Laughing Jack shiraz 2003

86 points

Barossa Valley, 14.5%

Dark with crimson flashes. Young, no sign of age, but with some rather classic shiraz aromas – the sort that usually take some years to develop. Quite fresh with not quite integrated (added) acidity. Bold, very primary, simple flavour.

This wine does nothing to shake my predjudice against the hot 2003 vintage. Well made, like this, it can deliver wines that are quite impressive dark and concentrated if lacking complexity, but I don’t see these making old, or interesting, wines.

Larmandier-Bernier blanc de blanc

91 points

Champagne, France. 12%

It’s been sometime since having a blanc de blanc that impressed me. This is lovely, and very much a blanc de blanc. Fresh, lively, plenty of bubbles and very adequate acidity. Gorgeous touch of dry, not sweet, peach skin flavour.

Leeuwin Estate ‘art series’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 (review)

88 points

Margaret River, Western Australia. 14%

I’ve always thought of Leeuwin Estate as one of Australia’s more bordeaux-like cabernet producers, as the wines are deep, not exotic/cosmetic, physiologically very ripe, and quite savoury. However over the past five years they have crept up in alcohol. Really they are stylistically closer to a top Californian producer, especially in this firm ripe vintage.

Fine wine, but I would have hoped for a bit more energy and acid. It’s big solid, a touch porty though without any sweetness or alcohol burn.

Domaine Remi Jobard Monthalie sur le velle 2002

89 points

Burgundy, France.

Dark youthful colour. Funky leather nose. Warm but fresh in a funky style with substantial secondary (eg leather) characters, rather than pure varietal character, and yet this could only be pinot noir.

Drinks well now but I suspect it will bery much reward a couple more years of cellaring.

Chateau Haut Bages Liberal 2002

90 points

Pauillac, Bordeaux. 12.5%

This is very classic yet modern. The wine’s purity and freshness are features of the very best wines from this vintage.

Aromas that are dark and yet warm with oak, but oak without any cosmetic sweetness. Medium to full weight. Tight Pauillac currant flavours but with a warm and slightly smokey oak wrapping. This really is very good, and so very good value due to the low prices of the 2002 vintage. This chateau has become one of the bargains of Bordeaux which is very odd for a Pauillac, especially one next door to Latour.

I really wish I’d bought more to cellar. The wine is still very young, and I suspect will age rather slowly. Buy it if you can.

Chateau Caronne Saint Gemme 1999

85 points

Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux, France. 12.5%

There is nothing showy about this wine. It’s honest claret with little new oak, pretty good concentration (especially for the vintage), nice balanced acidity – good with food. Very good for the price. A chateau that has long been solid and cheap, but is now edging up in quality.

Fortnum & Mason St. Julien Chateau Branaire-Ducru 2003

87+ points

Saint Julien, Bordeaux, France. 13%

The unusually hot 2003 vintage has produced some unusual claret. This is surprisingly approachable with low acidity and soft tannins for a Bordeaux of its youth. Yet it isn’t a new world style, its savoury and tannic still, with no overt alcohol heat or sweetness. Aromas of raisin (yet not sweet). Deep black fruits in a 4-square style more like St. Estephe than St. Julien. Will this ever be charming ? I doubt it. Will it age ? It might.

2003 is still a gamble I think, but the wines may be approachable, and offer big concentrated wines that can be enjoyed while waiting for other vintages to mature.

Chateau Montrose 2002

90+ points

Saint-Estephe, Bordeaux, France. 13%

Medium red colour. Classic rather neutral oak aromas on top of some warm fruit. Nice texture, lovely graceful weight, young pastile fruit, no green under-ripe characters, firm but restrained tannin. Fine young claret, lithesome, nice texture. Beautiful rather than impressive, this really needs time. For example although the oak is restrained (no cosmetic esters) it still needs to integrate and become an enjoyable part of the wine (it’s mildly astringent at the moment).

Very nice but in 2002 this is expensive wine, and in vintages like 2005 it is outrageously expensive.

Stonewell Wines Red Nectar Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (review)

87+ points.

Barossa Valley, South Australia. 13.5%

Dark red. Nice slightly smokey aromas, blackcurrant. Omph, the palate hits with some force. It’s claret Jim but not as we know it. Lives up to its name (nectar) – syrupy cassis flavours and palate texture, with fruit-like (plums) acidity on the finish. Quite nice in its syrupy way, although it sits in an odd position at the moment, not really enjoyable by itself and difficult to match to food.

I’m surprised the alcohol is only 13.5%, it’s a big glycerolly wine. But this low (for Barossa) alcohol probably bodes well for its future development.

Mount Pleasant ‘Old Paddock & Old Hill’ Shiraz 2002

Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia. 14.5%

84 points

Has some nice savoury leather notes on the nose, while the palate is warm, with only medium concentration and more noticeable sweetness than expected. The alcohol is over the top. Showing some development, slight oxidation, this soft wine is possibly deceptive and may age for a while yet. But drinking fine now.