Quick Notes From a Memorable Night in Sydney

These TNs posted a day later from memory can never do justice to the wonderful array of wines we enjoyed...

• 1972 Seppelt Shiraz Sparkling Burgundy Great Western - Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
  The fizz was gone, but not "The Thrill." A real treat, no bubbles left. Slightly medicinal nose, but plenty of candied fruit and a pleasant herbal aspect. Quite the time machine bottle, I'd say. (91 pts.)
• 2000 Best's Great Western Riesling Concongella Vineyard - Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
  A very interesting treasure. Loads of patrol and some waxiness. High acid backbone, amazingly fresh. (91 pts.)
• 2005 Crawford River Riesling Reserve - Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Henty
  A rather floral expression of the varietal, quite rich and evocative. A touch sweet too. (92 pts.)
• 2005 Seppelt Riesling Drumborg Vineyard - Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Henty
  Great cut and minerality, with a touch of effervescence. Should evolve for many years as there was just a hint of smoke and toast. (92 pts.)
• 1991 Leo Buring Riesling Leonay Eden Valley - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
  I loved this treasure of a bottle: lime, flint, petrol, butterscotch in layers of flavor waves, plus enough acidity to hold things together very, very well. (94 pts.)
• 2001 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
  In stellar form, especially with air. Butterscotch, pear, citrus and clove, along with a fine minerality holding things in lovely balance. (94 pts.)
• 2005 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
  Such a powerhouse of a bottle, almost too full-throttled for me on this occasion, and I have had this vintage multiple other times. Robust, high-toned lemon, pear and ginger notes, very expansive mouthfeel. A monster of a wine! (92 pts.)
• 2004 Giaconda Chardonnay Estate Vineyard - Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth
  Lemon, stone fruit and honey, very precise. Benefitted from an hour or so in the glass and probably need more. The CT drinking window here is simply wrong as this wine came off as quite primary, and with many good years ahead of it. (93 pts.)
• 1981 Tyrrell's Pinot Noir Hunter River - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
  Served blind. Very hard to call out as a Pinot (I thought Nebbiolo until I saw the screw cap-fitted bottle top; should have acknowledged the lack of tannins, too, oh well). Fresh, perfumed and floral, with a lovely smokiness and fine minerality. So impressive. (94 pts.)
• 1996 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
  So young and primary. Popped 'n poured but I am not sure even a long decant would have changed things. Cranberry, some rose petal and a touch of orange peel. High minerality. Lay away for 5+ years if you are lucky enough to have one. (92 pts.)
• 2011 Bernhard Huber Spätburgunder Alte Reben - Germany, Baden
  More ripe than I would have expected, especially on the nose, with bright red fruit, somewhat tangy, alongside muted spice and a sort of bramble note that presumably comes from stem inclusion. Should age well. (90 pts.)
• 1991 Wendouree Shiraz Malbec - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
  An extraordinary bottle, so rare I had to create the 1991 version of the wine in CT before adding a review. This wine was simply ethereal. Gentle red fruit complemented by layers of chocolate, smoky eucalyptus and fine salinity. Tremendous persistence. Seemingly immortal. (98 pts.)
• 1994 Wendouree Shiraz Malbec - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
  Mint, tobacco, leather and mocha wrapped around a core of sweet red fruit. So balanced and harmonious! (96 pts.)
• 1996 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon John Riddoch - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
  My second encounter with the vintage, and this bottle easily exceeded the quality of its predecessor. Sweet red fruit, some kirsch, cocoa powder, mint and forest floor, very clean and persistent. (94 pts.)
• 2004 Kapcsándy Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon State Lane Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Yountville
  Not a good performance. Came off as muted and somewhat charmless, with acid dominating the fruit. Shut down after a 20-minute or so window. Time to drink up? (90 pts.)
• 2008 Levy & McClellan Red - USA, California, Napa Valley
  I continue to love what these guys do. Deep red fruit, bright and powerful but balanced. Some fennel, ash and perfumed flower petals as well. A masculine wine for sure, yet there was plenty of nuance to accompany the robust fruit profile. (95 pts.)
• 2010 Castagna Shiraz - Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth
  I wished I had spent more time with this beguiling Shiraz, seemingly cold climate in style, green and savory at the same time, with white and green pepper, pine needles and dark fruit. (91 pts.)
• 1999 Clarendon Hills Astralis - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon
  From a magnum. No decant. So handily exceeded examples of the cuvee I have had from the 2000s I hardly know what to say. Truly world class. Seamless, red fruit with a touch of licorice, pepper, smoke and a savory aspect. Fully integrated oak. A hypnotic wine with depth and class. (97 pts.)
• 1996 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux 1ère Trie Le Mont - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
  Fully evolved, gracious and fresh. Pale, translucent golden color. Flavor profile of lanolin, pear and almonds, maybe some apple peel. Medium acidity. Medium-plus finish. No rush at all (of course). (93 pts.)