Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Great Southern
Green apple & lemon nose. Very tart and limey on the palate, although the fruit fades quickly to a short rather acid finish. More chilling wuold have helped this considerably.
Intense lemon and grapefruit nose, ripe, with a touch of something floral about it. The palate offers very sweet fruit indeed (not sugar) – I actually wondered if there was a touch of botrytis about some of the grapes. It’s dry, but is clearly a short-term wine, destined to go very kerosene-ish in the next few years.
Sharp, typically pungent varietal nose. Actually a bit scary to sniff. Surprisingly dusty, almost oaky palate, with a somewhat greasy oily texture. Very odd – leave it to the Kiwis.
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Peachy, melon nose with barely a smidgin of oak. A big palate, full of ripe chardonnay flavours balanced by acid, and just a little tannin from judicious oak usage. Might live a few years at least.
Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
First vintage. Big sweet ripe south australian fruits and US oak meet on the nose. The palate is friendly; spicily tannic, a little bit coarse, simple and jammy, but great value for A$11.
Rich, spicy, chocolatey nose; very friendly. Straightforward palate; ripe fruits decently covering the palate, not too fruity, not too earthy; medium weight, short-medium finish. Not classic hunter, but a fair offering to drink now.
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Padthaway
Here a big gun. Pitch black appearance. Inky-smelling nose, with liquorice, plums and very new US oak. Massive liqueur-like palate, beastly with tannins; seems in balance in the sense that everything about the wine is huge. A blockbuster that might settle down quite nicely.
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
First vintage. Another youthful, massively complex nose, although more approachable than the 94 Lawson’s. Similar menthol/ripe red fruit aromatic and palate profile, but (somewhat) lighter and more approachable. Nicely round on the palate, although the finish is disappointingly short for top notch Barossa shiraz. Judgement reserved.
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Spicy nose. Warm red berry fruit – of slightly anonymous character. Doesn’t exactly shout McLaren Vale. A slight mintiness too; with a richly warm front and middle palate. Still, it’s not gloopy. Enjoyable short-termer.
Restrained nose; quite a contrast to the McLaren Vale version of this label. Finely-wrought tannins, cool-climate, almost-pepper fruits, more built of iron and earth. Medium length finish. OK
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Virulent purple/crimson appearance. Vast nose of pepper and spice, plums and oak. An absolute fruit-cake of a wine. Utterly full-bodied, with a heavy, medium-long finish. Enormously impressive.
Very youthful-smelling; fresh. Clean, light botrytis marmalade/apricot flavours. Relatively light, but also a bit simple and one-dimensional. Best young.
1999 Plantagenet Riesling
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Great Southern
Green apple & lemon nose. Very tart and limey on the palate, although the fruit fades quickly to a short rather acid finish. More chilling wuold have helped this considerably.
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1999 Orlando Riesling St. Helga
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
Intense lemon and grapefruit nose, ripe, with a touch of something floral about it. The palate offers very sweet fruit indeed (not sugar) – I actually wondered if there was a touch of botrytis about some of the grapes. It’s dry, but is clearly a short-term wine, destined to go very kerosene-ish in the next few years.
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1995 Tollana Riesling Eden Valley Flawed
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
Pale yellow colour. Corked.
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1999 Lenswood Sauvignon Blanc
Australia, South Australia
Sharp, typically pungent varietal nose. Actually a bit scary to sniff. Surprisingly dusty, almost oaky palate, with a somewhat greasy oily texture. Very odd – leave it to the Kiwis.
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1998 De Bortoli Chardonnay
Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
Rich nose of cashews and figs. Is this 98 or 89? Developed, fat, blowsty chardonnay – not over-oaked, but lacking freshness. Blech.
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1999 Brookland Valley Chardonnay Verse 1
Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Peachy, melon nose with barely a smidgin of oak. A big palate, full of ripe chardonnay flavours balanced by acid, and just a little tannin from judicious oak usage. Might live a few years at least.
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1998 Prentice Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Holly's Garden
Australia, Victoria, North East, Whitlands
Not named Hollys in the 98 vintage... Earthy/farmyard/pinto nose, soft attractive palate, balanced and in proportion; decent quaffing pinot.
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1998 Floating Mountain Pinot Noir
New Zealand, South Island, Canterbury, Waipara
Earthy/farmyard/pinto nose, soft attractive palate, balanced and in proportion; decent quaffing pinot.
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1998 Leasingham Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Bastion
Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
First vintage. Big sweet ripe south australian fruits and US oak meet on the nose. The palate is friendly; spicily tannic, a little bit coarse, simple and jammy, but great value for A$11.
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1996 Tyrrell's Shiraz Single Vineyard Stevens
Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
Rich, spicy, chocolatey nose; very friendly. Straightforward palate; ripe fruits decently covering the palate, not too fruity, not too earthy; medium weight, short-medium finish. Not classic hunter, but a fair offering to drink now.
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1994 Orlando Shiraz Lawsons
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Padthaway
Here a big gun. Pitch black appearance. Inky-smelling nose, with liquorice, plums and very new US oak. Massive liqueur-like palate, beastly with tannins; seems in balance in the sense that everything about the wine is huge. A blockbuster that might settle down quite nicely.
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1994 Jacob's Creek Shiraz Centenary Hill
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
First vintage. Another youthful, massively complex nose, although more approachable than the 94 Lawson’s. Similar menthol/ripe red fruit aromatic and palate profile, but (somewhat) lighter and more approachable. Nicely round on the palate, although the finish is disappointingly short for top notch Barossa shiraz. Judgement reserved.
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1998 Tyrrell's Shiraz Rufus Stone McLaren Vale
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Spicy nose. Warm red berry fruit – of slightly anonymous character. Doesn’t exactly shout McLaren Vale. A slight mintiness too; with a richly warm front and middle palate. Still, it’s not gloopy. Enjoyable short-termer.
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1998 Tyrrell's Shiraz Rufus Stone Heathcote
Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Heathcote
Restrained nose; quite a contrast to the McLaren Vale version of this label. Finely-wrought tannins, cool-climate, almost-pepper fruits, more built of iron and earth. Medium length finish. OK
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1998 Tintara Shiraz Reserve
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Virulent purple/crimson appearance. Vast nose of pepper and spice, plums and oak. An absolute fruit-cake of a wine. Utterly full-bodied, with a heavy, medium-long finish. Enormously impressive.
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1995 Cranswick Wines Sémillon Autumn Gold Zirilli Vineyard
Australia, New South Wales
Deep gold. Syrupy botrytis aromas & flavours, caramalised apricot. Really a little too rich for the acid to carry. A one-glass wine.
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1997 Orlando Sémillon Gramps Botrytis
Australia, New South Wales, Big Rivers, Riverina
Very youthful-smelling; fresh. Clean, light botrytis marmalade/apricot flavours. Relatively light, but also a bit simple and one-dimensional. Best young.
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1976 Chateau Reynella Vintage Port Flawed
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Corked. Sigh.
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