Red

Given producer and vintage, ultimately a little underwhelming. Pretty decent, but not outstanding. Pale-to-medium ruby with some garnet at the rim. Coal smoke, spice, …

Overall good, but missing something – some dimension of complexity, perhaps? Deep, nearly black core, with a medium, ruby rim. Intense ‘waxy’ vanilla nose …

An extra wine before dessert, and another Great Western sale pickup. I think, perhaps, a classic example of Central Otago Pinot Noir, where the …

Wine of the night. Coming into maturity – of tannins and flavour intensity – yet still showing pure fruit at the core. And very …

The first of my first ever en primeur Bordeaux rouge. Yet still youthful – a ‘sleeper’ as RP might say. Surprisingly still ruby – …

Picked up at the Château when Katy and I visited, the day after the Marathon du Médoc. This was one of the tasting wines, …

A revelation in Beaujolais! And a step up from the non-specified vineyard Moulin-à-Vent Jadot bottling. Medium ruby, if not darker. Black pepper, oak spice …

Not necessarily an auspicious vintage or producer, but a very interesting Burgundy nevertheless. Fragrant aromatics are the key to this, though sadly just missing …

Coming into maturity now. Pale-medium ruby, with a narrow watery rim. Medium+ intensity gamey, chilli spice nose, over plummy, cherry fruit. Some smoky minerality …

As a conference presentation thank you gift, not too bad. But ultimately a mid-range, modern-style Rioja, that was pleasant enough, but not radically inspiring. …