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 — a year ago
Still ruby centre just, with terracotta rim. Quite ripe red fruits , spiced red cherry. On the palate quite mineral , and touches of liquorice , lovely red cherry and strawberry fruit . Sweet tannin and good balanced acidity . After a while a mineral , iron filing touch. Quite open and ready for business , good to drink now and over the next 10 years . — 2 years ago
Bold juicy flavor and super unique. Easy drinking. — 2 years ago
The 2018 Bélair-Monange, so impressive out of barrel, delivers now that it finds itself incarcerated by glass. It is endowed with a seriously impressive nose, delivering blackberry and still that faint warm brick/terracotta scent, shaved black truffle and a touch of clove. You could lose yourself completely in this bouquet. The palate has firmed up a little, displaying more backbone than I recall. The dash of cracked black pepper liberally sprinkled over the finish curiously bears similarities to some of the Pomerols this vintage, and the Cabernet Franc feels much more prominent than its 2% contribution to the blend would suggest. I adore this Saint-Émilion and it is going to benefit from 8–10 years in the cellar... if you can resist temptation that long. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2021)
— 4 years ago
Very nice fruit present whilst delivering loads of pepper and capsicum. Could have given it a minimum of 2 years lore age. Hints of game and leather. — 9 years ago
Subtle tannins with a bold palate, terracotta colours — 9 years ago
Garrigue, bacon fat, game, terracotta and red fruits show on the nose. Fresh, medium bodied and moderately intense on the palate, with pleasing layers of the bouquet. Good all round. — 10 years ago
Affinamento in barrique di terracotta — 12 years ago
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 . — a year ago
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 . — a year ago
Deeper ruby , thinner terracotta rim . Touch oxidative at first , porcini and quite mineral , iron filings. Darker fruits , touch of bovril , with good acidity and quite prominent tannin . Quite good length. This is ready and on the basis of this bottle , I wouldn’t leave it much longer — 2 years ago
2015 Renieri Brunello Di Montalcino - This wine gives lots of richness and structure. Tannins are still not fully integrated, but improved from my last try a couple years ago. FWIW, James Suckling gave this wine 100pts. This was my second time with this one, and while I still don’t see the 100pts, I do see it as delicious and for me that matters more than points.
Winemaker notes says it best - this wine opens with earthy aromas of bark, sand, truffles, graphite, rust, terracotta and sandalwood. Fruitier orange zest and lemon. Ripe, incense and with dense forest of aromas. Rich to the center palate, the fruit is vivacious and elegant. Robust and generous tannins. The finish is long, the after effects of the acidity unworldly. — 2 years ago
Crisp, cool, tart, stemmy and fresh.
Raspberries, cranberries, mineral funk, peppery and spicy garrigue and cold rocks (if that makes any sense…), as opposed to the hot terracotta tiles I often get in many other Grenaches.
This has a very cool-climate feel to it, rather delicate and refreshing. Like a Bojo from Oz. Lovely! — 3 years ago
This is the Tibaani bottling.
On the nose there’s a wonderfully complex mix of treacle tart, apricot pastry, sticky toffee pudding, Manuka honey, warm terracotta pot, flapjack, gingerbread, yellow raisins and toasted almonds.
The palate shows spicy apricot, turmeric and gingerbread character, the tannins are sapid, firm but chalky and quite fine, certainly a wine that works best with food.
(Worked all with a chicken curry). — 4 years ago
Amazing. Unique. Floral, funky, minerally nose. Sour red fruit, bitter herbs, banyard, red meat. Earth and minerality from being aged in terracotta amphorae. Very high acidity makes this an excellent food wine. Be sure to give this some air to bring out the wine's finer qualities. — 7 years ago
It has been a while since I last had this one and the only regret is that I did not buy a case ;-) Ruby terracotta, lovely nose with a touch of Bret, mushroom, leather, cherries, current, medium to full body, smooth tannins and a lovely acidity, more than a blend of villages ;-) a lovely wine and a great value at about 25 Euro. My score 89, drink to 2018 — 9 years ago
Easy to drink on its own — 10 years ago
Concentrated Blackcurrant aroma, hint of herbs. Noticeable 'hear' in grapes reminding me of hot terracotta tiles. Softer structure, perhaps run & raison. A bit of white pepper. Medium tannin, body, length. — 10 years ago
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 ! — a year ago
This is actually the pino blanc and it was wonderful. — a year ago
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. — a year ago
Quite deep ruby garnet with yellow terracotta rim . Quite closed at first quite mineral and reserved , darker fruit , orange rind, touch smoky after a while . On the palate quite compact but ripe tannin , sweet dark fruits , mineral touches , black tea , liquorice. Good acidity , long on the palate . This is starting to drink well now and will continue to do so for a further 8-10 years — 2 years ago
The 1982 Cheval Blanc is a vintage that I have not drunk for a number of years, so this was a pertinent reminder of its pulchritude. It has a flat-out gorgeous bouquet with ebullient red fruit, warm bricks (terracotta), hints of liquorice and strawberry jam. It's the kind of bouquet that you could bathe in. The palate has a ripe entry, voluptuous yet exquisitely balanced, the Cabernet components of this Cheval Blanc quite expressed and more pronounced than I recall. Yet it's toying with you as it segues into a more Burgundy-like final third. Mercurial, sensual and riveting. Tasted at the 1982 Dinner at Hatched. (Neal Martin, Vinous, September 2022)
— 3 years ago
Warm black cherries and red plums with baking spices, oregano and terracotta.
Tart black cherries w some candied cherry notes, oregano, marjoram, pepper.
Had with lamb pizza w oregano and zahatar and wine really resonated w both of those flavors.
P.s. last bit leftover in the bottle held up surprisingly well stored in the fridge for over a week. — 4 years ago
Intense musk stick,candied apricot and peach; honey and orange blossom nose. Temperature and time open up the palate to reveal some good texture and spice, along with orange pith and stone fruit flavours, maybe a touch of earth as well (courtesy of the terracotta, no doubt) — 7 years ago
Incredible depth, terracotta madness, sherry like depth — 10 years ago
Wow! A 2003 that some friends brought back from Hunter Valley. Dark yellow, smells like petrol, cheese rind, mushrooms, curdled cream, and honeycomb. Tastes like burnt sugar, sautéed mushrooms, cheese rind, toasted marshmallow, petrol. Jasmine flower. So interesting. — 10 years ago
Andrew Cullimore
Medium deep garnet with a wide terracotta rim . Quite funky at first which luckily blows off after a few minutes to reveal deep spiced dark cherry , meaty richness , touch of anis and menthol , with a ferrous quality . On the palate still good richness and with a dark spiced dark cherry , dried rose , black tea, earthy and ferrous note . Big and bold with grippy tannin and fresh acidity , balanced alcohol . Good length and saline , black tea tinged finish . Drink now and over the next 5 -8 years , I don’t see this improving markedly but certainly there is structure and fruit to continue to give pleasure for a while yet, firmly in the middle of its drinking window . — a year ago