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Wine Type Vintage Name Variety Locale Date Posted Score Helpful Comments Comment Date Community Score More...
Red

NV Sami-Odi Shiraz Little Wine #13

 Barossa more
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4/2/2024 - Wozza wrote: 96 points

This #13 presents with bashful vibrancy, particularly at this just-bottled stage. It's pure in its delivery, perfectly formed, and belies great layering as it boasts its 2023-2015 multi-vintage, multi-aged block vine, Barossa credentials.

A youthful, lifted nose awaits with lots of raspberry, leather, red liquorice, marshmallow, wood spices, and scented bath salts.

A mouth-coating swell of blackcurrant, blackberry, and blueberry dance in the mouth alongside capsicum, stone, mint, and hints of French herbs.

It's so well made, and utterly drinkable now or for a good 10-12 years. I've said it before, Fraser McKinley at Sami Odi is a winemaking genius.

Easily a Wozza 96 (Vivino 4.6) from me.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    4/2/2024 3:54:00 PM - You're welcome, mate. Hopefully they'll be belters in a few years ???? ?? Pretty confident they will be ...
Red

2017 Kanonkop Pinotage

 Simonsberg-Stellenbosch more
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2/15/2023 - Wozza Likes this wine: 94 points

Finely detailed Pinotage, and in fine fettle at 6 years post vintage.

Each wiff and swirl conjures up different notes. Smoked BBQ brisket or peppered salami, banana bread or freshly chopped chilli and cantaloupe (or was that polished leather boot, walking through vanilla, mint, and lavender). There's a base of red and dark fruits underpinning a smooth, but firm drive in the mouth, that displays all the idiosyncrasies of its nose. It's beautifully balanced, and very quaffable. Would love some more length, but that's nit-picking.

A Wozza 94 (Vivino 4.0) from me, and probably as developed as it will get before a slow decline.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    2/16/2023 12:59:00 PM - Thank you, @red.red.vino! Good to be back
Red

2018 Mount Pleasant Wines Shiraz Old Paddock & Old Hill

 Pokolbin more
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9/3/2019 - Wozza Likes this wine: 95 points

The 2014 OP&OH was the cellar door darling that had many a visitor delving for the credit card. This 2018 doesn't have the same immediate charm. But there's good potential written all over this iconic Hunter Shiraz. On release, there's a firmness to its delivery. It's less approachable than 2014, and less floral than some of its 2018 siblings. The fruit - proud, bright, mostly black on the nose. Blackberry and black cherry really shone. Fresh picked mushroom and vanilla laced cedar oak also adding some savoury interest. The palate is tight, with a sturdy red currant laced drive of crisp acidity that hints at its longevity. There's more red fruits on the finish, especially red cherry, some soft vanilla tones from the integrating oak that will round out with bottle age; and some textbook wet stone that's quite typical of an OP&OH. Rating this purely on where I see it from 2022 onwards, I'm giving this a Wozza 95. Drink to 2034(+). $50 cellar door.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    9/4/2019 3:42:00 PM - Look forward to seeing your thoughts on the 18 when you try your first one. Across the range they are different to previous recent vintages. Less approachable on release, but with lots of potential. The 14s were incredible on release, but have dipped for me with a bit of bottle age.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    9/4/2019 9:18:00 PM - Yes I did. It was in my top 5 and best of the Mountain range. I've still got quite a few notes to write up over the coming weeks. Suffice to say I likened the 2018 Mountain C to a top quality Italian red (think BdM / Barolo, etc.). But it's my style of wine (and Gary Walsh's too), so others may prefer the other two.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    11/30/2019 9:21:00 PM - Thanks Screwcap. I think you are right on that flavour. Always a nice touch on the op&oh

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    11/30/2019 9:22:00 PM - Glad you liked it too, Vinscent. I'll look out for your notes over the coming years. Cheers, Wozza
Red

2016 Ravensworth Estate Shiraz Viognier

 Canberra District Shiraz Blend, Syrah more
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6/12/2019 - Wozza Likes this wine: 96 points

Exotic, delicate, floral decadence. This best sums up this co-fremented Shiraz Viognier from the cool climes of @murrumbateman (in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia). The nose transcends the hum drum of #australianredwine and that of the @Côte-Rôtie (the latter of which inspired the Martin family to make this superlative estate grown wine).
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A fiesta of pomegranate, plum, red berry, turkish delight, chicken biryani, dried herbs and incense smoke seduce first. Before a silken, beautifully poised palate soars, long, refined, but teaming with bright red fruits and a touch of rounded, creamy oak. Just stunning. At $42, it's a veritable bargain. Drink 2018-2026. A Wozza 96.5/100 from me.
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And from @bjmart8 own inspiring words: "Just leave it alone, things will work out’, much like our wine making philosophy, or lack thereof. More forestry than farming we encourage a great biodiversity of life in and on the earth. We don’t use chemicals, heavy farm equipment or cow horn’s full of rotted cow dung (Sorry BD folks, love your work but just don’t get this). We coax our earth to life with our own biochar, opening the soil with a yeoman’s plow and harrowing the crops rather than mowing. Basically getting the land back to what it was like before white people came and fucked it up. A broad range of cover crops are in use like clovers and maku for nitrogen, chicory for silca and aeration, its basically a large vegetable patch if you like. Sure it’s wild and won’t be used anytime soon in a glossy magazine, but it looks right to all of us living in it."

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    6/16/2019 4:40:00 AM - I sure did. Hopefully you'll enjoy your bottles too. Cheers, Wozza
Red

2017 Serrat Shiraz Viognier

 Yarra Valley Shiraz Blend, Syrah more
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8/4/2018 - Wozza Likes this wine: 96 points

HEALTH WARNING: This is the best $44 money can buy in Aus at the moment!

2015 was firery and delicious. 2016 similar. 2017? Ultra elegant. SO approachable. And so well balanced.

You could almost miss its famous intricacies.

Mythical nose. Honeycomb, ginger, cigar box, cloves, tar, violets, dried herbs, strawberries and cream, wood chips and slight citrus pith. Duckdown feel. Double cream glide. Slight, drying lift as the beautiful blue and red fruits deliquesce with a bazaar of wonderful savoury spices.

Immaculate. Heavenly.

Drink from 2024-2029. $44, is daylight robbery. A Wozza 96.5/100.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    8/7/2018 1:21:00 PM - Yes! And I like the Pinot too! I'll be trying the Chardonnay over the weekend or early next week.
Red

2012 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label

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3/30/2015 - forceberry wrote: 85 points

Aged for 16 months in oak barrels.

Dense, opaque black-reddish color with a youthful blueish hue. A bit closed, yet still very opulent nose with ripe aromas of juicy plums, dark berries, jammy forest fruits, menthol, some Cognac tones of French oak and a hint of crème de cassis. The wine is full-bodied, quite concentrated and rather spicy on the palate with rich, extracted flavors of ripe dark berries, plummy dark fruits, some jammy tones, light mocha character, oaky hints of Cognac and a touch of allspice. The structure is balanced with moderately high acidity and quite ample, firm and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is very rich, powerful and moderately tannic with quite long flavors of ripe dark berries, mocha, some jammy dark fruits, a little bit of bittersweet dark chocolate and a hint of eucalyptus.

A ripe, rich and powerful Cab with a lot of everything, but unfortunately that applies to the ripeness and oak treatment as well. For me the wine just comes across as too jammy and too oaky, rendering this otherwise impressive and structured Cabernet quite dull and boring. Although I could perhaps guess correctly that this is a Cabernet Sauvignon, were the wine served to me blind, it is not very obviously so, because the almost excessive ripeness of the fruit has made the wine come across just vague ripe red wine with very little varietal character, and the heavy-handed oak treatment seems to drown out most of the nuances. Perhaps this wine can turn out more impressive with age and most likely it will please the fans of big, bold Cabernets, but for me it offered quite little. At 19,90€ the wine felt somewhat overpriced for the style.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    7/1/2018 4:44:00 AM - It would be worth a revisit if you can. You were trying it not long after release where the elements of the wine were yet to knit together. I'm like you, not a huge fan of over ripe, bold reds.

    I'm trying the 12 at the 6 year point, and it's beautiful and well balanced, with a fine mocha mid palate wave, and a fine, slightly dusty finish. It's a wine that will do well for a good 12 years. Cheers, Wozza
White

2012 Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon Elizabeth

 Hunter Valley more
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5/12/2018 - nulla wrote: NR

This one didn't live up to expectations. Tasted wrong from first sip. Did not have the usual lemon/lime, buttered toast flavours. Seemed to be overpowered by a wood vaneer/polish flavor. Three of us declared it unfit for consumption and down the sink it went. Bottle variation?? I have one bottle of the 2012 vintage left and will visit it soon. Very disappointing.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    5/23/2018 4:19:00 AM - Sadly, Nulla, I think this was opened in its *dumb phase*. Hunter Semillons are made without oak, and rely on the fruit, high acidity and tannins to make a classic Hunter Sem. It is very common for a Hunter Sem to go through a metamorphosis phase where the fruit (mainly the citrus flavours) seem to drop. All you get in return is a big mouthfull of acidity. If you leave a quality Sem like the Elizabeth to mature slowly in the bottle, then it usually comes good again from year 12 onwards (vintage depending - they do vary). And you'll get lots more honeyed notes, lanolin, white flowers and that toasty nutiness. It's not uncommon to see Hunter Sems in their 20s giving so much pleasure. Hope this helps. Hopefully you have more to try in a few more years ...

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    5/27/2018 4:41:00 AM - Agree, Brian. It's hard to say if its bottle variation or something else. Bottle variation is possible, particularly if its a storage issue. I'll be surprised if it's a production issue. But you never know. As you say, two have said the same thing. It's under screwcap so no cork taint issues.

    Great comment re missing some of the development from 6/7 years on. I totally agree. Cheers mate ����
Red

2012 St Hugo Shiraz Barossa

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9/24/2017 - Wozza Likes this wine: 92 points

The melted chocolate smooth mid palate texture is the real highlight of this well regarded Barossa Shiraz.

Named in honour Hugo Gramp who became a legendary winemaker and visionary, taking over the family business in 1920 at the ripe age of 25. A business that began in 1847.

Swirled, the nose is sweet and alluring. The medium-bodied palate luxurious. Smooth. And finely balanced. Sweet plums, slightly stewed, black cherry, blackberry, wet stone, vanillin oak, orange pith and spice all play their part. The finish dry, lingering and slightly twiggy. Nice.

I'd recommend drinking 2017-2022. A very drinkable Wozza 92/100 (3.6/5.0) from me.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    11/27/2017 1:36:00 AM - Hopefully you’ll love it when you do eventually open it. Cheers, Wozza ����
Red

2013 Hewitson Shiraz The Mother Vine

 Barossa Valley more
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6/6/2017 - Wozza Likes this wine: 94 points

I really like this Barossa Shiraz. Halliday proclaimed a great wine (giving 96) among the thousands he tried in 2015 (poor bugger)!

There's great providence (see my previous note). And fine balance. There's a seductiveness and real energy about this medium-bodied wine. As bright, ripe blackberry, red cherry and raspberry flavours lead to smokey, meaty, pencily, French herby notes. And this gorgeous tobacco, liquorice and pepper finish. It's certainly getting better. And will continue to evolve over the coming 3-7 years.

A Wozza 94.5/100 (4.1/5.0) from me.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    6/12/2017 9:01:00 PM - Thanks Winotim! It's a good wine, isn't it? Cheers
Red

2005 Two Hands Shiraz Bella's Garden

 Barossa Valley more
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12/31/2016 - Wozza wrote: 94 points

This was like a big smouldering volcano. A fitting wine for NYE as we watched the SYD fireworks harbour side. This double 95 pointer is a quintessential regional blend Barossa Shiraz. And it was just hitting that early primary | tertiary phase. As the beautifully rich, fragrant nose led to a deep, brooding full bodied palate of fleshy dark berry fruits, red cherries, mulberry, and finely balanced secondary French oak notes of tar, smoked oak & spice. In magnum form this is a 25 yr wine. As such it's good QPR. A Wozza 94.5/100 (4.1/5.0) from me.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    12/31/2016 8:02:00 PM - Thanks RRV. Me too. But I don't mind trying them young if I have more to open over the years. For me, it's an inevitable problem as I build a fledgling collection. Cheers, Wozza
Red

2001 Elderton Shiraz Single Vineyard Command

 Barossa more
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12/5/2016 - Wozza Likes this wine: 94 points

I write this note in rather fortuitous circumstances. After attending the Vivino Sydney Offline Christmas Dinner 2016, I lost this phone twice in the same night! Yes twice! I've just paid a homeless guy $50 for it's safe return two days later! I therefore celebrate in style with this iconic Aussie Barossa Shiraz of 15 years vintage that I picked up on a Greys Wine auction last week.

And what a wine it is. It's deep, dark and brooding. With that signature black fruit premium smokey French oak experience I've come to love in my collection of Elderton Commands. Dark berries, liquorice, vanilla, sage, and smoked oak spices tantalise the senses. Oh, it's so moorish, and beautifully balanced. Not as big as the 02. But it's really nice. It therefore gets a Wozza 94/100 (4.0/5.0) from me.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    12/5/2016 8:23:00 PM - Thanks Chatters. It sure was! Thanks for commenting. Much appreciated. Cheers, Wozza

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    12/6/2016 1:41:00 PM - Thanks for sharing your story, Arthrovine. I love how wine transports us back like that. Cheers, Wozza
Red

2007 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

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11/26/2016 - Wozza Likes this wine: 93 points

Nice. But it's 3/4 years from mellowing out. On the nose, there's blackberry, raspberry, mushroom notes, hints of tar, mint and spice, with baking spice when swirled. The palate is unctuous, alluding to the Spring frosts that led to the low yield and more concentrated fruit flavours. As blackberry, raspberry, tar, sage, mint and black pepper balance nicely and then lead into strong sage and spice lingering finish.

I'm not getting the same vibes as I did from the 09 and 06. It's nice, especially after a good decant to get the full structure and taste profile of this wine. But it's still WIP. Hence a Wozza 93/100 (3.8/5.0) from me.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    11/26/2016 9:21:00 PM - I hope your 07 is better than the one I am trying at the moment. Maybe this was badly stored rather than falling short through age. It will be interesting to see what you make of it ...

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    11/27/2016 2:39:00 PM - RRV - don't touch it! Not yet. It's amazing what a night in the bottle did for it. There was a totally different wine, with good structure and strong flavour profile. There was too much sage dominating at the end for me to bump it up. I'd try again in 3 yrs. Wozza
Red

2006 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

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11/21/2016 - Wozza Likes this wine: 95 points

Arguably one of Australia's most important Cab Sauv's. Halliday said it was a 'serious wine' with 'considerable tannin-derived structure that has an earthy/savoury regional profile' when giving 95 points (a big Halliday score back then).

It's now reddy/brown, showing those 10 years in the bottle. Lovely blueberry and spice nose. The medium-bodied palate is perfectly formed; and nicely rounded and warm in the mouth. With blackberry, blueberry, mint, earth, tar, sage and black pepper leading the way. There's a strong wave of dark fruit, mint, earth and spice mid-palate, and a fine oak-spiced finish.

In its prime now. With at least another 5 years in the tank. Great vintage. Hence a Wozza 95/100 (4.2/5.0) from me.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    11/25/2016 5:42:00 PM - Thanks RRV.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    11/25/2016 5:52:00 PM - I'm a Wynns fan too. I'll look out for your note. Hopefully you'll like it as much as I did. Really classy, ageworthy wine. Cheers RRV
Red

2012 Rosemount Estate District Release Traditional

 McLaren Vale Red Bordeaux Blend more
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11/4/2016 - Wozza Likes this wine: 92 points

Rosemount has gained national and international success and is as big as it is because it produces large volumes of consistent, good quality wines at everyday prices. And this Cab Sauv, Merlot and Petit Verdot red blend from McLaren Vale is a great example. Often sold in the Teens, this District Release drinks well early, but has enough quality and structure to cellar for 10 years.

It's on the savoury side, with plums, blackcurrant, black olive, mint, a touch of sweet blueberry, tobacco and black pepper. These flavours flow from nose to the smooth, medium bodied palate and savoury, spicy finish. Nice.

For its QPR, it gets a Wozza 92/100 (3.6/5.0) from me.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    11/6/2016 3:19:00 AM - Thanks BSmith. You lucky thing - 6 years. I really like the Balmoral Syrah too.
Red

2014 Mount Pleasant Wines Shiraz Old Paddock & Old Hill

 Pokolbin more
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10/12/2016 - Wozza Likes this wine: 96 points

The Hunter Valley was blessed with a 10/10 vintage in 2014. So it's no surprise many of its Reds are selling out pre-release, like this mid-level Mount Pleasant Shiraz that boasts some of the oldest Shiraz vines in the region (1880 and 1921). At the '1880 member' price of $40, this is a steal, even at this young stage. Halliday said 98. Hooke, 96. Wozza - a 96.5/100 (4.5/5.0)!

It's simply sublime, and such easy, sophisticated drinking, punching above its pay grade; as blackberry, sweet blood plum, tar, liquorice, sage, rosemary and black pepper combine seamlessly on the nose, medium-bodied, silky smooth (slightly glossy) palate & fine finish.

Exquisite. Simply exquisite.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    10/22/2016 4:49:00 PM - Great idea, BSmith. I have 5 left now and can't wait to see how they develop. I love trying them early as you get to go on that journey with the wine. I got the 97 from McWilliams website. I'm no longer a WC member to double check. I'll correct it. I see a 97 or 98 in this wine too. Such potential. Cheers
Red

2013 Penfolds Shiraz RWT

 Barossa Valley more
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10/22/2015 - Wozza Likes this wine: 96 points

Penfolds 2015 Collection Tasting (Sydney): Wine 10. The RWT was the second best tasting for me on the night, scoring an already classy 96/100 (4.4/5.0) from me. But as a consumer, it would be my first choice, as the winner of the night, the Grange, is not 4 times better than the RWT.

The nose was sensational, with sweet berries and mulberries, and that old leather chair peatiness RWTs are famous for. The palate was silky smooth, with stunning red berries and blueberries leading to a strong and long finish. Definitely very young, but this RWT is pure class already.

And for the lucky like me, I did put my money where my mouth was - picking up 4 boxed bottles for $89 each straight after release as a faulty discount code (that doesn't usually apply to Penfolds) (and cash back on top) applied for a WineMarket bargain.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    10/22/2016 2:58:00 PM - Where??!!!!! Great notes. And what a ridiculous bargain. Time to start loving jazz!
Red

2006 Grant Burge Shiraz Meshach

 Barossa Valley more
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8/7/2016 - Wozza Likes this wine: 94 points

Fantastic wine. But after devouring the John Riddoch 09 just before with those huge round mouth filling tannins and velvety texture, this iconic Barossa Shiraz wasn't quite in the same league. It felt pretty young. But it still had those awesome intense black and blue berry fruit flavours with a backbone of aniseed, smoked oak chips and delicate spices. Not sure this one had been stored that well in the bottle shop. There was a lot of sediment that gave the palate a slightly dusty finish. A WIP 94.5/100 (4.1/5.0) from me.

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    8/20/2016 5:59:00 PM - Thank you kind sir. Very tempting. I think I'm out at this point as I eye a Vintec deal before the 31 Aug deadline. Thank you for thinking of me.
Red

2012 Yalumba The Signature

 Barossa Valley Cabernet-Shiraz Blend, Red Blend more
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6/22/2016 - Wozza Likes this wine: 96 points

That feeling, when the rich, balanced palate coats every surface of your mouth, revealing exceptional fruit flavours and myriad oaked nuances that unfold over 30+ secs. That's why it has a 98, 97, 96 and three 95s from the Aussie experts. And why I'm clambering for more of this 54th edition of this Barossa/Eden Valley Cab Sauv | Shiraz Aussie iconic blend that was matured for 22 mths in French, American and Hungarian oak (coppiced at the winery).

Blackcurrants, blackberries, blueberries, leafy herbs and smoked, powdery oaked spices titivate the senses, for a fine, long finish. This is a fitting wine dedicated to the 5th generation Robert Hill-Smith that owns (and is now chairman of) this fine Aussie winery. It's already stunning at this 4yr point. But surely it will be at its best between 2020 and 2025. A Wozza 96/100 (4.4/5.0) from me (with more to come) ...

  • Comment posted by Wozza:

    6/22/2016 3:47:00 PM - I'm sure you'll enjoy it, Wineotim. One of the reviewers on Vivino said the 14 that has yet to be released is meant to be even better than the very strong 12. I'll be hunting for the 14 too. Cheers.

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