9/6/2023 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Understandable the difference in opinions on this wine, very unusual, but I like it, alot. It’s got great weight, complexity of flavours, the fruit is perfectly ripe, herbs like dried fennel and oregano, and some lanolin. Good length. Interesting and moreish.

6/8/2023 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Funky nose of damp earth, old wardrobe, hot asphalt.
Silky tannins, palate is full of ripe dark forest fruits, boysenberry and plum sauce, Coca Cola concentrate, baked figs and dates.
Long finish.
What an interesting and delicious wine, perfect now may hold longer but not worth the risk.

12/7/2022 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

Big, tannic, dark black and red berry fruit, a bit of nail polish on the finish. I wouldn’t pick this as a Pinot let alone Burgundy. Loads of respect for Caroline but I feel Chassagne Montrachet should leave all its available land for the Chardonnay. It’s a really good wine and has all the signs of something that will age well for years, but it’s quite anonymous and will take many years to be delicious once those tannins settle.

11/24/2022 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

Sweet ripe red berry fruit, oily texture, decent length to the finish. Structurally sound but to me, lacking complexity, it’s all fruit flavours and nothing else, no earth, minerals, savoury flavours, which makes it a little bit boring and could have been made anywhere. No terroir

8/12/2022 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Diam with wax seal has kept this wine well. Nose of roses and sweet spicy perfume. Blackberries, minerals, white pepper and rare roast beef on the mid palate, sour glazed cherry, graphite and grippy fine tannins on the long persistent finish. Drink now.

7/12/2022 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

This has developed into a beautiful wine and in my opinion it’s peak drinking window. Flavours more like Cams first note some 10 years ago, rose petal jam, ripe red berries, glazed cherries, tar in the background, tannins so fine they are almost not there but there enough to keep it all together, acidity the same. Drink now this is not barolo but a great example of how Nebbiolo can perform in Australia

1/26/2022 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Frightfully young given it’s 15 years in the bottle, thanks to the screw cap. Beautifully ripe grapefruit and candied lemon peel, candle wax and lanolin, acid backbone of steel, long piercing finish. Many more years of development ahead but glad to try it now to see how it evolves and an absolute pleasure to taste.

Edit: day 2 and this wine has opened up beautifully, still tightly wound but the fruit is bright and out there all over the palate with fresh cut grass and fresh herbs. Fantastic wine with a long future ahead, upping my score 2 points from 92 to 94

12/14/2021 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

Corked, 2nd bottle in a row. Shame, hope the last is ok

8/19/2021 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Really good, intense ripe cherries, long and delicious, moorish. In a perfect window at 10 years

7/7/2021 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

Corked, badly corked!

9/13/2020 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Glazed strawberries and cherries, light bodied but the fruit is juicy and ripe.
Easy drinking, great pizza wine, will need to have pizza with it next time.

9/12/2020 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

oxidised, cork crumbled. Luck of the draw with this wine and vintage. hoping for better luck with the next one.

9/12/2020 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Very approachable, drink now modern style barolo.
Roses and sweet cherry, ripe fruit, silky tannins in the mouth that show a bit of grip on the finish.
A crowd pleasing Barolo that the classic old world style could never be 5 years young.

5/26/2020 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Clearly some development since the last tasting note with its colour of light gold. Sweet ripe stone fruit with some sweet spice. Fatty texture and concentrated flavour in the mid palate with the acidity more noticeable on the finish. This is really nice and very drinkable now, the style has clearly changed as I’ve had several 10-20yr old hanlin hills recently under screwcap that seem younger and still developing and improving

10/26/2019 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Lemon curd, nectarines, Japanese seaweed, fresh oysters with lemon juice, gun smoke, solid line of acidity holding it all together and prolonging the flavours to give a lovely long finish. Built to age but drinking beautifully now, it’s all integrated and complete.

7/21/2019 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

The dark fruit is still fresh and vibrant, blackberries, dark cherries and blood plums, sarspirella, pencil lead and a little bit of old leather. Soft silky tannins and a medium to long finish. In a perfect spot right now and no rush to drink for well stored bottles.

5/23/2019 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Surprised at the low score on this in comparison to the 2014, which I felt was less complex and a little over oaked. Ripe Blood plums and cherries, a little 5 spice and restrained oak, good acidity which carries the fruit nicely. Could do with a bit more time but not too much as it’s showing some nice development which has let the flavours integrate.

4/15/2019 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Nose - citrus, flint, wet stone
Palate - lemon sorbet, grapefruit and lemon thyme, racy acidity.
Finish - medium/long

Very good, nice, restrained and tight, clearly cool climate chardonnay, should improve over the next 10 years if not considerably more given the screwcap

4/10/2019 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

Rich juicy red berry fruit, a bit of cured meat, good acid and a decent finish.

2/20/2019 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

This has great potential but it is still way too young. It needs time to integrate and settle down. The minerals and earth on the nose raise expectations too high as once it hits the palate the sour cherry is a bit too strong, the oak is a little out of whack and the tartness steals the savouriness. Its got great complexity but it just needs time to sleep. Very much an Australian pinot made in an old world burgundian style which is a nice thing to see.

12/5/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Based on the previous note the acidity has settled considerably. It’s still there but in harmony with the grapefruit, lemonade, wet stone and cut grass. Nice wine with plenty left in it.

11/28/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Beautiful nose of bright tropical fruits, white peach, green apple, nougat.

The palate is luscious with the ripe stonefruit complemented by the nougat and hazelnut, showing how well these guys can integrate 100% new oak without overpowering it all and ruining the fruit.

It feels a little restrained compared to previous vintages, but I really like that, the fruit has been given more of a front stage and the concentration is more laid back giving it a more refreshing feel than previous vintages.

Fantastic vintage for this wine which should drink beautifully for many more years.

11/28/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

black berry fruit, cola, dr pepper, dark chocolate, dried herbs & some cinnamon, pipe tobacco, smooth tannins, medium acidity, medium finish, pretty good, easy drinking, best with some food.

11/26/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Browning apple, pear, yeast, brioche, biscotti, Parmesan & some blue cheese. Fine small bead that is very gentle in the mouth. Well made and beautiful if you like that style, which I do.

11/25/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Juices from game meat, leather, fresh cigar all over the tart cherry fruit, everything is all a little upfront and it falls a little short once it goes down your throat, but it is still very young from the structure evident and I think age will complete this wine at the tail end once the tannins integrate a little more.

11/24/2018 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

This has opened up considerably with 24hrs to breathe and is now quite good, it’s still short on the finish and a bit thin in texture but in the mouth the red fruit is mingling with the spice and some black soil. It’s still quite hot however.

11/24/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Juicy ripe white peach and nectarine, a little pineapple, some fresh mint in a fruit salad, wet stone and struck match are present from start to finish but are in no way overdone and enhance the fruit beautifully. There’s some herbal flavours in there mingling with the stoney, earthy notes which give it complexity. A really well made wine drinking beautifully now but should hold for quite some time as the structure, and quality of fruit is so good.

11/23/2018 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

Nose get your hopes up but let down by the palate which is thin and mono dimensional, the finish is also rather short, prolonged only by the alcohol heat.

11/23/2018 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

Terribly oxidised, cork failure probably due to poor storage (auction buy), undrinkable
A shame

11/19/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Really developed for a 10yr old wine under screwcap, but in a good way.
Mandarin, lemon curd, dried herbs and some unburnt tobacco.
Drink now don’t wait, there is no need to and probably on the decline.

11/17/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Light gold in the glass, nose of peach, pear, a bit of sea spray and tropical flowers. In the mouth it’s really nicely textured with a strong spine of acid which holds the stone fruit, some fresh garden herbs and floral flavours together beautifully. Some saline flavours appear in the mouth and hang around in the finish which makes it quite moreish. Long finish, really satisfying, would love to see how this is going in 5 years.

11/16/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Really good structure, the fruit is perfectly ripe but neither too ripe or under ripe, the red fruit is crunchy and fresh yet the silky tannin and subtle oak smooth things out and work well together. There is ink and pencil shavings poking out in the background and it all comes together really well. Fine effort and to me, what I want to see from Coonawarra Cabernet trying to give and Aussie version of a well made Bordeaux blend.

11/16/2018 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

Earthy and dirty but in a good way, the fruit is a little over ripe which is consistent with the vintage. Some meaty flavours and subtle spice. Drink now.

11/14/2018 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

Pale straw with a very slight white gold tinge showing through, lemons and limes, crisp green apple, a bit of kero, strong backbone of acidity and very dry.

Typical Aussie cool climate Riesling characteristics and generally well structured, but with not much else to hold interest past the first glass.

11/11/2018 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

Tannins were slightly overpowering for the first hour or so and it benefitted with lots of air and drank better on the second night. The fruit appears to be fading so I would drink sooner or later with this. There is some interesting earthy and meaty flavours with some ink, but along with the tannin seem to be overtaking the fruit.

11/11/2018 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

This was in really good shape and drinking beautifully. Minerals and toasty oak complimenting the peaches and nectarines with a great spine of acidity holding it all together.

11/7/2018 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

24 hrs has done this wine sweet justice, has let the tannins and acidity to settle and the fruit shine through. Needs a few more years to show it’s true stuff

11/4/2018 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

Black cherry as noted by others, some earth and smoked meat, a bit of cocoa, some stems noticeable. Quite nice but as also noted by others, benefits with air time. It is better on day 2.

11/4/2018 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

This bottle much better than the last bottle a few months back that was weirdly flawed, maybe faulty screwcap?
Textbook aged Marsanne flavours of honeysuckle, lime cheesecake, the juice at the bottom of a fruit salad.
Some flinty Smokey notes persist from beginning to end which are strange but pleasant and add to its complexity, which it seems to need.
Given the release price and the secondary market value however it’s outstanding value and a pleasure to drink, and age has really changed this wine for the better.

11/1/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

My scoring might be slightly biased because I just love the style and the Georgian whites generally.
Golden yellow, fair amount of sediment (let it stand upright for a day if possible and pour slowly or filter).
Toasted cashews, fattoush, marinated green olives stuffed with feta, all at the front and in the mouth, the finish sees the toasty nutty flavours take over with a little bit of campfire joining in in.
Just love this kind of wines, so different and so interesting and complex without age needing to give it the complexity (although I would imagine age will add even more to this wine)

10/29/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Juicy red berry fruit, cinnamon, Chinese 5 spice, some forest floor. Although a very slight browning on the far edge it’s still fresh and lively on the nose and palate. The spices linger on the finish. Very nice.

10/28/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

This has aged nicely, bright gold with a slight tinge of pale green.
Nose of juicy yellow peach, lemon butter and lemon thyme.
Sweet honeyed grapefruit on the palate (even though it’s very dry), marmalade on toast with melted butter, some freshly cut cedar comes out in the finish. It’s got a really nice mouth filling, oily texture and the flavours are reasonably concentrated, a firm line of acid holds everything together from start to finish, which is decently long. As much as this has developed it’s not going anywhere soon and I would imagine it could improve in the next few years as it develops and integrates further. Not quite what I was expecting!

10/21/2018 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

over the last couple of years I've always found the same with this wine, unremarkable upon opening, mildly interesting after an hour or two, a bit of a skeptical eye opening the following day. Is it just wanting to sleep, will it never really blossom, who knows. Given the facts of my analysis I maintain some hope and will let the last 2 bottles sleep a while longer.

All that said, the red rose petals, garden herbs and tarry notes give it a classic Barolo feel to it and its a pretty good wine right now.

10/18/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

solid wine, cool climate yes, but big fruit, spicey, a bit of earth and some leather, the age is showing in a good way. not simple but not overly complex, its like its just missing one last piece of the puzzle. That said its a very good wine and drinking very well right now. Try and drink it in one sitting as it falls a bit flat on day 2, for me, another sign that its reached its peak.

10/18/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

intense ripe lime fruit, a bit of yellow nectarine, some lemon on the tail end, a bit of sherbet on the mid palate, medium acidity. Good. Drink now or in the next 5 years.

10/15/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

This has aged so gracefully, the fruit still vibrant and juicy yet there is some development that has given it a softness. The acidity is ever present but at just the right level to let the fruit show its beautiful ripeness. Finish is relatively long. The best Hanlin I've had to date.

10/12/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Owned by the Watson Family (funny that!) who established and still own and run Woodlands. A relatively easy drinking table wine in essence, but it’s well done for what it is and great value for the price punching well above it’s weight (around $21) . Blood plums and mulberry, dark cherry at the tail end, some middle eastern spice, medium bodied, good acid, they say gravelly tannin on the bottle but it’s very fine gravel to me. Never going to blow your socks off but for the price you’d be a mug to expect that and should be well impressed at what they have delivered for the price you paid.

10/10/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Really, really good. Great structure and balance, lovely complexity from front to back, and So well balanced in all aspects. The body is quite light but it holds so much within. Classy and in a perfect spot right now.

10/10/2018 - Nicthebuilder Likes this wine:

Lychee, lemon thyme, key lime pie, buttery, good whack of acidity and a slightly sour note shows on the fruit at the tail end of the medium length finish. Very nice, very new in world composure, interesting flavours, a wine that can be drunk alone but would be appreciated best with food to give that acidity some purpose.

10/9/2018 - Nicthebuilder wrote:

Way way overworked style, which is a shame because hidden beneath the oak and malo appears to be some nice stonefruit and a bit of herb and spice.