romo

9.1

An improvement over the CH cuvee, darker and more focused with less of everything which in the end makes more. - at LBC — 20 days ago

Andrew Holod

National Sales Grapes of Spain

8.9

Ch. de la Bourdiniere Muscadet sevre et maine sur lie 2009.
Botttled under agglomerated cork. Still shows some petillance on pour. Vibrant, mineral-tinged aromas, crisp orchard fruits. Steely and lithe on the palate w acid that firms up on the finish. Could go longer in the bottle. — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.2

A top year mature white Bordeaux Graves that always hits the spot but @ £50-£70 it’s not cheap 😎 it’s a love/hate depending if you like the gravelly aged white heavy mineral driven blend 😉

📍 Ch. Malartic-Lagravière Blanc Pessac-Léognan 2010

🏵 92-93 points

🍇 85% Sauvignon Blanc & 15% Sémillon

🍷 Golden yellow

👃 Tropical fruits mashed through stone crushed mineral rocks & gravel w/ light oak, caramelised lime, lemon & orange citrus zests, diesel, smoke & grapefruit splatters

👄 Full bodied creamy caramel melon, singed tropical fruits, char-baked lemon flesh, peach, dry minerals, fallen cooking apple compote & honey baked oil

🎯 A long oily rich creamy burnt tropical, citrus & apple coating w/ drying rock mineral & burnt crime brûlée lingers
— 8 years ago

Chris England

9.4

Sexy pink Bolly @ £71 in cool metal box 😍 & yes that’s on my local road 🤣

🍇 72% PN, 28% Ch & 7% red wine

🍷 Peachy salmon

👃 Subtle red fruits through grapefruit w/ minerals galore, zested honey, sweet biscuit, brioche, dried raspberry, mashed pairs, rose water, chamilia & fuchsia w/ a touch of new oak & yeast

👄 Med bodied fine mousse of creamy grapefruit biscuit driven red fruits w/ dry minerals oozing through raspberry, red apple & peach

🎯 Med+ grapefruit & red fruit biscuity dry peach linger — 8 years ago

Chris England

9.3

Always ❤️ Ch Canon but @ £95 has this got too expensive? I feel it's pushing it's QPR now but still lovely & given 5-10yrs may be worth it 👍 A bit denser than I'm used to 🤔 Has potential 😎

🍇 75% Merlot & 25% Cab F

🍷 Dark ruby

👃 Elegant dark plum & raspberry w/ light blackcurrant, blueberry, smokey oak, farmyard soggy earthy & leaves

👄 Med+ overripe stewed dark plummy smooth w/ mocha & liquorice

🎯 Med+ dark creamy plummy linger w/ mocha liquorice kick — 9 years ago

B

10

2007 Spottswoode Cab. Dinner at Ch Ven w J&L B and J&J D. Joe's treat. Drank in Mary's honor and it was lovely. Beautiful as always and def still on the young side. — 10 years ago

B

10

1999 Henschke Hill of Grace Syrah. Dinner at Ch Ven w J&L B and J&J D. Awesome. Tons of dark fruit, leather, pepper, pencil shavings. Super long finish. — 10 years ago

JeremyC

8.9

2012 in 11/23....Snagged from KL Auction in Cali days. Stored perfectly. Let down w my 1st SQN experience but poss my own fault for too patient. O2. Better on day 5. Rich, viscosity, peach, stone fruit. Alc seemed tame for 15.2...Ch,Rous,Vio, Pet Manseng...could tell this was once a fascinating and delicious wine though likely a btl i'd need help with. This one more interesting than delicious. Damn! — 3 years ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.0

Light & fresh with green grapefruit, orchard apples and white pepper. On the palate this is light yet with a salty mineral edge that gives it character. Finishes off with an exotic roundness and a (pleasant) bitter, herby note.
A nice, authentic GruVe w/o pushing it too much. Delicious & drinking very nicely. — 6 years ago

Chris England

9.5

A rather lovely unique white Priorat we nabbed at Clos Mogador for €37 - if you love white Ch Musar, Vina Tondonia or a Condoieu Viognier you’re going to love this - it’s a beauty to tease your nasal highway & tantalise your taste buds 😍

📍 Clos Mogador Nelin 2015

🏵 94 points

🍇 Mainly white grenache w/ Macabeo

🍷 Golden yellow w/ an amber tint

👃 Toasted apricot, fallen cooking apple, soft charred oak, torched orange & lemon zests w/ soggy flinty earth, vanilla. a smokey puff & a delicate sherry tone

👄 Med body of creamy fresh rich old browned green apple, apricot, honey, pair & kumquat w/ a hint of ginger & tropical fruits

🎯 Long explosion of unique flavours from above that just linger & linger w/ a touch of dryness

🥗 Paired perfectly w/ tomato, avocado, buffalo mozzarella, olive oil & olive sourdough toasted bread 😍
— 8 years ago

Chris England

9.4

After my fabulous experience with Ch Margaux, Ch Palmer & Ch Dauzac 1990s a few months ago (remember the boxing 🥊 match review 😁) I just couldn’t resist buying one of my favourite Margaux’s, Ch Lascombes, when I saw this €108 1990 gem in St Emilion with high level & good cap 👍 In 🇬🇧 retails £85 - right at its peak 😉 Oh & Mr Parker it’s not 86 points 🤣

🏵 94 points

🍇 50% Cab Sauv, 45% de Merlot & 5% Pet Verdot

🍷 Deep ruby w/ brick edge

👃 Heady dark fruit soaked charred soft oak oozing toasted beaten blackcurrant & dark plum w/ a sooty mocha red liquorice herby date infusion in a damp mushroom cellar filled w/ leather whips

👄 Med body of velvety soft blackcurrant, red cherry, date & chocy double mocha w/ earthy red liquorice & dried blackberry twang

🎯 Long earthy mocha liquorice red & black fruit linger — 8 years ago

Chris England

8.9

This champagne feels over aged for an 07 but at £43 it's an OK drop if you like a richer bubble brew 🥂

🍇 65% PN, 30% Ch & 5% PM

🍷 Golden straw

👃 Burnt buttered brioche covered in caramelised citrus zests & apple w/ damp old sweaty cheese

👄 Persistent fine bubbled med+ bodied mousse of burnt honey caramelised apple & citrus w/ baked bread sweet & savoury tones

🎯 Long burnt honeyed caramel apple & citrus sticky linger — 9 years ago

B

10

2007 Mauro VS Vino de la Terra Tempranillo. Dinner at Ch Ven w J&L B and J&J D. Huge wine with tons of dark fruit- plum, blackberry- and even chocolate and leather. Really enjoyed. We all would have guessed it was a Cal Cab had we not known. — 10 years ago

Paul Barnes

9.0

Crisp minerals w good acid — 11 years ago

Matt

9.5

So much mineral complexity here. The chalky/wet stone character drives everything. Beneath ample red currant, green plum, and asian pear. Apple blossoms, something so pleasantly herbal, almost talcum like for me but more alluring. Can sense the warmth of the terroir, but not lacking spine or cut. Pure, clean, beautifully made, not easy to achieve given the method in the cellar. ~40 PM 30 PN 30 CH, 2016 base (L.BC16), 3/2019 disgorgement. Lovely paired with pasta w/ key shrimp, trout, dried tomatoes, saffron and tarragon. — 5 years ago

Kenji Cal

9.3

V99-Took a little while to open. Then reaching ampleness over first part of dinner. Sharper, harder as drunk and compared w same year Ch Margaux — 7 years ago

with Guillaume and Charles-Everard

Chris England

9.9

Today I arrived on Planet Pingus 🚀

A special treat for our vacation & my first Pingus that’s been on my wishlist for soooo long 😍 Found at €950 in a restaurant, which for a 100 Parker Pointer that retails at £1,450 in 🇬🇧, I had to try 😊 & It sure did not disappoint 💗 It is one of the best wines I’ve EVER had 👏 See photos on Instagram 😉

Mrs E sat there trying this and said “I’ve decided my life is not too shabby” 🤣😂🤣

📍 Dominio de Pingus - Pingus 2004

🥩 Paired w/ a shed load of red meats (see pics ⏩)

🏵 99 points w/ 100 potential given 5-10 years & better than Ch. Margaux 1990 by far 👍 just needs a little more dry tannin integration 😉

🍇 Tempranillo

💥 14.8% ABV but not evident

🍷 Opaque ruby w/ brick edge

👃 Explosion of rich coffee, thick chocolate, earthy dark cherry, spiced raspberry, black Forest gateaux & oak w/ black berry fruits, date, prune & herbs - it’s a Spanish aromatic orgasm

👄 Med+ body of super creamy silky punchy yet refined dark cherry oozing through decadent chocolate & raspberry coulis w/ mocha & lashings of choc cherry gateaux

🎯 Long choc cherry gateaux full on mouth coating explosion w/ a coffee shot chaser

👉 Mrs E has something to say about this wine so check the first comment from @loularo on Instagram 🤣 — 8 years ago

Chris England

9.5

We 💗 this DP @ £100 😍 Will definitely improve 👍 Easy drinking sexiness 👊💥

🍇 60% PN & 40% Ch

🍷 Golden light straw

👃 Toasted vanilla & citrus brioche covered in apple & pear compote w/ touch of honey - more expressive in Zalto Universal 😉

👄 Med bodied fine zingy fine mousse of citrus infused sweet biscuit, minerals & ripe green fruits w/ a touch of grapefruit & peach in med balanced acidity

🎯 Med+ dry mineral driven rich biscuity fruity smash of green & citrus creamyness - yummy 😍 — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

The CH style is slightly oxidative. Golden & green apples, apple cider/sauce, bruised pear, overripe pineapple, citrus (lemon chiffon), nuts w/skin, yellow florals, quince w/custard, vanilla cream soda, English biscuits, near perfect chalkiness, really nice acidity and a long, round, rich apple driven finish, Love 375's. If you like this style, the CH Brut Reserve is a pleasurable QPR. — 10 years ago

B

9.9

1970 Vina Real Riserva Especial Tempranillo. Dinner at Ch Ven w J&L B and J&J D. Still had some fruit on the nose and a beautiful deep ruby color in the glass. Def glad to be drinking now. — 10 years ago