Andrew Cullimore

9.3

Deep ruby , thin pink rim . Fresh cassis , blackberry , quite spicy with a touch of vanilla, red plum . Quite open and enticing . On the palate this is somewhat linear with cool dark fruits , cassis , red plum , grafite and saline touch . Fills out well with quite grippy , cool tannins , fresh acidity , and good length with grafite , cassis finish . This is obviously not ready , however it was an enjoyable wine to drink over dinner , the freshness and cool fruit character are quite apparent , and the tannins though gritty are somewhat in the background . Though it was worth the experience , I would leave bottles a further 10 years before trying another. This is an elegant and well judged wine . — 3 hours ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Quite light straw , green hints . On the nose this is quite restrained , some apricot , pineapple , white flower notes. On the palate again restrained , lemon peel , touch of apricot , pineapple, hint of toastiness . High acidity and really good balance , nice lemon peel tinged finish . This will probably age well , now and over the next 7-10 years — 8 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Flight 4 , wine 1 .I probably should have inspected the colour a little better , but noted medium ruby with terracotta garnet rim , a little lighter than the others . Again quite reserved at first with more red fruits than dark , some grafite also . On the palate this shows quite good sweetness with menthol and dark cherry hints . Good ripeness and acidity , rich but with good balance , mint humbug notes after a while . This was enjoyable and showing very well still, had this down as the Dominus , though I was wrong , again (How many times ! ) though It was clearly Napa . — 10 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium lemon yellow . Slightly struck match character , afterwards some lightly toasty notes with yellow fruits, citrus peel and quite strong mineral component. On the palate this is quite rich , but really well balanced with bright acidity . Creamy citrus peel and that chalky , mineral note from the nose . Really fills out on the palate , and ends with good freshness and lemon rind notes . Drinking well now but will continue to show well for another 5 or so years . — 4 hours ago

Andrew Cullimore

8.9

Pretty light medium ruby , wide pink rim. Lightly spiced , strawberry and raspberry , quite sweet. On the palate this has a slightly more savoury element , with some raspberry , red cherry hints and a touch of toasty , herbal notes . Balanced acidity and light tannins , ok length and a star anise tinged finish . Drink now and over the next few years . — 2 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Pretty light straw with green hint. Quite floral at first , touch of petrol , then mineral , wet slate , lemon peel , rose water . On the palate this is intense and very mineral , saline and well balanced . Wet slate , lemon peel, floral hints . Long and very precise , lean and mineral , focused on the finish . Needs a little more time, but will be great in a few years , wait another 3-4 . — 8 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Flight 3 , wine 2. Medium ruby and garnet terracotta rim. Quite reticent at first but marked but a light cassis , blackcurrant note , some violet also . More menthol and cassis on the palate also . Quite good density and with good fruit , slightly medicinal hint on the finish. Pretty good overall and though rustic was well balanced . This I thought was the Duhart 82 , probably because of the density on the palate , however was wrong , yet again. — 10 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.3

Medium ruby wide medium pale ruby rim . Quite reserved at first , with some blackberry and red currant , earthy raspberry notes, touch smoky. On the palate this is more velvety and sweetly fruited , raspberry , strawberry , quite elegant tannins , and really fresh acidity . Slightly chalky , saline tannins . Really fills out on the mid palate , intense , but so well balanced . Long and quite densely fruited on the finish , with some mineral , chalky hints also. This is still really quite young , quite closed , densely fruited. Come back in 5 years perhaps, very promising — 2 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Light gold Lemon colour . This has quite a floral slightly honeyed bouquet , lemon rind . On the palate this shows more mineral componente , seashell , lemon pith and some honied yellow plum , red apple . Quite rich on the palate , but with decent balancing acidity and good length . Drinking perfectly now and over the next 3-5 years — 8 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Flight 4 , wine 2. This was quite a difficult wine to read at first , again quite closed , mineral and tobacco edged . Dark fruits. On the palate rounder than expected , good richness and balance , dark cherry , blackberry fruit . Good rounded tannin and ok length . Quite obviously Bordeaux in the context of this tasting , though I had this as the Lynch Bages 1982 when it was actually the Brane Cantenac 1986 …..I give up ! 90

This was an interesting , though challenging tasting , all served blind in flights of 2 wines , 3 flights of 1 Napa and 1 Bordeaux and 1 of 2 Bordeaux; served in a random sequence . The fact that at least a couple of wines were not pristine didn’t help , though if you will taste 8 , 40 year old wines that is probably par for the course . I found it relatively easy to spot whether what was in the glass was Napa or Bordeaux but didn’t actually get a single wine completely correct ! Probably overall the winner of the tasting was Napa (won the 3 rounds 2-1) as they had more suave polished , rounded personalities. Many put the wines the wrong way round , imagining that Napa was Bordeaux etc. The 1982s in general showed poorly too much funk and brett on the Lynch and Talbot but the Duhart showed surprisingly well . The 86s both showed pretty well and equalled the Dominus (even though I didn’t think we had a pristine bottle) . The Montelena was enjoyable , though was the first to oxidise whilst the Inglenook was the biggest positive surprise , still drinking surprisingly well at 47 . — 10 days ago