Tasting note: Chateau Leoville Poyferré, Saint-Julien, 2017

Comments = This wine offers a pronounced intensity on the nose and a pronounced intensity on the palate. It has a beautiful balance balance acidity-aromas but the tannins need to soften through additional bottle aging. It shows a great range of aromas and a long finish. It is maybe slightly below than their 2016 vintage but there is no doubt that this is a great wine.

Final Grade = A-

Tasting note: Chateau Leoville Poyferre, Saint-Julien, 2016

Comments = This wine offers a Medium+ intensity on the nose and a pronounced intensity on the palate. It has a beautiful balance balance acidity-aromas and tannins-aromas. It shows a great rand of aromas and a beautiful expression of complexity. It has a complex, long and fresh finish. It is maybe slightly below than their 2015 vintage but there is no doubt that this is a great wine.

Final Grade = A

Tasting note: Chateau Leoville Poyferre, Saint-Julien, 2015

Comments = An outstanding wine with a perfect balance acidity-aromas. It has a pronounced nose and palate. Its tannins are in the process of being polished by time and are starting to be integrated to the wine. The palate is very enjoyable with a mix of ripe fruits completed with delicate spices and hints of mint (and Eucalyptus). The finish is complex and long with hints of spices and a very precise acidity.

Final Grade = A+

Tasting note: Goumenissa Red, Chatzivariti, 2015

Comments = This wine was a good discovery for me. There is no doubt that this is a very good wine from a very good producer. We can feel the overall quality of the wine. The structure is still there with a good body and good tannins (rounded by the time spent in bottle). My only regret is that the 2015 vintage I tasted has probably past its peak and I think that is due to some issue during the conservation in the cellar of the retailer. In any case, I have no doubt in recommending this wine which offers a very good quality and a very good value for money.

Final Grade = B+

Tasting note: Negoska Red, Tatsis Estate, 2014

Comments = This wine was a very good opportunity to taste an aged (9 years) 100% Negoska. I did not really know what to expect. This wine was a good surprise. It remained fruity and quite deep in color. The red fruits still dominate even if the wine shows some signs of evolution. The overall balance is quite good despite a medium level of acidity. I probably should have left some more time for the wine open on the nose. Overall, it was a nice experience for a reasonable price and I enjoyed this wine.

Final Grade = B

Tasting note: Sassicaïa, Tenuta San Guido, 2018

Comments = Sassicaia is a true icon, the first “Super Tuscan” (one of the first reds produced in Italy like the great Bordeaux wines. The first vintage was produced in 1968). This 2018 vintage is no exception to the rule. Slightly less opulent than the 2015 vintage, it is nonetheless one of the very best recent vintages. It is both powerful and incredibly fine, these tannins only need to be polished over time, the aromatic expression is just as powerful but precise and with many nuances. The finish is long, deep, velvety and totally bewitching. There is no doubt that this wine is an exceptional wine, an excellent investment and a true work of art.

Final Grade = A++

Tasting note: ‘Black Label Pinotage’, Kanonkop Wine Estate, 2020

Comments = Concentration, precision and finesse are the key words for this wine. The tannins are silky and blend perfectly into the fruit aromas (black plum). The finish is complex and persistent with well-integrated oak nuances (cloves, vanilla), all enhanced by spicy notes. A very fine wine from one of the oldest and most prestigious vineyards in South Africa. This is probably one of the finest Pinotages I have tasted.

Final Grade = A

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