Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Plum, meaty, slate, spice and earth aromas. Spice kicks along the palate, good length and finely detailed fruit. Obviously very high quality and really impressive.
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Blackberry, spice and some truffle that I quite like. Acid is harsh on the palate and the structure isn't really there. Balance at this stage is not right.
Licorice, floral and blackcurrant. Strong tannic kick along with bold fruit. There is possibly a touch of alcohol heat but it isn't overly distracting for now.
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Cherry and redcurrant aromas. Well balanced on the palate, I like the mineral core that the acidity provides and counters the medium plushness fruit. Good length. I don't think this will be a super long term wine but it is good regardless.
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Pepper, tar, blackcurrant, briar/bramble and chocolate on the nose. The fruit is tending toward rich but there is a good acid core that persists through to the finish. Not complex yet but should get there in time.
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Plum, blackcurrant, cocoa and violets. Powerful fruit that does have structure behind it, with the tannins standing up to the job. I don't love it but it is impressive, maybe with time it will be more.
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Oak and cassis with plenty of powerful purple and black fruit. The tannins here are big and they need to be to keep up with the density of the fruit. Very good but obviously too young for now.
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Meaty, floral, spicy and licorice aromas - clean but has complexity as well. The flavour profile is a lot more savoury than some of the other Torbreck wines at this tasting and I think it is immediately better for it, in terms of drinking pleasure.
Spice, black cherry, graphite and cedar aromas. I like the herb and spices on the palate, it gives it an extra dimension over the medium bodied fruit. Good drive and balance here.
Serious nose of black fruits, cherry and oak, but there is some mixed stalk and violets that work well to give it some preliminary interest. The palate is the highlight for now, it is savoury and sappy while still having great fruit presence. A serious wine that needs time.
Still liking this a year on from the last time I tasted it. Cedar, chocolate, spice and light herbs. Good body and structure, there is a litheness to the fruit that works really well, will hopefully taste again in 4-5 years.
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Carbonic character, cherry with stalks as well. Sweet and bright fruit on the palate. Okay but not as good as a year prior, I still think this will have been best on release.
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Meaty and licorice nose as well as light stalk. Plenty of flavour on the palate with a herbal undertone that works for me. Not amazing but nice enough.
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Licorice, ash and kirsch aromas. Good richness while maintaining a savoury edge. Would like to see this with some age and have more time to examine it.
Blackcurrant, cocoa and smoke. Tannins are high quality and provide good grip. The fruit is restrained but it isn't thin. Finely balanced, this is rather approachable even with the tannin and I think a fine effort for the vintage. Drink over the medium term as I don't think it'll be a long ageing proposition.
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Licorice, cherry and blackcurrant. Good detail to the fruit even with it being very youthful. Structured and has precision to it. In need of time to show what it has but I think it will emerge as a very fine wine.
Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
Oak, spice, cherry and graphite on the nose. The palate is restrained, though the oak proves a distraction without the fruit to cover it. I do think it'll emerge after some years in bottle, but I'm not 100% confident on it!
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Mulberry, herbs and cherry. Oak sticks out on the palate as the fruit just isn't up to the intensity of it. Could maybe show better after time in the bottle but I think the 2012 Best's Bin 0 that I tried before was a more likely proposition.
Cherry, blackcurrant, graphite and chocolate. Decent flavour and palate impact, I do like the tannic structure provided. After excellent tasts of the 2007 and 2008 Grange I've had recently, this is a clear step down - I think it is still very good, but not worth close to the asking price.
A huge dose of chocolate and vanilla oak. Rich and jammy on the palate. All boldness and punch at the moment, it has potential but it is not something I would drink right now.
2012 Hewitson Miss Harry 86 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Cherry, plum and alcohol heat. Heat on the palate as well though it isn't as obvious as the nose.
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2012 Hewitson Mourvèdre Baby Bush 90 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Spice, earth and blood aromas. Power to the fruit but there are savoury elements that balance it out well. Good length to it.
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2010 Hewitson Mourvèdre Old Garden 93 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Plum, meaty, slate, spice and earth aromas. Spice kicks along the palate, good length and finely detailed fruit. Obviously very high quality and really impressive.
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2012 Hewitson Ned & Henry's Shiraz Mourvèdre 89 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Meat and smoke on the nose. Good acid here that cleanses the palate well but falls down a bit short in length, otherwise it is very good.
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2012 Hewitson Tempranillo Bashams Beach 88 Points
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Southern Fleurieu
Chocolate, musk and floral notes. Medium bodied with plenty of spice. Has good balance and while it isn't deep, it is interesting in its own right.
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2012 Hewitson Shiraz The Mad Hatter 86 Points
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Charred and smoky wood chips on the nose. Acid sticks out on the palate. Has some tannic structure but I don't think this will come together?
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2012 Hewitson Shiraz The Mother Vine 87 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Blackberry, spice and some truffle that I quite like. Acid is harsh on the palate and the structure isn't really there. Balance at this stage is not right.
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2010 Torbreck Shiraz The Gask 89 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
Licorice, floral and blackcurrant. Strong tannic kick along with bold fruit. There is possibly a touch of alcohol heat but it isn't overly distracting for now.
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2009 Torbreck Les Amis 91 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Cherry and redcurrant aromas. Well balanced on the palate, I like the mineral core that the acidity provides and counters the medium plushness fruit. Good length. I don't think this will be a super long term wine but it is good regardless.
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2009 Torbreck Descendant 90 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Pepper, tar, blackcurrant, briar/bramble and chocolate on the nose. The fruit is tending toward rich but there is a good acid core that persists through to the finish. Not complex yet but should get there in time.
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2009 Torbreck RunRig 91 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Plum, blackcurrant, cocoa and violets. Powerful fruit that does have structure behind it, with the tannins standing up to the job. I don't love it but it is impressive, maybe with time it will be more.
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2010 Torbreck The Factor 91 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Oak and cassis with plenty of powerful purple and black fruit. The tannins here are big and they need to be to keep up with the density of the fruit. Very good but obviously too young for now.
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2009 Torbreck Mataro The Pict 92 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Meaty, floral, spicy and licorice aromas - clean but has complexity as well. The flavour profile is a lot more savoury than some of the other Torbreck wines at this tasting and I think it is immediately better for it, in terms of drinking pleasure.
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2012 Henschke Henry's Seven 86 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa
Bloody and smoky on the nose. Palate is medium bodied but the acid comes in over the top, I wonder if this has added acid and it isn't quite meshed.
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2010 Henschke Keyneton Euphonium 91 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa
Spice, black cherry, graphite and cedar aromas. I like the herb and spices on the palate, it gives it an extra dimension over the medium bodied fruit. Good drive and balance here.
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2010 Henschke Shiraz Mount Edelstone 92 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
Serious nose of black fruits, cherry and oak, but there is some mixed stalk and violets that work well to give it some preliminary interest. The palate is the highlight for now, it is savoury and sappy while still having great fruit presence. A serious wine that needs time.
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2009 Henschke Cyril Henschke 90 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
Chocolate and briar notes. Good mouthfeel, it is clean but maybe lacks some drive right now. I think it ought to come together with some time.
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2013 Mac Forbes Pinot Noir 89 Points
Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
Cherry and strawberry. Light on the body, there is some stalk and good acidity. Medium length and well approachable, I wouldn't age it I don't think.
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2011 Mac Forbes Hugh 91 Points
Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
Still liking this a year on from the last time I tasted it. Cedar, chocolate, spice and light herbs. Good body and structure, there is a litheness to the fruit that works really well, will hopefully taste again in 4-5 years.
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2012 Spinifex Papillon 87 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Carbonic character, cherry with stalks as well. Sweet and bright fruit on the palate. Okay but not as good as a year prior, I still think this will have been best on release.
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2012 Spinifex Shiraz Bete Noir 89 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Meaty and licorice nose as well as light stalk. Plenty of flavour on the palate with a herbal undertone that works for me. Not amazing but nice enough.
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2012 Spinifex La Maline 90 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Licorice, ash and kirsch aromas. Good richness while maintaining a savoury edge. Would like to see this with some age and have more time to examine it.
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2011 Peter Lehmann Mentor Cabernet 91 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa
Blackcurrant, cocoa and smoke. Tannins are high quality and provide good grip. The fruit is restrained but it isn't thin. Finely balanced, this is rather approachable even with the tannin and I think a fine effort for the vintage. Drink over the medium term as I don't think it'll be a long ageing proposition.
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2011 Peter Lehmann Shiraz Cabernet Futures 88 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa
Red berries on the nose, this isn't complex but it has some appeal. Linger decently on the palate. Decent all around.
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2011 Peter Lehmann Shiraz 8 Songs 83 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa
Redcurrant and pepper. This does show badly thin on the palate, with the fruit not holding up. Poor.
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2011 Peter Lehmann Shiraz The Futures 84 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa
Spice and mineral. Has more body to it than the 2011 8 songs but it still isn't bursting forth. Lacks depth.
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2010 Peter Lehmann Shiraz Stonewell 92 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Licorice, cherry and blackcurrant. Good detail to the fruit even with it being very youthful. Structured and has precision to it. In need of time to show what it has but I think it will emerge as a very fine wine.
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2012 Best's Great Western Shiraz Bin No 1 90 Points
Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
Ash, tar and chocoalte. Good spice and savoury elements on the palate, drinking well already but will benefit from aging over the medium term.
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2012 Best's Great Western Shiraz Bin No 0 89 Points
Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
Oak, spice, cherry and graphite on the nose. The palate is restrained, though the oak proves a distraction without the fruit to cover it. I do think it'll emerge after some years in bottle, but I'm not 100% confident on it!
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2011 Penfolds Shiraz RWT 88 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Mulberry, herbs and cherry. Oak sticks out on the palate as the fruit just isn't up to the intensity of it. Could maybe show better after time in the bottle but I think the 2012 Best's Bin 0 that I tried before was a more likely proposition.
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2009 Penfolds Grange 91 Points
Australia, South Australia
Cherry, blackcurrant, graphite and chocolate. Decent flavour and palate impact, I do like the tannic structure provided. After excellent tasts of the 2007 and 2008 Grange I've had recently, this is a clear step down - I think it is still very good, but not worth close to the asking price.
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2010 Elderton Cabernet Sauvignon Ashmead Single Vineyard 75 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa
Rubber and DMS. Palate is all rubber. Could have been an off bottle but the person pouring was happy with it.
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2010 Elderton Shiraz Single Vineyard Command 88 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa
A huge dose of chocolate and vanilla oak. Rich and jammy on the palate. All boldness and punch at the moment, it has potential but it is not something I would drink right now.
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