . After a while becomes a bit more serious , with mineral and a touch of coffee , seaweed notes . On the palate quite rich and dense , with dark fruits , chocolate , coffee and granite hints . Medium currant and coffee tinged finish, slightly warming alcohol . Balanced acidity and pretty gritty tannins . This is drinking well now last well a further 7- 10 years or so . — a year ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Quite light garnet , wide terracotta rim , more delicate and lighter than expected . High toned sweet , confected spiced strawberry nose, with a slightly smoky hint. On the palate sweet red strawberry , raspberry and red cherry notes , touches of spice and anis , but elegant and silky in texture , with very fine , rounded tannins and fresh acidity . This has good length , detailed and precise finish with anis , fruit pastels and almost chalky hints . Elegant and refined. Very distinctive, really quite unique in style , but very well made and enjoyable at the moment . Drink from now for the next 5-10 years. — a year ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Quite deep ruby with wide terracotta , garnet rim . Quite deep slightly funky , red focused sous bois . Tobacco , slightly herbal notes . Quite concentrated but slightly flat red fruited sous bois , tobacco tinged , mineral , grafite finish. Not the best bottle of this , a bit funky and lacks a little exuberance and clarity on the nose and palate. Drink now and over the next few years on this showing. A pity but that is sometimes the way the wine world works ! — 2 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Quite deep ruby , wide terracotta rim . Lighter and more elegant on the nose than the Starderi, porcini , lighter floral and slightly medicinal notes . On the palate rounder generous red fruits , with touch of liquorice , slightly medicinal notes . Quite sweet tannins , and refreshing acidity , good liquorice stained length. This too would benefit from a little more time 3-5 years perhaps , and will last well a further decade — 2 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.5

Pretty similar colour to the Bartolo , medium deep garnet core , slightly less terracotta at the rim. Porcini mushrooms , sous bois , dried meat , really quite complex. On the palate more mineral , but with a strong meaty , porcini mushroom note , then with blueberry , blackberry . Very fine but present tannins , lovely balanced acidity . Long and really refined . With time in the glass shows well , but will improve over the next 5 -8 years and continue on a further 10 at least — 2 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Tasted blind . Medium garnet , garnet, terracotta rim . Quite spicy, cedar, red cherry. Quite ripe cherry , cedar and cut herbs . Fresh acidity , quite sweet on the palate , ripe tannins . Ok length . Medium bodied , won’t need that much more time . From now and over the next 10 years . — 7 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium garnet , quite wide garnet terracotta rim . Quite mature and with mint , herbal cassis , touch of brown sugar, coffee , sous bois. On the palate this is medium bodied , sous bois , some red fruits , red plum , cassis . Quite spicy but still good volume and roundness on the palate also. Decent acidity , and some herbal touches on the good length finish . This is drinking well and will probably not improve . Now and over the next 5-10 years . — 8 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Medium ruby garnet , with quite a orange tinged terracotta rim . Spice tinged , red fruits , dried herbs, with touch of liquorice , tar . Quite sweet and rounded on the palate , with ripe red fruits , quite noticeable rounded sweet tannins , balanced acidity , medium plus alcohol . Slightly lifted , balsamic note . Medium length liquorice and spice tinged finish . This is fully mature and still very enjoyable . Drink now and over the next 5 years or so — a year ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

medium ruby with quite wide terracotta rim . Quite light spice filled nose at first , allspice , clove , nutmeg with some liquorice and herbal , tobacco and red plum touches. On the palate a bit leaner than the 1993 , but light dried red fruits, sous bois , tobacco and herbal notes. Good length, really nice balance and intensity with fresh acidity and melted sweet tannins . This is still showing well and can last perhaps a further 5 years or so . Quite elegant and classic in style . — a year ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium garnet , terracotta with medium terracotta rim . Quite a lot of furniture polish , balsamic spice , red fruited sous bois , herbal touches . On the palate more cherry fruit, with that slightly volatile balsamic spice and a very strong mineral , salty marine finish . Fresh acidity , medium bodied with quite gritty tannins . Very unique , really surprisingly enjoyable . Long on the palate. Obviously mature , but who know how long this can continue on for ! Now and over next 10 -15 years . — 2 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Pretty light terracotta . Soft and warm dried fruits , spice and touch of coffee . On the palate dried red fruits , nicely judged acidity with soft tannins , velvety mouth feel and spice filled finish , reasonable length . Sunny and enticing. Unique and very pleasurable . — 2 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

Quite deep ruby and , garnet terracotta rim. Quite spicy nose , slightly green touches , mix of red and dark fruit . On the palate fills out quite well , good acidity , slightly gritty tannins still with mineral , tobacco notes on the finish . Ok reasonable length . This comes across a bit greener than I remember it , so not sure how representative this bottle is , fine to drink now and over the next 10 years . 91

Second bottle medium deep ruby with garnet rim . Took a bit of time to open up , but very good definition , red and dark fruits, truffle , undergrowth, cigar box and grafite. On the palate quite charming sweet red fruits, red plum, cassis , dried spices, undergrowth , elegant for las cases , grafite and tobacco stained finish . Well balanced acidity and quite gritty but ripe tannin . This is lovely now with time in the decanter and over the next 10 -15 years . Completely different from first bottle . — 2 years ago