1995

Third of a trio of slight disappointments – not as good as the ’96 Reserva promised from Del Puerto. I was expecting more balance, …

Doesn’t leave much room for comment, which is a pity. Much more satisfying than the Cáceres alongside! Good quality, well-balanced Gran Reserva. Light-medium garnet …

Picked this up from the cave in Tain on a return visit in 2004, where they’d hold back some of the older vintages for …

Bloody label… Light-medium intensity garnet colour with mid-brick rim. I first feared corking, with slightly astringent rubbery notes. These then gave way to simple …

A surprise. Bought in Le Puy en Velay in 1996 to provide the right wine to do an Auvergne recipe for Coq au Vin. …

Trying to complete the Valduero set! Not as good VFM here, but good drinking over several days. On opening, banana on nose, giving quickly …

1997 Meysonniers: 7.6 (7) – slightly darker than the ’95 with Port-like notes and strawberry, coupled with caramel. Balanced, spicy flavour with some red …

A vertical tasting with friends – my first! Happened to end up with a range of these Crozes-Hermitages, starting with the 1995 (above label, …

Writing a bit from memory (because getting the label off was evidently a challenge!): a classic Californian Napa Cab – the 4 Americans I …

Suffered from comparison with the 1975 Latour we’d been drinking previously. Was somewhat similar in style – oaky, smoky finish over woody dark fruit, …