From the Médoc in Bordeaux. Margaux to be specific. That’s left bank; a Cabernet dominant blend. Dusty cigar box and graphite on the nose. Pencil dry. Red currant and graphite on the palate. Nice structure. Grippy tannins and dry length. I can image Michel would have described it as “a dry little critter”. Tough going now; needs some time. 87+ points. Drink 2016+

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. Cru Bourgeois Superieur, fwiw.

1st night, and 375ml: Initially, a very muted nose. More graphite and leaf, custardy oak, red fruits. Tight and dry on the palate. Intermission was called, and I opened a Taylors Jaraman Shiraz 2009 to pass the time – a review will follow in good time. Anyway, the Medoc wine: with time, more classically Cabernet on the nose, very alluring if you’re into that sort of thing: red currants, liquorice, graphite, a touch of leaf and oak, nicely balanced. I am beginning to like it. But oh dear, the palate is very disappointing in comparison: sour, short, dry. A bit better with food, but not much chop.

2nd night: fruit has come up on the palate somewhat, but it could never be described as plush or generous. Still structured, and no real signs of it having fallen over. Not a great appellation, so I am not sure if any fruit will ever appear, so I would drink sooner rather than later, but perhaps leave a couple more years. 86 points. Drink 2013-2018?. 13.0% abv. $47.

My second bottle of 2005 Bordeaux. A deep red in colour. A rich and expansive nose. It can be smelt yards away: graphite, smoke, earth and plums. The palate is rich too, but it’s not all fruit: black plums and red cherries interlaced with the strong flavours of tobacco, smoke and minerals. A dry finish, but not grippy. Seems quite modern in style, and is certainly packing a punch. Soft tannins, with raspberry twist. Drink now, or cellar for a few years; whatever floats your boat really – up front and primary, or with some secondary characters. Was $35 en-primeur. 89 points. 13.0% abv. Drink 2011-2016+. And an end note, I would add that (1) the bottle is throwing a crust already, and (2) my wife reckons it is sweet.

1st night: straight off the bat, in a word, “yuck”. Burnt coconut oak, and red fruits running a distant 5th on the nose. The palate is thin and acidic, with char and a coconut essence through the mid-palate. Where is the fruit? I think I’ve tried this before and I cannot remember it being this bad. In the fridge; tomorrow awaits.

2nd night: well the ugly duckling is a beautiful swan; I am amazed. All the coconut has gone “stage left”, and the fruit has come to the fore. A touch of leaf from the Cabernet and plummy fruits from the Shiraz; the classic Australian blend is a winner again. Drink 2015+. 91 points. Was around the $35 mark from memory.

Previously, in July 2009 (with some gumph removed):

A clear red in colour, with quite a rustic nose, new leather, red cherries, dirty fruits and a touch of volatility. The palate is lightly bodied and a bit stinky, with cherries, leather, woody spices and a touch of the old gym socks. The fruit is ripe, but not overly so, and the finish nicely drying. Might be in a bit of a hole at the moment, and would certainly benefit from a decent decant. 88 Points

And then June 2011:

Getting stinkier. And I think 88 points is generous now. About 84 now.

And now:

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Petit Verdot, 11% Shiraz and 8% Merlot. Actually, this bit hasn’t changed. A little varnishy and stinky, red currants and old leather; it seems to clean up with a swirl in the glass.. bottle stink perhaps? Well no, because it’s still there 4 hours later. It’s a shame because it does at times show quite a beautiful perfume. The palate is medium bodied and elegant, red fruits, old leather, a green mulch character and stalk, a bit twiggy, with a distracting shoe polish and menthol streak. A dry astringent finish with raspberry-like bright acidity. An okay drink I suppose. 85 points.

An orphan in the cellar. Neglected. Now my Italian is pretty rusty, but from the back label this looks like a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. And was supposedly inspired by the classic blend from Bordeaux, but made to reflect the Tuscan terroir. Or something like that.

Red currants, graphite, eucalyptus, cream, liqourice, cloves and musky flowers. The palate is initially quite dry, lead pencils and red currants; simple and somewhat short. Over the afternoon (it was opened for Sunday lunch), the palate opened up, the fruit expanding but still maintaining a dusty savoury character, with dry cigar box on the finish. Pretty good really, even if part of me didn’t want to like a Cabernet blend. And then it dipped again, going tannic. 87+ points, but I think it needs lots more time. Drink 2016+. And then, oh holy shit, I checked my records and this cost a smidge over $100…. what was I thinking?!

Second review of this wine. A blend of 69% Shiraz and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.5% abv. $30 from the cellar door. Previously from a year ago:

On the nose, green plastic, nougat, red cherry and currants, a bit of undergrowth. Nice body on the palate, chocolate tannins, creamy red fruits; quite sweet really, and also showing a bit of alcohol; not slippery and rounded, but aggressive, the type that gives you a warm flush. Might get better with some time in the cellar. 84 points.

But this time, I actually liked it more. Well, somewhat. A similarly odd nose with a broad streak of greenness, intertwined with plastic and nougat. That said, the palate was softened a little and it doesn’t seem as noticeably alcoholic. It also has some sweet currants and richness through the palate now, but still with a streak of green stalks, and confection on the finish. 85 points now, and perhaps drink 2013+.

En magnum. And I have to say that I have too many magnums. It was a fetish for a number of years, until I realised that opportunities to drink them are few and far between. But last weekend we hosted a “Christmas in July” with friends, and I jumped at the chance of opening one.

A lovely nose, with leaf, mocha, red currants and black fruits backed up by some creamy oak. The palate was a bit on the dry side, with savoury fruits and nutty spices, finishing sour and dry. Good balance and okay length. Pleasant with food, but I was expecting more. Perhaps not the representative bottle. 88 points. Drink now.

From the Clare Valley. Intensely aromatic: black and red currants, cassis, mint, plums and raspberries, all with a touch of lift. A pleasant palate: sweet fruits, red more than black, with some cedary oak, and though it initially does seem a bit hollow and short, the palate builds a bit with time and the length improves. The finish is dusty. Acid and alcohol are in-check, but the lasting impression is of sweetness. It is young, so I’d like to see it in a couple of years. 85 points at the moment, but it might score better with time. 14.5% abv. RRP around $16 I think, but a quick online search found it for $12 per bottle, which I suppose isn’t bad value at all.

Another big score in the offing with this wine. A spongy cork. Not decanted; just left in the bottle. A strong red colour; not browning, but also not vibrant or sparkly. Lots on the nose: dark cherry, coffee, cassis, liquorice, nutmeg and cedar – quite aromatically heavy if that makes sense. Mocha, roasted meats, cherries, olives, with red currants coming through the mid-palate, and then a coffee ground dryness on the finish. Length in spades; if I had had a stop watch handy I would have measured it. Well, maybe not. Some notable acidity, but perhaps this is just me, which lends some freshness to the wine. As good as the Moss Wood I just had, perhaps a bit better, but it’s tough to compare a six year old wine with a 15 year old one. Hmmmmm. 96 points. Drinking window: I cannot see it falling over any time soon, so drink now to 2021.