Hmmmmmmmmmm

Not tannic and not chewy as Bob suggested. Vague blackcurrant smell upon opening. An hour later I pour and there's definite honey on the nose. Honey and peach on the palate. The peach fades and it's honey and that vague blackcurrant again.

Dry and simple and not very fruity but oddly the empty glass reeks of lush blackcurrant and capsicum.

Will report any changes as the wine's temperature rises.

This reminds me of the lame 06 as there was a peachy note there too.

Honey has gone and the blackcurrant is becoming very nice now. Suddenly this has more in commen with the 07 but is still subdued by comparison.

Sorry Shez, this has none of the butter of the 08.

Your next live update will be in 1m and 46 sec.

As it warms the fruit fades and the body gets a bit richer.

In conclusion this is a decent wine with classic herbaceous flavours which is ever so slightly richer than i'd like.

I await the arrival of this in my emporium. Will look tomorrow after retrieving the mo'ah. Have yet another little list to try now.

Goose, in many ways your description is not that dissimilar to a fuller version of the Dk - the David Knappstein cuvee made from bits and pieces around the Forrest Estate with JF collaboration.

The peach vacates, the honey vacates, the fruit fades a little or a lot. Is this synonymous with the characteristics of the 2009 vintage. The harvest was miraculously saved by an unusual April, a late autumn that was dryer and a bit warmer than normal.

Are we rushing to judgement ? Do these better MSB's need more time than 8 months from crushed fruit must to final wine in the glass to integrate; This, in order that the flavours are locked into the wine. I will prefer JE'09 to Dk'09 because one is left with more body, when the other parts that some of us find so enjoyable have partially departed.

We shall find out sooner or later whether the upscale MSBs have managed to lock in pungency, nettles, tropical fruit, capsicum, tomatoes leaf, lychee, B.current leaf, ripe gooseberry, mango & passion fruit, shale and mineral and stone. (It's a big ask to replicate the 2007 vintage)

Fedora Bob has sampled them immediately on release, they will certainly change a little, * but by how much ?

As you know, I am leaving my '09's in the rack for the mo. But I have a perfectly good excuse, I have a reasonable amount of older stock.

* I wonder ? Any spritz there Goose ? spritz can dull some notes.

_________________
Duncan

Interesting point about the spritz. JE has none but the Springfield Special Cuvee has plenty and it's not until it's worn off that the flavours come through.

If you all had just one glass of it straight after opening you probably wouldn't rate it.

Odd too that the JE smells wonderful in the glass after the wine has been drunk. Hints of hidden flavours to be revealed over time I hope.

Thought I was mad, but yes, there is something there. Have had this after-smell-in-glass a few times. Not apparent in the wine but sits there in the glass.

Thanks for the review Goose.

Does the 08 still have the stalk enduced creaminess on opening or is the blackcurrent coming through earlier now with a little more time in the bottle ?

The 08 is as it was a few months back. The buttery note is almost oaky and the fruit still needs time to show.

I won't be buying any more as the 09 although lacking in concentration does at least have the same underlying flavour of the 07.

The last glass of Friday's bottle saved for this evening is slightly more concentrated. No peach or honey. Plenty of blackcurrant with hints of that lovely long finish that was the 07.

Question is, how long before we know whether it's got real potential or whether i'm just fantasizing about the way this used to be.

Dreamygogs

Just opened another 09 and it's identical to the Montana Reserve 09.

Apart from the pear.

And the thyme.

Tasteless and rich. The 09 vintage is taunting us.

Bring me Vavasour, Jeeves and be quick about it.

[quote="Goosegogs"]Just opened another 09 and it's identical to the Montana Reserve 09.
Tasteless and rich. The 09 vintage is taunting us.

Goose.....with some angst, I came to similar conclusion to your JE'08 v JE'09 post above - and went into Waitress to pick up the last few Old Renwick '08's that I'd reserved on the phone last Friday, and it was locked in the cupboard office in customer services. Our little branch are ever so obliging.

Went to pickup at 15;45 just before closing. Shez wanted me to check out some pinot so I looked for that on the fine wine rack.

No Pinot other than exp. Mount Difficulty....BUT.... I found that our little branch had re- stocked the '09 Renwick in the same 6 vertical cubby holes as the '08 clearance.

Amazing - could be a Sunday part time staff errror..... Ran to customer services and swapped the 3 plus 3 x PL Clancy.

Sure, ok, not your style, none-the-less, G, numptyarse luck for me today, I can't remember buying a Bob Cam 4**** 91 point MSB for £9.11 for many a moon (except on v. rare Sains xmas left overs)

Craggy Range Old Renwick Malborough 2009 for £9.11 (20% + 5% multi) at some Waitrose stores till 16th February.

_________________
Duncan

Dunc, you usually miss out on these bargains so well done to you.

I will be interested to see how you rate this compared to VM Cellar Selection. The two are similar but I think the Craggy has more about it.

Too heavy for me but definitely your style.

Oddbins have the 09 Blind River in stock. Big price though. £10.99 is the 12 bottle price.

Plus £6.99 delivery if you're ordering.

My colleague shops with Ocado and kindly had 4 JEs and 2 Renwicks delivered for me aoong with her weekly shop this weekend.
As she has to bring them in her handbag, its a bottle a day for me this week
The first of the JE today was a 2009. Dunno whether all are going to be but I'd like to have had either a 50-50 split of the the vintages a la Goose or 100% 2008
Let see what happens...

Assume the Renwick will be 2008.

I'll go with the pear and peach. Varies a lot with temperature. Not up to the Montana Res. kick, but also not comforting. Mixed emotions, let's give it a few nanoseconds in the dark.

I quite like this.... Compared to some of the recent tart one dimensional msb I have had recently at various pubs/bars, this is a refreshing change.
Like goose and ba have said, there is some peach there (although without their comment I wouldn't have been able to put my finger on it) which provides an element of sweetness.
Some blackcurrant is there but nothing like the 08.