10/9/2023 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Disturbing, and significantly aged brownish look, far more so than I was expecting from a 10 year old perfectly bottled wine. Some leather and boot polish, not much freshness. But a palate that was spectacular, complex and altogether different than I was expecting. Reams of tannin still providing fantastic structure. Strange but enjoyable wine!

7/31/2023 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Brought along to a Sardian degustation “open your cellar evening”, this was a fantastic accompaniment. Nose showing darker notes, tar, leather, but of age, but to taste, what an experience. The palate is fresh, red fruited, tannins no longer brooding, more settled. Plenty my years in this wine, really depends on how you like your barolo - for me, this is open for business.

7/8/2023 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Cork still well in tact for a 13 year old wine. Colour showing signs of age, and whilst that age shows through on the nose it’s complexity rather than old leather I sometimes see in overripe Brunello. The palate is fantastic, maintaining shape and freshness, tannin starting to broaden its shoulders after an hour or so. Excellent wine - like this producer, possibly my favourite from Tuscany.

5/2/2022 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

First Pinot from the US, and tracking at 100%. This is superb, lovely balance, and slightly more body than I was expecting. Balance of red and dark fruit, and a nice fanning of tannin that holds the wine together. I found myself drinking (and enjoying) rather than necessarily tasting, which is a great sign

3/25/2022 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

I’ve scored this wine a little bit higher than others - it is a rarity to drink such a good bottle of wine, and certainly a rarity for me to drink GC from a great vintage. Medium red, showing little if any age. Red fruited, berries, spice, to taste quite linear and silky mouth feel. I really like Taupenot Merme, and will keep buying as long as they remain affordable.

1/15/2022 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Having read other reviews, was interested to see this wine was travelling. I’ve almost stopped buying white burgundy due to price and the high quality Chardonnay available in Aust., but this is one of the few that I’ve bought in recent years. Served very cold (on an extremely hot summers day), immediately I loved the mouth feel of this wine, quite intense - mineral feel, and while the Sulfur is noticeabe, it brings complexity rather than over powers the wine.

1/13/2022 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Opens up quite wild, slight reduction but that clears to far fruit and Moroccan spice. To taste the whole bunch impact is immediately evident, and initially a bit distracting, complex yes but maybe too much. This is very Farr, and I wonder if left for a few more years whether it will pull together into a more integrated wine.

Day 2: this is much better, in fact it’s an excellent wine. More mineral and balanced, and whilst the whole bunch character is still there it’s in balance.

12/31/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Ah 2021, farewell, good riddance. Thank god you are over. And to say goodbye I’ve selected a bottle of Fourrier from the 2014 vintage which isn’t recognised as being particularly good but I’ve liked.

So to this wine. Medium red, on the nose it’s darker fruited - dark cherries and spice. Beautifully balanced, fine grain tannins. Utterly delicious and an enjoyable way to see out the year.

12/28/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Luminescent red, lightish colour. Medium bodied initially has an easy drinking feel but reasonably quickly straightens up with a fine coating tannin. This is a delicious drink, and in some ways hard to distinguish initially from a good burgundy. I very much like wine and producer.

12/26/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Distinctive light hue, which is deceptive as this is a spicy, full flavoured wine. In the same style as some of the best alpine Nebbiolo, this wine from the upper Yarra has a real freshness underpinned by lithe tannins with a core or cherry, red berries, orange rind. It’s truly delicious.

11/28/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Relatively open and easy drinking (for a young Barolo). Nice balance and flow to the wine, which I find a hallmark of the better 16s. Showed a bit more interest on Day 2 with some thyme, mint, fresh and free. Good wine and good value.

11/14/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Relatively open nose m, smoked meats, five spice. Beautiful clean palate, tannins wash through but don’t overpower. I really love these 2010’s. I just wish I had more foresight and bought more.

10/24/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Very dark garnet. Mix of primary and tertiary flavours, blackberry, five spice, pudding. leather,. Nice balance and structure. I admired the wine more than enjoyed it. Although this could be enjoyed for another decade, to my palate better enjoyed now.

10/19/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

The branding on this wine is awesome, love the label, and I’ll admit, that was a factor in my purchase (as well as an increasing love of Valtellina, or alpine neb as I call it). Lightish red, glowing, translucent. Smelling quite savoury and mineral, wet rocks, cool and fresh. Lovely light mouth feel but so savoury, almost a little but rustic. Delicious drink.

10/14/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Second wine of Montrose from a great vintage. A late celebration of the release in Sydney from 108 days of lockdown. A good choice. Smelling of dark berries, dark cocoa, dark Asian spices. To drink, oh so smooth and delicious, medium bodied with a silky array of tannin thang really takes hold. I loved this wine, it wasn’t mine bending but exactly what I was after.

9/11/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Struck match, flinty. Tasting savoury, mineral, full to medium flavoured, rich ripe and absolutely delicious. This really is superb. You want to try an awesome Chardonnay from Australia, try this.

9/5/2021 - antkorbel wrote:

Smokey reduction, rich, flinty, grapefruit, nougat, so beautifully balanced and so delicious. I’ve had many vintages of this wine, and not always been a fan. I’ve felt previously it was a parody of itself, rich and voluminous yes, but missing something. This though is a great wine, in the top couple I’ve had this year and in the top tier of local Chardonnay, as it should be.

9/1/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Relatively dark garnet though though slightly lighter than the other Margaret River cabs I've been drinking from Juniper and Flametree. Whilst not having the complexity or age worthiness of the Diana Madellne, this is an excellent wine in its own right, and screams of Cullen. And by that i mean the excellent tannin management, fully flavoured whilst retaining freshness.

7/12/2021 - antkorbel wrote:

Medium bodied, translucent red. Dull nose, little bit of structure. Fairly bog standard wine, nothing memorable, nothing offensive. Tastes like a mid week quaffer.

7/5/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Impenetrable ink, chocolate pudding, dark plum and Indian spice. Brooding but not a bruiser, balanced. Seems luxuriant. Lovely on a cold winter night.

7/3/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Stelvin. Medium to full bodied, little to no signs of aging. Beautifully balanced, tannin and oak well and truly tucked away. Lovely mouth feel and most importantly delicious. Reminds me of the great times spent down in Margaret River.

6/20/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Similar notes to DCWino below but like if a little more. Christmas cake, spices, blackberry. It’s ripe and full bodied, but it’s a nicely balanced wine.

6/4/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Minimal tasting notes. Dark garnet. Gravelly tannins, medium weighted, black fruits, coffee beans, nicely balanced. Tasty ++

5/29/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

This is a wonderful wine. Last time I tasted was a milestone birthday a few years back in Margaret River, it stood out then for its balance, length and complexity. No different today. Showing red fruited, cassis, tar/gravel - at its absolute peak.

4/4/2021 - antkorbel wrote:

Medium to full bodied Chardonnay from the cooler part of Margaret River. Lemon, lime, grapefruit, savoury, little bit of reductive funk and mineral line. Chardonnay from this maker is always polished and rarely misses a trick.

3/28/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

(Screwcap) I remember when I bought this wine, the knock on Tasmanian Pinot was that it had no history and no certainty that it would cellar. Opening this bottle at 10years, which is when I would typically start opening burgundy 1er, this is in perfect shape. Crimson reddish, medium bodied, initially all dark red (ripe) fruit but the tannin fans out beautifully after a short time to give the wine a beautiful mouth feel. The underlying fruit in this wine is very good.

3/22/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Screwcap. Rich chocolate and raspberry pudding, dark berries. Yum. Full bodied, mouthful of red and dark berries, rippling tannin. Penfolds doesn’t always make the most complex wines, but they can be delicious. I very much enjoyed this wine.

3/21/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Inky, dark purple garnet, impenetrable. Medium to full bodied, imposing tannin structure, cassis, blackberry some herbal elements, maybe a whiff of capsicum. Lots of power and shape.

3/13/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Flinty, matchstick, big grapefruit, savoury flavours. Quite a mouthful of wine, but very well made. Impressively this feels glacial in its aging process. I couldn’t say it’s improved because it was excellent when I tasted at cellar door 10 years ago, but this remains a special wine.

2/20/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Many good wines in Australia at the moment, especially the refined version of Grenache, but wow are there some great versions of Chardonnay. And this wine is spectacular. It’s from a cooler region of Margaret River, and from a cooler vintage - which I believe to be a good thing. Savoury, beautiful acidity which gives the wine a feel of precision, and great length. Delicious, and different to, but just as good as the best from Burgundy.

3/11/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Red Translucent lighter touch Pinot but oh so beautifully balanced. Less funk than the Dr (whole bunch) and as a young wine better for it. Lovely with some chill and great to drink. Probably my favourite Australian Pinot at the moment.

3/9/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Smoky oak, lemon rind, savoury, mineral infused. Energy and balance. Wife shouted out to me “wow - nice wine”. Always a good sign.

2/24/2021 - antkorbel wrote:

One of my first forays into German Riesling. Quite a simple wine. Lime, peach, ripe but not overripe. Floral, which I found distracting. Its enjoyable, but probably a once of purchase.

2/24/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Terrible cork on this bottle which is never a good sign. After a little bit of R&R the wine appears with a relatively dark garnet, some rustic notes which faded as the wine opened. Medium bodied with not a great deal of weight behind the wine but what stood out was the beautiful inner mouth perfume. It was stunning actually, and tasty ++

1/31/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Savoury nose of toasted hazelnuts, some smoky oak, maybe some ocean spray. Generously flavoured with grapefruit, white peach, mineral interlaced flavours. Oak is beautifully integrated. Super wine, and could easily be rated higher.

1/26/2021 - antkorbel wrote:

Questionable whether the brand (sans Stella Bella) befits the classy nature of the wine. Anyhow... this is a truly delicious wine, balancing the amazing fruit richness of Margaret River with the cooler nature of the site (southern tip of MR). Savoury, long, serious energy and flavour...and fizzle. Great length, great wine. Yum.

1/25/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Easy drinking Riesling with a little bit of green apple and mineral lime spritz. Perfect for a hot summer day. Refreshing ++

1/24/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Never had a bad Oakridge Chardonnay and this continues the trend. Refreshing grapefruit, white peach, crisp, mineral zing. Good length, good wine.

1/20/2021 - antkorbel wrote:

This is an easy drinking style of Barolo (if such a thing exists). The tannin profile is there, but it sits in the background providing some structural framing for the wine. Medium to full bodied with a really nice fruit profile, a nose of dark cherry, smoky meats and dark spices. Enjoyable.

1/16/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Pear, grapefruit, lime, some smoke and flint. Good length and balance. Good and excellent QPR.

1/13/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

I think this wine started as a collaboration between 2 Eden Valley wineries (hence the Mesh) and recall buying one of the early vintages maybe 15 years ago. I've not drunk much Riesling since, and this would be the first Mesh purchase for along while.

Lemon / lime, racy, lean, bit of kero but that disappears pretty quickly. This is far from sweet (positive) - its more about the acid and length, both of which are refreshing. Enjoyable.

1/10/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Smokey, reductive, real mouthful of mineral, wet slate, apple. Served way too cold to start and had a distracting sour grapefruit flavour which was off putting, this did disappear in time. This has the makings of an amazing wine, but that distracting taste is my only drawback. Next time I’ll serve slightly warmer than sub- zero.

1/8/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

(Stelvin) Deep purple, no bricking. Cassis, eucalyptus - smells like the Australian bush the more the wine settles. More Coonawarra and Australian than being especially varietal. Quite smooth and easy to drink, tannins nicely tucked away. Good but not exciting.

1/8/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Deep red, slightly transparent, almost glowing. Raspberry, mineral and smoke infused - the tannins on this wine have well and truly settled- I think someone else used the term suave, which works well. Beautiful wine this, I’d almost call regal given the beautiful tannins and feel.

1/6/2021 - antkorbel wrote:

Rustic notes of leather and shoe polish, dried herbs. Tertiary flavours coming through what is a savoury wine, easily recognisable as brunello. I can’t help thinking these wines would be better with less time in barrel and more focus on freshness. I regularly buy Rosso in favour of Brunello and this justifies that decision.

1/5/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Clean nose of dark cherries, meaty / charcuterie, some five spice. Colour showing barely any age when comparing to a 2019 Mclaren Vale Grenache in another glass. This wine has held up well (most of its life in a temperature controlled cellar). Initially quite sullen and tannic, the wine opened up beautifully though it’s a fair bit more burley than I was expecting. Probably beat enjoyed with a juicy steak.

12/30/2020 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

I bought this Elio Altare when I really knew very little about Barolo and was exploring. Having spent the last 8-10 years becoming obsessed with the wines of Piedmont, it was interesting to give this wine a try. My first thought is that it’s a good wine, not as polarising as others make out, but nor did I find it overly varietal based on my experiences. Quite dark and brooding, the wine seems very early in its drinking window. The oak is well integrated and sits in the background, but there isn’t the freshness and vitality I want from Barolo. In saying that I enjoyed the wine and it was demolished alongside a sirloin steak.

12/24/2020 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

Lightly bricking around the rim, medium to full bodied, tannins still prominent though starting to settle. Flavour profile is darker fruited (which I can sometimes view as overly extracted) but in this case I’m ok with it. I like this slightly better than the 2010 Baudana I had last month, and better than I expected.

11/5/2020 - antkorbel wrote:

Didn’t take copious notes, but recollection of this wine is enjoyable, very chambolle and nicely balanced. Candied red fruit on the nose which transitions through some Asian spice / cumin and cinnamon. Not overly complex at this point but delicious nonetheless, I loved the core of tannin. Good.

8/17/2020 - antkorbel Likes this wine:

This really is delicious, complex and fantastic now. Unlikely to have the ageing potential of some of its heftier brethren from Barolo, but for what it is it’s fantastic. Buy!