2006 Léoville Barton
I had a video call with 2 friends last night, 3 different houses. My tipple of choice was this, one of the others had the same wine, Jan preferred to stick to beer. Nice clear ruby colour, restrained power on the nose, cassis, graphite, hint of liquorice. That follows through to the palate, not an opulent or velvety mouthfeel, lovely cassis fruit with a small amount of red fruits, mineral, graphite, liquorice. Powerful flavours held in a firm tannic structure, not for fruitbomb lovers, but a lovely restrained old school claret, really lovely classy drink.
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La Rosine, Ogier’s 2012 Syrah. I’ve not drunk this for a couple of years, and I only have a couple of bottles left. I drank it with some lamb chops and, asparagus, broad beans and peas, and some Cornish potatoes. It drinks well with or without food - a pleasure. And I get the raspberries …
This wine is spicy as you would expect from a Syrah, and it is well rounded in the mouth, it still has a bright vibrant colour and the nose has that distinctive Syrah note.
Tasting Notes from Amit wines.
Grown on granite soils situated between Condrieu and Côte Rôtie, La Rosine which owes its name to its former owner, was first made in 1991. For the last couple of years, whole bunch are pressed to add some complexity and freshness. Bramble and cassis fruits on the nose, the palate is smooth with velvety tannins and a lovely peppery tang. A great value for money.
Robert Parker says that this wine, 
Coming from a steep granite hillside near the village of Tupin-et-Semons, just on the outskirts of Côte Rôtie, the 2012 La Rosine Syrah VDP is 100% Syrah that was brought up in mostly older barrels. It’s a beautiful wine that, unsurprisingly, bares more than a passing resemblance to a high-quality Côte Rôtie from the southern part of the appellation. Sweet raspberry, licorice, spice and crushed rock-like qualities flow nicely to a medium-bodied, sexy, supple 2012 that has outstanding purity of fruit and a ferric finish.
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If not already try it slightly chilled, taste profile changes completely
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I can imagine myself after a couple of previous bottles swearing as the corkscrew fails to bite in that. 
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Something I had been saving up and wished I had not bothered. Pleasant but uninteresting white 2014 Chateauneuf du Pape. But it went well with tabbouleh and curried prawns this lunchtime.
Others haVe said this about it:
pale yellow robe. Has a salty, pear fruit aroma, with aniseed here as well. The palate bears bright, simple white fruit that sets it up for the aperitif, or to accompany hors d’oeuvres dishes. It is easy to drink, a clear drop, but rather forgettable. The finish is mild. 13.5°. 2019-20
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had to finish off the new release from Champagne Ayala with Mrs D - called No 7 it is a blend of 7 Grand Cru villages aged in cork and from 2007 Harvest, got to say it was pretty sublime
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I added 6 bottles of 2009 Chateau Clarke to my collection, about 4 years back.
I stood up a bottle of it last week, and we’ll be having it with a couple of Rib Eyes, on Sunday. Should be good.
It’ll be fun to see how it develops over the next few years.
Dave
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This is this evening’s wine.
This wine is sweeter than expected, it has a beautiful dark cherry colour with a taste of the same fruit. The notes talk about liquorice and there is a hint of it at the back of the tongue. I think this wine will develop further - I hope so because I don’t eat duck breast often. An added bonus is that it went well with some Jonathan Crump Single Gloucester (can anyone confirm that this cheese comes from a farm owned by Sade?).
FYI: Duck breast served in a manner adopted from Alastair Little’s chicken dish. 25 minutes skin side, followed by 10 minutes on its flesh side with 10 minutes rest.
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Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir “Home Block” 2017 Otago
This is a deep and rich tasting Pinot with 8/10 years ahead of it. Medium-dark colour and a very full taste of red and dark fruits, spice, thyme, chalky tannins and long sweet finish. It has the structure to last the distance. About £20 in NZ. I’ve bought a 6 pack for the cellar.
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Great colour 
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Bought this without tasting but turns out to be rather good and v good value. This Quinta now owned by Symington family. Although it is from the Alentejo in Portugal, it is not sun-burnt or jammy as the vineyard is 500m above sea level. Complex but has a real freshness. Drinking tonight with barbecued home made lamb koftes. £11 95 from WS so v good value
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Last night was all about 2017. Albariño in a great place - my partner seemed to Hoover it up without a second glance - must have been good. The Pinot a little young but finished this evening and promising to develop into a stunning wine as it matures. Already lovely but still to get through it’s awkward teens
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My article about Bordeaux 2019 has just been published on Tim Atkin’s site, and I think it fair to say it is a little bit, er provocative (within its own small world, that is, but some of you seem to move with me in this).
My twitter-thingy has gone completely loopy.
No paywall or anything, so hope it is okay (Richard?) to link to it here - nothing commercial whatsoever (I wish!)
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Thanks, good read, even though my Bordeaux en primeur days are over. (I used to buy very minor chateau for £1 a bottle, as well as some decent stuff like Sociando-Mallet, in the early eighties.)
Thanks Rod, a good read, and one I tend to agree with.