Paul Bara Brut Reserve Grand Cru NV
Touch of toast, lime and chalk. Palate is refreshing with nice length.
88/100
L. Bernard Pitois Reserve Premier Cru NV
Toast, brine, snap peas and seaweed. Good flavour on the palate but let down by a slight bitterness.
85/100
Pol Roger 1976
Great nose- with roasted marshmallow, caramel, ground coffee and hazelnut. Palate is full flavoured and rounded, but finishes a touch short. Very nice anyway.
90/100
Bollinger RD 1976 (Disgorged 1988)
Well past its best.
NR/100
Clonakilla Riesling 2006
Lots of fresh fruit, citrus peel and floral notes. Slightly sweet palate, seemed to be a bit flat and uninteresting, especially compared to the nose.
85/100
Dr Loosen Erdener Treppchen Kabinett 2002
Light straw green coloured. Shy nose of minerals and smoke. Medium sweetness to the palate which also has a touch of spice. Good length and nice drinking, but a bit too simple.
87/100
Karl Erbes Urziger Wurtzgarten Kabinett 2004
Grass, lemon, floral and passionfruit aromas. Nice palate structure with less sweetness than the Loosen and a bit more acid.
88/100
Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 1983 (en magnum)
This was outstanding. Butter, some old caramelly oak, honey and a touch of citrus. Palate has excellent intensity and lots of rich fruit and nutty complexity. One of the best wines of the day.
93/100
Rene Monnier Puligny Montrachet 2002
Smoke, straw/hay and some cheesy funkiness. Palate is alright but lacks depth and interest as well as finishing slightly bitter.
86/100
Picardy Tete du Cuvee Pinot Noir 2001
Earth and game on the nose. Stalks on the palate, thought this to be nearing its peak.
87/100
Tollot Beaut Clos du Roi 1999
Feminine nose, very perfumed and floral. Decent structure on the palate, but lacks character.
86/100
Michel Gros Vosne Romanee Premier Cru Clos des Réas monopole 1998
A step up in quality here. Nose of earth, raspberry, strawberry and floral hints. Palate has lovely flavour with good intensity and excellent length.
91/100
Paul Jaboulet La Chapelle 1982
Nice nose with lots of aged aromas such as leather, tobacco, roast meat and strawberry and black olive. Palate is spicy and tannins were fully resolved. Needs to be drunk soon though based on this bottle.
92/100
Haut Brion 1964
On the nose, earth, liquorice, graphite and cedar. Soft, balanced palate with elements integrated. Not very complex, but enjoyable anyway. Needs to be drunk as soon as possible really.
88/100
Charles Melton Nine Popes 1991
Some funky, complex barnyardy aromas to the nose. Nice depth of flavour on the palate and lots and lots of complexity. A very nice bottle of wine at it's peak.
90/100
Charles Melton Shiraz 1990
Menthol, pepper and some dirty aromas. Palate is resolved, but the fruit has faded a bit too much and there is nothing of great interest left.
84/100
Penfolds Bin 389 1971
Gone. Dead on opening.
NR/100
Lakes Folly Cabernet 1995
Roast vegetable, tobacco, tar. Palate disappoints, very soft and lacking depth.
80/100
Clos des Papes Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2001
Funky aromas as well as pepper, violets, cherry and kirsch. Palate is nicely textured with good length and well balanced elements. Should drink well over the next 10 years.
90/100
Penfolds St Henri 1976
Leather, earth, spice and smoky oak. Palate lacks fruit and is only just holding on to life.
84/100
Henschke Mt Edelstone 1982
Looking pretty tired. Some cedar and spice coming through, but not enough to save the short and struggling palate.
81/100
Gruaud Larose 1982
Scalped palate. I thought it (sadly) corked.
NR/100
Henschke Hill of Grace 1989
Vanilla, raspberry, game and chocolate. Good length and interesting texture, but lacking a bit of magic and the depth to really be considered better than excellent.
91/100
Wirra Wirra Chook Block 1998
A big whack in the face of vanilla oak and chocolate and raspberry. The intense characters carried over into the concentrated, rich palate. Very good, but did struggle a little bit after so many older wines.
89/100
Bourillon Dorléans Molleaux Vouvray 1959
Dried pineapple, pear, apple and quince as well as some model plane glue. Palate is just softly sweet. Had a half bottle left over the next day and it had taken on some more nutty and tea leave characters, but still lacked the desired richness on the palate. Glad to have tried it anyway.
88/100
Alvear PX Solera 1927
Raisins, sultana, caramel, motor oil on the nose. Viscous palate with excellent flavour and length. A great experience.
92/100
Dow's Vintage Port 1983
Nail polish dominates the nose. Seems simple and soft on the palate. I wish I'd had more time with this, but this brief encounter seemed to point towards a slightly off bottle.
NR/100