Michael Loken

Vieux Château Certan 2006, Ac Pomerol

Notes of dried fruit, port, spices and earthiness on the nose. Significant tannins required a number of hours open to really show off the wine. The flavour was very complex and really showed well against other Bordeaux wines tasted side by side. A rare treat.

Château De Fargues 2011, Ac Sauternes (375ml)

This was truly excellent. The wine was sweet - but not too thick or heavy on the tongue. The flavour profile was extremely deep and showed wonderful complexity.

Château La Mission Haut Brion 2007, Ac Pessac Léognan

The wine is earthy showing intense blackberry flavours, nice tannins and a mellow balanced aroma. This was a true treat to drink.

Château Pontet Canet 2003, Ac Pauillac

This wine was outstanding. The depth of flavour and complexity shown was quite remarkable. This wine shows terroir - and it is simply a drink that takes you on a journey.

Fuligni Brunello Di Montalcino 2008, Docg

A truly excellent wine; jammy, plummy, yet wonderfully rustic at the same time with a medium dry finish. Extremely complex, with layers of flavour and a floral overtone. This wine is very integrated and quite special.
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The first review was from around 2012-2013. The last two bottles were consumed at my 40th birthday as part of a vertical. They were amazing, moody and subtle - but full of character compared to the other wines.

Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Old Tawny Port, Douro Valley

Lighter in colour than I would have expected, the port had a well balanced nose with nutty, spicy and dried fruit aromas. The flavour was smooth with a roasted caramel finish.

Tasted blind at a Beefsteak & Burgundy club event, Feb. 2015.

Bodegas Y Viñedos Alion 2004

This was fantastic. Rich and dark with pleasant minerality and cassis flavours. This was extremely pleasing and showed very well against other wines.

Bodega Matarredonda Libranza 2004, Do Toro

The wine showed some sediment in the glass (tartartic acid?), but overall made a good first impression. On the palette the profile showed moderate levels of acid, but a rather thin flavour profile of cedar, tar and pencil lead. The finish was dry and stringent. This is a wine that has to be paired with food.

Tasted blind at a Beefsteak & Burgundy club event, September 2016.

Bodegas Y Viñedos Alion 2006

Aged to perfection, this Alion was a tremendous bottle of wine. Aromas of hay, leather, tobacco, cassis, dark cherries, violets and cedar all mixed together in layers upon layers of flavour. Excellent length that allowed for this wine to develop in the mouth, with a silky, buttery element provided by the oak. A bottle of wine you talk about for days afterwards. Don't leave it open for too long - when consumed in January 2017 this wine started losing power after an hour open. Must decant due to sediment in the bottle.

Dalva Colheita Port 1995, Bottled 2020, Doc, Portugal

Truly excellent value. It is hard to imagine paying such a low price for a product that has been aged for 20 years. The flavour profile is full of baking spices, caramel, tobacco and leather. the colours is a beautiful amber with hints of garnet. Fantastic value, and a real treat for those who have not tasted tawny port before.