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Hunter Valley Visit 2013
Hunter Valley, Australia
Tasted April 26, 2013 - April 29, 2013 by CamWheeler with 942 views
Flight 1 - Lake's Folly (2 notes)
Good glassware. Always a worthwhile visit when open, there are only two wines and you can taste the range quickly before moving on.
White
2012 Lake's Folly Chardonnay
90 points
Spicy, nutty and oats with some pear aromas. The palate is powerful, with good mouthfeel and nice balancing acidity. There is oak present but I found it quite restrained. I liked it, but couldn't justify buying this vintage at the asking price.
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Red
2011 Lake's Folly Cabernets
92 points
Spice, cherry and licorice on the nose. Sprightly and vibrant palate, with very good depth and carry. Very much in the Lake's Folly classic style of Cabernet, this is great but really needs time to unfold.
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Flight 2 - Meerea Park (14 notes)
Very good glassware, a nice big bowl. $5 tasting fee redeemable on purchase and a minibus full of people came in and left due to the fee, which was good for our experience as the staff were already quite busy. The service was a little but slow at first, but the young lady serving us was doing a good job and was very friendly once things slowed down a bit.
White
2011 Meerea Park Sémillon Hell Hole
88 points
Sweaty on the nose with some lemon and pineapple. The palate is nicely intense, with good carry but a touch more acid would help the balance. Think this probably needs a few years to come around.
White
2003 Meerea Park Sémillon Terracotta
91 points
Burnt butter, orange peel and wax aromas. Palate has medium complexity and intensity, leading into a quite good length finish. Drink now and over the next 3 years. I thought this was good value for money for a 10 year old release.
White
2008 Meerea Park Sémillon Alexander Munro
90 points
Lemon, some bubblegum and some nutty character already. The palate is still youthful with bright acid and good texture developing. It was a bit off-beat but I liked it and think it will develop well over the medium term.
White
2011 Meerea Park Chardonnay Alexander Munro
88 points
Very fruit driven nose - peach, lemon and apricot. The palate is in a similar mode but it has good bright acid to keep it from being too one dimensional. It is pretty nice, but it does however lack some excitement and depth.
White
2012 Meerea Park Sémillon Sauvignon Blanc
86 points
60% Hunter Valley Semillon and 40% Orange Sauvignon Blanc. Strongly grassy and lemon aromas. Palate is clean and crisp with a herbal twinge but not much else. Fine for the $10-$15 price point.
White
2011 Meerea Park Verdelho
82 points
Described as semi-sweet but only has 4 grams per litre residual sugar. Nose shows some estery banana and pear. The palate is insipid and boring.
Red
2010 Meerea Park Cabernet Merlot
87 points
From Hilltops fruit. Quite light nose, there is some peppery elements and soft blueberry. The palate is similarly peppery, with a touch of earth. Drink now as the structure probably isn't up for extended aging.
Red
2012 Meerea Park Shiraz New South Wales
87 points
From the NSW Central Ranges (75%) and Clare Valley (25%). very much in the red spectrum on the nose with cherry and raspberry. The palate is soft and approachable, with medium length. Drink now and over the next couple of years.
Red
2010 Meerea Park Shiraz XYZ
88 points
96% Shiraz with 4% co-fermented Viognier. Raspberry and red currant aromas with a little floral dab from the viognier. The palate is quite savoury with spice and game. More interesting elements here than the entry level Shiraz but I would still drink it over the next 4-5 years.
Red
2010 Meerea Park Shiraz The Aunts
89 points
Fairly cool-climate style despite the origin - there is peppery spice, briar and cherry. Medium bodied with more of the spice flowing. Good carry and structure through fine tannins. Given more time it should drink very well.
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Red
2010 Meerea Park Indie Shiraz Pinot
90 points
80% Shiraz, 20% Pinot Noir in a nod to some of the old school blends from the Hunter Valley. Cherry, stems, pepper and plum aromas. The tannins stand out on the medium bodied palate, they are grippy and need some time to be absorbed. I'd like to see this in another 7-8 years to see how it is doing.
Red
2010 Meerea Park Shiraz Hell Hole
92 points
Very earthy nose with licorice, dark chocolate and raspberries. Very deft palate balance and some compelling depth to the fruit. The structure is spot on and this is a wine that should age wonderfully. My favourite wine on the day at the Meerea Park cellar door.
Red
2010 Meerea Park Shiraz Terracotta
89 points
97% Shiraz and 3% co-fermented Viognier. Very bright and clean floral nose that has to be influenced by the Viognier, there is also some cherry and light spice. The palate is medium bodied and for me it was more in the superficially appealing style than having great depth. Very good length, I hope some complexity develops with time in the bottle and it would move from very good to great.
Red
2010 Meerea Park Shiraz Alexander Munro
91 points
A more dark fruited nose than many of the other releases tried at Meerea Park, with blackberry, earth and plum notes. The palate shows oak influence but it is well handled by some powerful and quite deep fruit. The aforementioned oak and some fine tannins contribute to impressive structure and this wine should be left alone for some time to age and develop.
Flight 3 - Bimbadgen (17 notes)
ISO glasses. A disaster overall, it is my fault for not looking into it more but it was on the way to another location and it has a good reputation. I found the wines to mostly be unable to stand up to any critical analysis. Only 7 out of 17 wines offered were from the Hunter Valley which is not necessarily an issue but I do prefer to visit wineries mostly making local products. The wines that did impress tended towards the very high point on the pricing scale.
At one point there were 12 people being served by 1 staff member who was doing their best but was unable to provide good service to everyone.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Bimbadgen Estate Sémillon
83 points
Green apple on the nose and palate. Acid stands out and there isn't enough fruit to support it. Zero depth. Very mediocre.
White
2012 Bimbadgen Estate Sémillon Bimbadgen Estate
80 points
Lemon and grass aromas. Palate badly lacks acid and structure.
White
2012 Bimbadgen Estate Pinot Gris Regions
84 points
Pear and lemon on the nose. There is slightly better acid here than the 2012 Semillon but it still comes of as quite rounded and lacking in drive and freshness.
White
2012 Bimbadgen Estate Gewürztraminer Regions
86 points
Some interest on the nose with incense and classic lychee., The palate has good balance but it doesn't carry across the interest of the nose. Could do with a bit more intensity as well.
White
2012 Bimbadgen Estate Sauvignon Blanc Regions
87 points
Grass, pineapple and some spice. Palate has good cut and decent length. Acid balance here is much better than some of the previous wines.
White
2012 Bimbadgen Estate Chardonnay Estate
85 points
Light oak, hay and peach aromas. Palate needs more structure, it is medium bodied but doesn't really flow well. Has flashes of interest but overall it was a bit boring.
Rosé
2012 Bimbadgen Estate Ridge
87 points
Cherry and strawberry aromas. Sweet and easy on the palate, it does have a nice little kick of strawberry flavour and it does finish dry which was pleasant.
Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Bimbadgen Estate Moscato
86 points
Floral nose. The spritz on the palate gives it a bit of fight against the sweetness. Pleasant enough.
Red
2011 Bimbadgen Estate Barbera Regions
86 points
Cherry and white pepper. The fruit on the palate is fleshy and has nice intensity, the tannins hang on a bit too long though, disrupting the finish.
Red
2011 Bimbadgen Estate Sangiovese MCA
88 points
Cherry, cedar and licorice as well as some nice five spice. Palate is well structured and has good length. Promising that it will develop over the next few years.
Red
2011 Bimbadgen Estate Pinot Noir
88 points
Mint, roses and cherry aromas. Palate is red fruit driven rather than savoury but it is reigned in by good acidity. Pretty tasty but not built for the long term and at $40 hard to buy.
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Red
2011 Bimbadgen Estate Cabernet Merlot
85 points
Earthy with florals and redcurrant. The fruit on the palate is overly sweet around the edges and needs more structure.
Red
2011 Bimbadgen Estate Shiraz Estate
87 points
Cherry and redcurrant with some blackberry and blueberry too. There is some oak influence as well and it shows through on the palate. Decent tannins but it doesn't come together as cohesive.
Red
2010 Bimbadgen Estate Shiraz Signature
90 points
A more serious wine and quite good. Plum, black pepper, blackberry and cedar. More depth and layers to the fruit and I found much better balance than the other wines tried. Very good.
Red
2010 Bimbadgen Estate Shiraz Regions
88 points
Bolder than the Hunter Valley based Estate Shiraz tried just beforehand. There is earth, blackcurrant and kirsch. Palate is medium-full bodied with quite a large dose of fruit. Good for the style but it didn't really appeal to me.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2010 Bimbadgen Estate Sémillon Botrytis
86 points
Peach, apricot and honey aromas. Palate is quite sweet and while initially it seems decently balanced, the sugar starts to stand out toward the end of the sample and I was not keen to try any more.
White - Fortified
N.V. Bimbadgen Estate Verdelho
86 points
Nutty, rancio and orange peel. Spirity palate, with quite good length. There isn't much complexity on the palate but it is okay.
Flight 4 - First Creek Wines (18 notes)
ISO glasses. A good setup with seating around barrels and friendly staff. Wines were vacuum pumped after every pour, which I understand is a commercial decision but I can't help but feel it hurts the aromatics of the wines with this constantly being done.
White - Sparkling
N.V. First Creek Wines Chardonnay
87 points
Lime, apple and flint aromas. Palate is quite plain, with little depth. The acidity is refreshing but not much other character.
White
2011 First Creek Wines Sémillon
87 points
Flinty and peachy nose. Palate is a tad soft, it has decent length but I wish it had a bit more precision.
White
2011 First Creek Wines Sémillon Winemaker's Reserve
89 points
Flinty and floral nose. Better acid and structure than the standard 2011 Semillon, with good flow but needs a bit more depth.
White
2012 First Creek Wines Sauvignon Blanc
88 points
Floral notes, passionfruit and grass. Grassy character on the palate as well. Pretty good acidity and this is quite pleasant to drink.
White
2012 First Creek Wines Pinot Gris
88 points
Pear dominated nose with some light florals. Palate is round along the edges but still has good length. Drink now.
White
2012 First Creek Wines Verdelho
85 points
Muted aromatically. Palate is soft and needs more drive to be refreshing.
White
2010 First Creek Wines Bianco Puro
87 points
Peach, pear and straw on the nose. Palate has medium intensity but is a touch harsh on the finish. Okay only.
White
2010 First Creek Wines Chardonnay
87 points
Heavily worked style with strong leesy character, toasty oak and lemon. Medium bodied and not overly complex which the style really needs.
White
2011 First Creek Wines Chardonnay Winemaker's Reserve
89 points
Popcorn, with straw and some oak that doesn't dominate. Full bodied and rich, with some nice texture and good fruit depth. Will age over the short term.
Rosé
2011 First Creek Wines Shiraz First Creek Shiraz Rosé
86 points
Very earthy nose with some cherries behind. Sweet in style due to the fruit on the palate, it doesn't really appeal to me.
Red
2011 First Creek Wines Pinot Noir Winemaker's Reserve
90 points
Stemmy, cherry and nicely bright and floral nose, there is some oak in the background too. Palate is similar with bright fruit and good length. The fruit is quite forward but there is some structure evident as well. I liked this, but it is quite expensive at $45.
Red
2011 First Creek Wines Merlot
88 points
Plum, spice and some earth aromas. Palate is well balanced and has nicely restrained fruit and good length.
Red
2012 First Creek Wines Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre
90 points
Meaty, cherry and plum with raspberry and spice. Medium bodied and good carry with the spice character coming through on the mid-palate into the finish. Tasty!
Red
2011 First Creek Wines Shiraz
89 points
Floral, plum and some pepper aromas. Palate is restrained with good balance. Should age quite well over the medium term.
Red
2011 First Creek Wines Shiraz Winemaker's Reserve
91 points
Floral and quite earthy on the nose, with some spice and blackberry. Good depth with layered fruit and very good structure. Very young and needs some time to age and develop.
Red - Sweet/Dessert
2011 First Creek Wines Shiraz Late Harvest
86 points
Plum and cherry nose. Palate is soft and rounded. Sweetness comes through and while it isn't over the top, it's a bit too much for my personal liking.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2011 First Creek Wines Sémillon Botrytis
87 points
Pungent nose of apricot and pear with some spice. Very sweet on the palate, but it's rough around the edges which throws the balance off a bit.
Fruit/Vegetable Wine
2011 First Creek Wines Raspberry Wine
87 points
Raspberry and strawberry. Raspberry on the palate with medium acid and has quite good length. No complexity but not bad in a small amount.
Flight 5 - McWilliam's Mount Pleasant (20 notes)
One of the highlights of the trip in terms of experience (and some pretty good wines too). We started off with ISO glasses but as soon as they saw I was serious they brought out Riedel and also swapped to a different glass a few times for the different grapes/styles.
The staff were excellent and kept bringing the better wines for us to taste without me having to feel like I was begging them for a pour from bottles that they already had open (like at some other cellar doors).
White
2011 Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon Elizabeth
87 points
Has a splash of Western Australian Semillon in it according to cellar door staff. Light nose of lemon and herbs, with very light grass to it. Medium length with nice clean acid line. Not sure this will age in the way that the older ones have.
White
2009 Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon Phil Ryan Signature
90 points
Second picking grapes from Lovedale. Lemon, light toast and hay aromas. A big step up in depth over the 2011 Elizabeth before it. Has driven acid and great balance. Will age well over the medium-long term.
White
2006 Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon Elizabeth
88 points
Hay, straw, honey and lime. Starting to round out any rough edges, this seems well balanced and should drink well over the next 3-4 years.
White
2006 Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon Anne
91 points
A declassified Lovedale after the winery decided it wasn't up their required standard. Very youthful nose still with lemon, lime and light florals. The acidity and structure is a clear step up on the other Semillon tried so far. Great length and intensity, this is still developing but should get better over the medium term.
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White
2007 Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon Single Vineyard Lovedale
91 points
Consistent with previous tasting in December last year. Straw, light smoke and hay on the nose and it has already taken on some waxy notes. Youthful and intense on the palate with good length and texture. Give it time.
White
2003 Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon Single Vineyard Lovedale
89 points
Quite muted on the nose, there is some youthful florals and lemon. Palate is medium bodied and has started to take on some richness. Still has good length but it might be in a bit of an awkward phase right now.
White
2012 Mount Pleasant Wines Verdelho Classic
87 points
Floral with apple and peach. Palate has good weight to it for a Verdelho and the acidity is enough to keep up. Decent length.
White
2012 Mount Pleasant Wines Sauvignon Blanc Florence
88 points
Mango and peach nose. Bright fruit on the palate, with clean acid and nice balance. Some spice elements give interest.
White
2011 Mount Pleasant Wines Chardonnay Leontine
89 points
Grapefruit, pear, straw and oak on the nose. Nice mouthfeel, with good texture and balance. Length is a touch too short to be great.
White
2010 Mount Pleasant Wines Chardonnay Phil Ryan Signature
89 points
Vanilla oak and peaches. Good texture, quite full on in style with that classic buttery element. Think this will be better in a few years when the oak has settled down as the fruit seems to be there to come through.
Red
2010 Echelon Partisan Tempranillo By Jove
88 points
Bubblegum, cherry, plum and violets. Spice driven palate with the tannins quite forceful. Drink now to 5 years.
Red
2010 Mount Pleasant Wines Shiraz Philip
89 points
Earth, florals and spices. Good acidity on the restrained palate. Classic Hunter Shiraz style.
Red
2011 Mount Pleasant Wines Mount Henry Shiraz Pinot Noir
88 points
51% Shiraz, 49% Pinot Noir. Plum and cherry with a touch of earth, it's a little bit closed in and tight. Palate is more interesting and has good texture combined with some bright fruit and earthy character. Good length.
Red
2009 Mount Pleasant Wines Shiraz High Paddock
88 points
Violets and light earth. Some fruit intensity on the palate, balanced out by some subtle oak and medium level tannins structure.
Red
2009 Mount Pleasant Wines Shiraz Rosehill
90 points
Charred oak, raspberry and earth. Palate is medium bodied but with some good savoury intensity. Textured and well balanced. Drink now and over the medium term. I slightly preferred the 2010 but this was very good.
Red
2010 Mount Pleasant Wines Shiraz Rosehill
91 points
Earthy, with raspberry and roses. Palate is savoury and has great depth and balance. I really liked this quite a bit, just a touch ahead of the 2009 for me right now. Has good potential as the structure is there too.
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Red
2010 Brand's Laira Cabernet Merlot
87 points
Fruit forward. Blackcurrant and redcurrant with some plum. Medium bodied with the fruit at the fore again. Not overly structured or deep but drinks quite well.
Red
2010 Echelon Partisan Shiraz Communication Road
89 points
Blackberry, blackcurrant and vanilla oak. Palate is big and bold, with rich fruit and plenty of oak influence. It trails off a bit towards the finish. Has received some rave reviews but I wasn't hugely impressed, it's very good but for me not in the region of truly great.
Red
2010 Mount Pleasant Wines Shiraz Maurice O'Shea
93 points
Floral, with spices and earth - layers of aromatics that lift this above the other wines even when it is so youthful. Medium bodied palate and with superior balance and structure. Great length and superb potential. This is one of the best releases of this wine that I can remember tasting.
Red
2009 Barwang Cabernet Sauvignon GDR Hilltops
90 points
Blackberry, olives and toasted oak. Lots of structure on the palate, the tannins are fine but they do take centre stage at this point. I think this needs at least a couple more years in the bottle in order to be really enjoyable.
Flight 6 - Gundog Estate (11 notes)
Riedel glassware. Fun cellar door staff.
White
2013 Gundog Estate Sémillon Hunter's
89 points
Tight nose with citrus peel and some minerality. Good acidity and length. Clean and very tasty already, will benefit from a year or two, but generally leans towards a young drinking wine.
White
2013 Gundog Estate Sémillon Wild
90 points
2-3 weeks skin contact. Floral, citrus and passion fruit aromas. Skin contact element is subtle, perhaps contributing to the good texture. There is a pinch of residual sugar but the acidity cuts through. Very good.
White
2012 Gundog Estate Sémillon Poacher's
90 points
Flinty, minerals and lime. Bright palate, with good balance and freshness. A good mineral element to it. Good length, a nice wine.
White
2013 Gundog Estate Sémillon Off-Dry
88 points
Flint, pear and apple. Palate is off-dry as expected, but it doesn't show the 36 grams of sugar too overtly. I slightly preferred the 2012 version.
White
2012 Burton McMahon Chardonnay
90 points
Wheat, grains and some oak influence. Good texture, it's nicely bright but still has complexity. Enjoyable.
Rosé
2012 Gundog Estate Rosé
88 points
Cabernet Sauvignon based. Strawberry, raspberry jam and cherry. Palate is clean with medium length. Pretty tasty overall.
Red
2012 Burton McMahon Pinot Noir
87 points
Stemmy and strawberry nose. Palate is stemmy too, the red fruit is nicely pure but there is little depth to it, which I require for a wine at this price point to be good.
Red
2012 Gundog Estate Shiraz Squire's
89 points
A blend from the Gundagai and Canberra. Meaty, some spice and raspberry. Nice mouth feel, with fruit driven elements and more good spice. Pretty classic cool climate Shiraz.
Red
2012 Gundog Estate Shiraz Gundaroo
91 points
Intense aromas with five spice, cherry and black currant. Good length, with nice intensity as well. Lovely length actually, with the potential to age over the medium term.
White - Sweet/Dessert
N.V. Gundog Estate Muscat Rutherglen Muscat
87 points
Caramel, spirit and Christmas cake. Palate is medium intensity but the spirit is a bit harsh on the finish. Not bad.
White
2012 Gundog Estate Sémillon Off-Dry
90 points
Apple, pear and slate. Nice minerality with a lick of sweetness. For me, just a bit better balanced than the 2013 edition.
Flight 7 - McLeish Estate (14 notes)
ISO glasses. A surreal experience, the staff member was friendly enough but seemed to have little idea about how vintages work and also found it hilarious that I was taking brief notes. The wines were good but I don't think I'd go back soon.
White - Sparkling
N.V. McLeish Estate Culloden Duke Cuvee
87 points
Second bottle better. Lemon, hay, straw and bright citrus. Palate is rounded, feel there is probably a decent amount of dosage here. Not bad.
White
2012 McLeish Estate Sémillon
88 points
Lemon and pear. Medium bodied with medium acidity as well, possibly a touch more acid would be good but this should age well regardless.
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White
2011 McLeish Estate Sémillon
88 points
Toasty, hay and rounded citrus. Palate is rounded and is already quite toasty. Good length.
White
2009 McLeish Estate Sémillon
89 points
Toast and even starting to move into honeyed territory. Good length, with the fruit quality showing through nicely. Medium intensity. Good to drink now or over the short-medium term.
White
2008 McLeish Estate Sémillon
85 points
Grass and passionfruit, quite herbal really. Palate is harsh and finishes pretty short. Not sure what was going on here.
White
White
2005 McLeish Estate Sémillon
90 points
Honey, orange peel and floral notes. Medium bodied and nicely developing. Drink now to around 2018.
White
2004 McLeish Estate Sémillon
88 points
Flint and pear. Good intensity but not as much acid to balance it out as the 2005. Drink now.
White
2003 McLeish Estate Sémillon
86 points
Marmalade, smoke and bacon. Heavily rounded palate that is smoky as well. A confronting wine that I didn't really enjoy.
White
2009 McLeish Estate Chardonnay Reserve
87 points
Oak driven with malo and butter character. Quite old school. Round on the palate but the acidity is bright enough to counter. A bit more depth and texture is needed.
Red
2010 McLeish Estate Shiraz
86 points
Smoke, earth and some light spice. Palate is medium bodied and savoury but lacking in depth.
Red
2011 McLeish Estate Shiraz Reserve
89 points
Floral, earthy and raspberry aromas. Fruit is bright and quite tasty. This reserve bottle was much better than the 2010 standard shiraz next to it.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2009 McLeish Estate Sémillon Jessica's Botyritis Sémillon
87 points
Botrytis, apricot and peaches. Medium level of sweetness, depth is only okay. Not bad but not compelling.
Flight 8 - De Iuliis (16 notes)
Riedel glassware. Great cellar door staff, was a good experience here.
White - Sparkling
2005 De Iuliis Chardonnay Pinot Methode Champenoise
88 points
Lemon, straw and apple. Nice acid, clean and bright. Decent length and pretty good value with some age at around $25.
White
2012 De Iuliis Sémillon
88 points
Lightly grassy, lemon and light nuts. Palate is bright and nicely balanced. Good intensity and doesn't have too much of the grass notes on the palate.
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White
2011 De Iuliis Sémillon Sunshine Vineyard
91 points
Lime, lemon and minerality on the nose. Very good clean acidity and nice length. Bright fruit with intensity and drive. Should age well.
White
2005 De Iuliis Sémillon
91 points
Lemon and just starting to hint at toast. Bright and clean palate, with good texture. it is starting to gain some roundness but the acidity is so cleansing. This is still on its way upward.
White
2012 De Iuliis Verdelho
87 points
Peachy, lime and fruit salad. Quite fruit sweet, but finishes nicely dry. Some herb notes to it. Simple but good.
White
2012 De Iuliis Chardonnay
89 points
Some popcorn, light oak and some citrus/lime. Medium intensity with good length and acidity.
White
2009 De Iuliis Chardonnay Limited Release
90 points
Buttery, with spice and wax. Nice palate development already with good texture and depth. Mouth feel is rounded and pleasant.
Rosé
2012 De Iuliis Rosé
88 points
Candied strawberry and raspberry. Quite tasty, with lots of strawberry flavour.
Red
2011 De Iuliis Sangiovese Special Release
89 points
Cherry, roses and a dash of spice. Medium bodied with good length.
Red
2011 De Iuliis Merlot
88 points
Plum, chocolate and cherry. Good body, it has some structure through tannins as well as intensity of fruit.
Red
2010 De Iuliis Cabernet Sauvignon
88 points
Blood and iodine with meaty elements. Nice fruit and tannin balance. Good length and medium depth.
Red
2011 De Iuliis Shiraz
88 points
Floral and pepper notes. Approachable on the palate, follows a straight line and it's not overly deep but there is an interesting later of spice to it. Drink now and the next few years.
Red
2010 De Iuliis Shiraz LDR
91 points
Blackberry, spice and floral notes. Lovely spice on the palate and very fine tannins giving the wine structure. Medium bodied with great balance and very good length.
Red
2009 De Iuliis Shiraz Limited Release
90 points
Bigger in style than the LDR Shiraz, this ramps up the oak influence and spice, with violets and some layers of black fruit. The palate is medium bodied but leans toward the heavier sides as well, it has good fruit depth and plenty of structure but loses out on some of the elegance that I really like in great Hunter Shiraz.
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Red
2011 De Iuliis Shiraz LDR
92 points
Very floral nose, with some spice and graphite. Delicious on the palate. Great length and structure, there is a core of minerality that drives and completes the wine. Great stuff.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2010 De Iuliis Sémillon Late Harvest
87 points
Honey and raisins. Decent acid but it still feels very round. After taste does linger but I didn't find it that interesting.
Flight 9 - Hermitage Road Cellars (17 notes)
Worst glassware of the trip, smaller than ISOs. Staff were friendly and enthusiastic but showed some basic wine knowledge errors. Would come back to taste the Thomas wines if the Small Winemakers Centre is a crush of people again.
White - Off-dry
2012 Andrew Thomas Wines Sémillon Six Degrees Vineyard
87 points
Lime and peach aromas. Palate is lightly sweet with decent balance, but I preferred the Gundog off-dry Semillon this time around.
White
2012 Andrew Thomas Wines Sémillon The O.C
89 points
Grass and lime with good minerality. Good cleansing acidity with medium depth and length.
White
2012 Andrew Thomas Wines Sémillon Braemore
90 points
Lemon, apple and light floral notes. Bright fruit with lovely length and balance.
White
2012 San Martino Sémillon
87 points
Stemmy greeness to the nose with some grass. More luscious mouthfeel, possibly with some residual sugar. Not bad.
White
2010 Polin & Polin Chardonnay Tudor
88 points
Leesy with light smoky oak. Nice mouthfeel and good carry.
White
2011 Polin & Polin Chardonnay Convicts & Catholics
87 points
Lemon, hay and apple pie. Medium bodied with some nicely crisp acid. Medium length.
White
2011 San Martino Chardonnay
83 points
Oaky, buttery style. A little bit clumsy on the palate and doesn't flow especially well.
White
2010 Stormy Ridge Verdelho
82 points
Floral and spicy nose. Rounded palate, with the alcohol sticking out over the fruit.
White
2012 Polin & Polin Verdelho Convicts & Catholics
86 points
Spice and minerality. Quite lightly bodied with medium length. Easy to drink.
Rosé
2012 Polin & Polin John Rook's Limited Release
85 points
Earthy and yeasty nose. Medium intensity on the palate, with good acid.
Red
2011 Travertine Wines Tannat
84 points
Spice and earth with raspberry and meaty aromas. Heavily tannic, overpoweringly so, causing balance issues.
Red
2011 David Hook Wines Barbera Reserve Hunter Valley
89 points
Very floral with some spice and blackberry. The palate has more spice and blackberry character. Good texture. Interesting wine.
Red
2011 Andrew Thomas Wines Shiraz Two of a Kind
87 points
Pepper, earth and raspberry. Medium bodied, medium length but not much depth to it.
Red
2010 Andrew Thomas Wines Shiraz Déjà Vu
86 points
Shiraz and Semillon blend, in the style of a Shiraz Viognier. Interesting aromatics, floral and a lime component. Mouthfeel is quite soft and there isn't much complexity. Drink now.
Red
2010 Andrew Thomas Wines Shiraz Sweetwater Individual Vineyard
90 points
Floral, violets and spice aromatics. Good tannin structure overlaid with savoury fruit. Good length.
Red
2010 Andrew Thomas Wines Shiraz Kiss
90 points
Tightly wound, some spice, rhubarb and violets. Palate has good fruit depth. Structured well, but doesn't have great interest at this stage.
Red
2010 Polin & Polin Shiraz Limb of Addy / Limited Release Wyameta
86 points
Smoky and flinty nose. Sweet fruit on the palate with good intensity but the acid sticks out a bit, throwing off the balance.
Flight 10 - Scarborough (10 notes)
At the new cellar door running in parallel with the old site, I don't think the new location is as nice as the old one but the choice is still there. ISO glassware. Complimentary goats cheese and bread sticks with the tasting, a nice touch.
White
2011 Scarborough Wine Co Sémillon Green Label
87 points
Grass and herbs with a little citrus. Medium intensity palate and decent carry. Fairly simple. Drink now and to 3 or 4 years.
White
2012 Scarborough Wine Co Sémillon White Label
90 points
Citrus (mostly lemon) and sherbet. Much better acid here than the 2011 Green label. Good body and minerality. Some time in bottle will serve it well.
White
2011 Scarborough Wine Co Chardonnay Blue Label
88 points
Peaches and other stonefruit. Medium bodied with some structure and with some texture to it. Drink young.
White
2010 Scarborough Wine Co Chardonnay Yellow Label
90 points
Nutty, fig and lemon. Good acidity and balance on the palate. I like this, I'm not sure how it'll age but it's pretty tasty stuff now.
White
2009 Scarborough Wine Co Chardonnay Yellow Label
88 points
More honeyed than the 2010 Yellow, has some nutty notes and toat. Palate is quite rich with medium acid. Not as stylish as the 2010 but still good.
White
2011 Scarborough Wine Co Chardonnay White Label
90 points
Spicy oak and straw. Much more elegance here than the 2010 and 2009 White Labels. Good texture and length with potential.
Rosé
2012 Scarborough Wine Co Pinot Noir Rosé
84 points
Cherry and strawberry. Sweet fruit on the palate, but it ends up a bit confected.
Red
N.V. Scarborough Wine Co Pinot Noir
85 points
Earth and lightly stemmy nose. Palate is savoury with okay depth, fading towards the finish.
Red
2012 Scarborough Wine Co Shiraz
89 points
Earthy, smoky and meaty complexity. Medium bodied and approachable. Drink now and over the next couple of years.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2012 Scarborough Wine Co Sémillon Late Harvest
82 points
Spice, pear and gingerbread. Overly sweet on the palate, not enough acidity.
Flight 11 - Keith Tulloch (9 notes)
ISO glassware. $5 tasting charge redeemable on purchase - I personally think decent glassware should be provided if you are paying a tasting fee. Limited range available to taste but the Kester is the top wine and I managed to get a taste of the Field of Mars Semillon without too much prodding.
White
2012 Keith Tulloch Sémillon
90 points
Pear, florals and spice. Good structure with bright acid and fruit intensity balancing. I tried this a couple of days prior at a restaurant and while it was more open this time, it still needs some age to show its best.
White
2012 Keith Tulloch Chardonnay
89 points
Popcorn and light oak, with some steel and pear. Good texture, with impressive fruit weight that keeps up with the (not overly heavy) oak treatment. Medium length.
White
2012 Keith Tulloch Pinot Gris Per Diem
89 points
Melon, pear, lemongrass and perfumed floral notes. Clean and crisp palate, with a touch of roundness helping to provide some tastiness. Medium length.
White
2012 Keith Tulloch Viognier Perdiem
87 points
Apricot and peaches, with just a just of florality. Quite rich style palate and the alcohol is hinted at but doesn't dominate. Good.
Red
2010 Keith Tulloch Forres Blend
88 points
Milk chocolate, cherry ripe and some spice from the Petit Verdot. Medium bodied, it doesn't have huge depth but it is pretty tasty to drink.
Red
2011 Keith Tulloch Shiraz Viognier
88 points
Viognier is obvious on the nose with apricot, floral and tobacco notes. The palate is more savoury and better for it. Well balanced wine that will do well over the medium term as long the Viognier integrates a bit better.
Red
2010 Keith Tulloch Shiraz Kester
91 points
4 hours in the decanter. Tightly wound still, with spice and cherry as well as tobacco and earth. Good fruit depth and the savoury/fruit balance is spot on - providing interest against the plush, tasty fruit. Structurally very good too. Come back to this in 10+ years for its best.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2011 Keith Tulloch Sémillon Botrytis
86 points
Honey and quince with some caramelized pineapple. Palate is quite sweet, with the acidity not quite there to balance it out. Almost there but falls just a bit short.
White
2011 Keith Tulloch Sémillon Field of Mars Block 3
91 points
Pretty nose, with florals and pears plus good minerality. Mouthfilling without roundness, there is good texture and drive on the palate. Great balance and even better potential.
Flight 12 - Tyrrell's (15 notes)
ISO glasses. A bit of a struggle to get to taste the better wines and missed out on trying the Johnno's, 4 Acre etc
Still tried a good set of wines.
White - Sparkling
2009 Tyrrell's Traditional Method Pinot Noir Chardonnay
88 points
Nicely floral nose with some lime. Medium bodied, with decent carry and length. Fairly simple but good flavour.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Tyrrell's Old Winery Brut
87 points
Lime, grass and floral notes. Nice acidity on the palate, it gives the wine freshness which makes up a little bit for the lack of depth.
Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Tyrrell's Arabella
86 points
Strawberry jam and earthy character. Quite sweet on the palate with only light depth.
White
2012 Tyrrell's Sémillon Brookdale
84 points
Light citrus nose. Medium bodied, but doesn't have enough structure or drive.
White
2008 Tyrrell's Sémillon Single Vineyard Stevens
89 points
Toast and orange peel. Palate is slightly rounded but has good acid to carry the medium intensity fruit. Drink over the next 5-6 years.
White
2007 Tyrrell's Sémillon Single Vineyard Belford
88 points
Some toast and spice with some mint as well. Medium bodied with some intensity to the fruit, especially in the mid-palate. Drinks well now.
White
2007 Tyrrell's Sémillon Single Vineyard HVD
90 points
Toast, wax and citrus peel. Better depth than the previous Semillon tried, it has good carry and some minerality. Still very youthful but it is starting to soften a tiny amount - should still be given some time to develop further but won't need long term aging.
White
2007 Tyrrell's Sémillon Vat 1
91 points
Tight nose - some lemon and minerals with light smoke. Texture takes a step up over the 2007 HVD. Appealing length and depth to the fruit. Too youthful, give it more time.
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White
2012 Tyrrell's Chardonnay Moon Mountain
86 points
Creamy oak with butter and light citrus. Palate is rounded with medium richnress but not over the top. Medium length.
White
2012 Tyrrell's Chardonnay HVD
90 points
Appealing aromatics - some perfumed floral notes, very light oak and lime. Well textured and balanced with good length. Should develop nicely in the medium term.
White
2008 Tyrrell's Chardonnay Vat 47
90 points
Quite powerful nose with wax, melon and straw. I really like the texture, with cleansing acidity and powerful fruit that never feels out of balance. Very good.
Red
2010 Tyrrell's Shiraz Brokenback
87 points
Spice, liquorice and cherry. Palate is brightly fruited. Nice wine for drinking right now.
Red
2010 Tyrrell's Shiraz Single Vineyard Stevens
89 points
Floral, some meaty chracter and chocolate. More depth and structure than the 2010 Brokenback, thought is isn't overly serious I liked this for drinking now and over the next 4-5 years.
Red
2011 Tyrrell's Shiraz Vat 9
90 points
Pepper, earthy, blackberry and cherry. Nice elegance to the palate, it is tightly wound but will be very good with more time.
Red
2011 Tyrrell's Vat 8
90 points
4-5% Cabernet and the remainder Shiraz. Nice aromatics - floral, dark chocolate and cherry. Medium bodied with lots of earthy spices on the palate. Good mouthfeel and length.
Flight 13 - Audrey Wilkinson (15 notes)
Served in ISO glassware. Cellar door is in a stunning location with great views down into the valley. Service was friendly.
Rosé - Sparkling
2011 Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Moscato Winemakers Selection
87 points
Strawberry and light floral notes. Decent acidity but a touch more would push it through more. The 2012 was about to be released but wasn't on tasting.
White
2011 Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Sémillon Winemakers Selection
89 points
Talc, lime and lemon aromas. More of that lemon tinged acid on the palate, medium length. Will develop well in the medium term.
White
2012 Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Sémillon Sauvignon Blanc
88 points
70% Hunter Valley Semillon and 30% Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Grassy, lime, passionfruit and straw. Medium bodied and the bright fruit has some depth to it. Pretty good.
White
2011 Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Verdelho
85 points
Lightly perfumed - there is some light orange and melon. Little of interest on the palate, it's medium bodied with a bit of fruit and minimal depth. Drink now.
White
2009 Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Chardonnay Winemaker's Selection
89 points
Nice spice on the nose, there is some hay, lime and toast as well. Medium intensity, the fruit purity is quite good and the texture is quite good as well. Medium length and it's likeable.
White
2011 Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Chardonnay Reserve
90 points
Spicy and toasty oak along with flint and pear aromas. The palate has nicely woven minerality and intensity of fruit. Very young and has the potential to get much better.
White
2007 Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Chardonnay Firestick
87 points
Relabelled from old Poole's Rock stock after it was acquired by Audrey Wilkinson. Toasty and starting to head into honey. Medium bodied with the edges rounding out already. Quite developed but without great complexity.
Rosé
2011 Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Rosé
89 points
Shiraz, Merlot and Malbec. Strawberry and rose aromas. The palate is nicely dry, there is a lick of fruit sweetness but it is held back by good acidity. Surprisingly good.
Red
2011 Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Shiraz Firestick
85 points
Floral and cherry aromas. Palate has more of the red cherry character but overall I found it very soft and lacking in depth.
Red
2010 Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Winemakers Selection Merlot Cabernet
89 points
McLaren Vale Merlot & Hunter Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Blackcurrant, some spice on the nose and palate. Medium bodied, good structure and balance.
Red
2008 Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Shiraz Viognier Winemaker's Selection
87 points
Not overly aromatic - some violets and cherries. Palate is medium bodied, moving toward a heavier style. Decently balanced, but I'd prefer a bit more restraint. Medium length.
Red
2010 Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Shiraz Winemakers Selection
89 points
Mulberry, graphite and some earth. The palate is medium bodied, with some rounded edges. Decent length but feels slightly languid and not overly driven. Very good but not great.
Red
2010 Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Shiraz The Lake
91 points
Cherry, raspberry, spice and very light earth - otherwise it is clean and vibrant. Really pleasing sense of structure to the palate through fine tannin. Balanced and with good length, I really liked this but had to pass at $65.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2011 Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Sémillon Dessert Semillon
88 points
Produced from freeze dried grapes. Quince and honey with a little bit of pineapple. Medium bodied but the sweetness is only light. Not really deep but pleasant.
White - Fortified
N.V. Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Vin De Vie Hunter Valley
90 points
Brandy snaps and strawberry. Quite fresh on the palate, not too heavy and the spirit element doesn't stick out. Enjoyable.
Flight 14 - Restaurant Wines (5 notes)
Wines tried at various restaurants on the trip.
White
2012 Keith Tulloch Sémillon
90 points
Grapefruit,, florals and lemon. Great acidity and fruit intensity, lots of potential to improve over the next 10 years.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Pierre Gerbais Champagne Tradition Brut
91 points
Biscuity, with honey, floral and lime notes. Lovely purity to the fruit with fantastic acidity and length. Very very good Champagne.
White
1992 J.B. Becker Wallufer Walkenberg Riesling Auslese trocken
91 points
Great colour. Nose shows ginger, pear, apricot and light honey. The palate has lovely spice and great length. Drinking right in the slot now.
White - Sparkling
2009 Tyrrell's Traditional Method Pinot Noir Chardonnay
88 points
Floral with some cherry and toast. Medium bodied, with good acidity. Pleasant and refreshing without having great depth.
White
2008 Tyrrell's Sémillon Single Vineyard Stevens
89 points
Some wax with lemon and orange peel. Palate is starting to round out but has good freshness and carry into a good length finish. Drink over the medium term.