88 points
Saint-Joseph, Rhône, France. 13%
Warm modern, sweeter than the Faurie of the same vintage with less depth. Nice fruit purity. Enjoyable.
May 30, 2008
Bernard Faurie Saint-Joseph 2000
90 points
Saint-Joseph, Rhône, France. 12.8%
A lovely gentle medium bodied savoury shiraz with nice concentration. Spotlessly clean. This is my first encounter with a wine from Faurie, I’m impressed – enough to immediately order a dozen of the 2005.
May 16, 2008
Chateau Les Trois Croix 2004
84+? points
Fronsac, Bordeaux, France. 13%
This was a surprise. Difficult drinking. A dense, minerally, hard young wine. It softened slightly over several days, but only slightly. Leave for a couple of years.
Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte 2002
90 points
Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France. 13%
I expected to like this a bit more than I did. For a 2002 it is a big muscular claret. After tasting several vintages I really do suspect that they add acid, and pick pretty ripe. I prefer a more charming style, but this is impressive nevertheless. Needs a few more years, but definitely try again before 2012 it might mature early.
Lengs & Cooter Old Vines Shiraz 2002
91 points
Clare Valey, South Australia. 14.5%
A surprisingly old-fashioned but also full flavoured shiraz with somewhat surprising degree of development.
Enjoyable now.
Bethany & Red Nectar Barossa Shiraz 2004
90 points
Bethany 13.5%
Red Nectar 14.5%
Of these two wines the Bethany is has the riper and more fragrant nose, the Red Nectar is very deep, perhaps more extracted, but with a green note.
On the palate the Bethany is big and sweet in spite of being lower in alcohol. It’s a fresh and stylish modern Barossa.
The Red Nectar is a good wine, but more extracted, deeper but less expressive.
