Allen Meadows' Burghound

Fresh, bright and cool aromas include those of Granny Smith apple, citrus rind, spice and a hint of spice. The racy, indeed almost painfully intense, middleweight flavors flash outstanding minerality on the balanced, lemony, detailed and impressively persistent finale. Lovely and a wine that should repay up to a decade of keeping.

A different aromatic profile is comprised by notes of acacia blossom, hazelnut, spice and essence of Granny Smith apple. The rich, generous and seductively textured medium weight flavors exude a subtle minerality on the punchy and sappy finale that is shaped by citrus-tinged acidity. This is also impressive for its level and, much like the Chatenière, a wine that should be enjoyable young and with age.

This is even more floral-suffused with its nose of petrol, lemon rind and soft wood. The rich and quite generously proportioned middleweight flavors coat the palate with dry extract while exuding a more subtle bead of minerality on the balanced, lingering and citrus-tinged finish. Once again this is sufficiently forward to allow for good early drinkability yet should have no trouble repay a decade plus of keeping.

A vague whiff of exotic character lurks in the background of the aromas of citrus confit, white peach, spice and discreet flora scents. There is excellent volume to the caressing and seductive yet tension-filled flavors that deliver very fine length on the overtly stony, firm and built-to-age finale. This balanced effort could be approached young with pleasure but the upside development potential is evident.

A more elegant nose is comprised by more floral-suffused aromas of white fleshed fruit, citrus and subtle rosemary oil whiffs. Here too there is a really lovely texture to the medium-bodied flavors that coat the palate with sappy dry extract while buffering the citrus-tinged finale that offers noticeably better depth. This too is recommended.

Like the Champ Gains, the expressive nose is markedly floral in character with additional notes of essence of pear, rosemary oil and citrus confit in evidence. The rich, caressing, seductive and beautifully textured middleweight flavors possess fine length and balance while offering just a bit more depth. Once again, this is worth your interest.

Smoky aromas of pear and apple compote are trimmed in hints of crushed herbs, petrol and an all but invisible dollop of wood. The rich, generous, punchy and relatively powerful larger-scaled flavors that possess good detail and vibrancy on the clean, dry and well-balanced finale. This too could use a bit better depth but more should reasonably develop if given a chance.

A fresh, cool and very pretty nose reveals only a hint of exotic character on the aromas of white peach, orange peel and anise. Once again the palate impression of the medium-bodied flavors is rich, generous and seductive but with more evident minerality that adds a sense of lift to the nicely dry bitter lemon-inflected finale.

Colin-Morey noted that this had not been racked and not surprisingly the nose was firmly reduced. There is a really appealing sense of underlying tension suffusing the solidly concentrated, sappy and lightly stony bigger-bodied flavors that coat the palate with dry extract that also buffers the firm citrus-tinged acid spine shaping the compact, serious and beautifully persistent finish. This built-to-age but not especially austere effort is excellent and I particularly like the fruit-acid balance.

Pretty and layered aromas of pear and apple compote display additional nuances of zest, spice and an all but invisible touch of wood. There is a bit less volume and even finer texture to the stony, delicious and intense medium weight flavors that deliver fine length on the balanced, clean and dry finale that is just a bit more complex. This is lovely plus it's a wine that should drink well young as well as with mid-term keeping.