Chris England

9.3

My first try of this wine was the 2015 vintage & I loved it but I’ve not found many 2014 from Italy that I’ve liked as many are weak, so @ £127 I was torn on hold or try & yes I’m so weak to 🤣 I prefer this to the Sassicaia 14 but still I’d pay for the 2015 at this price as it feels expensive for what it is or could be 😉 But hey I love their labels 😍

📍 Montevertine Le Pergole Torte 2014

🏵 93 points w/ maybe a little improvement but not as complex as the 2015 which I gave 97-98 points @ £135 - I know which I’d buy as a long term treat 😉

🍇 100% Sangiovese

🍷 Clear rich ruby

👃 Soft oak & minty fresh cedar tones through dark cherry & sweet plum w/ blackberry, earth, rock minerals, red potpourri & spiced herby hints

👄 Med body of smooth red cherry, soft dark plum & light blackberry tones in dry minerals w/ raspberry, pomegranate & red berry oozing through

🎯 Med dry mineral infused red fruit wallop w/ a cherry, raspberry & pomegranate linger
— 6 years ago

Chris England

9.0

A new St Emilion to me @ £40 in a top year that’s owned by Chanel 👜 👠 yes darling ✨ and it’s not bad, drinking good already & should improve. Many will like this style for sure if you like oak & bold fruit 😉 and it doesn’t have the Chanel price tag 😁

📍 Chateau Berliquet 2010

🏵 90 points

🍇 Cabernet Franc, Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon

🍷 Opaque blackened ruby

👃 Rich oak dominated damson plum & black berry fruits w/ a touch of burnt smoke, gravel, minerals, soggy earth, bramble bush, blueberry, raspberry & mocha

👄 Med body of rich ripe black currant & berry w/ blueberry, raspberry, cocoa & minerals

🎯 Long touch mineral dry red & black fruit touch sweet punchy fruit hit w/ a woody oak dry linger
— 6 years ago

Chris England

9.2

This is probably my favourite Sangiovese for the money so thought I’d take one for the community & try the new 2015 @ £65 so you know if you should buy 😉 The 07 is stunning now & this 15 is drinking well but should be just as fab but is lighter at present 😉 We drank 3 bottles over the weekend 😊 Oakier than others I’ve had but not dominating 😉

🐮 The 3rd bottle paired perfectly w/ Mrs Es slow cooked Beef Stew & Dumplings in gloopy gravy 😍 on a cold rainy ☔️ day

📍 Isole e Olena Cepparello 2015

🏵 92-93 today w/ potential for 95-96 I’d say

🍇 Sangiovese

🍷 Clear rich ruby

👃 Smokey oak infused cherry w/ tones on spiced black fruits, minerals, cranberry, cedar chards & light herbs

👄 Med body of smooth red cherry & black berry in touch dry minerals w/ a slight mocha & cranberry tones coming through

🎯 Med+ big red cherry boom w/ a slight sweet black berry undertone oozing through mineral, red berry & mocha w/ a dry oaky linger
— 6 years ago

Chris England

9.2

A new Rioja for me I grabbed in Spain from @gabymeetswine @vilaviniteca @ €105 & whilst nice I think it’s overpriced as you get just as good quality in many £40-£50 Rioja but that said it’s nice 😉 & quite unusually earthy & mineral laden 😁 leave 5 years 👍

📍 Olivier Riviere Losares 2013 Rioja

🏵 92-93 points

🍇 Mazuela, Graciano & Tempranillo

🍷 Deep dark ruby

👃 Soggy earth, gravel, minerals & pencil lead through muted dark cherry w/ a light smokey soaked oak tone, red currant, balsamic & herbs then the oak really pushed through on steroids after a couple of hours

👄 Med body of red & dark cherry in balsamic w/ cocoa & minerals galore w/ a touch of blackberry

🎯 Med+ dry tannic red & dark cherry/berry cocoa mineral earthy linger w/ an okay follow through
— 6 years ago

Chris England

9.4

A new Priorat to me from @gabymeetswine @vilaviniteca @ €89 and wow 💥 this is drinking superb young but could be epic in 10 years 😍 Going to be hard to resist stripping another bottle naked & devouring its inner soul 😊 I’m seeking more of these bad boys 👍

📍 Mas Alta La Creu Alta 2014

🏵 94+ points w/ 96-98 potential easily 😉

🍇 50% Old Vine Carignan, 30% Grenache & 20% Syrah from 8 different vineyards!

🍷 Opaque purple tinted deep rich ruby

👃 Plump bursting blackcurrant, smoked blueberry, wild raspberry, dark cherry & soggy earth through soft oak in fine minerals w/ blackberry, creamy cocoa, parma violets, red roses & herby tones

👄 Full bodied rich creamy silky blackcurrant, blueberry & raspberry w/ dark cherry, blackberry & cocoa ooozy follow through

🎯 Long deep dark fruit bomb w/ cherry, raspberry & cocoa exploding through
— 6 years ago

Chris England

8.9

This was the first Chateau that got me hooked on Pauillac & still is one of the best at this price of £40 😁 not a top vintage but drinking well 😉

📍 Chateau Lynch-Moussas 2008

🏵 89 points

🍇 70% Cabernet Sauvignon & 30% Merlot

🍷 Deep ruby

👃 Smoked oak & cedar through gravel & minerals into soft dark berry fruits w/ touches of plum, herbs, red berry, snapped pencil & liquorice

👄 Med body of smooth mineral infused earthy dark berry fruits w/ a touch of mocha & red liquorice

🎯 Med dark fruit finale w/ a light mineral dry touch
— 6 years ago

Chris England

9.0

2nd wine of Cos d'Estournel in an average year @ £38 but drinking lovely 😉 a great effort 👍

📍 Château Cos d'Estournel - Les Pagodes de Cos 2012

🏵 90 points

🍇 60% Cabernet Sauvignon & 40% Merlot

🍷 Deep opaque ruby

👃 Smoked rich oak through blackcurrant & sweet dark plum w/ minerals & soggy earth

👄 Med creamy body of black berry fruits w/ dark plum, minerals, blueberry, cocoa & a touch of red liquorice

🎯 Med++ smooth dark fruits w/ a touch of blue & red berry in fine mineral, liquorice, cocoa & a light oaky linger — 6 years ago

Chris England

9.2

My first bottle I tried using the Coravin Model 2 Elite 👍 Remember to enter the competition I posted on Saturday on Instagram for your chance to win one also 🤞 Drinking well young @ £80 but should improve a little letting the dry tones soften 😁

🥧 Paired w/ Mrs Es homemade Chicken & Mushroom Pie w/ Dauphinoise Potato (scroll for pic ⏩)

📍 Kistler Sonoma Coast 2014

🏵 92 points w/ more potential maybe

🍇 Pinot Noir

🍷 Clear deep ruby w/ a purple hue

👃 Earthy spiced red cherry & dirty blackberry bramble bush through soft smokey herbs w/ light oak, red roses & hints of gasoline

👄 Med body of creamy smooth ripe earthy blackberry & red cherry cola w/ raspberry, strawberry, light dry minerals & a hint of cocoa

🎯 Long touch dry blackberry, cherry & red fruit earthy gooey linger — 6 years ago

Chris England

8.7

OK get ready €9, yes €9 & whilst it’s not rich & complex its a fab light table wine w/ a lot going on that’s so easy (too easy) to drink already 👍 Did I say it’s €9 😱 This was a gift from a guy w/ a 3,000+ bottle cellar incl DRC 😀

📍 Chateau Haut-Pommarede Graves 2014

🏵 87-88 points w/ a touch more potential

🍇 70% Merlot & 30% Cabernet Sauvignon

🍷 Clear Ruby

👃 Gravel, crushed rock mineral & soggy earth through dark plum & blackberry in soft smoked rich oak w/ cherry, herbs, leaves & bitter mocha

👄 Light+ body of mineral infused earthy blackberry & cherry w/ deep mocha, blackcurrant, fig & damson

🎯 Med touch dry mineral laden soft black fruits w/ a red cherry green stalky earthy finale
— 6 years ago

Chris England

9.4

A new 🇮🇹 beauty that sells at £62-£92 (crazy price differences) that’s so silky smooth it made me want to wax my bottom 🤪 I was expecting boom but got oooooo & arrrrrrr 😃

📍 Allegrini La Poja 2012

🏵 94 points w/ more potential 😉

💥 14.5% ABV

🍇 Corvina

🍷 Deep opaque ruby

👃 Spiced blackberry & currant, blueberry & red cherry w/ soft smoked oak, raisin, leather, liquorice, chocolate goo & coffee

👄 Med+ body of smooth creamy dark berry’s & morello cherry in a harmonious fruit explosion that coats every crevice of your grape glugging choppers w/ a touch of mineral, raisin & coffee liquorice

🎯 Long morello cherry dominant linger w/ black fruits dancing alongside in a coffee liquorice raisin mineral quartet
— 6 years ago