{cork, 13.5%} Richly developed mix of blue cheese and strawberries. Medium/full-bodied, richly yeasty, with fine powerful bubbles, long solid finish. Right on-song, and the best widely-available nv fizz this side of Krug.

{screwcap, 10%} A side-by-side tasting from Aaron of the 04 and 06. Wines were very similar indeed, with smoked lemon and seafood aromas; perhaps the 04 has a slighter sweeter, more open tang to the nose. Palates are extremely close too, with lightly buttery richness belying the absent oak or malo; both wines are light/medium-bodied. But there’s just a slight difference; the 2006 has an extra zest of life in its acidity which serves to make the 2004 seem flabby in comparison, perhaps unfairly. Both wines are lovely and ready to drink after a decade’s aging; the 06 takes the palm on this occasion, due to length of finish and the extra wow-factor.

{screwcap, 10%} A side-by-side tasting from Aaron of the 04 and 06. Wines were very similar indeed, with smoked lemon and seafood aromas; perhaps the 04 has a slighter sweeter, more open tang to the nose. Palates are extremely close too, with lightly buttery richness belying the absent oak or malo; both wines are light/medium-bodied. But there’s just a slight difference; the 2006 has an extra zest of life in its acidity which serves to make the 2004 seem flabby in comparison, perhaps unfairly. Both wines are lovely and ready to drink after a decade’s aging; the 06 takes the palm on this occasion, due to length of finish and the extra wow-factor.

{screwcap, 11.5%} Very toasty and developed for a ’15 I must say. Even has a splash of mid-yellow colour. Slightly developing aromas of chalk, talc, and lime, but quite reticent anyway. The palate is taut and controlled, with lime flavours, surprisingly gentle texture with acid not prominent, and even and low-key generally. Light body with a medium length finish. I was surprised; was expecting a bigger ‘bang’ from this. Time will probably help somewhat.

{screwcap, 13%} Big developing lemon and toast nose. This about as heftily full-bodied as Riesling gets; assertive, lots of citrus flavours, plenty of mid-palate presence, with a medium-long finish. Impressive in some ways, but still a bit one-dimensional in flavour to me. Needs more time to become kaleidoscopic. Hopefully.

{cork, 13%} Solid gold. Aldehyde-like, nut and marzipan aromas. Very much aged, but still alive. The palate is all velvety texture and aged leathery and nut flavours. Still has a good spine of acidity. Even has a touch of honey to the flavours, but it’s never sweet in a sugar sense, despite a slight cinnamon tinge. Medium/full-bodied, with a long finish. Streets ahead of the same vintage’s 1927 Vine cuvee tasted earlier this year, but this was showing as I’d expect; not betrayed by its cork. Keeping it any longer is an obvious risk of course.

{screwcap, 12.2%} Fairly anonymous nose; touch of machine oil maybe. Certainly Italianate rather than French. The palate is an odd mix of thick texture yet light weight; I’d call this acid-deficient even at this low alcohol level. Watery, vaguely flowery flavours; as dull a tasting experience as this variety customarily delivers.

{screwcap, 13.5%} Lavish cedar oak and butter nose, with figs and nuts; very old-fashioned (or American) in style. The palate’s a bit slippery, with soft acid, just holding things together. Despite the power of the nose, it’s only light/medium-bodied. Mild white fruit flavours; actually quite well-balanced, just not terribly interesting at this age. A couple of years should help.

{screwcap, 11%} Lovely apple fruit aromas and flavours. Touch of honey. Loose and easy. There’s a touch of sugar sweetness, but it doesn’t take it away from dry or beyond light-bodied. Medium-length finish. Pleasant early-drinking effort.

{screwcap, 12.8%} Finely-graded, crystalline-textured, and still very youthful chardonnay. Savoury, with white peaches and lychees. Subtle, minimal oak. Intense palate, medium-bodied, evenly impressing the tongue; with a medium-length finish. Really tidy wine; seems like it would age for an eternity. Very fine indeed.

{screwcap, 13.5%} Some development is evident on the plummy, strawberry nose, with a stalky note present too. The palate is a bit stewed and smoky, with no trace of the greenness on the nose; it’s softly textured, the mix of ripe red and leafy compost resulting in a medium-bodied finish without a lot of tannin, but pointy acid keeping it fresh. That said, I’d be surprised to see much real improvement here, although it will keep for a while I think.

{cork, 14%} Blend of Limnio, Mavroudi and Mavrotragano. Aged nose, with dust and old leather and lots of spice. Dense and savoury on the palate, with low-level powdery tannins and soft acid supporting the rustic red flavours amid minimal oak influence. It’s only really light/medium-bodied now, gentle and savoury, and needs drinking soon. I get the sense this might have been something of a blockbuster in its youth.

{cork 13.5%} Hefty, coconut-and vanilla-infused example of old-style Aussie red. Classic spicy, leathery South Australian fruit, with its rich mid-palate, soft dusty tannins, medium acidity. An interesting blend of shiraz and cabernet; seems to have picked up the spice and softness of the shiraz, along with a lean quality from the cabernet, which isn’t exactly why you blend the two grapes. The oak has subsided into just a coconut flavour; there’s none of the tar and meat you get with, say, Penfolds’ offerings of this blend. It’s not more than medium-bodied now, and I think this is pretty well at, or even a bit past, its peak now.

{cork, 14.5%} And here is Penfolds offering in the same style, with a big leather and tar nose full of baked red fruits of all types. The colour is very brick-tinged for this age and label; and indeed the palate seems prematurely aged too. The inherent character remains; those ripe fruits and big oak, with raw gritty tannins and medium acid, but the finish is rather shorter and simpler than expected too. Storage? Part-oxidised at any rate I think, and possibly not typical, although I don’t generally think these early century, drought-infused Penfolds reds with their baked fruit qualities are aging well in any event.

{cork, 14%} Rather a mahogany colour. The nose is well-aged, or even well-past-aged, with old leather polish aromas competing with a fungal volatility. Palate offers remnants of ripe cabernet fruit, but laced with volatility, tannins long since departed. As has the finish. A base-level wine at its peak a decade ago.

{screwcap, 14%} Youthful nose of leafy cherry fruit, white pepper and spice. Touch of smoke. The palate is tart and peppery, light and smoky. It has a translucent quality to it, but it at least medium-bodied for weight. The tannins seem coarsely gritty, but not over-powering. Open, medium-length finish. I don’t know much about the vineyard, but it seems pretty cool-climate. Really needs a little time to settle down.

{cork? or diam?, 13.5%} Unquestionably the red of the lunch. Textbook Bordeaux cedar aromas and flavours, but with that lovely Yarra cabernet ripeness. Seamless palate, medium-weight for dusty tannin, acid, fine-grained oak, and with a medium-long finish. Immaculate balance. Still youthful; has a grand decade in front of it.

{screwcap} Very spicy and peppery. Modern, clean and primary in character. I expect a bit more richness for the ripe 14 Hunter vintage, but this tastes sharp and tart. Maybe needs time? My notes are cursory here…

{375ml, screwcap, 10%} Sweetened lime juice. Not terribly botrytis-influenced; it’s more of a seasoning than the main flavour. Possibly medium-sweet but tart acid keeps it fresh, if a little one-dimensional at this age. Only medium-bodied and with some lightness on the palate. Five more years please.