|
Wine Type
|
Vintage
Name
Variety
Locale
|
Date
Posted
Score
Helpful
Comments
|
|
White
|
2011 Bass Phillip Chardonnay Premium
Gippsland
more
|
Delving into the “Ready To Drink Report,” an eight year old chardonnay is always a lucky dip, nevertheless, the Premium from Bass Phillip doesn’t disappoint.
Clear gold colour, passion fruit and vanilla oak on the nose, hint of burnt sugar. On the palate, vanillan oak and sweet citrus flavours, orange, lemon zest acidity on the long finish.
Noted when last tasted in 2014, the balance of oak and fruit. As a mature wine the oak has added character to every glass.
|
|
Red
|
2010 Freycinet Vineyard Pinot Noir
Freycinet Coast
more
|
Spritz from the open front and centre before inky black fruit one hour open. Effervescent across the tongue.
|
|
White
|
2011 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros Côte Bouguerots
Chardonnay more
|
Double decanted before heading to the restaurant.
Long Diam in Fevre Grand Crus, no hint of Premox at five years of age. May be a different result at eight.
Crystal clear pour in the tasting glass.
This is saline, seashells and salt spray.
Great juice for oysters, white anchovies, fresh prawns, squid or calamari, any dish served with a liberal squeeze of fresh lemon will be an excellent pair.
Refreshingly pure to its origins, neither the fruit presence of Les Preuses nor the stoney minerality of Les Clos, this shares the middle ground.
Neither the weight of the best vintages, nor the length set aside, this is still an enjoyable glass of underlying quality.
|
|
Red
|
2005 Rockford Shiraz Basket Press
Barossa Valley
more
|
Decanted for 30 minutes.
Opaque bright garnet red in colour.
Aniseed dominates the nose.
Medium body, ripe fruit, blackberry, liquorice, black pepper, smooth mocha tannins envelope, acidity freshens the finish.
Needs one hour open, drinking better with air. Not on par with the last bottle.
This may have years to go, 2020+
|
|
White - Sweet/Dessert
|
1985 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg
Chenin Blanc more
|
Out of the cellar and into the fridge for two hours.
Popped and poured at the table.
Transparent liquid gold in the glass.
Vouvray honey wafts from the get go, biscuit and bale, mandarin rind, lime zest.
Silken golden lava flows deliciously on the tongue.
Tropical island flavours sell a summer's island holiday to your palate.
One and a half hours open the juice is on song. Lightly honeyed undertones set the course, sweet dried apricots, ride over a plate of ripe orchard fruit with apples and oranges followed by a refreshingly citrus zest endlessly caressing the long finish, all at a sprightly 31 years young.
|
|
Red
|
1990 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707
South Australia
more
|
Decanted 30 minutes prior to serving. Drinking beautifully at one hour open.
Opaque black heart of dark red lightens towards a burnt orange translucent rim.
Menthol, cassis, raisins, dark chocolate initial thoughts rising from the glassware.
Leather, blackberry, black cherry, dark chocolate and mocha fine tannins intoxicate the palate and smooth the way to refreshing acidity through the endless finish, at 26 years of age.
|
|
White
|
2014 Scarborough Wine Co Chardonnay The Obsessive Gillards Road Vineyard
Hunter Valley
more
|
Transparent pale lime straw in colour.
French oak, lees works well with the white stone fruit nose.
Light to medium bodied. Medium mild fruit and oak driven palate then followed by citrus washing over meal with lemon/ lime zest acidity freshening. Flint and white stone fruit carry the long finish.
|
|
Red
|
2010 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco
Nebbiolo more
|
Transparent bright ruby, cherry red in colour.
Peppermint, licorice, cherry ripe.
Light bodied, cola, gravel tannins, teeth cleansing acidity brightens, drying leather finish. One hour open milk chocolate.
|
|
Red
|
2008 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir
Martinborough
more
|
Opaque medium garnet with blood orange rim.
Gorgeous wood spice, forest floor, dusky and floral all at once.
Medium body, sweet cherry, red berries long clean finish.
24hrs in the fridge and the last two glasses were delicious. Well cellared and long lived.
|
|
White
|
2006 Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Sémillon Museum Reserve
Hunter Valley
more
|
Transparent pale gold.
Minor oak, lime zest aromas.
Mineral entry when cold, lighter bodied wine even at 10 years of age, light fruit palate, sweet citrus flavours, towards nectarine, minor lemon and lime which graduates through to a lemon zest, sherbet long finish.
|
|
Red
|
2013 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir
Martinborough
more
|
Normally enjoy my Ata Rangi from 6-8 years of age and they are a full blooded NZ Pinot much like their Rugby team that takes no quarter. I have the highest expectations for the '13 vintage and opened a half bottle due to the polarising CT reviews about tannin.
The winemaker states 30-40% whole bunch and expresses a desire to showcase 'tannin ripeness.'
I make no judgement on the wine at three years of age but note over 2 hours both beautiful aromas and delicious fruit were overpowered by tannin and would hope given time will integrate successfully.
|
|
Red
|
2009 Louis Jadot Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Fuées
Pinot Noir more
|
Decanted for 30 minutes.
Translucent medium- dark garnet in colour.
Spice, black cherry, quince
Black cherry, blood plum, then a spicy lift thru the long freshening finish. Milk chocolate or hints of caramel entertain. Tannins have softened. Delish' with bolognese and pasta.
Drinking well after an hour open and looks to have a long life ahead.
|
|
Red
|
2004 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo
Nebbiolo more
|
Decanted for 30 minutes.
Translucent bright blood red with maturing colour.
Heady licorice, aniseed, red berry aromas, gorgeous.
Mid-weight palate, red cherry, hint of strawberry fruits give way to tobacco mid palate, still fresh at 12 years of age, offering complexity even for Conterno's entry level Barolo. Ready from the first pour and improved over two hours. Thoroughly enjoyable and showing good provenance for its age compared to some CT tasting notes.
|
|
Red
|
2009 Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild
Pauillac
Red Bordeaux Blend more
|
Decanted for 30 minutes.
Opaque dark garnet in colour, black heart.
Aniseed, new leather, dark berry, graphite nose.
Blackberry, raspberry, black cherry all showing a riper vintage, then chocolate, mild acidity freshens, light cigar box and the delicious finish completes.
Mid-weight palate and more generous over two hours open. Great pairing with roast eye fillet.
|
|
Red
|
2009 E. Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Red Rhone Blend more
|
Very quaffable, began quite earthy and with an hour in the decanter to smooth the edges, enjoyable with both duck and suckling lamb.
|
|
White
|
2011 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Valmur
Chardonnay more
|
Transparent pale gold in colour.
Pear, grapefruit and a little beeswax.
Citrus fruit palate first, seductive mouthfeel, mineral acidity, lacking the fruit drive to nail Grand Cru Chablis.
|
|
White
|
2011 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir
Chardonnay more
|
Transparent pale gold in colour.
Aromatic spicy green apple and pear jumps from the glass, grapefruit fresh and zesty.
Rich, voluptuous, grapefruit palate with citrus, zesty saline acidity and salivating long finish. Very good.
|
|
White
|
2012 Hoddles Creek Chardonnay 1er
Yarra Valley
more
|
Transparent pale gold in colour.
A little bottle variation amongst my stash, I did prefer the 2010 finding more fruit flavour to balance the oak over the 2012, however, a second and third bottle have confirmed the '12 is just as good.
This bottle opened last night proven a little tight on open lacking fruit on both the nose and palate. 24 hours later it's opened quite nicely. Citrus perfumed salinity on the nose. Medium bodied, flavoursome grapefruit, citrus, white stone fruit balance with underlying salivating mineral acidity and prodigious finish. More some and fleshy as it warms in the glass, oak and lees in the background add another level.
|
|
Red
|
2011 Kendall-Jackson Pinot Noir Vintner's Reserve California
more
|
Dark translucent garnet in colour.
Aromatic briar, menthol, twiggy nose blasts from the glass.
Medium full bodied, milk chocolatey smooth tannins, sweet cherry medium fruit, chocolatey smooth delivery with a lifted brighter acidity at the mocha powdery finish. Like desert in a glass.
|
|
White
|
2006 Henschke Riesling Julius
Eden Valley
more
|
Transparent mid pale gold, still a hint of green.
Lemon, lime citrus nose, underlying petroleum from the open blows off after a while in the glass.
Medium bodied, rolled gold and supple mouthfeel, luxurious.
Mineral acidity flows like the current from front to back and on to the finish where you feel like you're sucking on a stone from deep beneath the Eden Valley vines.
Medium citrus flavour, orange notes of sweetness to be found amongst the steely lemon and lime, grapefruit and lime zest finish.
|
|
Red
|
2010 Bindi Pinot Noir Block 5
Macedon Ranges
more
|
Translucent dark garnet in colour.
Aromatic aniseed wafts above the glass, dark chocolate, fantastic nose.
Medium full bodied, silken entry, French oak spice, so balanced, enthralling delivery, rolls from front to back, dark cherry and lots of it build through the crescendo of the long rolling finish. A delicious wine. Head and shoulders above the competition in both Australian Pinot Noir and the 2010 vintage. OK, big call. Mount Mary head to head will be a night to remember.
May I also include Bass Phillip Premium, all three exude quality.
|
|
White
|
2011 Pierro Chardonnay Margaret River
more
|
30 minutes in the decanter.
Transparent green/ gold in colour.
Aromatic nose of integrated oak and citrus fruit.
Mid-weight palate, white stone fruits to the fore, followed by citrus freshening and mineral acidity into the long finish. Oak finesse adds depth and a comparatively lighter treatment than the '12.
|
|
Red
|
2013 Felton Road Pinot Noir Bannockburn
more
|
No note. Good quaffable style.
|
|
Red
|
2011 Rockford Shiraz Basket Press
Barossa Valley
more
|
Into the decanter for an hour.
No sediment.
Aniseed, blackberry, dark chocolate, pepper and vanilla. Lively nose for a poor vintage.
Light body and refreshing tipple when compared to Rockford's usual fare.
Grenache flavours, mocha, pepper in the background, clean and crisp acidity, some green notes towards the finish. Early drinking vintage, and more so from the Rockford stable than of 2011.
|
|
Red
|
2011 Escarpment Pinot Noir Pahi
Martinborough
more
|
One hour in the decanter.
Transparent ruby red in colour.
Pronounced nose of roses, briar, and dusty sweetness. Delicious bouquet.
Light palate, but develops weight from front to back.
Initial cranberry, sweet red cherries, minor acidity, tannin toward the back palate is clean into the finish. Light white pepper lifts the fruit with more briar rather than forest floor, never losing it's welcomed sweetness not found in so many sour cherry pinots. Not two dimensional at all, the longer in the glass, the more interest is found.
Let this breathe, it's a stayer at only 4 yrs of age.
94 first, 93 on a revisit.
|
