PCE tasting notes 2004

These tasting notes were written by 56 visitors to wine-pages.com. To put them in context, please make sure to first read The great Palate Calibration Experiment 2004. The notes are presented in descending order of total points scored.

Louis Jadot Combe aux Jacques Beaujolais Villages 2003

Brennan, Mary, Leeds – 18 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
rich purple red	fresh and fruity. good flowery bouquet	soft fresh and fruity, lovely young beaujolais	complimentary with fillet steak and veg enjoyed the balance of the tastes
[buy] Yes [value] Yes [comments] Best young beaujolais for many years. it is the softest, fruitiest gentlest tasting wine. cases bought from tescos.

Li, Chenguang, London – 18 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
dark ruby, short rim,	very strong blueberry nose. a little bit too much for me. maybe that’s what people said “fruit bomb”, but a touch of vanilla coming through after the blueberry.	very strong dark fruit, just like rasin and it caused a touch of bitterness on the finish. tannin is not that much(it’s what I expect from a new world easy drinking red, but personally I hope there could be a little bit more of it) and it’s ripe and soft. good acidity cut through the fruit and tannin(good point). the acidity is really good for a new world large volume wine, the tannin’s acceptable, just the fruit is too much, I feel like drinking herb soup at first. I didn’t finish it in one go, and 3 days later I tried it again, it becomes much rounder and the fruit more acceptable, the bitterness decreased. ah, this time, I finish it all within 3 hours. (3/4 bottle) nice!	sorry, I didn’t try it with food.
[buy] Yes [value] Yes [comments] it’s vintage 2005, 14%. Bought from waitrose, aroud 4-5 pound(I can’t remember the exact price) when waitrose has a discount of 25%.

Barabas, Melinda, London – 18 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Bright shiny purple	chocolate, cardamom, spices, cloves, wheatgrass, mould	caramel (burnt sugar?), plum, sweet ripe apple, pomegranate (sweet concentrate), blackcurrant, butter	Not judged
[buy] Yes [value] Yes [comments] More pleasant than most supermarket wines at the price

Wilkie, Linden, London – 17 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Vibrant youthful ruby with a touch of crimson. Clear with a fine hue.	Fresh and fruity, with strawberries and cracked pepper. Very fresh and inviting aroma.	Lovely red fruits with a touch of earth / mineral. Clearly from a ripe vintage, the fruit builds well in the palate and lingers on the finish with notes of raspberry and wild strawberry. The wine is well balanced with fresh acidity. Tannin is on the low side, but still offers enough structure for a non-Cru Beaujolais.	I would think versatile – I would pick a salami-filled baquette!
[buy] Yes [value] Yes [comments] Excellent Quality-to-Price ratio at ?5.99 paid. I have been buying lots of 2003 Beaujolais – it is a top year for the region.

Slatcher, Steve, Cambridge, England – 17 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Light. On the purple side of ruby.	Intense yet soft perfume. Strawberry flavouring (of the sort you get in sweets) and some raspberry. Aromas I (maybe wrongly) associate with carbonic maceration.	Intensely fruity – very much conforming to the impression given by the nose. Not much acid, but there is a fair amount of tannin, which gives backbone to the wine though is not immediately obvious due to the intensity of fruit. Decent length, and pleasant slightly bitter finish.	Finished the bottle with a barbequed lamb steak. Was fine with the lamb, but no additional insights really
[buy] maybe [value] Yes [comments] Tasted at 18.5 degC. Could only have been a Beaujolais. Reminded me a lot of a Majestic Beaujolais-Village, Domaine de la Plaigne, which sells for 50p less than the ?7.00 I paid for this.

Vaughan, Philip, London – 17 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Bright purple colour with a translucent core.	Bright fresh and young – raspberries – masses of them with a pleasant green, slightly green sappy note.	Raspberries again with a pleasant tingle of acidity, good concentration and reasonably long finish.	Yes, def. Lovely with food.
[buy] Yes [value] Yes [comments] Would say the quality of a cru Beaujolais rather than village level.

Robertson, Sally, – 17 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
lovely ruby red colour	summer fruits with a hint of brambles	good rich texture of balanced acidity with medium tannins. Good finish with lots of fruit. Quite complex with a good full body	Fabulous with food. Could be served slightly cool to go with fish or lighter dishes but has the body to stand up to richer foods
[buy] Yes [value] Yes [comments] Proves that Beaujolais is back on track

Walker, Craig, Fife – 17 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Deepish red in colour but seems to lack sharpness. When opened I thought I detected a trace of a brownish edge.	When first opened I was initially hit by some super ripe fruit. This then soon made way for a range of tobacco,vanilla, spicy and pine-like aromas.	Slightly sappy and on the astringent/greenside initially. Slightly rough and rustic nature ends with a dash of caramel and everso slightly rubbery.As I drank the first half of the bottle over a two hour period the wine became less volatile, rounder and fresher. The rest of the bottle was drunk just less than 24 hours later and the palate was much more together with deeper and darker spicy elements with a much more pleasant and lingering aftertaste.Tme made this very delectable	Not when I drank the first half of the bottle. Slightly less than a day later I finished it with some stonebaked pizza which was a bit lost in it. Or maybe I was enjoying the wine so much that the pizza became little more than an afterthought.
[buy] maybe [value] Yes [comments] This is a very well made wine which, as a Chilean varietal, is a solid expression of the grapes. It certainly demonstrates some complexity but it is also in need of some harmony when trying to rope in all of its varying elements. The alcohol, though not really noticable on the palate, delivers a bit of a stealthy bruising over time. Regardless, these are minor quibbles when you consider what an achievement this is as a branded wine from reasonably sized winery. For the money it seems unbeatable. A complex wine which evolves in time and I was very pleasantly surprised by its structure and development over 24 hours. It is full of character from a country which has made its name producing safe and rather uniform wines. Very imprssive. Casillero del Who?

Holt, Chris, Cambridge / UK – 16 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
	Sour Cherries, Liquorice	Juicy under-ripe plums, slight aniseed on the finish. Slight sherry aftertones, disappointingly short aftertaste
[buy] Yes [value] average [comments]

Stevenson, Andrew, Lancaster, UK – 16 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
An even raspberry colour with youthful purple at the rim.	Quite a warm nose – attractive with lots of soft red fruit. Reminds me of some sort of fruit drink but I just can’t place it.	Soft, juicy attack. Light with bags of soft fruit on the palate. Soft tannins and a bit of cinammony pepper spice develop. Minor bitter note right on finish and after. VG length. Improved when lightly chilled.	Didn’t go especially well with a tomato based sauce with meatballs. Fine with a mixed bag of (not blue) cheese.
[buy] maybe [value] Yes [comments] A long time since I had any beaujolais or other gamay, so I’m lacking a bit in terms of a frame of reference. But undoubtedly a pleasant enough wine. Improved greatly on the palate when lightly chilled.

Howard, Paul, Cullingworth, UK – 16 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Bright and clear. Medium intensity ruby-purple core fades slowly to a pink -purple rim with just a hint of blue (indicating youth). Typical young Beaujolais.	Clean. Medium intensity nose of red fruits, typically strawberries. No development, a young wine. Good to observe a lack of banana/bubblegum aroma’s that spoils so much Beaujolais…indication of careful carbonic maceration and good winemaking. No resort to oak to mask faults.	Dry. Plenty of refreshing acidity and no/very low level of tannins. Acidity balanced well by good intensity of sweet ripe fruit…strawberry and raspberry showing good depth of flavour. Medium alcohol at 12.5% and well balanced, a medium length but no real complexity. Very obviously a ripe vintage but freshness has been kept too.	Ideal with Charcuterie after the tasting.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] Very good quality villages-level Beaujolais showing good Gamay typicity. A very ripe vintage and very well made, could be mistaken for a “Cru” level. Drinking well now, might benefit another few months to knit together, but that is all. Drink this vintage while fruit and freshness remain, no structure to improve further. I paid ?7.59, which is a little steep (expect to pay that for a Cru). Good value at ?5.99 though.

King, Nathan, London, England – 16 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
dark blood & ruby with hint of purple	very slight nail varnish; cherry	cherry; strawberry; redcurrant; smooth tannin; light and airy; slightly sweet.	tasted along with roast chicken with lemon thyme, green veg, herbed potato. Was a perfect match. Wasn’t overpowered by herbs.
[buy] Yes [value] average [comments] jugged and poured back into bottle before drinking. Slightly chilled.

Brown, Peter, Hitchin, UK – 16 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Deep pink-purple, with no colour at the rim	Clean, with light aroma of raspberry and good fruit.	Has a good depth of fruit with agreeable raspberry flavour. Fruit has some sweetness, but is balanced by the acidity. The soft tannins give it good body which result in a firmness of structure not usually found in a Beaujolais. The finish was slightly disappointing and short.	With light meals, particularly including chicken.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] I had expected more, in view of the growing season of 2003 and the reception given to 2003 Beaujolais by critics. I like my Beaujolais more voluptuously fruity than this.

Vaughan, Anki, London – 16 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Young looking purple colour.	Raspberries and black pepper. Lots of red fruit.	Raspberries and a full mouth feel. Drying tanins and acidity.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments]

Grande, Gunn, UK – 16 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
ruby	tinned strawberries with hint of spice	Strawberry up front with some mixed spice, then balanced by good acid and some tannin towards the end. Good length. Good fruit with light to medium body.
[buy] Yes [value] Yes [comments]

Lee, Mike, UK – 16 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Garnet red. Bright appearance	Rush of alcohol (25 deg ambient), cherry, leather	Raspberry leading into redcurrant with end tone of banana.	Good match with steak which opened the wine up.
[buy] Yes [value] Yes [comments]

Anderson, Paul, Roslin, Scotland – 16 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Crimson, clean and bright.	Bubble gum and black cherries	Fresh palate with flavours of bitter cherries and hints of raspberry. More bitter cherries on the finish with a slight hint of tannin and balancing acidity.	Didn’t taste with food.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] Good beaujolais but not as good as some smaller producers but about as good as Beaujolais’ from the other large scale producer, Georges Dubeouf.

Simpson, Alan, Edinburgh, UK – 16 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Quite opaque ruby/purple core with paler ruby rim; decent legs.	Intense dark fruits (plums, blackberries,…) Powerful with a hint of oak spiciness.	Ripe dark fruits but with a noticeable core of ripe tannin. Dry and with pretty good length. Young wine that could improve over 3-5 years.
[buy] maybe [value] Yes [comments] Combination of high alcohol and tannin might make it difficult wine to match with food/occasion. More grip than many New World cabernets.

Springford, Paul, Peterborough, UK – 16 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Very dark. Deep purple-red, nearly black, like blackcurrant skins	Elderberry and new leather mingled. Intoxicating aroma – almost unnecessary to taste the wine.	Rich and jammy with plenty of body and length. Nicely balanced combination of unobtrusive tannin and fruit – toffeeish, jammy fruit like thick blackberry jelly	Had it with chilli con carne – quite hot – and the wine matched it really well. Not quite so good with a strong but fairly creamy cheddar cheese.
[buy] Yes [value] Yes [comments] Excellent value, even at the full price. We also have a bottle of the 2005 and are looking forward to comparing them.

Ferguson, Paul, Blackpool, UK – 16 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Pale at rim, deep ruby in centre, good legs, colour of Vimto	Plums, raspberries, slighly musty	Musty taste at tip of tongue, sharp taste at back of mouth, Taste of berries. Delicious
[buy] Yes [value] Yes [comments]

Moss, Antony, Gillingham, UK – 16 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Deep ruby core; narrow purplish rim	Very youthful with pronounced aromas of ripe summer fruits (especially blackberry, mullberry, blackcurrant). It has a creamy quality, suggesting cheesecake, and subtle blackcurrant-leaf pyrazines. There is a hint of well-integrated, smokey oak. Very fragrant and fruity, with aromas lifted by the high alcohol.	Rich and full-bodied due to high (14%+) alcohol and only moderate levels of acid and tannins (these are ripe and fine, but slightly bitter). The fragrant curranty fruit and high alcohol give an impression of sweetness ?especially on the front-palate. Some of this fruit intensity is carried through to the midpalate, but the wine finishes quite short with spirity warmth dominating the finish.	With chilli, the fragrant fruit, soft tannin and unintrusive acid worked well, but the alcohol emphasised the heat and the wine seemed more bitter.
[buy] maybe [value] Yes [comments] Varietally expressive, and soft and ripe without being too jammy/raisiny. Although this is wine as a (rather one-dimensional) perfume, and although it has limited textural character, it is very easy to enjoy and I will be recommending this to friends. With such robust fruit, I suspect this would make an exceptionally good mulled wine!

Shorten, Philip, UK, London – 15 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Clear bright medium cherry red fading to rose petal pink at the rim.	Clean youthful nose of medium intensity showing ripe macerated cherries and raspberries with hints of cinnamon and clove spice. Touch of boiled sweets.	Dry, medium bodied, crisp acidity, soft tannins. Very ripe sweet raspberry and strawberry fruit. Well balanced alcohol. Medium finish. Good depth of fruit suggests that the wine could develop over the short term (1-2 years).	This wine was paired with Beef & Guinness Pie; not an ideal match. Although it doesn’t have the power of a southern Rhone wine (which would be a better match) the fruit sweetnees was a good foil for the rich meat. However, the wine was slightly overwhelmed by the dish. I imagine that it would be a perfect combination with many pork dishes.
[buy] maybe [value] Yes [comments] This is a well made wine from a very ripe vintage marked by soft sweet well delineated fruit. It is quite a simple wine lacking the sophistication of better Beaujolais Crus that one can buy for ?8-?10. This is a wine that needs food.

Rose, Deborah, London – 15 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Like tawny port, but without any brown.	Jammy, with a suggestion of mulled wine.	Flavoursome and fruity, cleansing without being drying, a warm, Christmas-y finish.	Went a little chalky, but still good.
[buy] Yes [value] Yes [comments] From ISO glass.

Jenkins, David, London – 15 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Clear and bright, light purple	Typical Gamay. Nice fruit, no sour notes	Nice balance. Slightly sharp in a Beaujolais way. Obviously very young. Reasonable finish	Drunk with flash fried steak and salad – quite a good match, especially with the grain mustard
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] Interesting to taste this after a couple of years in the cellar.

Alabaster, Nick, UK – 15 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Mid-ruby to burgundy rim.	Textbook gamay: cherry, hint of earth and spicy raspberry. Clean. Moderately intense. A confectionary note initially, disipates to show more earthiness.	Mid-weight for a Beaujolais with just a hint of soft tannin on the finish. Flavours reflect the nose. A good clean, fresh impression but I suspect as much C02 as acid influences this. A respectable persistance for a light wine. Overall balanced, and an early drinking wine with little or no chance of improvement. Certainly a big step down from a notable Cru (with no pinot like characteristics that the best can produce), but not a cheap commercial style either. Good enough for what it is.	With a light lamb stew. Not enough structure or body for the food. Not a food wine at all, yet the best Beaujolais works well with lamb.
[buy] no [value] no [comments] In three words? Competent, unexciting, pricey.

Street, John, UK – 15 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Core: Beetroot Rim: Plum – Deep Pink	Strawberry (slightly candied), cherry, lemon, sherbert	Strawberry, mint, toffee and black pepper. Fresh and light fruit quality. Medium bodied. Medium acidity balanced by medium tannins especially at the start. Reasonable finish with a slightly bitter aftertaste.	Emmental: Smoothed out the tannins allowing the fruit note to come through but it meant the wine lost some of its complexity and became a little one dimensional
[buy] maybe [value] Yes [comments] Good summer evening wine but not really full bodied enough for my tastes

Pickles, Stephen, Scotland/Lanark – 15 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Fine pale purple	Almost a strawberries and ice cream note – red fruit and cherries.	Medium bodied. Sappy cherry and redcurrants. Good crunchy fruit but the finish is a litle short.	Good with lamb chops – definitely a good food wine.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] better than average wine from a supermarket. Lacking that little extra to really stand out but good everyday drinking.

Glover, Jason, Winchester, UK – 15 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Bright crimson	Morello cherries and almonds	Sweet moderate tannins, bright young cherry fruit, short length	Drank with roast rack of lamb and ratatouille. Perfectly acceptable match and actually rather enjoyable
[buy] Yes [value] Yes [comments] Wouldn’t normally buy this wine. Rather glad I did. Thanks Tom!

Lester, David, Manchester – 15 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Red. If we’re being pompous: Garnet	Thankfully, not strawberry bubblegum.	Very acceptable.	Chilli Con Carne. (Not particularly recommended)
[buy] Yes [value] Yes [comments] I had intended to only drink a glass, but ended up drinking the whole bottle. I think this must rate as a complete success! In one word “Quaffable!”

Cannavan, Tom, Glasgow – 15 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
	Very attractive, pure, essence of blackcurrant and cream nose, with a sweet, juicy cherry note and subtle nuances of smoky Lapsang souchon tea and spices. There’s a touch of greenness here, but I don’t find it unattractive.	Firm, juicy black fruit is fresh and crisp, like biting into ripe blackcurrants, with that touch of bittersweetness. There’s a nice, subtle chocolate and charry, tobacco character and a firm edge of tannin that keeps this fresh and moreish.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] Very solid Chilean Cabernet that is well made and nicely savoury for drinking with food. This score of 15 is from a bottle tasted in tasted in August 2007 (a sample from the UK press office for importer Hatch Masfield) whilst a second bottle purchased in Somerfield, Glasgow, in December 2007 was slightly less full and rich and would have merited a score of 14. I’ve stuck here with my original findings and score.

Quelly, Ray, – 15 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Deep cherry with purple rim	Blackberry and ripe fruit with a hint of pepper. Slight ‘ribena’ lift to it.	Nice full mouthfeel. Very much a new world style of Cab- far removed from Bdx. Quite sweet and rich.
[buy] maybe [value] Yes [comments] This is a fairly priced wine. Blind I would not have guessed straight Cab. A crowd pleaser.

Grande, Gunn, UK, Manchester – 15 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Deep ruby red, bordering on purple	big nose: soft, red fruit/cherry with vanilla tones (and some breakhrough cat’s pee)	Bit overpowering, quite a mouthful; dark red fruit followed by spice and tobacco flavours; fair bit of tannin	Found it a bit overpowering with steak
[buy] no [value] average [comments]

Boyle, Vanessa, Essex – 15 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
dark, pink rim	tannin oaky spices	smooth, soft finish, cherries, fruits, sweetish
[buy] Yes [value] average [comments]

Jenkins, David, London – 15 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Deep ruby, but good clarity. Bright. Always a good sign.	Black cherries. Very much fruit to the fore. No obtrusive oak. Doesn’t smell much like Cabernet	Nice balance of crunchy fruit and acidity. Tannins a little harsh. Obviously a very young wine. Finishes quite short	Initially tasted without. Later with Shepherds Pie
[buy] no [value] Yes [comments] A good wine, but not something I would normally choose to drink. Good for parties

Anderson, Nick, UK – 15 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Ruby, medium intensity	Soft blackcurrant aromas	Soft tannins, good balancing acidity, blackcurrant fruit	Yes – excellent with medium rare steak!
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments]

Hyam, Aaron, London – 15 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Bright shiny purple	Blackcurrant, ribena, green leaf (tobacco?), pencil/charcol	Alcoholic heat/burn is immediate and slightly off-putting, huge rush of sweet, blackcurrant fruit, slight tannic grip, clean/crisp, limited complexity (no follow-through onto the palate of the tobacco/pencil/charcol from the nose), simple, limited complexity	Not judged
[buy] maybe [value] Yes [comments] well, it is what it is I guess. I imagine that it’s the cheapest wine most forumites have consumed this year and, stylistically, certainly miles away from what most drink regularly. It’s been a long while since I’ve had anything like it and must admit that, despite its chemical/clean/manufactured essence, I kind of liked it, certainly the pencil lead and ‘green’-ness on the nose (though the blackcurrant/ribena smell was a bit extreme!). Bottom line…with all the recent wine-price-inflation (over here at least), is there anything better for ?6.99 on most UK supermarket shelves? I honestly can’t remember the last time I drank something similar (how bourgeois!), but would guess it stands up well (more bang-for-the-buck) against most mass-produced 3 for 2 type wines?

Evans, Steve, London – 14 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Palish cherry red with a pink rim.	Strawberries and cherries, with a herbal hint.	Juicy fruit. Drier than it smells; a little tannin comes through around the gums on the mid-palate. Rather serious for a Beaujolais – might suit food.	Softens with food, and that tannic hint disappears. Very nice, but would probably suit more subtle food than the pasta we had (lots of leek, garlic, onion, capers, tarragon and pine kernels in there).
[buy] Yes [value] Yes [comments] I’ve enjoyed every 2003 Beaujolais I’ve tried, even the Nouveau. Looking forward to the Jean Descombes Morgon…

Martin, Paula, Cambridge – 14 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Clear, brick/cherry red core, cherry-purple rim.	Weak without swirling: sherbet? After swirling: more sherbet, (red) cherry, marzipan/almond.	Strawberry, red cherry, black pepper. Fresh, light fruit. Medium body. Some acidity, especially in the finish. Light tannin, most at start/front of mouth. Fair balance: tannic start, acidic finish. Moderate length.	Tasted with emmental: better balance, but some flavour lost too. Should only be drunk with bread, simple salads or plain chicken.
[buy] no [value] Yes [comments] Good, medium-bodied wine. Reasonable value for money, but not full enough for my own taste, so probably would not buy again.

Mellor, Matthew, Cambridge, UK – 14 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Cherry red.	Bit reluctant, needs coaxing, some depth, lightish.	Again, light bodied, not as supple as I expected from such a ripe year. Angular, but pleasant, and certainly needs food.	Better with food, also better 24 hours later after half the bottle was left to “breathe”. Would add maybe a point.
[buy] no [value] average [comments]

Cannavan, Tom, UK – 14 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Vibrant cherry/crimson.	Quite juicy, with touches of banana and watercolour paintbox, and plenty of cherry fruit.	A slight dustiness at first, with raspberry fruit and a touch of briar. Some creaminess to the texture, but plenty of acidity dominates. Classic Beaujolais with freshness of fruit and character, but perhaps a touch lean.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] Lovely Beaujolias of its style, that is quite crisp and delicious, but distinctive and not to everybody’s taste.

Bliss, Dawn, UK – 14 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Youthful ruby red	Strawberries and vanilla	Pleasant, chewy, berry fruit flavours with a medium length and smooth finish. Uncomplicated but very pleasant – might be better lightly chilled.
[buy] maybe [value] Yes [comments]

Brown, Martin, UK, Slough. – 14 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
very good colour, purple core lightening at rim.	dominant blackcurrant, hint of green leaf.	sweet blackcurrant fruit, chewy, medium length.	Eat with pepperoni pizza. No improvement on wine score but adequately coped with the food.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] overall a good wine but nothing great. Would buy again only if available on 25% discount etc.

Grant, Simon, London – 14 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Full, deep ruby to purple.	Mulberry and slightly plummy fruit becoming more leafy blackcurrant over an hour or so.	Soft entry initialy, plum, chocolate and spice, quite rounded and generous; takes on a little more structure with good acidity and blackcurrant fruit. Positive finish.	Not tested with food but I imagine it would be reasonable with most grilled or roasted meats and cheese. Perfectly decent on its own.
[buy] maybe [value] Yes [comments] Good vfm and perfectly correcly made.

Slatcher, Steve, Manchester, England – 14 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Medium intense ruby. Legs.	Very intense blackcurrant. High toned, and with a refreshing edge. Not greenand vegetal, but not fully ripe either. Some oak, but not obtrusive.	Dry. Not even much of a suggestion of sweetness from the fruit. Medium to low acidity. Soft, nicely structured tannins, with just enough grip to let it work well with food. Intense primary fruit, pretty much reflecting the nose. Not complex, but clean and pleasant in the mouth. Long, but with a slightly unpleasant finish that is both treacly and bitter at the same time, metallic perhaps.	Suspect it is a decent food wine. I’m about to drink it with steak, seasoned with salt and pepper and fried in olive oil, and expect it to go well. Well, I was wrong. The intense fruit was far too much. Drink it by itself at a party, or maybe with spicy food.
[buy] no [value] average [comments] Good varietal character, and I think pretty typical of Chile too. Drink now.

Geary, Gavin, london – 14 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
blackcurrant-purple	sweet parma violets	full bodied, rich and fruity, but stong alcohol aftertaste
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments]

Mitchell, Mike, Edinburgh – 14 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Deep mid ruby. Clear and bright.	Woody, cedary nose, bit of grassiness. Lots of black foresty fruits too.	Blackcurants, bit tarry. Then almost green peppers. Plenty fruit.Good fresh acidity. Quite short. Not very complex.	Fine with food – good burgers. Decent acidity helps.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] Decent wine, pretty good value even at full rrp. even better on offer. Not for serious contemplation but OK for a cheapish simple wine.

Holland, Adam, – 14 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
red	some kind of sweetie	typically chilean	shows better without food
[buy] maybe [value] Yes [comments] generally not a fan of aouth american reds as too sweet. but given that caveat a good example of chilean cabernet

Warner, Michael, London – 14 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Mid-deep colour – ruby edge. Good clarity.	Cassis/blackcurrant. Sweet, clean and ripe. Slight touch of stalk/herbaceousness – and mint. Enough to add interest rather than detracting.	Good intensity – ripe tannin. Ripe sweet fruit. Good medium length. A bit heady – alcoholic. After a while is a bit samey and tiring. Nice but lacks real interest.
[buy] no [value] average [comments] High alcohol makes it a bit tiring to drink.

Black, Ian, UK/Alton, Hants. – 14 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Quite opaque. Red with purple.	Like an immature minor-ch?teau claret. Specific notes of plum, stewed apple, vanilla, cherry and clove (a bit surprised by the last one), but much swirling needed.	Nice acidity balance. Tannins are there but not objectionable. Fruit seemed more blackberry than blackcurrant. Thought I caught a bit of Shiraz on the side of the palate (?) Any oak is not very pronounced. Finish is quite long. Not yet ready for drinking – needs more bottle age.	Didn’t change my assessment of the wine. However, read 8 below.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] Left some for 24hrs then re-tasted. A huge difference. Rawness had gone and wine was much more harmonious. It’s interesting to speculate what the winemaker was aiming at with this wine. It’s wasn’t the in-your-face new world approach I was expecting, but given its unreadiness, will this put people off? Also, if I had been marking this as a ?4.66 wine rather than a ?6.99 one, I would have scored it quite a bit higher.

Monk, Matt, Blackpool, UK – 14 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Strawberry/crimson to rim. Purple in centre	Creamy, Red Fruits, Strawberry, slight Spice. Summer Fruits Pudding	Off Cream flavour, full mouth, berry flavours, vanilla
[buy] maybe [value] Yes [comments]

Foulds, Rich, Bermuda – 14 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
deep garnet/purple, fading to the rim	stewed plums, background of blackcurrant but not prominant	blackcurrant jam, some vanilla, prune. Medium finish quite smooth and silky in the mouth.	red meats, barbeque.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] an unexceptional wine, has good points, easy to drink, but there are better wines for the money.

Anderson, Paul, Roslin, Scotland – 14 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Dark, dense red	Black fruits and slight smokey oak. Also hints of black cherry.	Ripe blackcurrant and spicy bramble fruit. Hints of licorice and vanilla. Quite savoury and dry tannins on finish.	Had both on it’s own and then with food. Didn’t make much difference.
[buy] maybe [value] Yes [comments] Good wine. Got it for ?4.66 in Waitrose so would probably buy it again at that price.

Biswas, George, UK/ virginia Water – 14 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Bright, clear, medium intensity ruby core, with a thin pale purple rim. Legs/ teras noticed.	Clean, medium intensity cassis, toast, menthol and some leafy notes. Slight burn from the high alcohol.	Dry, high acidity, high level of grippy tannins,medium – full bodied, high alcohol. Medium intensity fruit character with cassis, black currants, black cherries, plum skin, vanilla and toast. Long spicy finish.	We were eating seared scallops tonight so passed on this wine with the meal as it seemed a poor match. Tried with some blue cheese and French Basque country sheeps milk cheese afterwards, neither of which worked well either.
[buy] no [value] average [comments] A well made mainstream new world Cabernet Sauvignon. Too alcoholic for me (This bottle bought in Waitrose, Staines showed 14.5% Abv) A crowd pleaser, safe, solid, but no real character or excitement.

Millar, Hugh, UK/Amersham – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Medium purple, clear and bright. Long legs.	Clean, pleasant but short and lacking in complexity.	Smooth, soft; yet quite tart and refreshing. Quite tannic. Well balanced. Medium length.	No
[buy] Yes [value] average [comments] Well made, honest and uncomplimented. I’d rate it “good” in my normal scoring system

Armstrong, Paul, Colchester, England – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Bright cherry red fading to a pink and watery rim	Dominant aroma is crisp-appley, but also a touch of unripe banana and a hint of sweet toffee	Strawberry/cherry fruit puree, with good tangy acidity and a long citric finish. Initial impression very favourable – juicy, clean and refreshing in the mouth. But the long finish becomes more obviously hard and citric over time, spoiling things a bit.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments]

Murray, Douglas, Inverness – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Cherry red	Faint strawberry	Cherry and red currant flavours but a rather unpleasant underlying bitterness wnich goes through to the finish
[buy] no [value] no [comments] Disappointing and lacking in fruit for a Beaujolais

McClenaghan, Andrew, Bristol – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Violet red, colourless rim	Sugary strawberry and raspberry	Medium-bodied; sour red fruit and apple notes with light tannins not quite balancing the sharp acidity.
[buy] no [value] average [comments] A refreshing lunch wine. Needs food.

Sidebotham, Peter, UK – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Quite deep purple-tinged blood red. Quite wide paler rim. Modest legs.	Instant impact of bubblegum and spice. Hint of fresh appley acidity.	Round and mouthfilling, with high acidity and quite marked tannins. Lots of blackberry recurrant and spice flavours. A lot here, but not very well integrated. Surpisingly long but astringent finish.	An absolute delight drunk slightly chilled with sugar roast gammon on a hot Sunday afternoon.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] As I last drank Beaujolais when Nouveau was in fashion, I was really surprised by how substantial it was. I’d love to know, but don’t have the experience to tell, whether it will come together, or whether it is it at its best.

Smith, David W, Bath – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Red	Typical Beaujolais but no depth.	Fairly smooth. Dull and insipid.
[buy] no [value] no [comments] Tasted in a group of 4 and this is a synthesis of opinion Hhow does beaujolais villages ever get to be priced at seven quid. Shurely shum mishtake!

Cormack, Justin, London – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
pinkish red.	typical gamay nose, although more peppery than usual.	Tannic initially but tasting of raspberries and blackcurrents after a bit. Finish is the weakest part, fading to a bitter note of quite harsh tannins. The initial fruity palate is very enjoyable.	Had it on its own. Suspect would be better with food.
[buy] maybe [value] Yes [comments]

Johnston, Brian, Glasgow – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Deep purple	Cl;ean Medium intensity, possible developement. Black fruit with cherry and vanilla sweetness.	Fruit blackberry and blackcurrant with slight oak. Low / medium tannins, medium intensity, medium/high alcohol with good length. After warming up the next day jammy .	Went well with a pork and bean casserolle on day 2. Fine on it,s own.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] Although fine for the money a little non descript and you could buy better for ?7.

Johnston, Evelyn, Glasgow – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Medium to deep purple young colour with cherry red highlighting hues and a lighter rim.	Immediate dark berry fruit on the nose with Blackcurrant leaf and vanilla at the end.	Good fruit flavour of blackcurrants at the start, mid palate tobacco finishing with sweeet vanilla and a touch of spice. Medium in intensity acid and tannins with a resonable length but a feeling of hotness from the alcohol.	Went fine with a vegetable casserole and better than drinking it on it’s own.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] This is still too young and has potential to develope a bit but without the tannin backbone long term aging is unlikely. i felt it was a bit unbalanced and too acidic for my palate. On the whole a ok wine but I wouldn’t get it again as for ?7 I can buy better.

Alabaster, Nick, UK – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Deep burgundy core consistent to rim.	Clean nose of woodsmoke, soft herbs and vanilla sweetness. Balanced toasty oak notes against ripe blackcurrent/redcurrant fruit.	Full bodied but in an alcoholic sense; one dimensional. Basically a blast of fruit and alcohol with moderate warmth on the finish with a light, lingering fruit/smoke notes. Lacks depth or complexity and has a firmness through excess alcohol. A fair modern cab style but utlimately not for me. Lacks sutblety and balance. A one glasser at most for me.	Not a food wine at all. Needs less alcohol. Too heavy for food.
[buy] no [value] no [comments] Given the modern style of glossy ripe wines with higher alcohol, then I guess this is a fair representation. It is absolutely not for me though – finding the alcohol to excess and the wine ultimately simple.

Carrington, Mark, England, Dorset – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Deep purple	Berried fruit, blackcurrant pastilles, cassis, attrative.	Tannin rather overwhelms fruit. Attenuated, short finish.	Went well with lamb.
[buy] no [value] average [comments] Discounted price of a fiver gives good value & at that price would consider buying again, though Chilean wine holds little interest.

Witcomb, Henry, london – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Dark, ruby red. Obviously young, but knew that anyway.	Quite closed, grassy, touch of blackberry.	Surprising after the closed nose. Fruity blackberries, with some vanilla.	–
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments]

Boyle, Steve, Essex – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Dark red, verging on purple at the rim. Full colour, opaque.	Black berries and blackcurrent, with cherry undertones. Ripe fruit, with a mouthwatering effect for me.	Feels quite tannic on the palate and a hint of heat. The fruit is a little overwhelmed initially, and, for me, the nose promises more than the wine deilvers. By the 2nd glass seems to have settled better and more in balence. I suspect it will benefit from a few years in the bottle, but not too long.	Not tried.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] I think at 6.99 there are better Cab Savs for me. A little too out of balence with the 14.5 alcohol showing too much for me. At 4.66 – what I paid – then I would buy again, though not regularly.

Ferguson, Sue, Blackpool, UK – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Dark Ruby	Black Berries	Hint Of Oak, Slightly Dry
[buy] Yes [value] Yes [comments]

Monk, Mel, Blackpool, UK – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Blackcurrant Juice	Raspberry, Strawberry, Honey, Blackcurrant	Blackcurrants, Dry, Bitter	Lifts flavour, not so bitter
[buy] no [value] average [comments]

Edwardes, Warren, London, UK – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Translucent garnet with moderate pale tranparent rim	moderate oak; but a very weak nose	low to moderate tannins; low acidity; long finish more strawberries and cherries than raspberries; The low tannins make it sangiovese and merlot like.	Tried with Lebanese lamb meatballs. The finish is not long enough. Being low tannic could go with moderately spicy food such as Middle Eastern Cuisine. But lacking in acidity.
[buy] no [value] no [comments] Seemed to be designed for drinking without food. Lot L7226 Year 2006

Clayton, Adam, Surrey, U.K – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Mid-purple with ruby on the rim. Medium intensity with noticible legs.	Fairly pure and recognisable blackcurrant aromas.	Smooth with the same blackcurrant fruit as nose. Low to medium tannins. Alcoholic heat noticieble and a little out of balance. Medium length.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] Uncomplicated, well-made and juicy Cab Sauv made for drinking young. Moderately good to good for its price-point.

Wong, Raymond, Japan / Otsu – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Inky crimson	Initial nose of some Pinot-like farmyard aromas and oaky. Some VA. After an hour in a Riedel Bordeaux glass, lot more blackcurrant emerged ,the oak subsidied, and the farmyard aromas dissipated. 2nd night: Settled down. A very fruit-driven nose of mainly blackcurrant.	Attack of red fruits then moving onto some blackcurrant. The tannins are a bit harsh with some bitterness on the finish. Vibrant acidity. 2nd night: More integrated. Drying out on the finish. Okay, but nothing spectacular.	No. Drink it by itself.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] I had the 2006 Cab Sauvignon. Batch No. L7032

Richards, Bea, UK/ Virginia Water – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Purple	Blackcurrants/ Berries	Dry Tannins Black cherries, Quite smooth
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] Too alcoholic, went straight to my head.

Walters, Tim, Stockport, UK – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Quite a light colour, watery rim.	Rather muffled nose initially. Opened up after a while. I’m not good at smells but a rather generic jammy red fruit for me.	Quite thin, little acidity or length. Again rather generic flavour.
[buy] no [value] no [comments]

Young, Hamish, Burgess Hill – Sussex – UK – 13 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Clear. Paler than expected. Bright and fairly light core with v pale rim.	Clean. Medium intensity. Sweet blackcurrant fruit is the dominant aroma with a hint of spice and vanilla. No great depth or complexity.	As nose. Sweet, juicy blackcurrant/fruit pastille. Touch of spice. Oak noticeable but very restrained. Mostly used to round out fruit. Acid highish but balanced, alcohol a touch out of balance on the high side. Tannin soft. No great depth or complexity but a well-made and pleasant wine.
[buy] no [value] average [comments] Sorry I’m late! This was a 14.5% ABV example. Lot L7204 from Waitrose.

Angle, Lis, London – 12 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
A clear and bright, youthful, medium-deep cherry red, with purple glints, fading to a rose petal pink at the rim (3).	Youthful, ripe primary fruits – blackberry, loganberry, maraschino and morello cherry, strawberry jam, with charry notes and hints of sweet licorice (3).	Dry, medium bodied, with crisp balanced acidity, and soft tannins. Lots of ripe sweet fruit, on the attack tasting a tad confected, but good balance and a medium length (3).	Matched with Beef in Guiness pie, which added a fruity dimension, which was not unpleasant.
[buy] no [value] average [comments] Overall for me, this wine to be too much on the sweet side, and I would rather pay the few extra quid and enjoy a more sophisticated Cru Beaujolais (3).

Downes, Ali, Glasgow – 12 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Maroon rim and cherry core	Bubblegum – fairly classic Beaujolais nose.	Strong attack, dull middle, chalky finish – not convincing (NB Chalk *may* have been the glasses in retrospect!)
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] Decently made – not my favourite style

Glover, Ian, Cambridge – 12 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Quite light red, tinging pink on the edge.	Slightly medicinal – cherry cough drops. Some earthiness.	Reasonable acid, no tannin. Bit of raspberry and cherry. Are you sure this isn’t cough mixture? Quite light weight.	Pretty anonymous (with rabbit, noddles and pepperonata).
[buy] no [value] average [comments]

Sadler, Julie, Cambridge – 12 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Light red, fading to pink at the rim.	Strawberry	Light and fruity, some tannin and plenty of acidity to balance. Short finish	No difference.
[buy] no [value] average [comments]

Der, Geoff, UK – 12 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Medium red/purple	Nice celan fruit. Strawberries.	Fruit, strawberry, slightly thin, short finish
[buy] Yes [value] Yes [comments] Slightly light for Beaujolais but pleasant and fruity

Hughes, Timothy, Toronto, Canada – 12 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Dark purple core, with some lighter plum at the very edge of the rim.	Ribena and other black fruits. Cardamom. Some oak (tastes artificial). Alcohol.	Liquorice. Black fruits. Tannins quite grippy. A medicinal overtone. Slight residual sweetness.	Too sweet for food.
[buy] no [value] no [comments] The wine tastes confected. I’m not keen on it.

Borwick, David, Northumberland, UK – 12 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Deep, almost opaque purple, narrow ruby rim	Medium to subdued, confected black fruits, distinct green notes	Dry, full bodied, sweeter blackcurrant fruit comes through, liquorice finish. Touch of drying tannins, decent cleansing acidity. Unpleasantly artificial/woody aftertaste. Short to medium length	Carelessly matched with a light chicken dish this turned out to be a well structured food wine and I kept going back to the glass (and bottle!) between mouthfuls – its artificial and disjointed flavour profile showed less with food. In particular it carried its 14.5% alcohol very well.
[buy] no [value] no [comments] My prejudice before opening was that this wine would be showy to taste but too flabby for food. I was wrong -I found its flavours dull to unpleasant but its structure well balanced and drinkable. 12 points in the ISO, 13 with dinner!

Millar, Hugh, Amersham / UK – 12 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Very dark ruby. Some “frothing” on surface of wine, as if it had been shaken up.	Almost imperceptible at first. After a good 20 mins in glass, and much swirling, a touch of alcoholic fumes appeared.	Moderate level of fruit; slightly bitter, smokey. Well balanced use of oak. No complexity whatsoever. [Tasted at first without food]. Drinkable, but completely uninspired.	Improved considerably with food [chicken casserole]. Bitterness disappeared and a little more fruit seemed to come forward. Still, however, not worth the cash.
[buy] no [value] no [comments] If I had marked this on the strength of tasting without food, it would have been put into the “extremely poor” category, mainly on its total lack of any nose whatsoever. Luckily, I opened it about 20 mins before dinner, so it was marked up to the bottom side of “average”. I paid ?6.99 for the wine; but I believe I was one of the few who will pay this price – this is a true supermarket BOGOF wine, intended to be sold at under a fiver, which [usually] these days means a wine guaranteed to provide very limited satisfaction. It’s a party glugger, but I don’t like spending 7 quid on party gluggers. Very disappointing; I’d have expected better from Errazuriz. This is a great example of why I have virtually given up on supermarket wines [except from Waitrose – which was where I found this effort!! :(]

Pickles, Stephen, Scotland – 12 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Dark, clear, garnet	Big, fruity nose. Cherry and leafy blackcurrant, touches of cedar and sweet oak.	Very tannic, then very hot, and harsh alcohol, then some ripe fruit, and low acid finish.	In a reidel CS glass it opened out a little more, leafy fruit,but slightly confected oak note. Palate still had chalky tannins, and heat.
[buy] no [value] average [comments] Its not faulty, but verges on it, with the alcohol . Its “wrong” in almost every direction for me ( to hot, to flabby, don’t like the oak treatment). There are more composed wines out there at this price

McClenaghan, Victoria, Bristol – 11 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Purple, clear rim	Violets, candyfloss, strawberry, caramel, red currants	Medium dry, hot in throat, medium acid, medium tannin, granny smith fruit, fairly long finish.
[buy] no [value] average [comments]

Sweets, Helen, UK – 11 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Pretty pink	Alcoholic	Thin – but that’s because I’m used to fat wines
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments]

Pearce, Ann, Liverpool UK – 11 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
lightweight purple ruby, broad watery edge & lack of colour intensity at the core	medium intensity which developed well ; classic Beaujolais forest fruits & hint of sweet spice	thin, jammy fruit, medium acidity, low tannin tart cranberry finish, rather short – palate did not deliver the complexity promised on the nose	melon with parma ham was its best match and accentuated the wine’s fruit and spicy notes – rare garlic lamb gave a jammy, strawberry edge to the fruit
[buy] maybe [value] no [comments] none of the fullness I expected from a hot vintage and less complex than previous vintages of this wine – it needed the right food to prop it up

Watson, Stuart, UK – 11 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Nice berry colour, bright and clear.	Slight chocolate aroma at first, followed by hint of cherry.	Little acidity, right level of tannin, slight chocolate aftertaste. Disappointingly, no real fruit. Light.	Accompanied a mild chicken dish (with apples and prunes) well. Emphasised the chocolate taste.
[buy] no [value] average [comments] A reasonably pleasant light midweek wine. No complexity and a slightly sour aftertaste. Just crept in to a value rating at the ?6.29 we paid in Safeway.

Stevenson, Andrew, UK – 11 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
A darkish ruby with a bit of youth at the edges.	Initially some good cabernet fruit: fairly pure blackcurrant, perhaps with some leather. Feels slightly reductive. Then there’s a real cheesiness, almost to the point of the savouriness of cheese crisps. After a while, the nose starts to settle down and integrate a bit to give an overall impression of black fruit, cheddary cheese and tobacco.	Nice attack: nicely balanced fruit and acidity. Some structure builds in the mouth, but doesn’t really go anywhere, and ultimately it feels a little hollow, as the fruit recedes and ultimately disappears. There’s also a green, weediness on the finish that means it ends up feeling very unsatisfying. If it had been sealed with a cork rather than screwcap, I might have been wondering about low level cork taint.
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments] L7037

Parsons, Bob, Edmonton/Alberta/Canada – 11 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Medium red-ruby showing just a brief hint of purple on the thin watery rim.	Woodsy, green peppers, alcohol, some blackcurrant. No evolvement over 5 hrs, some herbal quality which I find suspect?	Green peppers, stemmt, tannic, tad “green’ w. very little lush fruit and no appeal. Found some bitterness on finish, heat too. 8 tasters tried this, only one liked! Some plum, blackcurrant after 2 hrs but still unripe fruit here. Astringent finish continues overnight, not up to par at all. Do not think a bad bottle> “This is what I found when visiting winery” Ed Fong owner DeVines winestore.	Just some cheese and crackers. No food would have made a difference.
[buy] no [value] no [comments] Hopefully this is the same wine that is on UK shelves? As discussed in August, different label and appellation here.

Simpson, Clare, Edinburgh – 11 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Dark, rich ruby with thin pale pink edge and thin clear rim. Opaque at middle. No sediment. Strong legs	Rich, earthy nose, dark fruits – cherry, prunes, blackberry. Smells a bit alcoholic on nose. Attractive nose.	Didn’t live up to the nose! Very tannic, not much fruit – might improve with age. Don’t really like it. Good length.
[buy] no [value] no [comments]

Nieminen, Otto, Finland – 11 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Very dark.	Cranberry jam and vanilla; lifted.	Extracted, oaky, sweet, un-refreshing, jammy, harsh and alcoholic.
[buy] no [value] no [comments]

Hostler, Wade, San Diego – 11 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
The color is very deep and extracted, quite inky.	I knew the wine was going to be a cabernet but I didn’t know where it was from. On the first sniff I immediately nailed it as a Chilean Cabernet. That’s not a good thing since it had a huge whack of bell pepper along with New World fruitiness and that’s not a combination that worls for me.	On the palate much the same thing was happening, with the bell pepper interfering with an otherwise quite New World styled wine. The palate was lacking in depth and substance, while the finish was shortish and exhibited some heat.
[buy] no [value] no [comments] To the wine’s credit it does have a sense of place and is identifiable as to varietal, being identifiably Chilean Cabernet. That being said I don’t like Chilean Cabernet for its odd mix of New World style with incompatible vegetal notes. It is at least drinkable and I would not call it flawed or faulty. That being said I can get much better wines for the same amount of money, including some value-priced Cabernets.

Johnston, Evelyn and Brian, Glasgow – 10 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Clear light ruby red with a purple tinge.	Disapointing nose at first with a whiff of vinegar. Not very intense with light raspberry fruit hints.	First a load of acid and some soft tannin. Soft berry fruit with a good length.	We found this wine brightened up with food. I had a vegetable casserole and Brian had a honey gammon joint.A spice hint came across with food.
[buy] no [value] average [comments] This was chilled in a fridge 10 minutes before serving. Room temperature was 25oC. The longer in the glass the flavourd developed more.

Benny, Paul, Cheshire – 10 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Raspberry red. Darker than expeceted for Beaujolais	Hairdresser	Refreshing juicy acidity	Better with food – a creamy risotto – than alone
[buy] maybe [value] average [comments]

Morris, UK – 10 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
“clear” red.	Initially red fruits turning to something quite unpleasant over time. Can’t quite describe it, a bit like the smell at the dry cleaners!	Weird. Tasted after half an hour and had loads of gamay red fruit, with something else lurking underneath. Good density and for a beajolais, some length. Quite impressive. Came back to it half an hour later to see if I could put a name to the “something else” and all I got was dense confected bubblegum which just grew more unpleasant over time. Poured most of the bottle away.
[buy] no [value] no [comments] A strange one….it promised so much after half an hour but then just turned really yucky.

Bliss, Simon, UK – 9 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Purple tinge	Raspberry fruit	Jammy
[buy] no [value] average [comments] Slightly confected

Murray, Douglas, Inverness – 9 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
[buy] no [value] no [comments] When I previosly commented on this wine I gave a mark of 13 but on reviewing the PCE 0f 2001 I see that my criteria were wrong and I woould now like to reduce my mark to 9.

Rushmer, Rob, Newbury – 8 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Pale to medium intensity raspberry, fading to a pink and finally colourless rim. (2 out of 3)	Medium intensity, simple without much complexity: sweet shop reminders of typical strawberry, banana and bubble gum with an obvious alcoholic whiff. (3 out of 6)	Unpleasant, unbalanced and with a distinct bitterness. Light (to medium) body and too little acid do nothing to balance the alcohol and hint of sweetness. Harsh and angular with little evidence of ths softness claimed by the bottle. Synthetic taste of cherry, a hint of banana and more evident bubble gum combined with the alcohol give a cough-mixture taste. Palate/fruit: 2 out of 6 Structure/overall quality: 1 out of 5	Tried it with dinner – not that we had planned the food combination – it was just that time of day: goat’s cheese with parma ham, leeks and pasta, cream sauce. The food did the wine little justice; unable to cope with food.
[buy] no [value] no [comments] The above tasting was at 18 degC, with the bottle open for about 15 mins, ISO glasses. Initial opinion was that we had a dodgy bottle. However, chilled it in the fridge door for about 30 mins and it improved: the fruit came out more, the banana and bubble gum were more evident and the bitterness and harshness subsided – but they did not go away, and as the wine warmed up in the glasses, they returned to the fore. So whilst we might have scored it better for being chilled, it did not get away from the wine being unbalanced and generally not worth buying. Far better wines and better Beaujolais’ to be had for the money.

Brown, Martin, Slough, UK – 7 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Strawberry red, slightly cloud(?)	Faint fruitiness, not much else.	Sweet fruit, strongly acidic, very faintly petillant.	Even my pepperoni pizza could not “improve” this wine.
[buy] no [value] no [comments] I found this wine – disjointed and overall not pleasant. I am hoping to return the bottle for a refund.

Downes, Ruth, UK – 7 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Unripe plums	Strawberries	Sharp, some cherry.
[buy] no [value] average [comments]

Harbich, Pia, Germany – 7 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Red/violet	Midicinal. redcurrants and slightly mouldy fruit.	Redcurrants again, and a slightly metallic acidity.
[buy] no [value] Yes [comments] Too much acid for my taste

Beckett, Ian, Preston, Lancs – 7 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
light ruby	subdued – hardly any discernable flavour	smooth/bland/little edge	finished the bottle with roast lamb – little improvement
[buy] no [value] no [comments] extremely disappointing for a ?7 wine / tasted & purchasedsome some cru Beaujolais this summer for about 35Euros in Fleurie & Regnie with much more flavour Thoughts were that this is the type of Beaujolais which prevents me buying more in the UK.

Leslie, Andy, Nottingham – 1 points
appearance	nose	palate	food
Translucent garnet red.	Sour dried red cherries at first, but rapidly dominated by strong jammy and burnt rubber smells – like strawberry jam boiling on the hob and hot car tyres after a long journey – not nice!	Sour, acidic, almost frankly vinegar-y.	I opened a very good bottle of Kurt Angerer Gruner Veltliner to have with the planned food!
[buy] no [value] no [comments] Down the sink! Clearly faulty. There may be more than one fault here, as well – if the burnt rubber smell indicates a mercapten fault, as per Tom Stevenson’s guide, then can this affect a whole batch?