Deep purple bowl fading slightly to rim, still youthful, nose medium open, a very elegant Pomerol, fine balance of mature fruit and earthy flavours and some game meats, fine black polished leather and cedar with spice, complex gentle herbal aromas, touch of pineforest?. fresh and elegant palate, silky fine grained tannins, smooth palate with a well balanced acidity, complex round and very long.
Deep dark bowl with mahognay rim, lovely sheen, nose youthful and complex, very elegant, polished black leather, cigar box, fine tanned leather, dried red fruits, cedar and tobacco, very well balanced long fruit similar to nose, well structured with nice fresh acidity. Fantastic.
Nose mature, pleasantly bretty horse saddle and damp leather, round plummy ripe fruit, soft blackberry and jammy fig confiture.
Nose open ripe rich, still youthful, spearmint and dark chocolate, earthy and gamey mushroom hints, very complex young and old flavours in one glass, leather and spices, palate soft gentle tannins that lack some body or depth on mid-palate, finishes a little short (cork very stained all a long length, probable leakage and poor storage not best bottle although very good).
Soft open full nose, bloody raw meat aromas, wet tobacco cedar wood and dried fruits, figs and damp undergrowth, little gamey. Palate soft easy and well balanced, great for game birds or veal/young lamb. Some truffles and chocolate on palate, very good.
Red bowl brown orange rim, nose open quite rustic and dried fruit aromas, cranberry and strawberry, earthy with hints of leather and kirsch cherries on the nose, some VA, dry and soft palate, not great length good aromas not substantial.
Wonderfully expressive nose, very open soft and ripe, mature and spicey, round soft fruirts strawberry and raspberry, with some tart cranberry, soft leather and earthy wet forest character, palate light well balanced with long firm acidity, soft dried fruits, shorter on length than expected.
Nose little tight, youthful still fresher oak more viognier lifts wood aroma, bramble and cassis with pepper and earthy full flavours, round and balanced, full long and complex.
Nose open very aromatic, delicious old Amarone balsamic complexity, truffle and black chocolate aromas, earthy rich fruitcake like, palate quite soft tannins, very long and harmonious, delicious.
Brick red rim against a garnet bowl, nose open soft and aromatic, forest fruit aromas – strawberry, raspberry damsons and redcurrant, some earthy undergrowth sous bois aromas, mushroom and leather. Delicate palate, balanced earthy and long.
Ronan is an excellent organiser and mentor and has one of the best wine knowledge in UK.
Isa Bal MS, Head Sommelier, The Fat Duck