Calon Segur 2002

St Estephe 3GCC. Just when I was about to be won over by the new World, in terms of price-quality ratio and ease of enjoyment, this bottle reminded me why Bordeaux still rules. Amazing nose of berries, not overly fruity, but open, complex with hint of wet stones. Classic. One whiff and you can tell its blue chip Cabernet Sauv.

Upon sipping, started out flat but after 3 secs builds and builds in your mouth, until complex dark fruit, bitter chocloates and cinnamon flavors interplay in dramatic fashion. 15 sec finish. After tasting many fruit bombs, this bottle brings me back to the familiar world of aged classic, slightly austere but complex left bank claret (8.9/10)

Luca 2008

Argentina Malbec. Tasted this gem so many times, never fails to impress everytime. A gentle swirl in the glass releases strong and complex aromatics of warm Asian spices. Upon entry, builds up and up in flavours and complexity. Dark chocolates with hint (pleasant) of bitterness. Mouth-coating, lucious. Strong lingering finish. Superb (8.9/10).

The thing about young New World wines is that they're almost always immediately accessible - on the other hand drinking a GCC left bank Bordeaux 3 years old will more likely yield a tannic torture experience than any real pleasure.

de Pasquette 1998

St Emilion GC. Grabbed from airport DFS, not a prominent Chateau (so are most DFS wines I notice). Popped and poured, and nose opened up quickly and impressively with blackcurrents. Excellent bouquet. But palate is weak and rather monotonous. Short finish. Overall a drinkable wine, above everyday drinking standards with no harsh tannins or acid to offend the palate, but unimpressive....saving grace is the excellent nose. Might be past its peak, as the same bottle tasted 2 years earlier performed much better (7.8/10).

Santa Rita 2005

Chile, Maipo Valley. Favourite wine with the rest but too 'in your face' for my liking. Strong charcoal nose coupled with flat, brute density and power. Picked up an unusual and overwhelming sweetness normally not associated with Cab Sav, reminds of artificial sweetners you put in your coffee. Definitely a decent wine, but too monotonous (7.7/10)

Gaudet 2004

St Emilion GCC. Very ordinary and thin. Some fruits on bouquet and palate but not enough. Weak finish (7.0/10)

Sociando-Mallet 2001

Haut Medoc Cru Bourgeois. A well-aged specimen punching above its weight, easily 4/ 5GCC. Subtle berries nose eager to open up. Tannins have fully resolved, with good balance of fruit and acid. Not a blockbuster but shows class. That's what Bordeaux is all about (8.3/10).

Gruaud Larose 2004

St Julien 2GCC. Open on nose....Pauillac-like graphite/ pencil shavings, but once it enters the mouth, a tannic monster emerges. Just brute tannins, rustic and unrefined. Can't see how it will become elegant even after the tannins resolve. A second growth, really? A St Julien, really? (7.7/10)

Gazin 2004

Pomerol AOC - Good berries nose, warm and welcoming. Attack is smooth, and develop into intense sweetness in mid-palate, almost as if sugar was added. Sweet, rounded - very enjoyable (to me at least), not for those hardcore left bank tradionalists (8.8/10)