The nose on this is all wood, felt-lined writing desk and cigar box, with just a
herbaceous touch of strained greens and spinach. Colour, btw, has a distinct purple
edge. There is surprisingly little harshness for one so young in the initial taste,
the predominant character being a velvet-smooth blackberry and plum. The finish is
medium to long, with the wooden warship tar finally coming to the fore. Think tour
of HMS Victory or Warrior, and drink it. From the excellent 2001 vintage I would
expect this to support a few years more ageing, as the Cabernet from the same range
obviously will, but this feels much more immediate, it ain't no Kalimna.

Last night I had the Moulin de Blanchon 1997 I had been hoarding. It was just pure
organic compost, loam and peat with some big fruit to follow. Just about ready,
wouldn't have got any better. This was one of the £100 good French wines recommended
by UK wine writer Malcolm Gluck, that is £95 for the crap ones and £5 for the one
good one. An exaggeration, maybe, but I know what he means.

Has anyone in UK seen the 2001 Kalimna on sale yet? My supplier still has 1999 on
the shelf.

Happy Easter and stuff,

Ian

"Ian Hayward" > wrote in message
news:3hgec.163$3I2.38@newsfe1-win...
> Last night I had the Moulin de Blanchon 1997 I had been hoarding. It was
just pure
> organic compost, loam and peat with some big fruit to follow. Just about
ready,
> wouldn't have got any better. This was one of the £100 good French wines
recommended
> by UK wine writer Malcolm Gluck, that is £95 for the crap ones and £5 for
the one
> good one. An exaggeration, maybe, but I know what he means.

Well, for the 9 or 10 GBP that the Kalimna or Hyland cost, I've had many a
Minervois, Costieres de Nimes, Vacqueyras, St. Joseph, Cotes du Rhone
Villages, & various Bordeaux with not a duff one amongst them. If you
search for French reds between 5 & 10 GBP on Gluck's site you'll find some
as well.