Pichon-Longueville Baron 2004

Pauillac 2GCC. Bordeaux aristocrat - a 'super second'. Popped and poured - big mistake. Nose is still closed, with only subtle hints of fruits and damp earth. Throughout the night, the nose and palate kept improving steadily from areation - should've given it a min 3 hour decant. In the mouth, very polished tannins and dominant spice. This evolved into nice, rounded creaminess w spicy elements receding to a subtle hint after 2 hours. Black fruits start to surface by the last glass. Tannins are still obvious yet v polished. It's a very classic and complex wine, but should be outstanding if given more air or bottle age. A pity (8.7/10).

Fonroque 1998

St Emilion GCC. Always game to try an obscure label like this. Very dark ruby color not indicative of its bottle age. Rather closed nose - Wet stones. Palate is q thin, but with the 'aged cabernet sauv' taste I favour (although it's primarily Merlot based). I think this is slightly over the hill, the fruit is gone, but still a decent specimen w no offending funk or tannins (7.4/10)

de Fonbel 2006

St Emilion GC. From a half bottle. Colour is still opaque because of youth. Nose is surprising alluring and open - crushed black cherries w some minty naunces. In the mouth, smooth, silky tannins with some fruits. Some acid and bitterness at the end costing it some points. Overall, an elegant and classic Right banker. Good, but some complexity and weight will make it great (8.2/10).

Equus Cab Sauv 2006

Chile. Great new world cab sauv. Very easy to enjoy - Dark purple hue, viscous and dense. Strong (but not complex) aromas of black fruits and lots of alcohol. Sign of youthfulness. Very rounded and full bodied in the mouth with a strong finish. Enjoyable, but quite one dimensional (7.5/10).

Peyre Lebade 2004

Haut Medoc Cru Bourgeois. Passable wine from a passable vintage. Bouquet of mature cabernet, cedar scented but not too strong. Good mouthfeel but could be rounder. Tannins already resolved. More earthy than fruity but still enjoyable. A typical middle of the road, mature Bordeaux (7.6/10) .

Rauzan Segla 2004

Margaux 2GCC. A reputable 'super second'. Killer nose - open and superb nose of berries and violets opening up effortlessly. A Marguax indeed! The style is elegant with subtle balance of acid, red fruits and silky tannins- feminine. Finish is rather short. I personally would prefer a more robust wine, but this wine is gunning for harmony rather than extraction and fruit (8.1/10).

Trio of Bordeaux

3 passable, rather forgettable Bordeaux at dinner.

Ch La Gaffeliere 04, St Emilion 1GCCB. Disappointment, did not show any predigree for a 1GCC. Closed nose, only a hint of plums. On the platate not much better, thin, acidic, out of balance (7.0/10).

Ch Pedesclaux 07, Pauillac 5GCC. Renowned underachiever, and rightfully so. Smells and tastes like a weak cru bourgeois at best. Cabernet content is obvious, but nothing much really. Still tannic (7.2/10).

Ch Grand Puy Ducasse Pauillac07, 5GCC. Best of the lot. Some class evident. Nice warm cabernet fruit nose slowly opning up. Smooth on entry, develops a bit of fruit and complexity in the mouth, but v short finish (7.7/10).

Olivier 2001

Graves GCC. Very dense and sweet, Pomerol-like. Not much tannic structure or great complexity, but very easy drinking, enjoyable, smooth claret. OK finish (7.5/10) The 2006 was much better.

La Tour Carnet 2005

Haut Medoc 3GCC. One of the handful of H Medoc AOC GCCs. Great vintage, but the wine was only good, not exceptional. Half open nose of cedarwood, little fruit. Palate is still very tannic, rather coarse, with a decent finish (7.7/10)

Chapelle de Meyney 1999

St Estephe. This offshoot of Ch Meyney represents great value for money. Typical cabernet nose. Competent, dark and strong palate, with espresso notes and good long finish (7.2/10)

Coorarook 2008

Australia Shiraz. Had this at GV Gold Class cinema, so expectation wasn't that high....and rightly so. Visual is already disappointing, pale and no legs. Acidic and unbalanced without much body or finish to speak of, with only a hint of (sourish) fruit. Just drinkable at best (6.3/10).