Philip Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon No. 5

This bottle seemed rather less impressive than the previous two - storage or bottle shock maybe Nose showed scents dusty earth, mineral, blackcurrants, plums and some smoke and roasted notes with just that bit of eucalypt floating around. Rather tighter and somewhat less attractive than the previous occasions. Same thing on the palate too. It was very fresh, with rich blackcurrants couched in a soft plushness lent to it by fine, rather classy tannins - almost velveteen here. There was …

Dinner with Philip Shaw (Orange, Australia) : Another hit. I really like this bottling. THis had been opned in a bottle for quite some time, hence it was rather more giving and integrated than the last bottle I tried. Nose showed tobacco and eucalyptus notes riding alongside deep cassis and higher-toned sweet red fruit, all topped up with some dried earth notes. More ripe cassis on the palate, this time complemented with a Darjeeling-like tea note, a touch of Chinese …

Quite well made with balance and not overwhelming fruits. Juicy wine with standardish cabernet fruits. I got orange peels too.

Chinese New Year Lunch with Lawrence (The Lee's at AMK) : This was a real surprise. I was expecting a decent wine, but this was really quite good - and far too young to drink! Nose had an international touch to it, wih creamy, cocoa notes and a bit of sweet glrycerol and blueberry ripple. There was plenty of depth underneath that though, with savoury earth and bramble and deep cassis tones along with some Aussie menthol and eucalyptus notes, …