Domaine Berthoumieu, Cuvee Charles de Batz, Madiran

One of the better Madirans I have tried. 14% but quite stylish and elegant for a Tannat. Lots of red fruits, some style, nice cedar hints, menthol, some blue fruits and iron. Has great persistance and impressive density on the medium bodied, layered and freshly fruited palate. Medium coolly fruited finish. Needs 3hr decant minimum and carnivore food. Keep 3-5 years.

Decanted for 3 plus hours but needed longer. Initially both nose and palate (dark fruit) very closed and uninteresting but by 5 hours both had opened more. The tannin remains pronounced but this ia a smooth and richish Tannat, brilliant value at the UK price of £ 9 only paid.

Drank in vertical with 2010 and 2007. A refined brute, with all sorts of specificities, this one; more iron, more weight, more gum-smacking tannins, than the 2007. Ludens cherry cough drops on the finish. (There was an odd taste on the front that I first mistook for a slight hint of cork taint, but later didn't seem to be.) I liked this, and would love to revisit it.

Sec, corsé et épisé

Very robust wine with some interesting graphite and dark fruit, but too tannic and starting to dry out. Not bad but not my style.

Dark, dark Madiran. Nose closed on opening but did open to a dark musty nose with some blackberry notes after significant open time. Entry is wooden, mid- mouth wooden, finish wooden. After significant decant time this began to open up and find itself amongst the sawdust; plummy complexity and nuances. Stout tannins at the finish. Time needed to work itself out. This got better and better over time.

Piekny gleboki prpurowy kolor - bardzo gleboki wrecz z czarnymi refleksami. Bardzo dlugo splywa po kieliszku. Zapach na poczatku zamkniety pomimo dekantacji - pojawia sie po dluzszym czasie - zapach mokrej czarnej gleby, nuty przypraw z wybijacym sie pieprznym charakterem. W smaku intensywna pieprzna lagodnosc z dlugim finiszem. Dobra tanicznosc, wino kragle. Wino zmienia swoj charakter z jedeniem - lagodnieje. [Kozie sery wygladzaja to wino]. -- Wina.pl Price: 79,00PLN - $26,30

Came after Poggio Al Tesoro's Sondraia and had it initially quite tough. However, opened up nicely after a rough & quick decant. Lots of tannins off course but no greenness at all, good intensity, lots of fruit and good acidity to keep it all in balance. As expected even better on day 2. At this price (13 Euro), an absolute steal!

Tasted this wine as part of a flight with a "phenolics" theme. 90% Tannat (Which I've never tried before this wine) and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Wine jumps at you with strong tannins, boysenberry and a medium finish.

South West France Journey; 5/30/2010-6/19/2010 (South West France) : Tasted against the other cuvee of the domaine (Haute Tradition), this cuvee came out as the winner. Absolutely approachable at this young age (which is surprising knowing it is more than 85% tannat), very fruity on the nose and palate, very subtle oak influence and good length. Had it with home made lamb dinner. Purchased the bottle at Navarrenx wine store. And according to Paul Strang's book - Charles de Batz …

It is still eartly to drink 3 hours after opening. But, the tannin is very fine which does not attack my tangue so much. Chocolate, green paprika, black berry, etc. complex but not to heavy fravor and taste. It's a quite good wine.