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

2022 MMAD Vineyard Grenache Blewitt Springs

 McLaren Vale more
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5/6/2024 - colinscellar wrote: 91 points

Red fruits with a combination tart freshness but also slight syrupyness. Definitely a jubey lolly character, eminds me of strawberry jam and raspberry cordial. Iron ore on the nose as well as a slight hint of something clinical or plastic, not sure if that's from carbonic maceration or something else.
I don't get a lot of oak influence but very grippy fruit tannins and high acidity. Definitely whole bunch fermented.
Not bad but I don't love it. I think this got very positive reviews and I'm not seeing that at this stage.

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White

2021 Shaw and Smith Chardonnay Lenswood Vineyard

 Adelaide Hills more
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5/6/2024 - colinscellar Likes this wine: 92 points

Slightly underripe stonefruit on the nose along with lemon and a bit of zingy ginger. Fresh acid and a leanish style, not much MLF.
I don't usually drink Chardonnay this young so it's interesting to see a wine at this stage. High quality
and would suit many foods but needs more years for me to enjoy drinking this standalone.

Edit: Vanilla and a bit more dairy once it opened up so maybe more oak and MLF than I first picked up. I think this actually will be very good but it's just so young at this stage.

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White

2015 Domaine Feuillat-Juillot Montagny 1er Cru Blanc

 Chardonnay more
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5/5/2024 - colinscellar Likes this wine: 89 points

Slightly overripe stonefruit fruit with an almost peach cobbler character with the combination of overripe fruit, vanilla and baking spice , and a clotted cream malolactic flavour and texture.
A little past its best given how ripe the fruit was, definitely rich rather than fresh, but in its mature stage it was still lovely with soft cheese.

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White - Sweet/Dessert

1998 Heggies Vineyard Riesling Botrytis

 Eden Valley more
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5/4/2024 - colinscellar Does not like this wine: 75 points

Too old? Some kind of fault? This disappointed, I suspect just too old. The nose shows some nice Botrytis notes but the palate doesn't have much flavour.

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Red

2013 Michele Chiarlo Barolo Cannubi

 Nebbiolo more
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5/4/2024 - colinscellar wrote: 92 points

Old-world nose: dried cherry, rose petals, briary heath, a little leather. Lots of tannins but it's fineboned in the mouth. Took a while to open up, still has years to go I think.

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Red

2008 Henschke Shiraz Hill of Grace

 Eden Valley more
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5/4/2024 - colinscellar Likes this wine: 95 points

Tasted after 2021 Tappa Pass and 2013 Mount Edelstone and the quality jump is immediately noticeable. Ripe blackberry aromas rise out of the glass. Blackberry, plum and cherry on the palate with vanilla and a hint of licorice. It's a concentrated, powerful wine with a big, plush mouthfeel. I'd very happily drink a lot of this if I could afford it.

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Red

2021 Henschke Shiraz Vineyard Selection Tappa Pass

 Barossa more
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5/4/2024 - colinscellar Likes this wine: 92 points

Blackberry and plum, pepper, anise. Fresh and elegant, lovely wine.

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Red

2013 Henschke Shiraz Mount Edelstone

 Eden Valley more
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5/4/2024 - colinscellar wrote: 90 points

Jammy nose speaks of the hot 2013 vintage and the palate has the similar slightly stewed quality. Fruit rather indistinct too. Ho-hum.
Not objectively bad but quite a disappointment given the label. Tasted alongside new release 2021 Tappa Pass which made this seem a bit pedestrian.

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Red

2021 Henschke Euphonium Keyneton Estate

 Barossa Shiraz Blend, Syrah more
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5/4/2024 - colinscellar Likes this wine: 91 points

The cool 2021 vintage is showing here as in the glass this resembles Pinot or Grenache more than Aussie Shiraz Cab both in colour and in body.
Mix of sweet and tart red and black fruit, some pepper and herbal freshness. Lovely and elegant. Potential to score higher but I only got a small tasting pour so couldn't dwell on it, would have liked more!

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White - Sparkling

2001 Petaluma Croser

 Piccadilly Valley Champagne Blend more
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5/3/2024 - colinscellar Does not like this wine: NR

Completely still! I had to pull the cork as there wasn't enough effervescence to pop it out and once poured there wasn't a bubble to be seen. I've had some old Crosers before and they hold up impressively well for such an affordable wine, so even at 23 years I'd expect some fizz. In this case, in addition to the age I suspect the wine mightn't have been stored properly in its past as there was a little bit of a madeirised sherry character to it.
The wine still had most of its sparkling flavour profile so the madeirisation was subtle and the nutty, burnt butter notes quite complemented the fungal leesy notes of the sparkling style. There was also an unexpectedly sweet finish to the flavour. Unlikely to be actual sugar as it's a Brut sparkling, but some christmas cake like dried fruit, slightly toffeed flavours.
I think I have to call tonight's wine a fail as I wouldn't choose for a bottle to be like this, but it was a very interesting fail that I was happy to have 2 glasses of before pouring the rest down the sink.

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White

2023 Henschke Pinot Gris Littlehampton Innes Vineyard

 Adelaide Hills more
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5/3/2024 - colinscellar wrote: 88 points

Nice nose with spiced apple but the palate seems a bit thin. Not bad but boring.

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White

2023 Henschke Riesling Peggy's Hill

 Eden Valley more
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5/3/2024 - colinscellar Likes this wine: 91 points

Big floral nose with sweet honeysuckle and lime is a misdirection and the palate is mouthpuckeringly bone dry. Flinty mineral and lime juice. Almost hard to drink at the moment with that searing acid but I think it's got a great future.

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Red

2017 Rosemount Estate Syrah Balmoral

 McLaren Vale more
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5/1/2024 - colinscellar wrote: 91 points

Tart plum and raspberry fruit with a savoury pepperiness to it. Plush and soft in the mouth with a lingering tannic dryness. Surprising cool climate feel to it given it's from McLaren, which I'd generally consider a quite warm climate. A pleasure to drink though still very young and primary, wants more years.

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Red - Fortified

2002 Stanton & Killeen Vintage Fortified

 Rutherglen Red Blend more
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4/28/2024 - colinscellar wrote: 92 points

Ripe blackberry and cherry liqueur, vanilla, cardamom and chocolate. I'm impressed how well the 18% alcohol contributes to a big juicy mouthfeel without the wine seeming overly hot.
Still very primary, hope to see more evolution in the future. Based on where it's at at 22 I expect this will go multiple decades more.

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Red

2022 Coldstream Hills Pinot Noir

 Yarra Valley more
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4/27/2024 - colinscellar wrote: 90 points

Pretty ruby colour. Classic Pinot nose with red fruits and a hint of spice and forest floor. Clean palate of cherry and mixed berries and a hint of fresh cedar and some warm spice.
Not super complex but as an entry level Pinot this is lovely drinking and great QPR.

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White - Sparkling

2022 Ca' D'Gal Moscato d'Asti Lumine

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4/26/2024 - colinscellar Likes this wine: 90 points

Sweet tropical nose of lychee with hints of banana and white flowers. More lychee on the palate along with less distinct other tropical and ripe orchard notes, and a refreshing light sparkling spritz. Not an overly complex wine but nonetheless a pleasure.

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Red

2022 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Nebbiolo Langhe

 Langhe DOC more
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4/26/2024 - colinscellar Likes this wine: 92 points

Pinot-like colour and weight. Rose and cherry nose and palate at first, a slight fungal (I suspect bret) note evolving but it was subtle and at a level I consider adds to the complexity rather than detracts.
Freh acid and firm Neb tannins but not aggressive. Lovely drinking and seems like a great value option while waiting for Barolos to mature.

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White

2018 Jim Barry Assyrtiko

 Clare Valley more
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4/26/2024 - colinscellar Likes this wine: 91 points

Lots of fresh acidity. Salinity and fresh limes are the dominant flavours, mouthfeel starting to round out, some softening from the few years I suspect. Great aperitif.

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Red

2013 Wolf Blass Black Label

 South Australia Cabernet-Shiraz Blend, Red Blend more
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4/27/2024 - colinscellar wrote: 91 points

Big ripe blackberry flavour with chocolate behind it and some eucalyptus. The drawcard here though is the texture as it's super plush in the mouth. I think there would have to be full MLF here as well as a lot of lees work to give the wine this big, velvety mouthfeel but the final product is impressive.
I drank this by itself and I think you need to have it with meat or cheese to provide you with more palate variety as this wine itself doesn't have the complexity to stay interesting for a full bottle.
Interesting to consider that over the years this wine has won four Jimmys...was it a better wine back then? It's definitely a victime of changing fashions but even so this just seems good but not great, a nice wine but it doesn't justifies its RRP pricetag.

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Red

2004 Montalto Vineyards Pinot Noir Estate

 Mornington Peninsula more
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4/25/2024 - colinscellar wrote: 92 points

The colour has gone rusty but the wine is clear and bright, reminds me of old Barolo. Similar nose to Barolo with cherries, dried flowers, and a savoury umami character.

On the palate there's tart raspberry and cherry fruit, a little stalky greenness and savoury meatiness. Given time in the glass the nose started to show a bit of cola. Tannins have fully softened but there's still firm acid here.
Old bottles are always a roll of the dice but this one was definitely a win.

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Red

2021 Ochota Barrels the green room

 McLaren Vale Grenache Blend, Grenache more
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4/22/2024 - colinscellar wrote: 91 points

Tart and fresh with red cherry and cranberry fruit and some fresh steminess. Noticable yeasty character, reminds me a bit of a berry sour beer or a sparkling with lees notes. Light-med body at only ~12% abv and drinks better quite chilled, I treat it like rosé rather than 'normal' Grenache.
Great pizza/bbq wine - complex enough to be interesting to the end of the bottle but suits casual drinking rather than deep analysis. Very smashable.

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Red

2022 Noon Twelve Bells

 Langhorne Creek Shiraz Blend, Syrah more
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4/21/2024 - colinscellar wrote: 91 points

Ripe dark fruit on the nose and more distinct cherry and blackberry on the palate. Evolves to a real black character of dark chocolate and licorice. A nice balance with both some cooling herbal and warm spice notes. Some definite tannic grip to it but it's all smooth edges. Also holds the 15.5% well, there's a warmth from the alcohol but it's not at all harsh.
Doesn't have the complexity of the Reserve Shiraz but gee this is great QPR and I'm really impressed by how well it drinks so young.

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Red

2012 Pirate Cru Grenache William Hunt Ancestor Vine

 Barossa Valley more
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4/20/2024 - colinscellar Likes this wine: 92 points

Opened with tartness, red berries and a raw edge but over several hours evolved to blackberry cordial and cherry liqueur. There's a definite syrupyness to it that could be polarising but that I'm enjoying. Some fresh herbal coolness, anise, and vanilla. Plush texture with powdery tannins.

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White - Sweet/Dessert

2002 Yarravale Botrytis Chardonnay

 Yarra Valley Chardonnay Blend, Chardonnay more
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4/20/2024 - colinscellar wrote: 75 points

Random Langtons auction purchase as I can't remember trying Botrytis Chardonnay before.
Not a lot of the citrus marmalade and creme brulee character I associate with botrytis...could be that's a difference between botrytis Chard and Sem but I wouldn't have thought so. This seems more late harvest that botrytis as it's a bit raisin-y. Maybe heat-affected and slightly madeirised. I don't get any distinctive Chardonnay characters but I admit to not knowing what botrytis Chard should be like.

Very disappointing, only a 375mL but still drunk less than half and tipped rest down the sink. Too old? Heat-damaged? Just a poor wine to begin with? Unsure, at least it was cheap.

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White

2019 Ansgar Clüsserath Riesling Vom Schiefer

 Mosel Saar Ruwer more
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4/19/2024 - colinscellar wrote: 90 points

Opens up with a nose of green apple and pear. The palate also has apple and pear along with sweet lime. There's a bit of weight to the mouthfeel and some sweetness even though this is trocken. I suspect at least a little bit of residual sugar and also some time on lees for texture.
Acid surprisingly soft for a young Riesling, and given this is entry level stuff on the German hierarchy I suspect this is a drink sooner than later prospect, though I think should be good for another 3-5 years.

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  • Tasting notes: 597 notes on 490 wines

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