2. Honore Lavigne Chablis, 1995
OK, but missing something in my opinion. Other thought it good.
£8.39

3. Navarro Correas Chardonnay, 1994 Argentina
Oodles of oak. Fruity. A good zing. 12% alcohol. Bit young, and too dear.
£11.49

4. Long Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, 1995
Fruity nose. Quite light and fresh on the palate, taste of blackberries. Quite a lot of tannin.
£4.99

5. Alexis Lichine Chateau Brown, 1989
Lovely deep red, crystal clear. Big nose. Smooth, but a very bitter aftertaste. Heavily tannic. 60:40 Cabernet:Merlot. Way too young, but I'd be worried about laying it down.
£11.49

6. Chateau Laroque, St.-Emilion Grand Cru, Alexis Lichine, 1988
Deep red, elegant wine. Smooth nose with some wood. Very tannic, still tough but enough fruit to see it through. "Hot country" taste. 70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. 13% alcohol. Wine of the night.
£13.99

7. Chateau Lascombe, Medoc. 1989
Deep red with a slight blackness, beginning to fade at the edges. Woody, deep nose. Bitter tannins, but smooth and drinking well. Others thought it superb; I found it elegant but not approachable and not a patch on the Laroque, especially when price is taken into account.
£26.99

8. Luigi Bosca Syrah, 1988 Maipu, Argentina
Lovely light red. Big fruity nose - berries. Good balance of fruit and tannin, still a bit young. Some pepper. Bit of a hole around the edges, otherwise well rounded with good oak (18 months). Not a typical syrah.
£10.99

9. Luigi Bosca Malbec. 1991
Mid red, going brown; not so black as expected. Jammy nose, jammy taste. Some tannins and a good balance of acid and fruit. Pleasant, some elegance, improving the more I tried it. Bottled in 1993 after 18 months in oak. Far superior to the Syrah.
£10.99

10. Vigna Ijalba Reserva, Rioja, 1990
Deep, elegant red. Vanilla and fruit on the nose. Very little tannin left, with lots of fruit. Perhaps a little too jammy and light. Very good value, but not sure it would last. Tempranillo and Garnacho. 12.5%
£8.99

John Pierce
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