The Tasting Note - Tasting Notes

2008 Tramontane Collioure

2012-01-28T18:09:00.001Z

Riper cherry fruit with some fresher berries and a bit of interest. There is a brightness to this wine that the other three have lacked. The palate is a bit dumb, but with some crunchier red apple core and some darker bitter elements. OK. 80pts

2009 Tormentoso Mourvedre

2012-01-28T18:07:00.005Z

Rounder aromas of red berry fruit but with some butter coming off as well. A little bit of plasticine coming off as well that makes me think it is South African. The palate is not good, bitter, lacking in fruit and I think a bit off. 75pts

2008 D'Arenberg Stump Jump Red

2012-01-28T18:06:00.001Z

Bigger fruit, some sweeter raspberries and cherry coming off. A little strange sweet chocolate as well - cheap chocolate - with cloves. The palate is drinkable, some forward fruit, a bit of earth and spice on the back end. It is fine, a bit commercial, but ok. 81pts

2009 Tramontane Cote de Roussillon

2012-01-28T18:04:00.003Z

Slight sweet confection on the nose with some poopier elements. Pretty closed, with a tiny bit of black olive coming off. The palate has a smoky element, some reasonable fruit with some earthier, harder flavours. A little bit of bitter aniseed coming off. Not drinking well. 80pts

Glen Garioch Founders Reserve 48% vol

2012-01-19T13:46:00.000Z

Tasty aromas of cream and vanilla with a little bit of dried orange peel emerging. Quite a sweet nose, but without the alcohol blasting your nose. The palate is dry, some thinner flavours of struck match, a little bit of alcohol burn mixed with some cough sweet herbal flavours. Nicely balanced and tasty. Just a bit pricy at £35. 88pts

2005 Chateau D'Armaillhac

2012-01-13T21:19:00.000Z

Some lush red berry fruit with eucalyptus. Very drinkable. 8/10
Tasted March 2010

2005 Antinori Guado al Tasso

2012-01-13T21:18:00.001Z

Big and gutsy with masses of fruit, lots of leather and some dark, herbal elements. 8/10
Tasted March 2010

2004 Antinori Brunello di Montalcino Pian dell Vigne

2012-01-13T21:17:00.000Z

Floral with a punch of tar, cherry and bark. 9/10
Tasted March 2010

2006 Antinori Tignanello

2012-01-13T21:16:00.001Z

Good balance, clean fruit, savoury element. Very good. 9/10
Tasted March 2010

2006 Domaine Jessiaume Clos Vougeot Grand Cru Maison Jessiaume

2012-01-13T21:15:00.001Z

Lots of cherry, quite sweet and a bundle of earth. Quite dark and punchy. 4/10

Tasted March 2010

2007 Domaine Jessiaume Volnay 1er Cru Brouillards

2012-01-13T20:34:00.002Z

Fatty. Really Bad. 1/10

2004 Deutz Vintage

2012-01-13T20:33:00.003Z

Young, tight, but with a nice mousse and toasty elements. Lots of lemon on the finish. 7/10
Tasted March 2010

2003 Chateau Clerc Milon

2012-01-13T20:30:00.003Z

Lots of herbs and plums. Balanced but big. 7.5/10
Tasted March 2010

Williams & Humbert 20 Year Old Dos Cortado Palo Cortado

2012-01-13T20:29:00.003Z

Very nice tea aroma, citrus and flowers. Alcohol builds throughout the palate, but finishes very cleanly. 8/10
Tasted March 2010

Williams & Humbert 15 Year Old Dry Sack Oloroso

2012-01-13T20:28:00.002Z

Good balance, sweet, hints of toffee. Interesting. 8.5/10
Tasted March 2010

Williams & Humbert 30 Year Old Jalifa Amontillado

2012-01-13T20:27:00.001Z

Dry spice coating some dried fruit. Old honey as well on the palate. The palate has a nice citrus, orange peel flavour, only spoiled by a tad too much booze. 7/10
Tasted March 2010

Williams & Humbert 20 Year Old Don Guido Pedro Ximinez

2012-01-13T20:26:00.000Z

Lots of dried fruit, treacle and toffee. Very rich, dark and (almost) oily. 8/10
Tasted March 2010

1998 Graham's Malvedos

2012-01-13T20:24:00.002Z

Big, juicy wine - quite dark & leathery but balanced. 7/10

2000 Puligny Montrachet Referts, Louis Jadot

2012-01-13T20:23:00.001Z

A little honey and bread dough with ripe mango pith. A lot of pineapple too. Woody, with some creamy, resinous aromas. The palate is soft, mouth filling with lots of cedar and tropical fruit pith. Woody notes and lemon marmalade on the finish. 8/10
Tasted April 2010

2006 Chateau Gruaud Larose

2012-01-13T20:21:00.001Z

A bit jammy on the nose with green peppers and cherry stone. A little menthol, quite harsh actually, but with mint aromas calming it down. Fruit driven start to the palate, backed up by nice flavours of liquorice and cocoa. 9/10
Tasted April 2010

1997 Kent Rasmussen Winery Chardonnay

2012-01-13T20:10:00.003Z

Honeyed, with some melon, vanilla custard and toast aromas. The palate is very, very oaken, not a lot of fruit and a little bit of toast on the finish.
Tasted Jan 2003

Brew Dog Paradox Jura Cask

2012-01-13T16:29:00.001Z

The nose is rich, bitter sweet with aromas of coffee beans, a little sweat and a tiny amount of over ripe banana. There is initial sweetness until the whisky like alcohol kicks in. A touch of smoke with some toffee flavours and all is going well. Then you get hit with a violent, almost concentrated chemical element, someone else said Sharpie marker pens and they are right! The finish is simple with gentle bitter dark flavours. If it wasnt for that midpalate. 83pts

2007 Peller Estate Riesling Icewine 35cl

2012-01-11T15:43:00.001Z

Fat round aromas of orange, botrytis and lots of sugary sweet marmalade. The palate ha a boozy harshness with a spiced orange zest and sweet orange fruit pastille flavour. Some honey on tge finish, but lacks grace and is a touch crude. 88pts

2007 Dr Loosen Riesling Eiswein Blue Slate 187ml

2012-01-11T15:37:00.001Z

Pretty simple fruit with a purity, slight lemon and a gentle floral aroma. The palate has a simple sweetness, some lime coming through with a kiss of honey and pineapple. Elegant, poised and delicious. 92pts

2010 Two Rivers Sauvignon Blanc

2012-01-05T11:08:00.003Z

Lots of gooseberry, lots of nettle, a lot of citrus. The palate is spritzy, almost has bubbles with some really really high acid. Sweetness comes through with lots of gooseberry and nettle. Nasty. 68pts

2006 Chateau Haut Bertinerie

2012-01-05T11:07:00.001Z

Lots of brie, thin citrus fruit, a little bit of melon peel and thats about it. Hellish amount of acid. 60pts

2007 Quoin Rock Oculus

2012-01-05T11:06:00.002Z

Oak, lots of oak, with some muddy and damp aromas. The palate has a bit of up front sweetness, some oak with a little bit of fierce alcohol and then a really unpleasant finish that reminds me of urine. 55pts

1998 Chateau Mouton Rothschild

2012-01-03T12:06:00.003Z

Soft vegetal aromas surrounded by cherries and a musky cocoa aroma. Very appealing on the nose. The palate is soft, with cocoa, a lot of juicy fruit balanced throughout. There is a vegetal element that is really tasty. 91pts

2007 Chateau Coutet

2012-01-03T12:05:00.001Z

Glorious rich honey and lemon with sweet Irn Bru aromas. The palate is balanced beautifully with some slight Botrytis funk that struts in like James Brown entering a room. Great purity, and balance. 93pts

1970 Dow's Vintage Port

2012-01-03T12:03:00.005Z

Sweet cassis, a little bit of clove and some dusty cinnamon with chocolate and cherry menthol. The palate is chocolate covered raisins, lots of lovely aromatic spice and a bitter cigar tobacco coming through. Quite closed, needs a lot more time. 90pts

1993 Crown Estate Tokaji Aszu 6 Putts

2012-01-03T12:02:00.003Z

Lots of sweet currants, some rubber as well. Honey covered rhubarb emerges from the nose as well. The palate is very nice, well balanced with some spice, lemon marmalade and a touch of pie crust. Very tasty. 91pts

2004 Chapoutier Crozes Hermitage Varonniers

2012-01-03T12:01:00.002Z

Light cherries, some sweet cranberries and liquorice. A dark, leather element, some tarry, overly extracted burnt elements. Not great. 82pts

2009 Ridge Geyserville Double Magnum

2012-01-03T12:00:00.003Z

Big, rich bramble aromas - very sweet and fruit forward. A touch of cocoa with spice emerges from the tobacco and honey flavoured chocolate. A big tannic spice fest on the palate. Lots of tobacco, bitter and a hint of potting compost - but in a good way! Menthol elements and a lot of liquorice & aniseed balls. Very tasty but needs time to settle. 93pts

1990 Pol Roger PR Magnum

2012-01-03T11:58:00.004Z

A bit of pencil eraser, some sweet chalk covered citrus and mango pith with marmalade. The palate is quite muted, has some dried autumn leaves. Very soft and velvety, fine bubbles and a little citrus pith. Raisin on the finish and a touch of honey. A long, well balanced finish but a touch closed. Needs some time. 90pts

2005 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance

2011-12-31T17:03:00.001Z

Big, voluptuous tea infused honey with some apricots, peach abd a little bit of dried bitter orange. Very good, a little burnt rubber on the back end. Excellent. 90pts

2007 Chateau Coutet

2011-12-31T15:12:00.001Z

Glorious rich honey and lemon with sweet Irn Bru aromas. The palate is balanced, beautifully clean with a slight botrytises funk going on. And I mean funk as in James Brown funk, great purity of fruit and acid balancing the long finish with some spice coming off. Gorgeous. 93pts

2005 Brancaia Ilatraia

2011-12-28T16:52:00.001Z

Lots of sweet bramble and Christmas pudding that has loads of brambles. Chocolate and bonfire toffee and a bit of menthol coming off. The palate is dark, spiced and with a tarry, beef stock cube element. Lots of dried blueberries with a little tobacco. Big and rather tasty but with a stangely weak finish. 90pts

2000 Musigny, Jacques-Frederic Mugnier

2011-12-26T22:18:00.006Z

Some pepper, cherry and a bit of cranberry emerging from the nose. Lots of subtle fruit and a light dried wood note. Soft tobacco with a bit of leather and some light tar on the nose. Soft balance, a little bit of tobacco, crisp apple and cranberry. Very well balanced, exquisite poise and lovely balance of maturity and fruit. 94pts

1985 Martinez Vintage Port

2011-12-26T22:16:00.002Z

Light cherry menthol comes off the nose with a touch of clove oil emerging as well. A muted aroma, with some mulling spice sweetness. The palate has a savoury note at first, a nudge of alcohol but tempered by a nice berry sweetness. The spice builds, as does the alcohol, but the weight and savoury notes - a bitter, slightly tannic element - masks the booze. The finish is very long, not overly sweet and with a dried spice and bitter plum skin flavour. Good. 90pts

1995 Krug

2011-12-26T22:12:00.001Z

A lighter honey aroma with some grapefruit pith and just a touch of biscuits and cream. A little bit of meringue coming out too. Older style, some darker marmalade flavours, some crisp acid and then a little bit of cheese on the back end. Some struck match on the end of the wine. Good, but not great. 90pts

1963 Taylor's Vintage Port

2011-12-26T22:11:00.003Z

Gentle, graceful ripe cherries with a lovely bright sweet fruit atoma. Restrained though and with hints of damson and cigar tobacco. Very elegant, a touch of spice and some alcohol up front. Mingles with a lovely mint, cocoa and leather palate, savoury notes throughout with a delightful tarry finish. Delicious. 94pts

Taylor's 40 Year Old Tawny Port

2011-12-26T22:11:00.000Z

A lot of dark, liquorice aromas with some caramel and raisin. Cocoa and toffee and some lovely sweet tobacco. The palate is fat, globular and spicey. Very little balance and a lot of alcohol heat. There is a spice there and the finish is. Oth sweet and clean but it is just lacking in any grace. 85pts

2001 Pio Cesare Barolo

2011-12-16T18:08:00.006Z

Some soft creamy elements, a little bit of cherry polish, a bit of tobasco coming off as well. Spiced berries a little bit of sherry vinegar with lots of dusty leather and a bit of funk. Maybe a tiny bit corked. 84pts

2004 Pio Cesare Barolo

2011-12-16T18:08:00.002Z

Dark leathery and with some really tasty aromas of cocoa, dust, cherry and tar. The palate is dusty, leathery, some cocoa, a bit of pepper and little bit of tobacco. Very dark, a bit hot and some leather on the back end. Very good. 91pts

2008 Monasterio Old Vine Garnacha

2011-12-16T18:04:00.003Z

Chocolate, some brambles and a bit of spice. Lush, full bodied with a bit of cocoa and crisp red apple skin. Some toasty notes with some sweetness on the finish. 90pts

2009 Tramontane Grenache Noir

2011-12-16T18:01:00.002Z

Bright fresh berries, lots of cassis, cranberry and a little warmed berry pie filling. The palate is dark, earthy and with some dusty spice up front. Very balanced. 89pts

2009 Tramontane Grenache Gris

2011-12-16T18:00:00.001Z

Some orange skin, peach skin and a warmed fruit aroma with a tiny amount of pepper. The palate is fresh, clean with an oxidised element and slight cheesy note. Good. 90pts

2009 Cousino Macul Sauvignon Gris

2011-12-16T17:58:00.003Z

Fat with some sherbet. Some plasticine comes out as well. A little citrus comes off with some pepper. A bit of melon as well. The palate is fat, round, chewier fruit. Not great. 75pts

2010 Anakena Sauvignon Blanc

2011-12-16T17:56:00.004Z

A bit of honey, some elderflower and some burning grass as well. The palate has a hit of alcohol with some sweetness coming through. Acidic finish. 81pts

2010 Baron de Badassiere Sauvignon Blanc

2011-12-16T17:55:00.003Z

Bright, grassy with some mineral aromas coming through. A bit of wet slate as well. The palate has passion fruit up from and then a veggie, gooseberry element. Steely on the finish. 85pts

1994 Warre's Vintage Port

2011-12-09T09:31:00.001Z

Sweet bramble aromas with a little bit of celery coming off. A delicious bramble aroma, some warming cinnamon and aniseed spice on the nose and a little touch of damson jam. The palate has some up front heat and spice, cooling to give a dark, damson and charcoal flavour, some dark chocolate chip flavours and a menthol and mint finish. A bit of dusty earth is thrown in for good measure as well. A really tasty port. 92pts

2010 Domaine de la Pigeade Muscat de Beaumes de Venise

2011-12-05T16:33:00.001Z

Bright, fresh, simple and with peach and apricot. Very sweet, lots of honey and juicy fruit. Lacks acid though which means that it is fat on the finish. 82pts

2003 Bertani Amarone

2011-12-05T16:31:00.001Z

Cloves, sweet aniseed and dark, dried cherry and prune aroma. Then some violet and coffee comes off followed by lots of tobacco. The palate is good, dark and spicy, full of fruit and some earth thrown in for good measure. Dark leather on the finish with some sweet, punchy spice. Very good. 94pts

2008 Bertani Villa Arvedi Amarone

2011-12-05T16:30:00.001Z

A commercial Amarone, musky, meaty and with a Bovril element coming through. Goes onto dark cherry and tobacco. Good structure, spice and with a gutsy boozy element and dark, liquorice covered cherry on the finish. 86pts

2009 Secco-Bertani Valpolicella Ripasso

2011-12-05T16:01:00.001Z

Very polished aroma, dark brooding fruit, a lot of sweet, dark elements including leather, liquorice, dust and earth. Very clean palate, some peppery spice and a bit of cherry stone. A really tasty wine. 94pts

2010 Kooyong Massale Pinot Noir

2011-12-05T15:59:00.001Z

Bright nose with lots of crisp cherry and spice. A little bit of rustic flavour up front, with some pepper and light cranberry. A little pepper on the finish. Good. 89pts

2010 Kooyong Clonale Chardonnay

2011-12-05T15:58:00.001Z

Sweet, vanilla aromas with a gentle spiced peach aroma. Good fruit, a touch of sweetness and some fatter, riper fruit flavours. A nudge towards Burgundy. 90pts

2008 Francois Mikulski Meursault

2011-12-05T15:57:00.001Z

Soft, gentle spice and wood with a touch of honey, ginger ad peach. Super balanced wine with a zingy element and good fruit structure. Very clean and integrated - you wouldn't think that this is Meursault. 90pts

2010 Cuilleron Condrieu La Petite Cote

2011-12-05T15:56:00.001Z

Round, peach, pineapple, ginger - clean oak as well. The palate is oak dominant and a little spice and heat. A nicely balanced wine with pithy fruit and a bit of melon. Very very tasty. 91

2010 Bertani Serole Soave

2011-12-05T15:54:00.001Z

Soft, bright, honeyed with some peach skin. A little cream too. There is some banana skin and soft mineral elements. Nice simple wine with a tiny amount of spice. 84pts

2010 Marquis de Maupas Chateau de Maupas Menetou Salon

2011-12-05T15:46:00.001Z

Fruity, lots of sweet fruit, a lot of honey and sweet lime. Some pineapple too. A lot of acid and citrus at first and then a fat finish. 82pts

2010 Isabelle & Pierre Clement Chatenoy Menetou Salon

2011-12-05T15:45:00.001Z

Green, musky and with lots of veggie elements. Green pepper galore with lots of tomato plant. A touch high acid, a very vegetal wine. Green chilli on the palate, acid kicks in a touch too much, with a long lasting finish. 88pts

2010 Bertani Due Uve

2011-12-05T15:32:00.001Z

A blend of Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc, and this wine has so much cat pee on the nose it is crazy. A little bit of lemon comes through. The palate is light, some banana skin and a little crisp acid, some spritzy elements coming through. Fun, simple and with some vegetal elements at the back end. 84pts

1996 Leoville las Cases

2011-12-05T15:28:00.001Z

Big, juicy yet creamy with a very soft chocolate nose. Palate is dark, earthy with some spice and a bit of cocoa. 89pts

2004 Chateau Deyrem Valentin

2011-12-04T14:30:00.001Z

Sweet cherry and cassis with a lovely smoky note coming off. Green veggies come through next with some chocolate and a lovely rosemary aroma. The palate is a bit closed, some tar and tobacco up front and then some cherry, dark liquorice and a bit of leather emerging too. The finish is dark, a nudge of spice and some tobacoo and pencil lead. 88pts

1998 Chateau Cerons

2011-12-04T14:29:00.001Z

Musky, struck match and apple skin on the nose with a little bit of honey emerging. The palate is, at first, sweet and gentle but then it darkens up, becomes musky, bitter and woody. Not unpleasant, just a bit of a ballsy wine. The finish has a lot of minerally, burnt wood coming off. Needs some food to match with it - apple crumble. 81pts

2009 Vigneti del Vulture Pipoli Aglianico del Vulture

2011-11-27T12:17:00.001Z

Sweet and rich with a bit of floral spice and unsucked aniseed balls. More of the balls on the palate, some dark, leathery texture and a bit of cherry stone and prune. 84pts

2009 Chateau La Tour de Beraud Costieres de Nimes Rouge

2011-11-27T12:16:00.001Z

Sweet cherry, some bright fresh fruit, crisp acidic raspberry, after a thicker jam start. Concentrated, a little bit of earth and twig. Stony on the finish with a touch of liquorice. 85pts

2009 Inspira Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva

2011-11-27T12:15:00.003Z

Lots of blackcurrant, some tarry elements with some greener elements coming off. Palate is thick, green, spicy and with a nice dark finish. 85pts

2010 Poggio del Sasso Sangiovese

2011-11-27T12:15:00.001Z

Sweet creamy bramble, a little bubblegum with ome spice, dry, lean, dark and with a but of spice. Not bad, with some dried leaves. 83pts

2010 Vigneti del Vulture Pipoli Bianco

2011-11-27T12:04:00.001Z

Lemon candles with a little bit of sweetened lemon juice. Good simple fruit, nice honeysuckle and watermelon coming off. Nice wine. 87pts

2010 Chateau la Tour de Beraud Costieres de Nimes Blanc

2011-11-27T12:01:00.001Z

Light peach and some pineapple coming through. The palate has a little plastic element to it, some peppery elements and then a bitter finish, pithy and boozy. 80pts

2010 Varancay Sauvignon Blanc

2011-11-27T12:00:00.001Z

Grassy aromas and some gooseberry. More gooseberry on the palate, some acid creeps in but is controlled. Good simple sauvignon blanc. 83pts

Edouard Brun Cuvee Special

2011-11-27T11:59:00.003Z

Gentle nose, fresh clean fish foody elements with some brioche element. Palate is gentle, some softness and a little fresh apple coming through with some struck match and a gentle floral element. Simple, fresh and clean. Touch of sweet pain au raisin. 81pts

Andre Fourtin & Co Brut NV

2011-11-27T11:59:00.001Z

Light, floury with some fresh lemon pith. The palate starts off with a lot of nice gentle fruit and then it gets sweet and then sour and lots and lots of acid. Pretty poor. 76pts

2009 Some Young Punks Fierce Allure Cabernet Sauvignon

2011-11-27T11:50:00.003Z

Cheap jam flavours with some redcurrant jelly and then a palate of earth, tar and far too much tannin. There was a bitter, overly stewed teabag flavour coming off the finish too. 73pts

2009 Some Young Punks Lust Collides Mataro

2011-11-27T11:50:00.001Z

Smells like pig poop with a bunch of flowers shoved in it. Big, dark, confected with sweetness all the way through and a cheap salted caramel flavour on the finish. Very poor and expensive (£22). 75pts.

2010 Some Young Punks Passion Has Red Lips Cabernet Shiraz

2011-11-27T11:49:00.001Z

Rich, jammy with cassis, bramble and some warm honey, this led onto a dark, earthy palate with black pepper, tobacco and some leather. Tannin kicked in on the back end as did some aniseed. 84pts

2010 Some Young Punks Double Love Trouble Tempranillo Shiraz

2011-11-27T11:47:00.001Z

Soft, floral aromas and baked cranberries. A savoury palate with a medium body, some dusty spice coming through and a nudge towards the old world. At £13 it isn't bad, but there is a lot better out there for less. 83pts.

2010 Some Young Punks The Rude Mechanicals Shiraz Petit Verdot

2011-11-27T11:46:00.001Z

Sweet cherry and bramble come off the nose, with some parma violets, and I quite liked the aroma. The palate started off a bit dull, fruity and simple but boring, and then it deteriorates in your mouth. Bitter, dark and vastly unpleasant. 73pts

2010 Some Young Punks Taken Brave Chardonnay

2011-11-27T11:45:00.001Z

It had big, toasty aromas, some ginger and peach, with a palate totally lacking in any fuller bodied fruit to match the oak. Some citrus flavours kick in on the finish, but again the acidity is just totally out of balance with the wine. Also, with prices north of £20, this is far too much for a mediocre wine. 80pts

2010 Some Young Punks The Rude Mechanicals Viognier Pinot Gris

2011-11-27T11:44:00.003Z

Peachy aromas with some lemon grass and a little grapefruit. Unfortunately the palate had some more of the excessive acid, but the flavour of lemon grass, lime skin and nectarine was nice, and at around £12 it isn't bad. 82pts

2011 Some Young Punks Monsters Attack Riesling

2011-11-27T11:44:00.001Z

From Clare Valley, costing around £15, it had a light, lemon and grapefruit nose with a little zing of lime coming through. Sweetness up front on the palate, with some honey flavour emerging, and a bright, spritzy element. It is an ok wine, nothing special and certainly nothing different. 80pts

2010 Battle Island Red

2011-11-27T11:42:00.003Z

Confected cherry pie filling, with some chocolatey elements coming off the nose, with a dark, sweet, tannic and acidic palate. A complete disjointed mess of a wine. 68pts

2010 Battle Island White

2011-11-27T11:42:00.001Z

Watery lemon aromas, a little grapefruit coming through and initially you thought "well this is just a simple, cheap, Aussie white". When you put it in your mouth there was so much acid it pulled the inner layers of your mouth off. 71pts

The Botanist Gin, 46%

2011-11-27T11:40:00.003Z

Bright, lemon and orange peel with a little bit of juniper coming through. There is a peppery element emerging with some peach skin. Salty, with a pepper and hot spice coming through. Quite crude really, with a little bit of pepper on the finish. You really notice the alcohol. 86pts

Hendricks Gin, 41.4%

2011-11-27T11:40:00.001Z

A fresh, cucumber aroma and a bit of white flower coming off with some juniper. There is a bit of pepper and some violet coming through on the end of the nose, which is very nice. The palate has a pear and parma violet flavours with a little bitter spice, and a touch of cucumber skin on the back end. Very clean, gentle and easy drinking. 89pts

Caorunn Gin, 41.45

2011-11-27T11:38:00.001Z

Very floral, some subtle white pepper spice coming through with a bundle of lime, lemon and heather. The palate has some pear and apple up front, then a kick of alcohol and bitter spice, followed by a woody, tannic element. Very warm on the finish, but delicate as well. 90pts

Fifty Pounds London Dry Gin, 43.5%

2011-11-27T11:37:00.001Z

Very subtle, it comes through with some spice, berries an a light yellow flower aroma. The palate is hot at first, but calms down, offers out some lemony, spicy flavours with a dry, pithy element coming through. Some very nice minerally flavours come through on the back end, and warming to the end. 91pts

Sipsmith London Dry Gin, 41.6%

2011-11-27T11:36:00.003Z

Juniper comes through to the front of the nose with subtle lemon and grapefruit aromas backing it all up. There is a little white pepper as well. Again, some sweetness up front with some juniper, a little bit of tree bark (strangely!) and then some grapefruit pith and a gentley spiced flavour coming off. Some grappa flavous emerge but very herbal on the back end. A nice gin. 90pts

Williams Chase Gin 48%

2011-11-27T11:36:00.001Z

Clean, appley with a gentle element of sea salt coming off. Also coming off the nose is a bright, soor ploom (scottish boiled sweet) aroma. The palate has a sweet, spiced start with a lot of alcohol heat but it doesn't attack you, it gently warms you and leaves you with more, crisp, green apple flavours. It is a little like grappa to be honest. I like it but it doesn't bowl me over. Having said that, it is a distinctive gin and would work so well in cocktails. 89pts

2008 Altano Reserva

2011-11-13T20:46:00.001Z

Rich, sweet and creamy aromas with lots of spice, dark berries and a gutsy dark nutmeg aroma coming off. The palate is dark, tannic, earthy with lots of tannin and smoked berries, finishing with plum skin on the finish. 88pts

2009 Altano Branco

2011-11-13T20:12:00.001Z

Light, fresh with some sweet pork fat coming off the nose., a little dried peel too. This is a lovely, clean, fresh wine. 88pts

1980 Graham's Vintage Port

2011-11-13T20:11:00.001Z

A herbal smelling wine with light dried berries, cinnamon, nutmeg and a cherry menthol element too. Baked berry pie was on the palate, lots of raspberries, blueberries and brambles mixed with a sweet berry syrup and some lavender infused through it all, finished off with a little cigar smoke. Remarkably youthful, and a really tasty bottle of port. 93pts

Graham's The Tawny Port

2011-11-13T20:10:00.001Z

Darker raisined fruit on the nose, with a lovely balance of fruit, spice and nutty elements, all coated in honey and with a sprinkling of salted caramel. The palate is all about dried citrus peel, cashew nuts and more of the salted caramel, with just a little bit of alcohol heat. I like this port a lot. 90pts

1999 Graham's Malvedos Vintage Port

2011-11-13T20:09:00.003Z

A dark, damsony aroma with cocoa and chocolate abound. A very sweet, leathery, dark palate, quite closed with mint and earthy spices. It is a good port, but still too young. 90pts

Graham's Six Grapes Port

2011-11-13T20:09:00.001Z

Soft, with lush gentle fruit, a cinnamon spice coming through and some plum jam mixed with a touch of honey. The palate had some heat, and then dark, spicy flavours with cigar tobacco on the back end. 86pts

2006 Graham's LBV

2011-11-13T20:04:00.001Z

A sweet and savoury aroma, with some balsamic notes and a lovely hint of bramble and chocolate coming through. A sweetness coming off the palate with liquorice flavours, spice and darker, earthier flavours. Quite dry on the finish with a raisin flavour. 86pts

Graham's Extra Dry White Port

2011-11-13T20:00:00.001Z

A slightly nutty aroma, with some apple coming off, mixed up with a bit of honey and sea salt. The palate was wonderfully dry, with some alcohol coming off, but with some honey flavour - though not sweetness - emerging. It is a fuller style of white port, good, but a little imbalanced. Tasty though. 84pts.

2010 Stellenrust Pinotage

2011-10-30T20:35:00.003Z

Smells of slurry and tastes of slurry. This is a farmyard in a glass. Really really terrible. 60pts (unless you are farmer and like slurry!)