10.10.07
2003 Boutinot - 'Les Coteaux Schisteux' Séguret, Côtes du Rhône Villages
Initially subdued nose of black cherries with a touch of smokiness, medium bodied, initially quite sparse and aggressive on the palette. Secondary liquorice and vanilla notes develop over time and the wine, though not unctuous, is not an unpleasant companion to chicken pie. 87pts

16/09/2007
2001 Le Cedre Cahors
100% Malbec. Purple to the rim, , nose of smoke, meat, blackcurrant and pain grille. pure blackcurrant fruit More acidic than the sumptuous and early drinking 2002.

14/09/2007
At Adlards…due to close next week.
Billecart Salmon NV Rose
2005 Puligny Montrachet - Chavy-Martin - fresh, elegant and very young
2003 Pegau Cuvee Reserve - magnificent

2000 Il Vescovino Il Merlotto
Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon purchased in Panzano. Unpromising damp woody nose with some blackcurrant and leather - thin, acidic and unbalanced. Not hedonistic.

1997 Badia a Coltibuona Sangiovetto

At Badia a Coltibuona in the evening. Gorgeous nose of leather, rich fruit and liquorice. Complex and long.

NV Podere Ciona Vino Tavola
Made by our hosts was a simple rustic wine.

2005 Brolio Chianti Classico
Fruit driven very approachable, good house wine

2004 Rosso Di Montegrossi Chianti Classico
disappointing

2004 Lamole Di Lamole Chianti Classico,
2004 Contessa Di Radda Chianti Classico were both unattractive with un-integrated oak(!) and un-Chianti like flavours (merlot….?). Is this modern Chianti?

2003 Badia A Coltibuona Chiant Classico Riserva
On the terrace of the restaurant at Badia a Coltibuona, lovely with local meats followed by roasted rooster and peppers. Enjoyed this wine but didn’t make any notes.

2004 Sassocupo Chianti Classico Riserva
Best of the tasted 2004s so far, purple with blackcurrants, meat, mushrooms, herbs with cherries on the palette. Nice minerally texture - quite refined.

2003 Castello Di Brolio Chianti Classico Riserva
With pasta and porcini mushrooms and rack of lamb at Osteria Di Brolio.
Nose of dark fruits (cassis), a bit of leather, liquorice tar and smoke. Full bodied, prunes with sweet fruits (?) with good balance and texture a bit short owing to its youth maybe, but a tour favourite also tasted at Il Vinalo in Panzano.

1999 Castello Di Nieve, Santa Stefano, Barberesco Riserva
Beautiful pale ruby. Profound nose of roses , herbs and liquorice, still young, but a joy with its poise and delicacy supported on prominent but not unpleasant tannins. 92pts

25.08.7
In La Morra
2006 Erbaluna Dolcetta D’Alba ‘Le Ghiaie’
After steaming down from Beaune
Beautiful floral (violets) nose with dollops of black cherry on the palette. Short and rustic, with goodly tannins but lovely nonetheless.

24.08.07
At La Part des Anges, in Beaune
Billecart Salmon NV Rose
Beautiful pale pink lovely fruit and rich texture, delicious.
2004 Clos Du Cromin , Caillot Meursault
Rich straw colour, intial powerful nose of oak and minerals, lemony and oily a touch muscular but still a pleasure.

Mollydooker 2 Left Feet 2004
Nose of sweet jammy fruit, full bodied, unbalanced and alchoholic, fruit is too sweet and the finish is unpleasant…..almost not wine. It is curious that Parker rates this so highly, I think it might appeal to non-wine-geeks but I don’t get it - compared to the similarly priced wines of Kangarilla Road (which Parker also likes) it is poor value.

01.08.07
De Bortoli GS Reserve Shiraz 2000
Dark ruby red Spicy nose with liquorice, smoke, earth, caramel notes . Full bodied with grainy tannins and some alchoholic heat. Predominantly cherry fruit blown off course by acidity, alchohol and tannins. See how this develops - will report back.
A bit later - a compelling nose of meat, earth and black fruits - more balanced on the palette with the black cherry fruit component starting to compete well. Remains to be seen if the structural elements will win.

31/07/07
Domaine Du Cedre Prestige 2004 Cahors
Wonderful with Samphire followed by home made sausages, sauerkraut, red cabbage and new potatoes. Purple, full bodied with magnificent layers of sweet black fruits balanced perfectly by a robust tannic structure - rustic and delicious. 91pts

13.06.07
John Duval Entity Shiraz 2004
Big Wow! I had tasted my way through an eclectic mix of syrah and shirazes including some interesting Australian Chapoutier cuvees at a recent Harper Wells tasting when I came across this brilliant wine.
OMFG talk about balance - refined cassis, spice and mint in great depth supported by a wonderful minerality. Elegant with smooth tannins and a silky texture. Beautiful, will drink well for 10 years. 95pts

I had the pleasure of lunching with John Duval as guests of wine merchants Ed Wells and Dean Harper at the excellent Elm Hill Brasserie here in Norwich a couple of Thursdays ago. We drank the 2005 Plexus, the 2004 Entity and the 2005 Entity. John was a great lunch companion and the wines showed very well.
I had been introduced to the 2004 Entity at a Shiraz/Syrah tasting week before and was deeply impressed by the quality of the wine - it was WOTN by a country mile.
At the lunch -I did not write notes - but all the wines were impressive. The 2004 Entity is drinking well now and has great depth of fruit, with a gorgeous texture and minerality, beautifully balanced with power and finesse. The 2005 is slightly more reticent at this stage but has all the components in place and I am looking forward to revisiting it in a year or two. The Plexus was elegant with the added complexity of Mouvedre from ancient vines.