6/21/2022 - Seb-HK wrote:

Too much everything: alcohol, fruit, ripeness

8/25/2021 - Seb-HK Does not like this wine:

Big wine but pretty much closed at the moment and uninteresting....To try again in five years at least

8/1/2021 - Seb-HK wrote:

Very disappointing, overly sweet without any complexity. Tasted like a supermarket 10$ sweet riesling...not what i expected from such a famous producer

11/29/2020 - Seb-HK wrote:

Delicious, only 600 bottles produced. One of the best South Australian red i ever had, full-bodied and powerful of course but in an elegant and restrained style, need to get more Eden Valley red

11/23/2020 - Seb-HK wrote:

Bought at the winery 01/2019...poped and poured

Loved the nose, a mix between mature Bordeaux and that typical eucalyptus Aussie touch
Palate was not as exciting with not enough fruit and structure to compensate the overwhelming green pepper aromas

Overall still a well made pleasant wine (especially considering the vintage) but wouldn't buy again at such expensive price

Agree with previous reviews, do not decant

8/5/2020 - Seb-HK wrote:

Past peak..a mix of green and oak notes

7/23/2020 - Seb-HK Likes this wine:

Decanted an hour. Smells like an old school Medoc from a warm year (Gruaud Larose comes to mind) but tastes like a mature Musar with more power. Fantastic wine. First experience with this wine and I really enjoyed it. Didn't expect so much complexity and secondary aromas. Very silky and the tannins are so integrated. Highly recommended

5/12/2020 - Seb-HK wrote:

Undrinkable...Light Cloudy appearance, fizzy...super funky and all over the place with oxydation notes..This is a natural wine so it might actually not be a flawed bottle at all and maybe I just dont understand this type of wine. Anyway wont certainly buy another to check if flawed one or not

4/15/2020 - Seb-HK wrote:

Great potential but far too young to drink now...HOLD

9/18/2019 - Seb-HK Does not like this wine:

Old oak smell and overripe fruit, not my style

8/27/2019 - Seb-HK wrote:

Really like Henschke so I was curious to try this...was a bit disappointed though. Lack of fruit and tannins so not very interesting overall, I've had better Nebbiolo from Australia..This reminded me of an average Beaujolais

10/18/2018 - Seb-HK wrote:

Same experience as WineDuq here

Oxidized, taste like kirsch / sour cherry

10/2/2018 - Seb-HK wrote:

Interesting blend, mostly Petit Verdot.
Very austere, no pleasure drinking this at the moment, probably still too young but I doubt it has the structure and the fruit ripeness to improve...

8/9/2018 - Seb-HK wrote:

Somewhere between Barossa and South of Spain...
This is a massive wine that shows no sign of age.
Lots of sediment and cork broke halfway.
Not really a subtle wine but enjoyable nevertheless...

6/24/2018 - Seb-HK wrote:

Not convinced at all. Gave this wine a try reading all the positive reviews here and although it's easy to drink I found the wine too obvious.
Too sweet and alcoholic, lack elegance and acidity.

Didn't find the ressemblance with Northern Rhone wines

5/23/2018 - Seb-HK Does not like this wine:

Green pepper all the way and no fruit at all...unripe Cabernet ? or just a bad bottle?
Not sure what happened here but really unpleasant experience

5/3/2018 - Seb-HK wrote:

Still a nice colour and body but not enough fruit left...should have been drunk 2 years ago

1/17/2018 - Seb-HK wrote:

Really surprised by previous reviews as I found this wine far from ready.

Good potential indeed with beautiful concentration and balance but still extremely young. Give it another2-3 years as the tannins are too strong right now

1/17/2018 - Seb-HK Does not like this wine:

Really high acidity, no fruit...will use the rest of the bottle for cooking

11/23/2017 - Seb-HK wrote:

Pleasant wine in a very light-bodied and elegant style Brunello.
Might be this bottle but tannins almost non existent and lacks complextity which is surprising for such a young Brunello

11/21/2017 - Seb-HK Likes this wine:

Light-bodied, very nice and easy to drink
Great value!

8/20/2017 - Seb-HK wrote:

Liked it but find below scores a bit too high. Wine is well made and avoids the high alcohol and jaminess of some Barosssa but overall lacks of complexity and body to get a higher score

7/21/2017 - Seb-HK wrote:

Oxidized

5/22/2017 - Seb-HK wrote:

Very smooth and drinking really well right now. Not extremely complex but elegant style with cherry notes. Tannins completely resolved,seems this wine is at its peak now

5/4/2017 - Seb-HK wrote:

Needs plenty of time...not your typical Aussie Pinot Noir... tannic and almost full-bodied, good potential but oak not fully integrated yet

4/7/2017 - Seb-HK Does not like this wine:

First time for me with this winery and couldn't get past the smokey aromas....felt like i was drinking an Islay whisky, not my style

1/9/2017 - Seb-HK Likes this wine:

Very good Middle range Bordeaux blend, still young

1/8/2017 - Seb-HK Likes this wine:

Drinking very well right now...all the aromas and flavours you could expect from a 14 years old claret from an overlooked vintage.

Almost too easy too drink since all tannins are gone and bit more complexity would make this wine even better.

11/26/2016 - Seb-HK wrote:

Textbook mature Saint Emilion from an underrated vintage...ready to drink now and great value!

10/20/2016 - Seb-HK Does not like this wine:

Wasn't as lucky as most recent reviewers here, gave it a quick decant but this wine is past his prime with no fruit left, not a bad wine but overall uninteresting

10/11/2016 - Seb-HK wrote:

Only 60 cases produced, 97 points by RP and 100% Grenache so was curious to try this one...In the end not a bad wine at all but out of balance with high alcohol and kirsch fruit dominating the palate here...not enough acidity or tannins to make it a complex wine. Lots of sediment too, better decant 1 hour

8/23/2016 - Seb-HK wrote:

Enjoyed this wine but there is some over ripeness here (2003 vintage here so that should be expected)...Modern style because of the hot vintage but it does not reflect the style of this Chateau in more classic vintages

8/11/2016 - Seb-HK Likes this wine:

Would have been perfect 2 or 3 years ago but still drinking nicely.
For those who like mature and classic style of rioja...this is an elegant wine for sure. No vanilla notes that you can find in rioja sometimes

3/5/2016 - Seb-HK Does not like this wine:

Pop and poured, very green on the nose, in the mouth the oak is prominent with very little to no fruit.
Decanted and tried again after 1 hour, no change...Not sure if ageing will help here since this is 7 years old already...aren't 2nd labels supposed to be drinkable young?

Overall very disappointing and surprising as 2009 Second Labels from Classified Growths are usually a safe buy (Pavilllon de Leoville Poyferre 09 for instance is a beauty).

Only drank half of the bottle, will use the remaining for cooking, not acceptable at this price level.

2/17/2016 - Seb-HK Does not like this wine:

Definitely not a bad wine but a bit thin and very simple, was expecting more body and fruit...Bad QPR

7/28/2015 - Seb-HK wrote:

Closed at the moment, all you can feel is the oak and strong tannins. Try again in 2-3 years. As a comparison the 2012 is much more appealing at the moment and very silky.

11/20/2014 - Seb-HK wrote:

Still drinking well now, always impressed how well nero d'avola can age!

8/20/2013 - Seb-HK Does not like this wine:

Quite disapointed here, lack of structure and not much fruit left, not sure it will improve...

7/19/2013 - Seb-HK wrote:

I m a big fan of Fleur Cardinale but didn't enjoy the 2006 that time. Very closed and tannic, not aromatic.

It will definitely improve but this 2006 is simply too young to drink now. 2007 or even 2008 are drinking much better right now.