4/15/2024 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Far more complex and developed than I expected for a Marlborough SB for around $20; time on lees has gifted it texture and some biscuit notes, and being under Corvain (stelvin system) for 2 months did it no harm.

Bargain.

1/27/2024 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Trending towards honeyed lemon, with a hint of toast.

3/29/2024 - Ayanami wrote:

Well past it's due unfortunately. There was once something here, maybe some slight lemon characteristics coming through after an hour or two in the glass, but otherwise fairly dead and lifeless, with no marked secondary or tertiary flavours. Perhaps not stored particularly well by the premises we bought it from?

3/29/2024 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Still very vibrant, lifted and juicy, think lemon, quartz and some subtle texture from the oak. Another few years in bottle if you wanted, but no reason to wait.

3/23/2024 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

I didn't have high hopes as I'd not stored this bottle particularly well over the years, but the screwcap saved the day. Wonderfully in balance even though there's been serious development over the last 11 years: lemon and burnt hazelnuts with the slightly oily texture you'd expect over this time. Wish I'd bought more.

3/15/2024 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Still surprisingly fresh and structured, with some bottle development as you'd expect with this sort of age. Blackcurrant and cassis, turning to olive after about 10 days under Coravin (screwcap), with leather and cedar notes in the background. Could go for another 3 to 5 years perhaps.

12/24/2023 - Ayanami wrote:

Quite flat (flavourwise, not effervescence) and muted, felt as though both the fruit and acid was lacking. Perhaps the best fruit is saved for their brilliant still shiraz/syrah (as it should be).

12/24/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Stunning sparkling rose from Denmark. Sour cherry going hand in hand with autolytic flavours making for a balanced and complex wine. Makes sense given the age and time on lees. With the winery sold, sad to know that this will be the one and only bottle we'll get to try.

12/25/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Broad and generous, primarily melon and yellow nectarine fruit, with bread, vanilla and cashew undertones and a full, hefty body. Tried side-by-side with their 2014 original release, very similar as you'd expect, so good to know our storage is half decent.

12/25/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Broad and generous, primarily melon and yellow nectarine fruit, with bread, vanilla and cashew undertones and a full, hefty body. Tried side-by-side with their 2014 Vintage Reserve, very similar as you'd expect, so good to know our storage is half decent.

12/16/2023 - Ayanami wrote:

Friend found this in the depths of his holdings; too far gone unfortunately, with little fruit and tasting a bit hot.

12/22/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Fresh and lively, with just enough toastiness to bring it back down to earth. Body is a little lacking but this is still a lot of bubbles for the price.

12/24/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

A pretty big, flavourful chardonnay. There's a lot of fruit here, trending towards tropical with melon undertones, and a fair whack of oak lending vanilla to the palate. Not overworked and is a well made wine, just lacking a bit of elegance.

12/10/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Muted on opening, half an hour let the cherry/raspberry fruits come through. The alcohol is noticeable, lending to a full body, so maybe take an Uber.

12/1/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Leaner and gentler than your typical Margaret River chardonnay, trending towards Chablis style. Lemon and white stonefruits, subtle oak, some sort of nut (cashew or hazelnut perhaps?) and a touch of biscuit. Lovely.

11/17/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

The deep gold signals what you're lined up for here. Huge notes of burnt butter and toasted nut (cashew, hazelnut maybe), balanced out on the palate with a surprisingly strong line of lemon and line. The acid saves and brings together what might otherwise have been a very heavy chardonnay; testament to the skill of the winemaker, particularly at this price.

11/10/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Strong acid line, body from the semillon and all the fruit notes you'd expect: lemon and lime approaching sherbet, melon and a touch of pineapple and passionfruit, with more grass/snowpea on the nose than on the palate.

9/30/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Very elegant and balanced overall; new world but not oppressively so. Lemon, honey, hazelnut and slight biscuit flavours all coming through and in harmony.

9/24/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Full bodied with soft, gentle tannin, much fruiter than savoury/earthy, primarily black cherry, slightly medicinal. Much better by itself than the duck we had intended to pair it with. Perhaps a few more years in bottle if you're looking for more tertiary characteristics.

9/23/2023 - Ayanami wrote:

Racing acidity, though the aromas and palate were a little muted (it is 3 years old, so might be in that transitional phase). Mainly lemon/lime and blossom on the nose, more lemon/lime pith on the palate.

See what happens in 5 years perhaps.

9/15/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Reasonable acid and tannin structure, sour cherry and plum, fair few medicinal/menthol notes (symptom of Margaret River Pinot I guess), all reflected on the palate together with slight earthiness.

9/15/2023 - Ayanami wrote:

Deep ruby in appearance. Nose is light on intensity, mainly umami/meat/mushroom with some black cherry and plum, roughly the same on the palate, more Christmas cake notes after an hour in glass. Still fairly high in acid, medium+ tannin and (very) high alcohol. Finishes reasonably long but the heat from the alcohol can get overpowering. Overall a good representation of the variety from Margaret River, particularly at the price.

9/9/2023 - Ayanami wrote:

Blackcurrant, liquorice, slight mint/eucalypt and cedar. High acid and high alcohol at 14.5%. Enjoyable but not a complex wine, priced accordingly.

8/20/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Reasonably balanced and not cloying/sickly for a straight Semillon botrytis; pretty good at the price.

8/26/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Strikingly sweet blue and black fruits on opening, but tannins rough and lacking integration. Next day it was much better put together, fool me for underestimating and not decanting/letting breathe in the first place.

Pleasantly surprising given the price.

7/15/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Midweight with a combination of red fruits and dark mocha, as always did better after about an hour of opening. Held up well to mild chilli in a tomato based pasta dish.

7/15/2023 - Ayanami wrote:

Well made, good length but more savoury than anticipated, the 2010 was a lot more fruit forward.

6/25/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Black live, black bramble and blue fruits on the palate, mid-bodied but powerful flavours, with good length. Smooth, supple tannins, not particularly chalk. Astonishing value at $27.

6/17/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Powerful oak and development, with probably the most tartrate crystals I've seen in a long time. Wonderful, but match food accordingly.

6/9/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Medium weight overall, quite full for a pinot. Chocolate notes on the nose, dark cherry and slight aniseed. Little funky (makes sense as its unfiltered and unfined), does wonders for the texture. Still has a sense of elegance, but let's be clear it's not DRC. Astonishing for the price.

5/27/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Surprise packet after 5 years, some developed and slightly oily notes, with light apricot and lime cordial fruit. A textured and mid-weight palate. Off dry, approaching Spätlese but certainly not a dessert wine. Good for food with a decent whack of chilli.

5/7/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Surprisingly sweet and vanilla notes, perhaps from the oak used, with soft and rounded tannins. Pleasant and easy drinking, handy to have if you're set on having a red with your chilli dish.

5/6/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Light to mid-body, with a gentle sweetness and lots of lemon to complement. More akin to a Sauternes that's heavy on the sauvignon blanc, so perfect when an Aussie Botrytis Semillon would be too heavy or cloying.

5/6/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

I'd assumed this was over the hill, being 25 years old, under cork and just the general estate release (not their reserve). Pleased to be proved wrong, though the cork disintegrated on removal it'd kept the wine very fresh. Olive tapenade and red fruits on the nose, followed by the same in the glass with very soft, rounded tannin and a good line of acid lingering.

Was not hot or over developed, could have another 5 years in the bottle easily. Very impressed.

4/28/2023 - Ayanami wrote:

Significant Brett infection; fruit did its best to push through after an hour, but there's only so much you can do.

4/14/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Off dry, textured with lime and orange rind notes; perfect for a balanced dessert, probably overpowered by anything too sweet.

4/5/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Stunning; wish I'd kept the notes! Have at least one more and can hopefully contribute something useful thereafter...

1/13/2023 - Ayanami wrote:

Huge black fruits with a hint of chocolate, broad and full mouthfeel with soft tannins. Hardly elegant or complex, but you don't always want to sit and contemplate every sip for 15 minutes. Pleasant and easy-drinking, so not one for cellaring but for sharing with friends without thinking too much about it or worrying that it will offend someone.

1/6/2023 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Initially quite thin and muted, 2 hours in the decanter brought forth mid-weight red fruit and spice, with some very slight leathery notes. Had perhaps another year or two in it.

12/25/2022 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Peak drinking right now, after about 2 hours in a decanter and having warmed up a bit. The citrus and grass of the varietals shine through, with judicious oak lurking in the background and working with the age of the Semillon to add texture and mouthfeel. Great stuff.

12/31/2022 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Sweet red fruits, perhaps even plum liqueur, on the nose, matched on the palate given the 10g/l dosage. Pleasant and generous, I would Like a touch more acid but that's more personal preference than any issue with the wine.

12/29/2022 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Drinking excellently now: 1 hour in a decanter brought forth seriously lifted and juicy (not jammy) red and blue fruits, with a hint of leather and tobacco underlying. Has the acid to go at least a couple more years, but if you like them fruity, drink now.

12/24/2022 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Lush, generous but not as spiced or powerful as your standard sparkling red, given it's Merlot and not Shiraz. Great gateway for those just getting into them for Christmas.

12/18/2022 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Rich, deep red and dark fruits, with no bitter aftertaste. Bottled Aussie Christmas.

12/3/2022 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

More complexity and richness than I was expecting; elements of brioche, honey and lemon.

11/19/2022 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Quite developed, a sign of the whole bunch pressing, oak and malo. Broad, buttery and generous, almost on the edge of being too dairy-sour, but just the lingering yellow necatrine ushers you back from the edge of reason.

10/15/2022 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Golden yellow colour indicates the age and development here: nectarine, white-peach and surprising length, with a broad mouthfeel and oak characteristics that I can't quite put my finger on.

10/15/2022 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Tertiary, developed, slightly spiced with Christmas, still full red fruits, dusty tannins.

9/17/2022 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Warm, earthy and medium bodied, surprisingly elegant. Even better then next day.

9/17/2022 - Ayanami Likes this wine:

Bright acidity, red fruit bomb (with some slightly darker fruit in support) after a couple of hours of opening up.