2003 Churchill
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Tasting notes
Very hot year. Shaded fox red. Pale rim. Dusty and diffuse. Edge of boiled sweets/hard candy. Hot finish. They also made a Quinta de Gricha 2003. Rather smudgy, indistinct flavours. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Super rich and scented with spicy, juicy fruit and quite a bit of heat on the finish. Lots of volume but the balance isn't quite all in place. (RH)
Bright ruby-red. Superripe, slightly high-toned aromas of cassis, cherry and herbs, with a subtle suggestion of mustard seed. Then herbal and high-toned in the mouth, with moderately dense dark fruit flavors. Finishes with big, mounting, slightly drying tannins and a nutty aftertaste. (This was the best of three bottles I tasted. The other two were higher-toned and nuttier on the nose; less rich, ripe and fruity on the palate; and drier on the finish. These samples merited no more than 85 points.)
Slightly weak rim. Agreeable, ripe, round fruit but not outstandingly intense. Marked acidity and lacks real fruit weight on the mid palate. (JR)